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The northern part of island province of Palawan is blessed with crystal-clear waters, pristine beaches, and a wealth of flora and fauna. It is here that the lovely El Nido Resorts, are located. Spectacular ancient limestone cliffs tower over marine sanctuaries teeming with innumerable species of tropical fish and coral, as well as five species of endangered sea turtles. Lush forests abound with more than 100 species of birds. It is a truly exotic destination and a must see place.

Map of El Nido, Palawan (Photo credit: elnidophilippines.com)

El Nido is located about 238 kilometers northwest of Puerto Princesa, the capital of Palawan. It is bordered by the Linapacan Strait in the north, the municipality of Taytay in the south, the Sulu Sea in the east, and the West Philippines Sea in the west.

Bacuit Bay is composed of 45 islands and islets, each with its own unique features. Most of the islands in El Nido have pockets of fine white sand beaches and coves – perfect for sunbathing and picnic lunches. Within some of the islands of El Nido are ancient caves with fascinating dripstone formations formed by millions of years of weathering action by rain water trickling into crevices and cavities. In other islands, stretches of limestone walls conceal a world of calm lagoons.

El Nido’s most fascinating features are the majestic karst limestone cliffs which stand guard over clear waters. Crevices in these limestone cliffs are home to swiftlets (Collocalia fuciphaga) after whose edible nests (“nido” in Spanish and the main ingredient for the gourmet nido soup) the town takes its name.

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I come across some tips that I think is useful to each one of us, especially if you want to save energy and your pocket as well this 2012. Please read below:

Put lamps in the corners: Did you know you can switch to a lower wattage bulb in a lamp or lower its dimmer switch and not lose a noticeable amount of light? It’s all about placement. When a lamp is placed in a corner, the light reflects off the adjoining walls, which makes the room lighter and brighter.

Switch to a laptop: If you’re reading this article on a laptop, you’re using 1/3 less energy than if you’re reading this on a desktop.

Choose an LCD TV: If you’re among those considering a flat-screen upgrade from your conventional, CRT TV, choose an LCD screen for the biggest energy save.

Give your water heater a blanket: Just like you pile on extra layers in the winter, your hot water heater can use some extra insulation too. A fiberglass insulation blanket is a simple addition that can cut heat loss and save 4% to 9% on the average water-heating bill.

Turn off the burner before you’re done cooking: When you turn off an electric burner, it doesn’t cool off immediately. Use that to your advantage by turning it off early and using the residual heat to finish up your dish.

Add motion sensors: You might be diligent about shutting off unnecessary lights, but your kids? Not so much. Adding motion sensors to playrooms and bedrooms cost only $15 to $50 per light, and ensures you don’t pay for energy that you’re not using.

Spin laundry faster: The faster your washing machine can spin excess water out of your laundry, the less you’ll need to use your dryer. Many newer washers spin clothes so effectively, they cut drying time and energy consumption in half—which results in an equal drop in your dryer’s energy bill.

Use an ice tray: Stop using your automatic icemaker. It increases your fridge’s energy consumption by 14% to 20%. Ice trays, on the other hand, don’t increase your energy costs one iota.

Use the dishwasher: If you think doing your dishes by hand is greener than powering up the dishwasher, you’re wrong. Dishwashers use about 1/3 as much hot water and relieve that much strain from your energy-taxing water heater. Added bonus: you don’t have to wash any dishes.

Credits: houselogic.com

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Kung Hei Fat Choy!

We celebrate with our Chinese family, friends and acquaintances the year of the water dragon – 2012! The Chinese has one of the richest and colorful traditions in the world and one of their most anticipated celebrations is the Chinese New Year.

Chinese New Year

THE YEAR OF THE DRAGON, 2012

01/23/2012 – 02/09/2013 (Water)

According to the Chinese Zodiac, the Year of 2012 is the Year of the Dragon, which begins on January 23, 2012 and ends on February 9, 2013.  The Dragon is the fifth sign of the Chinese Zodiac, which consists of 12 Animal signs.  The Dragon is a creature of myth and legend.  In ancient China, the celestial Dragon represents an emperor and  power. Today, it  is the ultimate auspicious symbol signifying success and happiness.   May the celestial Dragon bring great good luck to everyone.

