Concrete Mixing & Techniques

Once you have established a basic understanding of a simple concrete mix you can begin to learn more about new concrete technologies and the true limitations of this incredible building material - hint, there are not many!

By changing the volume and type of aggregates that you use in your cement mix you can create many different types of concrete suited to different applications. In general the goal of substituting aggregates is to have the concrete remain consistently strong as a finished product. Some examples of concrete advanced techniques are:

1) Color or dye in the concrete
2) Lightweight concrete
3) High strength concrete
4) Decorative concrete

Even all of these options are just the tip of the iceberg for what concrete is capable of. The extreme limitations of current concrete technology being researched and developed are transparent (translucent actually) concrete which will show a silhouette through concrete that is meters thick! Limitations of concrete strength is self supporting concrete which does not require the mechanical assistance of steel grid work. Concrete strength used to be measure is PSI however mPa or mega Pascals is the current unit of compressive concrete strength referring to the amount of force the concrete can ensure before failure.

Coloured Concrete
You can add powder or liquid pigments to your concrete to achieve interesting and dynamic colors. Common colors would be brown, red, dark grey, tan and other similar earth tones. To get more vibrant concrete colors you can use pure white Portland cement in place of regular cement, as well as pure white sand instead of regular sand. This white mortar mix will react well to more vibrant colors and pigments. The amount of pigment or dye that you use will depend entirely on the brand that you choose. The best method is to purchase from a specialty concrete supply store which will have a far better selection of quality concrete color additives than your local hardware supply store.

Lightweight Concrete
You can replace all or part of the sand in a 3:1 mortar mix with aggregate materials that are much lighter in nature than sand. The result will be a concrete that is much lighter, but also vastly weaker than a 3:1 sand mortar. There are many applications for lightweight concrete with many of them being decorative such as planter pots or garden statues. The most common lightweight aggregate material substitutions for making concrete are:

Vermiculite - which is a mineral and often sold as "pool base" in larger quantities from pool stores which will make a relatively strong, but compressible concrete. The insulation value of vermiculite is very high, more than ten times as high as sand, so vermiculite concrete mixes are often used for sound dampening and insulating.

Peat Moss - Using peat partially in place of sand will result in a concrete that is much weaker than traditional 3:1 mortar and even much weaker than vermiculite concrete. The texture of the concrete is somewhat earthy and finishing and detail work con be slightly difficult by comparison with other mixes.

Saw Dust - This is another readily available and cheap aggregate substitutions used to achieve a lightweight concrete. In addition to providing a rough and inconsistent texture to the concrete, the wood ingrained will often stain and discolour creating an interesting and unique pattern. Too much sawdust can make the concrete unacceptably weak very quickly - more so than vermiculite and peat moss.

Perlite - This is commonly used for gardening and is recognisable in that it is completely white and very similar in texture to styrofoam beads. The main advantage of this aggregate choice is the fact that it is white. It has a similar overall feel as vermiculite however the concrete produced with vermiculite is much easier to work and finish than concrete made with perlite.

Usually you can replace up to two of your three buckets of sand with an alternative aggregate. Vermiculite can be mixed with straight cement without sand and still remain strong enough to suit several tasks such as swimming pool floors. The other aggregates will yield a concrete that will break under its own weight.

High Strength Concrete
The current strength for concrete is measured in mPa with the average sidewalk concrete being 10-15 mPa where as foundations for homes usually start at 20-25 mPa. High rise commercial concrete is closer to 35 mPa as is swimming pool construction concrete.

The strengthening of concrete over and above what a 3:1 mortar mix will yield requires engineering and testing. If you order concrete from a ready mix or bath plant you can specify precisely how strong you want the concrete to be. If you are mixing it yourself and want to make the concrete as strong as reasonably possible there are a few things that you can do.

Glass Fibres - Glass fibres and fibreglass are two different additives which you can put into your concrete to help make it cohesively stronger as well as minimize hairline cracking in the concrete during the curing process.

Water Reducer - is a liquid that you can put into the concrete in place of water. The water reducer will increase the viscosity and workability of the cement dramatically without affecting the finished strength negatively. The more water that you put in concrete the weaker the finished product will be. In place of water reducer you can also use the absolute minimum water possible to get the concrete workable to make it as strong as possible.

