David Brooks wonders:


These days, more and more attention is being paid to the previously humble bathroom. Luxurious bathrooms are a trend (and one that is probably here to stay)—incorporating spa-inspired amenities and luxurious materials in your bathroom is becoming de rigueur. Bathrooms are turning into the new refuge, and some busy professionals feel it’s one of their only chances to get some alone time during the day. Built-in TV’s and radios, saunas, coffee makers and Jacuzzis are all being incorporated into bathrooms. Your bathroom window treatments should complement the look of your bathroom decor while also meeting the unique conditions that need to be addressed in a private space.

Consider the environment; bathrooms are humid. Even if you want a bathroom window treatment fit for a queen and your heart is set on drapes or roman shades, explore synthetic options that won’t mildew. Ditto for hardwoods that can warp—go faux wood, composites or vinyl and save a few dollars while you’re at it (i.e. faux wood blinds, faux wood shutters). Ventilation is important in a bathroom, so make sure your window treatment doesn’t interfere with the operation of the window.

Privacy, privacy, privacy. If your bathroom windows face the street or a nearby neighbor, consider light controlling blinds or shades (cloth, aluminum, vinyl, and natural wovens), operative shutters or lined panels. For windows on second or third floors, consider top down/bottom up upgrades that offer both natural light and privacy.

Be style and theme appropriate. For a more crisp, clean look popular in many spa-like home bathrooms, keep things simple and sleek with a simple horizontal blind, shade or drapery panel covering the window. For a more elaborate, layered look, appropriate for traditional, French, Mediterranean, and Country inspired décor, pair attractive top treatments, side panels or swags in colors that complement other accents in the room over your window blinds or shades.

It may seem like an insignificant part of you bathroom remodeling or redecorating plans, but the right window treatment can be the finishing touch for a beautiful bathroom. And, the wrong window treatment (i.e. one that can’t handle the environmental demands) will simply not last and from a design standpoint will detract from the overall beauty and cohesiveness of the design.

These days there are tons of window covering options, colors, textures and various upgrades, it can be a little daunting. If that’s how you feel, you may want to speak to an expert who can help narrow the list. There are also many brand names, such as Hunter Douglas, Levolor, Bali, Kirsch, Comfortex and Graber. I have not noticed that there is a tremendous difference in quality between the various manufacturers, so don’t worry too much about that. If you want to save some money consider some of the retailer’s signature brands. These are generally very equivalent in quality and are usually 10-20% cheaper. Just ask what the warranty is for the signature brands and maybe also inquire about customer reviews. If you are comfortable with the guarantees and reviews, I say save the money. No one is going to be looking at the labels of your blinds.

<3*{oRiGaMi}*<3 wonders:


Outside, the city makes it’s noise,
and people drive from street to street,
searching for their souls.
Searching for their own lost cause.
This place is void of spirit,
all the disconnected people,
walking with their plastered-on grins.
Unable to remove them,
so unaware of freedom.
Arrogance clouds the tired faces of men
as they stroll through their jail cell,
self detained.
Echoing off of the walls are the illusions of perfection.
Where the best of friends are strangers,
and the blindness goes unnoticed.

Keep in mind I’m 13
Please star this
Have a fantabulous day!

Imteaz Ahmed wonders:


The Texas Holdem game begins with the dealer shuffling a standard deck of 52 cards. In online casinos, however, the dealer does not play. Instead, a dealer button, which moves clockwise from player to player with each hand, indicates which player would be the dealer if the deal were advanced from player to player as the game progresses.

Now, two players to the immediate left of the dealer put a predefined amount of money in the pot before the cards are dealt so that there will be something to game for in the subsequent hands. These bets are called the blind. Usually, the first player to the immediate left of the dealer posts a blind called the first blind – that is equal to half the minimum bet amount. The second blind, posted by the second player to the left of the dealer (if he indeed posts the bet) will be the full minimum bet amount.

After the blinds are posted, two down cards are dealt to the players, and the betting begins. A round of betting starts from the player to the left of the one who had posted the blind. The other players can call/raise/fold when it is their turn to bet. Once the first round of betting is completed, the dealer drops the top card from the deck in order to pre-empt the possibility that someone might have sneaked a peek of it. The next three cards on the deck are then flipped face up on the table, called the flop.

After the flop, another betting round begins from the player to the left-hand side of the dealer. In this and all future betting rounds, other players can call, raise or fold when their respective turn comes. Next is fourth street during when the dealer issues one more community card the fourth community card – face up on the table. This is usually done after burning the card on top of the deck in order to prevent cheating. Fourth street is followed by a third betting round, starting from the player to the immediate left hand side of the dealer.

