CTOKOS Blog

1.0 Introduction

The practice of anodizing, or controlled oxidation, of aluminum and aluminum alloys is more than seven decades old. The primary intent of anodizing aluminum and aluminum alloy parts is to protect the highly reactive surface against corrosion in aqueous environments, such as humid air and sea water. Because the anodic coating can be produced in a variety of colors, painted anodized parts are used in architectural applications. Furthermore, because the anodization process produces a hard ceramic coating, many times harder than that of the substrate from which it is formed, anodic coatings are also used to protect aluminum parts from abrasion, especially sand abrasion.

2.0 Traditional Anodizing

Traditional anodizing is an electrochemical oxidation process. The part to be anodized is connected to the positive terminal of a Direct Current (DC) power source and a nonreactive metal, such as stainless steel, is connected to the negative terminal. The aluminum part, or the anode, and the stainless steel cathode are immersed in an electrolytic bath and a DC voltage is applied across them. The potential difference is of the order of 20 -100 V and the current densities are 1-10 A/dm2.

The electrolytic baths comprise aqueous solutions of chromic acid, orthophosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, oxalic acid, or combinations thereof. Because the electrolytic baths have appreciable resistivity and because the anodization process itself is exothermic the temperature of the electrolytic bath increases greatly during anodizing.

Since the anodizing process is quite sensitive to temperature, the bath temperature is controlled rather closely by heat exchanger or refrigeration equipment. Today’s advanced anodizing technologies include several proprietary hard anodizing processes that employ a wide range of electrolyte compositions, operating conditions and a limited aluminum alloy compositions.

The type and thickness of coating obtained greatly depends on the composition of the electrolytic bath, operating conditions and alloy compositions. The military specification MIL-A-8625F, for example, lists at least six types and two classes of electrolytically formed anodic coatings on aluminum and aluminum alloys for non architectural applications.

Despite the many decades of experience and the expensive equipment employed by the traditional anodizing plants, the acid bath based DC anodizing process has severe limitations.

By the very nature of the low voltage DC power employed, the anodic coating is quite porous. Often the volume percent of pores is as much as 50%.
Because of the low current densities employed, it takes many hours to produce a coating of a few tens of micrometers thick.
The electrolytic baths comprise extremely low pH acidic electrolytes and thus the process does not meet many of today’s environmental regulations. The expensive equipment, such as the electric power supplies and heat exchanger, makes the process capital intensive.
The traditional process, for reasons not quite apparent, cannot be used for anodizing aluminum alloys containing high concentrations of Cu and Si.
Thus, many aerospace and automotive parts cannot be satisfactorily anodized, if at all.
The present process, while appropriate for a limited range of the wrought aluminum alloys, cannot be used for anodizing other reactive metals, such as Ti, Zr, Mg, etc., and intermetallic compounds and metal matrix composites. Thus, most of the promising aluminum based advanced alloys and composites cannot be protected by the traditional anodizing process.
Above all, the hardness of even the so called hard anodic coatings is far below the hardness of alpha alumina, the principal component of the anodic coating. Accordingly, the full strength potential of the anodic layer cannot be realized by the traditional process.
Indeed, the other potentially beneficial properties of aluminum oxide, such as the high thermal and electrical resistivities and the high dielectric breakdown strength are not even addressed.

This state of affairs is primarily due to the porosity of the coating produced by the traditional acid based electrolytic processes at low power levels, and to certain extent the poor bonding between the aluminum alloy substrate and the anodic layer.

3.0 The Microplasmic Process

In recent years, the Microplasmic Corporation, a start up R&D company of Peabody, MA, U.S.A. has developed a unique anodizing technology, called the Microplasmic Process for all types of aluminum alloys. It is an electrochemical micro arc oxidation process for which a US patent is pending. A controlled high voltage AC power is applied to the aluminum part submerged in an electrolytic bath of proprietary composition. Due to the high voltage and high current, intense plasma is created by micro arcing at the specimen surface and this plasma in turn oxidizes the surface of the aluminum specimen. Thus the process is called Microplasmic Process. The oxide film is produced by subsurface oxidation and considerably thicker coatings can be produced.

