When I think of snowboarding, I think of something pretty new — even though it was starting to really catch on last time I went skiing. But for me, who was taught to ski by two very traditional skier-parents who both volunteered on ski patrol at one time or another, snowboarding is a newfangled thing. Does this mean I’m old?
It seems to me like it would be much more dangerous to have both your feet strapped to the same board, like you’d lose a lot of control that way. What will I do if someday my kids beg me to let them try it? Will I refuse on the grounds that it’s dangerous, or will I acquiesce and take them shopping for youth snowboard gear such as youth snowboard jackets and kids ski pants?
Hard to know what kind of mom I’ll be until I’m there — a helicopter mom or a mom my kids can be proud of. I guess sooner or later I’ll find out!
eBay has long been seen as the ideal way to start your own business. The auction site offers a variety of different ways to earn money. Some sellers just sell part-time, while for others selling is a full-time business. And some people sell off their own stuff, while others may hunt for things to resell or even list other people’s items on commission. eBay stores may be small and run from a home office, or large enough to justify renting out retail or office space, such as with an eBay drop off store.
Now, however, it seems eBay may be on a downturn. The company has come under fire a lot lately for the changes they’ve made. Both sellers and buyers tend to feel they are not being protected very well under the eBay system. To make matters worse, eBay recently announced that they will be transitioning everyone to online-only payments — meaning buyers will no longer be allowed to send checks, and sellers will no longer be allowed to accept them.
A lot of businesses, both on and offline, have stopped accepting checks, so this might not seem so bad if it weren’t for the fact that eBay happens to own the primary (almost the only) way of paying online: PayPal. eBay has essentially made sure that they get to claim even more fees — i.e. the fees charged to sellers for receiving payments via PayPal. So now eBay gets fees when a seller lists an item, fees when they sell it, and fees when they get paid for it!
All of these fees are quickly eating into the sellers’ slim profit margins. As the article points out, eBay has ventured pretty far from what they used to be — an auction site populated by small sellers. And at the rate they’re going, pretty soon eBay will no longer offer any reasonable self-employment opportunities at all!
Just the other day, my uncle sent me these pictures from NASA’s past mission. Aren’t the photos really something? When I was a kid I wanted to be an astronaut (don’t all kids want something like that at some time or another?), and seeing these pictures remind me of that childhood dream.
Did you know that Sierra Instruments makes thermal mass flow meters for NASA? The meters have to be unbelieveably accurate, because they control the precise fuel mixture used in NASA’s shuttles. I can’t even imagine how exact that has to be!
Sierra Instruments makes and distributes flow meters for other applications, too. I recently read an article about how one of California’s energy plant was switching to meters made by Sierra Instruments — a type of liquid flow calibrator, I believe. And then of course there is their amazing ultrasonic water flowmeter, which can be installed without stopping the flow of whatever liquid is inside the pipes!
It’s amazing where science and technology can take us, isn’t it?
Your truck is important to you, so you shouldn’t get your pickup truck accessories from just anyplace. Here are 3 things to look for in a truck accessories store.
Good item descriptions. Many people now buy their truck accessories, such as driving lights and chrome truck accessories, online. There’s no shame in that, but you do need to be sure of what you’re getting. Make sure the seller or store you are purchasing your accessories from offers thorough descriptions, clear pictures, and states clearly what year, make and model the item is for.
Safe payment options. With all the fears of identity theft running rampant on the Internet these days, you can no longer give out your credit card number to just anyone. Unless the store is a large, established store, and has a physical location address (not just a Post Office box) listed, don’t give them your info! Large stores are usually okay, and of course payment methods such as PayPal allow you to pay via magic plastic without giving out your information.
A solid return policy. In the event that you receive the wrong item, or the truck accessories for your truck don’t actually fit your truck, you should be able to return the items. Personally, I like to purchase from stores that offer to refund shipping in the event that the problem is their fault. You shouldn’t have to pay the shipping to return an item that they sent you by mistake, or that doesn’t fit your truck when it is supposed to! However, in cases of buyer’s remorse, you should definitely be responsible for the shipping.
Truck accessories are supposed to be an investment, so make sure that the money you are spending is going to a good place!
Growth hormone therapy is often used to treat kids with growth hormone deficiencies, which is where their bodies don’t produce enough growth hormone to increase height normally. Because growth hormone deficiencies are fairly common — occurring in one out of every three or four thousand children in America — a lot of people probably need to know how growth hormone therapy is administered.
Growth hormone therapy usually consists of a once-a-day shot. The injection contains the growth hormone needed for the child to grow normally. The injections are usually only taken until the growth plates close, which is why it’s crucial to catch the problem in time. I used to have a friend who was only about four feet tall, because he had a growth hormone deficiency before growth hormone therapy was even invented.
Adults may also wonder what vitamins make you grow taller. Some companies do actually manufacture supplements that can help you increase your height. Growth Flex is one of these — a supplement in pill form that contains growth hormones to help you gain height and muscle. Of course, in an adult the growth plates are closed, so you should probably be careful with supplements like these. Be sure to check with your doctor first to make sure they’re safe, and don’t go hog wild on them — after all, you don’t want to end up as the Jolly Green Giant, OR with health problems from making yourself grow too tall too quickly!