In Sung Dynasty (a Chinese imperial dynasty lasting from AD 960 – 1279) texts, the dragon is described as having the head of an ox, muzzle of a donkey, eyes of a shrimp, horns of a deer, body of a serpent covered with fish scales, and feet of a phoenix.  The dragon usually clutches a pearl symbolic of its super-natural powers.  Invariably accompanied by thunder and rain, dragons move like lightning and whirlwinds – - all powerful yet totally unpredictable. See related information.

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A friend recently asked me about air conditioners – how do they work and what are their functions. So, I decided to post this blog not just to answer his question but also to give additional information for the general public.

A room air conditioner (RAC) performs several functions: it cools the air and removes humidity; it circulates air and filters out dust; and in some cases it also provides heating. The diagram below shows how a RAC operates. A North American room air conditioner consists of components encased in a cabinet. This cabinet is segmented into indoor and outdoor sides, which are separated by an insulated divider wall designed to reduce heat transfer and noise. The evaporator and evaporator fan are on the indoor side. The outdoor side components are the compressor, condenser, capillary tube, motor, and condenser fan.

The graphic and description above are provided courtesy of E SOURCE, an information services company providing organizations with unbiased, independent analysis of retail energy markets, services and technologies.

How Room Air Conditioner works?

(1)  A room air conditioner provides cooling by drawing warm air from the space or room over the evaporator (indoor coil). The air gives up its latent and sensible heat as it passes over this coil. Humidity is reduced, since air is cooled below its dewpoint, and water precipitates out of the air. Cooled, drier air then is delivered back to the space or room by the evaporator fan.

(2)  The compressor raises the pressure of the refrigerant, which increases its temperature to a level higher than that of the outside air.

(3)  Heated refrigerant vapor flows on to the condenser (outside coil), where it is cooled by a fan blowing outside air over the coils. When cooled, the refrigerant condenses to a high pressure liquid. The resulting liquid refrigerant flows through a capillary tube where its pressure and temperature are reduced. The refrigerant then reenters the evaporator — and the cycle repeats. The motor operates both the evaporator fan and the condenser fan.

Facts: Did you know that?

• Overall, air conditioners in the US use over 50% of total electricity during summer usage peaks.

• Each year, the energy needed for residential room airconditioning in the U.S. is equivalent to the crude oil transported by 415 supertankers.

• Increasing residential room air conditioner efficiency by 20% would eliminate the need for 49 supertankers of oil.

Important points to room air conditioner

What is energy efficiency ratio?

 

Reference: www.greenseal.org

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Important points to consider in the selection of air conditioner

(1)   Condition of the area. Is the room above the air conditioner a storage area that is insulated or un-insulated? Or perhaps the room to be cooled is directly below a hot roof.

(2)   Location, size and other characteristics of the room. Right sizing and capacity determination of RAC will come from these considerations. Cost effectiveness is equally important in deciding which unit to buy.

(3)   The number of people who will occupy the space on a regular basis. A larger number of people in an area will need a greater cooling capacity to reach a comfort level.

(4)   Choose an air conditioner which has the highest efficiency available. In the past the most efficient machines were small because these machines had a higher ratio of coil size to capacity.

Related posts:

What is EER?

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The Energy Efficiency Ratio or EER is the ratio of the cooling output divided by the power consumption; it is commonly expressed in BTU/Watts x hour units. The EER is probably the most important quantitative number in through-the-wall type of air conditioning. Any off-season energy usage is not included in EER calculations as it is in calculating efficiency in central cooling systems. By choosing an air conditioner with a high energy efficiency ratio you will be pleasantly surprised by the drop in your electricity bill. In fact, Consumer Reports found that a room air conditioner with an EER of 11 will cost 18 percent less to operate than one with an EER of 9! Green Seal has developed recommendations for room air conditioner energy efficiency ratios. These recommendations can be found in table below.

