byAlma Abell

Whether you run a small business or a large business, it is very important to make sure that your business is insured. It takes a lot of hard work and investing to run a successful business. Make sure it is protected and minimize risks of a financial state by keeping it insured. There are many risks that can hurt a business such as injured employees, a natural disaster, the death of your partner, or even a lawsuit. It is imperative that enough insurance is purchased to cover all of your assets. Even businesses that are an LLC need protection. They may already be protected concerning business liabilities, but they still require protection from losses that require liability insurance. This is especially true for companies that need business insurance in Traverse City, MI.

Check Your State Insurance Requirements

Many state governments require a company that has employees to carry business insurance. They also determine the requirements for business insurance. There are different types of insurance that need to be provided by a company such as state disability insurance, workers compensation insurance, and unemployment insurance. A company may also need to carry commercial auto insurance if they own trucks and cars that are used in direct line with their business. When a company uses an independent insurance company to find the best rates on different types of business insurance, they can expect to find more affordable quotes from a variety of insurance companies. If a company has a financial lender, they may also be required to obtain fire, flood, life, and business interruption insurance. All of these types of insurance will help protect investments. You can rely on an independent insurance agency to find an affordable selection of policies to review with the coverage you require.

Compare Quotes to Find Great Insurance Opportunities

When an independent insurance agency has a rating system in place, you are assured quality comparisons from the professionals. While you speak with them one on one about your business, be sure to give them all of the pertinent information requested. It is important that you both are completely transparent so they can earn your trust. Once you review quotes that fit your price range, you can rest assured that your investments and your business are protected by an independent insurance agency that make your needs their own needs. Find comfort in being insured by qualified agents that have your best interests at heart.

Johnson and Associates Insurance have been in business since 1995. If you require business insurance in Traverse City, MI,

Technological innovations have hands down taken the world by storm. The hottest of them is AI and Blockchain.

Before these sensational buzz words invade our lives completely, which they already have to a large extent, don’t you think we should know a little more about them?

Without further ado, let’s delve into the world of AI-

For starters, AI or Artificial Intelligence is nothing new. It has been around us for more than 60 years now. Coined by McCarthy, back in 1955, it was described as – “the science and engineering of making intelligent machines.”

Now, Intelligence here refers to generalized learning wherein a learner (machine)-

• performs effectively in situations it hasn’t encountered before.

• possesses the ability to reason wherein it can draw inferences and conclusions.

• solves problems that mean it finds x when such and such data is given.

• starts perceiving.

Artificial intelligence is doing most of them, if not all.

The most interesting part? You’re using AI day in and day out without even realizing it.

If today, you asked Alexa to order a pizza for you or browsed Netflix movie suggestions, then you did use AI.

Yes, we are that into it.

How else do you think your SIRI gives you a list of the nearby grocery stores or the closest restaurants for that matter?

It converts your voice into text format, feeds it into the search engine, the search engine then reads back the answers to you in human syntax. Amazing? It is!

There’s also yang to the yin of AI. It can make AI- a little less artificial and a lot more intelligent.

We call it Blockchain.

We all have heard of it, today let us know what it actually is.

In a world where data has become our biggest asset, its security has become crucial than ever before.

That is precisely what blockchain takes care of.

Blockchain is a distributed ledger that is open to everyone. It was originally invented to timestamp digital documents so that their tampering becomes impossible. It has been around for many years but rose to prominence only in 2009 when Satoshi Nakamoto founded Bitcoin- a digital cryptocurrency.

Speaking of structure, it is a chain of blocks that contain information, hence the name – Blockchain. Each block contains – data, hash, and hash of the previous block.

It works on a peer-to-peer network and isn’t managed by a single entity. All this adds to its security.

Now, to tamper the data in the blockchain,

• one needs to tamper all the blocks,
• take control of more than 50% of peer to peer networks.

And that is quite impossible to achieve.

To make it simpler, what it essentially does is-

It removes the third party from the picture and decentralizes the power of data management.

Hence, the power is distributed among the peer-to-peer network and the transactions become absolutely transparent and secure.

AI and Blockchain convergence – what can you expect?

