Archive for October 16, 2011

Extracurricular Activities that Colleges Love to See

October 16, 2011 Magic Education
When filling out a college application, some students have difficulty with the additional activities section. What do colleges like to see? Are there activities that make you more likely to be accepted into a university than others? If you face this dilemma, do not worry! Most high school students have plenty of valuable information to provide on a college application. This application section has a single purpose — to illustrate your interests, commitment and attitude. The best plan is to list the most important and defining aspects of your life outside of school.

While there are many fun extracurricular activities in which to engage, remember that the main focus of your application will be your academic merit. Do not accumulate so many activities that your grades suffer. Additionally, know that colleges look for depth and perseverance. A student with one or two commitments over several years is more attractive than one who takes up several activities for only short periods of time. A college seeks students who will invest their commitment to programs at their school, so proving your loyalty to an activity through several years of participation is a definite advantage.

It is best to choose activities in which you have a strong interest. It is unnecessary to commit to activities that do not spark your fancy simply to make an application look desirable. You may maximize the impact of these activities if you include some mentoring. If you prefer sports, spend some time coaching junior teams. If academic activities such as chess or debate are your passion, find ways to show your commitment to them. Start a blog to display your knowledge and help others improve, and list the blog in your activities as an additional activity.

The high cost of sports programs may be a deterrent for some students. Remember that independent activities also count as extracurricular. Your school may have a large number of programs available to you, but if your interests lie outside of those, you may wish to seek opportunities in the community. Some students prefer community service activities, and these do look great on an application. Volunteering reduces expenses involved with uniforms and equipment and provides a free activity to which you may commit.

Your job counts as an extracurricular activity. Some students make the mistake of not listing employment in the activities section, but there is no reason why you cannot. Lasting employment proves to colleges that you have drive and determination. It may also illustrate your determination to save money and become an independent adult. While a job may keep you from committing to other activities, highlight any achievements you reach at work. Have you been promoted or given any extra responsibilities? List them on your application!

Avoid filling out the activities section on a college application as a simple list. Give details about your involvement in programs, and highlight any achievements or responsibilities. These are attractive assets in a student and will make a lasting impression on the college admissions board.

About The Author

This post’s author is Holly Adams, a writer for Coupon Croc. Heading back to school? Save with vouchers from couponcroc.co.uk when you shop online for the latest gadgets and supplies for students.

No comments

How To Remove Pests From Your Home Without Spending A Fortune

October 12, 2011 Magic Home Improvement
Pests have been a significant problem for the better part of human history. They have at the very least always been a nuisance, and at the worst can spread disease in several different ways. Therefore it is important to know ahead of time the best ways to get rid of these pests, especially when they decide to make your home their new place of residence. The list of insects and rodents that can come into your home and cause you trouble is far too long for one article to contain, but there are a few of the more common ones that can be discussed.

Common Pests

The insects that you are most likely to encounter are some of the most prevalent creatures on earth, and this includes crawling bugs such as ants and roaches. Both of these problematic insects can make themselves at home quite easily in your house, and will often eat their way through anything you might have left out and unprotected. So, they are obviously an unsightly and annoying problem in any house.

They often come into a home in search of either food or shelter (well, both), and will not leave of their own accord until they are banished from your house by the use of effective pest control methods.

Quick Tips

For these bugs and indeed most pests, the best thing to do at the start of the process is to minimize your exposure in terms of available food and shelter for them, in order to make your home a less attractive place for them to stay. This can include such simple things as cleaning up any food that might not be properly sealed or put away, or making more regular trips to take out any garbage. In addition, if the problem is coming from roaches, you should make sure that the areas underneath kitchen cabinets and cupboards are kept dry, as moist or damp places will draw them in faster than those that are kept clean and dry.

Using Pesticides

After taking these simple measures, the key to true and complete pest control is to research and purchase the appropriate pesticides. The key is getting the right pesticides for the job. This is what will give you the real power when it comes to getting rid of the problem. Many people may not be aware that the same products that are employed by professional exterminators are also available online to those who wish to do the application themselves.

