#bendaled

Any home owner today is known to be worried about the notion of being able to keep up with the home ownership process. There are now more people than ever before that are concerned with making sure that all proponents of the ownership process are successfully kept up with. Anyone considering this process should learn the reasons why owners remodel bathrooms in the average home is to help guide their decision making process.

  Bathrooms are generally areas of the house that are considered to be very stressful to keep up with and maintain. These are the areas of the house that are known to be quite specifically used on a continual basis in an attempt to make sure that this frequently used area remains as successfully maintained and cared for as possible at all times. More people than ever before decide upon this process when considering any renovation project.

  Nowadays many states are filled with homes that could truly benefit from this renovation process. This is also an opportunity where many consumers, who, if they are unsure if this is the process they should be considering, could maximize opportunities in energy efficiency, with sustainable products and lighting. Keeping a few facets in mind helps people make an effective choice for their homes.

  People focus on this room in an effort to create a very modern and refreshed appearance. The items that are found in this room are known to become outdated very fast. Replacing them with newer and more modern items helps provide a successful appearance overall.

  This is also a process that offers the ability for people to conserve on water and energy. The items that are purchased and used in a new fashion are generally seen as being much more restricted in the natural resources they use. They are aimed at providing the foundation for anyone to save as much money as possible.

For bikers the lovers, it’s all about freedom. The freedom to be one with the road. The freedom to move at will, in real time and to follow your own rules. To go only where only a few men and women will ever go and to do it at unbelievable speeds.  The love of riding a bike can take on my forms and permutations.

  Take the consideration of the bike itself, the choice of riding gear. The brands worn by the rider say as much about him or her as it does about the rider itself.  The road travelled is equally important. It is only to commute to and from an innocuous job or is the bike for unleashing your soul, whenever you have the chance?

  Does the biker ride alone, in self imposed solitary confinement, in an effort to metaphorically channel the thief who takes only what everyone else takes for granted. Or does the biker ride in a group, so that the experience can be shared with as many people as possible?

  Sharing the road, balancing the id with a cacophonous display of landscape spread out like transgressing dream is something to be shared and lived indeed. The question now becomes for each rider, to not only distinguish himself from other riders but to do so in staying true to what he or she believes in.

  In Tron Legacy, the motorcycle scenes were visually stunning if not ambitious in their daring undertakings. Eye-candy if you will, for the calculating rider, who is intent on setting himself apart from others.

  Rider and bike are nearly indistinguishable in the blend of glowing tape light and sleek black fiberglass and leather. Pulsating in and out of ever tightening curves and imminent danger. It’s what most riders thrive on.

  Creating a look that epitomizes the rider you are or intend to become are easily amplified by customizing your bike with inexpensive tape light. Programmable controllers allow riders to create a symphony of color or visual displays that give subtle hints about your acutely formed personality or to simply tell other motorists, “I’m here” or “try as you may, you can’t ignore me!”.

  With more than 6 standard colors and the ability to create your own color combinations, Bendaled offers riders the ability to make a statement or just a very vibrant and color cloud of dust in your wake.

Fabled Malibu, a 27-mile strip of Southern California coastline, is the embodiment of the good life, where expensive real estate is sandwiched between ocean and cliff. The property values here may be astronomical, but the vibe is almost studiously laid-back. No one bats an eye when a celebrity happily plops down at the next table or jogs by on the beach.

But before the 47-room Malibu Beach Inn revealed its $15-million makeover in 2007, visitors were hard pressed to find accommodations that lived up to the town’s glamour — the closest high-end hotels were in Santa Monica or Los Angeles. Then entertainment mogul David Geffen poured his millions into the previously undistinguished three-story motel-style inn on Carbon Beach (known as “Billionaire’s Beach”), just southeast of the Malibu Pier. The result: A modern escape that allows the rest of us to to get a taste of Malibu's good life.