Individually, AI and Blockchain have garnered much interest in the technological sphere.

Let’s look at their differences first-

ASPECT

AI

BLOCKCHAIN

Nature

Centralized

Decentralized

Access

Closed

Open

Transparency

Black box

Transparent

Approach

Probabilistic

Deterministic

The two technologies are quite opposite in nature and integration is sure to be intense!

A lot of data is being generated and AI makes use of it. But with this massive amount of data, there’s a continuous threat to its security. Blockchain comes to play here! It cannot analyze the data but provides it a decentralized base, and makes the transactions transparent thereby lending a highly secured system.

How do they complement each other?

• AI, being a black box, and by the courtesy of its probabilistic approach might make a mistake in case of faulty data input. And that can cause havoc! Therefore, a secure and transparent way is needed to overcome this. That’s how Blockchain compliments AI.

• Coming to Blockchain, consists of multiple miners that verify the data at every stage thereby leading to wastage of energy. AI can streamline this process and can decrease the mining cost.

• AI can also compliment Blockchain by making smarter decisions about data storage and maintenance.

How will they change the MOBILE INDUSTRY?

I want you to imagine 24 hours without your mobile phone. Difficult? Quite impossible, actually. We live in a world where every aspect of our life heavily relies on our mobiles.

Therefore, it’s only wise to understand how the attractive convergence of AI and Blockchain will affect the mobile industry.

Here are 6 ways in which the game will be changed forever-

1. Security- Well, this has to be the first on this list. We have practically lost the count of the number of applications that have our data. With AI and Blockchain, we can be sure that it won’t be mishandled or tampered by hackers.
2. Increased transparency- The data that we give out, in numerous ways, is processed by AI. Blockchain can monitor and control this data so that no interference is caused by third parties.
3. Decentralized marketplace- Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, etc are AI giants that have the centralized power to manage our data. This data, however, cannot be shared among the AI’s. With Blockchain in the picture, not only the security and privacy of data will be ensured, but also the merger and interaction of the data will be made possible.
4. No fraudulent transactions- In today’s time, we are heavily dependant on e-transactions, and thus securing them is of utmost importance. With AI and Blockchain, these transactions will become entirely transparent to the data owner and any fraud or breach will be reported in real-time.
5. Highly personalized experiences- AI will no more fail to serve the customers with personalized experiences due to the tampering of data at some stage, as blockchain will make sure that data remains immutable and secure. That simply means more privacy in terms of experience on platforms like Amazon and Netflix.
6. Self- auditing- Yes, the user will be able to monitor how his sensitive data is managed and employed.

Benefits of Raw Honey

Honey comes in so many ways to sweeten the world! One of nature’s best sweeteners, it also brings a comforting flavor, but did you realize that honey can actually contribute to your overall wellbeing and general well being with numerous health benefits? If you ever re wondering is honey healthy, the good news is that yes, it is. If you’ve always wondered is honey healthy, take a moment to read the following list of seven proven benefits to honey.

Antibacterial

Honey is a natural antibacterial and antifungal powerhouse. Since ingesting it directly or drinking it in some other form can give you an antibacterial effect, applying raw honey directly to a wound or rashes will help to ease discomfort. Raw honey has also been found to fight off infection naturally, without the aid of prescription antibiotics. So while it may not be good for your cat’s cough, if you’re looking for an alternative to ibuprofen, try applying some raw honey to your kid’s aching foot. In addition to fighting off infection, antibacterial benefits of honey go beyond rashes and infections – it can also boost the immune system, which can lead to better overall health and wellbeing.

Cancer-Fighting

Honey is often mentioned as a natural remedy for cancer. It is no doubt that bees produce some of the highest concentration of antibacterial compounds known to man. The antibacterial properties of raw honey draw together nutrients from plant life very efficiently, which means OOA honey contains more healing antioxidants than any other type of natural honey available on the market today. In addition, because it is so highly nutritious, OOA honey productsare among the most popular dietary supplements in the world.