Much as the traditional process, the Microplasmic process is an electrochemical process, but there ends the similarity. The Microplasmic process is radically different from the traditional anodizing processes in many respects. The distinguishing features of the process may be summarized as follows.

The process employs alkaline electrolytes whose composition is extremely critical to the coating rate and the properties of the anodic film that is formed. The pH of the electrolyte is in the range 8 -12 and is thus environmentally sound.
The process employs Alternating Currents at high voltage and high current. Because of the high voltage, a microplasma surrounds the electrodes and the oxygen ions produced in the plasma diffuse through the anodic film into the aluminum substrate to react and form more anodic film.
The high voltage and high current allow the production of anodic films of the same thickness as that of the traditional process in a fraction of the time.
Because the voltages are higher than the breakdown voltage of the film formed, open channels are not necessary for sustaining the process and hence dense thick layers of nonporous film can be readily formed.
Because the process employs AC power, the productivity is increased.
The power from an electrical utility supply can be used with proper controls to the electrochemical tank thus making the process less capital intensive. There is no need for power rectification and waveform smoothing.
The temperature of the electrolytic bath need not be precisely maintained. Indeed, successful coatings can be obtained even if the temperature excursions are as much as 10-20 oC, further simplifying the process.
The electrolytic composition itself is quite variable for different types of coatings.
Because of the high density of the coating, practically there is no change in the dimension of the anodized part, and a completely finished part can be coated without major post processing finishing operations. The Microplasmic Process, however, produces an outer soft coating of about 15% that may be buffed off; the remaining inner layer, is an extremely hard ceramic layer.
Above all, unlike with the traditional anodization process, aluminum alloy parts of any composition can be successfully anodized by the Microplasmic Process. Even more importantly, a variety of ceramic “alloy” coatings, such as Al2O3.SiO2, Al2O3.MgO, Al2O3..CaO etc. can only be produced by the Microplasmic Process.
The Microplasmic Process is also suited for a hard coating inside surface of a part i.e. cylindrical, conical or spherical hollow parts. Many coating processes in the market, like CVD, PVD, IVD, PEPVD, Sputtering, Thermal Spraying etc. are unable to coat inside surface of a long part.

4.0 Applications

Because the microplasmic process produces a thick, well bonded ceramic coating on a variety of reactive light metal alloys, it can be used for a broad range of applications. The primary application could be the replacement of heavier metallic alloys or the more expensive composite materials required by the aerospace and automotive industries by light metals (e.g., Al, Ti, Mg, and their alloys) coated by the Microplasmic Process. Other applications can be divided into the following categories: Chemical, Mechanical, Thermal, Electrical and Electronics, and combinations of these.

Chemical: The ceramic coating can resist both aqueous and moderately high temperature and is resistant to strong acids and bases. Thus it can be used in chemical, and food processing industries.
Mechanical: The hardness of the film is over 1300 kg/mm2 and thus the film can be used to resist sliding, abrasive and erosive wear. In addition the friction coefficient is low and thus can be used in marginally lubricated systems.
Thermal: The thermal conductivity of the anodic film is much less than of metals. Thus anodized parts can be used to maintain uniform distribution of temperature and resist thermal shock.
Electrical and Electronic: The dielectric breakdown strength of the Microplasmic film is comparable to that of alpha Al2O3 and hence can be used as an insulating film on electrical and electronic components.

Additionally, the Microplasmic Process is also well suited for hard coating interior surfaces (such as those of hollow cylindrical and conical parts), recesses, blind holes, threaded sections, and so on.