Like a page out of a Crate and Barrel catalog, the rooms here are cool and sophisticated, decorated in earthy tones of cream, sandy beige and exotic wenge wood. Wine coolers stocked with seven bottles of California's finest, upscale Molton Brown bath products, fireplaces and sliding doors opening to private balconies with spectacular views all spell relaxation. And if the sound of crashing waves along the inn’s private beach doesn’t lull you to sleep, you simply aren’t in the right mood for this vacation.

In a mod touch, the inn created an iOS app that accesses hotel services from food to housekeeping to valets. Don’t have an Apple device? The inn will lend you an iPod Touch for your stay. Trust us, the app comes in handy when you’re set up on the beach in a lounge chair shaded by an umbrella and suddenly feel parched — just tap, tap, tap the screen and your cold beverage is on its way.

On the third floor, the Cure Spa has walls lined in woven seagrass and ceilings draped with creamy linen, lending the feel of a beachside tent. There’s a full list of treatments using local company Osea’s marine products, and it’s all private: The room and full bathroom are yours alone, and couples treatments can be arranged.

The inn’s public areas are compact and intimate, dotted with artwork by contemporary painter Glenn Ness. Most of the year the open terrace provides extra seating on rattan chairs at tables shaded by umbrellas, and guests spend hours lulled by the gentle breeze.

What to do

Hike. The mountains that cradle Malibu are full of hiking trails that wind into wilderness, past waterfalls and reveal stunning views of the entire Santa Monica Bay and Catalina Island.

Scream. Just 20 miles from Malibu along the Pacific Coast Highway, the Santa Monica Pier houses an amusement park featuring a roller coaster and the world’s first solar-powered Ferris wheel, which provides dramatic views of the beach, the bay, the city and the mountains from 130 feet up.

Sip. Yes, even beachy Malibu has a burgeoning wine scene. Visit Cornell Tasting Room or the Rosenthal Estate and sip Rhone-style wines from vineyards clinging to the hillsides behind those insanely expensive houses.

Surf. Do as the Southern California natives do and surf or paddleboard. Need lessons? There are numerous companies, including Zuma Jay’s.

Holidays are a blessing to some and others dread their arrival. Why do we have Holidays? Surely celebrating a big event like the Fourth of July or Christmas is definitely time to bring out the decorations and prepare meals fit for a king or queen. But does everyone feel the same - are there always smiles and anticipation?

  Holidays were created as a respite from our day to day workabout world. Even our founding fathers realized that pioneers and settlers needed that time out. All through the generations, holidays have served as a means of bringing family, friends, neighbors, and assorted critters together to share a meal, watch a parade, listen to a band, and have fun. But not all holidays are met with the same amount of enthusiasm. Many people do not relish the idea of gathering with friends or family and would prefer to just keep on working or doing whatever it is they do. This is fine for them, but for others this would eliminate a very vital part of our lives.

  People celebrate for a lot of different reasons. Patriotism, religious belief, civil remembrances, and ethnic backgrounds are just a few aspects in our lives that denote a special date as a holiday. But there are personal or family holidays as well. We have birthdays, anniversaries and we take the time to denote a particular day as special.

  All holidays do not have to be big, expensive and include a hundred or more people.

They can be on a scale from a grand event that includes entire cities, towns, or even countries, but they can be between two people, a family, or just a few select relatives or friends.

  We can celebrate and mark a holiday for whatever we choose. Of course, it is always fun to plan and anticipate the major ones (Christmas, Easter, New Years, etc.) There are food holidays that will brighten our menu plans and give us a chance to try out different foods and styles of eating. (Chinese New Year, Snail Week, Taco Day, etc.) We have remembrance days (Memorial Day, Labor Day, etc.). It’s always nice to pay respect to those who have given more than their share to preserve the lifestyle we maintain and the freedom we enjoy.

