Where To Start Your Collection

By Mike Allen

So you've decided that you want to be a collector, but aren't quite sure where to start? Collecting is not hard. There are a few things to consider. Do I like to do something special? What clubs do I belong to? Is there something in my family that would be a good start for my collection that piques my curiosity.

That is the way to start collecting if you can find something positive in the above questions. Be warned that this can be an addictive hobby, as once you start out in a field of collecting you find that it as wide open as can be with loads of opportunities so take the time to find something that stirs your passion; for me it was Collecting Frogs - a Fun Hobby for All Ages, but for each person it is going to be something different and unique.

There are a number of things that people have in common when they go collecting. These items include: newspaper ads reflecting auctions or trade shows, road shows, and collecting clubs and websites like myfrogcollection.com where people can get together to discuss their similar joys and bounties.

The first thing you want to decide is approximately how much time do I have to collect. Next a person needs to know what they can afford for their collection. Some people are looking to make a quick buck with their collection while others do it because they are having fun and you need to figure out where you fit in with that. If you wish to collect for profit, where you will be buying and selling your artifacts, you may want to invest a bit more in inventory, advertisement space and travel and bidding allotments for your treasures and you might what to stay away from things such as collectible frogs which probably have more sentimental value than cash value. If you are interested in collecting strictly for the pleasure, you can allot yourself a certain amount of money per month and vow never to go above that amount.

With a little effort a person can find resources for anything that they want to collect whether it be through stores or online or through clubs. Another fun part of building your collection is meeting others who share the same interests as you do and always seem to be at the same places as you are when you are hunting for the next collectible that you have to have.

It is a good thing to see this occur regularly. Once you find a way to get the collectibles that you enjoy and have a good experience, return to that place to find even more collectibles. In the same vein, if you get a bad experience from a seller, you will know not to return to the same person and look for other avenues to seek out your memorabilia.

Because of the nature of the hobby, people place various values on similar objects and you never know how much someone will think something is worth. The price is always going to fluctuate based on the year, the particular artifact the current value in the market for whatever you are collecting. There are many fads that have popped up through the years and seem to disappear as quickly as they arose. Some collectibles retain their original value, while others can skyrocket in value for some collectors.

Part of the hobby includes learning about your collection. Take the time to understand what you should pay for your collectibles and how much others will pay for what you have. Remember to have fun with your collection.

About the Author:

If you love frogs as much as I do, check out my site dedicate to frog collectibles and frogs in general. For more info, go to www.myfrogcollection.com

Better Ethics Are Needed In America

By Mark A Cella

Better Ethics Stem From Moral Values and a Belief System. Today's Society is Very Complicated and Corrupt and Better Ethical Direction Will Bring Prosperity. Mark A Cella on the Foundation of Ethics

If ethics is the glue that holds any society together, then better ethics can only make life better for each and everyone in our society. Most Americans have a firm and honest grasp of ethics that governs the way they behave and the choices they make.

It is these ethical stances that dictate whether a community will stand firm together as one, or disintegrate due to the resulting friction brought about differing ethical positions.

Ethical values come under threat by people who are ardent for success by using unethical means. While the pressure to succeed in life can prove too much for some, that is never a good reason for one to abandon ethical values, which are the moral fabrics that keep societies and families together.

The pillars of good ethics such as responsibility, loyalty, and truthfulness assist in making right decisions regardless of the current situation or the environment that individuals may find themselves in at any given time.

Adhering to ethical behavior when faced with tough situations facilitates self-confidence, which is directly attributed to courage, a quality necessary to maintain ethical behavior.

These are qualities that successful people have in abundance and as a result are willing to overcome their fears and take risks in accordance to the principle of success. Better ethics are part of success, and for this reason it is imperative to have the pillars of good ethics be entrenched at an early age.

Mark A Cella Better Ethics Are Needed in America

The unethical on the other hand result to such tactics as telling lies or cheating due to their fear of failing. The evening news is impregnated with examples of unethical behavior in politics, corporate America, and families.

For example, the unethical behavior of a Susan Smith led to the murder of her two children in October of 1994 when she drown them in a lake in order to revive a relationship with a local man who didn't want a ready-made family.

The Unethical behavior of former President Bill Clinton, who had intimate relations Monica Lewinsky in the White House and then lied about it, resulted in lowering the standards of our positional presidential candidates, which may have been the direct cause of overlooking the un-convicted felon Barak Obama as a candidate for president.