If you’d like to use honey as a mouthwash, you’ll need to dilute it with two tablespoons of water. Anywhere you find nectar, such as the flowers of hibiscus or a puree of honey from a hive, you will probably also find that there is some antibacterial activity associated with the nectar. Dilute a teaspoon of honey with one tablespoon of water and drink this as a hot tea or dip into a salad bowl. The antibacterial action is even more powerful if you stir the mixture into a glass of water instead of just drinking it.

Diabetes Fighting

One of the major health benefits of using honey is that it can help lower blood sugar levels. This is why raw honey is often recommended to diabetics since the sugar level is more readily absorbed by the body when it is heated. The natural sugar in the honey works as a natural insulin, which allows your body to absorb more glucose from the food you eat without increasing your insulin levels.

Weight Control

Another benefit of consuming raw honey per day is weight control. Natural sugars such as those found in honey have an extremely low glycemic index. This means that the amount of glucose in your system is immediately absorbed by your body, rather than stored as excess sugar, which leads to frequent cravings for foods high in sugar. When you consume honey as a sweetener, your body breaks down the sugars in the syrup without affecting blood sugar levels and immediately eliminates any unused glucose from your system.

Yeast Infections

Honey can help fight off candida, which is a fungus that can cause yeast infections in your body. Since one tablespoon of raw honey contains just one calorie, you can easily shed weight through its consumption without increasing your caloric intake. Add it to your salads for a zesty treat that has no calorie.

As you can see, there are many health benefits of using natural raw honey in your cooking and baking. Raw or crystallized honey comes in different forms including a delicious drink, a hot dessert, as a delicious addition to your meals and desserts, and in the form of a pasteurized honey. Which one will you use? Only you can decide!

Although Android world has become laboring hard to emulate Siri\’s functionality since Apple company

by

Alexanderd

Google seems to have reportedly yanked an app masquerading as Siri, Apple\’s sound command personal admin software, from the Operating system marketplace. The move comes amid a real deluge of Siri wannabes that have occupied the Android markets since Apple launched the iPhone 4S and also its particular innovative features.

An excellent app called Siri pertaining to Android, made by a fancy dress called Official Programs, appeared in the Android mobile phone market on Thursday and was pulled from the bazaar by Bing just hours right after its arrival in that respect there, according to a report by The Next Web. Likewise, all other apps with Official Software disappeared from the market, because it appears that Google has pulled software program maker\’s account, that it to sell software at the outlet.

Animoto company did numerous dubious things that seem to have prompted Google to act against the firm. Such as, it used Apple\’s Siri icon for the Official Application Android app. The saying \”official\” was used in a way to produce the app appear like it was a true identical copy of the Apple software. When the Siri icon is tapped, all Professional Software\’s app have done was load Search engine own voice order software, Voice Decisions.

A French manufacturer has even found how to tap into Apple\’s servers to permit software running for other mobile phone tools to duplicate Siri\’s feats, even though the legality of such a fabulous move would be sketchy. A search for \”Siri\” over the Android Market with PCWorld revealed 131 hits, nonetheless less than a handful of a programs had more than 10,000 packages. They were Vlingo Virtual Assistant (33,328 downloads), Iris (20 or so,309), Skyvi (19,444) and Speaktoit Associate (11,600).

Although Android world has become laboring hard to emulate Siri\’s functionality since Apple company pulled the parcels off it, this hasn\’t quite achieved it there yet, in keeping with PC World\’s Ed Albro. \”I\’ve concluded that you can find quality virtual help for an Android phone, nevertheless the assistants available possibly won\’t be as smooth and capable just as Siri,\” he gave them. He described Siri because classic executive assistant — \”always well-dressed and possessed of the elephant\’s memory and a dried wit.\”

Animoto company did numerous dubious things that seem to have prompted Google to act against the firm. Such as, it used Apple\’s Siri icon for the Official Application Android app. The saying

cheap imitation watches

\”official\” was used in a way to produce the app appear like it was a true identical copy of the Apple software. When the Siri icon is tapped.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Look Before You Leap Into Commercial Auditions

by

Carolyne Barry

When I interview people before taking my commercial audtion classes, so many tell me that they have been told to start their acting careers by training for commercials. I would like to silence all those who are perpetuating this disempowering misconception. They are destroying acting careers before they even start. But I do understand that when most people look at actors in commercials, it looks so easy. It is no wonder that many think that it is a way to break into acting, be seen and make lots of money. Yes, it is fun, creative and can be lucrative. Most working commercial actors can make it look easy because most are pros.

