Like everything else today, steaks and all barbequing meats are available online and for delivery to ensure that your lazy butt doesn’t have to do any more work than necessary to make your barbeque a hit. Of course, this means that they won’t be stark fresh, but chances are you weren’t about to go to ranch to pick out steaks anyway, unless you might happen to live in Colorado or Nebraska or something. If you’re not one the fortunate serious grillers able to get fresh beef straight from the slaughterer, then you’ll probably have to settle with frozen steaks like the rest the grocery store-dependent western world.

There are many factors to consider. Obviously you want the best steaks, but you also want (and during the hard economic times we find ourselves in now-need) to get the most bang for you buck. That entails the quality and price of the steak, shipping costs and delivery time. Luckily, the other bonus of using the internet is that you’re sure to find the widest selection of sellers. I did a little steak shopping myself, and after some mouth-watering and the beginnings of planning my own shindigs, I was able to find a few sites clearly outdoing the rest in the terms I described above.

When talking about steaks, it’s a necessity out of carnivores’ etiquette to mention Omaha Steaks. Comparing the websites, Ohama Steaks’ prices came up in the medium range, so that can give you some idea of which sites are overpriced no matter what their quality is. You’d have to taste them to truly discern the quality. Simply looking at pictures online will only do so much justice. Speaking as someone who loves steak and has had Omaha Steaks though, quality is the last thing you have to be concerned with, with this brand. I know it sounds like I’m endorsing Omaha Steaks, but I’m not. They have set a standard for steaks though, so they provide a decent medium to easily grade by. There are some companies on the higher end such as Heartland Steaks offer free standard shipping, which is not available on any other site. Each site charges between $12-$25 for standard shipping. Then there is the lower end such as Schwan’s. Not that Schwan’s doesn’t have fine food, but they’re not renowned for their steaks.

              No matter what cut you go with at your barbeque, be certain to get the most for you money. With things like free shipping, steak delivery may be a very appealing option. It’s definitely the easiest way to get a cut above what’s at the supermarket. So, for your next cook out, do it the expert way and look into grilling the best.

Meanwhile, one of the least fun things you can do is make an ingenious and extraordinarily fun investment such as buying a pool and destroy it simply because you didn’t keep up on maintenance.

So, if you don’t feel like hiring a pool boy, then read on for a few helpful tips about ways to keep your pool in exceptional condition for the summer and winter.

When it comes to summer, pool maintenance is more a day-to-day effort due to the fact that it will mostly likely be used almost everyday. The most obvious servicing is to scoop out any leaves and any large debris you can snatch up with a net. The most basic duty is to check the PH levels and chlorine levels everyday if possible. You can use a kit to test the water. If you keep up with daily maintenance on this, you can avoid shocking (adding high amounts of chlorine due to depletion and bacteria) more than necessary. Typically, shocking should be done about every 2 weeks. Also, be sure to add an algae inhibitor to regularly to avoid having to take any drastic measures.

Remember to vacuum the pool about once a week. Before you do though, scrub the walls of the pool down to ensure that you clean the pool entirely, even what is stuck on the walls. The manual work required cannot be overlooked no matter how many gizmos you have. Also, be sure to keep the filtration on. You can turn it off when you go for a swim, but make sure to turn it back on once you leave. You bring in all your nastiness when you swim (hair, sweat, dirt, skins bits, etc), so filtration is a must to keep the pool clean. Lastly, a certain water level must be maintained at all times: don’t let the water go below the skimmers. If this happens, it causes the pump to become “unprimed” and this can severe and perhaps irreversible damage.

If you live outside Florida, California or any other constantly sunny state, you’ll need to maintain your pool differently during the winter. Most likely you will have to close it down for the season. If you do, you’ll need to close the pool properly. First, do a major routine cleaning that you would normally do. That is everything that is listed above for regular servicing. Next, backwash the filter and drain any excess water that may be left in the filter with a shop vacuum or something comparable. After this, drain any water in the pump and then unhook both the filter and pump completely. Next, remove the skimmer baskets and put a pop bottle in each to prevent any damage from ice. Then empty the main drain line for you pool. Then, you can finally drain the pool. No need to drain it completely, though. Water provides an insulation and can prevent any misshaping or movement in the ground. Remember to remove all accessories as well. Once, you’ve done all of this, put the cover on the pool and you are ready for winter.