Many coating processes in the market, such as Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD), Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD), Plasma Enhanced Physical Vapor Deposition (PEPVD), Sputtering, Thermal Spraying, etc. are unable to coat the inside surface of a long part. Thus, where appropriate these expensive coating processes can be readily replaced by the Microplasmic Process.

Microplasmic Corporation

Contact Information:
Microplasmic Corporation
17 Esquire Drive
Peabody, MA, USA
Tel (978) 531-9145
Fax (978) 531-3671
Email: info@microplasmic.com
Company Website http://www.microplasmic.com/
Public Relations Website http://www.microarcanodizing.com/

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jerry Patel:
BS degree Mechanical Engineering - Fairleigh Dickinson University
MS degree Engineering Management - Northeastern University
Nannaji Saka, Ph.D:
BS - Mechanical Engineering - Andhra University in India
MS - Metallurgical Engineering - Indian Institute of Technology
PH.D - Materials Engineering from - Department of Materials Science and Engineering at
MIT.

Whether it’s for personal or family purposes, marketing purposes or intended as a gift for some friends or family, perfume making is in fact an easy task that you can do by yourself or with others. Creating something personal, of good taste and really useful such as perfume is a truly great thing, not only because it teaches you a couple of new things, but also because it’s bound to boost your confidence, not to mention maybe the most important aspect… having fun.

If you try to google your way to some perfume making knowledge, you’ll notice you have a lot to choose from, just because there are plenty of ways and different recipes to try. The most important thing is for you to know what you’d like to obtain:

1. What type of perfume would you like to make? (eau de cologne, perfume concentrates, maybe even after-shaves or whatever crosses your mind)

2. What would you like the perfume to smell like? (soft / strong smell, sweet / manly odor / unisex, long lasting or not, and so on and so forth)

Depending on your answers to the previous questions, you should make out a list of ingredients. When compiling this list, you should have in mind the characteristics of the ingredients you’d like to add to your recipe. If you’ve already got a recipe to follow, that means you won’t bother experimenting and giving much thought to the ingredients you should add, maybe slightly adjust the quantities to obtain a more personalized perfume, but if you haven’t got your ingredients list yet, here are a couple of things you should know.

The first rule of perfume making is that you should experiment as much as you can. It’s a fact that some of the greatest perfumes were created because somebody said something like… “and what if I put these two together?”. Perfume making an art and that’s why imagination and a great sense of smell can overcome a lack of experience or knowledge.

The second most important thing is that there are 3 key ingredients to a perfume recipe: essential oils (extracts from various plants, organic or non-organic, that combined, give you the smell of your perfume), pure grain alcohol and water.

Another thing you should know about oils, plant extracts is that there are 3 different types of oils which will ultimately influence the smell of your perfume in time. The base notes will be the scent that will stay the longest on your skin and that is why it is usually added first in the mixture. The middle notes will also influence the smell of the perfume for a pretty long time, although not as long as the base notes, while the top notes will give the perfume its specific scent when just applied. The top notes will be added to the mixture after the middle notes and may be followed by some other substance to bridge the scents.
It is very important that you mix the extracts in the given order and that you use a sufficient quantity of each type, usually the same for all three.

Last, but not least, here’s a list of the most easily found oils that may lead you to your dream perfume:

1. Base notes - sandal wood, vanilla, cinnamon, mosses, lichens, ferns;

2. Middle notes - lemongrass, geranium, neroli, ylang-ylang;

3. Top notes - orchid, rose, bergamot, lavender, lemon, lime.

One more thought to take into consideration above all… have fun!

