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General Faqs

Our recommendation for taking pHenomenal.

To realize the most benefit, we recommend (1) diluting pHenomenal in distilled water and (2) drinking it on an EMPTY stomach. This protocol presents the least possibility of any ‘reaction’ with either the particles in the dilution water or your stomach acid. (See FAQ 4 about stomach acid) The more pure, un-reacted pHenomenal water you can get past the stomach and into the small intestine for absorption into the blood stream, the better!

That said, you would probably agree then that the ideal time to do pHenomenal would be first thing in the morning before eating or drinking anything else. You can mix up your pHenomenal the night before (stored in a sealed container) and have it ready ‘slam down’ first thing in the morning when you get up! Hydrating your body first thing in the morning is a great way to start your day.

After drinking your morning pHenomenal mix, you will want to wait 15-20 minutes before having your coffee and breakfast. Why? Because eating too soon after may prompt a digestive acid reaction. Waiting 15-20 minutes will allow the optimum amount of pHenomenal to pass into the small intestine before waking up your stomach!

Doing your pHenomenal first thing in the morning might not work for everyone. If you have eaten something, it’s best to wait about two hours before doing pHenomenal so that the stomach acids will have subsided in most cases, thus minimizing an acid reaction. Of course, if you have just eaten a 24-ounce Porterhouse Steak with fries and a six-pack, it may take a ‘tad’ longer for the stomach acid to subside!

Some people ask if is okay to take pHenomenal on an empty stomach before bed. This works for some folks. However, if you get a burst of energy, and you may not be able to get to sleep. That’s not so good!

 All this said, we are amazed at (and very happy about) the testimonials we get from some of our 10,000 plus customers over the years. Some customers drink pHenomenal anytime of the day and/or on a full stomach! (So much for our recommendations!) They tell us they get the benefits they want and continue to order. We cannot explain these claims. Nevertheless, we like happy customers! Everyone is different. Find what works best for you.

In summary, we contend people get the most benefit by getting as much pure, phenomenal water into their blood stream as possible. This is our goal for you… and why we make the above recommendations.

What is in pHenomenal water and how is it made?

Very simply, I start with pure water- two atoms of Hydrogen combined with one atom of Oxygen. I transform it into a stabilized ‘Hydroxide Ion’ liquid – one atom of Hydrogen and one atom of Oxygen. My unique manufacturing process involves heat, magnetism and mineral buffers. The result is a stable liquid with a pH of about 12.2. We named it ‘pHenomenal water’! Yes, it is quite alkaline, yet not dangerous. If you get the pHenomenal water from the bottle on your skin, it will not hurt you, as would lye or caustic soda.

The ‘hydroxide ion’ in my pHenomenal water wants to ‘make love’ (or react) with something. First and foremost, our hydroxide ion LOVES to mate with the hydrogen ion in acids. You guessed it then, the result is little water molecules which live happily ever after! I know, I know, that’s a bit corny. Really though, it’s as simple as that… that’s why pHenomenal is so powerful. Without getting into the chemistry and physics of it, pHenomenal FIRST seeks to react with acids in the blood stream. It’s the natural order of things, so to speak. Be advised that pHenomenal’s hydroxide ions CAN react with other particles as well.

For the record, we put calcium in pHenomenal water. It is inert and we only do it for taste enhancement.

Used as directed, pHenomenal will get into your blood and ‘prey’ on them nasty acid ions in your blood. This makes the natural pH buffering system in our body work a little easier.

We hope this helps you better understand the make-up of pHenomenal water and how it works.

What are the ingredients in pHenomenal?

pHenomenal is a new way of forming water with some calcium added for taste. Also see What is pHenomenal.

Can I monitor my pH results to see if pHenomenal is eliminating my acidity?

Yes you can!

Tired of pulling your hair out over litmus pH readings? Ever wonder why even when eating nothing but alkaline foods your symptoms do not improve?

Acidity = disease! This remarkable test kit is simple to use. It uses one drop of urine. It tests for Ammonia Nitrogen in your urine which is an indication of acidity toxicity. A color chart helps you convert the color into a number. You want to keep your results 1-5. Anything over 5 and you are overly toxic with acidity which will eventually lead to all kinds of symptoms. You cannot depend upon the Urine pH and Saliva pH to give you accurate indications of the acidity level in your body. Only the Ammonia Nitrogen level can do that. This kit does approximately 50 tests and takes about 30 seconds to perform. When drinking pHenomenal Water, we recommend you test your acidity level at the same time of day and at least weekly.  You cannot depend upon the Urine pH and Saliva pH to give you accurate indications of the acidity level in your body. Only the Ammonia Nitrogen level can do that! Dr. Gary Martin of Longevity-Formulas Inc. in Arizona has developed this awesome pH Test Kit!  It is ACCURATE.

Here is the link to order: Flooding the Body with Alkalinity is Not the Same as Removing the Acidity!

Use the coupon code: ATKGH for your discount!

Finally something that will offer some CONTENTMENT!

How can I tell if my body is saturated with enough water daily?

Great Question!  We have on our weight chart proper saturation/water per lb. of a person. Sometimes folks just need MORE water as dehydration can sneak up on us.

The below link will help give the “best” reading. If ordering use Coupon Code PTSGH for your discount.

Why do you add calcium to the pHenomenal?

It is a flavor buffer. Have you ever heard of putting baking soda in your refrigerator to absorb taste? It’s much the same. Calcium absorbs the taste.

Is there a difference between Organic and Inorganic Minerals?

Understanding Minerals: Organic vs. Inorganic

There is much confusion and contention around the issue of organic vs. inorganic minerals and the efficacious application of one over the other. There is a lot of information and there are a lot of opinions circulating as to the best sources of dietary minerals, pitting plant sourced (organic) against rock sourced (inorganic). Since opinions run the gamut, and depending what you read, you will get conflicting information.

You will read some opinions that emphatically state that not only are rock sourced minerals not usable by the body, but are downright dangerous. Given the discrepancies and the confusion these opinions engender, it is imperative to interject some logic into this debate about what form of mineral is emphatically best for your body.

Of critical importance in this organic versus inorganic debate is to understand what organic means in this context. When addressing organic as a mineral description, it means that the element in question is bonded to a carbon atom, which is another inorganic element. Because all living creatures are carbon based, being bonded to a carbon atom theoretically makes any element more bioavailable and usable by a living organism. Without any research to prove this however, it remains conjecture. Furthermore, if it is a true statement then drinking mineral water in nature would be of no benefit to an animal or human. We know this is not true. In nature, our mineral sources have always been water based (we are 70% water) either from the foods we eat or the water we drink. When minerals come from water, they are inorganic. When one ingests sea salt for the mineral content they are utilizing inorganic forms of the minerals that have been recognized as beneficial to human health.

