ARA) – Disappearing plant species, endangered wildlife and adverse health effects for humans – all grab headlines whenever talk turns to the impact pollution has on our world. But pollution also affects production of pearls, the gem American pop culture has made an icon of exemplary womanhood.

From June Cleaver to Marge Simpson, a perfect strand of pearls has come to represent the essence of feminine perfection in American culture. The bestowing of an heirloom strand from mother to daughter is a treasured rite of passage in many families. Yet pollution’s effect on the mollusks that produce pearls may mean fewer pearls – and higher prices – in the future.

Pearl production and a pristine environment are tightly linked. Pearl-bearing mollusks are filter-feeders. To get their microscopic food, they filter as much as 106 gallons of seawater a day. Filter-feeding makes the mollusks extremely sensitive to pollutants in the water.

Pearl-bearing mollusks are also very sensitive to water temperature. Mollusks that produce pearls evolved over millions of years to live in very specific environments. Although those that live in temperate latitudes are accustomed to seasonal fluctuations in water temperature, an unusual rise in summer can kill them. Pearl-bearing mollusks that live in tropical latitudes can survive only within a very narrow range of water temperature. A small rise at any time of year can kill them.

People Can and Do Help

The mollusks’ sensitivity to temperature increases and pollutants make people who are dependent on the mollusks’ productivity acutely aware of environmental factors. Pearl farmers — people who grow cultured pearls — have a stake in mollusk health and productivity. That stake makes pearl farmers good stewards of the environment. If water pollution or temperature increases kill their mollusks, pearl farmers lose their livelihood.

Jewelmer, a pearl-farming company in the Philippines, has been especially active in promoting environmental preservation. The company has strongly lobbied the Philippine government to outlaw cyanide and dynamite fishing in the islands. Those fishing techniques produce big, easy catches, but they’re environmentally destructive, and they adversely affect the mollusks on the pearl farms.

“Jewelmer produces some of the finest golden South Sea cultured pearls,” says Jeremy Shepherd of PearlParadise.com, Inc., a leading online pearl-seller, “and the company has been among the most aggressive in protecting the pearl-farming environment.”

Forum for Pearl Lovers

www.Pearl-Guide.com is a pearl forum that has more than 3,000 members, many of whom contribute posts about pearls every day. Since pearls are the members’ passion and reason for participating in the forum, they are naturally concerned with pollution’s and global warming’s effects on pearl culture. Without protecting the delicate environment mollusks need to produce pearls, Pearl-Guide.com members and other pearl lovers around the world would lose their favorite gems.

ARA) – Helping a parent move to senior housing can seem more intimidating than orchestrating a rocket launch.

The death of a spouse, declining health or safety concerns can trigger the need to move. The first phase comes with the realization that what has been home is no longer suitable.

Emotional ties to a place are hard to overcome. Finding a new home that is appealing and appropriate is no easy task, and neither is culling through a lifetime’s accumulation of “stuff.”

It may not take a rocket scientist to work through this multi-phase life change. But finding a professional who knows the ropes can make it easier for the more than 29 percent of home sellers age 65 and older who move into an active-adult community or senior-related housing each year.

That professional may be a Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), an agent who receives special training and demonstrates the expertise to navigate the unique housing needs of clients age 50 and older. “Services to seniors are changing to meet the lifestyles we live. Senior communities are changing to meet the expectations of baby boomers and today’s retirees, too,” says Carol Kairis, managing director, SRES Council and Specialties, National Association of Realtors.

“The range of senior housing options is diverse and would surprise many Americans who often think of senior housing as only nursing homes. Assisted living facilities address the needs of those who need support services, and continuing care retirement communities are wonderful options for those who wish to age in place.”

Nationwide, more than 16,000 realtors have attained the SRES designation. In the same way a real estate agent recommends a plumber or landscaper to a client, an SRES agent assembles a team to address client needs — repair companies, professional organizers, estate sales agents, and senior move managers who pack, transport and unpack in the new location.

“An SRES agent can help you develop a strategy, then bring in a team to help take one room at a time to organize and dispose of goods. They can help you decide where you’re going to go, and recommend a mover,” says Armand Christopher, a seasoned SRES real estate broker and member of the SRES National Advisory Board of the National Association of Realtors.

