The Fastest Way To Get Your Quotes For Portable Buildings

Most of the offshore projects including mining activities will need dependable accommodation solutions in the mining sites. As constructing a permanent structure in the mining sites will become very expensive, it is not really helpful to go for such solutions. Moreover, once the mining activities are completed then the permanent structures would prove to be of no use. So to avoid such unnecessary and futile expenses, most of the companies today go for temporary and portable buildings for their mining accommodations. Before you execute your plans on portable mining camps or portable buildings for your mining accommodation, you need to make sure to get the quotes from your service provider. Shipping containers are being used extensively for such portable accommodation requirements for the mining sites. You will have to make sure to approach the leading shipping container company like Port Container Services for your needs. Today getting your shipping container quotes for portable buildings does not take too long, you will be able to get your quotes very easily by making use of the online quotes request tools. Yes, online quotes are faster than ever. You will be able to get your quotes in the shortest time online as opposed to the other methods of getting your quotes. When you do request your quotes online for your portable buildings, make sure to state all your requirements clearly. So that your shipping container company can provide you with an accurate quote. Lack of adequate information will only delay the process because only when your shipping containers company has adequate information at hand, they will be able to provide you with the right solutions as well as the right quote. In case you do not supply your shipping container company with adequate information, they will have to get back to you seeking clarifications. This of course will increase the number of steps involved before you get the right quote for your requirements. If you are interested in having quite mining camps installed, then the use of shipping containers in your mining camps will provide you with the best solution possible. You need not have to make any extensive preparation as in the case of putting up a permanent structure. So get in touch with Port Container Services to get your quotes online and initiate the process of installing your mining accommodations in the fastest and the most professional way possible. It is not enough that you get your quotes for the shipping containers quickly but your service provider should also provide you the accommodation solutions promptly without any delays. When you are ordering your accommodation units, take into account the time factor for the delivery of your accommodation units. Careful planning is of paramount importance while getting your portable buildings for the mining camps. Shipping containers certainly do form the best solutions for such requirements. They are also one of the safest accommodation options for mining sites. Get your quotes for portable building online from Port Container Services and save time.

New & Used Portable Units from TF Jackson

T F Jackson portable accommodation Limited, specialise in quality used portable buildings, temporary accommodation & new modular buildings. Please browse our web site for Portable Office Units, Site Storage, Shipping Containers and New Modular Buildings. We have large stocks of second hand portable offices, classrooms, canteens, & drying rooms. As well as toilet units suitable for site, sports club, event or camp site use. A range of Jack Leg Cabins, Anti-Vandal Portable Buildings & New Modular Buildings are always available.

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The Weather Channel Gives You Instantaneous Information So You Can Plan Ahead!

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The Weather Channel provides up to date weather conditions and forecasts locally, nationally, and world-wide at any time of the night or day. The Weather Channel has been accessible to many people subscribing to cable for years, but if you are not a cable subscriber, you might have seen presence of the Weather Channel elsewhere. You can use the Weather Channel to plan an outside event, pack appropriate clothing for your vacation, and even to forecast a high pollen weekend.

Watch The Weather On T.V.

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Cable or satellite television will give you complete information on your local weather, which will include the most current temperature and other weather information. You can get your local forecast every 8 minutes, to ensure easy planning in your daily activities or weekend adventures. The Weather Channel on television is not the only way we can have access to complete weather information, although it is one of the most used. You can also see Weather Channel sponsored links on the internet and on your cell phone.

See The Weather On The Internet

The Weather Channel is a sponsor of weather.com, which is a generally free of charge, weather website found online. The Weather Channel website can be personalized, so it shows you current forecast and temperature in your specific zip code. Simply by spending a few moments to register on the site, you will have your current temperature displayed on your computer screen directly next to where the time is displayed. The website has forecasts for driving excursions, including the scenic routes, travel forecasts to other countries, and recreation reports, such as boating and aviation. You will also find forecasts for major sporting events, pollution reports, and an "aches and pains" forecast. The list of the available features of the Weather Channel website is both impressible and lengthy. The Weather Channel has found almost every possible way to keep you informed about weather related information.