These powerful pesticides will allow you to eradicate any insect or rodent that may be invading your home. Not only are there quite a few products available for those who are trying to get pests out, but there is also a wealth of advice and information on both the products and the individual types of pests. By searching for and using your own pest control products, you will not only be taking complete control of the situation and restore your peace of mind, but you will also be saving both time and money when compared to the traditional method of using a professional service to get rid of the problem.

About The Author

To learn more about do-it-yourself pest control for any kind of pest, including those tough pests like bed bugs, please visit www.domyownpestcontrol.com.

No comments

Benefits of Planned Housing Estates

October 12, 2011 Magic Home Improvement
Many homebuyers are strongly considering moving into planned communities. These master designed neighborhoods have seen a steady increase in popularity in recent years. Once available only to the upper class, these communities are now being made available to the middle class. Designed for those who long for the days when neighborhoods consisted of more than just rows of homes and a few streetlights, planned communities feature expansive green spaces, neighborhood shopping centers, security services, and a strong sense of community. Planned communities have much to offer to those considering a move.

• Planned communities are designed to be self-sufficient neighborhoods. They incorporate shopping centers, sports fields and parks, and community theaters. Some communities even feature their own school and medical systems.

• A benefit intrinsic to a planned community is the amount of planned green space. Planned communities follow a master plan. Incorporating areas such as walking trails, parks, and lakes into the overall design of the community at the very beginning of the design process means that the result is aesthetically pleasing.

• A neighborhood is only as good as the people who fill it. Those that move to a planned community often do so because they are seeking a particular kind of lifestyle built around family and community. Shared goals are realized goals.

• Planned communities often have community wide activities such as cookouts, community softball games, community theater productions, and concerts. These types of activities ensure that residents recognize their neighbors by their face rather than the car they drive.

• A home within a planned community is a good investment. These homes have been shown to weather downward trends in the real estate market better than comparable properties in traditional non-planned neighborhoods.

• Many parents worry for their children’s safety when they are out of eyesight. In planned developments, children are allowed to be children. They are given the freedom to wander and explore rather than be confined within the safety of the backyard. Built around security and safety, these communities offer a safe environment where parents can allow their kids to ride their bikes from sunup to sundown without fear.

• Small business owners can take advantage of not only the benefits associated with living in this type of community, they can also set up shop. Those who live in a planned community often have more disposable income than the average consumer does. Opening a business in these communities allows the owner to tap that market. They also get the added benefit of being able to walk to work every morning.

• A Homeowner’s Association often governs these communities. These associations ensure that homes within the community are maintained according to community standards. This means that homeowners need not worry that a slovenly neighbor’s home will negatively affect their property values. Homeowner’s Associations also organize community wide events and maintain common areas.

Planned communities have much to offer to the homebuyer who is interested in a return to small town living within an easy commute to work in an urban area. Designed around the core principles of consistency, community, and safety, this type of development offers discerning homebuyers a welcome alternative to more common suburban housing options.

If you are a potential home buyer and are looking for a planned residential development, Perth property developers LWP have beautiful residential estates both north and south of the river for you to choose from. Contact them today to start your dream of home ownership.

No comments

Complying With ADA Pool Lift Requirements

October 11, 2011 Magic Home Improvement

By March 2012 all existing public swimming pools and spas must have installed accessed points in their facilities that accommodate people with disabilities. Large pools with perimeter walls of 300 feet or more will need to have two access points, smaller pools and spas need have only one. Where two access points are required these may consist of a pool lift, a sloped entry, a transfer wall or a moveable staircase. All pool lifts that are installed following this legislation need to be ADA compliant and conform to the specifications laid out in the 2010 Accessible Design Act.

