The Pros of Using Metal Roofing
Metal roofing is highly durable, so it can withstand strong winds, debris, hail, and anything else Mother Nature decides to throw your way. This roofing material is also fire resistant, which means it can stand up to the dry summer heat in America. If you hire qualified contractors to install metal roofing in your home, you should not need any repair work or replacement materials for many years after the initial installation. That saves you money in the end.

Metal roofing also has powerful insulation qualities, which makes it great for keeping down your energy bills. If you install other energy efficient systems in your home, you should be able to cut your monthly bills considerably. This helps your bank account and the environment at the same time. Metal roofing is typically more affordable than slate or cedar roofing, so you may be able to save on materials as well. There’s just a ton of savings that comes with this construction option.

The Cons of Metal Roofing
It takes a team of very specialized contractors to install metal roofing. Thus you may have to pay a little more to get this material put in. Some homeowners complain that the metal roofing has a metallic look to it, which can be an eye sore for your home’s façade. Over time, that sheen may fade. You just have to wait for that to happen.

It is hard to get good cell phone reception under metal roofing. Some homeowners can only use their cell phones by a window in their home, and others have to install signal boosters in their homes to pick up reception. This may not be a big deal for you, but it is for many homeowners who rely on their cell phones to make a living. You will have more of a problem with this if you use metal roofing and metal siding on your home. If you don’t do that, you may be able to get some decent reception inside.

Should You Buy Metal Roofing?
You are ultimately the only person who can determine if metal roofing is right for you. Speak with some contractors in your area to see what the risks and rewards will be for your home, and then you can decide what you want to do. Either way, you should be able to get a wonderful roof if you hire the right people to do the job. If you don’t think you want metal on your roof, you can look for other materials that may suit your location and budget a bit better. There are tons of options out there. All you have to do is explore them and hope for the best.

Yeah, now you remember That’s not what this article is all about though. Today, we’re talking about homemade vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is one of the most common forms of vinegar on the market. It may not be used in a lot of modern day recipes, but it can be a good substitute for other vinegars if you just don’t have them on hand. The flavoring will be a bit different, but the overall recipe should still work out in the end. If you want to make your own cider vinegar to use in a recipe you’re planning in the future, the process may be easier than you think. Here is a basic guide that you can follow.

Step 1 – Prepare the Mixture

Mix apple cider with beer yeast to allow the product to ferment. If you do not have apple cider on hand, you can make it by pressing fresh apples and straining out the juice.

Step 2 – Ferment the Vinegar

Leave the liquid in a room that will stay between 60 and 80 degrees. This is the ideal temperature for fermentation. It would be wise to leave the container uncovered if you can, but you may want to put a porous towel on top to prevent bugs and dirt from getting in. Do not cover the dish completely as it will need air to form the bacteria that make’s vinegar acidic. You can use mother of vinegar to speed up the bacteria forming process, but the mixture will create its own in time.

Wait three to four weeks for the fermentation process to complete. The mixture will start to smell like vinegar at this point, so just taste it until it reaches a flavor you like.

Step 3 – Strain the Solution

Use a coffee filter to strain the vinegar several times to get out all the mother of vinegar. If you do not do this, the fermentation will continue and ruin your batch. Once all of this is complete, you can pour the vinegar in jars and refrigerate it.

Note that the recipe above may not be suited for preservation. Homemade vinegar does not always have the right pH balance to preserve food, and it can actually cause food poisoning in some cases. You can use this in dressings or marinades, but don’t use it to preserve your food. Store it in the refrigerator between uses to preserve the flavor. This will make the vinegar last as long as it possibly can.

Conclusion

Well kids, that about wraps up this discussion about how to make your own apple cider vinegar right at home. Is this going to save you money? Probably not. Is it going to teach you how to become a chef? Nope, probably not that either. Will it give you a fun way to pass the time this weekend? Possibly. It just depends on how much of a dork you are. Follow the recipe above step by step, and you should be able to make some apple cider vinegar right at home whenever you want to. Worse comes to worse, buy some from the store and put it in your own jars. Then convince yourself that you made the stuff and pat yourself on the back.

Here are some salary stats I got from PayScale.com that can explain my frustration a little better for you.