Mark A Cella Why Better Ethics Are Important

Ethical behavior is a result of moral beliefs, which stem from a value system often attributed to a foundation spiritual belief or the worship of a higher power.

While a small minority of society races to eradicate any public acknowledgement of God, these same people would be replete to explain their own foundations of right and wrong absent the moral law of the Bible.

Better ethics stem from a sense of right and wrong, good and bad, moral and immoral, which all come from a source, and in America, the source is the Bible. Even the laws of America were established in lock step with the principles of the Bible.

In Washington D. C. you can see a monument of Abraham Lincoln, a true man of freedom who reverberates a sense of right and wrong, an ethical man who said in regards to the Bible:

"In regard to this Great Book, I have but to say, it is the best gift God has given to man. All the good the Savior gave to the world was communicated through this book."

- The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln edited by Roy P. Basler, Volume VII, "Reply to Loyal Colored People of Baltimore upon Presentation of a Bible" (September 7, 1864), p. 542. -

Mark A Cella Why Better Ethics Are Important

What better ethics is there than to do good to one another in society? But today in America ethics are under attack.

While military's can protect a nation, and Congress can control the governing of a people, without ethics and ethical behavior a nation is defeated and lost, imprisoned and enslaved, and oppression reins supreme.

Therefore let those who are unethical fail in their pursuits and those who are ethical richly succeed.

But most importantly, let us never forget where the foundations of our ethical behavior stems from, and let us display courage to acknowledge truth, never forgetting that freedom is the result of better ethics from courageous men.

About the Author:

Want to find out more about Mark A Cella, then visit Mark A Cella's site on for a variety of humor and serious topics Mark A Cella.

UFC Flashback: Ultimate Fight Night Features Lauzon Vs. Stephens

By Ross Everett

Ever since he burst onto the MMA scene with a shocking first round KO upset of Jens Pulver at UFC 63, Joe Lauzon has been working to earn respect. Hes lost only once since then--to top contender Kenny Florian in a bout that earned fight of the night honors--but for some reason hes had trouble being taken seriously as a top contender in the UFCs lightweight division. He may not fit the classical profile of a fighter, looking more like a fresh faced kid and is often referred to as a geek due to his educational background in computer science. When the fight starts, however, hes all business. In the main event at the UFC Ultimate Fight Night in Tampa, Lauzon withstood a game challenge from late replacement Jeremy Stephens to earn a 2nd round submission victory.

Lauzon was in control of the fight throughout, but Stephens gave a good account of himself despite his opponents obvious technical superiority on the ground. Lauzon appeared to be on the verge of ending the fight midway through the second with a ground and pound assault that he attempted to transition into a rear naked choke. Stephens fought back with a vengeance despite his disadvantageous position and opened a nasty cut on Lauzon's forehead with an elbow strike.

As puddles of crimson gathered anytime Lauzon's head neared the mat, he gained a new sense of urgency not wanting to lose on a stoppage due to the cut. He regained control on the ground and from full mount twisted into a nasty arm bar. Stephens tried to extricate himself, but was eventually forced to tap giving the bloody Lauzon a hard fought triumph.

The semifinal matchup featured another impressive effort from Cain Velasquez, who many have pegged as the heavyweight superstar of the future. He trains with the American Kickboxing Academy, and has a reputation as the hardest worker and most dominant sparring partner in a gym who includes among its membership superstars such as Bobby Southworth, Cung Le and Josh Thompson.

Velasquez was never really threatened in the fight, but he did have difficulty finishing off tough UFC newcomer Dennis Stojnic. Stojnic displayed impressive toughness and a chin of granite as he became the first of Velasquez's opponents to make it into the second round.

In the second round, Velasquez quickly caught his opponent and sent him to the canvas with a nice combination which he followed up with another ground and pound attack to earn the TKO verdict.

On the undercard, Josh The Dentist Neer earned a tapout victory over the sports best known (and perhaps only) vegan, Mac Danzig.

In the opening bout of the evening, up-and-coming welterweight Anthony Rumble Johnson used his significant height and reach advantage to dispatch tough Luigi Fioravanti. Though most observers were impressed with Johnson's wall to wall domination of the tough US Marine Corps veteran, he was very critical of himself in his postfight interview calling his performance sloppy.

The live crowd in Tampa gave a very poor account of themselves, at times booing fighters mercilessly for no apparent reason whatsoever. This was in addition to the usual booing when the fight goes to the ground typical of uneducated MMA fan--they often turned on fighters midbout for no discernible reason. Their behavior reached a nadir in Cain Velasquez's post fight interview, where he was booed mercilessly despite an impressive victory and informing Joe Rogan that he was about to become a father for the first time.

