(NewsUSA) - As energy costs rise, the "green" movement and conservation efforts have become popular topics. Energy-saving recommendations appear daily in the media, and consumers are being offered subsidies or state and federal tax credits to encourage the purchase of more efficient appliances. However, many homeowners fail to consider their water heater when it comes to going "green."<br /> <br /> Although today's water heaters are expected to operate for an average of 13 years, the U.S. Department of Energy recommends shopping for a new water heater if your current unit is more than seven years old. This allows an adequate amount of time for homeowners to research and select a water heater that best meets their needs instead of waiting until their heater breaks down and selecting the cheapest quick fix for cold showers.<br /> <br /> Consumers are increasingly turning to high-efficiency water heaters when replacing older units or during remodeling and building projects. While these models may cost more initially, savings in water and energy usage continue throughout the lifetime of the appliance, offsetting the price difference. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reports that these units use 10 to 50 percent less energy, benefits to both your budget and the environment.<br /> <br /> A recent study by the Gas Technology Institute simulated the residential performance of high-efficiency water heaters and conventional units. The Vertex from A. O. Smith, a hybrid, gas-condensing, residential unit incorporating tank-type and tankless technology, provided the best overall performance at average and high-volume hot water usage, which is the consumption of 64-gallons or more per day of hot water.<br /> <br /> Endorsed by long-time environmental champion Ed Begley Jr. of the HGTV series "Living With Ed," the Vertex provides sufficient quantities of hot water for shower after shower and operates at 90 percent thermal efficiency. Additionally, it is designed to meet the demands that modern lifestyles require.<br /> <br /> "Using more efficient combustion to produce hot water at lower operating costs and 90 percent thermal efficiency, the Vertex is a good choice for customers who want to save energy without skimping on hot water," said David Chisolm, A. O. Smith Water Heater brand manager.<br /> <br /> For more information on the A. O. Smith Vertex model, visit hotwater.com/resources/energy-star-qualified-products/.<br /> <br /> Ref: Gifts - in Blogs

Follow me as I explain a different way to view the mundane of everyday life. Sometimes it's better to take a good look around you and discover the beauty that is right infront of you.<br /> <br /> <span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Motivation - in Blogs</span>

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Travelers who are seeking serenity as part of their quintessential Caribbean luxury resort experience will find their perfect getaway at Calabash Cove.<br /><br />With a secluded beachfront location on the northwest (or Caribbean) side of the coast of the island of St. Lucia, Calabash Cove offers privacy and luxury for adults only.<br /><br />The Calabash Cove guest list includes singles and couples, some honeymooners, some celebrating an anniversary or other special event, and others looking for a simple but elegant getaway with some personal space and well-prepared meals. Visitors come from the United States, Canada, Europe, and around the world.<br /><br />The resort and spa is a full-service resort: the optional Unconditional All-Inclusive package covers all food and drinks including room service, daily specials, an in-room bar, lobster when in season, and more than 20 wines by the bottle from the resort's extensive wine list. Tips and Wi-Fi are included as well.<br /><br />Part of the resort's appeal is its promise of intimacy - only 26 suites, all with a king bed, Jacuzzi, double vanity, rain shower, private balcony or patio, ocean view and cable TV. The resort is built along a sloping hill and was designed to complement and harmonize with the natural surroundings and offer guests full benefit of ocean breezes and sunset views.<br /><br />The property includes a private beach with nearby coral reef, as well as tropical gardens and groves of trees to set the scene for reflection and relaxation.<span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Saint Lucia - in Countries</span>

I sit here <br /> all alone <br /> Empty rooms<br /> Quietness<br /> Other than the whirring of a fan<br /> No screaming of a young child playing<br /> No cooing of a happy baby <br /> Whirr whirr whirr <br /> Which once was a house full of love and joy<br /> Now feels like a nightmare I cant escape<br /> Wishing<br /> Hoping<br /> Dreaming<br /> That one day ill have that back again<br /> The coos<br /> The screams<br /> The noises that irritate most parents are the ones I long for the most <br /> The endless cuddles <br /> The mommy mommy mommy<br /> I just want it all back<br /> I want a reason to get out of bed and do something <br /> The darkness with them gone keeps closing in and I feel like it will never end <br /> I feel like those coos<br /> Those screams <br /> Those giggles <br /> Those cuddles <br /> Those cries <br /> Will never come back<br /> I feel like the life im living now <br /> Visiting my own kids like theyre my niece and nephew will never end <br /> I've thought of burning cutting smoking drinking anything to concrete that pain and maybe just maybe take it all away<br /> but I know if I do the pain will never go away because it may be the thing that takes it away forever<br /> Those cries<br /> Those coos <br /> Those screams <br /> Those giggles <br /> Would never come back <br /> So I sit here listening to the whirr of the fan hoping that one of these days that whirr isn't the only thing to fill these rooms<br /> <br /> <span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Reading - in Blogs</span><br /> <br /> <span style='display:none' class='DO NOT REMOVE - THIS CATEGORY CODE WILL BE HIDDEN - IT IS NEEDED TO BE FOUND BY CATEGORY AND ONE-CLICK SEARCH'>Category: Reading - in Blogs</span>