Salary by Employer

There are some employers that pay doctoral grads good money. The chart below shows that. I am just a little surprised by the pay they provide overall. That’s all. Here is a look at how PhD pay rates vary by employer:

• University: $61,329 per year
• Team: $75,000 per year
• State & Local Government: $76,716 per year
• Self-Employed: $80,728 per year
• School District: $62,986 per year
• Private Practice: $72,356 per year
• Non-Profit Organization: $69,197 per year
• Hospital: $78,622 per year
• Franchise: $100,734 per year
• Foundation: $75,995 per year
• Fellowship: $43,187 per year
• Federal Government – $93,260 per year
• Contract: $81,295 per year
• Company: $98,895 per year

Salary by Profession

As you may expect, there is a big difference in pay rates from one profession to the next. That is why there are some positions that are worth going through a long educational program for. Here is a look at how PhD pay rates vary by occupation:

• Veterinarian: $47,137 – $98,999 per year
• Research Scientist: $44,573 – $114,887 per year
• Postdoctoral Research Associate: $33,154 – $61,403 per year
• Physical Therapist (PT): $50,203 – $75,810 per year
• Higher Education Professor: $51,442 – $151,510 per year
• Higher Education Associate Professor: $49,551 – $103,811 per year

Salary by Years of Experience

A person’s experience in a field of study seems to have a big impact on his or her pay throughout the year. If you want to make a lot of money after you get out of school, you will need to stick with whatever you are doing. Here is a look at how PhD pay rates vary by experience:

• Less than 1 year of experience: $62,470 per year
• 1-4 years of experience: $70,148 per year
• 5-9 years of experience: $79,863 per year
• 10-19 years of experience: $97,999 per year
• 20 years or more of experience: $108,671 per year

Salary by Industry

The industry you work in may also have an impact on the money that you make. Some industries just make more money than others, and they are willing to pay their workers more money as a result of that. Here is a look at how PhD pay rates vary by industry:

• Physical Therapy: $62,178 per year
• Pharmaceuticals: $109,543 per year
• Higher Education: $66,328 per year
• Healthcare: $83,468 per year
• Education: $66,092 per year
• College/University Education: $61,917 per year
• Biotechnology Research & Development: $77,036 per year

As you can see, there is a potential to make $100,000+ with a PhD. I just wish that was a little more consistent across the board. Use this information to determine if you should get a doctorate, and then you can start looking for a program to help you out.

Deciding What You Do and Don’t Need

If you have a crappy car that is only work a grand or two, you may not want to invest any more money than what you have to for it. If you drive something that would cost a lot to repair or replace in the event of an accident, then having full coverage insurance is definitely worth considering. You’ll have to do this anyway if you have the car financed. A warranty is only useful if the car’s repair costs are expected to exceed the cost of the warranty. If the car parts only cost $1,000 and the warranty is $7,000, it would not make any sense to pay for the warranty.

In terms of GAP insurance, you mainly need this if the value of your loan is greater than the value of your car. If you have a car that is worth $16,000 and you only owe $10,000 on it, you won’t need to worry about GAP insurance. This is only necessary if you have a vehicle that will not be worth what you owe on it if it gets totaled. If you owe $24,000 on a $18,000 car (yikes!), you may look into a GAP policy to help you out in the future.

Getting Minimal Coverage

No matter what kind of car you drive, you will have to at least get liability insurance for it. This will change from state to state, and so will the prices associated with it. The chart below shows exactly what the minimums are in each state at this time.

You can always add to your policy in the future, so at least get the minimums for now. If you think you need more, add it. There’s really nothing more you can do.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to get a decent meal out of the microwave. You just have to know what to buy. Here are some of my favorite microwave meals to make from time to time.

Red Barons Feast for One Pizza

I recently bought a couple Red Barons Feast for One pizza and decided to give it a try in the microwave. I never do this with pizza or anything that is pizza related. Hot Pockets, Totino’s Pizza Rolls, Babel Bites, and other dishes always go in the oven for me because I can’t stand the softness and squishiness that the microwave causes food to taste like. Nevertheless, I gave these new Red Barons pizzas a try in the microwave, and I was pleasantly surprised. The pepperonis were relatively crispy, and the dough tasted like it came right out of the oven. If I had received that dish in a restaurant, I don’t think I would have questioned it.