Some say we can only utilize mineral elements if we get them from food (organic) yet others believe ground up rock (pill/capsule form-inorganic) will supply our mineral needs. Others are proponents of liquid sources in an ionic form such as one would obtain from natural mineral water or sea water or a good ionic supplemental formula. In a perfect world there would be no need for supplementation at all.

Today, due to pollution, you take great risks drinking from a mineral stream and sea water at this point in time is problematic. Additionally, most foods grown today are quite deficient in what science has measured as normal mineral content, primarily due to poor farming practices and inadequate soil replenishment, natural erosion, pesticides and chemical fertilizers that create imbalances. Much of the food consumed today is excessively processed to the point of having little or no mineral nutrient content.

Food and water are by far the most logical sources, and yet both delivery systems have become so mineral deficient and/or polluted that they are poor sources for a full compliment of one’s essential daily mineral intake. As a result we have become a minerally deficient society. Results of supplementing with inorganic ionic minerals speak to the effectiveness of inorganic individual ionic elements (not bonded to carbon) and can therefore attest to the fact that the body does not need its minerals bonded to carbon for beneficial absorption and utilization. It is therefore the belief of this author, based upon personal history and the history of the human race (with observation and results), that the body intuitively knows what to do with minerals regardless of the form in which they come, and if it didn’t, we would not be alive.

A very important component to understanding all of this starts with understanding the actual time frame that the body has to process a mineral in order to convert it into an ionic (atomic) size suitable for transport to and functionality within all of the cells of the body. The more tightly bound the mineral element (as in a powder or pill), the more time it takes for the body to atomize the element.

The digestive system of the body has only one section where larger more tightly bound minerals can be broken down into usable ions, and that is in the stomach. The transit time of food through the stomach is approximately one hour. If the inorganic mineral compound is not ionized during this time, no further beneficial breakdown takes place. Once the mineral leaves the high acid environment of the stomach and proceeds into the small intestines, all further break down ceases. The PH environment of the small intestines is incapable of breaking down minerals. Once they have left the acidic environment of the stomach the remainder of the non-ionized minerals are in effect never available to our cells, and just pass through our GI tract unusable.

The overlooked concept in this ongoing controversy between organic or inorganic sources of minerals is the feasibility of elemental minerals (rock) in an ionic form performing the same way in the body as a drink from a mineral stream, which is essentially rock minerals broken down to their atomic size by the forces of nature. Water is a very important source for obtaining ionic minerals. A mineral in an ionic form whether it is organic or inorganic alleviates the need for stomach acid to perform the function of ionization.

The sourcing of minerals from ground up concentrations (rocks) of specific elements, while a popular source for the last 100 years or so, proved to be problematic since each person’s ability to break these relatively large particles into atoms was solely dependent upon the time of exposure to their stomach acids and the amount of stomach acid available, which is sub-optimal in many individuals. So, while the body was able to ionize these rock-based supplements only to a limited degree, most of what was swallowed was never used. Never the less, these minerals were still partially effective in providing some missing dietary levels of necessary nutrient minerals. Many have noticed obvious improvement in their states of dis-ease even without an optimal mineral delivery system.

Why Use Distilled Water?

Only oxygen is more essential than water in sustaining the life of all living organisms. Human beings can live for several weeks without food, but only a few days without water. The daily cleansing of wastes from each cell, the flushing of the alimentary canal and the purifying of the blood are all dependent on our water consumption. The quality of our tissues, their performance, and their resistance to disease and injury are linked to the quality and quantity of water we drink.

The wrong kind of water can pollute, clog up and hinder health and vitality. But what is the right kind of water?

Tap water is not a safe option: besides the cocktail of chemicals intentionally added, including toxic chlorine and fluorine, it can contain lead and other heavy metals leached from pipes, along with any number of synthetic poisonous substances that seep into the water supply via industrial and agricultural pollution. Spring or well water is also no guarantee of purity: today the underground rivers (aquifers) are recipients of myriad man-made chemicals absorbed into the earth from farms, lawns, and factory discharges. Filtered water is not a reliable purification method: too many chemicals pass through and residues remain that can be a source of toxicity. And tests that claim quality are no cause for reassurance – too many of the poisons are impossible to detect because detection systems have yet to be developed.

In today’s increasingly chemicalized world, the purest, safest water is steam distilled – the closest thing to pure H20, which is what nature intended for our bodies. Rainwater is distilled water, created by natural evaporation, condensation, before falling to the earth as precipitation. In pre-industrial times, rainwater sustained populations, but now becomes polluted merely passing through the atmosphere. Fruits and vegetables contain distilled water, but unless organically grown, produce also contains chemical residues from pesticides, herbicides, fertilizers, etc.

Steam distilled water is the best choice because the prolonged boiling process of distillation kills virtually all types of microorganisms, including bacteria, viruses and parasites and is virtually 99 % free of all impurities, including heavy metals and most chemicals. Freshly made, it has a pleasant, pure taste.

The biggest misconception about distilled water is that, because it contains no minerals, the body will somehow be deprived of vital nutrients. The fallacy is in thinking that we can readily absorb minerals in whatever form they may enter our bodies. As an article in the Natural Food Associates Newsletter explains: “Unfortunately, most people fail to realize that the body can only use ORGANIC minerals effectively…Plants, however, can make use of inorganic minerals, converting them into a form which the body can assimilate. Plants, therefore, are the proper source of minerals.”

Tap, spring, filtered and other bottled waters absorb INORGANIC minerals from rocks or soil they have flowed over, plus all the chemical contaminants picked up along the

way, which can cause all kinds of mischief. As the newsletter article notes, inorganic minerals “are not absorbed, but will remain, resulting in arthritis, hardening of the arteries, stones, spurs, etc.” Clearly, food is our best source of mineral nutrition NOT water.

Studies have shown that, because it contains no minerals, distilled water acts as a solvent, picking up inorganic mineral and toxin deposits accumulated in the joints, artery walls, or wherever such deposits occur, and carrying them out. Gall stones and kidney stones get smaller and smaller until they can safely pass through their ducts. Little by little arthritic pains lessens as joints come to be more supple and movable. Arteries gradually become more elastic as blood pressures trend down toward normal. Skin is more hydrated and vibrant. Overall health and vitality improve and the body feels and becomes, in effect, younger!

Perhaps the best example of distilled water’s safety and benefits is Norman W. Walker, D.Sc., inventor of the first hydraulic vegetable juicer and nutritional health expert, who was the earliest and most forceful distilled water advocate. His research confirmed the gentle cleansing action of distilled water in the body, leeching out contaminants and relieving a whole host of ills. Walker lived energetically to the age of 99.o

The Natural Food Associates Newsletter lists other benefits: “A baby’s rash disappears if distilled water is used in bathing an infant. A spot on a fabric is more easily washed out and will not leave a ring if distilled water is used.”