(NewsUSA) - The upcoming school year will be like nothing teachers, students, and families have ever experienced, as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic steers school systems to embrace online learning and incorporate it in new ways.<br /> <br /> However, school systems across the country are rising to the challenge and staying connected to their students with dynamic digital resources, such as those from Discovery Education.<br /> <br /> Since the beginning of the pandemic, school systems across the country have invested in digital services like Discovery Education Experience because they support students' education at home, in the classroom or wherever learning is taking place.<br /> <br /> Experience - Discovery Education's flexible K-12 learning platform - connects educators to a vast collection of compelling high-quality, standards-aligned content, ready-to-use digital lessons, and professional learning resources. Together, these resources give educators everything they need to facilitate instruction in any learning environment and create lasting educational impact.<br /> <br /> "Discovery Education is committed to keeping students and teachers connected to learning at home or in school," says Scott Kinney, Discovery Education's president of K-12 Education.<br /> <br /> "To accomplish that, we partner with school systems to provide students and teachers the digital resources - such as Discovery Education Experienc - they need for success during this school year and beyond."<br /> <br /> In addition, to providing school systems digital resources Discovery Education provides teachers the professional development they need to use new technologies and maximize their school district's technology investment.<br /> <br /> Discovery Education has a long history as a global leader in digital curricula that align with the current standards for K-12 education, and their products include digital textbooks, multimedia resources, and professional learning for educators.<br /> <br /> Visit discoveryeducation.com for more information about the company's resources, and visit <a target='_blank' href="https://www.discoveryeducation.com/district-partners">https://www.discoveryeducation.com/district-partners</a> to determine whether your local school district is making Discovery Education materials available to their students for the upcoming school year.<br /> <br /> Ref: Colleges - in Blogs

(NewsUSA) - Sometimes we're so caught up in all the pro sports stars whose lives have been wrecked by misusing prescription painkillers that we forget the problem extends down to the amateur level.<br /> <br /> And, yes, that does mean college and even high-school sports.<br /> <br /> At least one study put the number of college student athletes who've used prescription medications to enhance their performance at as high as 53.3 percent. And another recent study on high school athletes, published online in the Journal of Child & Adolescent Substance Abuse, reported that 12 percent of male seniors and 8 percent of female seniors admitted to abusing painkillers.<br /> <br /> To former ESPN.com columnist Gregg Easterbrook -- who wrote about painkillers in his book "The King of Sports: Football's Impact on America -- it's no surprise that the largest percentage of those young abusers play football.<br /> <br /> "Youth and high-school players see an example that appears to be of men so tough, they laugh at pain," he wrote. "The message sent is that young players should use their own bodies recklessly."<br /> <br /> So what's a concerned parent to do?<br /> <br /> Well, if your child is experiencing neuro-musculoskeletal-related pain from playing sports-- spinal pain, say, from too many tackles or strained soccer kicks --first know that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last March began urging physicians to avoid prescribing opioids for chronic pain in response to a record high 28,647 deaths involving the highly addictive drugs in 2014.<br /> <br /> Know, too, that the most popular non-pharmacologic alternative to routine care is drug-free chiropractic care.<br /> <br /> "Doctors of chiropractic play a key role in sports health care by providing hands-on care that help improve range of motion, flexibility, muscle strength, and other key performance factors," notes the not-for-profit Foundation for Chiropractic Progress' Sherry McAllister.<br /> <br /> Ref: Exercise - in Blogs

<center><button onmouseup="tospecinit();" data-toggle="modal" data-target="#allpostaudioModal" class="btn btn-default allpostaudio-button" style="width: 130px !important;margin-bottom:25px;font-weight:bold"><i class="fa fa-play" style="margin-right:7px;color:#777"></i>Play Audio</button><input class="allpostaudio-url" style="display:none!important" value="https://stallios.com/podcasts/stinger-podcast.ogg"> </center> <br /> <br /> <br /> Ref: Art - in Audio Podcasts