As you will discover, there is a lot to do, learn, and know before starting to audition well and book commercials.

WHEN DO YOU START WORKING IN COMMERCIALS?

I strongly believe that you should study acting for a year or more and take an Improvization class for a good six months (at the very least) before taking a commercial class. Then you will be more prepared to go get a commercial agent and start auditioning – hopefully, while you continue to professionally train consistently.

I believe that when people start auditioning too early, it often creates major problems with craft and confidence. And when those actors do less than stellar auditions, there is a good chance the casting directors they audition for will choose not to see them again, even in the future after they train and improve!

Although, I do have of students with little or no training take my beginning commercial workshop, but they are the exception. And, I also have agents send me total beginners (who are great commercial \”types\”) to learn enough basics to be competent at their auditions. AND after the class, many of these rookie actors who are good commercial types and/or have strong performance talents or skills, do book some work.

On the other hand, from years of experience in the Entertainment Industry, I am convinced that those who want to book lots more work, plan to have an acting career, and want to feel secure about their craft, need to prepare and train FIRST before jumping into the commercial arena.

MISCONCEPTIONS and CHALLENGES: Many feel they don\’t need to study acting first or that after they book a few commercials.

Often, the rationalle is, they will use the money they make in a commerical to study – (I truly believe that thinking is backwards). Don\’t be fooled; this is a commitment and requires more than you know. Before pursuing any venture, you really need to understand what is involved.

Here are just a few of the issues rookies, as well as trained actors, should know about before auditioning for commercials:

> GETTING AN AGENT: Getting a good agent can be challenging. Agents are inundated daily with dozens of pictures and resumes of actors who want commercial representation.

> COSTS: Between training, commercial wardrobe, photos, a website, reproductions, casting websites, and mailings, it can get expensive. Plus, by working a job that gives you the flexibility you need to audition, your income usually will not be as good as if you had a full-time job.

> TIME CONSUMING: Depending on the location of the casting facility, each audition will normally take, on the average, 2 ½ to 4 hours to travel back and forth, park, prepare, wait and do your five-minute audition for the Casting Director. And often but not always, actors go out on dozens of audition before booking (getting hired).

> HIGHLY COMPETITIVE: Getting commerical auditions is very competitive in Hollywood. There are thousands of actors submitted for every role. Only 80 to100 are seen each day per role. So you have possibly a 10 -15% chance of even getting an audition when submitted.

>MONEY EARNED: The money that most new actors think they will earn from booking a commercial is not always the case. It depends on many factors such as: whether the commercial is union, non-union, local, regional, national, international, one spot or multiple spots, the number of actors, on-camera or voice-over, buy-out and/or residuals. Actors can earn anywhere from a few hundred to (in rare cases) a few hundred thousand dollars doing a commercial.

My main intention in laying out these misconceptions and challenges is not to discourage you from pursuing commercial work, but rather, to help you avoid the pitfalls that can make it difficult to make a good start. There are many more misconceptions and challenges you should be acquainted with before jumping into beginning your commercial acting endeavor. I wish you all the best of success!

Master Talent Teachers is an award-winning team of top entertainment industry teaching professionals providing FREE valuable videos, insider tips and products to empower your craft and career! For even more valuable information Go to =>

mastertalentteachers.com

now and watch FREE in-depth videos.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

byAlma Abell

There are plenty of bargains you can find when you decide to go for a Used Harley Davidson in Pittsburgh. If you do your inspection correctly, you could end up with a quality motorcycle at a great price. Before purchasing a used motorcycle, be sure to take it on a test ride as this will give you a unique opportunity to evaluate its performance. The state of the bike’s frame will tell you a lot about the care it has received from previous owners. As a precaution, you should never buy a motorcycle with dents, cracks or kinks on its frame without asking what caused them.

Getting information from the bike seller on why he is selling it and where it is taken for regular maintenance can help create a better picture of whether the bike is what you are looking for, and if it will work well. Looking at maintenance records and inquiring on important issues such as if it has been winterized is also crucial.