Watch The Weather On Your Cell Phone

Cell phones are another way to access a great deal of information from virtually anywhere. There are several cellular phone companies that have teamed up with the Channel to give you access to up to the moment forecasts, alerts, and radar images, as well as live weather reports. This way you can always be ready for any sort of weather-related activity.

Start Planning!

No matter if you are a weather junkie, or you just want to be better informed about the weather and its affect on your life's plans, there is a tool for you. The weather is not something you can control, but it is something you can prepare for and deal with in a proper manner. Enjoy taking a look at the Channel and all its possibilities to help you through your rainy (or sunny) day!

What Is Weathering and How Does It Differ Between Climates? (Weathering Part No 3)

There are many different kinds of climates on out planet. Climates can be categorized by the average annual precipitation (wet vs. dry) and by the average temperature (cold, temperate, and hot). These categories lead to climates such as tundras, grasslands, deserts, deciduous forests, boreal forests, and the tropics. Because of the different temperatures and the different humidity, each of these areas have a predominate form of weathering.

Wait. What is weathering?
Weathering is the break down of earth's rocks (rocks, minerals, crystals, mountain ranges, cliffs, and such) by the weather. It is the break down of rocks by air, the water in the air, and wind.
There are two basic different types of weathering.

Mechanical weathering
Mechanical weathering doesn't change the property of earth's rocks or mineral. If the rock was granite before, it is granite after weathered. It just gets smaller. This form of weathering has many causes.
Temperature changes cause expansion and contraction, thus creating cracks in rocks.
Water can freeze on a rock or inside a rock crack. When it freezes, the water expands, pushing the rock apart. The water melts and fills with even more water comes. It freezes again and expands even more.
Plants growing in rock cracks increase the size of the cracks as they grow.
Deflation. Air can pick up small pieces of sediment and move it to other areas.The wind-blown sediment slowly pounds away at the rock. The pounding of the rock with the sediment in the air is called abrasion.
Water can pound against rock, breaking off tiny pieces of rock.
Chemical weathering

Chemical weathering changes the composition of the rock or mineral. So, after chemical weathering MgSO4 is no longer MgSO4. The end product is different from the starting point. Like mechanical, chemical weathering has a variety of causes.
The air we breath is about 21% Oxygen. Oxygen from the air can combine with rocks, or replace an element in a mineral, to create a new rock or mineral.
Living things that grow on rocks often release acids that dissolve rock.
Water combines with particles in the air, like volcanic gases and industrial pollution to make acids. Acids dissolve rock and change the chemical composition of it. Outside sculptures are often weathered.
Chemical and mechanical weathering can operate together.

Chemical weathering can make physical weathering operate faster and physical weathering can make chemical weathering operate faster. Demonstrate this to yourself by performing this little experiment. Take three glasses. Put water in two of the glasses. Put candy in all three glasses. Label the glass without water "Control." Label the next glass "only chemical weathering." Label the third glass "chemical and physical weathering."Take the glass labeled chemical and physical weathering and swirl it for a minute. Let all the glasses sit. Come back in twenty minutes and notice which candies have dissolved more.While the candies in the "chemical only" glass have dissolved somewhat, the candies in the physical and chemical glass have dissolved much more.
Back to the climates
Different climates have predominate types of weathering.
Chemical weathering is faster when there is plenty of water. This is for two reasons. Firstly, the water combines with particles in the air to make acid. Secondly, more living things live in wet areas, and living things produce acids. Chemical weathering is also faster when it is warmer, because increased temperature speeds up chemical reactions.
Physical weathering, like water freezing in rock cracks, thawing, and re-freezing, requires cold temperatures to freeze, and it requires water to weather.
So, cold and wet favors mechanical weathering and hot and wet favors chemical weathering. The arctic tundra is cold and dry, so little chemical weathering occurs there. The rain forests, however, are hot and wet and chemical weathering does well there.

Gwen Nicodemus is a freelance engineer/writer and a homeschooling mom. Visit her website, Notion Nexus, for unit studies, worksheets, notes, and educational videos.

