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Why Does My Cat Drink Dirty Water Larry Chamberlain
You know that cats should always have a supply of water, especially if you are feeding them dried food. There on your nice clean kitchen floor is a bowl of nice clean fresh water, in a nice clean bowl.
What does your cat do Maybe gives the bowl a sniff and walks away from it, or just ignores the bowl completely, as if water were the last thing a self respecting cat would consider drinking.
"Okay", you think to yourself, "Kitty just isnt thirsty at the moment". But then later, you happen to spy your cat busily lapping up stale water from a puddle in your garden as if it was nectar.
Cats are self-reliant, independent creatures, but surely your cat is not going to turn its nose up at the nice clean water you provide, just to let you know it can survive without you After all, kitty does not reject the food you provide even though it is perfectly capable of catching mice.
No, the answer is not your mousers independence. Tap water is usually treated with chemicals, often chlorinated strongly enough for a cat to smell it. Cats noses are far more sensitive than human noses and many cats find this chemical odor very offensive. Stale water in puddles and pools has a far more attractive smell are far as a cat is concerned. Puddles may be full of rotten vegetation and microbes, but cats find this organic soup very tasty.
As well as the off-putting odor of chemicals in tap water, cats find the smell of detergents repugnant. So, because you diligently clean your cats water bowl in the interest of hygiene, the detergent that you use deters your cat from drinking from it. You use the same detergent to wash your cats food bowl, why then, does your feline friend eat heartily from the bowl, and not be repelled by the smell of the detergent This is because the aroma of the fish or meat is stronger than the smell of the detergent.
With the water bowl, the combination of the two unpleasant smells, the chemicals in the tap water and the detergent, means that your cat will only quench its thirst from the water bowl if there is no better smelling option to be had.
So, what can you do You need to rinse your cats bowl more thoroughly than you would a plate for a human. Remember feline noses are far more sensitive than ours, every trace of detergent needs to be rinsed off. Secondly, let the water from the tap stand for a while before putting the bowl down for your cat, this will allow the chemicals to dissipate.
These two things should have kitty drinking happily from the dish, unless, of course, kitty has got so used to drinking from puddles it just cant kick the organic water habit!
About The Author
Larry Chamberlain If you have a pet related web site and you wish to reproduce the above article you are welcome to do so, provided the article is reproduced in its entirety, including this resource box and live link to http://www.best-cat-art.com.
Cat art posters, art prints, cat calendars and cat collectibles. Great cat gifts for yourself or your cat loving friends.
Soap scum. Stiff clothing. Clogged pipes. No matter what you try, it's hard to get your surfaces clean. Scale builds up. Dishes come out of the dishwasher with spots on them. All of these problems occur because of hard water, a frustrating but fixable situation. The term, "hard water," refers to water with a high mineral content. The most common minerals that cause water hardness are calcium and magnesium. As water is absorbed into the ground, the minerals are pulled from the earth and eventually end up in a household's water supply. Hard water can clog household plumbing.Water hardness, or how much of a mineral is present in water, is measured in grains per gallon (GPG), parts per million (PPM), or milligrams per liter (MG/L). Water up to 1 GPG is considered soft, water; from 1 to 3.5 GPG is considered moderate, and water 3.5 to 7 GPG is hard water. Kits used to test water hardness can be purchased at a pool supplier or from a water softener dealer. Many water softeners plug right into the household water supply. Ionic exchange water softeners consist of negatively charged plastic beads, a brine tank, and a regenerating system with a timer or other monitoring device. Sodium or potassium chloride is added to the brine tank when regeneration is necessary. Home water softeners range in price from $400 to $1,200, and the salt ranges from $5 to $7 per bag. Price depends on type, size, and type of softening agent. Alternatively, magnetic water softeners consist of only 2 magnets attached to the outside or inside of water pipes.Water softeners work by replacing ions of the minerals that cause hardness with "softer" ions. Water is filtered through charged plastic beads and the magnesium or calcium ions are replaced with sodium or potassium ions. In the case of magnetic water softeners, magnetic energy causes chemical changes in the minerals. Using water softeners poses no health risks, except for those who are on sodium-restricted diets. Keep bottled water on hand for cooking and consumption, or use potassium chloride instead of sodium chloride to soften. Potassium chloride is more expensive than sodium chloride. There are also no health risks associated with choosing not to soften water.
About the Author
Water Softeners Info provides detailed information about magnetic and ionic exchange water softeners, home water softener systems and kits, product reviews and comparisons, water softener salt, and more. Water Softeners Info is the sister site of Dishwashers Web.