This basic and regular maintenance can you save money for parts and extra time figuring out complicated and costly problems. If you plan on making an investment in a pool, make sure to care of it.

There are a few things that will determine what grill you want to buy. The first and most significant decision you’ll have to make is whether you want a charcoal or natural gas barbeque grill. Of course this will depend on how you like to cook, how much cleaning you’re willing to do and most of all the way you like your food to taste. Charcoal and natural gas have a distinctly different taste. Once that choice is made, you must decide a few other things: the size you want, the price range you want, and whether you want it be portable or not. The importance of these factors depends on what matters most to you, though.

The most common charcoal grill (and grill overall) is the cheap round charcoal grill, complete with tripod (of which, two of the legs have wheels). This fancy grill has a few perks: the classic char taste to all food, and it also has a small price tag. You can pick one up for as little as $20. They are also easily transportable. With all charcoal grills though, immense amounts of cleaning is required. On the higher end of charcoal grills, the grilling space simply gets bigger, racks can be added and side trays are also added. Performance doesn’t change much with charcoal grills, because the cooking power doesn’t depend on BTUs. Primarily, only the size gets bigger as portability goes down and amenities are added.

 Natural gas grills generally cost significantly more than charcoal grills (even the most high end of charcoal grills). There are some low-cost ones, but they aren’t built for simply function like cheap charcoal grills, they’re merely cheaply built and will not last long. Usually to get a decent natural gas grill with the same cooking space of an average charcoal grill, you will spend about $150 more. Gas grills are also almost unanimously not portable. They also need natural a gas tank, which can turn grilling into an expensive habit if used often. Also, the higher end the grill becomes, the more heating power the grill has, therefore more gas will be used. On the plus side though, gas grills involve far then cleaning and are much more hassle free. They are also capable of having many cool accessories because they are fueled by natural gas, such as stovetop burners. If you’re willing to pay, you can basically get a mini outdoor kitchen as a grill. There seems to be no end for possibilities for high-end natural gas grills.

Whether you choose a classic, less expensive charcoal grill or a hassle free natural gas grill, be sure to shop around. That will ensure that you find the best price and get the most for your money. It may be a good idea to start looking now before the summer rush hits and you’re stuck with whatever is left in stock.  So, make sure you’re ready for the parties this summer and have the grill ready and raring to go.

Either way you decide to go, portable or in-ground, hot tubs are great for entertaining. You’ll want to think about size, not only in accordance with your alloted space, but by seating capacity. If you’re planning to host a lot of hot tub parties, a four to six seater will be far more expensive than a two seat hot tub. On the other hand, a larger hot tub will also give you room to stretch out even when you’re by yourself

First and foremost, you need to make sure you have a private, secure place to set your hot tub up.  If you have a spacious yard, you may want to consider an in-ground hot tub near your deck.  Make sure it won’t be located under low-hanging trees, especially if they drop a lot of leaves. If you live in an apartment complex, but have a spacious, private porch, make sure the flooring is secure enough to withstand the weight. Concrete surfaces are recommended, as most hot tubs weight around 5000 pounds once filled with water. You’ll want to talk it over with your landlord before diving in, as he may want to have a look at the area himself to make sure his property and the tenants below don’t wind up soaking in hot water.

Once you have a good place to set up and you know what you want, it’s time to start shopping. While a lot of guys don’t enjoy the shopping process, getting out and comparing products and prices is an important part of buying a hot tub. There are a number of things you need to take into consideration when searching for the perfect hot tub. When you’re shopping, you should also be prepared to do some physical testing, so make sure you’re wearing your swim trunks for a full demonstration

Find out what type of regular maintenance each hot tub requires, and whether it is heated through gas or electricity. If you don’t have a gas line, and you choose a gas powered hot tub, you will need to make arrangements with your local gas company for a hook-up. No matter how it is heated, you will also need to make sure it is adequately insulated. A well-insulated hot tub will save you money, as the heat won’t escape when the hot tub is not in use. .