  If you dread holidays, maybe you are just looking at them through past glasses. If there were unpleasant moments when family or friends gathered, a specific holiday that triggers a personal loss, or tragic event, then feel free to reflect on whatever the memory is, but also give yourself the right to pay your respects and then move on to the day. What happened with the cousins on the last family reunion may never happen again or it may surface each time they get together. Don’t let these unfortunate incidents mar any future celebrations.

  If need be, if the loss or memory is perhaps too painful, celebrate in your own way or in a simplified way. Of course, remembering our family or friends is a definite tribute to them, but a far greater one would be to go on and move ahead.

  Tuck away their accomplishments, your attachment, or feelings into your heart, and know that they are safe and forever. Then enjoy whatever celebration is at hand, and participate. At first, you may want to take it slowly, test the water, and find your own niche in whatever is going on.

  As time passes, be braver and attempt a step further and a little more involvement. Before you know it, life will again become a time of enjoyment and holidays will not be a dreaded affair.

  Holidays are not only a break from our work world, but an insurance policy for the future. We have the past to look upon and learn from, and the present gives us the time to slow down, reflect or remember, plan, and move on into the future.

  Many people shy away from holidays because they are expensive and they usually end up paying for gifts two to three years down the line. Don’t fall into this trap of outdoing and out buying. Nothing is more appreciated than something you have made or created. Store bought gifts and decorations are fine in their own right, but the joy of making your own with family or friends is chalked down to creativity, imagination and care. Bake your own celebration goodies, or prepare a meal that everyone contributes to and you have the makings of a great time.

  Let kids make their own musical instruments or party favors and the day will be grander yet. As for gifts, give from the heart, not the pocketbook. Have a coffee lover, then buy a great coffee mug and fill it with goodies. Simple, personal, and definitely from the heart. Have a quilter, artist, writer, secretary, doctor, bus driver, teacher, or any other interest or occupation on your list? Devise a fanciful way to celebrate who they are. If you knit or are creative, then by all means - be! Use your skills and talent to make gifts that are hand-made. If you lack in the craft or skill category, then imagination is free and abundant.

  Think of a gift that takes into account who this person is and what fine point in them that you find special. A simple gift box or basket with items related to their hobby or interest is always a heartfelt gift. A picture or book that they may have admired, or create a collage of their favorite items, laminate, and they have a coffee table tray or dresser tray to spark a smile or laugh for a long time.

  Decorations should also be personal and do not have to be perfect. Let children help, as well as everyone in the household or office. Not only will you get great decorations, but a wonderful time of laughter, conversation, and downright fun.

You’re not like everybody else. You want your style to reflect your personality and you want your home to do the same. But, there in lies the challenge. What if your home is a temporary home? Maybe it’s the first home you’ve ever bought and you know that you are not likely to stay longer than 5 or 6 years. Resale value is fundamental. Choosing leopard stripped carpets or Simpson “Orange” cabinetry may not be the best bet.

  So what’s a style maven to do? Tape light. Tape light covers a multitude of sins. 1) Its super easy to install. 2) It doesn’t have to be permanent and 3) it comes in a multitude of colors. Use for under cabinet display lighting or in your glass cabinets for that matter. It’s a great way to use decorative and accent lighting in an unexpected way that gives a punch, to the already expected yet sublime punch of color.

  3M adhesive makes tape light functional just about anywhere. Available in lengths from one foot up to more than 16 feet, the installation applications are endless. Most tape light kits run of small 12v or 24v batteries making the application not only inexpensive, it’s downright practical.

  Sororities and Fraternities common areas as well as environments where visual cues can be impactful and make statements are just a few of the ways that Tape Light can be used effectively and inexpensively.

  Used primarily in after market automotive applications, Tape light has taken on a life of its own. Back light a bookcase. Create an impromptu bar for your patio or deck with little or no expense and without calling an electrician.