Powder Additives - Combinations of highly dense powders such as silica fume and fly ash can potentially help to make concrete stronger by filling in some of the microscopic spaces left in regular concrete by the larger sized aggregates. These tiny aggregates are dangerous to work with because the airborne particles are small enough to damage your lungs should you breathe them. Most of these powder additives will be hard to locate for the average DIY enthusiast.

Decorative Concrete
In place of sand you can also add just about any other substance such as glass or coloured beads, pieces of plastic or metal, rubber or anything else you can think of. Most commonly you would use this concrete to create an exposed aggregate where loose aggregate is imbedded into the top of partially cured concrete. Exposed aggregate with small coloured stones is very common and you likely have seen this before. Exposed aggregate with marbles and microchips is less common to be sure - but not any less possible.

With some basic practice you can learn to create incredible things such as statues, pool decks, artificial rocks, ponds, waterfalls and decorative art.

Canadian author and second generation swimming pool expert Steve Goodale has written dozens of online tutorials for swimming pool and artificial rock construction, renovation and repair

http://www.ArtificialRock.ca - Tutorials on how to build artificial rocks, ponds, waterfalls, statues, planter pots and more

Bathroom Books

Native Gardening Works

Planting natively has become very popular gardening style, especially in dry or arid zones where water scarcity is a factor. By selecting plants native to an area, the landscape is improved without further introduction of foreign species. Native gardening works because it preserves plant species, provides food and shelter for native fauna, and contributes to water management whilst maintaining a healthy ecosystem.

Over time native plants have evolved and developed characteristics suitable to the local environment. They are often more tolerant of drought, disease, pests and require less day to day water than introduced species. Planting natively also prevents soil erosion and water loss because their deep roots stabilise the soil and trap moisture.

Native gardens generally cost less to maintain, and in some countries such as Australia, local government authorities even provide free seedlings to promote the advantages of planting natively. Of course protection of native species, both flora and fauna, is probably high on their list of expectations, but in promoting native gardening, the explanation that native plants create interest in the garden through colour and texture is widely used.

Avoid the effects of soil pollution

By planting natively, gardeners are able to avoid the effects of soil pollution from fertilisers and pesticides since these are frequently not required. If lawn area is also reduced in favour of native ground covers and pathways, lawn mowers could also become redundant in gardens.

So, be inspired by the native species in your area, talk to plant experts or your local environmental protection office about how native gardening works. They can give you advice on which species to plant, how this will improve survival rates for threatened local fauna, and how native gardens help reduce the effects of noxious invasions.

Envirokind have a range of eco friendly products for the garden including Plant Enhancer and Compost Additive.

Howard Farmer
Envirokind - caring for your environment
More Garden Articles - You can have a better garden and save the Environment.

Planting a Grape Vine

You have prepared your site; you have decided what variety to grow; now it is time to plant your grape vine! Well, unfortunately, this is where many home grape growers terribly fail!

Planting a grape vine is not hard, if fact, it is one of the easiest fruits to get started, but there are a few key things to remember when planting your grape vine.

1. The planting hole

In the early days, before research proofed this method wrong, planting grape vines, by adding fertilizer and all kinds of stuff into the planting hole, was a well-known practice? Research showed, that a grape vine sprouts from energy within the vine itself, and do not actually use any fertilizer until the vine reach about 2 to 3 inch shoot length. By adding fertilizer directly into the planting hole, or directly on the roots of the vines could damage (scourge) the roots.

With knowledge/information you gained from soil samples, you should fertilize and correct all mineral shortages BEFORE you prepare your vineyard site and then plant your grape vine. This will mix all the fertilizer with the soil and will not damage the roots of your grape vine.

Make a large enough hole to accommodate all the roots from the cutting and do not cut or remove any roots - the more roots, the better the chance of successfully planting your grape vine.

2. Preparing the new vine before planting

Before planting your grape vine, you should plunge the complete vine into a bucket of water for at least six hours. Under no circumstances, let the roots of the vine dry out - this is very important! If you are planting a few hundred vines, cover the vines not planted yet with a damp gunny bag or something similar.

