Information On Lobster Which May Not Be The Best Seafood
Lobster wasn’t always a top dish. The tender shellfish started out branded as a scavenger, bottom feeder and food for the bankrupted. Thanks to the development of contemporary transport, lobster may be shipped from Canada to the greater north states to turn out to be the luxurious meals we now appreciate.
Nowadays the most effective restaurants get pleasure in their lobster recipes and Surf and Turf presentations. Apart from getting a flexible and delightful meal, shellfish like lobster, shrimp and oysters, possess a great style for health. Current studies have discharged the linkage between greater blood ldl cholesterol and the usage of shellfish. Milligram for milligram, lobster is only barely higher with 81 mg for every three ounces helping in comparison to lean ground meat and chicken at 78 mg for every 3 ounces.
Lobster and shrimp are low in fat and joined with acceptable portions it can be enjoyed as much as 3 times per week. Keep in mind that it is the sauces and butters that increase body fat and cholesterol. Try different methods of cooking, like steaming or in salads and soups or on the griddle. It’s greatest to make the lobster alive, do not be concerned too significantly about getting wicked, lobsters and most shellfish cannot really feel agony due to their underdeveloped central nervous method. A good secret is to drop the lobster in a bowl of boiling water upside down. That’s head first.
This stops the tail from splashing warm water from the pot. A live lobster will have a much better sweeter flavor. You are able to tell if the lobster is cooked alive that the tail curls below. The old proverb is if it tastes good !!!.!!! It cannot potentially be good for you. Lobster, shrimp, oysters and other shellfish not just style good but in addition keep you healthy. So enjoy!
If you are looking for a new refrigerator filter, there are two great ones in the market. They are useful GE refrigerator water filter and popular Maytag refrigerator water filter .
Such as shellfish in your eating habits can provide you with the counseled provide of substantial necessary trace factors like selenium and copper. Selenium, a major antioxidant can free the physique of free radicals and clear the physique of toxic metals such as mercury, cadmium and arsenic. Copper keeps your bones, veins and nerves wholesome. If you’ve gout, you have to limit your ingestion of shellfish.
Going After Creative Precious Bedding
Why not research a little bit about waterbed sheets or bed in a bag sets or even bed in a bag sets before bed time? Our bed sheets really are an important part of the overall bedding items used on a bed, and without any question of doubt, the higher the quality bed sheets used, the happier you will be when you’re tucked in for the night. So many of us focus on the covers, and pillows, but the fabric we lay on also plays a big role in providing us with a good quality sleep. When I shop for new sheets I always look for the ones with a thread count of at least 300. What the thread count determines is the comfort of the fabric. A good rule of thumb is that the higher the thread count number, the softer the sheets will be. How many of us at some time or another have slept on scratchy sheets or those that are so thin you can almost see through them. We spend a long time asleep during out lifetime so it’s really important to make our sleeping experience as pleasant as possible.
Bed sheets are available in two types: flat and fitted. A flat bed sheet is nothing more than a rectangular-shaped piece of linen. A fitted bed sheet features four corners with elastic bands around the edges and is used as a bottom sheet. A reason for using a fitted bottom sheet is to prevent it from slipping off of the mattress while the sleeper moves around on the bed. A unique method of folding and tucking while making up a bed is referred to as “hospital corners,” and this is typically employed when the bottom sheet is flat as opposed to fitted. Bed sheets have historically been white, but in modern times many different colors and patterns are available. The quality of bed sheets is often conveyed by the thread count. The thread count is the number of threads per square inch of bed sheet material. Usually, the higher the thread count, the softer the sheet is. Common materials used in making sheets are cotton, linen, blends of cotton / polyester, silk, wool, rayon, and others.
Cotton is by far the most popular material because it is snuggly in the winter and cool in the summer (although they have to be warmed up in the winter first). There’s just something about sinking into a bed with high quality cotton sheets. In addition to being comfortable, manufacturers tend to produce them in more styles and colors (than other sheet types) to keep up with the consumer demand. Finally, a silk or satin pair of sheets is considered the ultimate in luxury. They are silky soft and will keep you from sweating in the summer. You can literally slide into bed and if you have a satin or silk pillow case, lay your head in pure luxury. The only downside to satin and silk sheets is that they tend to slide off of the bed if not fitted properly.
