Fear Not VOD

• Memory Foam Mattresses
• Memory Foam Mattress Toppers
• Memory Foam Pillows
• Memory Foam Mattress Pads
• Eco Memory Foam
• Memory Foam Lounge Bag
• Green Memory Foam
• Eco Memory Foam Pillows
• Memory Foam Cube Ottoman
• Memory Foam Mattresses

Many Americans recall the days of the Space Race of the late 1960’s as the United States and the Soviet Union each sought to become the first nation to put a man into outer space and then to land a man on the moon. It’s been said that the many technological advances that came out of the space program at this time have been a boon to American industry and have contributed to the quality of life here on Earth in addition to serving their role in the space program. That’s true. Indeed, many new products continue to be created from the scientific results of NASA’s development efforts and scientific experiments. While many of these developments are industrial in nature and relate to improved manufacturing techniques and things to which most of us are not often exposed, some of the common applications of NASA technology may be surprising.

One of the hottest products on the market today is the AeroGarden home hydroponics garden that allows individual consumers to grow vegetables and herbs indoors all year long without the use of soil. The company that designed and manufactures the product, actually used NASA studies designed to advance aeroponic gardening during spaceflight in the development of their product. Instead of providing fresh produce during spaceflight, these NASA experiments are now helping us all eat home grown vegetables throughout the year.

Digital photography is all the rage these days, btu did you know that the commonly used second generation of digital image sensors, the CMOS, was developed from research conducted NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The CMOS chip uses less energy than the older CCD digital image sensors and is constructed like a conventional microprocessor or memory chip allowing more efficient (and cheaper) production.

If you sleep on a memory foam mattress, mattress topper or memory foam pillow at night, then you can also than NASA research for your comfortable night’s sleep. Memory foan, also called Temper Foam, and Slow Spring Back Foam, was the result of NASA effort to improve energy absorbent seating materials for increased survivability and crash resistance. Although it was original licensed only to a company called Dynamic Systems, memory foam is broadly licensed today and is made by many manufacturers who have improved the methods by which it is made and made memory foam mattress products much more affordable for the American consumer.

These are just a few of the interesting products to originate with NASA research efforts. Many other surprising applications of space technology have resulted in thing s like low friction swimsuits, ergonomic chairs, highly efficient water purifiers, portable heart rate monitors, tankless water heaters and too many more too mention. For a comprehensive list visit NASA’s online Scientific and Technical Database at www.sti.nasa.gov/spinoff/database.

• Memory Foam Mattresses
• Memory Foam Mattress Toppers
• Memory Foam Pillows
• Memory Foam Mattress Pads
• Eco Memory Foam
• Memory Foam Lounge Bag
• Green Memory Foam
• Eco Memory Foam Pillows
• Memory Foam Cube Ottoman
• Memory Foam Mattresses

Everybody wants to be more comfortable and get a good night’s sleep. That goes without saying. Memory foam mattresses and mattress toppers solve that problem by providing a firm, but yielding cushion that prevents uncomfortable pressure points between your body and the mattress. Many of us, however, have been willing to sacrifice our own comfort by choosing more eco-friendly bedding materials. Now, Padco Memory Foam is offering two brands of environmentally friendly memory foam products. Both Green Memory Foam and EcoMemory Foam products are made from plant-based materials, and both provide the same ultra-comfortable cushioning that people expect from all memory foam mattresses.

EcoMemory Foam claims the distinction of being the first plant-based memory foam that’s made right here in the good old US of A. Their patented formula actually directs excess heat away from the body, so EcoMemory Foam mattress toppers not only cushion, but cool as well for a completely comfortable night’s sleep on those warm summer nights. After all, if we want to be green, turning down or turning off the air conditioner certainly goes a long way toward reducing our carbon footprint.

Padco’s other environmentally friendly offering, Green Memory Foam products, also provides a cooling effect with their breathable plant-based memory foam mattresses. As they explain, their formula is also designed to reduce harmful emissions during the manufacturing process itself. When you weigh the environmental impact against conventional materials, you should also consider that all memory foam mattresses retain their support and cushioning properties for a longer period of time than most conventional mattress materials, so there will be less material for the landfills over the years that you use memory foam.

