Finding The Right Auto Repair Shops

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If you are having car troubles, finding the right mechanic to fix the problem can mean the difference between a long, dragged out process and getting your car safely and quickly back on the road. When going through listings for different auto repair shops, there are a number of ways to find a mechanic who will work for you. This process may seem difficult and intimidating, but doing your research and working hard to find the best deal and the most honest professional will prove to be quite beneficial.

When looking for the right auto repair shops to fix your car, you must ask yourself a few questions. What exactly is wrong with your vehicle? Are you having brake problems? Is your air conditioning system not working properly? Is your engine not starting? Is your “check engine” light on, but you are unsure why? Some mechanics may specialize in some types of maintenance and provide more thorough work in some areas than others. What kind of car do you have? Many mechanics specialize in a particular type of make or model. Bring your vehicle to a shop that delivers service specifically to your make and model might be very beneficial, as the mechanics will have the specific tools and training necessary to fix your problem.

Many automobile owners find that independent shops offer a variety of benefits over dealerships. If you vehicle is under warranty, you may need to see the dealership about servicing your car. When seeking other options, you should ask friends and family for recommendations about where to bring your vehicle. This is especially true if you know people with the same or similar vehicle as your own. You can also check the Internet for ideas. There are a variety of sites that allow customers to write reviews of their experience with auto repair shops. These reviews may give you a good idea of what you can expect when bringing in your car.

Trying out auto repair shops with minor jobs may be smart before you bring in your vehicle for more extensive work. If your vehicle needs a minor tune up or maintenance such as an oil change or filter change, bring your car to a prospective mechanic. If you have the benefit of time, this will allow you to “try out” a place and see how they operate. If you have a generally good experience with minor maintenance, you may have good luck with more extensive work with the same mechanic.

Live a Healthier Lifestyle and Become an Everyday Champion: It Can Make the Difference in Your Life

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What is a champion? Many people think of a champion as someone who just won a contest. I think of a champion as anyone who accomplishes a worthwhile goal. Let me tell you about two people who were champions for their health.

Several years ago, I met a lady who had smoked cigarettes for 50 years. She indicated that cigarettes defined her life. Because of other medical problems, she knew that she had to quit smoking. But this was very difficult for her because all of her friends smoked and, when they did things together, everything seemed to be centered around cigarettes. She had reached the point that she was “scared” to quit smoking.

Realizing that she had to be a champion for herself, she decided to quit smoking. Gradually decreasing her two-pack-per-day cigarette habit, she worked on this endeavor over a period of a year, and now she has been smoke free for the past year. Champions do not have to be well known people that we read about. Champions are people that we see every day.

Let me tell you about another person who was morbidly obese with a history of sleep apnea, hypertension, and diabetes. She desperately needed to lose a massive amount of weight. She did not want to have surgery for weight loss. She wanted to lose weight through exercise and reducing her daily intake. The thought of surgery terrified her. Friday night was her night to drink beer and eat nachos, french fries, and hamburgers with her friends. Over the years, she had gained a great deal of weight. Due to her health problems, she realized she had to take control of her weight. She put great effort into reducing her weight by tracking what she ate and eating all things in moderation. She also started exercising during television commercials. Every time a commercial came on, she would get up and do an exercise.

Did you know if you watch an hour-long program, commercials occupy about 20 minutes of that time? Learn from this woman. Get some 2 or 3-pound dumbbells and do boxing and kickboxing during commercials. Just walking around the room would be a good start if you haven’t been doing any exercise. What an excellent jump start to get you on your way to improving your quality of life and improving your health.

Did you know that being overweight puts you at risk for a number of conditions, such as: osteoarthritis, back pain, cancer, diabetes, stroke, and heart attack to name a few? Losing weight and increasing exercise help to reduce your risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Isn’t it worth your time to take steps to improve your health and reduce your risks for these conditions?

Make “you” a priority by eliminating unhealthy habits and scheduling some exercise into your daily routine. Start today exercising during television commercials.

My prescription for becoming an everyday champion is to Take care of yourself.

Remember don’t start any exercise program without the consent of your physician.

©2012 Winifred D. Bragg, MD. All Rights Reserved.

