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The voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are designed to move environmentally friendly home building concepts further into the mainstream marketplace. Currently, there are approximately thirty communities throughout the U.S. that have green home building programs in place or in development. By developing the set of voluntary national guidelines, NAHB intends to help facilitate the adoption of green home building practices and the formation of additional local programs in the parts of the country not currently served by programs.

In the spring of 2003, NAHB approved a resolution supporting green building. In response to NAHB members requests to provide the membership with technical guidance to support the new green building policy, NAHB tasked the NAHB Research Center to manage a project to develop national green home building guidelines.

The NAHB Research Center worked together in an open, public process with over 60 Stakeholder Group members from the home building industry to create those guidelines. The guidelines contain six primary sections:

Lot Preparation and Design - With lot preparation and design, the builder has opportunities to demonstrate environmentally sensible construction practices. Even before the foundation is poured, careful planning can reduce the homes impact on vegetation, soil, water, plus a homes long-term performance can be enhanced. Such preparation can provide significant value to the homeowner, the environment, and the community. Included for the end user, especially developers, is a Site Planning Appendix that closely mirrors this section and provides additional guidance.

Resource Efficiency This section shows how certain framing techniques and home designs can effectively optimize the use of building materials. Construction waste management concepts are also discussed. In addition, information is provided on how a homes durability and the amount of time and money needed for maintenance are affected by how certain materials are used.

Energy Efficiency This is the most quantifiable aspect of green building. The information on this section will help a builder create a building envelope and incorporate energy efficient mechanical systems, appliances, and lighting into a home that will yield long-term utility bill cost savings and increased comfort for the homeowner. It contains the only requirements to participate in this voluntary program: compliance with the 2003 International Energy Conservation Code, use of ACCA manuals to size HVAC equipment, and 3rd party plan review to verify compliance with the section.

Water Efficiency/Conservation Although, the relative importance of water availability and usage varies from region to region, the concern with adequate supply of water is becoming more widespread geographically. Experience also shows that employing the line items from this section of the guidelines for indoor and outdoor water use can decrease a homeowners need for water and thus reduce utility bills, regardless of location.

Occupancy Comfort and Indoor Environmental Quality Details in this part of the guidelines will indicate how to effectively manage moisture, ventilation, and other issues in order to create a comfortable indoor living environment.

Homeowner Education - Given the level of effort a homebuilder goes through to create a well thought out home system, it would be a shame not to give the homeowner some guidance on how to optimally operate and maintain the house. Line items from this section show a builder how best to educate homeowners on a variety of homeownership matters.

Each section contains a set of provisions that explain how a builder can incorporate green building concepts into a project. In addition, local builders and green building program developers may apply points to the provisions to further define green building through a scoring methodology currently being developed. Local homebuilder associations will be given a user guide that will provide additional information and guidance on ways to customize the guidelines to accommodate local conditions.The draft presented at Fall Board in Columbus, OH was a piloting version for dissemination amongst HBAs and builders for accuracy and practicality. A number of HBAs and High Production Builders have expressed an interest in helping NAHB to pilot test the document. The deadline for pilot testing was December 1st and the final version will be rolled out during the 2005 IBS in January in Orlando, FL. Currently, NAHB staff from the Energy and Green Building Dept. are traveling throughout the country presenting the guidelines to builders and HBAs who have expressed an interest in implementing green building in their respective businesses/communities. To date over 20 HBAs have voiced their interest and support, with many more to follow in the new year.

In summary, the voluntary Model Green Home Building Guidelines are for the mainstream home builders, many of whom are already incorporating some green building methods and materials into their construction practices. These voluntary guidelines will help systematize the green design and construction process and assist the builder toward incorporating more green building features into homes. As NAHB Research Center data indicates that there is a growing number of green homes built annually, it is expected that these voluntary guidelines will help builders meet the needs of this growing market.

Self-fulfilling prophecy means bringing about an outcome that was assumed to be inevitable beforehand! Self-fulfilling prophecies work by belief. (Belief means assuming that information received is true before confirming it's true!)

These beliefs can be conscious or unconscious. Usually they're unconscious and a person may believe one thing consciously and something that opposes it unconsciously! Unconscious beliefs tend to be more emotionally embedded and more potent than conscious beliefs.

Self-fulfilling Examples

If a woman believes she is stupid shell tend to find ways to act out that belief! Even if she manages to suppress that belief and gain some successes, her unconscious beliefs may still sabotage her with self-doubt, causing her to do things to undermine her accomplishments proving that what she believes about herself was true all the time!