Before your new hot tub is delivered, you’ll want to get things set up and ready. This will include testing your preferred area for safety. You may even want to install a concrete base to keep a portable hot tub level. Make arrangements with the gas company, and consider hiring a professional electrician to help you run an electrical line safely to the location. Electricity and water are a dangerous combination, so unless you feel 100% certain in your ability to run the wiring, it’s best to have a professional do the work for you.

If you don’t feel comfortable assembling the hot tub yourself, and making sure it is fully connected to the plumbing in all the right places, ask the company you’re buying from if they do installation. A professional installation will guarantee that everything is set up properly, so you aren’t forced to drain your hot tub to fix a minor mistake.

Once you’re sure everything is in order, it’s time to fill your hot tub. Fill to the recommended capacity, and turn the hot tub on. You’ll want to allow the water to warm up before adding chemicals. Follow all manufacturer instructions when adding chemicals, as each hot tub will be different. Regular chemical maintenance is required to keep the water in your hot tub healthy, clean and clear. Testing and balancing the water pH often will assure that you don’t accidentally chemical burn your skin, or wind up with unhealthy growth in the water.

It may seem like a lot of work to get your hot tub up and running, but it’s worth it, and you’ll be reaping the relaxation benefits in no time!

Interest rates can affect the type of mortgage you choose and dictate when it’s wise to make a change. Here are a few of the factors that can be affected by a swing in interest rates:

Choosing the type of mortgage is important. When interest rates are rising, a fixed-rate mortgage is usually a good choice, since it locks in the current rate and protects you from the higher rates to come. When rates are falling, an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) becomes more attractive, as its interest rate changes periodically (usually every one, three, or five years), allowing you to benefit from the new, lower rates.

Some people choose an ARM even when rates are rising. This is because the interest rate on an ARM is substantially lower — as much as two percentage points lower than that of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage. That means you’ll pay less until mortgage rates have increased a full two percentage points. After that, you’ll pay more than a fixed rate.

There are also hybrid ARMs, which have a fixed rate for a certain time period — typically three to 10 years — and then become adjustable. (A 5/1 ARM, for example, has a fixed rate for five years, after which the interest rate is adjusted annually.) Hybrid ARMs can be the right choice if rates are likely to rise in the short-term but then flatten or fall. However, these long-term trends can be difficult to predict.

Refinancing is not always a great idea. A change in the interest rate trend can make it worthwhile to switch to a different type of mortgage. When rates are falling, you can save money by moving from a fixed-rate to an adjustable-rate mortgage, so you can benefit from the lower rates. If interest rates appear set for a sustained rise, switching from an ARM to a fixed-rate mortgage can lock in a lower rate and protect you from higher payments. However, you should make sure that any closing costs don’t offset the benefits of refinancing.

For instance, Walmart has been pulling out all the stops this year to attract customers old & new, and now it’s in the news that their big price-buster this year is a laptop for $300. (And, thankfully, they are also putting in more safety measures this year.)

So how can you find other retailers who may even have better prices, or perhaps a better quality laptop?

Well there are even sites now that aggregate Black Friday (& Cyber Monday!) sales on various products.

So good luck, but you’re not going to need it, the sales are everywhere this year.

Also, netbooks are pretty cheap. These are basically laptops that just link to the web, but with online versions of Word & Excel, this is all most people even need!

You can get a decent one for as low as 300 bucks, although there are some with better hardware that can go up to $800 bucks. If you want to be able to run anything you want decently, a modern OS like Windows 7 and maybe some games, I would advice you not to buy entry level or mainstream such mini laptops. But instead go for the better ones.

The good part is that winter sales period in on its way right now, and I’m pretty sure there will be some very good offers on such netbooks, probably the most during Black Friday Deals 2009 day, on late November . I for one reckon mainstream netbooks will drop below $300 (they currently retail for around $350), while the better 11.6 inch ones with CULV processors and maybe Nvidia ION will drop at least $70 bucks from their price, but only on a limited time.

Selling Netbook Computers for big discounts will not be convenient for producers, producers whom already don’t really appreciate netbooks for their low margins of profit.

We’ll just have to wait for Black Friday and the other special days in the winter sales season to see how good deals we will be able to get on netbooks this year.

