Many people find the idea of having wildlife as pet as exotic and exciting. However, if you want a wild animal as a pet, you should have thorough understanding of the animal and its behavior and needs. The people who have these animals as pets are invariably trained to handle them, but even they will tell how unpredictable these animals can be. You may have read stories in the newspaper of zoo keepers being mauled by their wards.

So, having wild animals as pets has become quite a sensitive and controversial issue. Some people like to highlight the pros, while others just point out the cons. However, both should be weighed equally and only then a decision should be taken to keep a wild animal as a pet.

Here are some pros and cons of wildlife as pets.

Sometimes, conventional pets like dogs and cats cannot be kept due to lack of space. In such circumstances, one can keep a wildlife like a hedgehog or gecko as a pet as they do not require that much space. Some wild animals have their own benefits. Like a hedgehog can be used to keep insects and others pests at bay in a house.

Often it has been seen purchasing a wild animal can be cheaper than purchasing a pet that is popular and has a pedigree.

Also, many proponents of wild animals feel that some species have a better chance of survival if they are adopted. It has been seen that the dart frog is facing a problem in the wild as its natural habitat is diminishing. Hence, if this animal is adopted, it will have a better chance of survival.

However, there are sufficient cons and disadvantages of owning wild animals as pets. First of all, one has to take into consideration the welfare of the animal. Having a wildlife means giving due consideration to its diet, exercise and social interactions. Often, the animal will not have any interaction with other animals of its own species and will be left to leading a lonely and solitary life. Also, the owners will not be equipped to provide proper care to the animals as they may not be well-versed in these things. Many wild animals look cute and cuddly when they are small. However, as they reach adulthood or sexual maturity, their wild side takes over and the animal becomes aggressive. This is the time many owners abandon their pets or give them away to zoos.

Wild animals are carriers of many diseases that are lethal to humans. For instance, reptiles and amphibians are carriers of salmonella infection and each year thousand of people in the US contract this disease due to their pets. Also, rats imported from Africa are known to carriers of monkey pox. An outbreak of this disease occurred in the US in 2003 when Gambian rats brought in the monkey pox into the country.

Above all, the demand for wildlife as pet is increasing. So, many illegal traders are …

Read More »

Read More »

One of the latest health "crazes" that has cycled around again (because, let's face it, this is nothing new) is juicing. The extent of my juicing was a little hand juicer to juice citrus fruits. Itave me a sore wrist.

My husband and I first got interested in "real" juicing last month while visiting with friends. They had been juicing for a few months. Not only did they see a difference on the scale, but a huge difference in how they felt in general.

There are many types of juicers on the market right now. Think of these questions when investing in a juicer: How committed will I be to juicing? How often will I be juicing? What fruits and veggies to I want to juice?

Upon researching juicers, I found just over 4,000 juicers listed. Some features that you need to think about include centrifugal force (is the juice spun outward to extract?), Mastication (how is the juice crushed and, well, juiced?), Gears (how many times do you want?), And manual (do you want to do the work yourself?).

Another factor to consider is cost. How much do you want to spend on a juicer? Is this a lifestyle you will be committing to? Is this juicer just needed for a few cups of OJ on the weekends? I found a Black and Decker 30 Watt juicer on Amazon for under $ 15.00. Not bad! I also found some commercial-grade juicers for over over $ 400. It just depends on your needs and how committed you are.

There are some important factors you need to keep in mind when looking for a reliable juicer. What are the materials it is made from? If it's mostly plastic, chances are it might stain or crack over time. If it's stainless steel, that's much easier to clean, though you need to look at the seams as those can harbor unwanted bacteria. Being dishwasher safe (even on the top rack) is a great feature to have. How are the "leftovers" of the produce collected? Is it a messy clean-up? By the way, those leftovers are great for compost piles if you're a gardener!

I will share with you our favorite juice blend as of yet. Keep in mind we're new to juicing and have not tried too many things! But we have our own version of the Green Machine Juice that we have at lunch time. I will juice for both of us in the morning so that our "lunch" is ready when we are! (Word to the wise: shake well! All the good stuff floats to the top in some weird foamy concoction!)
Gadget Gal's Green Machine (makes 25-30 ounces)

5 leaves of kale
1 orange
2 green apples
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
1 generous slice of fresh ginger
C cucumber
hand of spinach

Juice it, baby! And feel clean and refreshed! …

Read More »

One of the most common paint tools is the paint brush. Before you buy a brush for your project, why not find a bit more about this versatile, durable tool?

Paint Brush History

No one knows who invented the first paint brush. Some nameless cave dweller picked up a few different objects to try paint scenes on the cave wall and decided one was a keeper. However, we do know that the ancient Chinese have been creating brush paintings for literally thousands of years. Europeans have been painting for quite a long time, too. Sometime during this time, someone decided bigger was better and developed a prototype for a brush to apply paint to walls. Today, paint brushes can be found everywhere in the world.