The dealer drops another card before placing the final and fifth community card on the table, face up. This face up card is named the fifth street or the river. Players can now use the seven cards available the five community cards and the two hole cards to form the best five card poker hand. The last round of Texas Holdem betting starts from the player to the left side of the dealer, as earlier. After the betting, players who are still in the game reveal their hands, in what is called the show down. The one who had made the initial bet or the one who had made the final raise reveals his hand first. As the other players also reveal their hands in turn, the one with the best hand is adjudged the winner.

In the showdown, if the best five-card hand is formed using all the community cards, and does not include any hole cards, the player would only get a share of the pot. On the other hand, if two or more players have the equal hand, as per the poker rules, then the pot is split between them. As another possibility, if two players have the best five-card hand, formed with the help of less than five cards, the Texas Holdem poker rules insist that the winner be decided on the basis of kicker (the cards that are not part of the winning combination).

Ill Will wonders:


I read a couple places that gas emissions can cause blindness if they interact with even the smallest amount of moisture in your eyes. When they interact with moisture it forms acid. So does this happen when you give yourself a homemade facial by putting your face over boiling water? Or do they cancel each other out since the gas emission in this case is a form of water?

Judith Persit wonders:


American windows come in all sizes and shapes. This is even more comon these days with modern architectural styling which is looking towards opening up buildings, maximizing light and heat, and creating views over wide expanses. Windows are being developed ever wider and ever higher, and are even being used in a larger percentage of the wall space in the home and in the workplace. Vertical blinds also have to adapt, with their design and shape developing to match the increasing demands of the designers of the huge windows, both in size and in tensile strength.

The challenges facing the suppliers and dealers of vertical blinds today is that not only must the blinds be tall enough, or wide enough, to cope with covering windows of all sizes and shapes, but vertical blinds must work in exactly the same efficient manner as those which cover normal, standard sized windows. If they did not, clients and consumers would be unhappy, and select alternative products. It is for this reason that, increasingly, vertical blinds made from fabrics are gaining popularity, because of the flexibility in terms of maximum size possible, and in general strength. Windows that are very tall require vertical blinds that hang straight, cover the window completely at both sides, and reduce light pollution around the edges to a minimum. It is also necessary to consider the weight of the vertical blinds – since a very heavy material hanging down a tall window will exert considerably more vertical pull on the mechanism and on the material at the top of the blind than on shorter, more standard sized windows.

Fabric is an important and valuable material since is has an inherent flexibility caused by the cross weaving of the threads. When high quality fabric is used to manufacture vertical blinds, the blinds are provided with a flexibility which will allow the material to hang and give if the height is unusually long.

With plastic materials, this natural flexibility tendency is not always available, and as such, the rigidness can cause the material to begin to deform and buckle, tearing at the top of the slats and causing permanent damage. The buckling which can occur will result in considerable light escape around the edges of the blind, and will cause the vertical blinds to appear to age long before their time. In quality fabric blinds, however, the slats will give and flex naturally, reducing the pressure on the material at the top and causing the fabric to regain its shape and last longer.

On the other hand, PVC vertical blinds will be generally heavier in weight, and cause more of the natural pull than fabric blinds will do. This is a significant drawback,, since the weight of the fabric vertical blinds causes the material to hang more snugly in the window frame, and fit more exactly to the size of the window glass. This can even extend to the times when the window may be ajar, or even fully open, and a gentle breeze may enter the room. A PVC blind will blow and move in the wind, causing significant light pollution which may be unbearable if the workplace uses computer monitors which are required to be placed in an environment where light pollution is not an issue. PVC blinds also make noises when banging, which is certainly not desirable. Fabric based vertical blinds will hang much more steadily in a breeze, and continue to filter the light and serve their purpose because of the extra weight.

Fabric vertical blinds can be manufactured to extremely tall requirements, as well as to very wide ones. The material can be manufactured to the exact measurements required, and sewn to size. Many plastic based products either come in standard sizes or are limited to near standard sizes. Consider that a roll of fabric comes our at 300 feet long, and a piece of PVC is only 6 feet long. You can se the potential here, right? For particularly tall or unusually wide window settings, when looking for vertical blinds, it is highly recommended that, if you are looking for quality and a lifetime of lasting beauty, you choose woven fabric as the material of choice. Fabric vertical blinds also are ideal for those unusual windows such as sliding doors or windows which open using catches. It is important in these cases that the catches or handles be easily accessible.