Holidays To Ibiza After The Party Season

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The quintessential party island, Ibiza is known for its all night raves, superstar DJs, non-stop nightlife and hardcore clubbing. But there is more to this beautiful island than glow sticks and going home at 6am! Not only that, but there are lots of cheap holidays to this Mediterranean jewel to discover. Take a look at what there is to offer….

Firstly, as you would imagine, Ibiza has a wealth of breathtaking beaches for everyone, whether you’re the relax with a book type of holiday maker or after a bit more action. Big on water sports, Ibiza offers fun filled holidays for beach enthusiasts of all ages. And if you need a break from all that relaxing, take in one of the many boat tours around the island or to the nearby island of Formentera, an island of unspoilt countryside.

Over 100,000 years old are the Can Marca Caves. Discovered by smugglers who used it for hiding their treasure, the mysterious caves have formed eons, stalagmites and stalactites; over many levels, it really is other worldly. At the heart is a spectacular Music and Light Show with a 30 foot cascade of dazzling bright water. Explore on your own or book yourself onto one of the many tours available, which will give you even more insight to the caves history.

Holidays to Ibiza wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the Hippy Markets. Whether you’re a shopaholic or not, they’re a sight to behold! Selling trinkets, hand-made crafts and jewellery, you can find them all over the island on most days of the week. The girls will love them!

With cheap flights you’ll find that most Ibiza airport transfers will transport you to Ibiza Old Town, a great place to start your holiday, which has some great Ibiza hotels as well. Explore the narrow, steep cobbled streets and awe-inspiring views as you make your way to the heart of the old town; enter through a dramatic main entrance up a slope, crossing a drawbridge through the Portal de Ses Taules which gives way to an ancient cobbled stone courtyard. This is historic Ibiza at its best.

Holidays to Ibiza wouldn’t be complete without a visit to one of the Hippy Markets. Whether you’re a shopaholic or not, they’re a sight to behold! Selling trinkets, hand-made crafts and jewellery, you can find them all over the island on most days of the week. The girls will love them!

Finally, as the sun sets, visit one of Ibiza’s most famous landmarks, Las Salinas Salt Flats. Located on the southern most tip of the island, the salt fields have been in use for over 2000 years; as the water evaporates over the hottest months, a sparkling layer of pure salt is left on the bottom of the lakes. An exceptional photo moment you won’t find on any other cheap holidays.

The Silver-Haired Bat Or Lasionycteris Noctivagans

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Recognition: The silver-haired bat is another medium sized bat in the microchiroptera order with an approximate length of 3 5/8 inches and a wingspan of 10-12 inches and weighing in at ¼ to ½ ounce. Their fur is usually dark, black to dark brown with the tips of the hair a silver color giving the effect of ice on the tips of the fur. The ears are short round and without hair. This bat will live around 10-12 years. An interesting tidbit of information on this bat: the scientific name for this bat means “night wandering shaggy bat.”

Range: The Silver-haired bat travels from as far north as Alaska, southern Canada, all the US except maybe Florida and in parts of Mexico. These bats are primarily in the Northern areas of the country and are generally scarce in most of their areas. The greatest amount of these bats are located in the Northern rockies. From Idaho and Wyoming up into Canada. Also found in New York and New England.

Habitats: This bat is usually solitary in nature but sometimes a pair will be found roosting. They usually roost in trees, under bark and sometimes woodpecker holes. Also found under rocks,wood piles, cliff faces. They also roost fairly high from the ground, between 13 39 feet. They will seldom use a roost for more than a couple of days. The nurseries may have 6 to 55 individuals and even these nurseries will shift to a different roost periodically. These bats are 10 times more likely to be roosting in old growth forest rather than cut areas.

Food Habits: The Silver-haired Bat is a very slow flier with only the Pipistrelle being possibly slower. As with all bats they are opportunistic eaters but these bats mostly eat soft bodied insects such as moths, flies, wasps, midges, leafhoppers, mosquitoes, ants, crickets and larvae from the trees.

Problems: This is one of the most abundant bats in the northern United states however one of the threats for its decline is its preference for roosts over 33 feet above the ground make it very susceptible to timber harvest. Some of the predators for these mammals are the skunks, owls, feral cats and raccoons.