Koi Care - How to Protect Your New Koi From Stress and Disease

Koi are sturdy fish and although they can survive in relatively rough environments, they are not inexpensive and an owner should do everything in their control to make ensure proper Koi care is given so that their pets are safe from stress and disease. Just like with humans, stress is the number one reason why the immune system is weakened and when this natural defense system is lowered, the Koi will be subject to pathogens that can be lurking in their surroundings.

Taking proper care of your Koi should come well before you place it in your pond with the other fish. In fact, preparation should happen even before your Koi arrives from the dealer. Having a suitable quarantine tank is part of proper Koi care because the new fish has definitely undergone a lot of stress, this holds especially true if it was shipped to you. Even if your new Koi came from a reputable breeder who has taken all the precautions to make sure it's free from any virus and parasites, the stress of being put in a plastic bag and getting transported for lengthy periods will definitely lower its immune system. Quarantining new Koi will thus let it regain rest and regain its defense against sickness and disease.

Quarantine tanks act as "buffer zones" between the new Koi and your existing ones. They are effective disease and parasite protection for your valuable pets because this is where you can let new Koi acclimatize with its new environment. Ph and salt levels as well as water quality between your pond water and the water in which the new Koi was shipped can also differ greatly. This is one of the main reasons new Koi die upon arrival in their new homes, call it chemical shock.  Quarantine tanks are also perfect places to watch out for any threats your new Koi might have with it so you can avoid introducing viruses and bacteria into your pond.

The biggest mistake a Koi hobbyist can make is dumping new Koi in the quarantine tank right when it arrives. Water temperature, ph and alkaline levels between the container water and tank water can vary drastically and this be too much on your new pet. It's important to let the bag temperature get equalized with that of the quarantine tank's by letting it float on the surface for half an hour. It's also a good idea to introduce some water from the quarantine tank into the bag gradually at intervals of 10 minutes. This will help the new fish acclimatize to the water conditions of the quarantine tank.

The quarantine process should last for at least 3 weeks to make sure there's no oversight. It would be a shame to lose your new fish, or worse, the whole pond because of impatience. Also keep in mind that Koi are social and enjoy company. It would be a good idea then to choose a healthy Koi from the pond and put it in the quarantine tank with your new pet to keep it from getting lonely during the 3 weeks.

Cardio Kickboxing Classes

I Assume You Have A Gym Membership

This article assumes you have a gym membership which has cardio kickboxing classes available. If you don't have one, then get one!

Do You Get Bored On The Bike Or The Treadmill?

A lot of people get their cardio in on the stationary bike or the treadmill but if you're like me then you find it easy to get bored on these machines. Sure watching TV and listening to music can make it go by a little faster but it's still pretty boring. The hour can take forever to go by when I'm on the bike.

The "excitement" factor is one of the main reasons that I enjoy taking a cardio kickboxing class. Sure it's a lot harder than just riding the bike (of course there's also benefits to it being harder that I'll get to in a moment) but it's worth it because it actually can be fun to do. Even though the cardio kickboxing class I take is 75 minutes long - goes by faster than just 30 minutes on a bike or a treadmill.

Cardio Kickboxing Burns More Calories

Muscle and Fitness Magazine has ranked Cardio Kickboxing as the #1 fat burning workout. It burns an average of 1000 calories per hour. Compare that to the 300 or so calories you may burn in an hour on the stationary bike and it's obvoius which one is the right answer for you if you really want to burn fat fast.

All Cardio Is Wasted Without A Good Fat Burning Diet

While cardio is important, so is your diet. Diet without exercise is a waste but so is exercise without diet. You need to do both if you really want to burn fat fast and reach your peak condition.

Caribbean Cruises - Selecting a Caribbean Cruise that Suits You

Often considered the vacation of choice for a certain age group, the demand for Caribbean cruises is increasing; this has got to be the easiest way to see a variety of Caribbean islands in a short space of time. It should be on everyone's list of vacations with tropical Caribbean islands, clear, clean beaches and of course a fun filled time on board the cruise liner. Some people only take a short break and visit perhaps only a couple of islands as part of a larger vacation but most people are doing a tour of as many islands as they can with some lasting over two weeks.