So what is the best source of distilled water? Bottled distilled is expensive (not to mention a pain to lug home!) and the quality is not assured because it comes in plastic jugs which can affect purity and taste. A home water distiller is the easiest, most inexpensive way to go. There are many models available, from compact manual countertops to larger automatic units. (Most all have automatic shut-off, so you just turn on and go about your day.) The process is simple: tap water is poured into a stainless steel boiling chamber, heated to evaporation, then cooled, condensed and collected for drinking, while the impurities remain behind in the tank. Anyone who has ever cleaned the boiling chamber of their distiller will be struck by how much gunk came out of the water instead of into their body!

* * * * *

The reality today is that synthetic toxic chemicals have become a ubiquitous presence in our food, air and water. This is not a reason for paranoia or despair. Trying to achieve absolute purity in an impure world is not possible, nor wise, as it would only add more stress that can be toxic to health. But there are some areas where we can take charge. Our bodies are 70% water, so it’s worthwhile putting the purest water into it – water that will flush out inorganic minerals and pollutants that would otherwise be retained in vital organs and glands. Be on the safe side: whenever possible, drink distilled water.

23 Doctors with the courage to tell the truth about Distilled Water

I’ve put together the specific writings of twenty-four doctors who all support the benefits of Distilled Water. The first few pages of Dr. Hanish’s book (Doctor #24) at the end of this, are really quite stunning. If, after reading this, you think you would like to try distilled water, Cheers…

Everybody needs to switch their drinking water to distilled water.

*** DOCTOR #1 ***

Here is what Dr. Allen Banik says…

- Allen E. Banik, M.D. Author, “The Choice is Clear”

*** DOCTOR #2 ***

Here is what Dr. Paul Bragg says…

Dr. Paul Bragg, N.D. Ph.T., from his book: “The Shocking Truth About Water”

*** DOCTOR #3 ***

Here is what Dr. James Balch says…

Dietary Wellness; 1993 Dr. James Balch, M.D.

*** DOCTOR #4 ***

Here is what Dr. C.W. DeLacy Evans says…

-C.W. DeLacy Evans, M.D., in his book, How To Prolong Life

*** DOCTOR #5 ***
Here is what Dr. Teofilio de la Torre says…

*** DOCTOR #6 ***
Here is what Dr. Charles McFerrin says…

-Dr. Charles McFerrin, writing in the July 1955 issue of Nature’s Path

*** DOCTOR #7 ***
Here is what Dr. Alexander Graham Bell says…

—Dr. Alexander Graham Bell

*** DOCTOR #8 ***
Here is what Dr. Robert W. Flinchbaught says…

-Dr. Robert W. Flinchbaught, from “Pure Water is Life”

*** DOCTOR #9 ***
Here is what Dr. David C. Kennedy says…

-David C. Kennedy, D.D.S.: ‘How To Save Your Teeth: Toxic-Free Preventitive Dentistry’

*** DOCTOR #10 ***

-Robert D. Willix, Jr., M.D.:’Maximum Health’

*** DOCTOR #11 ***
Here is Dr. Handley’s article about distilled water…

The Importance Of Distilled Water In Aging

by Dr. Chester Handley

It is also one of the best ways there is for reducing blood pressure. I made up two charts years ago when I was doing my studies on body detoxification with distilled water, from 1865 to 1965. In 1865, diseases that ranked in the high 30′s and low 40′s became the first four killers in 1965…and they were all cardiovascular. I then made another chart from 1865 to 1965 to show the reduction in the use of drinking rainwater. The two charts were virtually biometrically opposite. As people quit drinking rainwater, cardiovascular diseases went up. When the blood vascular system is clean you have less headaches, you have less pain, you have more oxygen and nutrients available for the body and more healing capacity for the body.

Simple facts with the courage to tell the truth about Distilled Water

What is the ORP of pHenomenal?

ORP is a clever way of measuring the millivolts in a given liquid. Because of the slight difference of one ORP meter to the next I feel it’s better to answer this questions with a straight millivolt reading a pHenomenal.

Diluted and ready to drink pHenomenal has a millivolt of -330 showing it’s massively positive charge of free electrons to give away. As a comparison, freshly juiced raw California organic spinach has a millivolt reading of -30 or 10X less than mixed pHenomenal.

Dr. Gary Martin from Phoenix reported his ORP readings of pHenomenal as…

Concentrate: 12.2 pH / -100 ORP

R/O Water: 5.6 pH / +115 ORP

32 oz Dilution: 10.8 pH / -4 ORP

16 oz Dilution: 11.2 pH / -3.5 ORP

Some people ask if baking soda or alkaline water machines provide the same results as pHenomenal water.

These methods can raise blood pH! But, consider the following:

These two methods work by reacting with stomach acid. We label it as Stomach Acid Neutralization methodology or ‘SAN’. This is not all bad as we discuss in FAQ 4. Why? Neutralized stomach acid must be replenished somehow for digestion to be achieved successfully. Simply speaking, our stomachs will ‘draw’ needed acid out of the blood stream, thus raising the blood pH in a positive way. This methodology is definitely a step in the right direction. After all, the goal is to get have our blood pH in the slightly alkaline range. However, we do NOT consider this to be the ultimate methodology!

Baking soda, a mild alkali, will react with stomach acid, producing water and other by-products. This reaction neutralizes stomach acid, which again, must be replenished somehow. This is just another example of the Stomach Acid Neutralization methodology described above. It too is a step in the right direction. Although it’s not what we designed it to do, pHenomenal water will react with stomach acid as well, using ‘SAN’ methodology. The by-product of pHenomenal reaction with acid is water, NO other by-products! We might add that our testing reveals that that pHenomenal will neutralize five hundred times more stomach acid as will baking soda. Therefore, to match the effectiveness of pHenomenal in this methodology, one will need to utilize a tremendous amount of baking soda compared to pHenomenal. Where’s the savings then? What’s more, baking soda could introduce a lot of sodium by-product into the body. Phenomenal will not introduce sodium. Anyone choosing to ingest baking soda should consult with his or her physician to be sure the residual amount of sodium is not harmful.

Alkaline water machines can certainly be beneficial… if properly used. They also utilize the Stomach Acid Neutralization methodology or ‘SAN’. Again, this is a step in the right direction. However, the water molecules you get from ‘Top of the Line’ Alkaline Water Machines (costing up to $4000) have not been changed to become alkaline. They are simply being ‘rearranged’ as they ‘glob’ onto electron-charged minerals added to the water. Unfortunately, that is not a natural state for minerals to exist. So eventually, the charge wears off the minerals, usually within hours, or at most, a day or two. Then those water molecules will return to their natural state… plain water and minerals. So what does that accomplish? One needs to understand this to realize the benefits.

