History of a Successful Family Owned Business

World War II veteran William E. Mahone founded Atlas Floors San Antonio in 1948, fulfilling a war-time dream of owning his own business. With the help of a Reconstruction Finance Corporation loan of $1600, Bill and his wife Laura opened a new flooring business in a rented building in Downtown San Antonio, Texas.

As their efforts proved successful, the Mahones borrowed a sum of $1,145.80 in order to relocate in a combination business and home, on Hildebrand Avenue. There a second generation literally grew up in the business. Bill Mahone Jr. (current President of Atlas Floors), his mother (Laura), and his two sisters (Jessica and Annie) were always involved in the family enterprise. In 1972, company founder William passed away leaving Laura and the second generation to continue hands-on operation of the flooring company. Laura and the second generation continued hands on operation of Atlas Floors in San Antonio Texas.

Bill Mahone Jr. took out loans from Hermann Sons in order to build a larger showroom and warehouse in their San Antonio location. The new facility drastically increased the original operations size, offering everything for floors, walls and windows. In the year 2000 Atlas Floors opened a second showroom along Highway 281 at San Pedro and Donella. Shortly thereafter, Atlas Floors joined the largest cooperative in the flooring industry, Carpet One. The relationship has been a huge success, giving this locally owned flooring company the buying power of over 1,000 stores nationwide.

Today, Atlas Floors Carpet One in San Antonio Texas continues as a family owned business under the stewardship of the now three generations of Mahones: Jessica Mahone-McCarthy, Vice President; Laura Mahone-DuBose, Treasurer; Bill Mahone Jr., President; and Billy Mahone III, Marketing Director.

Green Living Tips Include Green Products

Green living is no longer the sole concern of environmentalists. It is now a welcome lifestyle that individuals, families and companies are choosing to ensure that the things they do and the products they use have as little an impact on the environment as possible.

Green Living is any practical way you can make better ecological choices that are compatible with your normal life such as tree houses . From decreasing your water and energy use, to increasing your recycling and composting, and from buying earth-friendlier products, to investing in socially responsible companies, opportunities for Green Living can be found in many aspects of your daily life.

Green living is about finding a lifestyle which causes no permanent damage to the planet. It’s about finding sustainable answers to our needs and desires. Green living is no longer a vague term known only by environmentalists. One of the ways we know that an important social trend has hit the big time is when major consumer providers adopt the term. Green living is healthier and happier for you, your family and the global community.

Green Living is printed on unbleached, unchlorinated, recycled newsprint. This is an entirely low-tech process. Green living is really about sustainability, and sustainability creates resiliency in communities. It brings back true relationships with your neighbors, imbuing interdependency at a human level. Green living is extremely important to us. The hardest part is figuring out how to do it with ease.

Green living is most simply defined as a lifestyle that minimizes negative impact, and whenever possible, increases positive impact on the environment, especially when it comes to tree houses . Misconceptions about green products, which use less energy, provide cleaner air and water, and protect the environment, and the people who purchase them are common. Green living is starting to look more like a fashion statement than a genuine, beneficial effort to support environmental issues.

Despite the current good intentions of the business community and consumers to promote green, serious ecoresults will depend on making products and processes more sustainable without consumers even noticing it, and, if necessary, not leaving much room for consumers and companies to opt for less sustainable alternatives.

Green living can be as simple as installing low water use toilets to complete construction plans. Green living can be as simple as a tweak in your homes design. Design can influence our overall impact on the environment and home. Green living can be money saving depending on how you approach and stuff so make sure that to you look at the overall cost savings of things.

Green living can be gorgeous! From flooring to restoring, remodeling to recycling, to tree houses , find smart and stylish ideas for turning your home into an earth-friendly oasis. Green living can be as easy as using 10 less plastic bags a month!

Flapper Dress Costumes from 1920′s for women and girls.

Flapper Dress Costume from the 1920′s

Flapper Girls make great costumes.It’s been a long time since Bettie Boop appeared in her cartoon as a symbol for this popular culture of the 1920′s and 30′s. She still remains as this fun loving flapper girl with short hair that loves to party.

Today’s costumes come in a wide variety and the first thing to do is pick your color and then the style. The most popular dresses are red and black and then the white flapper dress. Purple has also been popular in recent years to go along with the bold colors of the Zoot suits that have come out in bright colors as well.

Recent, past 10 years , increase popularity in swing dancing has made these dresses not only a costume item but popular for dances. I know we have lots of friends that dance and about 3-4 times a year they have an 1920′s or 1930′s era dance and they dress up in full flapper dresses and zoot suits and party the night away.