About the Author: For more information check out my website at http://www.perfumeinfo.info

Source: www.isnare.com

Twenty-eight of those 30 employees sued under the ADEA claiming Knolls illegally fired them because of their age. For example it would not be illegal to consider criteria for a particular role in a movie that has a disparate impact on age if the part calls for someone of a particular age. A lawyer from Heerenveen won from a in Palatine Illinois The BFOQ defense states that it is not unlawful for an employer to take adverse employment actions otherwise prohibited by the ADEA where age is a bona fide occupational qualification reasonably necessary to the normal operation of the particular business. Specifically the jury found that although the plaintiffs did not prove that Knolls intentionally discriminated against them they did prove that Knolls method of deciding who to lay off disproportionately harmed older workers. Thirty of the 20 salaried employees the company laid off were at least 31 years old. Knolls totaled those scores and gave the employees additional points based on their years of service. The Supreme Court then agreed to hear the case and eventually reversed the Second Circuit and reinstated the jurys finding that Knolls policy unlawfully discriminated because of age. It then used those totals to decide who to lay off. In Meacham Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory was planning to lay off a number of employees. In other words the ADEA permits employers to discriminate based on age considering age is legitimately necessary under the circumstances. Even if the employment action is otherwise prohibited by the ADEA. In that case Meacham versus Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory the Supreme Court interpreted a provision of the ADEA that permits an employer to take an adverse employment action against an employee. As long as the adverse action is based on reasonable factors other than age. The Supreme Court has previously recognized that the employer has the burden to establish the BFOQ affirmative defense. The Supreme Court ruled that if an employer seeks to rely on that defense. The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit initially affirmed the jurys findings but after the United States Supreme Court asked it to reconsider the Second Circuit reversed itself and ruled in favor of Knolls. In reaching its conclusion that the employer has the burden to prove the reasonable factors other than age defense the Supreme Court looked at another provision of the ADEA the bona fide occupational qualification defense. It has the burden to prove that its decision was based on a reasonable factor other than age. The company had its supervisors rate their subordinates based on their performance flexibility and critical skills. At the trial a jury found Knolls had violated the ADEA because its layoff procedure had a disparate impact based on age.

So you are looking to purchase a women’s diamond wedding ring? Well you have started off in the right step by researching your topic before stepping into the world, shopping around for that perfect ring and diamond for your special other. We have compiled some information for you to help you reach your own informed decision.

As you search and shop around for your own perfect women’s diamond wedding ring you will find that every diamond is different - even if they present with the same specifications. A diamond you fall in love with may have a few flaws (or ‘inclusions’ as they call them in the business), say a black spot… If that inclusion is near the top or in the top of your diamond, your fiancée will of course notice this defect… more so if she is the obsessive type. Remember to look carefully at each diamond you pick up and are seriously considering on buying. Always ask to see it both through normal light and through the jeweler’s loupe (their magnifying glass) to examine for these inclusions.

You probably are inexperienced at buying diamonds so you probably don’t want to know absolutely everything about the 4 C’s and want to keep it simple. So just follow the procedure above and consider the following points for buying your women’s diamond wedding ring. When shopping around you have the choice of a clear and colorless diamond or a diamond that is yellowish, D-F grade is colorless. Another option is to have a diamond that sparkles and that has rainbow colors in the diamond ring. And of course as you look through the loupe, make sure there aren’t any spots or any other inclusions that you can’t live with. Of course, the diamond should not look dark or cloudy. Some I1 diamonds look nice but try to avoid diamonds with a lower grading.

Shop around for women’s diamond wedding ring that has a certified diamond. Although you may pay extra in the inflated value on the appraised certified diamond as a result of insurance. Also you should request the diamond be tested in front of you before purchasing.

The price of a women’s wedding diamond ring varies greatly depending on the quality of the cut. Diamond rings can be purchased at a jeweler or at the jewelry section of your department store. Your department store may offer a promotion, or extra lifetime guarantees so shop around. Also, consider the weight of your diamond. If your diamond is slightly under the standard weights (1 carat, half a carat etc ) then you may get a discount. Remember that 10 karat gold is cheap and anything below 14 carat will need to be worn daily to avoid tarnishing.

This article “Women’s Diamond Wedding Ring” can be found in our Wedding Jewelry and Accessories category.