3. Watering the vine

Before you plant the grape vine, you should thoroughly water the planting hole and ensure that the water deeply penetrates the sidewall of the planting hole.

Constantly add water to the planting hole while filling the hole with water to ensure that no air pockets forms near the roots of the vines. Water your grape vine once a week for at least a month after planting the grape vine.

Following these simple rules when planting a grape vine, will guarantee a much higher success rate.

For even more grape growing tips, you can visit My Grape Vine and if you would like to become a member of The Grape Coaching Program, where you will learn how to grow grapes by means of video and mp3's, visit The Grape Coaching Program - get your 10 day FREE training right now!

Feng Shui 2009 (Part II) - Your House

The year of Ji Chou (Earth Ox) begins on 4th February 2009 and ends on 4th February 2010. The #9 purple star occupies the central position this year.

AUSPICIOUS AREAS
Northwest
The most auspicious area in your house/office is the northwest area. This year northwest area is being visited by the #1 white star - amongst other things the #1 white star represents intelligence, wisdom, academic achievements, literary achievements, reputation and fame. The #1 white star is related to new beginnings and is regarded as the future prosperous wealth star.

The #1 white star in northwest (qian) palace will bring in luck for those who are in senior management or are holding powerful administrative posts. This area will be beneficial for politicians, financial managers, finance advisors and budget planners. People using this area will have good analyzing ability. This area is suitable for people in military, police and other law enforcement department.

Middle aged men using this area will get good support from their superiors and seniors. They are likely to get a promotion and/or opportunity to join a powerful post.

Utilize this room as often as possible. If this is not possible at least open the windows in this area and make the area active.

Center
The center this year is visited by the #9 purple star. The #9 purple star represents future prosperity star in period 8 (2004 - 2024). The #9 purple star is a fiery star and brings about fast action. The attributes of the #9 purple star are beauty, glamour, brilliance, spirit, anger (hot headedness), aggressiveness, culture and advancement. In the world political arena you will see decisions being made after much heated debates and arguments. In the corporate world middle management people especially ladies in middle management will outshine others and will receive recognition for their work.

There will be a rise in cultural and fashion events. People will be drawn to such events. This year fashion will see new designs and designers. People will become more beauty and fashion conscious.

This year new reforms will be made and put in practice in the financial markets to prevent future meltdowns. Discussions, debates and ideas for financial security and management will be held.

Southeast
This year the southeast (xun) palace is host to the #8 white star. The #8 white star is considered the wealth star for period 8 (2004 - 2024) and is an auspicious star.

The #8 star by nature is yang earth and southeast (xun) palace is yang wood. According to wu xing (five elements) theory the qi in this area is disruptive and not smooth. You can use the southeast area this year, but avoid doing construction, renovations or any form of repair work in this area. Children using this room could be prone to hurting their limbs, rheumatic and arthritis problems. You should place red color objects in the area.

The #8 white star represents wealth, fame and respect. To reap the benefits of the #8 white star you need to keep this area active by using it as often as possible. If this is not possible then at least open the windows in this area and let the good qi flow in.

INAUSPICIOUS AREAS
North
This year the north is afflicted with the #5 yellow star. The #5 yellow star is known as the tragedy or calamity star. The #5 yellow star is inauspicious, malefic and one of the most dreaded star in feng shui. It is not only unusable and untimely, but it brings in disasters, calamities, loss of business, health problems and relationship problems. In the ancient texts it is mentioned that till the time the area that hosts the #5 yellow star is not disturbed the star will not show its malefic nature. Therefore, it is wise to avoid any form of ground - breaking, construction works, renovations and repair works in the north area.
The #5 yellow star is yang earth in nature and north (kan) palace is yang water in nature. In wu xing (five elements) theory earth destroys water. This means the northern side of cities, states, countries and continents will be more prone to natural disasters related to earth and water like floods, earthquakes and storms. There could be issues related to contaminated water, chemicals or medicines.

The #5 yellow star denotes fatalities, you will be prone to difficult to diagnose illnesses. People using this area often could face health problems related to kidneys, ears, genital and urinary bladder. Babies, expecting mother and senior citizens should avoid this area. Besides health problems you will face financial problems, delays and obstacles in conducting your work.

