Funny Stuff is all around

Archive for September 21st, 2008

Ever wonder what happens to all of the used and worn out tires that a NASCAR race creates? They have now become a great collector’s piece of NASCAR memorabilia, providing a great new item for NASCAR merchandise lovers. The NASCAR race itself is very exciting. The race will have thousands of people show up to cheer on their favorite driver and race team. The paid advertisers adore the races because of all the publicity it creates for their products and for the brand awareness that is built. The entire event is great for making sales and I love it. Then the flag is dropped and the race is over.

The NASCAR race cars that have been going up to two hundred MPH have multiple sets of tires that have been used and abused on the track. They have no value at this final point in their life. Most times the tires get so hot that are rendered completely useless , making them potentially dangerous and giving them virtually no use at all. The tires are gathered and then moved to back gate at the race track, stacked 4 high. Each race will produce more than 600 used tires.

The tire design makes them unusable on any other type of vehicle. They can only be put on race cars which are very limiting for any additional uses. They cannot be used again ever for fear that they will not be as safe and secure when travelling around a race track at speed exceeding two hundred miles per hour. These used NASCAR tires can lay in a trash dump for more than 400 years prior to completely degrading. This is an issue for all of us to consider but one that should especially be taken under consideration if you are among the many that enjoy the races, like me, and one that we needed to find a solution to in a short term time frame.

The concept was mulled over by a young man who thought that he would be able to brainstorm a way to have the issues put behind us. He started with the premise that most people are big NASCAR fans and enjoy memorabilia, the tires should not have to be reprocessed and that the landfill should not have the tires for the next 400 years, the people should.

That is when the idea of the Race Cooler was born. He thought that the race tire looked like a cooler that he had used when he was a younger man and that the tire could be adapted to make use of the natural insulation that the rubber provided. A design was constructed, a template built, then a prototype was created. It was awesome. The race cooler featured a used NASCAR tire complete with the actual race markings, a special polyethylene inner shell was formed providing dual layers of insulation to keep beverages cold, a water sprout to allow for easy draining of the cooler and lid that would keep everything cool for days. The end result would allow up to 4 bags of ice and up to 144 beverages to be stored inside of the cooler. The coolers have quickly become one of the most perfect NASCAR gifts for the biggest of NASCAR fans. The other terrific effect the product has is that the used tires now find a second useful life rather than taking up space in our landfills.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

It is hard to not pamper your new dog. If you are bringing a puppy into the
house for the first time, there is much to think about. Most people like smaller dogs if they are going to live inside. Some people don’t mind having a bigger dog live indoors, but they do way more damage in the beginning than a smaller dog can.

Sometimes it is easy to forget that your new dog is not going to know the rules of the house. So it is a good idea to prepare your home ahead of time. If you have valuables lying around that you don’t want chewed up you better put them in a safe place. You might also want to think about your furniture. It is almost certain that your dog will chew on some piece of furniture at the beginning. If you have really expensive furniture, then you will have to be a little cautious. You also want to make sure that if you live in an apartment that you have a place they can go potty that is close by.

The next step is to purchase supplies for your new pooch. I have found that the best place to look is online. Traditional pet stores don’t have any where near the selection that you can find online. You also have the flexibility of price shopping for the best deal if you find another product in more than one location. For starters, you want to look at some quality quality dog beds. You can find ones that are casual and some that are quite elegant. Of course, it depends on how much you want to pamper your pooch. Just make sure that the one you purchase will be the one that makes you the most happy and is comfortable for your dog. You also want to look at some luxury dog collars and a leash. Again, you can go contemporary or as ritzy as you want. Also, don’t forget to get some tough pet toys for them to chew on. Last, you need to get a couple of bowls, food, and some decenttreats.

Then comes teaching your dog. If they are a new puppy, potty training is first priority. Some people like to paper train their dogs. I prefer to catch them before they squat and get them outside as quick as you can. Just make sure to reward them with a treat when they go potty outside. In order to do it this way you will have to spend a good few days to a week with them most of the day, but it is quicker. I think it works much faster. If you cannot afford the time, then paper training might be best for you. When you begin to take them out on a leash, you also want to have them walk at your side. The easy way to do this is to begin walking your dog. When they charge out in front of you just stop. Call them back you you and guide them to your side. When that is done, give them a treat. Once you have established to them that you are the leader, they will submit to you for instruction.

We got a little extra cash this weekend so I decided to use the money to go to a movie store to buy dvds. I got some really good movies at a reasonable price. I got a mixture of new and used movies. Some of them I’d seen and some of them I picked up because they looked interesting. I guess we know what I’ll be doing this weekend – checking out all the new movies I picked up!

What is DVD?