If windows are particularly large, consider motorizing the blinds. Motorization systems are increasingly affordable, and can make a consumer’s life much more pleasant. Imagine siting comfortably in your easy chain and controlling the blinds which are installed so high, that they are over your head. This is when vertical blinds really show their worth.

Low Jeremy wonders:


Roman blinds are one of the most popular blinds available in the market today. With its design simplicity and elegance, you can never go wrong with roman blinds. Most of today’s homes consider installing roman blinds in their windows because of the said features. It is also very easy to install and is a cheaper alternative to expensive curtains.

Roman blinds are also easy to clean and, depending on the fabric, can be very stylish.

Making a roman blind for your home is very simple. All you need is a little creativity and roman blind equipments. You can purchase the equipments needed at your local hobby store. They will also have books for sale containing roman blinds making instructions.

You can also hire someone who makes these blinds if you want. Just make sure that they make quality roman blinds and it is important that you should take a look at their previous work first to ensure you that you will be hiring a professional.

Roman blind makers will advise you and let you pick the fabrics to be used for the blinds. It is up to you to choose which fabric will suit your home best and can make it more elegant to look at.

All you need is the measurement of the window you will be planning to install the blind in. You should choose where you want to put the blinds, either on the outside recess of the window or in the inside. However, it is more attractive for roman blinds if it is fitted outside the window recess. Fitting is also much easier on the outside.

Installing roman blinds in your home is one of the best ways to make your home more attractive and inviting. It is also one of the best ways to save money by making roman blinds as the alternative to expensive curtains.

Another great thing about roman blinds is that it is very easy to clean.

So, if you want something that will really make your home more inviting to people, you should consider installing roman blinds.

Silhouette Blinds

Silhouette blinds is the enhancement of combining all the major advantages of shades, draperies and blinds into a single magnificent design. This is considered an exquisite trend for windows improving any types of room. Fabric vanes are suspended between the sheer fabric facings tilt so that you can adjust or choose the amount of sunlight or privacy that suits your mood and need.

The advantages of silhouette blinds are:

a. Privacy and light control precision.

b. There are seven lovely fabric choices ranges from two to three inches vane sizes.

c. Designer colors are available in pull palette varying from subdued to intense hues.

d. The hardware components are precise, high in quality and deliver a quiet and smooth operation.

e. The fabrics are anti static and soil resistant.

f. The hardware components are color coordinated.

g. The shapes are created with specialization having motorized options.

Silhouette blinds are incorporated with different features so that the consumers could easily determine whether it suits their needs.

Silhouette material is made of fabrics available in three vane sizes such as two, three or four inches. The sizes of the blinds have a width ranging form 6 to 120 inches and a height ranging from 12 inches to 120 inches. There are 186 color combinations to choose from.

Silhouette blinds have five scales regarding light and privacy control.

1. Minimize the glare if you don’t need privacy.

2. For moderate privacy, you need to soften the light entrance.

3. For substantial privacy, you need to soften the light entrance also.

4. Light diffusion for complete privacy.

5. Virtually blocks the light for providing the most privacy and controls over available light.

Silhouette blinds are applicable in different shapes of windows and doors including angles, arches and trapezoids, sliding glass door, circles and French doors. There are three available operational systems where you can choose from varying from Ultraglide retractable cord system, Tilt-Only Low-Profile system and EasyRise continuous loop system.

Silhouette blinds has a complete uniform exterior appearance with horizontal orientation on window shapes incorporated with safety features, energy efficiency and sound absorption components.

There are two motorization options available including electrical-powered switch or remote control and battery-powered PowerRise.

Silhouette blinds has an either excellent ultraviolet protection ranging from 90 to 95 percent or superior ultraviolet protection ranging from 95 to 99 percent.

Silhouette blinds has the elegance for improving your home decorations in the best way possible.

James Monahan wonders:


LASIK is they key. If you’ve been in anguish over having to wear glasses all the time, get LASIK done and you never have to wear that pair again… ever.

LASIK is a surgical procedure intended to reduce the dependency on glasses or contact lenses. LASIK means Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis.

It permanently changes the shape of the cornea, the clear covering of the front of the eye.

During the LASIK procedure, a knife, called a microkeratome, is used to cut a flap in the cornea. A hinge is left at one end of this flap. The flap is folded back revealing the stroma, the middle section of the cornea.

Pulses from a computer-controlled laser vaporize a portion of the stroma and the flap is replaced.

While LASIK procedure may be the best thing to happen to your glasses-wearing self, this is not for everyone. If you fit any of the descriptions, LASIK is just not for you.