Make Lots Of Money Online With This Extra Money Making Idea
October 12, 2009 by Tucker · 3 Comments
My neighbour, Simon, hit me up the other day. He asks me, “Hey Craig, this internet stuff you do. Can you really make lots of money online?” I laughed. Simon is not the sharpest tool in the shed but he is a lovely fellow. His family is what you would call ideal and I have a lot of time for them.
Being a Saturday morning I dragged him inside to my computer to simply show him quickly what it is I do and what the rewards are. In typical Simon fashion he gasped when he saw my online accounts for last financial year. After 15 minutes I asked if he would like to make that sort of money. He told me he already does as an accountant for a leading Melbourne business.
What he did say was that if I had an extra money making idea I could give him he would appreciate it. He did not want to be 100% reliant on an online income but if I could show him how to add to his income he would be happy with that. So I told him, “Sure thing Simon, that will be easy”.
So the next 3.5 hours went something like this.
“Simon, making money online is relatively simple as long as you have a plan in place. It is when you go at it like a bull at a gate with no rhyme or reason that the majority of people fail to make a buck. Planning is the key.” He understood this being a hot shot accountant and told me to continue.
Your first decision, I told him, should be whether you want to make lots of money or would prefer a smaller amount or extra income. In Simon’s case he said he only wanted to add to his current income. I asked him what amount he would call “extra” and he told me “a couple of grand a month” (real specific huh?)
Ok, I said, $2000 per month is our goal. Now let’s break it down. Two thousand divided by 30 days is $67 per day. We now have a daily figure to shoot for. Now we have to work out a strategy to do this. Now keep in mind we are not going to do this from day one. It is a process that we gradually build up to.
The following is a list of ways we could acheive this. Keep in mind that we can use one of the methods or a mixture of these. I will go over each method seprately though for the sake of the exercise. All of these methods you have no doubt heard of, unlike Simon.
1. Sell your own product.
I will not go into the specifics here but selling your own product gives you 100% of the purchase price. Doing this requires only 1 or 2 sales a day depending on your price point but then you have the added responsibility og custmer care, refunds etc.
2. Be an affiliate
This method is hugely popular and eliminates a lot of headaches but does require more sales per day to reach our target, depending on the price point. This one extra money making idea alone can add enormously to your bottom line.
3. Adsense and CPA offers
Using adsense on your websites has been around since Adam was a boy but can still provide you with an income. I know of many people that make lots of money online using this method. To reach our $67 you are going to have to get a lot of visitors to your website/s to get the necassary clicks to reach the goal.
There are just three ways of making money online. After going through this with Simon he said that it sounded hard to do. I told him that it is not hard, it is quite simple. Not easy, but simple. I told him that the kicker is getting eyeballs on what it is you are offering. Without people seeing your offer, no-one will buy and the easiest method of getting traffic to your money making website is to use article marketing.
By writing cleverly crafted articles that contain links to your offer you can get high rankings in the search engines thus providing you with a stream of potential customers. Depending on what niche you are aiming for and the selling term you want to rank for, this could take a handful of articles or it could take quite a few. This is where the planning comes to the fore.
I will tell you what I told Simon. Get a plan of action, write down the steps needed to achieve the plan and do it. Do not over analyze this though. Keep it real simple so it does not do your head in. It is when we make it difficult that we throw the towel in.
I spent 2 hours with Simon yesterday doing lots of niche research and keyword research. He looked at me sheepishly and asked if this is going to work. I gave him a slap on the shoulder and told him that he will make lots of money online with this extra money making idea. He simply shot me that goofy Simon smile.
Additional Child Tax Credit Amount for 2009, 2010
October 10, 2009 by Tucker · 5 Comments
One of the most common tax credits is the child tax credit
The child tax credit can reduce the amount that you owe for taxes. If youʼre current tax liability is less than the child tax credit than you may be eligible for the additional child tax credit. This additional credit will allow you a refund. The amount of the refund will differ depending on your total earned income. It may also be affected by the amount of social security and Medicare taxes that were paid.
The additional child tax credit is available to taxpayers with qualifying children. A qualifying child must be under the age of 17 before the end of the tax year and be a resident or citizen of the United States. You must also be able to claim this child as a dependent on your return.
You may receive a refund through the additional child tax credit up to 15% of your total earned income over $11,750.00 and under the income limitations.