The National Weather Service - What, When, And Why

Recording The Weather
In 1870, the National Weather Service (NWS) was founded by a resolution from President Ulysses S. Grant. The resolution stated the National Weather Service "to provide for taking meteorological observations at the military stations in the interior of the continent and at other points in the States and Territories...and for giving notice on the northern (Great) Lakes and on the seacoast by magnetic telegraph and marine signals, of the approach and force of storms." George Washington, Ben Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson all established an interest in weather-related recordings prior to the establishment of the National Weather Service. This interest influenced the role and development of the National Weather Service.
NWS Progression
o 1869 - The telegraph was invented, in which weather observations could quickly be transmitted to and from several locations. This helped weather predicting and reporting become easier.
o 1870 - General Albert J. Meyer was named the director of the Weather Bureau, and the National Weather Service was implemented. At this point in history, the National Weather Service was operated in the same line as military traditions.
o 1890 - The Department of Agriculture reformed the Weather Bureau to make it a civilian enterprise. This was done by the request of President Benjamin Harrison. Due to this change, the Kentucky Derby (in its 15th year) was able to take a weather report!
o 1891 - The National Weather Service weather experiments and directions were given by the Secretary of Agriculture in 1891.
o 1901 - The first 3-day forecast was made; and the mail carriers would put slips of paper sharing the forecast into the newspaper as it was delivered each morning.
o 1927 - The ability of the Weather Bureau to make predictions about the weather was greatly enhanced with the beginning of air travel. The NWS learned about air currents, upper level moisture, etc.

o 1951 - The National Weather Service established the Severe Weather Warning Center at the Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma. This Center is the predecessor to the National Sever Storms Center.
o 1960 - The first weather satellite was launched at Cape Canaveral.
o 1967 - The Weather Bureau was officially renamed the National Weather Service, which is made up of members of the Volunteer Corps who notify the NWS on a regular basis on their observations.
Use The NWS Daily!

By utilizing all that this governmental agency has to offer, we can plan recreational activities, monitor storm activity, know what to wear each day, etc. You can check out the NWS website for customized forecasts for you local area, throughout the United States, and even world-wide. Other information on the NWS website: local air quality details; educational resources for helping your children learn about the weather; and more!

Margarette Tustle writes for family and home. Find more resources on weather at yeweather.com

Learn About Natural Weather Forecasting and How It Can Help Every Part of Your Life

As most everyone already knows, we did not always have scientific means to predict or forecast the coming weather. People long ago and even today use the other things to predict the weather; animal behavior, patterns they observe and good old fashion folklore and wives tales.

If for some unknown reason you were in a place that had nothing new and modern and you had to rely on something else then it never hurts to at least be aware of what is out there, so familiarize yourself with some of the old-time methods used. Of course these methods are neither perfect nor fool-proof, but they really do have their usefulness.