Vacations like this are about enjoyment and it what these companies do best irrespective of weather or environment, it is your choice; enjoy the on board entertainment or that at each destination. Never worry that there will not be enough to keep you occupied as cruise liners are past masters at ensuring their travelers have everything they need.

It is always a pleasant use of your time to see what vacations on ships are available and see what choice of packages there are so why not start at the local travel operator for some advice. Almost every Caribbean island will receive cruise liner guests but they can't call on every one each trip as it would take to long so you need to look for a package that will call at the islands you want.

Some cruise vacations to the Caribbean are for people that like to party with plenty of discos and non-stop entertainment and may not be the ideal place for families. Don't forget that more and more information is put online these days and whilst the travel agent will be helpful, there is every chance you can take a virtual tour of the Caribbean cruise ships if you visit the website directly.

Remember that a vacation on board a ship allows you more opportunity to dress up as there are more functions than you are probably used too. These are the sort of times when you will need to have a tuxedo for men and evening gown for women as part of your attire.

The great thing about cruise vacations is that if you take your children along you can be sure they will have a fun filled time. You can even take time off for a little quality adult time as there is fully trained staff to look after them.

Some Caribbean cruises are specifically for adults only, which ideal for couples, honeymooners and people that would like to have a child free vacation. There is no end to what you can actually request on your cruise liner vacation so if you have just got married or are celebrating your fiftieth wedding anniversary, something special can be arranged.

If you let the staff on your Caribbean cruise do their job, all you will have to do is enjoy the vacation, after all isn't that what it's all about.

What You Should Know About Epoxy Adhesives

There are several good reasons why epoxy is the adhesive of choice for a wide range of bonding and sealing projects. Not only does epoxy provide high strength adhesion, it also has the capability to work well even under constant load. Epoxy moreover remains resistant to chemicals and moisture. This is precisely why epoxy is one of the most reliable adhesives for various structural applications, as well as for outdoor installations.

One component and two-part systems

Epoxy adhesives may either be one component systems or two-part systems. One component systems provide less flexible but extremely tough bonding. Due to this, one component epoxy adhesives are ideal for bonding metals and for use in sealing wide-area surfaces.

Two component systems on the other hand are more flexible and highly versatile. The separate components need to be mixed at equal volumes to achieve the right consistency and the desired bonding results. These adhesives may start setting from a few minutes to a few hours, and will start to cure completely from several hours to even days. Almost all substrates can be bonded with a high strength epoxy adhesive, including wood and wood products, metal, stone, ceramic, glass, and plastic.

High quality epoxy adhesives

The many types in the market have made this popular adhesive an excellent choice for many projects around the home as well as for a variety of professional tasks. There are epoxy adhesives that take only one minute to set while others take as long as 12 hours to 24 hours to completely cure. Moreover these adhesives can be colored or transparent and have a gel-like consistency. In projects where two components are to be joined and high-strength bonding is needed, an epoxy adhesive usually accomplishes the job well. Compared to other types of adhesives in the market, epoxy is heat resistant and chemical-proof. A marine epoxy is a specialized type of epoxy that provides excellent adhesion for materials constantly immersed in water such as boats and kayaks, or those exposed to heat and moisture, which is usually the case with many outdoor applications.

The Master Mend Epoxy from Loctite is a 2-part epoxy adhesive that is perfect even for complex assembling, bonding, and sealing. It can work as filler for gap bonding or surface repairs and comes highly recommended even for fiberglass, stone, and concrete, which makes it an ideal all-around adhesive choice for a wide range of home and professional projects.

LG ENV VX9900 Review - A Review of the LG ENV VX9900 Cellular Phone

A multimedia messaging phone, the LG ENV (VX9900) is the go to device for those who need to be connected at all times. One of the best phones on the market, the ENV combines EvDO high speed technology, large internal screen, dual stereo speakers and an external memory port. From camera to multimedia player to cell phone extraordinare, this phone has everything one would ever need (and then some).

