Category Archives: Yard & Outdoors

The Challenge of Landscaping Small Yards

The Challenge of Landscaping Small Yards

Landscaping projects, no matter how big or small, requires thorough research and advanced planning. This is also true in landscaping small yards. One should be meticulous in doing such because of the limited space requires just the exact and perfect fitting ornaments so that the project would look good despite its size.

Modification
Landscaping is all about changing the land’s appearance, modifying such for personal satisfaction or to upgrade the land’s value in the market. The change could vary from simply changing the plants in it or arranging the structures in the area to hauling up, digging further and constructing materials that could really drastically change the landscape.

Perfect Fit
In doing the modifications for small yards, one must first assess the size or the part of the land to be used. Based on the calculated size, you may proceed with research first and then you can plan.

In researching, the same rule applies as to those projects with big landscapes. You must first know about the place well enough, its weather conditions, the type of soil in it and the plants that would grow in the place.

Information as abovementioned could be gathered in landscaping books and magazines. The Web has also vast information and pictures for such projects that you may want to see first to have an idea of the different styles that you may opt to replicate or combine one or two styles. You may also create your own if you are knowledgeable in the process. And asking around will also a lot, especially when you get to talk with people whose landscaping are excellent. You would really get an idea of what to do and also what not to do in the process so that you’d have minimal errors once you sit down on your project.

When you have a small yard, planning should be simple yet very detailed. The type of plants that you may opt to use should be placed accordingly. Be mindful of the color and the sizes of the plants, as well as the positioning of each because you can actually make the land appear larger than it is through the use of such ornaments.

Structuring Each Element
When you plan on landscaping for a small yard, you need to have a structure for everything. You need to know how much space would each ornament consume because in the process, you need to maximize everything. You need to utilize each free space to make the land appear larger than it really is and so that no one could actually fault the place as to having to much at such its small size.

You may still have other materials in the area like some fence or a water element such as a small pond or simple fountain maybe, this just depends on the placing of each material. All these could be laid out in the plan, but you can still do minor changes once you’re already into the process and is actually seeing what the blueprint looks like in reality.

Landscaping small yards may be quite a challenge. But when one is equipped with the right knowledge and the proper materials, mistakes would be minimal. The advantage of having a small yard is that it is easy to maintain so you are free to choose from a wide variety of ornaments as long as you’re sure that those would survive in the place’s conditions.

The Secret Of Successful Fiber Optic Cable Management

The Secret Of Successful Fiber Optic Cable Management

Why is proper fiber optic cable management so critical?

Service providers have deployed more and more fiber optic cables for their high bandwidth, low costs, greater reliability and flexibility. But just deploying is not enough; a successful fiber network also requires a solid infrastructure based on a professional fiber optic cable management system.

Fiber optic cable management affects a network’s reliability, performance, cost and maintenance. It provides the ability to reconfigure network, restore service and implement new services quickly.

Four goals to achieve with professional fiber optic cable management

1. Protect fiber optic cable from microbends and macrobends loss

Microbends are small deformities in the optical fiber and macrobends are larger bends of the fiber cable. Fiber bends beyond the specified minimum bending radius can cause signal loss or even break the fiber, causing service disruption.

As a rule of thumb, the minimum bending radius should be bigger than ten times the outer diameter of the fiber cable. Telcordia recommends a minimum 38mm bending radius for 3mm fiber optic patch cords.

Fiber optic cable management system should provide bend radius protection at all points where a fiber optic cable makes a bend. This helps ensure the network’s long-term reliability; thus reduces the network operation cost by reducing network down time.

2. Well defined fiber optic cable management routing paths

The leading cause of fiber optic cable minimum bend radius violation is improper routing of fibers by fiber installation technicians.

In a proper fiber cable management system, routing paths are clearly defined and easy to follow; such that the technician has no other option but to route the cables properly.

Well defined routing paths reduce the training time required for technicians and increase the uniformity of work done. It also makes accessing individual fibers easier, quicker and safer.

3. Easy access to installed optical fibers

Allowing easy access to installed fibers is critical in maintaining proper bend radius protection. The system should be designed to ensure that individual fibers can be installed or removed without inducing a macrobend on an adjacent fiber. Accessibility is critical during network reconfiguration.

4. Physical protection of installed optical fibers

Well defined fiber optic cable management system physically protects the fibers from accidental damage by technicians and equipment throughout the network.

Fiber optic cable management system procurement

When making the decision on purchasing your fiber optic cable management systems, the goal is getting the most cost-effective system that provides the best cable management, flexibility, and growth capabilities.

Going with the cheapest approaches for fiber optic cable management can cost more money in the long run. A strong fiber cable management system will enable you to extract the maximum value from your installed optical fiber networks.

Specifying Fiber Cable Management Systems: Cost and Value

As a means of keeping operational costs down, service providers around the world are increasingly turning to systems integrators to install their networks.

This practice allows the service provider’s technicians to focus on operations and maintenance, rather than network installation. There is, however, an inherent risk in this practice.