The income limitations are as follows:
- Married filing jointly- $110,000
- Single, head of household-$75,000
- Married filing separately-$55,000
If you have three or more dependents that qualify for the child tax credit than you might also be able to claim the additional child tax credit. You may be able to claim up to the full amount of social security taxes that you have paid. If you have also qualified to receive the earned income credit than your maximum amount that you can receive for the additional child tax credit will be your social security tax paid minus the amount of the earned income credit you are able to receive.
Please visit TurboTax online and try one of their free online tax calculators to help you determine the amount you may receive through your additional child tax credit.
You Need to Know How to Pay off Debt!
October 2, 2009 by Tucker · 3 Comments
Are you in over your head in uncontrolled debt? If you are then you know that downing in debt is not a good place to be. Debt can control your life. You write a check for your credit card and loan bills every month like clockwork, but do you know how much of that money as actually going to the interest and fees and how much is going to your principle. Banks are most certainly charging you a lot to use there money, and if you think they aren’t you are just kidding yourself. The banks are more or less in charge of your financial life as long as you owe them money. Imagine what you could do with the money you send to pay those debt bills every month. Now is the perfect time to learn how to pay off debt.
Is This a Good Time to Have Debt?
That last sentence might have you baffled. Is this really the best time to pay off debt? I know the economy is not doing well right now and it would have been better to have all that debt paid off before we started to hit hard times. If you had done that you would not be here reading this article right now. You are here because you desperately need to know how to pay off your debt. If you are now at the point that you are determined that giving all of your hard earned money to financial institutions needs to stop then this is in fact the perfect time to pay off all that debt.
I know that many people that are reading this today might not be able to pay off there debt right now because of job loss or underemployment. I truly understand how that can be, I have been there. If you are barley able to afford feeding your family ramen then you need to work on the income situation before you can really start getting rid of the debt situation. You should also spend a little time learning as much as you can about how to get out of debt and committing yourself to it.
Marlborough Town, Wiltshire
September 28, 2009 by Tucker · 2 Comments
Marlborough Town
Marlborough is a market town in the English county of Wiltshire on the Old Bath Road, the old main road from London to Bath. It is well known for having the widest high-street in Britain.
The first sign of human habitation is the pre-historic mound (tumulus), in the grounds of Marlborough College. It is possibly of similar age to the larger Silbury Hill five miles to the west. Legend has it that the Mound is the burial site of Merlin[1] and that the name of the town, Marlborough comes from Merlin’s Barrow. The town’s motto is Ubi nunc sapientis ossa Merlini – Where now are the bones of wise Merlin[2].
Further evidence of human occupation comes from the discovery of the Marlborough Bucket an Iron Age burial bucket, with decorations of human heads and animals on sheet bronze.
Roman remains and coins have been found two miles to the East of Marlborough, at Mildenhall (Cunetio).
A later Saxon settlement grew up around The Green and two early river crossings were made at Isbury Lane and Stonebridge Lane.
The first written record of Marlborough dates from 1087 when the Domesday Book was finished. The borough received its charter to hold a market in 1204.[3]
* In 1067, William the Conqueror assumed control of the Marlborough area and set about building a wooden motte and bailey castle, sited on the pre-historic mound. This was completed in around 1100 and stone was used to strengthen the castle, in around 1175.
* William also established a mint in Marlborough, which coined the William I and the early William II silver pennies. The coins display the name of the town as Maerlebi or Maerleber.
* William I established the neighbouring Savernake Forest as a favourite Royal hunting ground [4] and Marlborough Castle became a Royal residence. Henry I observed Easter here, in 1110. Richard I (Coeur de Lion) gave the castle to his brother John, in 1186. Henry II stayed at Marlborough Castle, in talks with the King of Scotland. King John was married here and spent time in Marlborough. He even established a Treasury. Later, Henry III was also married here.[5]
* Henry III held Parliament here, in 1267, when the Statute of Marlborough was passed (this gave rights and privileges to small land owners and limited the right of the King to take possession of land). This seven-hundred-year-old law states that no one shall seize his neighbour’s goods for alleged wrong, without permission of the Court. It is the oldest piece of English law which has not yet been repealed.
* The castle fell into disrepair by the end of the 14th century but remained Crown property. Edward VI then passed it to the Seymour family, his mother’s relatives.