Anything from Michelina’s

Michelina’s makes a high line of microwave meals, and I think they all taste great. My personal favorite is the lasagna Alfredo, but I also really like this one meal that has broccoli, rice, cheese, and chicken in it. It heats up really nicely, and it tastes divine. You can buy a lot of these meals for less than a buck at Walmart, so you won’t have to worry about sacrificing your entire paralegal salary to feed your face. I like the pizza rolls from this company too, but only if I can eat them in the oven. Still, they’re cheap enough to try if you are in the mood for something new.

Anything from Chef Boyardee

I have developed a recent love affair with Chef Boyardee (don’t tell my husband ), so I figured I would give this little guy a shoutout too. If you like ravioli, lasagna, spaghetti, or anything along those lines, you can find some great food from this company for next to nothing in terms of price. They recently launched a whole grain pasta line that I think tastes really great, especially if you put a little mozzarella cheese along with it. Just pop it into the microwave and enjoy in minutes.

Anything from Progresso

I always get Progresso confused with Progressive, so don’t assume that I am asking you to nuke up a car insurance policy. In this case, I’m referring to the home-made taste of Progressive soup. I like turkey noodle soup and cheesy potato-broccoli, but you may like something else. This may be a little pricey compared to other microwave meals, but the yumminess is well worth the extra money.

You can have an enjoyable meal from the microwave if you think outside the box. Browse the aisles of the grocery store and see if you can find anything to throw in the nuke-a-later (as my mother calls it). You might be surprised by what you find.

Watch the Horizon

Most drivers only pay attention to what is happening with the car in front of them. They do not take the time to look over all of their surroundings, and that eventually leads them to trouble. My husband has taught me to watch the horizon, not the car in front of me. That way if someone slams on his brakes five cars in front of me, I am prepared long before the person I am driving behind. If you can assess your area thoroughly while you are on the road, you will have a much better chance at avoiding an accident.

Check the Side Roads

A lot of drivers seem to have a problem stopping on side roads nowadays. They just glance at the road quickly and merge on, without even thinking about how fast the cars are going behind them/ You have to watch for cars like this because they could literally kill you if you are not careful. I know it is not your responsibility to make sure that they stop at stop signs, but it is something you just have to do. If you have to slow down to avoid getting T-boned by an idiotic driver, so be it.

Drive the Speed Limit

As cool as it may be to speed on the road, you have to think about the safety concerns of speeding. The speed limit is there for a reason. It is the speed at which you could logically brake if something happened on the road. I never go more than five mph over the speed limit, and I drive really fast cars. I have learned that it is better to be slow and safe than fast and flying off the edge of a cliff. Most cities time their street lights around the speed limit, so you will have a better chance of catching green lights if you drive responsibly. Hopefully that gives you a little extra incentive.

Keep Your Emotions in Check

If you start driving out of anger, you are inevitably going to get someone hurt. Emotions take brain power away from the road, and you need all the brain power you can get to stay safe. If you lose focus of what is going on, you run the risk of getting into an accident – all because you couldn’t keep your emotions in check. No matter how angry you may be at the guy that cut you off, you have to remember that you are driving a 4,000 pound vehicle that could kill someone if used incorrectly.

Driving is a serious responsibility, and it needs to be treated as such. Take the time to practice your driving skills so you can stay safe on the road. A little practice could go a long way for you in the end.

Sadly, I know about the existence of all of these shows because I watch them – all of them. I really don’t know what is so fascinating about them to me, but something compels me to put them on my DVR every time I come across one. I think the shock factor is a big reason why these shows do so well. Most viewers, like me, cannot fathom how people could possibly live in certain conditions. That is why we all have our eyes glued to the TV.