Remedy
This is one star that requires a remedy to keep it calm. Utilize any one of the remedies mentioned below. Remember not to disturb the star by doing construction, ground breaking or repair works in this area.

• A six rod metal wind chime - when it rings it should make a metallic sound (unlike popular believe it is not the number of rods, but the sound that matters).
• Salt water cure - in a medium sized glass bowl fill 3/4 salt and fill with water. The size of the bowl depends on the size of the house or the room. You will need to change this mixture every time it gets dry or dirty.
• Other remedies include a metal wu lou (calabash). Six Chinese coins and round or circular brass or copper artifacts.

West
The west this year is afflicted with the #2 black star. This star is untimely, inauspicious and malefic in nature. The #2 black represents sickness. In my personal experience I have seen the #2 black star cause unnecessary delays, obstacles and abrupt change of plans. In the west the #2 black star could cause fire related accidents especially during September/October.

The #2 black star is yin earth in nature and the west (dui) palace is yin metal in nature. According to wu xing (five elements) theory the #2 black star nurtures the dui palace. Therefore, it will not show its extreme malefic nature however, during certain months you will have to take precautionary measures.

The #2 black star represents elderly women. The west sector represents younger woman. This could mean a conflict or dispute amongst women of the household. If you use the west area often, then you should double check your plans and be careful while making financial investments. If your house's/ office electrical mains are located in this area then check your equipment properly to prevent fire hazards.

Since the #2 black star represents sicknesses expecting mothers, babies and elderly people should avoid this area.

Remedy
Keeps the area quiet and avoid any form of renovation, construction or earth digging work in this area. Appropriate date selection will be required to do construction/repairs/renovations in this area.

You could place a metal wu lou (calabash) in this area. Another way to negate the #2 black stars negative attributes is to place salt water cure.

Salt water cure - In a medium sized glass or ceramic bowl fill half salt and top it up with water. Change the mixture whenever dry or dirty.

SAN SHA
East
This year the east is afflicted by san sha (also known as "Three killings" or saam set). The east is not a good area in 2009, appropriate date selection should be done before repair, renovation, ground breaking or construction works are done.

If your houses back door is located in this area you need to be careful of pilfering, robbery and armed assaults. In the modern world "being robbed" could be translated as loss of finances, somebody stealing your ideas, losing projects to competitors or losing/somebody stealing your work.

TAI SUI - Grand duke of Jupiter
Northeast
Tai sui changes its position every year and this year it occupies the northeast sector (15 - 45 degrees). Houses facing especially with doors located in and facing northeast will face the most problems. With tai sui located in your front door, you will find it difficult to progress. In offices it creates unnecessary delays, disruption of plans, unexpected legal hassles, robberies, anxiety, people turning against you and loss of money.

In one of the ancient texts it is written that whichever area tai sui is located one should not do any earth digging work. For safety reasons I include repairs, construction, digging of earth and too much noise. If disturbed tai sui can cause a lot of problems that ranges from bankruptcy, health issues, legal hassles, fights, disruption of work, accidents and the list is endless. Personally I have seen tai sui create havoc in the form of legal hassles, loss of money, disruption of work and robbery.

TSUI PO - year breaker
Southwest
Tsui Po is always located opposite to that of Tai sui. This year tsui po is located in southwest (195 - 225degrees). Tsui Po is also known as the year breaker. It is similar to tai sui and you should avoid doing any digging work in this area, for safety reasons I include repairs, renovation and too much noise.

Tsui Po disturbed creates all kinds of problems related to health, robberies, legal hassles, loss of wealth and the list continues.

Members of houses that face (15 - 45 degrees) northeast and have their back to southwest (195 - 225 degrees) need to exercise caution in all their decisions, it is best not to make any drastic changes in life, you should lay low and generally take it slow this year.

Note
People born in the same year as tai sui (Ji Chou - Earth Ox) or tsui po (Gui Wei - Water Goat), should be careful especially if you live in a northeast (15 - 45 degrees) facing house.