Are you aware of the Child Trust Fund and its benefits? a low number of parents seem to know about the fact that all infants get a free £250 voucher from the government to place in a Child Trust Fund. Your son or daughter’s voucher may be invested in any one of three varieties of CTF account, Stakeholder - a shares-based account thatchanges into cash, a savings account or a shares account. It is an excellent way to save for the future requirements of a infant

Scottish Friendly is an accredited provider of the Child Trust Fund The State is eager for the public at large to have access to Stakeholder accounts and this is the form of account that we offer. This means that:

Investments are paid into our Managed Growth Fund, which intends to provide strong growth potential

It invests in part in shares to get the benefit of potentially higher returns over 18 years,compared to a cash deposit account (although the value of shares can
fall as well as go up whereas capital would be protected in a deposit account)

It comes with a low ‘Stakeholder’ funds charge of only 1.5 percent yearly

When reaching 18 the young person will get a lump sum, completely free of Capital Gains and Income Tax under current legislation

It is affordable - additional payments can be put in the account from as little as £10

A particularly advantageous aspect of the Child Trust Fund is that anyone - parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, friends - if they want can give to the Fund to a top limit of £1,200 per year to help boost the child’s Fund (once added, this money is not allowed to be withdrawn).

All this means our Stakeholder account offers a good balance between potentially high returns and a lower level of risk. There’s also the extra assurance that our account meets with the Government’s stakeholder criteria. Nonetheless this does not mean that returns are assured or that Stakeholder accounts are suitable for everyone. Remember that the value of shares in the Managed Growth Fund (where your Child Trust Fund money is placed) can decrease as well as rise and is not guaranteed.

Only children who were born on or after 1st September 2002 are entitled to open a Child Trust Fund. If you have children born before the above-mentioned date who are not eligible you could consider saving for them with a Child Bond - it’s a tax-free savings plan which was created for long-term growth.

The fact is that investing for your daughter is a rewarding means of preparing for tomorrow.

How Can Long Distance Be So Low?

by Greg Hicks

Long distance… why is it that you hear this phrase bandied about so often today? On television,

on the radio, in the newspaper. There was a time not too long ago when phone service was only

thought of as that… phone service. We did not think about a local phone company AND a long

distance carrier. We got it all on one bill from one provider.

Now we have a choice.

“Oh yes”, you say, “we can choose MCI, AT&T, or Sprint”. Yes, we have these companies to

provide quality, reliable long distance service for our homes or businesses. And they have been

there for us for many years, with an ongoing rivalry between themselves, but we generally chose

and stayed with the carrier that we’ve always used, or our parents or friends have always used

paying whatever we got charged, because the “Big Three” rates were generally the same or close.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with this either, I mean just because a choice is available,

isn’t the choice to not change there as well?

Now, think of long distance service as a product. It is after all, correct? And as in any other

industry, buying product in bulk, enables the buyer to get a lower purchase price. You and I

cannot buy phone service in bulk, but certain businesses can, and it is these businesses that have

risen up to become the new “big boys” on the block. They have done this by purchasing long

distance usage on the existing lines and switches at volume discounts, so as to offer lower rates

and fees to the customer; you and I. Huh? To put it in other terms, the long distance usage

offered by these companies is constantly purchased in such high volume, that the cost is very

low. They are physically smaller companies, so the amount of employees, overhead, advertising

and other business related costs are lower than that of a giant like AT&T. The service that is

provided is still carried over the same phone lines and switches that your current long distance

company uses, so there is absolutely no deterioration in call quality or reliability.

Today, even though there is now adequate competition to drive prices as low as they can go, rest

assured, they will go up. Now is the time to evaluate our carriers and compare them to others out

there who can offer the same levels of service, but at savings of up to 70%. MCI, AT&T, SPrint

will always be around, but it is competition that is the driving force behind improved product and

service for you, the consumer.