It also helps to have the bike inspected at an accredited motorcycle repair shop so as to figure out if it has any mechanical problems. A test ride will allow you to check if the brakes work properly or if there are any signs of the brakes pulsating, which would indicate the brake disks are wrapped. Be sure to accelerate through the gears so as to determine if the transmission is smooth and firm. A test drive will also help you notice any weird engine noises, creaking in the suspension or excessive vibrations and it will give you a chance to see how the bike responds to steering. Ask the seller about anything out of the ordinary so that you can know in advance if the bike will require repairs after you purchase it.

Purchasing a Used Harley Davidson in Pittsburgh carries its risks, but you stand a good chance of landing a great bike that will serve you for many years, and save you money. Being keen on inspections and inquiring about all unclear aspects will ensure you find and buy a quality bike on Z & M Cycle Sales.

By Lisa James

The Birth of Penthouse Magazine

In 1965, Penthouse Magazine started its colorful history in the world of media communications. Sensing that the sexual desire of man is a good marketing niche, Bob Guccione founded the Penthouse Magazine in London, United Kingdom. Bob Guccione or Robert Charles Joseph Edward Sabatini Guccione by birth was born on December 17, 1930 in Brooklyn, New York.

The sexually explicit contents of the magazine paved its way to the common households and stayed on top with its rival, Playboy Magazine in terms of sales and popularity. Four years later, Bob Guccione expanded the operations of Penthouse Magazine to the United States.

Bob Guccione together with Kathy Keeton and some family members managed the privately owned company over the years. With the rise of Penthouse magazine, Bob Guccione also rose to fame and was known for his lavish lifestyle and spending including the Penthouse Mansion in Manhattan, gold chains, dream of building a portable nuclear device and casino without a gambling license.

The empire that started from Penthouse Magazine was earning Bob Guccione a fortune.

With the kind of business the Penthouse Magazine is in, attacks and condemnation from several groups were to be expected. The National Federation for Decency, a Christian conservative group now known as American Family Association, threatened to boycott stores that carry adult materials. In 1986, Attorney General Edwin Meese and an 11 member Commission on Pornography also sought to publish a blacklist of pornography distributors. About 20,000 retailers and convenience stores withdrew support to the magazine after the campaign, causing a decline in sales.

In 1992, an issue between Penthouse Magazine and United States Navy surfaced. The United States Navy reacted negatively on the issues of Penthouse Magazine being circulated and distributed around the military base. Distribution and sale of Penthouse Magazine, a magazine explicitly pornographic in nature, is said to be inconsistent with the rules and regulations concerning sexual harassment and human dignity.

The Military Honor and Decency Act signed by President Clinton in 1996 stated that the Secretary of Defense may not permit the sale or rental of sexually explicit material on property under the jurisdiction of the Defense Department. Also, a 1998 Supreme Court ruling held that a military base is not a public forum. Bob Guccione lost the battle.

Videocassettes gaining popularity and the steady rise of Internet users are some reasons that caused the steady decline of Penthouse Magazine circulation and other pornographic magazines like Playboy Magazine and Hustler Magazine. The Internet provided a cheaper and multiple avenues of satisfying the desire of a man. Also, a different level of satisfaction is achieved watching the glossy pictures come to life. Bob Guccione finally announced in April 2002 that Penthouse Magazine was going out of business.

Bankruptcy of Penthouse Magazine

On July 2003, Bob Guccione lost his famous Penthouse Mansion. The Penthouse mansion was composed of two townhouses built in 1879. Rebuilt in 1920s by Jeremiah Milbank, it was one of the largest private residences in Manhattan. At the height of prestige, Bob Guccione bought the mansion in 1975.

On August 12, 2003, General Media, asubsidiary of Penthouse Magazine filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. It was thought that this move would help salvage the magazine.

Penthouse Magazine in Recent Times

In October 2003, announcement of the sale of Penthouse Magazine circulated. Later in 2004 General Media was renamed the Penthouse Media Group by owners Marc Bell a real-state developer and founder of the Globix corporation and Daniel Staton, an investor with diverse portfolio. Penthouse Magazine was repackaged.