* The 1204 Charter granted the Borough an annual eight-day fair, commencing on 14 August, the vigil of the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady (15 August), in which “all might enjoy the liberties and quittances customary in the fair at Winchester”. He also established that weekly markets may be held on Wednesdays and Saturdays. These continue to this day.[6]
* In 1498 Thomas Wolsey was ordained priest in (the now redundant) St Peter’s church. He later rose to become a cardinal and Lord Chancellor.
* In 1642, Marlborough’s peace was shattered by the English Civil War. The Seymours held the Castle for the King but the Town was for Parliament. With his headquarters in nearby Oxford, King Charles had to deal with Marlborough. “A Town the most notoriously disaffected of all that Country, otherwise, saving the obstinacy and malice of the inhabitants, in the situation of it very unfit for a garrison… this place the King saw would prove quickly an ill neighbour to him, not only as it was in the heart of a rich County, and so would straighten him, and even infest his quarters.” The King sent Lord Digby to take the town of Marlborough. He left Oxford at the head of four hundred horses, on the 24th November. When he arrived, he chose to parley first, thus giving the inhabitants a chance to prepare defences and to recruit troops. They mustered about seven hundred poorly-armed men. At this point, the Town issued a reply to Digby. “The King’s Majesty” he declared, “providing he were attended in Royal and not in war like wise, should be as welcome to that Town as ever was Prince to People; but as to delivering up the good Town of Marlborough to such a traitor as Lord Digby … they would sooner die”. After some early skirmishes, Royalist troops infiltrated the Town down its small alleyways. The Town was captured and looted and many buildings were set ablaze. One hundred and twenty prisoners were marched in chains to Oxford. The Town was later abandoned by the King and took no further part in the war.
* On 28 April 1653, the Great Fire of Marlborough burnt two hundred and fifty houses to the ground.[citation needed] Fire swept through the Town again in 1679 and again in 1690. This time, an Act of Parliament was passed “to prohibit the covering of houses and other buildings with thatch in the Town of Marlborough”.[7]
* In 1689, William III created Sir John Churchill, the distinguished Army general, Earl of Marlborough. In 1702, William’s successor, Queen Anne created Churchill Duke of Marlborough.
* Nobel Prize winning author William Golding, author of Lord of the Flies, grew up in the town. Golding lived on a house in the Green. Golding was educated at the former Marlborough Grammar School, where his father was a science master.
In 2004, Marlborough Live celebrated 800 years of its Town Charter, among the celebrations was a street play by the Marlborough Players entitled “Wheels of Time” and a visit from HRH Prince Charles. During the rebuilding of the town after the Great Fire of Marlborough in 1653 which destroyed almost the entire town, the high street became what is claimed to be the widest in England. This allows ample space for a local market which is held twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Every summer the town holds a jazz festival with local pubs, clubs, hotels and various other venues playing host to live jazz music over the course of a weekend. Every October the high street is closed for the two Saturdays either side of 11 October for the Marlborough Mop Fair. This was originally a hiring fair for agricultural workers seeking employment but now has become a funfair. The right of the town to close the road to hold the fair is set down in the Charter.
On the north side of the high street is the Merchant’s House, which is currently under restoration but part of which is open to the public on Fridays and Saturdays in summer. The house was built following the Great Fire of 1653. It was the property of a silk merchant and, rarely for a house of this type in a town centre, still retains its original room pattern. Of great interest are the wall paintings recently uncovered, which are undergoing careful conservation. One room painted in a striped pattern, copying silk hangings, is perhaps unique in Great Britain.
How To Get Out Of Debt Tips
There are hundreds of books on personal finance so it is easy to get overloaded with information. You have one author talking about one topic and saying to do one thing. Then you have another talking about how to pay down your debts. Then you have yet another that may say something totally different than the other two. So who are you to believe?
You can find even more debt and credit tips online. What the financial problems consumers are having these days there will only be more information put out there.
You don’t need the latest books to help you get out of debt. Kevin Trudeau seems to come out with a new book every few months. You would be wise to check out reviews before you call his 1 800-number.
Or you can check out Amazon and read personal finance books or reviews. You can look through the reviews on Amazon or Barnes and Noble and see if you need that book. You can check out the reviews and get some get out of debt reviews. You might find some helpful tips from the ads. This can help you find out what you need from that book.