Some people ask if pHenomenal will help with gout.

We cannot give advice about medical conditions because we are not licensed to do so. Gout is a painful medical condition that requires a Doctor’s attention. We’re told that only about 1-2 % of the population suffers from it. That’s not a big problem unless of course, you have it!

With clinical analysis, your Doctor can determine the exact details of your condition. This is important because your condition may not be gout, but something else. In addition, we’re told there are different types of gout that are treated differently. Once the details of your condition are known, your Doctor can suggest a treatment plan for your exact condition. It’s important for you to learn your condition.

We’re told gout is hereditary. Diet is also a big factor. Certain prescribed medications can bring it on as well. We’re told someone with gout has elevated levels of uric acid in their blood. Uric acid is a by-product of the metabolic breakdown of purine nucleotides. (certain proteins) Uric acid typically dissolves in the blood, passes through the kidneys and is eventually eliminated through urine. Under excretion of uric acid by the kidneys creates the condition called ‘hyperuricimia’. After reaching a certain level, the uric acid can crystallize, attach to and inflame joints, tendons and cartilage. Typically, it occurs in the extremities of the body, such as fingers, feet and toes. It can be debilitating. We’re told the crystallization of uric acid is the underlying cause of painful gout.  Yet, we’re also told it is possible to have high levels of uric acid and never develop gout!

Excessive uric acid in the blood is clearly what can lead to gout. Everyone has SOME uric acid in their blood. We believe pHenomenal water could help a person with excessive levels of uric acid in their blood. Why? Because when pHenomenal water gets into the blood, it goes after blood acids like a ‘heat seeking missile’. It reacts with acid and converts to pure water. For you information, pHenomenal water has been Lab Certified to neutralize Uric & Lactic acid. Kindly check this link: report

Someone reading this may want to go to FAQ3 on our web site to get more details of how pHenomenal water reacts with the blood acids.

We encourage anyone with gout to discuss the use of pHenomenal water with their Doctor. You should be sure it is appropriate for use with your specific gout condition and any other medications you might be taking. We are happy to discuss pHenomenal water with your Doctor as well. We frequently do this.

We have regular pHenomenal water customers with Gout. However, none have offered us any testimonials yet.

Does pHenomenal water will react with stomach acid?

The answer is: ABSOLUTELY… if there is acid in the stomach. However, when Phenomenal ‘reacts’ with stomach acid, it simply turns stomach acid into water. That’s not all bad. This ‘reaction’ does NOT impede digestion at all. But, this reaction not the best scenario.

The digestion process in the human body is quite complex. In a PDF at the end of these FAQs, we attempt to explain the digestion process in great detail. However, in this FAQ, we want to keep things simple and say digestion is accomplished with stomach acid.

To begin with, many people believe their stomach ‘sloshes’ with acid all day long. (Ouch!) People, this is NOT the case. It’s true that our stomachs do remain slightly acidic when empty. However, significant amounts of acid only get generated when foods (or other things that need to be ‘broken down’) enter into the stomach. Consider this. Drinking pure, distilled water, with no minerals or particles, does NOT stimulate stomach acid generation. Miraculously, the stomach knows this. Pure water passes through an empty stomach very quickly (15-20 minutes). It then enters into the small intestine where it is absorbed into the blood stream as needed. However, if the water is NOT pure, your stomach knows that too and generates acid to break down those particles. (Alert… pHenomenal water may also react with particles in water in which it is mixed, which is also NOT ideal)

That’s why we recommend diluting pHenomenal in pure, distilled water and drinking it on an EMPTY stomach. (See FAQ 1- way to take pHenomenal) This protocol minimizes the possibility of any reaction with either the water particles or your stomach acid. Point: the more pHenomenal water you can get past the stomach and into the small intestine for absorption, the better. THIS IS OUR IDEAL SCENARIO.

As said, having a ‘pHenomenal reaction’ with stomach acid is not all bad. Why? The stomach must replenish any neutralized acid from a ‘pHenomenal reaction’ from somewhere. Simply speaking, stomachs have a way to draw needed acid out of the blood stream, thus raising the blood pH in a positive way. We label this concept: ‘Stomach Acid Neutralization methodology’ or ‘SAN. Clearly, if the stomach pulls acid out of the blood stream, that’s definitely a step in the right direction. After all, the ultimate goal is to get our blood pH into the slightly alkaline range. Right? Not all bad, but we firmly believe that you will achieve the most benefit by having pHenomenal bypass these stomach level ‘SAN’ reactions and allowing pHenomenal to enter the blood stream at maximum strength. Then pHenomenal water can do the job we designed it to do… to react with ‘nasties’ in the blood stream, NOT stomach acid.

Why is blood pH important?

First, we must inform you that we are not licensed medical professionals qualified to offer such advice. We can only speak in generalities about what we have observed. We cannot offer individualized advice for specific medical conditions. Instead, we only offer general information we have learned from what we are told. If you wish to use any of our information or the reported experience of others for you own health care, you must do so at your own risk or that of your own health care provider.

It’s our understanding that blood pH is vital to our well-being and needs to slightly alkaline, ranging between 7.35 and 7.45 on a scale of 1-14. Below pH 7.35, it is said to be an ‘acidosis’ blood condition; above pH 7.45 is said to be an ‘alkalosis’ blood condition. Alkalosis is rare but can be life threatening as well. Acidosis is the most common and many believe it’s the main cause of the debilitating diseases we have today.

Our bodies have a miraculous, but complex buffering system that maintains this vital 7.35-7.45 blood pH range. In this range, our immune system is quite capable of keeping us healthy all by itself. But, to stay in this range, the body must remove the acids resulting from metabolism, ect. Our bodies are incredible at this; we sweat out acidity, we breath it out (carbon dioxide) and our liver and kidneys turn it into urine for elimination.

Unfortunately, many of the things we eat and drink tend to challenge the buffering systems and drive our blood pH south. These are Acid driving foods like red meats, processed grains, sugar, alcohol, coffee, some fruit juices, soft drinks and many more. (Right…all the good stuff!) Alkaline driving foods are things like raw green veggies, raw fresh fruit, pure water and many more. (Yuck!) So, if it tastes good, spit it out because it’s probably not good for you!

We believe that pHenomenal water, taken as directed, can help your body maintain the vital blood pH range.

Can I monitor my blood pH somehow to see if pHenomenal is working?

Yes, you can!