Starting with the January 2005 issue, Penthouse Magazine no longer showed female genitalia, simulated sex scenes, or male genitalia. The change improved the declining sales but was still way below the original sales numbers of Penthouse Magazine during the heyday of the magazine.

In 2005, Penthouse Media Group had a total circulation of 326, 358 copies. Penthouse Magazine continues to increase sales as it works to become a competitor of the adult entertainment genre.

About the Author: Lisa James is a reader of

Penthouse Magazine

and a writer for Suscriba a seller of

Penthouse Magazine Subscriptions

and other

magazine subscriptions

.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

isnare.com/?aid=125523&ca=Entertainment

Weight Loss Surgery: Why Weight Loss Surgery is growing so rapidly in Popularity?

by

Seenath

Severely obese adults reap significant health benefits from bariatric surgery including reduced heart risks. Bariatric surgery includes various types of procedures aimed at restricting food intake or causing food to pass through the gastro intestinal tract without being fully absorbed. The primary benefits of weight loss surgery are easy to understand, gastric bypass surgery causes an average loss of 61% of excess body weight.

Weight loss surgery carries real risks as many as 10% of people have complications afterwards. Complications usually arise after weight loss surgery these problems are not only unpleasant and inconvenient but also life threatening. About one in 400 people die from weight loss surgery. Keeping weight is far easier when a person exercises and diets.

At least 70% of all patients who have high blood pressure and who are taking medications to control it are able to halt with all the medications. The intake of the medicines can be lowered at a later stage.

The primary advantage is that weight loss surgery particularly gastric bypass surgery produces definite results, some of the results of this surgery would include having heart disease reduced; improvements in problems such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes certainly suggest that improvement in risk is not very likely.

This surgery can help lower cholesterol levels and improve the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL (good cholesterol). Dramatic relief in sleep apnea can occur as patients lose weight. Patients can experience considerable decrease in pain. This relief usually occurs very early in patients experiencing weight loss surgery.

Asthmatics find that they are fewer problems and less severe attacks or sometimes in fewer case none at all. Many patients have reported that within a year of surgery their symptoms were completely gone and they had even stopped snoring altogether.

Sometimes a healthy diet and regular exercise can help to fight obesity. The term bariatric surgery refers to a number of surgeries that have the ultimate motive of losing weight. Both procedures can be performed as regular open surgery or through minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure. During surgery the surgeon operates with the help of a small thin tube equipped with a miniature video camera.

During laparoscopy the surgeon operates with the help of a thin tube with a camera attached to the end of a thin tube. However this surgery is not recommended for those who are just mildly obese. This is surgery that is recommended only for patients who are committed to making permanent lifestyle changes.

Weight loss surgery can yield numerous benefits from bariatric surgery including reduced heart risk along with many other illnesses. This surgery can help to increase the lifespan of individuals. Visit

Cods India Website

for more details.

Article Source:

ArticleRich.com

Submitted by: Cory Frank

Many years before, builders traditionally used and relied mostly on synthetic stones when constructing homes and other buildings. However, nowadays, the use of natural stone has become more widespread. This is because natural stones like marble, granite, limestone, sandstone, travertine, slate and onyx offer a wide range of benefits.

Aside from constructing building and different properties, natural stones are also the preferred choice in creating pavers, patios, sidewalks, driveways and specially fireplaces. Natural stone fireplaces are extremely popular among many property owners in Calgary, Kootenay, Okanaga and surrounding areas. Among the benefits of using natural stones over synthetic stones are the following:

Suitable To Any Budget

Ecological in Nature

Environmental Friendly

Available in Wide Range of Kinds

Different Colors & Textures

Long Lasting

Lightweight

Easy to Install

Flexible

So if you are looking to add value and beauty to your property in Calgary or anywhere you live in without the use of heavy types of stones and materials, natural stone is a wonderful choice.

Natural stone, as a material used for constructing buildings, is originated by nature in an almost refined form. Unlike other materials, this kind of stone is entirely natural and environment-friendly materials. It is also extremely lightweight and flexible. Being that this stone is cut relatively thin; this makes a good choice that will definitely suit to any budget. In addition, natural stones are available in a wide range of kinds, colors, patterns and textures. Moreover, they are easier to customize and install too. Therefore, finding the right kind of natural stone for your fireplace or property is easy.