Troubled Waters Require Capable Leaders at the Helm Larry D. Cote
Canadas lean leaders need to look beyond the horizon and chart the future
In stormy times, true leadership skills emerge, says Larry Coté, the President of Lean Advisors Inc. www.leanadvisors.com
By Larry Coté
The rumbles on our economic outlook are troubling. The dollar is still up, foreign investment, profits and sales are down. Low cost Asian competition is eroding our market share. Financial scandals and corporate governance issues keep flaring into the headlines. Disasters such as terrorism, possible pandemics, and war continually reshape the world in which we work and live. There are so many "big" global issues, so much apparent chaos, that our minds are often distracted from the day-to-day jobs we do leading our businesses.
The world as we know it has changed - both economically and socially. What hasnt changed however, is the customers insatiable appetite for more value, faster delivery and better service.
Most business leaders are eager to return to their pre-recession profits and growth. But even when the economy is robust again, we may find the bounce back to previous profit levels is not a "slam dunk" in spite of a revived and thriving economy. During the past couple of years, while business executives have been making short-term decisions to survive, customers and markets have continued to change at a rate never seen before.
If we turn our worries and blame for new shortfalls to the currency fluctuations and Asian competition, it starts to sound like the same old "blame game" with different players. Its easy to fly high on adrenaline when you look at these global issues and threats. But, for a moment, lets step back and look at our business challenges from a lower altitude and a more local focus.
In doing this, we need to disregard the factors affecting our businesses that we cant influence and begin to look at those we can. The ones we have little or no influence over are things like the recession, currency fluctuations and major disasters. The area we can influence and affect is our own long and short-term strategies for transforming our companies, making them more competitive and customer focused.
The bottom line is lets stick to our "knitting," do our jobs and focus more on our roles as organizational leaders.
In North America weve proven that we can provide products and services competitively through innovation, inspired product development and comprehensive efforts to eliminate waste. But it does require a prolonged and concentrated effort. Leaders arent hired to cry wolf when chaos threatens. The terms of employment are to use our leadership talents and drive improvements that will be seen and sustained on the bottom line.
We need to readjust how we use these talents and not be distracted by global factors, which are out of our control for the most part. We must accept the role we were hired for and focus on the business operations where we can have a real impact.
We are leaders, so lets lead. Most activities, whatever the company, can be classified as waste of one kind or another once you start to see it. As leaders, it is our responsibility to set the direction and motivate our staff to understand how to remove this waste properly rather than making incremental or point improvements.
This requires seeing and analyzing the process from end to end, not just at points or segments of the process. That becomes your road map to success.
Beneficial change happens in a very structured, sequential and organized fashion. Your teams arent caught running around chasing low hanging fruit while creating what we call "exciting chaos." When everyone rushes reactively to improve their individual areas they feel virtuous, after all they are helping the company, arent they In fact, they are only improving their areas or departments, often at the detriment of the entire process. Its your leadership and your measured future state plan that will bring order to chaos. Reactive flurry kills profits faster than any big external threat!
Striving to improve our own competitiveness by providing customers faster and better products or services will accomplish more than worrying about the next global crisis looming just around the corner. The only futures game we need to be in is the one that cuts waste so the customer sees more value.
Science tells us that nature likes order - its human agents that generate the chaos. There are things that we can control - so lets get busy and do it!
Larry Coté is president of Lean Advisors Inc. You can reach him by email at: lcote@leanadvisors.com. Larry is also a key organizer of the Lean Conference Canada event being held Sept, 15-16, 2004, at the Ottawa Congress Centre. For event details visit: www.leanconferencecanada.ca
For information: www.leanadvisors.com or Contact: info@leanadvisors.com Phone: 613-821-4545
About The Author
Larry Coté is well known for his penetrating analysis and creative energy. He was employed by the Lean Enterprise Institute in Boston for almost two years as C.O.O./E.V.P. He was the Founder and President of the Lean Enterprise Institute Canada.
Over the years, Larry has worked with 100s of companies at various stages of their Lean journey in many different business sectors. He is particularly skilled at working with senior executives in the boardroom to plan, problem solve and create Lean corporate strategies.
His research and development work along with his past hands-on experience has led to new ways to teach and communicate Lean across North America. These methods used in the past by Lean Advisors Inc. have proven to be very successful in promoting sustainability within the organizations where they have been applied.