The Charleston dance is popular and there’s one below to show you how the white flapper dresses really show of the motion of the dance with the four girls that are doing thier number on stage.

If your looking for a dance outfit for the swing party or for a costume party, there are many to choose from. Try visiting Flapper Dresses from the 1920′s for some more styles and ideas. Have fun.

Halloween Landing Zone has Adult Flapper Dress Costumes from 1920′s to buy.These flapper dress costumes are just a few that are available. Click on any picture or link to view the multiple styles and accessories available from the 1920′s, 30′s and 40′s. Sizes come in women’s, women’s plus size and girls. Retro flappers,

What’s a Detox Diet?

Some people believe that detoxification is only needed to help anyone who is dependent on drugs, or alcohol. They think it’s employed to help people break the addiction. Detoxification often is still used in such cases, but these days detoxification is increasingly used to improve health generally. One of the ways this is done is with a so-called detox diet.

If you’re thinking about ridding your body from potentially toxins, you may be tempted to look for a step-by-step plan for the detox diet.

Many such plans are available , but there are many variations.

Why?

The simple answer is that detox diets come in a number of different formats. If you do an internet search with the phrase “detox diet” you will find many such plans. So, which is best for you? Actually, there’s no easy answer to that.

When you choose a detox diet plan it is useful to remember what your goal is for the detoxification. The goal is to expel and rid your body of potentially harmful toxins. It’s a fact of life now that for most of us, even those who do not consume alcohol or use drugs, that toxins and chemicals build up in your body. Just to underscore the point, recent studies have shown that there is often a lot more than just fluoride in our drinking water.

Since the main goal of detoxification is to cleanse your body. That means it’s important to chose your foods wisely. Take a good look at the potentially harmful foods and drinks you are putting into your body. Are you a coffee or soft drink drinker? In that case you’re taking in caffeine, which is okay, but should only be consumed in moderation. Remember, though, that caffeine is not something your body actually needs. For that reason alone it’s worth limiting, or eliminating caffeine at least for the length of the detox.

Some people are actually hooked on the taste that caffeine gives. To make it easier to give up caffeine, you could try drinking an all-natural juice. In fact it’s worth thinking about getting your own juice maker; you can quickly and easily make your own 100% all-natural juices. Pure water is best for quenching your thirst and helping to detox your body, but if you find yourself craving something with flavour, juice may be a good substitute.

To eliminate toxins from the body, they must be expelled from the body. The major channel of elimination is the obvious one. That is why foods that are high in fibre are recommended. A diet that is high in fibre can help to regulate your digestive system. Of course, this means that you will make regular, although not excessive, trips to the bathroom. In addition to eating more fibre, drinking clean water can help you flush your body of the toxins. Don’t overdose on water – you can actually drink too much.

When you’re next out food shopping, read the ingredients label. Count how many of those ingredients you can barely pronounce. They will be the additives and chemicals. Many of the foods we eat have a lot of additives and chemicals. Although legally approved and generally safe such additives are things our bodies do not need to survive.

That is why detox diets call for the elimination of them. One of the best ways to avoid added chemicals and additives is to eat organic food. Many detox plans emphasise the use of organic foods.

Organic foods are grown without overuse of pesticides and fertilisers. In some cases organic food is grown without any such additives. Great if money isn’t an issue, but what if you have a limited budget? Organic food generally costs more money. If you’re like a lot of people you may find that you actually eat less when you eat organic food. It seems that more of the actual nutrition is ‘getting through’ to your body.

Don’t overlook fruits and vegetables. You may find these organic prices to be cheaper, particularly in season. Fruits and vegetables have their own health benefits, of course.

The length of a detox diet varies from one to the other. Some diets last as few as three days, while others can go for two weeks or more. Usually, seven to ten days is reasonable maximum time, but you will want to listen to your body.

A detox may be much for your body to handle. Be alert for the warning signs and start incorporating your “traditional” food back into your diet.

If the detox leaves you feeling clearer and healthier, you may want to keep certain elements more permanently, like cutting out caffeine, or increasing the percentage of organic food you eat.

You should always consult your doctor or health care professional before starting your detox regimen, or making any changes to your diet. Detox diets are not for everyone.

Women’s Electric Razors Publicized as the Greatest

Viewing TV commercials for electric shavers is like observing a mystery film. You never know what the hottest and finest feature is going to be. The Braun promotion claims that their product has the greatest feature of rotating heads that will conform to even the coarsest of faces. It will move over your face and cut every hair close because of the revolving blades. See more at this electric razors review site.