ADA compliant pool lifts will be battery powered and any existing lifts that are manually operated with a hand crank will need to be removed and compliant facilities installed. People with disabilities need to be able to operate the lift from within the pool and from the deck. To ensure lift stability during the transfer process from wheelchair to lift, all lifts need to be fitted with stabilizer bars, and have a seat that is at least sixteen inches wide with appropriate lumber support. Lifts should be robust enough to sustain 300 pounds weight and be capable of managing one and a half times that weight. Lifts should not be situated where the water is more than four feet deep, and the lift should be able to drop one and a half feet below water level. The seat must be sixteen inches from the pool edge whenever the seat is in a raised position and the deck space should not be obstructed when the lift is in use.

The operation of a lift should not need pressure greater than five pounds and the controls should not be obstructed at any time. Any pool that does not have an ADA compliant lift will, under the new rulings, have to have either a portable staircase of sloping entry for disabled access to the pool. The purpose behind the legislation is to make sure that public swimming pools, i.e. those in receipt of government funding or membership dues, allow for access and exit suited to people with disabilities. Any public swimming pool that does not have the required access points for people with disabilities by March 2012 could be subject to lawsuits through the federal justice system. While those who run public swimming pools and spas will have to take account of the legislation, expert opinion is that responses will vary depending on where the facilities are based.

About The Author

Sue Jeffels is a contributor for Swimtown Pools, an online pool supplies store that also carries ADA compliant pool lifts.

No comments

The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself Plumbing

October 10, 2011 Magic Home Improvement
There is a temptation when doing DIY work around the home to attempt any gas plumbing jobs rather than hiring a professional. After all, engineer call out charges are expensive, and somebody who is competent at DIY may feel that they have the skills required to do the job. However, there are many risks involved when gas plumbing work is not carried out by a fully qualified Gas Safe registered engineer.

One extremely serious potential consequence of poorly serviced gas appliances is carbon monoxide poisoning. This odourless invisible gas truly is a silent killer. It causes headaches, nausea, dizziness, and eventually unconsciousness and death. It is caused when appliances do not burn gas properly, and when there are blockages in flues and chimneys. The only way to ensure a fully functioning system is to have it checked by an engineer.

Another reason why gas appliances should not be a DIY project is that a layman will be unaware of how to check if an appliance is leaking gas. These leaks can occur with newly installed appliances as well as those that have been moved to new positions. The consequences of a gas leak can be catastrophic, as the highly flammable nature of gas means that any spark or naked flame could cause an explosion. The magnitude of this could cause damage to surrounding properties. Only a qualified engineer will be able to ensure that gas appliances are completely and safely plumbed in.

Gas leaks can result in localised fires, as well as the wider ranging explosions. When gas in the air catches fire it can immediately spread to the surrounding area. Once again, it requires the spark of a naked flame. Fires caused by gas leaks are extremely dangerous because there is the added potential for further explosions to still occur. It is only when gas appliances are installed incorrectly that they will leak gas, which highlights the need to ensure that the job is done by a professional engineer.

A recent poll has suggested that one in three people would attempt to install a gas appliance themselves. Despite the fact that people are trying to save money, the costs involved when things go wrong are far greater, both in financial terms and with loss of life. Only engineers who are on the Gas Safe Register are trained and qualified to carry out gas works. Furthermore, people often put themselves in danger when doing other DIY projects by wallpapering over vents or inadvertently damaging gas pipes. This seriously increases the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. These DIY errors highlight the fact that people often do not fully understand the potential dangers of gas.

It is simply not worth the risk to attempt to install or fix any gas appliances yourself. Legally gas works must be carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and poorly maintained appliances could have potentially fatal consequences. As a result, it is imperative to always employ a fully trained and qualified professional.

About The Author

James Benham is a service advisor for CoursesPlus who provide a wide range of vocational training courses across the UK.

No comments

Three Simple Ways to Encourage Your Budding Artist

October 9, 2011 Magic Family and Personal
Art is one of the great joys in life. Parents who encourage their child’s artistic tendencies are giving them a lifelong gift. Not only is art beautiful, it’s also a way to encourage self expression, fine motor skills, creativity and the value of learning through trial and error. Children who are given the opportunity to make art will benefit many times over throughout their lives.