But with all the free debt tips you read, there are only so many ways you can say the same thing. The best ways out of debt are reduce what you spend each month and pay more than the minimums. You could also benefit by looking for ways to earn more money. This is reduce credit card debt. You can reduce your debts a number of ways. You can also take steps to reduce your interest rates on your credit cards. Make a point to call your creditors often.
Do not hide your head in the sand. You will find yourself in a better position when you take a proactive approach to dealing with your credit card debt problems. Talk to your creditors when you are having problems and learn how to negotiate debt. Your creditors will be more willing to deal with you.
You can use these tips to manage your bills. Use them and get some much needed debt relief.
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Today, the Bride-To-Be Will Choose Between Various Kinds of Hair Pieces
September 16, 2009 by Tucker · 2 Comments
A lot of people think of the wedding day to be one of the most crucial days of their lives. On this momentous celebration it is necessary that all is planned out; absolutely can be left to chance. To ensure a excellent wedding, every little detail must be though of – from something as crucial as the wedding’s venue all the way to the smallest wedding highlights.
The most attention can most likely paid to the bride-to-be’s outfit. Among other bridal wedding accents taken into high regard, the wedding dress has to be perfect and the footwear must match it exactly. One thing that money people no longer think about is the bride-to-be’s head wear. Looking into acquiring a blue aisle runner that complements the brides-to-be’s hair piece can be done. Custom has it that the bride must wear a veil on her wedding, but the wedding tiara has actually become a valid alternative. The following are the principal variances among the two and why more and more brides have elected to do away with the traditional wedding veil.
Conventionally, the veil is used to conceal the face of the bride-to-be to symbolize her virginity. When the bride’s father unveils his daughter, this represents his intention to offer the bride to her husband-to-be. Brides could research the term personalized unity candle to find a few that match the overall wedding decor. This relevant accessory does not only convey substance but in addition comes with plenty of style. Wedding veils are most times used to accent the dress and some ensembles would be incomplete without it. Plus veils can have the result of making brides seem more elegant and lovely.
In usual Catholic Weddings, there are few brides who stroll down the aisle lacking the veil. However, it is crucial to realize that brides spend a large amount of money to appear the most beautiful on their wedding day. A bunch of time and effort is given to preparing the bride’s hair and make-up. As a result of this, some brides would rather showcase their radiant beauty to their guests while strolling down the aisle, rather than concealing their face behind a white veil. This is the key reason why many brides opt for tiaras as the centerpiece of their hair wedding accessories.
Tiaras have evolved into so popular because of the fact that they complete any type of hairstyle. This ornament packs in a bunch of class and makes the bride seem like the princess she knows she is. Jewelry in the hairstyle is also one of the many hair wedding accessories that should are associated with a tiara. Rhinestone-studded hair combs or clips are perfect for hair that is worn up, while bits of jewelery fastened to long strands of hair will look marvelous should the bride wear her hair down.
Your Smartest Kitchen Remodel Concepts
August 16, 2009 by · Leave a Comment
A home’s kitchen is what sets your home a part from any other house. Your kitchen is the place where families cook and eat together.
It is where a mom teaches her young daughter how to bake brownies, and where Dad sits down and builds the first model airplane with his son. Kitchens really are an important aspect of your home. But, every kitchen eventually needs remodeling.
When trying to find kitchen remodeling ideas, you ought to spend time thinking about what you truly want in your} kitchen. Think carefully about lighting, cabinet space, kitchen appliances, and the type of seating you want. Give careful thought to everything that will help make the updated kitchen your own dream kitchen.
When looking for ideas for your kitchen remodel, you can check out books and magazines. You can even get ideas from your friends, family, and coworkers, but when it all comes down to it, it will still be your kitchen and your decision to make on remodeling. So, take their advice and tips. Whirl them around in your head. Then do more research.
You will find that the kitchen design online websites and software will offer you products and kitchen ideas that are suited to you and your needs. This way you can have a kitchen redesign that is truly best suited for you
A Complete Guide To Bathroom Mirrors
July 3, 2009 by · 2 Comments
Introduction
Central to the mythology of mirrors is Narcissus a Boeotian hero, who disliked those who loved him for his own natural beauty. He famously gazed into a pool of water and was so fascinated with the reflection, that he was unable to bring himself to leave the image. Not realising that the image he could see was of his own natural beauty, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the image, and he perished.