Another brand will assert their contraption will cut closer than any other shaver because it has four blades that will elevate the beard higher and cut more of the beard than any other make. I get tickled because I wonder how high a beard can be lifted before the skin is cut along with the beard. I can just see the advertisement where the chap shaving comes away with such a neat beard that he doesn’t have a face anymore.

I also get a kick out of those who claim that their shaver is handy and watertight. They show a man driving his car and shaving while he looks into the rear view mirror. I ponder, about him seeing an on-coming car. Then of course, you have the man in the shower happily singing while his sleek unique shaver is cutting his beard. I often speculate if there is ever a short in the shaver. Does the chap get a shock when the water hits his face.

One market the advertisers seem to forget is the women’s market. I have seen very few advertisements that mention shavers for ladies to use. This is a large market that is not being utilized by the major brands. My wife loves her new Philips Norelco 7310 because it does a good job of cutting her hair without cutting herself.

Keyword_2 For Professional Practices: Is It Even Important?

Do professional practices have any use for professional looking logos? Or is the name on the signboard adequate?

The advent of the internet has brought along many changes in the way we go about our daily activities. We do research without the need to visit libraries, we pay bills without having to set foot outside and we shop with just a press of a button. But unfortunately there are just some things that require us to leave the solace of our homes.

The District of Columbia has about 1.044 dentists per 1000 citizens, which is the highest number of dentists per capita anywhere in America. Some orthodontists are more famous than others and can boast very lengthy appointment schedules.

Dentist appointments have often been affiliated with pain. The sonic pitch of the drill is often more than sufficient to send shivers down the spines of quite a few grownups. If you patronize dental sites on the internet, you might have noticed that there are commonly images of smiley people greeting visitors. They hardly market the latest technology by featuring the latest drill being used.

People tend to decide on dentists through recommendations. Having said that, if you were to ask 10 different people, you would get 10 different suggestions. How should dental practices then differentiate themselves?

Visual imagery has for a long time been a crucial marketing tool and is constantly used in Keyword_2s. It is now being put to use in professional services as well. A dental logo design can be used to represent many things. For starters, a dental logo design must suggest that the logo itself is that of a dental practice. Next, the dental logo design must emanate an aura of professionalism. Neat lines, calming colors and non aggressive designs all have a part in assuring a potential patient that this is the right place to be.

The Keyword_2 can be changed in such a way that it might appeal to particular target markets. Some dental surgeons specialize in child patients while others prefer adults. The dental logo design may also be created to promote a certain procedure such as teeth whitening, veneers, smile makeovers or any other cosmetic or dental procedure.

And it does not cost a bundle to get professional designers to create a custom dental logo design. The truth is, a typical online logo design price is practically the same as the cost a standard teeth cleaning procedure.

With the competition intensifying, it has become very obvious that clean and professional looking Keyword_2s are indeed important to professional practices.

Rex Hunter has been in the branding and public relations business for over 15 years. He has written extensively on the subject of Keyword_2 and logo design price.

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Taking Your Holidays To Valetta

Enjoy Your Malta Holidays

The lovely little island of Malta is located in the Mediterranean. Home to the The Knights of St. John, it is a beautiful place filled with culture and history dating back to the time of Paul The Apostle in 60 A.D when he was shipwrecked on the island.

The buildings are old and historic, including some original temples erected to the goddess of fertility. Valletta is the capital city of Malta and selected as place of World Heritage by UNESCO. One of three islands that make up the archipelago, also referred to as the Maltese Islands.

Malta, Gozo and Comino. Valetta has not really been around all that long as far as European cites go, (although out of all the European cities, it is the smallest). It only dates back to about 1565 following the great siege and was built by the Ottoman Turks.

And is reputed to be the most powerful and fortified town in the world. In the years that followed second world war lots of the local inhabitants of Valetta moved out to other areas of Malta to more modern houses, so the population went down to about 9000 inhabitants. Though you wouldn’t notice this in the summer months due to the vast amount of tourists that visit the capital city.

On holiday in Valletta
While you are on holiday in Valletta, visit The Manoel Theatre Museum, The National Museum of Archaeology, St John’s Cathedral & Museum, St. Anne Square Garden, take a walk on the beach or enjoy a relaxing massage in one of the hotels wellness spas. Travel to Gozo and Comino is by ferryboat.

There are two main languages spoken in Malta and they are Maltese and English. And English is widely spoken in Malta and Gozo. The currency used in Malta is the Euro. You can change up your holiday money at banks and also the Exchange Bureau located in the Malta International Airport which is open 24hours a day.