Some of our customers monitor their urine and/or saliva pH with pH paper strips. These are readily available online or at your drug store. In our experience, we found paper pH test results to be a nightmare. There are just too many variables affecting pH of urine and saliva pH. Test results were all over the board. We could never figure out why!

There are published guidelines for pH paper strip test results. We read that if your urinary pH fluctuates between 6.0 to 6.5 in the morning and between 6.5 and 7.0 in the evening, your body is believed to be functioning within a healthy pH range. If your saliva stays between 6.5 and 7.5 all day, we’re told your body is probably functioning within a healthy range. (We neither accept nor dispute these numbers) However, if your readings are NOT in this range, it is a real challenge to explain why. We’re told the best time to test your pH is about one hour before a meal or two hours after a meal. They say to limit your tests to two days a week and then average the readings over a month period.

We submit the most accurate way to determine blood pH is through a laboratory serum blood pH test. Measuring blood serum pH is not difficult at all. Yet, we know of NO blood testing labs that will include blood serum pH in their test panels. (If you know of one, please let us know)

It’s interesting… if you happen to wind up in a hospital emergency ward (ER) for some reason, you may have a Arterial Blood Gas Analysis done which includes blood pH. This test provides the doctors with great ‘intel’ about your condition. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could accurately track our blood pH BEFORE we wind up in the ER?

Should you choose to experiment with the pH papers when using pHenomenal water, that’s great. However, kindly do not contact us about your results because we are neither licensed nor qualified to discuss the results with you. Your results are something you need to discuss with your doctor.

What is the weight of your products for traveling?

1 bottle of pHenomenal is 3 pounds, 1 bottle of B-pHree gel is 2 pounds, and 1 bottle of alkaline gel is 1 pound.


India Government Essay

Custom Student Mr. Teacher ENG 1001-04 17 August 2016

India Government

Imperialism began in India in the 1600s with the introduction of the East India Trade Company who placed trading posts at Bombay, Madras, and Calcutta. (British Imperialism in India, 2014). Prior to the arrival of EITC, the Mughal Empire was a larger and more powerful kingdom than any other country in Europe. The center of the Mughal Empire was in poorly populated northern region, the soil and river system in this area was perfect for farming, transporting and communicating. (A Case Study of British Imperialism in India, 2014). For some time, the EITC and Mughal were able to work cohesively together, but by 1707 the Mughal Empire had begun to crumble, and in 1757 Robert Clive, in alliance with the French, led troops to a victory over Indian forces at the Battle of Plassey. This made way for the EITC to become the primary power in India. (British Imperialism in India, 2014).

The East India Trade Company grew quickly, with little interference from the British government, having its own army called sepoys comprised of both Indian and British soldiers. India was considered the jewel in the crown due in part to the skills of its people and its vast producing land. Cotton cloth and raw silk winding were in high demand for the company to export, as well as sugar, indigo dye and opium. (Marshall, 2014). The EITC used religious force and economic power to take and maintain control of India. Demanding that Indian textile not be in competition with British goods and cash crops for the farmers.

This in turn forced the indigenous people to experience economical loss and inability to feed themselves. Britain had taken a stand-off approach with Indian religion, but many felt that Indian customs were compromised with the increase in missionaries and racist attitude towards India’s way of life. By 1857, there was ever increasing unhappiness, leading to a mutiny among the Sepoy. The Sepoy army were instructed to use rifle cartridges that were greased with pig or cow fat. Because the ends of the cartridges needed to be bitten off before using, this was offensive to the Sepoy army, whose population was either Hindu or Muslim. Muslim belief is that pigs are unclean and Hindu whose belief is that cows are sacred. (Anderson, 2007). The Sepoy mutiny gave way to a new British government in India called Raj, who ruled Indian until 1947. (British Imperialism in India, 2014).

Part B Violent Revolution: American Revolution

The American Revolution was brought about by unhappy colonist who were against British taxes and sought independence from British rule. After winning the French and Indian War, King George II began to impose taxes on goods such as sugar and molasses that were brought in to the colonies with the Sugar Act of 1764. The Stamp Act (1765), required an official stamp on most transactions of colonial businesses. The colonist, unhappy with the taxes, and feeling that the British Parliament was corrupt, began to speak out against the taxes, labeling the taxes as illegal because the people of the colonies were not represented in the British Parliament. “No taxation without representation” was the cry of the colonies, to which the Parliament replied with a new tax, the Townshend Act (1777), applied taxes to all imported glass, lead, paint, paper and tea. (American Revolution, 2014).

The colonist, unhappy with the taxes, began to speak out against the taxes, labeling the taxes as illegal, because the colonies were not represented in the British Parliament. Refusal to pay the Kings taxes lead the colonist to form a club called the Sons of Liberty. Members of the club broke into tax collectors homes, beat them and burned tax bills.

In 1770, a battle between the colonists and British soldiers took place in Boston, Massachusetts, known as the Boston Massacre, killing 5 colonists and injuring many more. Two British soldiers were found guilty of murder and punished only by having their thumbs burned. (The American Revolution , 2014). On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence, written by Thomas Jefferson was approved, showing England that America would become a free, independent county of British rule. (The American Revolution , 2014).

Non Violent Revolution: Indian Independence Movement

The cause of The Indian Independence Movement grew out of a nation in search of a way to free itself from British power and control. The goal of The Indian National Congress was to gain and maintain independence from the British forces. The Indian National Congress formed and held its first meeting in 1885, one of those in attendance was Mahatma Gandhi, who would become the leader of the group. At first, the NIC professed loyalty to the British, but with World War 1 breaking out in 1914 and lasting until 1920, the NIC gradually became an opponent the British government. As the tolerance or the British decreased, the Indians strength increased. Indians began to realize that the British were not such a force to be reckoned with. (Indian Independence Movement, 2014).

B1. Strategy

Battles between the colonies and the British were full of conventional warfare and guerrilla warfare. Guerrilla warfare consists of spontaneous, individual acts of sabotage. Francis Marion, the “Swamp Fox” used guerilla warfare against the British, using bands of troops in caring size to prevent the British from gathering supplies, and harassing the small outposts and forts. (Joes, 1996).

The INC, under the leadership of Gandhi conducted major campaigns to draw attention to Indians human and civil rights. Civil disobedience in the form of a non-violent protests and marches were formed. The Civil Disobedience Campaign of 1919-1922 was a boycott of British cloth, The Salt Satyagraha, a non-violent protest against the tax applied to salt. Gandhi was arrested by the British, who thought it would stop the movement, however it only increased in participants and forced the British government to discuss the possibility of Indian independence. (The Indian Independence Struggle , 2014).