People usually base their predictions of whether theyll succeed or fail at a goal by their past experiences of succeeding or failing at attaining their goals! The more they've succeeded in the past the more they'll believe theyll succeed in the future! The more they've failed in the past the more they'll believe theyll fail in the future!

Sometimes their predictions aren't based on experience at all, but on being told repeatedly when they were children that they could never succeed at their goals! Convinced of this they never seriously attempted to attain their goals because they believed it was useless to do so from the start! If they did make an effort and experienced setbacks, they used the setbacks to prove that they were right to believe that they would fail all along!

Self-fulfilling PatternsSome studies have shown that people who are optimists are happier and accomplish more out of life than people who are pessimists! For whatever reason, optimists believe they are good people that life is good, that good things happen to them and studies show that they usually do! Optimism is based on belief! What we believe affects what we do! What we do affects what we accomplish!

It was once considered impossible for a mile to be ran in less than 4 minutes. To the experts and those influenced by them this was an obvious reality! The belief that this feat was impossible to do stopped most runners from trying to exceed this barrier (Self-fulfilling prophecy). People were ridiculed for daring to believe that a mile could be ran in less than 4 minutes, until some "fool" proved it could be done!

More self-fulfilling Examples

Alcoholics believe that alcohol is controlling their lives! They believe that theyll always be alcoholics! But alcohol is an inanimate fluid! It has no life or intelligence! How can it control their lives?

Once alcoholics have been detoxified all alcohol is out of their systems and they're no longer physically addicted to it! Then what keeps them vulnerable to it? Is it the belief that they need alcohol to feel normal, have fun and to cope with life's problems? Ignorant of the power of their beliefs theyve learned to project that power into alcohol!

Religious Beliefs

Religious beliefs can be self-fulfilling also. In the New Testament Jesus says, "All things are possible to him that believes." People have recovered from all kinds of illnesses and diseases by firmly believing that God or Jesus was healing them! But its not their conscious beliefs thats the source of the healing power, but their unconscious beliefs, which are more potent than their conscious beliefs!

Additional Examples

Self-fulfilling prophecies affect our health and whether or not we'll recover from illnesses! Studies have shown that people who believe that they will recover from cancer do far better than those who believe that cancer is a death sentence they won't survive!

People who believe theyll recover tend to do all the things that increase their chances of survival. (They take their medication faithfully, kept doctor's appointments, exercise, get proper nutrition, have a positive attitude, etc,). While those who believe cancer is a death sentence tend to be depressed, wallow in self-pity, become less active, and don't do the things that may increase their chances for survival! The belief that one will recover from cancer has a positive affect on the immune system and a healthy immune system is a potent weapon in the fight against cancer and other diseases!

Self-Fulfilling Old Age

Some people believe that they're old at certain ages. Some think they're old at 30, 40, 50, etc! It's usually such a firmly held belief that as they start to approach those ages they unconsciously start to conform to whatever image or lifestyle they've associated with that age!

I know a guy who when he was 39 and hed forget something, he'd attribute it to his being distracted. If he felt sore after working out, he'd attribute it to working out too much! But when he turned 40 and he'd forget something, now it was because "I must be getting old!" Now if he felt sore after working out, it was because" Boy! I must be getting old!" If he noticed a gray hair in his head he'd say " Wow! I'm really getting old!" Any mistakes or perceived signs of physical deterioration, which he hardly noticed before, were now seen as confirmations that he was getting old in accordance with his belief that people are old at 40!

All these beliefs are inculcated in us from childhood through adulthood and usually go unquestioned! They're like computer programs that trigger processes and reactions in computers, except that these beliefs trigger processes and reactions in our minds and bodies that are acted out to the benefit or detriment of mankind and ourselves!

Self-Fulfilling Conclusion

If you want to know the difference between what you consciously or unconsciously believe. Observe whether your cognitive responses about an issue correspond to your emotional responses about the issue! Emotional responses are triggered mainly by unconscious beliefs! Cognitive responses mainly by conscious beliefs! For example, it's easy to believe that you're not afraid of Tigers when there's no Tigers around! (Conscious belief) But let's see how you react when you're face to face with a Tiger! (Unconscious belief)

Self-fulfilling prophecies are based on beliefs! Beliefs control our minds. Our minds control our bodies and behavior! What kind of self-fulfilling prophecies are you allowing to control your mind, body and behavior?

May the Light never cease to Lighten your Minds!

Copyright 2006 El-Veasey Publishing Inc

Gifts should come from the heart, not your pocketbook! Coming up with gift ideas on a budget may seem difficult at first. Put some thought into your gifts and you will be rewarded not only with lower costs but more practical, useful, gifts for the recipient.