For those who are addicted to text messaging, the ENV (VX9900) offers a flip open QWERTY keyboard and up to 1,120 character text messages. The phone is also enables picture and video messaging, as well as web based email and instant messaging. With Mobile Web 2.0, users can check their MySpace.com profiles, purchase airline tickets from their favorite discount ticket broker or even bid on Ebay.com items. The internal antenna makes this phone difficult to break and a keyguard function prevents unintentional dialing.

The camera is the best out of all of the phones LG produces, and is a 2.0 megapixel with autofocus and flash. With four different resolution options, he camera even has a protective lens cover to help prevent scratches and dings. The video format is 3G2, and the digital zoom will increase the picture size up to two and a half times. Camera features include white balance, customizable brightness, color effects, night mode, and shutter sound, as well as a self timer that can be set for 3, 5 or 10 seconds. Up to one full hour of video can be stored, and 15 seconds of video at a time can be messaged to another phone or email address.

This phone truly has it all, including a VZ NavigatorSM that provides voice prompted turn by turn directions. All in all, it's a fantastic buy and one that won't be regretted.

5 Exercises on How To Be Psychic

Learning how to be psychic is a lot like a fish learning how to swim. We are all psychic in one way or another but it's such a complete part of who we are that we often find it difficult to understand what does it mean and how to use it.

Let's play a little with the idea of being psychic and find out if how you may already be psychic. Follow these tips to discover your own natural psychic nature.

Exercise 1. Picture Images

As children we called it using our imagination. But any psychic intuitive will tell you that learning to see images with your imagination is an important first step toward the skill known as clairvoyance.

Try this exercise to see how well you do. Close your eyes and imagine walking into your home. As you walk from room to room count the number of windows in each room. Do your best to remember subtle details of each window. Remember the total and then compare your imagined experience to actually walking through your home and doing the exercise live.

This is a first step in learning how to be clairvoyant.

Exercise 2. Listen to the Sounds

This is an exercise that so many people do naturally that it may seem effortless at first. Imagine a song that you've heard. Now focus on the lyrics and each subtle change of the voice quality of the lyrics throughout the song. Of course you're doing this all within your own mind.

Next focus on the melody, and then the instruments. With each repetition of the song you will be increasing your focused awareness and ability to replay the song without actually hearing it except in your mind.

This is your first step in learning how to be clairaudient.

Exercise 3. Feel the Feelings

We all have physical reactions to everyday experiences. But for most of us we are taught to ignore our feelings and discard any information that may come from these physical sensations. People with psychic clairsentient abilities have learned to pay attention to these feelings and then be able to act upon the feelings or sensations.

Start with a book, CD or magazine article. Don't read or listen to the material at first. As you physically pick up the material, allow yourself to feel any physical or emotional sensations that you may have. Once you've been able to identify two or three sensation, then review the material and notice how it makes you feel. Once again, bring your awareness to within your own body and just notice whatever you notice.

This is a first step in learning how to be clairsentient.

Exercise 4. Reading a Person

After you've practiced the above exercises a minimal of 10-100 times you're then ready to move on to reading a person. The reason so much practice is required is that you will first need to discern your own feelings from those that will come to you from your intuition.

Imagine a person that you know. Then just allow your imagination to bring forth pictures, images, thoughts or feelings. Simply notice everything that comes to you. You can then share what you noticed with the person. It doesn't matter if it's accurate or not. In the beginning you will only be learning to develop your skills of how to be psychic.

Exercise 5. Building Intuition

Next you'll be using the skills in the above exercises to build the foundations for precognition. This is where you can begin to get information or feelings about events that have not happened yet.

Next allow yourself to think of some event that you know will occur in the near future. This can be a few days or even a few weeks but preferably not within the same day. Next, using all the skills we've used so far, allow yourself to gather images, feelings, knowings and sensations. Take note of everything that comes to you.

Many people think that being psychic means that you can know the future. But what would be more accurate to say is that being psychic gives you the discernment of how to respond to what happens in the future.

With just a little practice, you will come to know that you already know how to be psychic.