In case you’ve lived under a rock and don’t know what DVD is, here’s a little primer for you. DVD is an abbreviation for “Digital Versatile Disc”. DVD is a digital video presentation format that reached market acceptance in the mid 1990’s. It was seen as a successor to the earlier laser disc formats and slowly replaced magnetic video tape (VHS) as the dominant home-video format by 2000. DVD discs measure the same dimensions as CD-ROM discs that are used in computers, but have the capability of storing video and audio material as opposed to the former. Further along, blu ray dvd is a newer high definition format for movies.

Should You switch to DVD?

One of the main enticements that was originally used to convince people to switch from VHS to DVD was the possibility of providing supplemental content (featurettes, interviews, etc.) along with the actual movie or television program. On VHS tapes, of course, these could only be providing linearly, before or after the program, making them more troublesome to view. So in most people’s minds this was a plus. However, it has now gotten to the point where if a DVD doesn’t contain any “special features”, people are less likely to be interested in it, and as a result, some DVD manufacturers will list things like subtitles and widescreen/fullscreen options under “Special Features” just to be able to fill in that space.

Fill out your collection

People who want to fill out their DVD collections can sometimes be scared by the sheer quantity available for purchase as you can buy dvd movies pretty much anywhere. As a result, you’d be wize to come up with a guiding principle to organize a collection before going out to buy DVDs. Some people expand their collections by systematically buying DVDs which feature favorite directors. Others focus on particular genres, such as foreign films or classic films. Still others collect DVDs that remind them of certain favorite times in their lives. However a collection is focused, it’s important to prioritize which DVDs should be added first. A well-organized, well-thought-out collection can impress friends by its mere presence on the shelf, since it becomes a reflection of the collector’s tastes and personality.

Once you have learned the basics with airbrush art, you can start to learn more advanced techniques. These advanced techniques will help you to render more imaginative art. Videos can help you learn this advanced airbrush art techniques. You can also get videos that will help you learn how to render a specific design that will fit with the airbrush art you are trying to create.

Advanced Airbrush Art DVDs
One such specific design video is Creating Killer Dragons, produced by AirBrush Action Magazine with master airbrush artist Crossed Eyed. Crossed Eyed will teach you how to create airbrushed dragons by showing you all the essential techniques involved in rendering all aspects of the dragon.

Killer Klown with Javier Soto will show you how to create airbrushed clowns. This video will go into how to create the popular psycho demented style of clowns. These style of clowns seem to very popular with custom paint jobs. so if you are wanting to get in on how to create these clowns, then this video is for you. Javier Soto will deal with the use of bright colors, textures, highlighting and the use of kandies in creating a brilliant looking psycho clown.

Kustom Pinstriping Techniques featuring airbrush artist Craig Fraser will show you all the aspects of pin striping. This video will show you everything you need to comprehend about pin striping so that you can reach professional level pin striping. With this video you can learn about the design and application process, the different types of airbrushes for pin stripping and which brush is right for which job. Learn about choosing paints and other material that you will need. Practice exercises will have you practicing what you see on the video so that you can master your skills.

Biker Skull featuring renowned airbrush artist Robert Benedict will show you step-by-step how to create a professional looking skull in a leather cap. This video is a very advanced detail orientated video that is a one of a kind as the methods and such have never been put on tape before. With this video you will learn what you need to have an edge over a lot of other airbrush artists. More about Airbrush Art Paints.

When you are pregnant you may not feel at your best, especially if you have put on a lot of weight, but there are things that you can do to feel sexy again.

Many women would be surprised to know this, but there is a wide selection of pregnant lingerie available. Pregnant lingerie is wonderful because it is sexy and alluring like regular lingerie but specially designed to fit a pregnant woman’s growing body.

Enjoy Being Pampered: Shop for Pregnant Lingerie
Not many women are thinking about lingerie when they are pregnant, but once the morning sickness has gone away it is definitely something that should at least be considered. Just because your body does not look the same this certainly does not mean that you cannot look and feel sexy and beautiful, and what better way to show off your body than with lingerie.

There is such a vast selection of pregnant lingerie out there today to choose from, and so regardless of your size and style, there will be perfect pieces for you. Most maternity shops and retailers today carry at least a remote selection of lingerie for pregnant women, but there are also many specialty shops that specialize in this area.

Pregnant Lingerie Shopping

One of the leading pregnant lingerie retailers is Belabumbum. They are a fine maternity lingerie retailer, specializing in lingerie, lounge wear, maternity lingerie and maternity swimwear. They are known for their bold color choices and daring designs, and they focus on using comfortable fabrics like cotton and Lyrca which expand to fit the pregnant woman’s belly.