Even if your child isn’t destined to be the next Picasso, it’s worth it to give them support and encouragement in their endeavors. Here are five simple things parents can do to encourage their young artists and give them a gift that they will carry with them forever.

1. Do encourage your child and give them plenty of praise, but be smart about it. Rather than loudly proclaiming every piece to be the best thing you’ve ever seen, point out specific things that you notice about their work and emphasize how much you can tell that they enjoyed doing the work. You can also give them ideas on new things to try and ask them questions about their technique.

Giving lots of praise seems like a good idea, but it gives children the idea that being good at art is something inherent, rather than a skill they can work on and improve. It also puts too much emphasis on the finished product rather than the experience. This takes the joy out of creation and makes your child less willing to take chances and try new things.

2. Provide your child with art supplies and a place to work. Don’t worry, you don’t have to go overboard! A corner of the kitchen or playroom where it’s okay to spill a little paint is perfect. Add a table and maybe a sturdy easel and you’ve got the perfect place for your artist to work. A little apron or artist’s smock is a nice touch, but one of mom or dad’s old t-shirts works just as well to protect clothing.

You can gradually build your child’s collection of art supplies, there is no need to run out and get everything at once. Melissa and Doug makes a range of non-toxic, easy to use art supplies that you can order online as well as economical rolls of paper for painting and other projects.

Don’t forget to start a collection of “found” objects to use as art supplies. Bits of leftover wrapping paper, foil, stray buttons, scrap of cloth and natural objects like dried leaves and pine cones can all find a home in your child’s art.

3. Explore resources in your community. Many local children’s museums and art galleries run programs for the public that will teach your child different art techniques. Some are even free or very low cost. The best way to find out about these programs is to visit each institution’s website and sign up for their newsletter and/or follow them on social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. Your local newspaper, free weekly or parenting website can also give you the heads-up on special events or ongoing classes.

If you live in an area without these resources or are pressed for time, the Internet can be a useful tool. Not only can you order art supplies online, you can also find ideas for wonderful projects to do with your little artist. Learning new skills and techniques can help keep your child’s interest in art alive while at the same time improving his or her abilities.

Authors Jacob and Carol Maslow are the proud parents of five preteen children who have learned from experience that real toys don’t require batteries. Carol works as a therapist, specializing in integrating developmentally delayed preschoolers with their classmates. Jacob works at online retailer Today’s Concept, where parents can find the classic Melissa and Doug Toys. 

No comments

A Few Tips on Sofa Maintenance

October 8, 2011 Magic Home Improvement
Sofas can be such an expensive purchase that it is often frustrating when, after a few months, the couch you spent a lot of money on starts to show signs of wear and tear. No matter what material your sofa is made out of, there are various things you can do to preserve the life your sofa and in turn save yourself a lot of money.

Leather sofas are so comfortable and a first choice when it comes to young families, mainly because they are so easy to clean – one wipe and the spaghetti/juice/chocolate stains are gone! The best way to extend the life of your leather sofa is to not just clean it when there is a spillage, but to regularly wipe it with a damp cloth. Products that say they are designed for cleaning sofas should be tested before use on the entire sofa. Many of these products usually contain chemicals that can do more damage than good to your sofa and can cause the leather to discolor or worse, disintegrate.

If you own a fabric sofa, maintenance can be a little more difficult. Stains can soak into the fabric no matter how quickly you try to mop them up. The best way to look after your sofa is to not allow food or drinks near it. That, however, can seem like a bit of an extreme rule and it may ultimately not work out that way. Inviting friends over for coffee and then not allowing them to sit on your sofa while having a drink it is one example when this could seem a little ridiculous. Instead of always keeping people from relaxing on your sofa, you should prepare yourself with cleaning agents that will help remove stains without destroying the colour of your sofa’s fabric.