Next month on 'Inauspicious days in 2009'

Jayashree Bose - Feng shui, bazi and yijing consultant and writer.
http://www.geo-principles.com

Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival - Zhong Yuan Jie (-C')

By now you should probably be aware of the 2008 Summer Olympics to be held in Beijing, China, this coming August. However, there is at least another event going on in (and beneath) China during August.

Every year, during the seventh month of the Chinese Calendar, it is believed that the Gates of Hell will be opened and all Hell beings (well, not nearly all, only those well-behaved ones) will be set to roam freely on Earth for a month. In this month, many spirits roamed the world in search of their past memories to fulfil their unforgotten attachments. As such, these are called the "hungry ghosts" and the festival is also called the Hungry Ghost Festival.

The Hungry Ghosts festival occurs on the 15th night of the 7th Lunar month which falls on the 15th of August this year. This festival is different from the more well-known Qing Ming Festival, or the tomb-sweeping day which is now an official holiday in China and is predominantly an ancestor worshipping day. The Ghost Festival on the other hand is for the ancestors to return the visit and is a festival of elaborate rituals of joss sticks and paper money, food offerings, and opera shows for the deceased.

The festival is also influenced by Buddhist teachings introduced into China. In the Buddhist's Ullambana Sutra, Mahamaudgalyayana, one of the chief disciples of the Buddha, well-known for his psychic powers, searched for his deceased mother during one of his meditation session. He found his mother being reborn in the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts due to her previous greed. Seeking Buddha's advice, he eased his mother's suffering and eventual rebirth into a human form by performing various rituals of merits creation and offerings. This is the famous "Mahamaudgalyayana Saving His Mother" storyline which is often performed in Chinese opera. In the Chinese context, more emphasis is placed on offerings to the ancestors than to the Sangha, or monks, as in the original Ullambana practice in Buddhism.

There are similar festivals around the world as well. These include the El Da de los Muertos Festival in Mexico, the Chugen and O-Bon Festivals in Japan as well as the Vu Lan Festival in Vietnam. This shows that people today are still in awed and respectful towards the mysterious underworld. For the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival in particular, it is a yearly reinforcement and reminder of one's filial responsibility towards the mother and other ancestors in general.

Copyright @ eChinaExpat.com

Read more about the Chinese Hungry Ghost Festival , and other Chinese culture at Expat Articles. Linus is an expat living in China. He writes about China and the Chinese Culture for eChina Expat at eChina Expat, a platform for Chinese Culture, China Travel, Feng Shui and general China expat tips for expatriates and tourists living in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and other China cities.

History of Baking

Baking has been many cultures' favorite technique for creating snacks, desserts, and accompaniments to meals for many years. Now, it is very well-known as the method for creating sweets and all sorts of wondrous mouthwatering pastries. In ancient history, the first evidence of baking occurred when humans took wild grass grains, soaked it in water, and mixed everything together, mashing it into a kind of broth-like paste. Then, the paste was cooked by pouring it onto a flat, hot rock, resulting in a bread-like substance. Later, this paste was roasted on hot embers, which made bread-making easier, as it could now be made anytime fire was created. Around 2500 B.C., records show that the Egyptians already had bread, and may have actually learned the process from the Babylonians. The Greek Aristophanes, around 400 B.C., also recorded information that showed that tortes with patterns and honey flans existed in Greek cuisine. Dispyrus was also created by the Greeks around that time and widely popular; was a donut-like bread made from flour and honey and shaped in a ring; soaked in wine, it was eaten when hot.

In the Roman Empire, baking flourished widely. In about 300 B.C., the pastry cook became an occupation for Romans (known as the pastillarium). This became a very highly respected profession because pastries were considered decadent, and Romans loved festivity and celebration. Thus, pastries were often cooked especially for large banquets, and any pastry cook who could invent new types of tasty treats, unseen at any other banquet, was highly prized. Around 1 A.D., there were more than three hundred pastry chefs in Rome alone, and Cato wrote about how they created all sorts of diverse foods, and flourished because of those foods. Cato speaks of an enormous amount of breads; included amongst these are the libum (sacrificial cakes made with flour), placenta (groats and cress), spira (our modern day flour pretzels), scibilata (tortes), savaillum (sweet cake), and globus apherica (fritters). A great selection of these, with many different variations, different ingredients, and varied patterns, were often found at banquets and dining halls. To bake bread, the Romans used an oven with its own chimney and had grain mills to grind grain into flour.