As the purchasing decision for the fiber cable management system moves from the service provider’s engineering group to the systems integration prime contractor, the cable management features of the distribution system are generally not specified.

What can happen, then, is the equipment installed may lack key features and functionalities. In light of the importance of proper cable management within the ODF, the service provider needs to specify the basic requirements for the cable management system.

There are several industry-standard specifications that can assist service providers in writing specifications for their cable management systems. Two of these specifications are:

• Telcordia Generic Requirements for Fiber Distribution Frames GR-449-CORE, Issue 2, July 2003

• Network Equipment Building System (NEBS) Generic Equipment Requirements, TR-NWT-000063

Cold Weather and Frozen Pipes

Cold Weather and Frozen Pipes

Cold weather is a big problem for home and property owners- especially if you’ve moved and your home is setting empty. Why? PLUMBING!
If your home gets too cold, the water in your pipes can freeze overnight and then burst in the day when it warms back up. This leaves the potential for extensive flooding and water damage to your home. The pipes you need to be most concerned about are those that have the most exposure to the cold — outdoor hose faucets, swimming pool supply lines, underground sprinkler systems, and plumbing in unheated basements, crawl spaces, attics and garages. Pipes that run against exterior walls are also at risk.
What to do…
When it’s cold outside, you should periodically check all the faucets in your home. If it doesn’t work or water is just a trickle you may have frozen water in your pipes. Attempt to locate the frozen area by looking in the area most likely to freeze- i.e. the coldest. Use a heat lamp, space heater, hair dryer or electrical heat pad to begin to thaw out the pipes. Remember to keep the faucet open as you work. That’s because running water will help melt the ice faster. Apply heat until full water pressure is restored, then consider going to your neighborhood hardware store to purchase insulation for the areas of the pipe that froze (to help prevent it from happening again).
DO NOT use any sort of blow torch or open flame to warm the pipes. I can not stress this enough, so let me say it again. DO NOT use an open flame. First off, an open flame is a fire hazard and if you are working in a confined area there is a threat of carbon monoxide poisoning. Every year there is a story in the news of some person burning down their home or suffocating themselves to death while working on frozen pipes.
The second reason not to use an open flame is if it gets too hot you can melt your pipes (especially PVC plastic pipes). Third, too much heat too quickly creates the potential for an explosion. That’s because water expands as it gets hot. A blow torch or other device will cause the water to boil, and boiling water trapped in the middle of a frozen pipe has no place to expand- so it explodes.
The last piece of advice is always the best… If you fail to unthaw the pipe, call a licensed plumber before the pipe breaks.
How to keep it from happening…
– Your home should have inside valves on your outdoor water supply lines. Close them, then open the outside faucet and let the water drain. Leave the outside faucet open all winter.
– Drain and store outside garden hoses.
– If you haven’t already done so, drain the water from your swimming pool and lawn sprinkler system. As mentioned above, insulate plumbing that’s most susceptible to freezing. You can find supplies at your local hardware store, Home Depot, or Lowes.
– During severe cold weather, let the faucets drip. Although it’s no guarantee, even a trickle of water can help prevent pipes from freezing and an open faucet gives the water someplace to run once it starts to warm up.
– Keep the home temperature set to no lower than 55 degrees Fahrenheit. I know it’s tempting to turn the thermostat down when you leave town for a few weeks or if you have an unsold home that is setting empty, but the higher heat bill is quickly offset by the cost of repairing a pipe and cleaning up water damage.
– Lastly, if you experience flooding or water damage from a broken pipe, be sure to watch the home for mold or mildew. Black mold can be a serious after effect to a flooded home that’s far worse to deal with than the actual water damage.

Fiber Optics Technician Jobs

Fiber Optics Technician Jobs

Knowledge in fiber optics practical applications can be a huge ticket to any rewarding profession. It should be obvious, with the number of optical fiber pipes being laid underground, the innumerable requests for materials concerning fiber optics, and the ever innovating practical uses of fiber optics. That makes fiber optics technician jobs the most coveted and highly rewarding entries in the job market as of today.

Here’s a compilation of fiber optics technician jobs available in the job market.

Optical Fiber Cable Manufacturing

The work of the Optical Fiber Cable Manufacturing involves the production of: optical fiber, fiber optic amplifiers, attenuators and filters, fiber optic receiver, transmitter, transceivers, fiber optic terminals and terminators, optical fiber polishing machines and all sorts of products that is used directly in optical fiber installation and optical fiber systems.

The fiber optics technician jobs are the fiber optics cable design engineer, fiber optics production engineer, fiber optics test engineer, fiber optics cable technician, fiber optics test and measurement technician, fiber optics marketing specialist, fiber optics sales engineer, and the fiber optics installation technician. Most requirements for these fields aside from 1 to 2 years relevant work experience would be a college degree, preferably engineering, electrical, or relevant technical majors. You can also enhance your chances by entering the Fiber Optic Training Program at Corning Cable Systems (at: www.corningcablesystems.com). This training program gets you acquainted with practical fiber optics, installation, maintenance and design, as well as testing and troubleshooting.