Larry has specialized expertise in Toyota Production System concepts, diagnostics and assessment of Lean readiness. He works with the corporate leaders to develop effective plans for transforming entire organizations using Lean and adapting it to their particular culture.
lcote@leanadvisors.com
Drowning in Debt Tips and Tricks for Getting Out of Hot Water with Creditors Beth West
Do you, like millions of other Americans, feel like you’re sinking in an ocean of credit card debt Well, fear not--there are many options for reducing your debt way before you have to be concerned about receiving notices or daunting telephone calls from debt collectors. The important thing to remember is to be proactive in handling your credit card debt. Unmanaged debt can ultimately lead to lawsuits, loss of property, and tarnished credit reports.
Here are a few ideas for managing and/or reducing your debt:
Get in touch with creditors right away. Often times, creditors will reduce credit card interest rates if you simply ask for a break. Explain your situation, and let creditors know if you’re having trouble meeting your minimum monthly obligation. Many creditors will work with you to arrange a customized payment plan.
Develop a Budget. While many people dread this very important step in reducing debt, it can be extremely important in taking control of your financial situation. Compare and contrast fixed expenses—-mortgage payments, rent, car payments, and insurance premiums, for example--with variable expenses, such as entertainment and recreation. List all your expenses, even those that seem unimportant. This is an important step in determining your spending patterns, prioritizing expenses, and determining whether or not you have additional money to contribute to the monthly payments on your credit card.
Consolidate, consolidate, consolidate. While debt consolidation is a sometimes daunting and drastic step, it can be an important move in the quest to reduce your credit card debt. If you’re a homeowner, consider a second mortgage or a home equity loan to pay off high-interest rate debt. While these loans often require you to list your home as collateral, remember that if you start skipping out on credit card payments, you could easily lose your home. What’s more, these loans provide tax advantages that are not available with many kinds of credit.
Go to Counseling. Credit counseling, that is. Many credit counseling organizations will help you come up with a feasible solution for ridding yourself of debt. You can find credit counselors on the Internet, and many credit unions, universities and military bases provide credit counseling programs. Also, get in touch with your bank, friends, and/or family for a recommendation.
Some of the services credit counselors provide: Advice on how to manage your debt, assistance in developing a budget, and classes and workshops that are geared towards teaching consumers about money management, credit card debt, and budgeting. Counselors can also recommend a debt management plan DMP, which allows you to make monthly deposits to the specific counseling organization that you’re working with. Your counselor will then develop a payment schedule with your creditors that includes lower interest rates or waives certain fees.
For more suggestions and information on how to manage your credit card debt, please visit http://www.informedcredit.com.
About The Author
Beth West has an extensive background in public relations and marketing, with previous management positions in both the hospitality and software industries. Currently serving as the Director of Marketing for http://www.informedcredit.com, she also is working on a freelance writing business.
bethwest@cox.net
True Success In Wood And Water Robert Warren
Lets get right to the point, folks.
Were all looking to succeed, in our own individual ways, and were all looking for nuggets of wisdom to lead our course. We wake up every morning in search of meaningful thoughts that will carry the day. Sometimes optimistic little catch-phrases work; other times, a new insight into market dynamics or a book on client relations sparks that days adventure.
And it is an adventure. Thats why were out there fighting every day - because, in the end, weve rejected the idea that modern life is an eighty-year exercise in waiting for the inevitable. We want to walk beaches, climb mountains, love deeply, life our lives fully. We live for the joy of never knowing what strange lands our journeys will take us to that day, what people we will meet or who we will become as a result.
Were in this game for passion. Were doing it for love.
And in the pursuit of success, sometimes its very, very easy to forget that. We all have bad days, setbacks, even the occasional disaster - a lost opportunity, a lost client, a computer crash - and question just how on earth were going to keep doing this. If were not careful, we then start naturally falling back into the pattern of wanting every day to be a good day, a safe day, a predictable day. We close ourselves from life and slowly forget everything about why we started this in the first place.
As youre out there in the world, folks, remember to be patient. Learn to take a deep breath occasionally. Enjoy simple experience as often as you can, and accept the passing days with the gratitude of one alive. Keep the faith.
Theres an ancient Buddhist proverb that goes, "Before enlightenment, chop wood and carry water; after enlightenment, chop wood and carry water." Its a good saying, not only for seeking an enlightened mind, but for seeking success in any fashion; it means to keep doing the work, no matter what. Be patient. Keep going. Dont be distracted by your own success - let it instead flow through your efforts naturally, without trying to cup it in your hands. Take the days as they come, and feel the joy of each day passing, whether good or bad.
Experience the passionate life of one who chops wood, carries water, and is content. True success, in all its forms, will follow.