Most students going off to college find themselves confused at all the different loans that are available. The great news is that there are many different loans out there to help you fund your college education. The tough part is figuring out which student loans will work for you. Here is a look at some of the loans available to students.

One type of student loan to consider is the Federal Stafford Loan. This is for both undergrad and grad students, and it requires that you are enrolled half time or more in a educational institution that accepts aid from the government. This loan is based on need. Undergraduates are able to get up to $5500 each year, while graduate students can get up to $18500 each year.

The Parent PLUS Loan is another option when the student Stafford Loan is not going to be enough. This is a loan that parents can take out and it is based on their credit. This can let parents borrow the entire cost of the undergrad education, which can include room, board, tuition, supplies, fees, and more.

Now there is a Perkins Loan available, which is a student loan that is also available based on need for those who are undergrads and grad students. For these loans, the schools become the lenders, but the government actually lends the funds to the schools to distribute to students that are needy.

These are just a few different types of student loans that you can choose from. Of course, there are other options, including private loans available as well, so you have a lot of options that can help you to go college.

It’s human nature to fantasize about the future and predict what life might be like in the future. Over the past eight decades, there have been many wild and outlandish predictions of bizarre gadgets, structures and inter-planetary colonies, all published by magazines, newspapers, books and professors. While some predictions of future technology have seen actualization in the modern world, many such forecasts have not come true. In fact, by the year 2000, the world was predicted to be a far different place than it is even nine and half years later. Today we take a look at twenty predicted technological breakthroughs that never came to be, their origins and current status. To be fair, as you’ll see, we’ve certainly made progress in the right direction, but have still to achieve the dream.

Flying Car

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Probably the most common future technology never invented is the flying car. Appearing in countless science fiction movies and soaring through the day dreams of any commuter stuck in daily bumper to bumper traffic, the flying car represents a human fantasy that hasn’t yet taken off. This is not to say that there haven’t been plenty attempts at a functional model. From the winged Pinto of 1973 (which led to the fiery death of the two pilots) to the more recent “Moller SkyCar,” the world has been searching for a cost effective way at personal air travel for decades. Dr. Paul Moller of Moller Industries (a company specializing in flying cars) has since filed for bankruptcy, and his flying cars still struggle to achieve a vertical lift of more than 25 feet.

Corner Grocermat

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Inspired by our enduring desire to create convenience through technology, the Corner Grocermat was a prediction of a drive through supermarket made in 1959. Published in the “Closer Than We Think” section of the Chicago Tribune, the paper stated that soon, the grocermat will, “…enable the housewife to drive around an oval arrangement of such preloaded display sections and pick out what was needed. A clerk would put the desired groceries on a moving belt which would move when the auto did, so that the purchases would wind up at the checkout counter at the same time the driver did.” As cool a this sounds like it might be, the corner grocermat never came to be, appearing to have been an empty prediction never put into development. Today, the biggest supermarket technological advancement seen has been the advent of the “self check-out line,” and home grocery delivery services such as Stop and Shop’s “Peapod” program.

The Flying Platform

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Appearing in the 1955 issue of Pacific Stars and Stripes, the “Flying Platform” was theorized as a personal hover device. Unquestionably dangerous, the wingless aircraft was said to be in development by the Navy for soldier transport, and was predicted to be a, “…speedy coupe for businessmen of the future.” The Navy actually produced several of these platforms, however they were discontinued because of their limited speed, bulkiness in combat and very low vertical lift potential. Many said that the platform failed to achieve much more than the “air cushion effect,” meaning they could elevate less than a couple feet off the ground.

Space Coveralls

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With Martian colonies predicted so near in the future, the science community of 1960 needed to develop a space suit that could handle the extreme conditions of outer space exploration. To this end, “Space Coveralls” were theorized to be in development, and several features of the high-tech stellar suit were outlined. A cone shaped utility pod was to be attached to the back of the suit, for storing various space tools. Of course, the suits needed to be air conditioned as well as heated to protect the explorer from the harsh temperatures of alien worlds. Sun ray protection was said to come standard, as was a metallic construction so that out of control drifters could be pulled back to safety with a giant magnet. Finally, a cane that also acted as a jet thruster. Actual space suits ended up turning out much different and today, these suits do not come with a sweet NASA issue jet-cane.