GENERAL WEATHER AND FORMULAS
Deaths occur most often when the tide is going out.
Births occur whdn the tide is coming in.
You could measure the distance of a storm by counting from the flash of the lightning to the sound of thunder.
Winter thunder means snow within 10 days.
Make a campfire. The smoke should rise steadily. Smoke that swirls and descends is caused by low pressure (i.e. rain on the way).
Take a deep breath. Close your eyes and smell the air.
Plants release their waste in a low pressure atmosphere, generating a smell like compost and indicating an upcoming rain.
Swamps will release gasses just before a storm because of the lower pressure, which leads to unpleasant smells.
A proverb says "Flowers smell best just before a rain." Scents are stronger in moist air, associated with rainy weather.
Grow some scarlet pimpernel - Known as the Poor Man's Barometer, its flowers close when atmospheric pressure decreases and rain is on the way. Dandelions and tulips do the same.
You can predict the weather with a persimmon seed. Here's how to do it:
Cut open a persimmon seed.
Look at the shape of the kernel inside.
If the kernel is spoon-shaped, lots of heavy, wet snow will fall. Spoon = shovel!
If it is fork-shaped, you can expect powdery, light snow and a mild winter.
If the kernel is knife-shaped, expect to be "cut" by icy, cutting winds.
It's best to use ripe seeds.
Did you know that you can tell the temperature by counting the chirps of a cricket? It's true! Here's the formula:
To convert cricket chirps to degrees Fahrenheit, count numbers of chirps in 14 seconds then add 40 to get temperature.
Example: 30 chirps + 40 = 70° F
To convert cricket chirps to degrees Celsius, count number of chirps in 25 seconds, divide by 3, and then add 4 to get temperature.
Example: 48 chirps /(divided by) 3 + 4 = 20° C
Reading a Pig's spleen can predict the weather
Divide the spleen from top to bottom into 6 parts.
The top closest to the head shows current month.
Bottom is the last of the six months.
Where the spleen thickens, a change in the weather is indicated, usually pointing to a cold spell.
Where there's a pronounced bulge, expect even more inclement weather.
Reading a Goose Bone
Watch the coloration as the bone dries.
If the bone turned blue, black, or purple, a cold winter lay ahead.
White indicated a mild winter.
Purple tips were a sure sign of a cold spring.
A blue color branching out toward the edge of the bone meant open weather until New Year's Day.
If the bone was a dark color, or blue all over, the prediction was for a real bad winter.
The woolly bear caterpillar-with its 13 distinct segments of black and reddish-brown-has the reputation of being able to forecast the coming winter weather. According to legend, the wider that middle brown section is (i.e., the more brown segments there are), the milder the coming winter will be. Conversely, a narrow brown band is said to predict a harsh winter.
ANIMALS
If a deer or cow has extra layers of fat when slaughtered there will be a bad winter coming.
Cows that suddenly gather beneath large trees means rain is coming.
Expect rain when dogs eat grass.
Expect rain when cats purr and wash.
Expect rain when sheep turn into the wind.
Expect rain when oxen sniff the air.
Expect rain when swine are restless.
If the deer are out early grazing there is big storm coming.
Squirrels' nesting in dead trees instead of making nests of leaves mean a harsh winter.
If the cows in pastures are all lying down, it's a sure sign of rain.
If the bull leads the cows to pasture, expect rain.
if the cows precede the bull, the weather will be uncertain.
When cats sneeze, it is a sign of rain.
Bats flying late in the evening indicate fair weather.
If the groundhog sees its shadow on Candlemas Day (February 2), six more weeks of winter remain.
When horses and cattle stretch out their necks and sniff the air, it will rain.
If the mole digs its hole 2½ feet deep, expect severe weather.
If the mole digs its hole two feet deep, not so severe weather.
If the mole digs its hole one foot deep, expect a mild winter.
When pigs gather leaves and straw in all, expect a cold winter.
When rabbits are fat in October and November, expect a long, cold winter.
If sheep ascend hills and scatter, expect clear weather.
Wolves always howl more before a storm.
BIRDS
Birds singing in the rain indicates fair weather approaching.
If birds in the autumn grow tame, the winter will be too cold for game.
Partridges drumming in the fall mean a mild and open winter.
Chickens cackle and owls howl just before rain.
If crows fly in pairs, expect fine weather; a crow flying alone is a sign of foul weather.