Many pavers, sidewalks, driveways, patios and stone fireplaces in Kootenay and areas have been created using this particular type of stone. This is mainly due to the fact that the stone is highly versatile and the number of benefits it provides. This material gives the overall appearance of real stone, yet the flexibility of manufactured stone. With these so many benefits and advantages more and more homeowners elect to use natural stone in Calgary for their home improvement projects, fireplaces and stone pavers in Okanagan, Calgary and areas.

When you are ready to go for natural stone for your next home construction project, make sure to contact a reliable contractor that specializes in stone masonry in Okanagan or anywhere in your local area. Regardless of whether you know exactly what you want and how you want it or if you only have the vaguest idea, choosing and hiring the right contractor for your stone masonry project is the biggest factor in your satisfaction with the result. Moreover, regardless of who you choose, you should make sure that you have a contract that specifies the work and the stone being installed. A professional masonry company not only specializes in natural stone but as well in cultured stone in Calgary. So whether you opt for natural stone or culture stone for you home improvement project, fireplaces, BBQ’s, pavers, sidewalks, driveways or landscape retaining walls, your professional and skilled contractor has all your needs covered.

About the Author: For more information, click the following links; cultured stone Calgary, stone masonry Okanagan and stone fireplaces Kootenay, or visit this website,

greystonemasonry.ca/

.

Source:

isnare.com

Permanent Link:

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I don’t know about you, but I’m a believer in an annual phyiscal exam. The older I get, the more concerned I am about the aches and pains that beset all of us, and by all of the things I can’t see and can’t know about until the doctor has poked, prodded and probed. Same goes for the Emeraude.

Less than two weeks ago, we relaunched after three weeks out of the water during our annual dry-docking. I can’t speak for the other boats on Halong Bay, but we believe that annual maintenance is mission critical. Everyone would agree that maintenance is key, but the maintenance I’m talking about is major.

We haul the boat out of the bay, lever her up on support wedges and then put some 100 shipyard workers to business inside and out. Every year, I’m especially interested in the vessel’s hull. In all my years at the helm on the Emeraude, we’ve never scraped her on the bay’s limestone or skimmed a sandbar. But I want that thing combed over anyway.

As some of you know, a tourist vessel sank in Halong Bay earlier this year. The hull is where problems happen. I’m happy to report that our hull is in stunning shape. And that there’s been negligible wear on the two-metre sheets of metal that comprise the hull. How do we know? We x-ray the plates. We’re as thick as we need to be down under.

So what else do we do in dry-dock? We inspect the propellor shaft. We clean the water inlets. Remove all the barnicles. And we paint. Paint looks pretty, to be sure, (and who doesn’t want to be pretty?), but marine paint protects surfaces against the corrosive influences of the sea. So there’s a deeper purpose than cosmetic enhancement.

We do do much by way of cosmetics on the vessel. We paint and varnish throughout the cabins. This year, we’ve found a new way to treat the brass in our cabins such that they look as stunning as we all dream brass should look on a ship at sea. We’ve also upgraded each cabin’s safety features with hammers. We hope we’ll never use them, but we’re glad they’re there.

From a sheer comfort perspective – afterall, what is passage on the Emeraude if not for the opportunity to find your bliss – we’ve brought on board a new fleet of 40 faux wicker chaise longue. I know, I know, we all love the appeal of real wicker. But let me talk to you about the sanding and varnishing that goes into the upkeep of real wicker. Year after year, we did maintain our wicker with lots of man-hours, partly because we weren’t satisfied that the faux wicker was as aesthetically appealing. But you know what? It is. It’s just as beautiful as the real thing, and you’ll never know the difference.

Article Source: sooperarticles.com/travel-articles/cruising-articles/why-dry-docking-matters-650397.html

About Author:

Emeraude Classic Cruise is a Halong Bay luxury cruise in Vietnam. It is a replica of an early 20th century paddle steamer called “Emerade”Author: Natch Wara