Eventually, because of Rome, the art of baking became widely known throughout Europe, and eventually spread to the eastern parts of Asia. Bakers often baked goods at home and then sold them in the streets-children loved their goods. In fact, this scene was so common that Rembrandt illustrated a work that depicted a pastry chef selling pancakes in the streets of Germany, and young children surrounding him, clamoring to get a sample. In London, pastry chef sold their goods in handcarts, which were very convenient shops on wheels. This way, they developed a system of "delivery" baked goods to people's households, and the demand for baked goods increased greatly as a result. Finally, in Paris, the first open-air caf of baked goods was developed, and baking became an established art throughout the entire world.

Tim Tanis is an independent web publisher.
Also is a working Chef in North Carolina.
For more history visit.
http://www.historyofcooking.com

Beginning Spiritual Prosperity With Prosperity's First of 12 Affirmations

Prosperity's 12 Affirmations are affirmations derived from scripture found in Exodus chapter 20 known as the 10 Commandments and from Matthew chapter 22 where Jesus gave cited the two greatest commandments. The truth of these scriptures can be applied to any aspect of life and in this context we are using their eternal truth to fortify and expand our awareness of abundance and prosperity. The affirmations form a solid foundation upon which to base our thinking and actions when working with the intangible aspects of prosperity. The affirmations help us to feel worthy of prosperity and to cultivate and apply our spiritual understanding to our experience of prosperity. In general our non-material, invisible and spiritual abilities are fundamental to our experience of prosperity and they can be summarized as our relationship with Life Itself or God. The affirmations also apply to our relationship with our fellow human beings and the rest of material creation.

Let's consider Prosperity's 1st Affirmation for example, "I look to God as my only Source of wealth and supply". Prosperity's 1st Affirmation is the bedrock of our practice. When we energetically affirm that we look to God as our only Source of wealth and supply, we are focusing inner spiritual, mental and emotions energies which create the possibilities for God's blessings to be attracted to us. As we consistently assert and practice Prosperity's 1st Affirmation we learn that deep within our sense of Being, that every thing and every non-thing, e.g. feelings, emotions, ideas, etc.; is born of God. By first looking to God for our supply and wealth we are practicing a positive faith that the Creative Life Force is providing and orchestrating the material, circumstances and relationships we need to sustain life, thrive and experience well being. This practice is particularly powerful when we look beyond our immediate circumstances and appearances and create images of God to pouring blessings into or Life experience at the perfect time and in the perfect manner for our use and the enrichment of our Soul. In order to have this type of experience of the more abundant life, we must understand the principles of life that make such experiences possible.

Sometimes that understanding comes from experiencing a life of lack or poverty. Rev. Diane Harmony, author of the book 5 GIFTS for Living An Abundant Life, says that abundance has been a key motivator in her life. She experienced lack and limitation to the point that she was forced to look to God as her only Source and thereby learn at a deep level how to dismiss lack and embrace abundance.

Try it for yourself, the next time you feel you have a need, before looking for which bank account to use or for which credit card is under its limit, look first to God. Pray a prayer similar to this:

"Our Father, creator of all that Is, I thank You for my life now. I thank You for continuing to give me the breath of Life and all that I need to sustain, maintain and elevate my life experience. Dear Lord, I now look to You as my only Source of Life, health, happiness, peace and prosperity. I now surrender to Your Presence and Power within me and I am receptive to Your prospering ideas that are now fulfilling my non-material and material needs. I am now open to the free flow of money, people and ideas into my treasure chest, my network and my mind! Thank You God! Amen!"

As you move forward from prayer into action, you can get more ideas about how to incorporate spirituality into your prosperity consciousness by visiting Prosperity's 12 Affirmations Blog at http://www.prosperingtimes.com/blog And as a special gift, please accept a free download of an interview with Rev. Diane Harmony, author of the course and book 5 GIFTS for Living an Abundant Life at http://www.prosperingtimes.com