International bankcards are accepted. Hotels and Restaurants accept credit cards as well as some of the shops. Shops remain open until 10.pm and can be accessed by public transportation. Food, clothing and souveneirs can be found in the local shops. If you are there on a Sunday morning, you can enjoy a visit to the open air market on Merchant Street.

Valletta also hosts plays and summer music concerts. Enjoy swimming, scuba diving, windsurfing, boating, driving jet-skis, and the walking trails along the beach and coastal area. Some of the beaches have cafes and snack bars. Finding Your Way Around on the island Getting around on the island is by bus, car or bicycle.

Busses go everywhere on the island, and drivers drive on the left side of the road. Bicycles can be hired on the island for a relaxing or scenic ride. Nightlife, food and drink Many bars and restaurants serve good food and drinks. Area restaurants include: Ambrosia (an Italian style bistro) The Carriage, which offers French cuisine, Hibiki which serves Japanese Teppanyaki, and Rubino’s which serves classic Mediterranean.

 The main place for popular nightlife on the island is St Julian’s on Paceville. There is also Sacha’s Bar & Bistro, Café Jubilee, and Q Bar is the best after-hours venue.

What to Look for in Your New Credit Card

The choice of credit cards on offer today is considerable – ranging from established banks to shopping centers developing their own cards for customers as part of their diversification. You need to confirm that the one you choose is good value and commensurate with the kind of lifestyle you have and your spending patterns.

So, why do you think you really need a credit card, anyway? For some, it is a avenue of paying for goods and services whilst retaining the pay-check in the bank – therefore allowing it to gather interest at the month end when you clear your card balance. Meaning that each and every month your salary can gain you a bit of interest.

More use their credit card in order to obtain quick cash from an ATM, specifically when they’re traveling from home for business or on a trip. If this is your reasoning behind the card, then ensure that the one you choose has the lowest possible charge rate for these anytime cash withdrawals.

Some individuals use their card for making transactions on-line or just keep it for little ‘emergency’ conditions that might catch them out at a time when the bank statement is very low to deal with it.

The crucial first concern you ought to have when choosingpicking~selecting your cr is that of the APR – Annual Percentage Rate imposed by the credit card company on any balance that you have on your account. It might be that the credit card you choose has an ‘enticement’ offer when you sign on offering free credit for a period of time, but still check to see what the APR will be when that incentive period finishes. These APRs may differ between various cards, so it does benefit you to analyze them entirely so that you can choose a credit card with the lowest APR feasible.

You must also think about the payments that the card will need on a monthly basis. Decide whether you want to pay off the complete balance, in full, each month or to pay the required amount sometimes. See what flexibility the credit card provides for you. It is common for credit cards to have a minimum payment of around 3%, but they can differ greatly. Likewise, check to see how long your ‘interest free credit card transfer’ period is, as this is another means of holding your repayments low.

Simultaneously, look out for excellent introductory rates, transfer rates from your other cards, and any other extras that new account holders can benefit from. There are some excellent offers out there – even more so if you hold a high credit rating already.

It’s possible there might well be other payoffs for credit card holders that can bring you large gains. Many credit cards now create their own reward points, air miles or simpy offer cash back on selected transactions. Consider which of these motivation deals offers you the most promise.

Paying attention to each of these decisive factors should enable you to pick a credit card which is going to be flexible for your needs and let you to benefit from owning it. Watchful use of your card, and, eminently, careful regulating of your repayments, will keep your credit score high and open up the benefits of being proposed even better credit prospects over time.

Low Dose Naltrexone and Why I Care

My story and why I care.

I was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in the fall of 2000, when Texas had nearly a week of 100+ temperatures. I had no idea that it was partly the heat that was so debilitating, but it finally landed me in the hospital, where I spent an extra day after the IV prednisone treatment because the temperature was still 112 degrees outside.

My neurologist gave me the choice of which ABCR drug to go on, and was pleased when I chose Copaxone as the least destructive to my immune system. I religiously took a Copaxone shot every day for nearly nine years. I swear that I probably did not miss 10 shots in that entire nine years.

Being an adult at diagnosis (52), I was lucky to not progress as rapidly as younger people. But the accumulated disabilities did start to add up. My left leg would collapse totally and even when it was good, there was marked weakness. The fatigue was tangible as only an MS patient would understand, and the heat would put me in bed for days at a time.

Worst of all was the mental fog. In my younger days, I had a photographic memory. Now, I have entire years that are missing from my memory bank, when the short term memories did not get stored into the long term vault.

Then in the spring of 2009, the unthinkable happened — along with my job, I lost my employer provided health insurance. There was no way that I could afford the $1,600 per month to continue the Copaxone. Even the $600 per month insurance payments would put us in the poor house.