When faced with the challenge of achieving higher EERs some manufacturers increased their efficiency by using warmer and larger evaporators. This reduced the ability of the air conditioner to dehumidify the air efficiently. In effect, the highest efficiency air conditioners could actually use more energy than lower EER units because they have to run longer.

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Yourhomeguides.com wants to thank you for your continued support and to wish you a warm, safe, and happy holiday!

We know you will be enjoying lots of treats, ice cream, cakes, and cookies, not to mention a lot of rich tasty foods over the next couple of weeks. And although it is part of our mission here to promote home ideas and tips, we’ll be sharing also healthy habits, but not today. We want to say “Enjoy!”  Now is the time to relax with family and friends. But be sure not to push ourselves to the limit. Best not to overdo ourselves with everything we want. So enjoy the holidays for now. Until then, let’s party!

Thank you again for all your comments and support throughout this year since Yourhomeguides started on June this year. Thanks for reading and sharing our blog, newsletter, and daily home ideas and tips with your friends and family. And in 2012, we look forward to another great year of helping you achieve your health goals!

Warm Regards and Happy Holidays,

The author/blogger greeting you a happy holiday

Manny B. Lauresta

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Yourhomeguidesdotcom would like to express deep condolences and solidarity with the Filipino people as we mourn the loss of so many lives brought about by tropical storm Sendong. Although Sendong was only a tropical storm and not a full blown typhoon based on reports, the amount of rain that fell over Mindanao that one night was almost double the expected rainfall in a month. This tragedy not only echoes the devastation wrought by Ondoy, Pepeng, and Pedring , it also underscores just how vulnerable the Philippines is to extreme weather events due to climate change. This is why we urgently need to put in place measures to enhance disaster risk reduction and other adaptation measures at the local level.

As a victim of Ondoy’s aftermath myself, I can not help myself to see many people have died. Memories of destruction left by Ondoy is flashing at the back of my mind. As you may have witnessed in mainstream media, the blogs, and Twitter, the Philippines has been hit by the worst flood in Mindanao. Tropical storm Sendong brought landslides and floods that took the lives of more than a thousand people. It hit the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan the most.

Victims of Sendong needed your help. If we can be an instrument to reach out for your hearts, be it. Listed below are entities providing you with ways to help the victims.

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Believe it or not, but Medical assistant training has impacted the everyday life of untold amounts of people. We see so many examples in our every day lives, and it can function as an significant reminder. As you learn more, you will easily realize there is a great deal more than meets they eye. Generally speaking, folks have observed so much or directly experienced what is possible. However, you and many others nevertheless would like to be more educated on this matter. We hope to broaden your knowledge base of this specific subject, and in so doing make it possible for you to be much more informed.

As a result of increasing gasoline costs, people are frantically searching for cheaper, viable options. An alternative power option is biodiesel fuel. It may seem strange, but biodiesel power uses vegetable oil to operate your vehicle. A major problem with it, is that the use of biodiesel is not typical in the United States yet. That makes it challenging to get what you require some times. There are lots of consumers who prefer using this fuel, and have no problems with it in their vehicles. The oil is always pure plus it lubricates the car’s engine efficiently.

More and more areas are making biodiesel fuel obtainable due to increased interest. This is an exciting time for those who wish to order these vehicles as well as for the manufacturers who want to sell them. This kind of fuel is much less costly and some drivers have successfully used vegetable oil from restaurants. This happens to be a rather creative way to beat the prices at the gas pumps. Whenever you use that type of oil, you should remove any food debris first.