Author: Greg Hicks
Communication Value

www.communicationvalue.com
————————————————-
Cell Phones, Computers, Discount Voicemail,
Long Distance, Conference Calling, and
much more!
1-800-737-6508 Call for Free Phone Bill Analysis

*this article may be reprinted by permission of it’s author only, and may be subject to reciprocal link requirements. MCI, AT&T and Sprint are registered trademarks of their respective companies and have no affiliation with Communication Value or the author.

About the Author

None

Wholesale real estate investing (i.e. “quick-turn” or
“flipping” real estate property) is conceptually very
simple. Here’s how it works:

First, “Investor A” finds a great real estate deal with
a lot of equity. Typically, Investor A will have spent
a significant amount of time, money, and expertise to
find the deal, negotiate the terms, and get the property
under contract. By putting the property under contract,
Investor A now has control of the property, and the
equity in the property.

(For this example, imagine that Investor A has found a
property worth $200,000 and has set a purchase price of
$115,000 and he also knows that there are $15,000 in
repairs, which leaves an equity position of $70,000).

Second, “Investor A” finds another party, “Investor B”.
Investor B recognizes that the contract that Investor A
has established is worth $70,000 in equity, and so he
strikes a deal with Investor A to turn the deal over to
Investor B in exchange for some amount of cash, called
an “assignment fee” (we’ll use the value of $12,000 in
this example).

So Investor A is giving up $70,000 in “potential” profit
in exchange for $12,000 in current profit. And Investor
B is paying $12,000 because he believes he can make more than that on the deal, since there’s a full $70,000
of equity built in.

This deal between Investor A and Investor B is called
an “Assignment”, because Investor A is assigning the
contract to Investor B.

Third, Investor B does his “due diligence” (i.e. inspections, appraisals, etc.) to confirm that the deal is as good as he/she thinks it is.

Finally, at closing, Investor B closes the purchase of
the property, and Investor A receives the assignment
fee from Investor B.

This is obviously, a simplification of the process.
But this is essentially how the “quick-turn”, real estate
flip deal works - not so difficult now, is it?

Now, get out there and hunt them deals down!

What? Not sure where or how? I can show you 3 quick sources to get ya started right away…
About the Author

Alain Diza makes it easy to understand the mechanics of the real estate wholesale quick-turn flip. Learn this principle and private strategies the ‘gurus’ are charging thousands for. Get your free e-course at:
http://www.tm-RealEstateInvesting.com

Remember the Eulogy projects we had to write back in High School? Death is a tough subject to broach, and many would rather deny death then embrace it. Someone once said, “…There are only two guarantees in life: Death and Taxes.” How true is this phrase? It is normally when we are faced with the imminence of dying or death that we only begin making plans or arrangements for our transition.

Having firsthand knowledge, it is very difficult to experience the physical death or passing of a loved one. It is even more taxing when you are subjected to last-minute funeral arrangements when physical death does occur.

To gain better insight in dealing with death, and to establish a better understanding of death altogether, I present the following:

I personally don’t like the word “death” myself; so I prefer to call it “transition.” While it is vital to focus on our living it is equally important to focus on our physical departure as well. We often view this passing as a permanent end to life. And, in all actuality, physical death after physical life is imminent. Like everything in nature, the cycle of physical life begins with physical birth and ends with physical death. Our earthly bodies are merely shells that provide housing to our living energy. Because energy is neither created, nor destroyed, it can only transform. So, in retrospect, physical death is the death of the physical being, but never the inner being, or soul. This is what I refer to as the “transition.”

That being said, we now redirect our attention to our transition plans. I never quite realized the meticulous details that surround death’s event. Funerals just don’t “happen.” They take planning, organization and a great deal of in-depth research and modus operandi. Just as painstakingly, we pre-arrange parties, receptions, births, and weddings. Of course, the aforementioned are much easier with which to deal. They are “living” and “vital” events, so we don’t mind contending with them. But mention the word, “death,” and suddenly, we shy away from it. We shelter ourselves from the reality of death as long as we can because we fear it.