You don’t take risks. There are certain complications which are unavoidable in a certain percent of patients. LASIK procedure does not have long term data, so in the end, you really don’t know what you’re getting into.

Cost is and will be an issue. LASIK is refractive surgery and most medical insurance will not cover it. Although the cost is going down, it still in not significant and this procedure will put a hole in your pocket.

You required a change in your contact lens or glasses prescription in the past year. This is called refractive instability.

If you fit any of the profiles. If you are in your early 20′s or younger, if you have diabetes, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding and if you are taking medications that may cause fluctuations in vision.

You’re sick and your medications will affect wound healing. Certain conditions such as autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency states and diabetes may prevent proper healing after the LASIK procedure.

If you actively participate in contact sports. You participate in boxing, wrestling, martial arts or other activities in which blows to the face and eyes are a normal occurrence.

You are not an adult. Currently, no lasers are approved for LASIK on persons under the age of 18.

Your doctor should also screen you for the following conditions or indicators of risk:

Blepharitis. Inflammation of the eyelids with crusting of the eyelashes, that may increase the risk of infection or inflammation of the cornea after LASIK. Large pupils. Younger patients and patients on certain medications may be prone to having large pupils under dim lighting conditions. This can cause symptoms such as glare, halos, starbursts, and ghost images (double vision) after surgery.

In some patients these symptoms may be incapacitating. For example, a patient may no longer be able to drive a car at night or in certain weather conditions, such as fog.

Thin Corneas. The cornea is the thin clear covering of the eye that is over the iris, the colored part of the eye. Most refractive procedures change the eye’s focusing power by reshaping the cornea. Performing LASIK procedure on a cornea that is too thin may result in blinding complications.

Previous refractive surgery. Additional refractive surgery may not be recommended. The decision to have additional refractive surgery must be made in consultation with your doctor after careful consideration of your unique situation.

Dry Eyes. LASIK surgery tends to aggravate this condition.

Once you’ve gone through this checklist and you’re cleared, go ahead and visit you’re eye doctor. No more glasses forever!

KatH wonders:


Their parents have brainwashed them…it’s so sad!

Lamb and Lynx Gaede
Right now, they’re 14, and:

They say that Adolf Hitler killing over a million Jews is perfectly fine (they’re of German heritage).

They also say that the person who killed Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero.

They’re from Bakersfield, California, but currently reside in Montana because “Bakersfield just isn’t white enough.”

During their ABC interview, the girls said that,
“Adolf Hitler was a great man with good ideas.”
Their grandpa has swastika signs all over his property because he really believes in Hitler.

“Our race is Nature’s Finest,
So I can’t understand people’s blindness.

ALL the mud races must be banished,
For look at the world they have damaged.
Look around and what do I see?
Ugly brown faces staring at me.

Our people must look like my mom and dad.
They don’t now and that makes me mad.” (part a poem by Lynx).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prussian_Blue_%28duo%29

melvin polatnick wonders:


The belief that levitation is possible is held by only a certain type of person. I meet that type of person in all walks of life. What they all have in common is a self denial which is stronger than the facts of their experiences. They close their eyes to what they know to be true and dream about a heavenly paradise. The belief in levitation is only a symbol of a defiant mind that refuses to accept things the way they know they are. This type of mind is deaf and blind to the reality of final death in the ground. They refuse to believe in the laws of gravity, hoping that one day their bodiless spirit will rise off the earth, and into the sky. Their denial of reality is only a type of character disorder that should be treated or ignored.

Living and being buried in the ground has to be accepted. Even if life is cruel there is no better world than this one. If you are suffering there might be better days ahead but the only end to pain is death. We have been blessed by nature to have gotten some sunshine in our lives and should be happy about what we got. No life is full of all sadness. The darkest cloud opens itself up to let in some light.

All of us must have hope for better days ahead. Even a dumb animal lives with the hope of finding food or a mate. If that wasn’t true the animal would stop its movement and just die. But hope has to be based on realistic expectations not fantasy. Terminally ill cancer patients can still have hope that a wonder drug will be found that will save them. But it would be foolish of them to hope to go on living in the sky. Those that expect eternal life have lost their faith in what they have found to be true. Bravely facing the certainty of final death is a boost to a persons self esteem. Oscar Wilde said in one of his great poems “ A coward dies many times a brave person only once“

melpol.

Jonathan W wonders:


Inspiration for this question comes from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prosopagnosia

I was just wondering, sometimes it does seem difficult to distinguish certain features on a person’s face, but is it “face blindness” or just poor vision? I’m wondering, is it something that changes with your vision, or is it like a veil that your mind applies to a face, it’s constantly that quality?