Paint Brush Types

You may be wondering why you need to find out about the types of paint brushes. After all, a paint brush is a paint brush, right? Actually, there are many different options when it comes to choosing a paint brush, from the type of bristles to the different handles.

The first thing you'll want to consider is the part of the brush that applies the paint. Bristles can be all natural, synthetic, or made from a combination of fibers. Natural fibers work best with oil based paint, while synthetic bristles perform well with latex paint. Another option is the sponge brush, which does not have any bristles at all.

The shape of the brush head is also important. Some brush heads are simply rectangular and flat. Others are tapered or round. They range from skinny to wide, with most brushes falling into the two and a half to six inch range. Some of these styles, such as the six inch rectangular brush, are better for applying a lot of paint to a wall fast, while others, such as the three inch sash brush, are great for cutting in around windows and doorways. Trim brushes are ideal for, as their name suggests, painting trim.

Another thing to look at is the brush's handle. Many DIY grade brushes are made with a plastic handle. They work fine for small tasks, but a few hours of holding that hard plastic is not very comfortable. Professionals typically opt for wooden handled brushes. They are extremely durable and can be a bit more comfortable than a seamed plastic handle. Comfort grip handles and wide handles are options that people with joint pain may want to try. …

Read More »

Starting a home daycare business can be a great move that will allow you to get into the childcare industry without having to rent expensive commercial concessions. When you take this approach though you really have to organize your home well so that your business does not take away too much of your families valuable living space. You still have to be able to provide a space that meets minimum size regulations although as well as being a safe and stimulating environment that is good for kids and marketable to parents.

The key to success with a home-run child care business is to clearly separate your home from your business and not to complicate things by letting one spill over into the other.

Space will be your main concern when working from home in this business. Organize the space that you have into areas for the various activities that children will do throughout the day. At a bear minimum you will need a floor area with cushions for meetings and story time, tables for snacks, lunch and art and craft projects, an area for mid day naps and an outdoor play area. It can be possible to use the same space for many different purposes if you do not mind moving table around.

Make sure that you have plenty of storage space as this will help your home and business to remain organized and uncluttered. Children should also have a personal space for storing their belovedings.

Ensure that your daycare as well as the private parts of your home are all fitted with child safety fittings. Do not forget to safety proof outdoor areas as well by making sure that there are no dangers on your property such as poisonous plants

Set up an area for your office and ensure that this area is separated from the daycare. Keep this area well organized and strictly off limits to the children.

The key to running a home daycare center is to utilize your space well, comply with regulations and appear to be just as professional in appearance as your competitors with rented facilities. If you can create an environment that is safe, organized and structured as well as being appealing to parents and children then you will be well on your way to success with your home daycare. …

Read More »

The housing debacle that started in late 2006 (and is continuing) had a substantial effect on lending. According to ml-implode, 355 lenders have disappeared since late 2006. At the beginning of August, Taylor Bean Whitaker, one of the largest lenders, abruptly folded their operations. Several larger players are on ml-implode's watch list. The reach of the troubled housing market continues to grow.

Because of the slumping real estate market, many areas have been designated "declining markets". That means the LTV's allowed will be lower, and comps used for valuation will be adjusted (lower) to make up for the declining price environment. That means the home owner may be shut out of refinancing and taking advantage of historic low rates, or not qualify to consolidate debt. This may lead to even more foreclosures, creating more downward pressure on home prices.

One of the newer regulations passed was the infamous HVCC, or Home Valuation Code of Conduct. It evolved because of a knee-jerk reaction to the housing market. The suspicion was that many appraisers were in bed with lenders and realtors, giving inflated valuations to properties so deals could get done. Unfortunately, there were some dark spots in this process, and now the entire real estate industry is paying the price for this. HVCC requires that appraisals now be ordered through an appraisal management company (AMC), instead of the lender dealing directly with the qualified appraiser that he or she already has a solid relationship with. In fact, the lender is not allowed in any way to contact or communicate with the appraiser. This may sound fine, but it has major negatives to it. First, the appraiser, chosen from a lottery, can travel as far as 100 miles away from the subject property. He or she may not be familiar with the area they were sent to report on. Second, appraisers are now being compensated less, because the AMC has to get their share of administration fees. The appraisers now have to travel further and get paid less. That is unfair to the appraiser, and everyone involved in the real estate transaction. I have already seen appraisals come back as much as 25% less that expected, even in areas that are not hard-hit. This has a substantial economic impact. Think of who is involved in a real estate transaction – appraiser, realtor, lender, title company, inspector, attorney. This has a ripple effect, no doubt.

Finally, foreclosures are not going away. With unemployment at 9.4% nationally, and in many areas over 10%, foreclosures will continue to rise. More than half the foreclosures are due to loss of employment. These foreclosures are beginning to find their way into appraisals, pushing prices even lower.

This is news everyone should be aware of – owner, buyers, sellers, realtors and lenders. Having this information in hand, and discussing it early and candidly with clients will avoid a lot of shock and awe when it comes to signing documents. Everyone will be better served if we, as professionals, …

Read More »