About The Author
Robert Warren www.rswarren.com is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals. writer@rswarren.com
Intranet Portal Project - RAD or Waterfall David Viney
In this short article, David Viney examines whether Rapid Application Development RAD or Waterfall development methodologies should be used during Intranet Portal projects.
Building Bridges
I have often used the analogy of building a bridge to explain to business colleagues the difference between RAD and Waterfall.
Let’s say that we are in the middle ages and the Mayor of Kingston-upon-Thames is evaluating whether or not to build a bridge over the river to the north side, to replace the current ferry. The whole area has been growing rapidly and a bridge at Kingston should give his town a lead against competing local towns like Ham and Richmond who also have their own ferries.
However, building a bridge presents problems. Firstly, the bedrock north and south of the river are very different. Secondly, the river is still tidal at this point and its path continues to vary across the floodplain. Finally – and perhaps most importantly – there is no guarantee that the projected growth in cross-river traffic will indeed materialise – or that people will wish to cross at this precise point, rather than further up, or down, river. A new bridge could prove an expensive white elephant and divert much-needed town resources away from other projects. The increased local taxes required could also scare the very businesses he is hoping to attract away to other local towns.
Option 1 - Waterfall
Waterfall, as a methodology, is all about building reliable systems. At each stage of the lifecycle, the results are correct. The Mayor’s engineer believes that - when building a bridge - the result needs to be safe, sound and capable of lasting for decades. He recommends a design phase, which includes thoroughly testing the bedrock by driving piles and developing ways to limit the future variance of the river’s course. During the build phase, the bridge would be tested to ensure it can take the loads that will be placed upon it and to deal with high winds or flood conditions. The engineer confirms that each stage would only start once the previous stage had been proved correct beyond reasonable doubt. The stone bridge will take five whole years to build with a high upfront cost commitment. If the project were ever stopped, the value tied up in phases to date would be lost. The engineer reminds the Mayor that a collapsed bridge would not help his place in history!
Option 2 - RAD
RAD, as a methodology is all about building relevant systems. The argument runs that it is better to be there quickly with 80% of the functionality in 20% of the time, so as to take full advantage of the business opportunity. The Mayor’s political advisors recommend the RAD option; to lay a pontoon bridge first alongside the existing ferry. This can be achieved in just three months, using a series of boats with a makeshift road surface and swing bridge lock for river vessels to navigate. The pontoon bridge allows the business model to be tested very quickly; If the expected benefits materialise, then further iterations of the bridge can be constructed later on. Sounds good, but of course overall the costs will be higher than waterfall if a full, stone bridge is ultimately required. In the meantime, if the river changes course, or floods impact the area, then the pontoon bridge will be washed away. His chief advisor reminds him that a bridge five years from now would not help his re-election prospects two years hence!
The Mayor’s selected option
Hmm. Interesting, isn’t it. Not a clear-cut decision. There are good arguments for either approach. The Mayor’s decision will ultimately depend on a how sure he is of his own vision, b his financial and time constraints and c how changeable these factors are likely to be over time. In short, he has a trade-off decision of relevance vs. reliability.
Turning the analogy onto Intranet Projects
In chapter 16 of my Intranet Portal Guide see http://www.viney.com/DFV/intranet_portal_guide/during/development_methodology.html, I explore these concepts in a bit more depth.
However – put simply – the answer for you will depend largely on how sure you are of your vision, the support of stakeholders, the availability of resources and the degree of change in your organisation and it’s requirements.
If you are operating in a stable business environment and are well funded and supported, then waterfall offers real benefits. You could establish an Intranet Portal that is well founded, scalable and secure. If not, then RAD could offer you the means to make some progress now at low cost and use the results of your early work to build a stronger case for future investment. It also allows you to vary the approach – or begin again – should circumstances or requirements change.
Most Intranet evangelists will find themselves perhaps in a mixed situation, where there is support and funding but there is also the risk of rapid changes to the underlying business environment and requirements. Here, I would recommend a mixed approach: Use a waterfall project to establish the underlying portal infrastructure as this platform will be the bedrock on which you will build and needs to stand the test of time. Then use a RAD method to build the content and applications developing solutions that are timely and relevant to businesses operating in a fast-moving and competitive environment.
About The Author
David Viney david@viney.com is the author of the Intranet Portal Guide; 31 pages of advice, tools and downloads covering the period before, during and after an Intranet Portal implementation.
Read the guide at http://www.viney.com/DFV/intranet_portal_guide or the Intranet Watch Blog at http://www.viney.com/intranet_watch.
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