When fowls roost in daytime, expect rain.
Seagulls tend to stop flying and take refuge at the coast if a storm is coming.
Animals, especially birds, get very quiet immediately before it rains.
The whiteness of a goose's breastbone indicates the kind of winter: A red of dark-spotted bone means a cold and stormy winter; few or light-colored spots mean a mild winter.
When domestic geese walk east and fly west, expect cold weather.
Hawks flying high means a clear sky. When they fly low, prepare for a blow.
Petrels' gathering under the stern of a ship indicates bad weather.
When the rooster goes crowing to bed, he will rise with watery head.
When seagulls fly inland, expect a storm.
When the swallow's nest is high, the summer is very dry.
When the swallow builds low, you can safely reap and sow.
A very old wives tale says if birds feed in a storm it will rain for a long time, if they don't it will clear soon.
INSECTS AND REPTILES
If ants their walls do frequent build, rain will from the clouds be spilled.
Ants are busy, gnats bite, crickets sing louder than usual, spiders come down from their webs, and flies gather in houses just before rain.
When bees to distance wing their flight, days are warm and skies are bright; But when their flight ends near their come, stormy weather is sure to come.
Turtles often search for higher ground when a large amount of rain is expected. You will often see them in the road during this period (1 to 2 days before the rain.)
Fireflies in great numbers indicate fair weather.
When hornets build their nests near the ground, expect a cold and early winter.
When cicadas are heard, dry weather will follow, and frost will come in six weeks.
When spiders' webs in air do fly, the spell will soon be very dry.
Spiders in motion indicate rain.
If you kill a spider indoors, it will bring rain.
If you killed a snake hang it over a fence and it will rain.
When spider-webs are wet with dew that soon dries, expect a fine day.
Spider-webs floating at autumn sunset bring a night frost.
The louder the frogs croak, the more the rain.
Frogs singing in the evening indicates fair weather the next day.
Leeches kept in glass jars are active just before rain.
Hang up a snake-skin and it will bring rain.
RAIN AND CLOUDS
Unusual clearness in the atmosphere, with distant objects seen distinctly, indicates rain.
Red skies at night, Sailor's delight. Red skies at morning, Sailor take warning.
Evening red and morning gray are sure signs of a fine day. Evening gray and morning red put on your hat or you'll wet your head.
If it rains before seven, it will clear before eleven.
When the wind blows the leaves on the trees upside down there will be a bad rain.
Rain from the south prevents the drought, but rain from the west is always best.
Anvil-shaped clouds bring on a gale.
A cloud with a round top and flat base carries rainfall on its face.
When small clouds join and thicken, expect rain.
Black clouds in the north in winter indicate approaching snow.
When there is enough blue sky to patch a Dutchman's breeches, expect clearing weather.
A curdle sky will not leave the earth long dry.
If you see clouds going crosswind, there is a storm in the air.
Hen scarts and filly tails make lofty ships wear low sails.
Clouds floating low enough to cast shadows on the ground are usually followed by rain.
Mackerel sky, mackerel sky, never long wet, never long dry.
If three nights dewless there be, 'twill rain, you're sure to see.
If heavy dew soon dries, expect fine weather; if it lingers on the grass, expect rain in 24 hours.
With dew before midnight, the next day sure will be bright.
If you wet your feet with dew in the morning, you may keep them dry for the rest of the day.
The higher the clouds, the finer the weather.
If you spot wispy, thin clouds up where jet airplanes fly, expect a spell of pleasant weather.
If small puff clouds (cumulus) in the morning or early afternoon have rounded tops and flat bases, if they grow higher than the cloud's width, then there's a chance of a thunderstorm forming.
Clear Moon, frost soon.
Ring around the moon and it will rain real soon.
If the night is clear enough to see the Moon and the temperature drops enough, frost will form. Expect a chilly morning!
When clouds appear like towers, the Earth is refreshed by frequent showers.
Rainbow in the morning gives you fair warning.
A rainbow in the morning indicates that a shower is west of us and we will probably get it.
Rain foretold, long last. Short notice, soon will pass.
The gray overcast dominating the horizon means a large area is affected.