Giving gifts from the heart, instead of the pocketbook can relieve a lot of stress during holidays and special occasions. Gifts thought out carefully and directed towards an individual's needs and interests are much more appreciated.

Giving the gift that "Keeps on Giving" is easy if you choose a gift that reflects the recipient's interests or needs and is useful to them. Consider gift ideas you can make yourself. Hand made gifts are almost always lower cost than store bought alternatives.

Some Tips to reduce expenses, and relieve stress:

• Avoid compulsive buying.
• Stay organized and calm - If you do your research, you'll know when it's a bargain.
• Shop early - I know you always say you will. This time DO IT! Buy gifts one by one as you come up with good gift ideas and good bargains!
• Make a list and check it twice! It always worked for Santa!
• Plan ahead - Include gifts and holidays in your budget's variable expense account. You'll have the funds when you need them.
• Stay within your budget - it is possible.

Here are just a few great low cost gift ideas....

Give someone who spends a lot of time in the kitchen a personalized apron and/or a cookbook! Or create a basket with kitchen tools, recipes, mixes, spices, etc.

Magazine subscriptions can be purchased for as low as $3.99/year.Give a gift that "keeps on giving" all year long! You can find magazines on just about any topic.

New or gently used books.

Family photos or personalized photo albums make great gifts for relatives or friends.

DVDS/Videos - You can never lose with this one. Everyone loves a good movie! Buy when they're on sale throughout the year.

Create a personalized gift basket based on the person's interests or needs.

• Personal Care - fill with hair, nail or skin care products
• Crafter's Supplies - yarn, ribbon, paints, paint brushes, glues, projects, knitting or crochet supplies, drawing pencils, etc. Just take a walk around the craft store for more ideas.
• Food - This one is timeless! Bake a favorite recipe that you know the recipient is crazy about. Add a variety of cookies, fudge and candy. Homemade baking mixes and quick breads. If you bake yourself, it's a nice touch to add the recipe with the goods. Use decorative stickers or tie on with pretty ribbons. Baking mixes can be put in jars with decorative tops. Always include recipes for uses with mixes! Be considerate of those with health concerns or who are dieting. Include healthy varieties of the above or add fruits, nuts, and diet specific goodies.
• Personalized Totebags or T-shirts - Great for kids or adults! This one is a favorite of mine. Create a unique design and/or saying on your computer that suits the person. Print onto transfer paper specifically designed for this purpose (available at most office supply or craft stores. Usually comes with instructions.)

There's nothing more appreciated than a personalized gift. And, everytime it's used, you think of the person who gave it to you. It gives you a feeling of importance somehow. Shows that the giver "really" had you in mind when the gift was made or purchased. And, it's likely to be a gift that doesn't get tossed in the closet, attic, or basement, after you leave!

Did you know that the motor companies are trying to make their products exciting again, the same way that they did in the 1960s, they are releasing updated versions of their famous muscle cars form that time era, and its working for me, I love the muscle cars.

Im a freak of sorts, when it comes to muscle cars, I think that there one of the greatest things that ever happened in the automotive industry and from the crazy prices that they are selling for, and I must not be the only muscle car crazy freak on the planet.

I loved the old ones, and I love the new ones, if it says made in the USA on it, then its for me, the re-release of the Challenger for 2007 is a great idea, and I thought that it was the be all and end all, BUT THEN Chevrolet went and done it, first when they released the 2006 ZO6 Corvette, I just knew that I had to have one.

Then they re-released my favorite car of all times, the Camaro, and I thought that I was seeing things, you know, like when people claim to see Elvis, but my eyes didnt fail me, the Camaro is going to return in 2009, and it will be nothing short of awesome.

With its pulled forward A Pillar and its swept back B Pillar, the car seems to have a very low slung and sporty looking stance, while at the same time, it retains its muscle car feel with the wide and short rear deck, and the interior is befit a king, it retains just enough of the 1969 Camaro body lines to be retro enough for the biggest, old Camaro freak, while using just enough of the new technology to keep things interesting.

The 2009 Camaro borrows its drive train from the Corvette, a 400 HP LS2 small block Chevy, thats 400 HP at the rear wheels, not at the flywheel, its nothing to laugh at, the car will be enough for a serious performance freak, while being manageable enough to drive every day, and getting up to 30 MPG on the freeway, by use of GMs cylinder dropping technology, which will turn off the cylinders that you dont need while your just cruising down the freeway.

When I heard that Chevrolet was re-releasing the Camaro, I cried tears of joy, I could not believe that it was actually going to happen, but its such a good thing, the whole idea, the whole way that Chevrolet conceived and built the concept for it, was pure genius and nothing short of modern art.