At the end of the day, though, choosing a mattress is all about getting a good night’s sleep so you can be at your best during the day. Memory Foam mattresses and mattress toppers over firm support while gently molding themselves around the shape of your body. This cushioning action helps reduce uncomfortable pressure on the hips, shoulders, knees, and other parts of your body that would typically bear most of your weight on a regular mattress. By eliminating pressure points, memory foam can also help prevent night time circulation problems that can occur as ordinary mattresses compress the soft body tissues around these areas.

Memory foam provides more comfort, eco-friendly materials, and at Padcomemoryfoam.com, it comes at a very affordable price. EcoMemory Foam mattress toppers start at less than $140, while complete eight inch thick Green Memory Foam mattresses can be purchased for less than $400. Unlike most internet companies that sell items as big as mattresses, shipping from Padco Memory Foam is always free. Imagine getting a mattress shipped right to your door anywhere in the USA without having to pay any shipping charges. You won’t find service like that even from a local mattress supply store these days, but it’s all part of the Padco promise.

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BEAT THE BLIGHT
Over the last few years blight has made its way into gardens all over the country. This much-feared condition can devastate an entire crop of potatoes or, if they are saved, cause the tubers to rot in storage. As with most problems, prevention is better than cure.

KNOW YOUR ENEMY
Blight is a fungal condition which takes hold during warm and humid conditions. Plants that have succumbed will have brown, blotchy leaves. In damp conditions, these dead patches will develop a yellowish fringe or even white mould. If your crop has yellow patchy leaves, and you are growing first earlies (see tuber lessons article) be sure to rule out frost-damage before taking any drastic action. Tubers affected with blight have dark patchy skin and a rotten, spongy and often foul-smelling core. In storage the fungus will spread easily from one potato to another. For the gardener, the cause is often spores arriving on the wind, infected tubers left from last year’s crop or poor quality seed potatoes.

IN AN OUTBREAK
Unfortunately, blight can take hold very quickly and spreads like wildfire. The best course of action is to be extra vigilant in humid conditions, especially after rain. Immediately remove affected stems and leaves before burning them. Your main objective is to stop the blight spreading to the tubers, so keep them earthed up. If the leaves are badly infected, the entire green part of the plant will need to removed. Leave the tubers in the ground for a fortnight or so before lifting, in order to give the spores above ground a chance to die away.

PREVENTION
When blight strikes, there is little to be done other than to attempt damage limitation. However, there are a number of ways to significantly reduce the risk of contracting the condition.
Firstly, choose blight resistant varieties. This may sound obvious, but is especially important if you have previously suffered from blight on your plot. The new Sarpo Mira and Sarpo Axona (link to product pages) have been bred for their outstanding blight resistance.
Secondly, remember to rotate your crops! Potatoes are in the same family as tomatoes, aubergine and chilli so it is important to plant them in a different spot each season. Since tomatoes can also be afflicted with blight, avoid using the same ground previously used for potatoes.
Thirdly, water your potatoes at the base of the plant. Damp leaves provide an ideal environment for the fungus, so aim to keep them as dry as possible.
Fourthly, make sure all tubers are lifted when you come to harvest your crop. Infected tubers can become a source of disease during the next growing season.
Fifth and finally, always use seed potatoes which are intended for growing from a reputable source. Supermarket potatoes (intended for eating) will offer little in the way of disease resistance.

TUBER TROUBLES
There are a number of other diseases that can afflict potatoes, so it is worth keeping an eye out for them during the growing season.

Slugs love potatoes, and will happily devour your maincrop if given half a chance. Keeled slugs live underground and will burrow into the tubers, eating their way through. Upon lifting, you probably won’t see the pests themselves, as they will have had their fill and returned to the soil. Nematodes (link to products in catalogue) offer an organic method of control, although simply lifting the potatoes as soon as they have matured will do much to alleviate the problem.

Split potatoes are usually caused by infrequent or erratic watering. A prolonged wet spell following a drought will lead to hollow-hearted tubers which rot in storage. Regular irrigation is the key – a sunken hose pipe will make light work of watering large plots. Finally, don’t let one bad season put you off growing potatoes – with a little tweaking of your growing methods, there’s no reason why you won’t go on to produce superb spuds next season!