Belly Dance Maternity is another great option for maternity lingerie, and they have nursing bras, camisoles, panties that support the belly, and much more for pregnant and nursing women to choose from. They also offer a selection of clothing to choose from including tops, pants, dresses and skirts so you can find an entire wardrobe here.

They feature some of the top lingerie brands including Bravado, Bella Materna, Elle Macpherson, and Japanese Weekend.

Pregnant lingerie can make you feel beautiful and help to make your pregnancy more fun and enjoyable, for both you and your partner. Even if you do not feel like wearing it all the time, just for a special occasion here or there would be nice, and be something to look forward to. There is such a wonderful selection out there these days that you are sure to find something that makes you feel sexy and comfortable. More About Lingerie.

Some people collect rocks or shells as a hobby while others may find bungee jumping or fishing more suited to their tastes. There are millions of people around the world however that is abuzz about their particularly sweet hobby – bee keeping! Of course, bee keeping is not just a hobby; it can also be well-suited for a side job or even a full-time enterprise. The good news is that to start this buzzing practice, you do not need much money to get your start.

Considerations before Committing

While the hobby of bee keeping can be a very sweet and rewarding one, there are a few things that one has to consider before starting off. One thing anyone needs to consider is that apiarists or bee keepers are stung by the bees they look after on many occasions, so you will need to check that you and everyone else who will be working with you do not have allergic reactions to bee stings. It is quite easy to know if you are prone to allergic reactions by seeing swelling at the sting site, possible rashes or welts on the body, and swelling of the passageways.

While you may be able to handle most of the basics of bee keeping on your own, it is always helpful to have a partner help you with some of the chores. Heavy lifting is a particular problem when moving the hive boxes so having a helper could be a godsend, unless of course, you can handle the added burden.

Researching

Bee keeping is more than just tending to the hives … it is understanding that there are specific duties and activities that take place at distinct times throughout the year. Bee keeping duties wait for no man regardless of whether or not it is the deep cold winter or a sweltering summer. Apprentice with an apiarist or head to the library to check out as many books and resources as possible.

You must know the difference between the drones, queen bees and workers are in order to succeed in bee keeping as the roles of each are very important to the survival of the hive. Learn what the frames are for, why you smoke some hives out and how to harvest honey and the comb produced.

The important thing that everyone wanting to practice bee keeping appreciates is that the bee keeping equipment is not costly at all nor is it cubersome or difficult in maintaining. However that said, it is still important for you to dilligently research and find out what you really need to purchase only these when starting off. A reliable bee smoker, a good bee suit, veil and hive tool are considered to be the minimum set of tools needed necessary for the job to be done. There are however a list of other equipment needed in the bee keeping hobby that one needs to consider such as the winter protection in addition to honey extraction tools. Just ensure that your level of commitment and your continuing knowledge is used well to guide you through your new adventure in bee keeping.

Sparkling wines and champagne are one of the most exciting forms of alcohol. Many happy and celebratory occasions are celebrated by opening a bottle of sparkling wine.

Celebrations such as parties, promotions and fancy dates many times will use sparkling wine to mark the event. This makes sparkling wine the beverage of choice for parties. Sparkling wine has a very fascinating history and how it is made is also quite interesting.

sparkling wines
It is a common wine legend that sparkling wines were created by accident. Supposedly, some monks from Champagne, France discovered the method because they incorrectly fermented some wine. When they uncorked it, the wine had that bubbly appearance and they thought it was spoiled.

It actually took years for champagne making to be recognized as a intentional process, rather than a mistake. The old way of making sparkling wine was through temperature changes. The wine was cooled below fermenting temperature before all the sugar turned into alcohol.

The wine was then reheated later on to the fermenting temperature, which created the carbon dioxide reaction that forms the sparkling bubbles. Real champagne wine only comes from Champagne, France and a group of localized wineries there. Any other winery that claims to make champagne is faulty unless they actually use grapes that are specifically from Champagne.

best wines
The process of making sparkling wine has stayed pretty much the same throughout the years. The process has become modernized, but for the most part retains the spirit of the old ways. The first step in making champagne and sparkling wines is to pick the grapes over a period of time so that every grape is at its ripest.

Sometimes, different grapes from different vineyards are used to retain the best qualities of each variety. The grapes are then pressed and stored, usually in stainless steel barrels to ferment. This is done over a period of at least three weeks, until all the sugar is turned into alcohol.

The wine is then separated from the bits that sunk to the bottom of the barrels and is transferred to other barrels, sometimes wood, to ferment longer or is mixed in with older wines to retain a particular flavor.

italian wines
For the second fermentation, extra sugar and yeast is put in with the wine to make the bubbly texture. That is how sparkling wine is made! There are many different kinds of sparking wines and they are all made a little differently, but the basic process is the same.