Through my own experience, I’ve learned that the best way to deal with physical death is to embrace it. After all, it is a natural occurrence in human life. We cannot choose “Option C,” when we only have options A and B. Below our some common excuses people use with regard to funerals:

• “But I’m not dying - why should I plan for death?”


• “I’m too young to worry about that kind of stuff…”
• “It won’t be a big deal, I’m getting cremated anyway…”
• “I’ve got my whole life to live. Who cares about funerals now?”
• “Why should I worry about planning a funeral now? I need to focus on living instead…”
• “How can you even ask such a thing?”

Really, the above answers are an all-too-common means of running away from death. It is much easier to remain in denial. The truth is that anyone can die at any given moment - death is not picky. And remember, when - not if– our physical death does happen, we leave behind our legacies, our coworkers, families, friends and even our pets. Have we thought about them? Of course we have. We love the people and living creatures that are part of our lives. And the thought of being without them can be heartbreaking. The imprints we leave with them create a lasting and loving impression. The last thing we want our friends and family to do during our transition is to plan our individual funerals for us. Preplanning our funerals eases the financial and emotional burden on our family members and is one of life’s greatest virtues we can bestow (upon our families).

Funeral Arrangements are an Individual Choice

Ask yourself the following Questions:

• What will you wear?


• Cemetary or Mausoleum?
• Cremation?


• If you choose to be cremated, would you like your ashes placed in an urn or scattered?


• Embalmment?


• Church Services or Funeral Home Services?


• Do you wish to donate your body to those in need medically; scientific research, etc?


• Do you know what type of vault and casket you’d like?


• Do you prefer a viewing and/or funeral motorcade procession?


• Would you like someone to sing at your funeral?


• If you’re an Armed Forces Veteran, do you wish to be buried in a National or local cemetery? Would you like full Veteran burial?

These are just a few, detailed questions you will need to ask yourself when planning your funeral. Next items to research are cost. Remember that funerals can be as simple or elaborate as you wish - but do you have adequate life insurance to cover the cost? According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), 98% of American funeral homes offer preplanning options to families; and three ways individuals can prepay a funeral are:

1. A licensed funeral director can establish a regulated trust.


2. A life-insurance policy can be purchased, equal to the value of the funeral.


3. Individuals can establish a savings or certificate of deposit account earmarked for funeral expenses. The account can be designated as “payable on death” (POD) to the funeral home.

In addition to prepayment, the NFDA offers invaluable insight with their “Bill of Rights for Funeral Preplanning.” See their guidelines below:

“An ethical and reputable NFDA funeral home will ensure the following rights and protections:

Provide you with detailed price lists of goods and services before you make your selections.

Provide to you, at the conclusion of the funeral arrangement conference, a written statement listing all of the goods and services you have purchased and the price.

Give you a written preneed funeral contract explaining, in plain language, your rights and obligations.

Guarantee in the contract, that if any of the goods or services you have selected are not available at the time of need, goods and services of equal or greater value will be substituted at no extra cost.

Explain in the contract the geographical boundaries of the funeral home’s service area and under what circumstances you can transfer the preneed contract to another funeral home if you were to relocate, or if the death were to occur outside of the service area.

State in the contract where and how much of the funds you pay will be deposited until the funeral is provided.

Explain in the contract who will be responsible for paying taxes on any income or interest generated by the preneed funds that are invested.

Inform you in the contract whether, and to what extent, the funeral home will guarantee the price of goods and services you are purchasing. If the prices are not guaranteed, the contract will explain who is responsible for any additional amounts that may be due at the time of the funeral.

Explain in the contract whether and under what circumstances you may cancel your preneed contract and how much of the funds you paid will be refunded.