The Personal Jet Pack

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From the set of Hollywood flicks to demonstrations at Tomorrowland (Disney Land/World), personal jet packs have been talked about since the day the first flying car was dreamed up. For decades it has been thought that everyone – from military soldiers to Joe Sixpack – would be riding in style with a sweet jet pack strapped to their back. The first actual jet packs are said to have been manufactured by the German army during World War II. Since their inception, several functional models have been created; in fact the one used by James Bond in Thunderball was a real pack. The problem with commercial jet packs has frequently been stated as their brief air time capability and the injury risks associated with their use – for example, the harsh landings.

Robot Housemaid

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If ever there was a human desire, it is the wish that there could be a robot to do our work for us. Such was the thinking in 1959 when the Robot Housemaid was predicted in “Closer Than We Think”. Shaped like a mini-lighthouse, the Robot Housemaid was said to float suspended in air on an air-cushion and would help take care of basic household tasks. The column reported that the robo-maid would be able to: “…Move linen, glasses, china and silver to the table. After dinner it would wash them and store them away.” Here in the year of 2009 we still have to set our own tables, but engineers at several robotics firms have been working on some sophisticated technology that might bring us closer to the robot maid than we imagine. The Honda Asimo, for example, can recognize its owner, obey commands and serve certain drinks.

Weather Control

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In 1966, a radio documentary, 2000 AD, was aired as a forum for various media and science personalities to discuss what life might be like in the year 2000. The primary theme running through the show concerned a prediction that no one in the year 2000 would have to work more than a day or two a week, and our leisure time would go through the roof. With so much free time, you can imagine that we would not want our vacations or day trips ruined by nasty weather, and therefore we should quickly develop a way to control the weather, shaping it to our needs. Taking the lighting from the clouds or the wind from the tornadoes were among the predictions, yet they were careful to note that we might not take weather control too far because of political reasons. Unfortunately, we here in the 2000’s still work full weeks, and we still get our picnics rained out from time to time. You can listen to the weather control selection of the broadcast here.

The Lunar Olympic Stadium

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In 1979 the buzz in the future-themed media circled around the idea of a lunar colony, and with that colony came the claim that in 2020, our Olympic Games will take place on the moon. Authors of the book, Future Cities: Homes and Living Into the 21st Century, wrote that with colonies living and reproducing in lunar cities, the climate might be perfect for the first ever interplanetary Olympic competition. The stadium for the event would be situated under a huge Plexiglas done, and Earthlings and “Moonies” (as the book refers to the lunar families) can come and watch the event take place. The book continues to predict that with lower gravity, certain events like the high-jump would be even more entertaining. Today we still hold the games here on earth, and technology does not seem ripe to hold them on the moon within the next decade. Interestingly, various space-themed websites are still reporting that Olympics on the moon are, “only a matter of time.”

The Answer Machine

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The “Answer Machine,” as it was called in a 1964 publication, was a theorized tool for answering homework problems. Using a typewriter keyboard, the user would ask the machine a question and an answer would quickly appear on the machine’s television screen display. Furthermore, the machine could sing you tunes if need be, or even play movies about any topic the user might research. It is unclear from the writings about the machine how the experts thought that one machine could possibly store information about every single topic one might wish to research, however today a very similar kind of technology exists. The Internet enabled computer is about the closest thing to the Answer Machine around. The Internet contains tomes of information about any subject you might wish to know about, however the computer is far from a homework-thwarting Answer Machine, and it appears that technology has outpaced this primitive technological prediction.

The Space Resort

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The idea of vacationing in outer space has been a fantasy of us earthlings for decades. It seems that every so often, some new company reports that in ten years the wealthiest of us will be able to charter vacation expeditions into outer space. Unfortunately for those with the money to burn, these promises never come to fruition, and our summer vacations remain constrained to the limitations of our terrestrial planet. This space-resort fantasy dates back far past 1982, however it was in that year that the first bold prediction was made. In a book entitled The Kid’s Whole Future Catalog, a letter from an fictional character vacationing in space appears. Such trips were expected to be possible in 2002, with fully functional space resorts orbiting the earth and ample transportation to and fro. The description of the science-fiction space pool is a priceless read. Today, its far past 2002 and a stay at the “Ramada: Milky Way Galaxy” seems as far off as it did back then.