The process of the creation of sparkling wines began long ago. Since then there have been so many different kinds created that it is impossible to mention them all. A wine club or a resourceful website can help you to discover more information about wines. Of course, the most important fact to remember is that Champagne, France is the only true origin of champagne.

Let’s face the facts; it is often not feasible to see an object in the distance and then walk towards it so it will become clearer. Binoculars are the answer when you need to see something in the distance.

These small devices are used by military personnel, astronomy lovers and nature enthusiasts as a way to see things from a distance, when the need arises. Binoculars for recreational and occupational use have brought about many new inventions within the optical field, and no doubt, as more people pick up a set, a future generation of outstanding products will be developed.

binoculars
Binoculars are made by linking two identical telescopes, mounted side by side, and aligning them to point in the same direction. In so doing, the viewer is presented with a sense of depth perception, as opposed to a monocular telescope, which provides an image with no depth.

Earlier designs relied upon a convex and concave lens pair. While effective for low magnification, higher levels of magnification were unavailable. Newer binoculars designs rely upon prisms to manipulate the image, allowing lighter, powerful and more compact binoculars to be constructed. Additionally, modern optical coatings can improve image brightness, color and contrast.

Depending on the intended use, different optical components create different optical parameters. Among those parameters are: magnification, objective diameter and field of view. Magnification defines the magnifying power.

The objective diameter is the measurement of the objective lens, usually in millimeters, determining how much light can be gathered to form an image. The field of view specifies how wide an area can be viewed at a given range, and is commonly done by using the magnification times the objective diameter. For example: 10×50 would define a 10x magnification with a 50mm objective lens. Often these parameters are listed near the eyepiece.

binocular scopes
When it comes to binoculars cameras there are plenty of choices to be made. The first is your overall need. Do you need vision binoculars with a wide field range or do you need something with higher magnification, such as for bird watching, where the typical magnification is 7x to 12x with 30-50 mm objective lenses?

There is a binocular made for many different uses, it just depends on what your needs are and how much you are willing to pay.

Gastroesophogeal reflux disorder (GERD) or more commonly referred to as ‘acid reflux’ disease is a painful and common disorder in adults of all ages, particularly in people 40 and over. The disorder is caused by the juices of the stomach backing up into the esophagus, causing a burning sensation and sometimes damaging the lining of the esophagus itself. The burning sensation is also referred to as ‘heart burn’, since it is often felt in about the same place the heart rests in the chest cavity.

Many of the digestive enzymes of the stomach, such as pepsin, work best at an extremely low pH, or in other words a very acidic environment. It is for this reason that ‘parietal’ cells of the stomach lining produce and pump large quantities of the chemical hydrochloric acid into the stomach. Stomach fluids are therefore highly acidic, reaching pH’s as low as 1, which is about ten times more acidic than common battery acid, and a million times more acidic than water. It is this acid that causes the discomfort and damage associated with acid reflux disease.

The disorder can develop for a number of reasons. There is a lot of evidence suggesting that a likelihood to develop the disease can be genetic. Also, any trauma or injury to the esophageal sphincter, the circular muscle responsible for keeping stomach fluids out of the esophagus, can lead to the disorder and even a syndrome called Barrett’s esophagus. Such injury can be caused by frequent vomiting, or by a hiatal hernia.

The bad news is that once you develop acid reflux disease, you are going to have it for life. The good news is there are a wide variety of excellent treatments for the disorder that are now available, some by prescription and some over the counter. There are also a number of measures people can take to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux in addition to the use of medication.

There are three basic medication types popularly used for acid reflux. The first and most famous being the ‘antacids’, which all use some kind of strong base such as calcium carbonate, or magnesium carbonate to neutralize the acid of the stomach. Though fast acting, these treatments only last a short period and are not recommended for use in treating reoccurring heart burn. Some examples of antacids include Tums, Rolaids, and Alka-Seltzer.

Like antacids, “acid reducers” are available over the counter but they work by actually lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach and are usually effective for a longer period of time. The more popular acid reducers include Zantac, and Pepcid AC.

Acid reducers are often enough to counter milder forms of acid reflux disorder, but more moderate forms of the disease may require a doctor prescribed ‘proton pump inhibitor’ (PPI). PPI’s also function by lowering the amount of acid produced by the stomach, though by a different mechanism than acid reducers. For this reason they can be safely be used in conjunction with acid reducers. Some cures for heartburn include Prilosec, Prevacid, and Aciphex. Prilosec has recently been made available over the counter, though its continued use should be only be done under the advice of a medical professional.