If you get caught in a surprise shower, it's likely to be short-lived.
Red sky at night, sailors delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.
When the moon points up, the weather will be good.
when the moon points down, it will rain.
When a large star, or planet, is near the moon, the weather will be violent.
If the new moon is on Monday, then the weather will be good.
If a new moon occurs on a Saturday, then there will be twenty days of wind and rain.
If a new moon occurs on a Sunday, there will be a flood before the month is over.
The strongest storms and hurricanes are likely to be 1-3 days after a new moon and 3-5 days after a full moon.
Fog and a small moon bring an easterly winds.
A dry moon is far north and soon seen.
If the new moon is far north, it will be cold for two weeks.
If the new moon is far south, it will be warm.

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When the moon runs low, expect warm weather.

For more great articles on everything Kentucky and Country Living please go to our Kentucky Farmhouse website. Check out our series on myths, legends, omens, old wives tales and Folklore for other areas of your life.

Personal Reviews About Weather Monitor and Forecast Software on Your Desktop

If you are a junketing lover you should know that it is very important to learn about the weather conditions. Now we can get current weather conditions, forecasts over the Internet. However, it is a tired thing to visit a web page to watch the weather forecasts every time. Here I will commend you some popular weather monitor and forecast utilities, they are: WetSock, Weather1, Weather Pulse and Cli-Mate. Follow me, perhaps you may find a useful assistant here.

WetSock provides accurate and detailed weather forecasting from the aviation reports at local airports. It brings us hour-by-hour daily forecasts in plain language and also provides detailed cloud cover information so we can stay informed about upcoming weather. The program is capable of showing information about more than 4,000 cities around the world, which can be selected from a menu, organized by country. We can view the current conditions for all selected cities from within the interface and can also specify up to 10 cities, to be displayed in our system tray.

Weather1 is a great weather program that keeps us updated of current weather conditions, forecasts, Warnings and Advisories, radar and satellite images and much more! Literally, Worldwide locations of which to retrieve current conditions and forecasts. We can also display data from personal weather stations. We can choose from over 700 satellite/radar images to rotate as our desktop wallpaper, have it alert us of severe weather and so much more. Weather1 supports skins, so we can customize the way it looks.

Weather Pulse is a weather monitoring tool that that displays detailed weather information for selected US cities, as well as popular satellite images from around the globe. It includes weather alert options, 10 day forecast, hourly forecast, detailed forecast and more. The satellite images can be sent via email and also saved to file. Weather Pulse integrates all the information into a simple, easy to use interface and also provides a tray icon that displays the current temperature (the authors had to change the font settings for proper display). We can also add custom radar and weather images, view animated images and monitor multiple zip codes. Weather Pulse is a nicely done program that puts local and global weather information into easy reach from the system tray.

Cli-Mate is is a weather information tool that provides general weather and forecast information for a cities of our choice. In addition, it gathers wind speed, visibility, sky conditions, dew point, barometric pressure, relative humidity, and heat index data from over 3000 US and international cities. Cli-Mate also comes with a graphing feature, that plots dew point vs. temperature history over the last 24 hours, as well as barometric pressure history. If we have Microsoft Agent installed, it can also speak the weather information aloud. Cli-Mate is the easiest and most convenient way to receive up-to-date weather information on our desktop!

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As a whole, WetSock is a professional weather monitoring tool. Weather1 is very suited for personal users. We can change the skins of it as we like and we can set the satellite/radar images as our desktop wallpaper. Weather Pulse provides more detailed weather information for us. Cli-Mate is a multifunctional weather information utility. It can speak the weather information if we have Microsoft Agent installed. WetSock, Weather Pulse and Cli-Mate can display in weather information our system tray. Why not download a favorite weather monitor to get weather information easy and quickly.

Learn About Cooking Beans and Navy Bean Soup

Did you know that Beans contain more protein per pound than meat? Most meats contain 60 to 70 percent water. Beans are also high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. They're low in fat and sodium and contain no cholesterol or sugar. Sounds like a great way to improve your diet and your health.
They're also pretty boring, right? So how do you spice it up?
Find a great recipe and use a pressure cooker. The recipe will give you cooking times and the pressure cooker will speed the process greatly. Rinse the beans thoroughly in cold running water before placing in pressure cooker. This applies to pre-soaked as well because you want to get rid of any debris that may have been included in the production or packaging. Add spices, flavorings, carrots, onions, etc. Do not add salt or acid-like flavorings such as lemon juice or vinegar as this will toughen the beans during cooking. Add the flavorings near the end of the cooking process so that they are absorbed by the beans when they have become tender.