The Extremities of Hoarding

It seems like every episode of a hoarding show gets progressively worse as the season progresses. It starts off with a person’s house that just looks overrun with boxes, and it ends up with someone whose floor is made of cockroach carcasses and bottles of urine. Here are some of the extreme things I have seen on various hoarding shows:

• A family who had a cockroach problem so bad that there was a soup can full of dead bugs from top to bottom
• Women who do not have running water in their bathrooms, so they just have bags of poop or piles of adult diapers stacked sky high in the bathroom
• A woman who could not control her bladder at night, so she just put newspapers on the bed and peed (rather than buying the diapers she couldn’t afford)
• A man who had hundreds of “pet” rats living in his house, so many that he had to move out because they had eaten through all of his furniture
• A woman whose house was so hoarded that she did not notice three dead cats that she had buried in the home
• A man who had an inheritance check and his own apartment but lived on a bench in the street because he hoarded himself out of house and home – literally. He couldn’t even get into his own apartment, and he continued to bring in more crap as he slept on the park bench outside
• A man who was evicted from a homeless shelter because he was bringing too much junk in
• A man whose fiancé died in his house because paramedics could not get past the hoard in time to help her out

There are over 3 million hoarders in the world, and we have probably only seen about 100 of them on all of those different TV shows. I’m pretty sure the programs are going to be around for a while. Anyone, from a CIA agent to a factory worker, can be a hoarder under the right circumstances, or I guess I should say the wrong circumstances. That may be the most compelling aspect of this show. Check out some of the ones on TV and see so for yourself. You may be surprised by what you discover.

The Popularity

Mustangs have been around for decades, and they have become some of the most popular American muscle cars in existence. For some people, that popularity is a good thing because they like having a car that everyone can recognize. For others, the popularity is a bit frustrating. I’m the type of person that likes to have a standout car. I want people to question what they are looking at and really take an interest in it. Mustangs don’t allow me to do that. Most people already know what those cars are because they are everywhere. Evvverrrrryyyywheeerrrreee. If you’re looking for something that is one-of-a-kind, this is definitely not the car for you.

The Modifications

Mustangs are really easy to mod, and it doesn’t cost much to make them look or perform better with minimal effort. My husband and I modified the exhaust on all of our Mustangs, and the most we ever spent was about $2,000 on our Terminator Cobra. That thing sounded like a beast though. Basani X pipe, Borla stingers, SLP tips. Ah, it was beautiful. Whether you want to beef up the performance or rice out the exterior, you can do that pretty easily with a Mustang. This is the type of car that is fun to work on at home, and it’s hard to f*ck up something major on it. That I will say is a big plus with Mustangs.

The Performance

To a lot of people, upper-level Mustangs are pretty darn fast. The V6 models don’t have a lot of giddy up prior to 2010, but the GTs, Cobras, Mach 1s, etc. have enough umph to keep the average person entertained. My GT500 had 500 hp stock, and my husband and I upgraded it to 650. It didn’t catch traction through first or second gear as a result. I have a unique opinion on what is considered a lot of power because I’ve been driving 400+ hp cars for more than two years now. Anything lower than that just seems slow to me. If your face peels back in a 300 hp car, you may love what Mustangs have to offer.

The Look

Mustangs inherently look sexy. They just look like they’re going to eat whatever is driving in front of them on the road. Hubby and I like to murder out all of our cars, so they get blacked out lights, blacked out badges, dark tint, etc. You can see that in the picture on this post (it’s my GT500). Mustangs are definitely head-turners, especially if you live in a younger community. You could get a lot of attention with one.

Only you can determine if a Mustang would be a good car for you. There are many different models to choose from, so just focus on the one that would best suit your lifestyle and finances. Give it a test drive and see what you think. You’ll either love it or hate it from the start.

Steven Tyler

I like the fact that Steven Tyler really does know the business. He has been a performer, a song writer, a band member, and everything else the contestants may strive to be in the future. Some people also like the fact that Steven is “hot,” but he’s not really my cup of tea. I’d rather have Ryan on a silver platter any day, but that is another article entirely.

The problem I have with Steven Tyler is that he doesn’t really provide any constructive criticism. He either tells people that they’re doing well or he hits on the women to make them feel sexier than they really are. I thought he was supposed to replace Simon Cowell, both in knowledge and in attitude. By the way Steven blabbers though, I think he is more of a replacement for Paula Abdul than anything. I just wished he made a little more sense when he spoke, rather than rambling about nothing like John Madden after a football game. Hopefully that is something that will improve over time.