Christopher has an active practice in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and offers these tips no matter where seniors live:

1. Plan ahead. Don’t wait for a health crisis to start the process. The smoothest transitions occur when the person moving is in the driver’s seat.

2. Engage professionals. SRES agents understand the dynamics of a senior move. They are trained about the benefits and drawbacks of reverse mortgages and can help you understand how to use pensions, 401K accounts and IRAs in real estate transactions. They also know how Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security will affect your real estate decisions.

3. Get a full assessment of the current situation. Physical care needs and financial resources are where to start. Consider the costs of staying in place, including renovation and ongoing maintenance. Add the cost of rising utility bills and taxes, and don’t forget transportation and food. Make a list and decide whether it’s cheaper to stay or move to a community designed for seniors.

4. Take a multi-phase approach. Christopher says his customers often take longer than a year to actually make the move. An SRES agent can connect the senior with professionals to help walk through the process.

5. Fully explore new housing options. Senior living offers a broader range of options than ever before. SRES agents have an understanding of the services each type of community can provide and can best match the client with the right place.

Christopher and other SRES professionals use SNAPforSeniors (www.snapforseniors.com), an online search tool that is akin to the Multiple Listing Service for senior housing. The SNAPforSeniors database includes more than 60,000 licensed senior housing facilities in the country and is available at no charge.

“It’s a great tool,” Christopher says. “Especially when adult children live out of state and are working with their parents on a move, I tell them about options I find on SNAPforSeniors. Typically seniors want to relocate close to their children, and the online search allows adult children and their parents to search research options and start the search together.”

(ARA) – Now, more than ever, families are looking at creative ways to stretch their dollars. With higher prices for household items from food to clothing, consumers are repairing items instead of automatically buying new. To minimize budgets and time, frugality takes on new meaning.

“Families from all walks of life are looking for ways to save dollars and time but not lose the lifestyle they’ve grown accustomed to,” says Mary Beth Cowardin, Instant Krazy Glue senior marketing manager. “We’re seeing households take on more of a ‘fix it before you replace it’ attitude when it comes to do-it-yourself and common repairs.”

To incorporate the repair know-how into your household, try these ingenious, inexpensive ideas:

Sole Sister
To save money, more and more women are choosing to repair shoes instead of buying a new pair. Simple, at-home shoe fixes can be achieved using Instant Krazy Glue Single-Use Tubes. The one-time applications are a handy instant fix that dries clear – simply apply the adhesive to a broken heel or strap. For shoes that need resoling, find a local repair shop. The cost of resoling a pair of shoes is typically 50 to 60 percent less than the cost of buying new shoes.

Tidy up the Toy Box
Children’s toys withstand a tremendous amount of wear and tear, especially during the summer months when children are at home for extended periods of time. For some toys, it’s best to use instant glue to bond broken pieces back together. The benefit of repairing, rather than replacing well-loved toys is two-fold — you’ve extended the life of your children’s toys and you’ll save yourself a trip to the toy store.

House Beautiful
Decorating with flair doesn’t need to take a backseat to the family budget. Instead of throwing away broken picture frames or decorative ceramics, use instant glue in a clear gel formula to delicately fix any type of home decor item. Once those frames are repaired, explore savvy decorating options as an alternative to expensive works of art. Adorning your walls with family images or the custom artwork of a loved one is an inexpensive way to produce priceless memories.

Brilliance on a Budget
Baubles and stones can be re-affixed to necklaces, rings or any costume jewelry for a brand new look. Instant glue is a great option for resurrecting vintage items or family heirlooms from your jewelry box. By replacing old stones or embellishments with a dab of glue, voila — you’ve got a brand new look.

When new items need to be purchased, be on the lookout for brands that offer added incentives. Brands in every category from food to clothing and home decor are offering coupons, discounts, sweepstakes and contests. Products like Instant Krazy Glue are offering consumers a chance to win a Hawaiian vacation. Visit http://www.commercialsgonekrazy.com to learn more about the contest.

“The sky is the limit for families who want to be stylish and budget-conscious,” says Cowardin. “There are resources out there for every lifestyle.”

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Clayton Police detectives are following up on leads as to who damaged the construction site of the new community center, but they are hoping their offer of a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to an arrest and conviction will produce more.
The vandalism apparently happened in daylight Aug. 23, when the crews were not working, Clayton Police Chief Glen Allen said. He said a patrol officer discovered the damage about 6:45 p.m.