Optical Fiber Sources and Detectors

Since fiber optics has extensive usage as sensors and detectors on a number of sensor equipment including SONAR, fiber optics technician jobs on optical fiber sources and detectors are becoming a job market regular.

The fiber optics technician jobs are the fiber optic source researcher, fiber optic source engineer, fiber optics source technician, fiber optics source application engineer, fiber optics sales engineer and fiber optics marketing specialist. Like the optical fiber cable manufacturers, the fiber optics technician jobs for optical fiber sources and detectors requires 1 to 2 years relevant work experience and a college degree, preferably from engineering, electrical, or relevant technical majors. Though any college degree may be acceptable, technical know-how gain from these courses would help practical job applications. Of course you can alos opt to delve into fiber optic training such as those listed on the online FOA Board (at www.thefoa.org/instructors/class-reqs.htm).

To Change Or Not To Change – Satellite TV vs. Cable TV

To Change Or Not To Change – Satellite TV vs. Cable TV

What is the problem with most television viewers in continuing on with the same old television viewing habits? Apathy in home entertainment is the problem. I am teasing, of course, but I think that many viewers are just accustomed to their usual every day routine and don’t like ‘change’. Change always meets with resistance until convincing proof is produced and made evident. And even then, many people make changes for the better in their lives quite reluctantly. The change from cable to digital high definition satellite programming is a most definitely a once in a lifetime experience, and Dish Network TV has made such a change possible easy and affordable for everyone.
Most all of us can remember when a satellite dish was so big and awkward. It detracted from the beauty of a home but was sort of a symbol of status in the neighborhood. Adjustments were a hassle and assistance was always required. Times have changed with advanced technology in communications and so, too, have peoples life-styles changed, and the dish on today’s market is much smaller, sleeker in design, and fits well on the roof or side of a house. Satellite TV programming is popular and inexpensive with subscribers having the same programming choices as cable TV as well as many more selections from all over the world. Dish Network offers 5 programming packages with diverse selections, including multi-cultural international selections as well as Sirius music channels in CD-quality sound.
Many of the die-hard cable TV fans are giving in to advanced technology and becoming subscribers. Dishnetwork Satellite TV now has a subscriber base of over 12 million with the number increasing daily. Most viewers are changing because of the best quality in programming, digitally delivered crystal-clear high definition imaging, and digital sound. Customer service also is a factor in switching from cable to satellite, and Dish Network has a toll-free, 24-hour customer service availability. With signals being received from satellites in space, it is less likely interruptions in service will be encountered. Another factor, and perhaps the primary factor, is cost. Dish Network offers promotional free equipment, free installation, and some services free for a limited time to new subscribers. Dishnetwork Satellite TV also gifts new customers with a DVR (Digital Video Recorder) to further enhance home entertainment systems. The only payment is for your choice in programming services, and many times, this is cheaper than those provided by cable.
The most difficult part is deciding to make the change. Check with Dish Network Satellite TV now for complete listings of programming and pricing information or telephone their toll-free, 24-hour phone number. A friendly and courteous Dish Network representative will answer any questions you may have as well as be ready to take your order and schedule installation for a time convenient to you. A certified Dishnetwork Satellite TV technician will install your equipment and service and answer any questions and instruct you in the operations and functions of all equipment and features. It is so easy – make the decision and program selections and let Dish Network TV do the rest. Then all you need to do is sit down, relax, pick up the remote, and watch your favorite programs.

In landscaping your home, you can have a small patio fitted into the front of the house where it will make for the perfect place to relax with a cup of chilled ice tea on a hot sunny day

In landscaping your home, you can have a small patio fitted into the front of the house where it will make for the perfect place to relax with a cup of chilled ice tea on a hot sunny day

Even if you hire a professional to do your landscape project for you, bear in mind that maintenance must be a responsibility you should accept and to that effect, landscaping tools such as rakes, snipers, and water pots should be in your tool shed.|The mental picture of how you want your landscape to look like can be further enhanced by the study of landscape design picture ideas available both online and in the library around your vicinity.

Only a very good landscape contractor can take the picture of the landscape you have envisioned in your head and reproduce it in reality for you; ensure therefore, that you select only the best of landscape contractors.|Taking down notes about landscaping ideas that you like and those that you don’t can help you define your goals and arrive at a specific landscape plan that expresses your desires.|Remember that landscape contractors vary in factors such as their style of landscaping, the size, the designs and other factors; make sure you find one whose style of landscape design dovetails neatly with yours.

People who are lovers of bird and butterflies can use their landscape plan as an avenue to attract them close by including flower varieties that they are partial too.|Landscaping as a whole is not a monumental task as long as you know what you want to achieve and how you are going to achieve it; you may decide to be your own landscaper or hire a professional for a more refined touch.

Having children who love to explore may prompt you to landscape your home by putting a stone wall in your backyard or fencing your entire home with an attractive stone wall. |If you are thinking of doing your landscape by yourself, be sure that you have the right landscaping tools that will make your job easier; those that are too pricey can be rented for a period of time.|You can make sure that your plants are well taken care of by installing automatic sprinklers which water the plants at the time you set it to.

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