Some beans need to be pre-soaked, but you need to check to see which ones require soaking. Dried peas, for instance, do not require soaking, but Kidney beans and Red Beans do. The cookbook that accompanies your pressure cooker may have a chart but you can also find a great chart on MissVickie's pressure cooker website for the specific type of bean you are planning to use.
Beans and legumes tend to foam and froth during the cooking process so you must be sure that you do not fill your pressure cooker more than one-half full. Also adding a tablespoon of fat or oil to the water will control some of the foaming (not margarine). Make sure you've covered the beans by at least two inches of liquid. Close and lock pressure cooker, and cook for the recommended amount of time in your recipe. Release pressure naturally. You'll know the beans are done when they squish easily between fingers or with a fork. If not tender, pressure cook for an additional three to five minutes.
Navy Bean Soup

• 1 (16 oz.) pkg dried Navy Beans
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• Ham - left over ham bone with pieces
• or 1 thick slice center cut ham
• 1 Tbsp dried parsley
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp black pepper
• 2 to 3 cups water

Pre-soak Navy Beans for 4 hours, or quick soak beans by boiling for five minutes and letting sit for 2 hours. Do not add salt to water as it will toughen the beans.
Meanwhile chop onion, dice ham and prepare spices. Rinse beans thoroughly after pre-soak and drain. Sauté onions, chopped garlic and ham in pressure cooker pot with a bit of oil. Add all other ingredients and close pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure setting and cook for 20 minutes. Use natural release.

Test beans for doneness. Pressure cook for an additional 3 to 5 minutes if necessary. Release pressure naturally. Taste for seasoning and remove bay leaf. You may now wish to add some additional salt depending upon the saltiness of the ham you have used.
I use an immersible blender to puree 2 or 3 cups of the soup in a separate bowl and return to the soup to present a creamier texture before serving. There are many variations of flavorings you can use to customize your own Navy Bean Soup. Have fun experimenting and enjoy.
Here's to hearty comfort food and a healthier life style.

Sue Wiskowski-Fair has developed a special site to provide a one-stop experience for the busy cook to assist in today's stress-filled lives. Check out the wide variety of pressure cookers and pressure canners and determine what fits your lifestyle. Cookbooks to help you. Check out http://www.pressurizeit.com/Stainless-Steel-Pressure-Cookers/Fagor-Duo-8-quart-pressure-cooker/ for more information about pressure cookers.

How To Select the Ideal Home Weather Station

Have you ever considered buying your very own home weather station? Not that I'm selling them, but I believe I may be able to help you decide what to look for.
There are certainly many good reasons for having a modern weather station set up and working in your home.
Not the least of these is that they have never before been so easy to install and use, never had so many useful features, and certainly never been such good value.
How Your Own Home Weather Station Will Benefit You
The overall benefits of a home weather station are huge.
Modern home weather stations bring the outdoors inside to you, as outside weather sensors frequently and regularly transmit weather information to an attractively designed receiver/display unit, which can be set up almost anywhere in your home.
Home weather stations can provide crucial information about approaching bad weather, as well as giving you valuable data you can use to help maintain your garden, greenhouse, pond or aviary, or even to decide what to wear when you venture outside.

But best of all, they provide a painless way of understanding the weather, and what drives it. After all, weather provides the background to all our outdoor hobbies, sport and recreation. And many people have found that a strong `ppreciation of weather has led in many unexpected and enjoyable directions.
So there could be any number of reasons why you first considered a weather station as a possible addition to your home, including just a general interest in weather.
Let's think about what the ideal home weather station might be.
The Ideal Home Weather Station

• Firstly, it should be a wireless weather station - no worries about where the cables go. And it certainly will be able to record temperature, humidity, air pressure, wind strength and direction, and rainfall.
• Next, the radio's range must be great enough so that you have no problems with installing the sensors in the best place to obtain realistic weather data for your lncation - no problems with trees or buildings affecting your results because your best position was out of radio range. No problem about the room the receiver goes in because the ideal transmitter can handle a wall or two. And it should be able to operate free of any governmental restrictions on radio frequency, allowing fast and reliable data updates. Most of the likely problems are overcome with a radio range of 300 feet (91m) or more
• Thirdly, your temperature sensor is shielded so your readings are not affected by direct heat from the sun.
• Fourthly it should be easy to install. A purpose built stand would be nice.

So far so good. You'd be up and running in no time at all, and you'd be able to place the receiver in a location that suits you rather than the radio link.