The concept of how the mirror works is quite simple. It stems simply from the reflective surface of still water and therefore nature plays its part. When you look down into a puddle or a dark pool of water, the smooth water reflects the light straight back into your eyes.
Mirrors work in a similar way, in that a mirror is made up of a coated glass surface which when a polished metal surface or metal film is applied behind the glass, light cannot shine through and so reflects the image back. Young children especially, are always fascinated when they look into a mirror for the first time and see their own reflection staring back at them. Anyone who has young children will remember the vision of their young son kissing their image on a mirror.My eight year old daughter loves sitting in front of her mirror doing her hair nearly as much as my fifteen year old daughter!
Where would we be today without mirrors? Mirrors are generally used for personal grooming or interior decoration and have evolved from a luxury item into a necessity. There is an enormous variety of mirror shapes and sizes and over the years, mirrors have gradually developed to meet many different requirements. Today there is a large selection of mirrors , ranging from small mirrors to large mirrors, framed, unframed and includes bathroom mirrors, decorative mirrors, illuminated mirrors, LED mirrors, shaving mirrors, compact mirrors and demister mirrors.
Away from personal use, mirrors are also used in industry as part of scientific apparatus such as cameras, lasers, telescopes and periscopes, to reflect light and used as tools in dentistry and medical care.Not to mention the beauty and hair salon industries.
History of Mirrors
The history of mirrors as far as we can see dates back over 8,000 years. The earliest known mirrors were made from pieces of polished stone such as obsidian, a naturally occurring glass from cooled volcanic lava flows. In Anatolia in Turkey, examples of obsidian mirrors dated at around 6000 BC have been found. In south and central America, polished stone mirrors from around 2000 BC on wards have also been found. From around 3000 BC mirrors of polished copper are known to have been crafted in ancient Egypt. In China bronze mirrors were manufactured from around 2000 BC.
The first metal coated glass mirrors are thought to have been made in the first century AD, in Sidon, known today as Lebanon. The Roman author Pliny makes reference to glass mirrors backed with gold leaf in his Naturalis Historia, one of the largest reference books to have survived from the Roman Empire, which focused on natural and man-made objects and was written in around 77 AD. The Romans also created a technique for making crude mirrors by using molten lead to coat blown glass.
In the 10th Century Arabian Physicists, considered different types of mirrors, reflecting mirrors and parabolic mirrors and another discussed concave and convex mirrors in both cylindrical and spherical geometries. In undertaking various experiments with mirrors, finding the point on a convex mirror at which a ray of light coming from one point is reflected to another point was solved.
During the period of the 14th to 17th Centuries, across Europe a method of coating glass with a tin-mercury amalgam was perfected by manufacturers. Venice was recognised for its glass making expertise and soon became a centre of mirror production using this new technique. Glass mirrors from this period were extremely expensive luxuries.
The particular process of silvering to produce the first silvered-glass mirror is credited to German chemist Justus von Liebig in 1835. He developed a process to apply a thin layer of metallic silver onto glass through the chemical reduction of silver nitrate. The process was adapted for mass production and led to the greater availability of affordable mirrors and formed the basis of what we now consider the normal way to produce a mirror today.
The evolution of the mirror over the years is quite interesting, if like me you love mirrors! It has evolved from a luxury item to an item which is now taken for granted in daily use. Today, walk into any store to look at mirrors and the selection is vast, with many technology features now finding there way into mirrors, to give added simplicity, luxury and decoration.
New features such as Illumination, LED lighting and demisters now provide a huge bathroom mirrors range to choose from.
How are Mirrors Made?
The manufacture of mirrors includes the application to a suitable material of a reflective coating. Glass is the most common material, due to its ability to take a smooth finish and its rigidity. Glass is also more scratch resistant than many other materials.
Early mirrors were made of solid metal, bronze or silver and they were far too expensive for most to be able to afford. Metal is also prone to corrosion and because of polished metal’s low emissivity, antique mirrors were less suitable for indoor use. With indoor lighting at the time supplied by candles or lanterns, the metal mirrors reflected a much darker picturecompared to modern glass mirrors.