About the Author:

Ross Everett is a widely published freelance sports writer and noted authority on soccer betting. His writing has appeared on a variety of sports sites including sportsbooks and sportsbook directory sites. He lives in Southern Nevada with three Jack Russell Terriers and a kangaroo. He is currently working on an autobiography of former energy secretary Donald Hodell.

Redecorating On A Budget

By Abbie Osborne-Wilson

With the recent economic developments, most households nowadays are trying to reduce expenses and living costs. But this shouldn't hinder you from getting the look dream home that you want and deserve. Analysts are saying that there's less traveling being done today - all the more reason to redecorate your home. After all, that's where you'll be spending a lot of your time from here on out.

One of the best ways to go about changing around your decor when you have little money is to take what you have and add just a bit of new or used things to the mix. Create a totally different look from what you've ever seen. Changes around the furniture in the room instead of all straight and sleek looking will help the look of the room.

Making a new arrangement for the furniture is the best way to update a room without having to shell out much money. It is a good idea to arrange expensive pieces next to other similarly priced items. Never put cheap items next to expensive ones because even the latter will begin to look cheap. An observer will note the flaws of the cheap items and then will tend to expect those same flaws from even the pricier ones.

If you have some more expensive items already, you can still put them with some less expensive deals you have bought. Make it look nice and clean or place the furniture in a diagonal way.

Visiting flea markets and garage sales are great ways to get more furniture and other items to redecorate with. People are just trying to get rid of things they don't want anymore and you will be able to pick up some really great items. Don't overbuy things; get things you don't really need. Stick to the budget.

Another inexpensive way to living up the look of any room is to add an area rug, with so many choices of colors, shapes, sizes, and designs you can make a huge change. Or simply just add some extra color into a room that was once boring and drab.

Make sure that you place the right size and style of rug in your room. It can tie all the other decor together making the room into a masterpiece. If you're getting a rug to go into a dining room try and get one that will cover the full area including the chairs. This is a great way to cut down on the wear and tear of carpet or hardwood floors!

So you can see that you should easily be able to redecorate on a budget. Use the above ideas and create a brand new wonderful look for your home.

About the Author:

Our best hint for budget home decorating, is to learn more about living room decorating ideas so you can make your dollar go further.

Costs And Benefits Of Installing An Elevator In Your Home

By Stephen Daniels

Having an elevator in your home may seem like one of those things that is either an impossible luxury or something that one would consider only if it were a medical necessity. It goes without saying that for the elderly, as well as others with mobility issues, these units can be lifesavers - providing access to floors where there was none before. With the cost dropping for equipment and installation, there are many reasons why a homeowner might choose to install a lift.

While not every home is ideally laid out for an elevator installation, these units can be installed outside on an external wall and provide indoor entry directly at each level. This could be ideal for a multi-level conversion to a multi-unit home, and could provide separate entries on each level for tenants or family members sharing a single building, but desiring separate quarters.

Elevators can also be especially useful for workers who need to take their work gear with them every day, but don't want to have to carry it up and down stairs on a daily basis. Moving other heavy and bulky objects becomes much easier as well. You'll never have to worry again about how to get that great antique-store find up to the master bedroom. And, don't forget heavy sporting or exercise equipment you want on an upper level.

There are a few different types and models to choose from. In addition to an external elevator that allows walk-in convenience to multiple floors from outside, interior units can be anything from a stair lift or dumbwaiter to a full elevator car that can be designed for wheelchair access. You may be surprised how little room one of these units occupies when all is said and done.

Residential elevator installation doesn't have to make your house look like an office building. They can be customized to match the decor of your home and fit in seamlessly with the flow of your architecture; the options are almost endless.

Home elevators cost less than many other types of home renovations. In most cases, the overall cost is less than $20,000. If installation is a medical necessity, you may also qualify for a significant tax break simply by obtaining a note from your doctor (consult a tax professional to determine whether you could qualify).

With all these advantages, and many more, a home elevator system may well be the right choice for you.

Reproduction permitted only when all active hyperlinks are included. 2010 All rights reserved.

About the Author:

Stephen Daniels is an acclaimed NetBiz SEO 2.0 researcher. If you're interested in residential elevator installation, he highly recommends Symmetry. With 30 years of experience, their nationwide network of certified contractors can help you select and install a custom elevator to fit your taste, needs and budget.