• Now you have a couple of concerns about temperature and wind strength, as it affects your garden. A few programmable warnings would be nice.
• And so would a charting facility so you could review changing patterns over the last few hours, or days, or months, for almost any variable.
• In fact, you can see a few good reasons for linking your weather station to your computer, where some well designed software allows you to follow up a whole range of thoughts and trends.
• You've noticed that there are a number of private weather stations on the net, reporting online data just like you are getting from your set up. But there's a gap in information in your area, and you feel like you'd like to join the network - maybe even become a volunteer weather station in your area. And after a little bit of research, you find that it's no problem at all. Even better, you've just found a large group of interesting people with similar interests to yourself, scattered over the country, even the world.

All of these features can be found in quite a number of home weather stations, ranging in price from less than $150.00, if you are prepared to look around. However, like most things in life, you tend to get what you pay for, and the better models start around the $450.00 mark. Keep the name "Davis" in the back of your mind.
This doesn't mean that the lower priced home weather stations should be disregarded, particularly if your budget is tight. It just means that your weather station will work better and last longer if you take some care in setting it up and maintaining it, including early preventative maintenance.
To find out more about the better weather stations, where to find the best prices, and how to set them up to give long and trouble free service, make sure you visit http://www.home-weather-stations-guide.com. There's more information in the box just below.

©2005, Graham McClung. A retired geologist, Graham McClung has had a lifelong interest in the outdoors. And where there's outdoors there's weather. He is the editor of http://www.home-weather-stations-guide.com where you can find reviews and advice to help you choose and use your own home weather station. You can email him at information@home-weather-stations-guide.com.

Fun And Practical Wind And Weather Gadgets

As a society, we're consumed with the weather. Our personal, business, and economic well being can often depend upon wind and weather conditions. Travel, shopping, and social decisions are often dependent on the weather, and it's a well known fact that most conversations begin and end with comments about wind and weather.
What's even more interesting about weather and wind is not only their impact on our daily lives, but that forecasting weather and wind have become one of today's hottest hobbies, no pun intended! Wind and weather gadgets and related instruments are now a large part of attractive home decor. Items such as portable weather stations, wind gauges, specialty thermometers, and wind and weather home forecasters serve practical and decorative purposes for the well designed home.
Let's take a look at some of today's latest weather and wind gadgets, with a description of what they do. Each of these are applicable for home use and add a fun, practical element to your home decor.
Weather Stations: These desktop weather centers are designed for those who are most interested in optimal conditions in their living area or garden. Weather stations typically display temperature and humidity levels for multiple locations, and 12-24 hour advanced forecasts. Usually, a desktop weather station shows forecasts, at a glance, for rainy, sunny, snowy, cloudy, and partly cloudy.
Wireless Rain Gauges: Designed for the gardener or hobbyist, wireless rain gauges normally have a 100' tracking range and display rainfall history tracking data. Most wireless rain gauges also track current temperature and temperature trends at a glance. In most cases, these handy units can be placed on a desktop or wall mounted.
Wind Resistant and Lighted Umbrellas: Even umbrellas have gone high tech. If you've ever had your umbrella turned inside out due to high winds, you should know that wind resistant umbrellas are designed to avoid that unpleasant problem. Further, lighted umbrellas are a unique rain protection device where the shaft is made of clear acrylic which lights up in dark conditions and doesn't require bulb replacement.
Hygrometers: Hygrometers are designed to measure and display every environmental factor imaginable. Recently, hygrometers have trended toward hand held models, designed for outdoors enthusiasts. These units display current conditions in digital format, and trends both past and upcoming.

"Family Friendly" Weather Forecasters: The latest fun weather gadgets are designed for youngsters. Animated weather forecasters show all the relevant wind and weather factors, including temperature, humidity, precipitation, and upcoming trends. The unique and fun aspect of an animated weather forecaster is a built in "weather boy" who wears an outfit appropriate for the day's weather. Geared toward children, animated weather forecasters help guide children to dress appropriately for upcoming weather.
Learning and understanding weather is no longer the cut and dried forecast in the local paper or the news channel. These fun and practical weather gadgets are part of a growing hobby appropriate for all ages.

Jim Hofman is a native Chicagoan who long ago learned to prepare for rapidly changing wind and weather conditions. To learn more about wind and weather gadgets and their purpose, visit: [http://www.squidoo.com/windandweather]