Sea City

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In 1984, future predictions took a short break from space cities and focused on an equally dangerous location for a city: the ocean. Floating atop the surf, a farming city populated by humans and tended to by robots was predicted to be built in the 2000’s. The article appeared in a book entitled, The Future World of Agriculture, and was titled the “Sea City of the Future”. An excerpt from the article reads: “Robots tend crops that grow on floating platforms around a sea city of the future. Water from the ocean would evaporate, rise to the base of the platforms (leaving the salt behind), and feed the crops.” Today, this green-friendly sea city does not exist. One possible problem with such a design is what do do in case of huge rogue waves or hurricanes. Weather is quite a nasty and destructive thing out at sea, and perhaps building a city in a place where such devastating forces (hurricanes, tidal waves, tsunamis) exist might not be the best idea.

Classroom Airship

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The most enjoyable part of school was always the field trip. So, how about one long, enduring field trip around the world! The Kid’s Whole Future Catalog of 1982 predicted that school would no longer take place in the boring four-walled classroom, but in a soaring airship on a journey around the world. The ship was predicted to have theaters, living pods, media centers and classrooms inside of it for academic use. A quote from the article on the classroom airship reads: “Classes will never be boring on an airship traveling around the world! Imagine gliding over the Amazon River in South America or retracing Ulysses’ journeys through the Greek Islands. Picture what it would be like to hover over the Great Pyramids in Egypt or follow a herd of elephants across the African plains. The University Blimp will turn geography lessons into exciting real-life adventures.” No documented proof of any attempt to build such a craft exists, probably due to the safety risks of flying students of varying ages around the world in a blimp. Unfortunately for our eager students, there is no classroom airship here in the future, and books are still the closest most young adults will come to retracing the steps of our great world ancestors.

Time Travel

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Time travel is yet another great human fantasy that has never come to fruition. Commercial time travel was no doubt predicted many times over in a variety of media, however our spotlight prediction comes straight from the pages of a 1982 book entitled Fact or Fantasy: World of Tomorrow. The book predicts that “time tourists” could enter the time machine, which would then somehow show them the events of a chosen era without allowing them to actually get out and live in it. The book is careful to point out that actually walking around through the past might give people the power to alter the events of the future. Science has not yet devised a way to make this possible, and from what we can currently surmise, the past is gone and cannot be revisited. Traveling to the future, however, is a different story altogether.

Hoverboards

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Remember those cool flying skateboards from Back to the Future II? In 1989, many children watching the making of the movie heard director Robert Zemeckis say, with a straight face, that the boards were actually quite real, and that the only reason why they’re not being publicly sold is because of pressure from parents groups. The boards were reported to float on the Earth’s magnetic waves, allowing the user to operate it much like a standard skateboard. Suddenly, the demand for hoverboards went through the roof, and children (and adults) everywhere wanted one of those cool floating extreme sport devices of the future. Since the movie, several companies have tried to innovate on hovercraft technology to produce such boards, but none have seen light outside of the laboratories. As of 2009, we still have to ride around on our boring wheeled devices.

Skin Color Changing

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In a 1972 film documentary entitled “Future Shock”, it was predicted that as we discovered more about our own genetic make-up, we could opt to change our skin color to any pigment we desired. The segment featured a genetic engineer speaking on the feasibility of the process, describing it as altering certain genetic code in order to get the job done. The film then showed people walking around with cyan blue and purple skin questioning how far people will take the luxury of skin-color modification, and if a new definition of beauty would emerge because of it. Today, there is no consumer available way to alter your skin color, and most home cooked methods have yielded disastrous outcomes. The technology is still being researched however, the most bleeding-edge findings coming from Harvard University studies.