A Case Study of British Imperialism in India. (2014, July 13). Retrieved from Modern World History: American Revolution. (2014, July 16). Retrieved from Anderson, C. (2007). Indian Uprising of 1857-8 : Prisons, Prisoners, and Rebellion. In C. Anderson, Indian Uprising of 1857-8 : Prisons, Prisoners, and Rebellion (p.

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This task is a form of Typedef with the attributes "adapter" and "adaptto" set to the values "org.apache.tools.ant.TaskAdapter" and "org.apache.tools.ant.Task" respectively. Anything said in the manual page of typedef applies to taskdef as well.


West State Textile League was an Independent League that was based in South Carolina.

1934     Brooks Brothers,  Greenville-Brandon, Greenville Poe, Judson, Pelzer, Piemont, Renfrew Bleachery, Williamston

1935     Greenville-Mills Mill enter the league and Piedmont and Renfreww Bleachery ahs left the elague

1936     Dunean, Greenville-Camperdown, Greenville-Monaghan, Greenville-Union Bleachery, Piedmont.Renfrew Bleachery, Slater and Southern Worsted enter the league and Brandon, Brooks Brothers, Judson, Mills Mill and Williamston has left the league.

1938     Duke Power, Greer, Pelzer, Piedmont

1947     Augusta Road, Conestee, Lebanon, Pelham, Pliney, Reedy River

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Southeast Asia was a region on the Asian continent on Earth, generally defined as including the nation-states of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, Thailand, and others. The 1959-1975 conflict known as the Vietnam War was fought across Southeast Asia, beyond Vietnam's political borders.

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Āvajjana: Directing of the mind towards the object, is the first stage in the process of consciousness see: viññāna-kicca. If an object of the 5 physical senses is observed, it is called 'five-door directing' = pañca dvārāvajjana, in the case of a mental object, an idea or mental state then it is called 'mind-door directing' mano-dvārāvajjana.

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Improve Listening Skills by Training Your Brain

Communicating Effectively

Communication is important: everywhere we go, we need to be able to communicate with people around us. Even the best hearing aids can only enhance your ability to hear; they can never replace or improve listening skills. To truly listen, it is important to block out distracting background noises so we can listen to spoken words in busy environments.

When we actively communicate with others, we are training our brains to listen. If we don’t practice active listening, even if it is as a result of a hearing issue or older age, we can lose some of our listening skills. Practicing active listening on a daily basis can actually help to improve hearing and communication over time.

The Difference Between Hearing and Listening

Hearing is the act of recognizing sound. Being startled by a bang or turning your head at an unexpected noise both indicate hearing ability. This is called signal-based processing. Listening, however, requires both knowledge and hearing.

Listening is only accomplished through hearing and understanding a message or sound. Recognizing a message in spoken words is listening; hearing problems can affect listening skills, but they are not the same thing.

Strategies for Communication

The differences between listening and hearing become more evident as we age. Older people may express that they can hear spoken words, but they do not understand what is being said. Listening skills can be improved with information, tools, and training. Training exercises your brain so it can listen and hear at a suitable level. Listening skills can always be improved, whether you use a hearing device or not. To improve learning communication, some strategies are:

  • Telling others around you how to speak more clearly
  • Understanding realistically what your hearing aid can do
  • Using other technologies that can help with hearing and sound cancelling
  • Joining a class or group that can teach you how to listen more effectively
  • Using subtitles or closed captioning on the TV and with movies

Learn about new technology and therapy that can bolster your listening skills and prevent decline. Hearing aids are certainly a great starting point, and some people need them. Auditory and cognitive training is another important way to engage the brain and improve listening abilities.

It is important to educate yourself how the brain is related to hearing and listening skills. Listening exercises can help you to practice various communication strategies that help you to train your brain to listen.

Try these 3 listening exercises to train your hearing abilities and listening skills:

  • Watch and record a television show without closed captioning, playing it back with closed caption to evaluate how well you heard and understood everything that was happening.
  • Read a book while simultaneously listening to the audio-book version
  • Have a friend read a newspaper aloud, then do it again, reading along with them as they talk

Try each exercise in gradually louder surroundings to build your listening skills.

Just having the ability to hear does not automatically grant effective communication or listening skills. Hearing devices can be a great help, but listening skills involve actual hearing as well as the ability to understand. Learn communication strategies and practice hearing exercises that train your brain to promote listening abilities.


Facial nerve injuries can be caused by trauma or tumours

Reconstructive and plastic surgeon, Dr Frank Graewe explains how facial nerve injuries cause paralysis of the facial muscles which are responsible for facial expression.

It usually leads to facial asymmetry, severe cosmetic problems as well as functional problems such as dryness of the eyes, drooling, problems with eating, tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ears) or other hearing problems, and pain or muscle twitching. In some cases it can spontaneously resolve or can be treated successfully without surgery. However, in most cases symptoms can be improved with surgery.

Facial nerve injuries can be caused by trauma or tumours, however in rare cases facial nerve problems are congenital, meaning that patients were born with them. Frequently it can occur at a later age without any known cause, for example Bell’s Palsy.

Dr Frank Graewe says it is possible to repair a facial nerve injury if the injured nerve ends are intact and can be surgically connected or grafted. “Direct nerve repair usually has to be done within 12 months after the injury before permanent nerve degeneration takes place. Microsurgical techniques are used to do nerve repair or nerve grafting and in some cases a microsurgical tissue transfer can be done. This is when a functional muscle is transplanted to replace muscle function in an area which had facial nerve palsy.” Graewe says an example of when this transfer is done is in cases of Moebius syndrome, a congenital facial nerve atresia, where a free gracilis muscle transfer is done to make it possible for patients to smile. Functional muscle transfer can take place anytime after the injury, because it does not depend on the facial nerve function.

The gracilis muscle, which is taken from the thigh, is the best muscle for the purpose of facial nerve surgery as it is thin and not bulky, has a good motor nerve and blood supply and can be adjusted to the required length. Dr Graewe explains that the patient will not have any functional or cosmetic loss except for a scar on the thigh after the muscle has been removed.

The facial nerve divides into five different branches in the face and the areas involved in surgical repair will depend on where and how it was affected by injury. By transferring a thin muscle with nerves and blood supply and connecting the nerve and blood supply to corresponding nerves and blood vessels in that area, patients can be helped to regain movement and functionality. In most cases this type of surgery is done in the lower face to create a smile.

The success of facial nerve surgery depends on the meticulous surgical technique of the surgeon, including the microsurgery and careful patient selection. Prevention of possible complications is important. There are risks and possible complications that are involved with this procedure which the surgeon will discuss with patients before operating.

Although there is rarely a complete recovery, most facial nerve repair procedures give patients significant improvement in their appearance and functionality.