I had no alternative than to do the research on my own and see if there were something else out there that would make a difference in my life.

I am so GREATFUL that I found LDN for MS, the new protocol for using Low Dose Naltrexone to help repair the immune system and put my symptoms into remission.

I cannot tell you the difference that LDN has made in my life. Now at 61, after being on low dose naltrexone for only a few short weeks, I have just returned from a trip to the Colorado Rockies where we took two of our horses and rode for two hours a day for over a week. I climbed mountains and breathed the thin, clean air with a renewed joy of life that I feared would never be a part of me again.

My husband is pleased to have his wife of 42 years back by his side and my Mother cried when she saw me on my feet with a grin on my face and a twinkle in my eye, not bent over struggling with each step that I took.

Doing some research on low dose naltrexone I found that there is much history of its use in curing and calming so many diseases, not because it cures the disease, but because it improves the immune system to help your own body cure your disease.

The first disease that it was used for was low dose naltrexone and hiv .

I am still somewhat atrophied from years of not being able to use my body the way that I wanted, but the muscles are coming back almost as quickly as the memory. The mental fog is rapidly lifting, and I can now remember a phone number after dialing it once.

It has not made a big difference in the heat problems, but I will learn to live with that. What it has helped with is no more exhaustion, I sleep like a baby through the night, my cognitive function is vastly improved, my left leg and right arm are no longer nearly useless, but as normal as they were as a youth.

I guess the thrill is just how “normal” I feel, and that pleasure comes from somebody who “never wanted to be normal.” LDN will be a part of my life for ever.

I hope is that the MS Society will spend some of their large donations on this cheap generic drug that has no side effects, that is showing so much promise to so many MS sufferers. I realize that the ABCR drugs and the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture them help support the MSS, but the Society is there to serve us, the MS patients even if it means that the thousands that we all spend on expensive and scary drugs is cut way down by the use of this generic LDN therapy that is cheap, safe and easy to administer either orally or topically with a cream that you just rub in.

I cannot thank my lucky stars enough that I lost my health insurance and found Low Dose Naltrexone. If anybody else wants to try it, there is a Yahoo newsgroup with 6,000+ happy members who are willing to tell their stories too, and help in any way that they can. Always consult your doctor before taking any new medication.

How to Shop for Toddler Bedding Sets for Your Little Girl

You can fondly recollect that moment in the hospital when the nurse handed you your new baby girl. It was a moment of intense joy. You were crying as you received what most likely was the best present you would ever get. Remember, that while having a daughter is a blessing, you cannot slow the passing of time. Eventually, you knew that you would have a toddler, not a baby.

This is an amazing stage in a baby’s life. Some parents prefer to have their toddler sleep in a corner of their bedroom while others have their own room all to themselves. One definite item to put on your to do list that can turn out to be a lot of fun is shopping for toddler linens. Girls toddler bedding is really important because it is specifically created for toddlers who sleep in toddler beds, and these beds are significantly smaller than normal beds.

If the toddler bed is constructed with bedding of good quality, then your little girl can sleep in it safely all through the night. The variety of designs you have to choose from includes girlish themed prints, pretty colors, cartoon characters, and many more. Prior to purchasing bedding for your toddler, make certain that you are aware of what you actually desire.

You need to ensure that you daughter will feel comfortable and safe the first time she sleeps in her own bed. There are some little girls that don’t like to sleep alone, because their imagination goes wild. Picking the right toddler bedding is important because it can give your child the perfect night’s sleep. You really want to choose a pattern which leaves your little girl feeling calm and soothed. It’s your little girl that will be using the bedding, so try to select patterns and colors that she would like.

Talk to your toddler about the positives of sleeping in her own bed, by showing her how her new bedding is warm and cozy. When picking out a toddler bed for your daughter you need to make sure it won’t irritate her skin or give her allergies. There is a variety of bedding that is ideally suited to toddlers and made from high quality materials. Your budget parameters must be fulfilled while working. With today’s cost of living you need to make every penny count. Sometimes it’s all right to splurge on toddler bedding, especially if it’s of fine quality, comfortable feel, and a creative design. Besides, nothing compares to your toddler’s feeling of security.

If buying toddler bedding is difficult to you because of the many different kinds, asking another mother of a child the same age is a smart decision. Make sure to ask for several opinions about bedding, and to think about those opinions when making your decision. Of course, no one knows toddler bedding better than parents who have a child who is either a toddler, or recently “graduated” from toddler bedding.

Lastly, you should remember that if you need to save money, then more than one child can use the same babies bedding sets.

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