Magic Beam Highway

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The Magic Beam Highway was a purported transportation advancement that the government was said to be researching. As printed in the October 1961 edition of “Closer Than We Think,” the highway was to consist of strips in the pavement that would emit electrical impulses that told the car how to perfectly drive on autopilot. The driver would then punch in his destination, kick back and read the paper while the car’s computer interacted with the road to drive him or her there. Furthermore, these “electrical impulses” would allow for super-high-tech functions such as acceleration, breaking and object detection in order to avoid accidents. Washington was reportedly working on a 100 mile test strip and hoped to have the technology implemented on public roadways by 1975. Over 30 years since, the closest thing we have to this technology is a GPS and cruise control, which is clearly far less exciting than the magic beam highway. There appears to be no word on what happened to the idea and, sadly, the magic beams never came to America’s highways.

Pill Foods

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As seen on “The Jestsons” and published in a New York Times Magazine interview with author Michael Pollan, a prevailing idea in 1960’s future prediction circles was that of the pill-food. Essentially, all of the body’s nutrients and none of its toxins would be packed into a pill that could be taken in place of an actual meal. A quote from the article claims that, “…all signs pointed to a single outcome: the meal in a pill, washed down, perhaps, with next-generation Tang.” Wouldn’t this make thanksgiving dinner quite boring for the families of the future? Perhaps, thankfully, the pill food was never invented on any large scale, and the closest we have ever come to such a technology is the supplement pill. Currently, there are many meal replacement bars in the marketplace, but these are not typically nutritious and you have to eat them – they usually taste like rotten candy bars.

Headphone TV

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A 1960’s column in the Chicago Tribune, made an interesting prediction regarding the future of television. Rather than sit down and stare out our television sets, we would simply place headphone like devices on our heads and allow television to be broadcast into our neurons, allowing us to see the show without a screen. Electronics trailblazer Hugo Gerensback was quoted as saying, “Brain tissue conducts electricity. What could be more logical than the development of a super-receptor whose impulses would create images directly in the mind, like dreams.” This inter-neural boob tube was actually never developed, probably because the technology is still so far off that serious attempts have never been undertaken. Such technology might also carry with it a great risk to personal health. After all, who would want to be the first person to strap one of these untested devices on and let someone try and beam “Family Guy” directly into their brain?

The Roofed City

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Dating all the way back to 1949, the roofed city was a prediction made by Professor Archibold Low. The concept represented mankind’s first attempt at controlling the weather. The idea was, in essence, to erect a massive roof over all of New York City in order to try and control the weather. It isn’t hard to see the impracticality of this idea, as the roof would have to cover hundreds of square miles of city and would not be able to do much except block rain and snow. All the snow that would ultimately fall on the roof might get awful heavy too, no? Needless to say, there were many practical problems with the roofed city, and we still do not have anything like this today.

The Folding Automobile

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The San Antonio Light published an article in November of 1939 predicting that in the future, cars would be run off solar energy and would be able to be folded up into portable packages. According to the paper, the car’s engine would be able to be detached and carried to any local repair shop for service. The engine-less car could then be folded up and stored under the bed or in a closet until the repair is complete. The paper cites recent advances in metallurgy as reason to believe that future cars will be made of super light weight yet equally strong (if not stronger) materials. The folding car has never since been attempted and they still weigh far too much to be carried off the road by mere men. We do, however, have fully functional solar powered cars, impractical for widespread use as they might presently be.

Many people are unaware of the downside of using these.

Here are five reasons to not use them and to consider a safer and natural alternative:

1 – They are poisonous if ingested. Isopropanol is used to denature the ethanol in them and isopropanol is poisonous.

2 – If they are ingested either accidentally or intentionally, alcohol poisoning can result. Two ounces of Purell is equivalent to four shots of vodka – it has 62% alcohol in it.

3 – The New England Journal of Medicine published information on the dangers of ingesting hand sanitizers (The New England Journal of Medicine, Feb. 1, 2007; vol 356: pp 529-530.)

4 – They kill all of the bacteria on the skin. It is not healthy to kill all of the bacteria on the skin. Some bacteria help fight the bad bacteria, viruses, and fungus that can make people sick. Not all bacteria are bad!

By eliminating all of the bacteria – our skin is more “naked” than it already is – with lowered protection and lowered immunity.

5 – They can be drying to the skin. It removes all of the natural oil on the skin and can dry it out.

So what are the alternatives if we want to have a healthy, natural and portable waterless way to clean our hands on the run? A new product just on the market – Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier!