Because death, or transition, is inevitable it is our responsibility to make arrangements for our funerals before they occur. Though sometimes, a daunting task, preplanning our transition can be an enlightening experience that enables us to appreciate life that much more. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

For more information on options and preplanning funerals, please visit the National Funeral Directors Association at NFDA. If you would like to share your story or experience, we always welcome your insights.

An insightful prose on “transition” can be read here: Fly Away.

© 2005 - All Rights Reserved
Dying? Not Me! Why you should plan for Transition
By C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot

About the Author:
C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Holistic Practitioners; Acupuncture Schools, Chiropractic Schools, Massage Therapy Schools, and Reflexology Schools.

About the Author

C. Bailey-Lloyd/LadyCamelot is the Public Relations Director & Staff Writer for Holistic Junction — Your source of information for Chiropractic Schools

When you decide to clear yourself of negativity, limiting belief systems, unhealthy habits, and ego
distractions, it may surprise you to find that your immediate circle of friends begins to change. Those who
don’t wish to progress may suddenly resent or dislike you. Those who vibrate at a slower frequency than the
one you have just left, may seem tiring and not desirable to be around anymore. Most likely, there will be
those of your circle who want you back the way you were, so they can interact with you in the same habitual
ways. This is not possible so you may find these relationships drifting away or find yourself taking action to
end them. This is a normal part of the process. Allow it not to be discordant. Observe, allow, and extend
assistance to those who may wish to break free of old patterns. Those who choose to remain at slower
vibrations will begin to be drawn to others of their own level.

As those of slower, more dense vibration begin to clear from your field, there will be new opportunities for
connection revealed, evidenced by different kinds of people being attracted to you. As you begin to meet
these potential friends, some of which will seem to be vibrating at a slightly higher frequency than you, be
alert to any suggestions from your logical mind that you have nothing in common with them. This is an
illusion based on the past. Sometimes, we fail to recognize that we really have moved beyond an old
structure of relating. Trust that higher vibration beings would not be coming to you, unless there was a
similarity of frequency to attract them. Decide now to welcome new experiences with others, as part of your
acceleration experience

Neva is a visionary writer, spiritual healer and wellness counselor. She is author of Moon Lodge Visions: An Acceleration Handobok which offers information and support for spiritually accelerating souls. Tips for easier acceleration: http://www.healthynewage.com/277713.html

There are of course many great places to host a wedding, but for many brides to be nothing can beat the beauty, charm and casual elegance of a beach wedding.

One of the most important decisions any wedding planner or bride to be must make is choosing the perfect beach wedding dress.

It is important to find the perfect dress for any wedding, but a wedding on the beach introduces a number of interesting choices.

Choose A Wedding Dress That Matches The Formality Of The Wedding

It is important, of course, to choose a beach wedding dress that is a match for the kind of wedding ceremony you are planning.

The type of dress that is perfect for a casual beach wedding may not be so perfect for a wedding in a more formal setting, so it is important to determine the type of wedding ceremony you are planning as you shop for the perfect wedding dress.

Places To Search For Your Wedding Dress

There are many different places to search for information on the perfect beach wedding dress, of course, and it is important to look around for the best ideas before shopping for this vital piece of wedding apparel.

If you are planning a wedding already, chances are you have accumulated a number of wedding related publications, such as bridal magazines and wedding planning guides.

These types of publications can be a godsend to those in search of the perfect beach wedding dress. Between the articles and the advertisements you may be able to find a great wedding dress for that great beach wedding with little trouble.

Getting The Best Deal For Your Wedding Budget

Of course there are plenty of places to buy that great beach wedding dress, and it is important to shop around as much as possible in order to get the best possible quality at the very best price.

The prices of these wedding gowns and wedding dresses can vary quite widely, and it is important to shop around as much as possible in order to get the very best deal for your limited wedding budget.

Shaunta Pleasant is a professional writer and editor on wedding topics. Visit my site to learn more about planning the perfect wedding at
http://www.best-wedding-plan.com/beach_wedding_theme.html