Geomembrane Pool liners by biggest lining factory in China

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Specifications of Geomembrane

 1) Thickness : 0.15mm - 4.0mm.

 2) Width : Within 8 m (1m-8m).

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 7) The biggest geomembrane liner manufacturer/factory in China for many years .

Geomembrane specifications

 1) Thickness : 0.15mm - 4.0mm.

HDPE geomenbrane Features

HDPE Geomembrane Applications

HDPE geomembrane technical index

              Test Value

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1.25 mm

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2.5 mm

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Q:how does the switching power thick film circuit work?
1.STR-53041 is a thick film ICs for TV power switching circuit consists of two NPN type transistor and a PNP transistor and a regulator and a number of resistors in five ends .STR-53041 devices .3 termination power input terminal 4 of the common ground terminal, the second end of the feedback terminal, one end of the sampling signal input, the TV using the 5 'end idle. 2.TR1 oscillation transistor is NPN type, it and P B winding and a feedback winding of the transformer T form a feedback oscillator circuit .TR2 are NPN type transistor and the regulator ZD constitute sampling comparison circuit provided by the comparison voltage .TR3 transformer T D windings are PNP transistors constituting the sampling signal current amplifier circuit for driving the oscillating tube, perform pulse width modulation circuit output voltage amplitude stability. 3.STR53041 natural oscillation frequency is lower than the TV line frequency, it is subject to the line frequency flyback transformer FBT came forward driving pulse synchronization work 15.75KH. to eliminate the image appears horizontal frequency interference.
Q:What need to pay attention to when choosing the imported geomembrane?
What needs to note are uniformity of the thickness, acid and alkali resistance, biodegradability, tensile stress limit and puncture strength.
Q:How many square meters of geomembrane is checked at a time?
Geomembrane category HDPE geomembrane, LDPE geomembrane, EVA geomembrane, PVC geomembrane, matte geomembrane and other composite geomembrane products are mainly used in civil engineering dams, reservoirs, highways, railways, construction and industrial pollution waste, waste water seepage-proof treatment, etc., which takes the woven fabric as substrate and is composed by monolayer or multi-layer plastic film of the same kind impermeable material main products: The price of cloth membrane, two cloth membrane kind of geomembrane is generally around 11000-13000yuan/ton geomembrane is calculated by product specification or thickness
The difference between tempered glass color film and tempered glass film is that one frame is colored, the other is not. Tempered glass is actually a prestressed glass, to raise the glass strength, usually using chemical or physical methods, to form compressive stress on the glass surface. When glass is under external force, first it will offset surface stress, so tempered glass improve the bearing capacity and enhance the wind load resistance, cold and heat resistance, and impact strength of glass. While tempered glass protective film can protect the screen of mobile phone effectively.
Q:How to install the electrothermal film non-woven fabrics?
After taking ground insulation measures, then clean the ground so as to keep it smooth and flat. Then lay the aluminum foil reflective film, and then pave the electrothermal film. The electrothermal film should be face up, and a safe distance between films of around 20 cm is recommended to reserve. Then connect wires and electrothermal film should be in parallel with wires. Both ends are insulated. Waterproof cloth should be covered after finishing the installation of electrothermal film.
Q:what's the standard that geomembrane welding point's breaking strength should reach?
welding point strength is executed by GB/T16989 standard, the products standard of composite geo-membrane is GB/T17642-2008 .
Q:How to choose the stick membrane for decoration?
Firstly, look at the design and colour. In order to identify whether the household colourful film is good or bad, you should first check whether the color is even, whether there is chromatism and bleeding. Usually a pattern is better when the pattern is more clear. In the next step, you should look at the tenderness, which is mainly for non-woven fabrics and wall coverings, etc. You have to look at both sides. Usually the quality is better if density of the surface wove is higher. Secondly, touch it and feel its toughness. Some people think that household colourful film is better when it is thicker, which is a misunderstanding. The quality is related to the quality of paper, production technique and toughness, and thickness, and not directly related to the thickness. When you identify the wallpaper by hand, you should touch it and feel and toughness, particularly for flocking wallpapers. They are most likely to feel the difference between good and bad. Usually the quality and toughness is better when it is softer. But when domestic and imported products that are made of the same material are compared, the imported ones will be relatively thick and of higher density. Third, smell it. Inferior household colourful film has bad smell. In addition, the real environmentally friendly film has no smell, but if it is made of inferior materials, it will have a pungent smell. You can smell it when coming close to it. Fourly wipe it. Wear-resisting and soiling-resisting should be tested. It is recommended that consumers draw some lines on the paper and the wipe them in the purchase process. Generally high quality colorul decoration film can easily be cleaned even if the surface is bumpy, but if it is of low quality, it is easy to be scraped or not easy to be cleaned.
Q:What is the classification of film resistance?
1. The carbon film resistor is made by depositing crystallize carbon on a ceramic rod framework. Carbon film resistors have low cost. Stable performance. Wide resistance range. It has low temperature coefficient and voltage coefficient, is the most widely used resistor at present. 2. The metal film resistors. Coating the alloy material on the surface of the ceramic rods framework by vacuum evaporation . Metal film resistors have higher precision, good stability, and low noise and temperature coefficient than carbon film resistors, thus is widely applied in the instrumentation and communications equipment. 3. Metal oxidation film resistors is made by deposited a metallic oxide layer on the insulating rod. Because it itself is an oxide, it is stable at high temperature and thermal shock resistance with strong load capacity. 4. The synthetic membrane resistor is made by coating the conductive composite suspension liquid on the substrate, therefore, it is also called paint film resistor. Due to its grainy structure of the conductive layer, it produces a lot of noises, and has low precision. It is mainly used in the manufacturing of high pressure resistance and small resistors.
Q:How is electric heating film electric heating
It is not so good, because interface should be made between the membrane, and should be done on site, if workers do not have a high technique, there will be a lot of problems, the most troublesome thing is to open floorborad, and then is heard differences between film and the film, some of the films will be breakdown in a short time. If you beed to choose good films, or simply heating cable. You can choose imported products like the United States Marley, I heard that its factory has done a good job in the interface, so the interface does noy have to be done on site. And they can also be more stable and safe water
Q:What is made of stretch film?
Composite stretch film is currently the most widely used and largely consumed, occupying more than 40%of the overall consumption of plastic packaging stretch film. Since polyethylene containing no polar group has high crystallinity and low surface free energy, so surface treatment is required before printing and composite. Low density polyethylene stretch film is translucent, shiny, soft. It has excellent chemical stability, heat sealability, water resistance and moisture resistance, freeze-resistant and it can be boiled. Generally low density polyethylene stretch film is made by blow molding and curtain coating. polyethylene stretch film made by curtain coating is of uniform thickness, but is rarely used because of high prices. Blow-molded polyethylene stretch film is made by PE particles blown from the blow molding machine. It is most widely used for its low cost. Stretched polyester film is using polyethylene terephthalate as raw material, It is colorless, transparent, glossy stretch film, excellent mechanical properties, high stiffness, hardness and toughness, puncture resistance, abrasion resistance, high temperature and low temperature resistance. It has good chemical resistance, oil resistance, air tightness and fragrance holding. it is one of film substrate of the commom composite stretch film that is permeability resistance. But polyester stretch film price is higher, generally having a thickness of 12μm, often used for outer materials of cooking and packaging. it prints well.