The vandal or vandals smashed in a wall, knocked over scaffolding and drove the equipment over piles of building materials.

It is not clear how the hoodlum got the bulldozer started, Allen said.

The part of the construction site, at 715 Amelia Church Road, that was damaged is not visible from the road.

Town officials said the damage will delay the spring opening of the 30,000-square-foot center, but it’s not clear how long fixing it will take or how much it will cost.

“We strongly believe that there are people with knowledge of details that may help solve this case,” Allen said in a news release Monday.

He asks that anyone with information, even if it seems to be unimportant, call Detective Andy Jernigan at the Clayton Police Department at 553-4611 or call 911 to report the information.
Source:News & Observer

Tips for Converting a Basement into the Ultimate Craft Room

(ARA) – Are you passionate about painting? Crazy about quilting? Does scrapbooking allow your creative light to shine? If so, you’re not alone – Americans spent more than $31 billion on arts, crafts and hobbies last year, according to the Craft & Hobby Association. And whether you are plying your craft for pleasure, supplementing your income or have made a career out of it, all crafters have one thing in common – the need for good work space.

“Having a clean, well-organized space set aside for your crafting is important if you want to get the most enjoyment and productivity out of your crafting time,” says Judy Murrah, vice president of education for the International Quilt Festival, and a crafter of 35 years. “A separate room not only allows you to focus on your craft and keep all your materials in one space, it can be closed off to keep your work and any potentially harmful materials from coming in contact with children or pets.”

Few of us, however, have a room to spare in our homes. Some crafters turn to the garage or a corner of the dining room for work space, but these areas pose many problems. A better option may be to create a room specifically for your art, craft or hobby by finishing your basement. Many people are transforming their basements into extra living space, especially homeowners opting to improve rather than move in a shaky housing market. For crafters, finishing a basement can mean the difference between merely making do and working in a bright, inviting space.

So how do you create the ultimate crafting paradise in your home? Here are some hints:

Finish the Room
A warm, inviting environment can nurture the soul of an artist. Rather than working in a room or place that wasn’t designed for your use, consider finishing all or part of the lowest floor of your home. However, finishing the basement yourself will likely be a time consuming and back breaking task. One of the quickest and easiest ways to finish your basement is with the Owens Corning Basement Finishing System that is specially designed for this purpose.

Specially trained professionals install wall panels with built-in thermal insulation to keep the room comfortable in all seasons. The panels also provide acoustic insulation so that any noise your craft may make doesn’t disturb the other members of your household or the neighbors. The panels are durable, dent- and stain-resistant and provide a clean, bright look to the room which can help you focus on the task at hand. Installation takes about two weeks to complete, versus the months of mess associated with a traditional drywall remodel. Visit www.basementfinishingsystem.com to learn more.

Look Up
Good lighting is essential to every arts and crafts endeavor. Be sure to address the placement of overhead lighting to create even brightness throughout the work space. You’ll also want to light key work surfaces with some task lighting – either overhead spots that can be directed or lamps placed directly over a work space.

Keep in mind that the color and purity of the light will also affect your crafting. Colors in paints and fabrics will look different under different types of light. Murrah uses artist’s fluorescent lighting, which is very bright and full-spectrum so colors show true.

Look Down
A good floor is a good foundation for all your creative efforts. The floor should be easy to clean, especially if your craft can get messy like painting or pottery. Painted concrete can provide easy cleanup and durability, but may be too hard a surface if your craft calls for you to stand up for long periods of time. Crafters who are on their feet a lot may consider padded linoleum or some simple exercise pads placed wherever you’ll be standing the most.

Get Organized
“Storage, storage, storage,” says Murrah. Be sure you have plenty of shelves and drawers to store all your materials. Arrange furnishings to provide the maximum work space. You’ll want at least one good table, but it’s up to you to decide if it works better against the wall or in the middle of the room, and make sure it’s the right height depending if you’ll be sitting or standing at it.

“Finally, because you’ll probably be spending a lot of time in your craft room, be sure it’s comfortably heated and air conditioned,” Murrah advises. “Set up a stereo and listen to your favorite music while you work. Your craft room will become your ‘feel good’ room, your own sanctuary.”