In modern times ‘float glass’ is used in the manufacture of mirrors, which is a flat ribbon of glass which is run out of a furnace and along the surface of a bath of molten tin. The temperature of both the glass and molten tin is controlled to enable both surfaces to be made perfectly flat. There are now three common types of mirrors: plain – which has a flat surface, and the two spherical types of mirrors: the convex and the concave. The concave and convex mirrors can be used in an entertaining way, when used at fairgrounds or amusement parks to distort peoples figures reflected in them through bloating, stretching and shrinking, the person or object in front of them. I challenge even the most dour faced individual to stand in front of a mirror in a hall of mirrors without laughing at their reflection!
In some applications, a mirror isn’t a mirror at all. For example, when used in public conveniences, particularly in public or factory toilets, where for reasons of cost and the need for greater durability, a single polished metal sheet is often installed as a form of mirror.
Different Types of Mirror
Throughout the ages, mirrors have been employed as symbols of truth, deception and vanity. Mention a mirror and you instantly know that if you look into one, you will see your own reflection staring back at you. The image you see will resemble your own appearance. In optical principles, the reflections in mirrors do not totally match the objects in front of them. When looking into the mirror, trace the contour of the reflection of your head in a mirror. The reflection may correspond in proportion, but will generally be half in actual size.
With such a variety and huge range of mirrors now available, much has been made of the amount of money spent in purchasing mirrors particularly by women, although in this day and age with an increase in men purchasing cosmetics, some men will also be vain enough to carry a mirror. I wonder if in another decade or two, me calling men vain for carrying a mirror will be thought of as ridiculous!
The vain Queen in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs famously asked her special mirror, “Mirror, Mirror on the Wall, who’s the fairest of them all?” Mirrors are synonymous with truth.
Mirrors are frequently used in interior decoration to create an illusion of space, and to decorate and amplify the apparent size of a room. They will be used around the home, the office, a pub, club or restaurant to good effect. They work particularly well in night clubs, reflecting the many images of light in the club or room to create a feeling of a much bigger space.
Infinity Mirrors provide an effect of never reaching an end, known as ‘infinity breaking’ and are particularly effective when used in a dark environment. I remember experiencing this phenomenon for the first time as a child in a large department store lift, where mirrors where on all sides of the elevator car. For those who are not good in lifts I should think this effect probably does nothing to calm them, perhaps that’s why you don’t see lifts like this anymore Or is it just because I’m getting old and that was a particular style popular in the 70’s!
My next favourite kind of mirror after the infinity mirror is the heated mirror, these mirrors have a heating element or what is called a demister pad mounted on the back. The reason a mirror steams up when you have a shower is because the surface temperature of the mirror is colder than the air temperature and causes the water vapour in the air to condense on the mirror. Some bright spark realised long ago that it if you heated the mirror this would avoid it steaming up, brilliant!
For many years heated mirrors have only featured in very expensive bathrooms usually costing thousands, and quality hotels have used heated mirrors as a neat differentiator from the increasingly popular budget hotels and motels. Of course it is not until you step out of the hotel shower and see yourself in the mirror that you realise it is there! Whilst at the back of your mind you realise this is one of the reasons why this room is more expensive than the other hotel across the street.
Last week I heard the BBC Radio 2 DJ Ken Bruce state that the best shave you ever had will have been in a hotel, to which he attributed the benefit of the heated bathroom mirror as the main reason. I have to agree, and every time I stay in (nice) hotel I always have a really good look at the bathroom with a view to reproducing the best of its features in my own home.
In 1980, ska group The Beat had a UK top ten hit with ‘Mirror in the Bathroom’ and the bathroom is probably the location where we are most intimate with our mirrors. Many will say that it is not wise to look at yourself in the mirror first thing in the morning, but the bathroom is often the first port of call in the morning. Many bathrooms feature a main bathroom mirror positioned on a wall and a bathroom cabinet with mirror doors. Other than the “oh my god” do I really look like that expression, the uses of a mirror or mirrors in a bathroom will generally be to aid the application of make up, hair styling or shaving.
One of the major problems with bathroom mirrors is that after showering or bathing, the mirror is misted over. A recent addition in the manufacture of heated mirrors is the inclusion of a demister pad which clears the mirror for use in mere seconds. Imagine never having to again wait for the steam of the bathroom to disappear from the mirror, or having to open the window, before using the mirror to shave or apply make up. The bathroom mirror demister or steam free bathroom mirror is a great invention. Some manufacturers refer to these products as fog free bathroom mirrors and there is now a huge range available, again some with back lights, LED lighting and built in shaver points.