Beat The Drought Blues By Having A Drip Irrigation Program

By Ron Cripps

If you are searching for ways to keep your garden watered without spending too much money and time, you have most likely gone through a lot of options in your mind.

The original watering can may be one of your choices along with the hose and a sprinkler. All of these methods might be simple, but most likely you'll end up wasting water on plants that do not need any more.

You have to be aware of every drop of water when you reside in a region that's in drought. I finished up getting a drip irrigation system. This has been the best decision that I made when it comes to my garden.

There's an above ground system which you can use and even a below ground irrigation unit. The drip irrigation system that is above ground will gradually drip out little amounts of water and it will soak into the ground. It's all managed from a pressure controller, which means that the water just comes out in a drip rather than a spray or perhaps a stream.

These pressure regulators are very affordable. The whole drip method can be set up with a pressure regulator and a garden hose with holes pierced in it (although it's ideal for you to get a pipe created for this type of use, I've discovered that the hose technique works acceptably).

The underground system is a bit more of a hassle to set up and maintain. However, if you're seriously into the aesthetic aspect of your garden and don't want any obvious watering unit, then you might consider it worth it. It's basically the same as the above ground model, only a small trench is dug for the hose or pipe before any planting.

This is a very effective technique of watering as the water is immediately at the root system. This system requires very little work from you and you will have a thriving garden that your friends will envy. They'll be baffled.

To choose between the two devices, you should take a number of things into consideration. Do you have precisely the same plant format year round? If it's always changing, you probably won't want to bury your pipe.

It might be a chore to dig it up and re-align it with all of your new plants every year or so. Even though your plant format never changes, you have to consider just how much you really mind seeing a pipe in your garden. If it actually bothers you to the degree that you are prepared to work for several hours to get rid of it, then by all means bury it. The above ground method is less difficult to maneuver and also to repair if a pipe becomes broken, so if you are not fussed then the above ground unit is simpler.

The effectiveness of the drip irrigation unit is high on the list. The drip irrigation unit supplies water directly to the roots of the plants, as opposed to a hose or sprinkler that sprays water everywhere. Through the use of this method your garden will get all the water that it needs even if you are not even at home to water it.

So if you are looking for an easy, affordable, convenient, and efficient alternative watering technique, you ought to visit the gardening shop today and buy the necessary items to set up a drip irrigation system.

I think you will be impressed by how effortless it is to maintain a garden when you have it.

About the Author:

If you need details to learn slimline rainwater tanks, then go to Tight Spot Tanks to learn how to choose the best rainwater tanks for your requirements.

Insightful Information When It Comes To Carpet Cleaners In The United States

By John Orson

As a qualified carpet cleaner and as a home owner it truly is interesting to find out exactly just what statistics are with regards to carpet cleaning.

Have you ever wondered who extracts all the dirt out of the millions of carpeted houses in America? With respect to research by DuPont Flooring Systems, the following is response to that question:

Just Forty-six percent employ a pro carpet cleaning business.

43 %, tend to be do-it-yourself-ers, leasing carpeting machine or shampooer to scrub their rugs and carpets.

Eleven percent never have their own carpeting and rugs cleaned whatsoever.

The most intriguing fact is that only seven % of those making this particular decision are usually adult men; 78 percent will be women; 15 % declare it's a joint decision.

And so when deciding upon skilled carpet cleaning services what are the major factors?

Work Guaranteed (96 percent)

Relocate the furniture (85 percent)

Is bonded (83 percent)

Is certified (79 percent)

Number of years running a business (68 percent)

Homeowners might get one of these rental systems a couple of times, whenever they find that these machines basically do not deliver the results, they will likely call an expert. Rug cleaning is a scientific discipline that will require training and proficient machines for lasting, professional benefits. The consumer needs to be made aware to the fact that most rental machines leave chemical substance deposits throughout carpeting and rugs, which then causes rapid re-soiling and as a consequence more frequent rentals. Consequently, less recurrent professional cleanup will surely cost these people less in the long term than more frequent rental fees from grocery store equipment or changing their flooring.

In conclusion, hiring the expertise of a professional carpet cleaning service company will generate superior outcomes, but of course the price will be larger in the short term. It's advocated that homeowners take care of their carpets between professional cleanings by taking off shoes or boots, vacuuming often avoiding eating and drinking throughout carpeted zones.

About the Author:

To get more approaches as well as tips check-out http://www.best-carpet-shampooer.com. Here you'll discover information on the different options available as well as assistance about buying the best carpet shampooer. I hope it's already been helpful.