The great thing about sofas these days is that they usually come with removable cushions covers. This is a real blessing for any sofa that sits in a slightly messy household. By removing the cushions and washing them at least twice a year, you will keep the overall color and cleanliness of your sofa at a high standard.

General rules for sofa maintenance can apply to both leather and fabric sofas. Regularly vacuuming the sofa (including underneath and behind the cushions) stops dust gathering, thus giving you an overall cleaner living room. Having general fabric and leather cleansers at hand, even if they are only used once in a blue moon, can really save your sofa from becoming a stain-covered mess.

Although sofa frames are strong, if anyone (kids mainly!) jumps on them, they can, over time, become worn and less sturdy. Not only will the frame weaken, but the cushions will lose that lovely plumpness that made you buy it in the first place.

Lastly, don’t allow your sofa to be hit by direct sunlight, it can damage leather and of course will cause fabric colors to fade.

By keeping a good eye on your sofa and using these simple instructions, you will be able to enjoy it for many years to come.

About The Author

This is a guest article by Jurgen Heidenreich. He runs a German website about sofas, which features useful information on many types of sofas, such as XXL Sofas and corner sleepersofas (called Ecksofa mit Schlaffunktion in German).

No comments

How Important is Customer Support?

October 7, 2011 Magic Business
Given how many corporations are awful at customer support, does it really even matter? Absolutely!

Happy Customers Will Make You Happy

Improving customer support isn’t a cost with no return. Making customers happy is very beneficial to your business.


When a customer is happy, they’ll tell one person about your business. When they’re unhappy, they’ll tell ten. While this is just a saying and not a hard statistic, the bottom line is not only will happy customers help your business grow, but they also won’t do anything to harm your growth.

5 Ways to Improve Your Customer Support

Less Talking, More Listening: While it’s important for you and your staff to fully answer the questions your customers have, you first need to make sure that you’re answering their actual question.

A lot of customer support frustration results from staff jumping in with an answer too quickly. After the customer goes through all the steps they were told, they realize that all of those steps were for a different problem.

Listening enough to ensure you are able to solve a customer’s problem with the first set of instructions you give them will prevent them from enduring unnecessary frustration.

Empower Your Support Staff: Although customers will always blame the person they’re actually talking to for not fixing their problem, there are many companies where it’s not the support staff’s fault for providing poor service.

The real issue stems from their management failing to give them enough freedom to actually solve problems. If you place a laundry list of restrictions on your support staff, providing timely service is going to be impossible.
When you hire sharp employees you can trust, you’ll feel comfortable backing off so they can properly do their jobs.

Evaluate Feedback: Your customers will have plenty of feedback about your customer support. So will your employees. You want to listen carefully to both groups.

However, what you don’t want to do is make impulsive decisions based on this feedback. That approach can actually be more detrimental than beneficial.

Instead, you want to pay attention to topics that continue to come up. If something gets brought up on a regular basis, chances are it’s a real issue that you should address.

Build a Knowledge Database: Your customer support team spends a lot of their time answering the same questions. This is also true for what customers search for when they come to your website.

If you don’t have a knowledge database that is easy for both groups to access, you need to start building one. Once you build this this type of database and put it to use, you’ll find that both groups benefit immensely.
Personalize It: While you want to have a database of answers, this doesn’t mean you want your customer support to be robotic.

The more “human” you can make your support, the happier your customers are going to be with your business.

What steps are you going to take to improve your company’s customer support?

About The Author

Craig Klein is CEO of SalesNexus, which is a Houston based online CRM company that offers business email marketing services as well.

No comments

Air Pressure Testing and Building Regulation

October 7, 2011 Magic Home Improvement
The Building Regulations Part L1a passed in April of 2006 requires air-tightness testing of new homes before they can be occupied. Yet the new homeowner or building may not be familiar with the techniques used or the issues it addresses.

Before a call is made for air pressure testing, it is helpful to have a general understanding of air-tightness. Every building needs to have some of the interior air exchanged with fresh air from the outside. This helps remove pollutants and harmful gasses that have built up, as well as balance the moisture content of the inside.