Biodiesel fuel is a wonderful alternative given that, in addition to cutting your transportation expenses, it is also friendly to the environment because it emits fewer toxic gases. Many people are changing their diesel vehicles so that they can use biodiesel fuel. There are several top manufacturers who now sell biodiesel vehicles directly. The complete Volkswagen series is available for purchase with the biodiesel engine. These few things to consider will make a difference in your knowledge as they relate to medical assistants. Of course we strongly recommend you learn more about them. It is difficult to ascertain all the various means by which they can serve you. Once your understanding is more complete, then you will feel more confident about the subject. We are not finished, and there are just a couple of very strong suggestions and tips for you. A lot of larger pickups use diesel fuel and a large number of car manufacturers, including Ford, Chevy, and Dodge, make them available with the choice of biodiesel. Other companies known for their powerful automobiles, such as Volvo, Mercedes, and Jeep, have models poised for release.

Although these sturdy vehicles will be using a different energy source, they will still operate as powerfully as before. One will use diesel fuel, whilst the other uses biodiesel fuel, but the power level will be the same. In cold weather locations, these types of vehicles may perhaps be slow to start. The oil can turn out to be significantly thicker during cold weather and thus make the motor vehicle not start. To help with this predicament, the biodiesel fuel is incorporated with an 80/20 ratio of petroleum. The level of petroleum combined with the biodiesel fuel increases as the climate turns colder.

There will always be plenty of biodiesel because it is made by man, as there is a limit to natural resources. In the event that these are no longer obtainable, finding another alternative will be the only way to go. The main obstacle for most vehicle owners is the cost of biodiesel vehicles. Frequently, growth is delayed because we are disinclined to let go of the familiar.

These are the kinds of approaches that can be put to good usage as you see fit. But keep in mind as it concerns medical assistant training that you have to realize what you are dealing with. It is less complicated than you think to read a specific thing that looks good, but it can be outdated. Even though many folks have the best motives. What is up next truly can have an effect on your unique outcomes.

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FIVE CARPET MAINTENANCE TIPS

If you have got carpet in your home or business then you know how tough it can be to keep it clean. Especially for those who have carpet with high traffic areas such as a business with customers in and out all day everyday. For the homeowner, high traffic areas may include the hallway, the front entrance as well as all room entrances. And even though the battle to keep carpet looking good is hard enough, there are certain things one can do to protect and keep a good looking carpet in nice condition. One good tip for doing just that would be to vacuum the carpet as much as possible, going in different directions all over the home for maximum pick up of deep embedded soils that are hard to get to. Try your best to make it a habit to vacuum as much as possible to avoid any soils to settle into the threads, which can eventually stain and discolor the carpet.

If you encounter any spills on the carpet, the best thing to do is to clean them up right away. Never should you take your time cleaning up a spill as it can stain the carpet permanently depending on what it is that was spilled. Plain water should do the trick by dabbing the spill with a wet cloth. Try not to rub it back and forth as this will only cause more widespread staining. If the water doesn’t do the job, you can then resort to other carpet cleaning solutions. There are plenty of carpet cleaning solutions available for hard to clean stains and even simple spills. Just follow the directions on the label of the cleaning solution and you should be good to go.

A good thing to know for high traffic areas is to use rugs or carpet runners so that the high amount of traffic doesn’t destroy or flatten the carpet being walked on. A lot of pressure on a certain area of carpet can be stressful to the fibers causing the carpet to sink, flatten and eventually wear out, making it look dull and worn. These areas should be protected and given TLC to lengthen the life of the carpet. Sometimes it’s the small things that count. With a little extra care, carpet can survive and go a long way, staying healthy, staying clean and looking nice. It is the best tip for anyone with a high traffic area in the home or at a business.

If you haven’t done so already, a good steam cleaning of all the carpeted areas done regularly will not only brighten the carpet and bring it back to life, but it will also bring out any deeply embedded soils that have gotten trapped deep down in the fibers. Doing this often will keep the carpet in tip top shape, giving you the comfortable feel of a clean carpet with a nice look. Putting a shoe mat at the front entrance will also come in handy so that people can wipe their shoes before entering, eliminating the chance for loose soils to be embedded into the carpet.

Be directed with these links, auckland carpet cleaning and steam cleaning carpet. HELP others with these reference links. Happy Cleaning.