Jennifer Lopez

I don’t think J Lo is that great of a singer, even if she has had a successful career. I’m not saying she’s terrible by any means. I just don’t think her singing is all it is cracked up to be. Nevertheless, I do think she plays a decent role on Idol because she offers a woman’s opinion and a nicer way of putting criticism than the other judges. She’s not the best judge on the panel, but I think she holds her own. I guess I just miss the awkward flirting between Simon and Paula.

The New Randy Jackson

Randy Jackson has been on American Idol from the start, but I think his attitude has changed with the new judges. He has basically taken on the role of Simon at this point because he offers the rudest opinions and most honest advice. I kind of like the new Randy because I think that someone has to be that character on a talent show. He is the veteran, so he holds the title nicely. Do I think he’s better than Simon? Nope. I just like this version of Randy better than the one before season 10.

The Judges in General

As a whole, I think the American Idol judges are almost decent. They have their good qualities, but they just don’t hit all the marks for me. Ideally, I would love to see Simon, Randy, Paula, and Cara all together again. I know that cannot be the case though. Since America is the ultimate judge of the show, I don’t think the people in the seats matter that much. There could be a supply chain manager up there and it wouldn’t make a difference. Hopefully good decisions and criticisms will prevail in the end. Until then, we just have to watch and see what happens.

1. Chuck Norris and Superman once fought each other on a bet. The loser had to start wearing his underwear on the outside of his pants.
2. Chuck Norris can “Connect Four” in his first move
3. Chuck Norris can cut through a hot knife with butter.
4. Chuck Norris can do a wheelie on a unicycle.
5. Chuck Norris can finish Mario Bros without using the jump button.
6. Chuck Norris can kill two stones with one bird.
7. Chuck Norris can put the batteries in backwards and still make it work.
8. Chuck Norris can unscramble eggs.
9. Chuck Norris counted to infinity – twice.
10. Chuck Norris died 20 years ago, Death just hasn’t built up the courage to tell him yet.
11. Chuck Norris doesn’t breathe, he holds air hostage.
12. Chuck Norris doesn’t call the wrong number. You answer the wrong phone.
13. Chuck Norris doesn’t flush the toilet, he scares the sh*t out of it
14. Chuck Norris doesn’t need a GPS. Chuck Norris decides where he is.
15. Chuck Norris has a grizzly bear carpet in his room. The bear isn’t dead it is just afraid to move.
16. Chuck Norris has already been to Mars; that’s why there are no signs of life.
17. Chuck Norris is the reason why Waldo is hiding.
18. Chuck Norris once donated blood to one man. He’s now known as Superman.
19. Chuck Norris once got bit by a rattle snake. After three days of pain and agony…the rattle snake died
20. Chuck Norris once kicked a horse in the chin. Its descendants are known today as Giraffes.
21. Chuck Norris once scared a baby. To this day that baby is still screaming in fear. His name is Justin Bieber.
22. Chuck Norris once urinated in a semi truck’s gas tank as a joke….that truck is now known as Optimus Prime.
23. Chuck Norris once visited the Bermuda Triangle. No one has heard from the Triangle since.
24. Chuck Norris was to star in “Mission Impossible” but they recasted because they would’ve had to change the name of the movie to “Mission Accomplished”
25. Chuck Norris wasn’t born. He just got tired of wearing his mother.
26. Chuck Norris will never have a heart attack. His heart isn’t nearly foolish enough to attack him.
27. Chuck Norris won American Idol using only sign language.
28. Chuck Norris won the World Series of Poker using Pokémon cards.
29. Death once had a near-Chuck Norris experience
30. Ghosts sit around the campfire and tell Chuck Norris stories.
31. Google won’t search for Chuck Norris because it knows you don’t find Chuck Norris, he finds you.
32. Once the cop pulled over Chuck Norris….the cop was lucky to leave with a warning.
33. Some magicians can walk on water. Chuck Norris can swim through land.
34. There used to be a street named after Chuck Norris, but it was changed because nobody crosses Chuck Norris and lives.
35. When Alexander Bell invented the telephone he had 3 missed calls from Chuck Norris.
36. When Chuck Norris sends you a poke on Facebook, it kills you.
37. When the Boogeyman goes to sleep every night, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
38. Willy Wonka gave an everlasting gobstopper to Chuck Norris. The flavor lasted 2.3 seconds.