There are two basic and common sense ways of understanding the total air flow of the building, and they can be classified as controlled and uncontrolled. Controlled air flow would be the flow of air through those intentionally installed features, such as vents, that move air in and out of the domicile. Controlled air flow is easily understood and is a common design feature, part of the overall engineering of the building.

 However, uncontrolled air flow is caused by those gaps that exist around imperfectly installed windows, pipes, or doors. This causes energy waste as well as other long term problems. Energy is lost as heat escapes and drives up the cost of air conditioning. Mold and mildew problems can occur by unwanted moisture working its way into the home, causing health problems.

This is why the Building Regulations call for air pressure testing. Tests will reveal the uncontrolled exchange of air and determine if they fall within the building regulations and guidelines. During the testing, a fan is used to pump air in or out of building, and sometimes smoke pencils are used. The potential leakage is then monitored and tracked as the building is pressurized and de-pressurized. If the construction is sound, little uncontrolled ventilation will occur and the owners can rest assured that the building was built well. If the construction was poorly done, then there will be much leakage detected during the testing.

This is where the smoke pencils are handy, as they will point out where the construction failed to make airtight seams and joins. So, not only is it the law to have air pressure testing, but there is a real benefit to having it done before the dwelling is occupied. There are long term energy savings, the air will be healthier, and the construction itself is tested as a side result.

About The Author

Louisa Coan is writing on behalf of Air Testing Solutions, Who is a specialist provider of air pressure testing and air leakage testing. They also offer air pressure testing and air testing.

No comments

Drawbacks Of Online Management Courses

October 7, 2011 Magic Education
Prior to the existence of distance learning programs, most full time professionals could only dream about pursuing an advanced management course. However, today the Internet is flooded with success stories of working professionals who were able to get the promotion that they have been eyeing only after completing an online management course. One can find an abundance of similar stories on the print and electronic media as well. While one cannot argue that the facility of online studying is a boon to many who cannot pursue a regular management course due to some or the other reason, online management courses do have certain disadvantages that never get highlighted.

If you have been planning to apply to a distance learning management program, you should be aware of both the benefits and drawbacks associated with the same so that you make an informed decision. It is only when you know both sides of the coin that you can correctly assess if an online management course is right for you. Some of the most talked about benefits of these courses include flexibility of the education schedule, convenience of study timings, great scope for business networking and lower course fee. However, all these can go for a toss if the institute that is providing the course does not enjoy proper accreditation by a known educational organization.

Also, what a student learns from an online management course depends largely on his time management skills. Unless a person is self motivated and can do advance planning, it is quite likely that he or she will keep postponing the study time. Once a student falls into the trap of procrastination, he can bid goodbye to a meaningful educational experience while pursuing a distance learning program. A virtual classroom is also unsuitable for a person who requires eye contact with the teacher as well as other students to remain focused. If personal attention is what keeps you on track when it comes to your studies, it is strongly recommended that you opt for a traditional management course in a brick and mortar school.

Though regular interactive classes are held as a part of most online management courses, a student cannot usually get an immediate feedback from the faculty. Therefore, a student has to wait until the teacher reviews his assessment. This can be quite frustrating at times when you need to clarify a doubt urgently. Although one can always send an email to the teacher, the response time can still be a dampener when you have to wait for a reply before you can proceed with your study.

Online management courses depend on the computer technology for any exchanges that take place between fellow students and between the faculty and students. The students have to access the course material online and receive and submit assignments through mail. Thus, any technical glitches can put an abrupt stop to your educational pursuit. In order to prevent such a situation, you should consider all the technology requirements of a particular online management course prior to enrolling for the same.

Each college and program has its pluses and minuses. If you look at only the positives and make a decision, you stand to lose. We cover both the advantages and issues with each college and program. Check our detailed Fisher college review for an example.

No comments
« Older Entries