The Internet is like a big city. There are bright, sunny streets, and then there are dark alleys where you don’t want your child to venture, even in broad daylight. When allowing kids Internet access, you must proceed with caution by sending them out with a “road map” of safety rules and by being an involved parent. With a few precautions, the Internet can provide a safe and positive experience for your child.

If you allow your child into a chat group, make sure that group is monitored by visiting the group yourself and making sure it has a human monitor. You can also save chat transcripts. Individual chat programs come with documentation that will tell you how to save, store, and review transcripts of chats. Older children might object to this invasion of privacy and close their chat windows before you have an opportunity to save them, however. In this case you may need to determine whether it is possible to retrieve the transcript after the session has ended. Purchase this book to learn how to protect your children. Protecting Your Child from Internet Pornography and Other Online Dangers

People grow their own herbs for many reasons. If you’re lucky enough to live in an area where your herbs will grow all year, you’ll have access to fresh-tasting herbs for cooking whenever you want. If not, you can harvest your fresh herbs in the fall and dry them or preserve them for use during the winter months.

While fresh-picked herbs are much more common in supermarkets today than they were a few years ago, when you grow your own you have complete control over the fertilizers and insecticides you use (or choose not to use). You can grow your herbs organically if you want, knowing you’ve grown them naturally, without chemicals and additives.

Working in your garden is also a good way to get exercise. Lean more from this e-book.  How to Create a Backyard Herb Garden

What is a computer virus, and how can I know which threats are real and protect my computer from a virus attack?

Computer viruses are very small and vary in form. Most of the time, they go unnoticed until they attack your computer. They can travel from one computer to another, just like a human virus spreads from person to person, hence the name. When a computer gets one, we say it’s “infected,” and when the computer starts acting up, it’s said to display “symptoms.”

These symptoms may be as varied as a tiny dot moving all around the screen, as with the “Ping-Pong” virus, or some annoying music playing, as with the “Oropax” virus. These symptoms are signs that the “sickness” is doing something to your computer. Sometimes the so-called worst-case scenario happens, and some or all of the information you had on your computer’s disk disappears or shows up garbled. Only then do you know that your computer contracted a very “deadly” virus. Learn more about viruses and how-to protect your computer. Computer Viruses

Ah, sand, sun, surf … there’s nothing like a day at the beach. Stake out your patch of sand, spread on some suntan lotion, and settle back for a relaxing day at the shore. Or take a walk to look for shells and driftwood and admire the other beach bathers. Take a dip in the surf to cool off. What could be more fun?

Even in this idyllic setting, danger lurks. No, that isn’t Jaws music you hear. You’ll probably never see a shark at the shore, but you are likely to encounter more garden-variety hazards. Know how to steer clear of them, and how to treat them if you can’t avoid them. Purchase this book to learn more.  Summer Safety Tips

One of the most important things you can do for yourself is to commit to a regular exercise program. Why? Because exercise can make a real difference in how you feel physically, mentally, and emotionally.

If you have never followed through with an exercise program before, don’t think it’s too late to start. Research studies have shown it’s never too late! Now is always the right time.

Have you heard the expression, “Use it or lose it”? Pertaining to exercise, these words are extremely appropriate. When we don’t use our muscles, they get weak. This causes us to have pain. Since movement produces pain, we tend to sit more. Now our muscles grow weaker … creating a damaging cycle of inactivity and frailty. This cycle needs to be broken.

Buy our book to learn more about exercise bands and how to use them to improve total wellness. Maintaining Flexibility and Muscle Strength Using Elastic Exercise Bands

Bicycling is a pleasure that lets you get from point A to point B using your own abilities and traveling at your own speed. Bicycling not only provides this opportunity, but it also opens the door for you to experience and see the world around you and to appreciate the power of your own body.

Come with me and I’ll show you what it’s like … I want you to imagine the feel of the wind on your face and the way it caresses your body. Smell the freshly mowed grass, brewed coffee, baked bread, and fried bacon. Now smell the fields of corn and tobacco, cow and horse pastures, early morning dew, and other scents.

Feel the power in your legs as you push the pedals on your bike and notice the muscles in your hands and arms as you flex to apply the brakes. Observe the wildlife, trees, rivers and steams, the homes, and all the interesting people you pass. You can’t help but be struck by wonder as you pedal from place to place, communing with your inner self, reflecting on past situations, and mentally setting new goals for a healthier future. It really doesn’t get any better than that!

Learn more about this fun exercise, and how to purchase a bicycle that fits you. Purchase our e-book to learn more. Bicycling for Fitness and Fun

Wood is one of nature’s best insulators. It’s considered to give four times better insulation than concrete block construction, six times better than brick, and 15 times better than stone.

The massive walls of a log structure are also natural passive solar storage systems. Wood absorbs warm air from inside the home and releases it slowly at night as the temperature drops.

The exterior walls and interior walls are made entirely of solid logs 8 to 12 inches in diameter. The size doesn’t matter because all the logs are efficient in keeping you warm in the winter and cool in the summer. Purchase our e-book to learn more.  Is a Log Home Right for You?

What do I need to know to properly maintain my gas furnace?

Your home gas heating system consists of controls and valves that tell the system when to come on and how warm to keep your home based on the input you give it via the thermostat setting.

Like all mechanical items, it takes proper care and scheduled maintenance to keep your home gas heating system operating at peak performance and top efficiency. A poorly maintained gas heating system will be less efficient and will need to run longer to maintain a comfortable home. This translates into higher heating costs to you in the form of higher heating bills. Purchase this step-by-step guide to learn more.  Homeowners Guide to Basic Gas Furnace Maintenance