Demister mirrors and steam free bathroom mirrors are not the only recent developments on mirrors. As suggested above another reasonably new product is the back lit bathroom mirror. Illuminated mirrors maintain the features of a simple mirror, but will enhance any environment in which they are used with the addition of lighting. As with all mirrors, the range of illuminated mirrors is extensive, with a variety of sizes and shapes available. An Illuminated mirror with shaver point can also be purchased.
Mirrors with back lit LED lights will enhance any bathroom or environment in which they are installed. Being of low energy consumption LED, or light emitting diode, are more environmentally friendly than traditional bulbs. They are designed to withstand the wetness of the bathroom environment. So water vapour mist will not cause a problem. As a real luxury mirror, illuminated bathroom mirrors and bathroom mirrors with LED lighting can also include a demister, to demist the mirror in just a few seconds and an on/off sensor to activate the lights as soon as motion is detected in front of the mirror. Now bathroom cabinets are also available with inbuilt back lights, and LED lighting for that special something different in your bathroom.
As a bathroom accessory the mirror should come high on the list, in fact can you really have a finished bathroom without a mirror? The enormous selection of styles, types, shapes and sizes means that there must be a mirror to match anyone’s budget. Although some of the latest technological versions such as illuminated, back lit and LED mirrors could be considered to be luxury items, some are not as expensive as you may have thought.
A new LED mirror is available which has a hand sensor built into it so you can turn the lights on or off by waving your hand in front of the sensor.
Mirrors, Superstition and Auspicious Energy Flow
I have always loved mirrors, probably why I have ended up in the mirrors business! When I was at school I did a project on them, this was before the internet was invented mind so I trawled through piles and piles of reference books in both the school and local library for months. These days of course it would only take half an hour on Google, kids these days don’t know how easy they’ve got it!
Once you get immersed in mirrors as I did all those years ago, or ‘mirros’ as I frequently misspelled it, and start researching them, you find that they play a major part in all aspects of life. Mirrors also feature in superstitions. One of the most commonly known superstitions is that someone who breaks a mirror will receive seven years bad luck. A popular belief for this superstition is that mirrors are a reflection of the soul and if a mirror is broken, then part of the soul is broken. Added to this, some believe that the soul regenerates every seven years in an unbroken condition, hence the seven years of bad luck. I bet you’ve always wondered what that was about so I’m glad to share that with you!
It is also said that the mirror does not lie. A mirror can show only the truth. It is a very bad omen indeed to see something in a mirror which should not be there, a technique regularly used in scary movies! Some cultures also have a custom that a newborn child should not look into a mirror until its first birthday because its soul is still forming.
In the southern United States, it used to be customary to cover the mirrors in a house where the wake of a deceased person was being held. If a mirror was left uncovered or exposed, people believed that the deceased person’s soul would become trapped in any uncovered mirror.
In the ancient art of Feng Shui mirror placement is considered very important. There is a lot of information available about this, and it is a subject that can’t be covered in a mere paragraph or two here. But Chi energy flow can be influenced by mirrors so where the energy needs to be diverted, mirrors can be used for this to great effect. Personally I don’t really conform to these rules, although my mum has mirrors strategically placed all over her house to redirect in-auspicious energy! One of the principles I do follow though is to make sure I don’t have any mirrors facing my bed, or the kids beds, as this is said to reflect your dreams back onto you whilst you are sleeping, which is not a good thing if it’s a nightmare!
Conclusion
A mirror is defined as a coated glass surface for reflecting images. There is a huge range of mirrors for scientific use, and available in many shapes and sizes. The most commonly seen uses of mirrors are for personal grooming and interior decoration. As a race we are thoroughly addicted to mirrors. Who can honestly say that they can walk past a mirror without taking a look at themselves?
Over time, mirrors have evolved from a luxury item to an item of necessity and many particularly women will always carry a mirror in their hand bags. However, today with technological advancements, some mirrors will be seen as a luxury, particularly those which include illumination, LED or demisting devices. As individuals we spend many hours of our life in a bathroom, so why not treat yourself to one of life’s little luxuries and indulge in a stylish bathroom mirror? After all, let’s be honest, who can really live without a mirror?