One of the best ways to evaluate an LED product is to determine what you will use it for. How you will use an LED lamp or light bulb is just as important as selecting the right product for the task needed. One way to evaluate an LED product is to determine the number of lumen output that the product offers. 

However, lumen output is only part of the story and can be somewhat misleading.

To fully evaluate an LED product you may want to review the overall efficiency, optical control, thermal management of the LED itself, and know at what point in time the fixture will reach 30 percent lumen depreciation.

 Lumen depreciation values reflect the overall performance of a lamp over its life.

As lamps are burned, their lumen output decreases. Most lamp manufacturers publish values for rated lumens and their “rated life”.  In laymen’s terms, how long you plan to use your lamp per day will matter.  An average consistent usage of 4 hours per day could mean that your LED product will last up to 10 years. Hence 30% depreciation would occur in the 3rd year.

Products with good optical efficiency and thermal management will be able to deliver more lumens on average, than traditional HID (High Intensity Discharge) products.

The Department of Energy concluded in its Solid-State Lighting Commercial Product Testing Program: "Until the field of SSL technologies and supporting knowledge matures, any claims regarding performance of SSL luminaires should be based on overall luminaire efficacy (i.e., from testing of the entire luminaire, including LEDs, drivers, heat sinks, optical lenses and housing), to avoid misleading buyers and causing long-term damage to the SSL market."

  If you are choosing an LED for task lighting in an effort to support a hobby, such as quilting, model making or the like, you may want to choose a more highly rated product with sufficient lumen output.

Innovations and developments in LED lighting is expanding the design pallet with controls and flexibilty, never before available to lighting designers, home and commercial designers alike, while offering a great potential for energy savings without compromising the quality of light.

Home lighting is a multi-million dollar industry and much of it become more dependent on the modified needs of businesses and homeowners that are choosing to spend less and demand more in both quality and effciency.

Take Chandeliers for example; Crystal chandeliers gave been around for centuries, however crystal technologies are continuing to evolve. With more options in colors, shapes, and styles, the category is forever changing. Current design trends use crystal chandeliers in all settings - from modern to traditional.

Moreover, you'll find a myriad of options within every design category, from simple frames highlighted by a few geometrically shaped crystals to opulent cast brass frames dripping with large size pendeloques. All have the ability to incorporate LED lighting, making chandeliers and option for every budget.

Task lighting is also increasingly important as people get older. This is especially pertinent if residents have any hobbies that require attention to detail, such as crafting, sewing, puzzles or woodworking.

More output often means the lights themselves must be larger. This is not always the case with LEDs and LED task lighting.  A lot of the time traditional task lights are so big that they are just not that adjustable. With LEDs you will get better task lighting that gives off more light.

Another great example is outdoor lighting; Steps and walkways are the main areas to keep in mind with regards to exterior lighting. Outdoor lighting is important not just for seeing but also for safety.

At an entry point, you don't want the lights to be so bright that you're blinded, but you do need to see the door locks. Designers can work closely with residents and business to create lighting projects that point downwards rather than outwards because it also lights the ground that you're walking on and can enhance landscaping at the same time.

Each year close to nine million tons of construction and demolition (C&D) debris is disposed of in California landfills alone. For the total make of the entire U.S., this number hits a staggering 86 million tons of debris. This represents 72% of nationwide waste streams.

  However in newer communities C&D waste sent to landfills can be as high as 50%. Construction waste generally consists of wood, drywall, metal concrete, dirt and cardboard.  It can also include plant debris (green waste) from landscape projects. Much of this material can be reused or recycled.

  How You Can Recycle:

  Identify the types and quantities of materials generated at job sites near your home or place of business. Determine what can be reused in a current project or on a differing community project. Most job sites allocate space for recycling and storage areas for reusable materials.  Workers trained in recycling will know which bins and products should be included and where they should go.

  At least 50% of building materials should be recyclable. If you are not planning to use the materials yourself, contact local recycling facilities to identify the requirements for recycling the materials you pull.