Young Living Essential Oil company just came out with this on their Thieves product line. Thieves essential oil blend was tested at Weber State University and found to be over 98% effective against microbes! The Thieves Waterless Hand Purifier has the Thieves blend of essential oils along with aloe and vegetable glycerin and uses peppermint for the denaturing process.

Using this feels like you are putting on a silk glove – and, in fact, it does offer an “invisible” glove of protection. It does not kill all bacteria on the skin, and remember – we don’t want it to!

The wisdom of nature in these essential oils inherently knows how to get rid of the harmful bacteria and other microbes and it respects and leaves the good bacteria on the skin!

VA home loan refinance program started in 1944 with the Servicement’s Readjustment Act. This is also known as the GI Bill of Rights. The GI Bill was signed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt which provided war veterans with guaranteed homes without down payment. This was specifically designed to give veterans housing and assist their families. This is the dream of most veterans – to have their very own homes.

The VA Home Loan Refinance guarantees that the loans are made by private lenders like mortgage companies, banks, and savings and loans corporations. The guarantee requires the lender to protect the client just in case he fails to repay the loans.

At least with this loan, one can guarantee the protection of both parties. This is received from the required down payment that has been agreed on – in both favorable financing agreements.

Making the most out of a VA Home Loan Refinance deal is a good idea because it allows you to know more about the loan program that you are getting yourself into. You will also realize that there is less red tape as you make the transaction to your new lender.

You have to remember that all payments you make now is under the new lender. In doing so, you get to save more money because of the low interest rate and the low monthly payment. Just make sure that the lender you entrust your VA loan has good credit score.

The use has been proven quite effective when it comes to the percentages of the guarantee rates. The interest rates really depend on how you were able to meet the requirements for the VA home loan.

For one, you need to have good credit rating. If you do, then you pay lower interest rates compared to someone who has negative credit rating.

Another factor that determines the rates you have to pay on your VA loan is the state you’re living in. The percentage of what your new lender has to pay depending on the amount you have left on your mortgage vary from one state to the next. Sometimes the standard rates do not apply in a specific state. You have to make sure that the rates you agree on are considered liable in the state that you are in.

The whole point of you going for VA home loan refinance is to save more. Don’t go with the first tempting offer that comes your way. Consider your other options. Check which one you will be able to save more and then go with that.

If you are a military veteran and are seeking to buy a home of your own, do not hesitate to apply for a VA Home Loan.

In the year 1944, the VA Loan came to be via the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act, better known as the G.I. Bill, when Franklin D. Roosevelt, the president, signed the bill into law. Part of the law was a provision to veterans that they wouldn’t have to provide a down payment for a centralized guaranteed home. This particular feature was designed so that veterans could be provided with housing, and also provide assistance for their families. Overall, the bill contributed more for the welfare of veterans and their families than any other program, before or since, and it ultimately led to sustained growth of our nation’s economy. Decades later, the VA Loan is still around and is still attractive with lots of advantages, currently providing assistance to around 27 million veterans nationwide. A central component to the VA Home Loan is a guarantee to cover 25 percent (maximum) of any home purchased through the program.

Through the program, a veteran can either borrow what the purchase is, or the actual value of a property, whichever is less. Furthermore, a funding fee can also be borrowed. However, veterans are not automatically eligible for the program, so in order to qualify, they simply need to sign up. That said, because of the funding fee of the VA Home Loan, many veterans do not sign up. They will be exempted from the funding fee on the VA Home Loans, however, in the following cases:

– If a veteran receives disability compensation because of his services related to medical issues
– If a veteran is entitled to a commission for not drawing his or her retirement pay
– To the surviving spouses of veterans who have died in service or from disabilities due to service.

If you are still unsure, you can contact your local VA office who will properly review your service records and can then get determination from the VA.

There are many uses of a VA Loan, for example, you can buy your own home, build your own home or even use it to improve your home. It’s pretty simple too, as overall there is a very little “red tape” in getting a VA Loan. The VA Loans which are guaranteed are only made by private lenders such as mortgage companies, banks, or savings and loans etc. They make veterans eligible to buy a home through the VA Home Loans which is for their personal occupancy. The lender is protected if they cannot repay.