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We don’t yet know who agreed to pay $179.4 million for a Picasso in an auction Monday night — or where the money came from, or what motivated that person or persons to spend more than anyone has before for a single piece of art at auction. But this much we do know: The astronomical rise in prices for the most-sought-after works of art over the last generation is in large part the story of rising global inequality. At its core, this is the simplest of economic math. The supply of Picasso paintings or Giacometti sculptures (one of which sold for $141 million in the same auction this week) is fixed. But the number of people with the will and the resources to buy top-end art is rising, thanks to the distribution of extreme wealth.

Employees of Christie's auction house hold up Spanish painter Pablo Picassos Les femmes dAlger (Version O) during a press preview in London on April 10, 2015. Les femmes dAlger (Version O), a vibrant cubist work last auctioned in 1997 when it nearly tripled the expected price, is estimated to fetch about 140 million USD at auction in New York in May, by far the highest price ever for a work of art on the auction block. AFP PHOTO / JUSTIN TALLIS RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE, MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION, TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION        (Photo credit should read JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP/Getty Images)

And the kind of people who can comfortably afford to pay a nine-figure sum for a Picasso, the top 0.001 percent, say, are doing still better than that. You can draw that conclusion by reading the work of the French economists Thomas Piketty and Emmanuel Saez. Or you can form it by looking carefully at the market for the work of a certain Spanish painter. Let’s assume, for a minute, that no one would spend more than 1 percent of his total net worth on a single painting. By that reckoning, the buyer of Picasso’s 1955 “Les Femmes d’Alger (Version O)” would need to have at least $17.9 billion in total wealth. That would imply, based on the Forbes Billionaires list, that there are exactly 50 plausible buyers of the painting worldwide.

That helps explain why the recent Picasso sale represented a 462 percent gain since its previous auction in 1997, a span in which the Standard & Poor’s 500 index returned 215 percent, including reinvested dividends. (The comparison isn’t entirely apt, in that the painting would have required spending each year on security, storage and insurance, lowering returns. On the other hand, the Picasso looks better on one’s living room wall than a mutual fund prospectus.)

What does that mean for the future? There is no free lunch, even for people paying millions of dollars for a painted canvas. Art prices are vulnerable to fashion, of course. Picassos could go out of favor, relatively speaking, in the years ahead, in which case the anonymous buyer this week may not see the same type of exceptional financial return the previous owner enjoyed. There are legal risks. Already, the Chinese government is cracking down on official corruption and particularly on showy displays of wealth, which could crimp Chinese demand for fine art in the years ahead. American and European authorities may wish to put further effort into preventing art transactions from being used to launder money or evade taxes, as the economist Nouriel Roubini has argued is commonplace.

But any billionaire spending astronomical sums for a painting or sculpture should hope most of all that this basic global inequality trend — of the wealth of the ultrarich growing faster than the world population overall economy — remains intact. Because as long as it does, there will always be another potential buyer out there with the potential to fuel a bidding war like the one that took place this week.


Sunday, December 9, 2012

Ethics for Atheists, Agnostics, and Other Immoralists (Part II)

Looking back over my previous post, I noticed some shortcomings. The most egregious is the paucity of examples of ethics. I only provided one example, namely morality as commonly conceived. Another example is an ethic based on the integration of emotions, drives, desires, and beliefs. The ideal of such an ethic is to have various emotional and mental entities work together toward a single goal or ideal. New experiences are understood and interpreted according to a schema that seeks balance and harmony. Dissatisfactions and self-critical thoughts are expected to produce reasons for their assertions of poor self-worth.

An easy criticism of any ethic, including the ethic implied by morality, is that it is egoistic and self-centered. It cab also be said of the ethic of morality is also egoistic and self-centered. In the Christian system of belief one submits to morality in order to avoid eternal damnation. Even in a moral version of the ethic of morality, i.e.  one without explicit punishment for disobedience, egoism and selfishness plays a critical part: one does right in order to avoid the ravages of a guilty conscience. The ethic of morality is a bit of prudence as a means to avoid unpleasant consequences, and not rooted in love, generosity, respect, or any other humane quality. There is no unselfish ethic. Only degrees of subtlety.

Another easy criticism is the lack of an explanation of how a person could already be following an ethic before choosing or even articulating an (preferred) ethic. Already following an ethic is not in its root an ethic of sacrifice and self-abnegation Already following an ethic means such an ethic is natural and is opposed to renunciation of desire. It also means that such a person is a stranger to himself. I find myself ignorant of who and what I am. Self-knowledge would then appear to be a process. It may be that everyone is this way, but it is not necessary for it to be so for everyone. Perhaps most importantly, all that is necessary for such a one to be restless and dissatisfied with one's status quo.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Ethics for Atheists, Agnostics, and Other Immoralists (Part I)

These posts are not written to be a source of arguments against belief in God. The non-existence of the deity is presumed. These posts are for anyone who having lost their belief in God asks themselves, “How then am I to live?” Anyone who finds themselves frustrated by the imputation by God-believers that a good and worthwhile life without God is impossible will find comfort here.

Morality uses the language of obedience and command. Moral precepts are to be obeyed. In a moralizing world view the greatest virtue is obedience and the most grievous sin is rebellion. The machinery of morality derives its motivating power from the source of morality. Most commonly this source is God, but Nature and natural law are not unheard of sources of morality. God both rewards and punishes, when the source of morality is Nature or natural law, punishment is meted out as a consequence of one’s disobedience. Except for some rhetorical differences the source of moral law makes little difference. Submission to morality and moral law means submission and obedience to someone or something.

For those who need a reason to do good so as not to rape, pillage, and plunder, let them have their faith in God or in whatever they believe the wellspring of morality to be. But for those of us who find morality’s rhetoric of submission and obedience distasteful, we may turn to ethics instead.

If morality is about obedience, that then is ethics about? Ethics is an answer to the question, “How then am I to live?” Carefully considered morality can be considered as an example of an ethic. The supreme value in morality considered as an ethic is obedience. This provides a clue as to what ethics more broadly considered might be.

Rationalizations and justifications of morality commonly base themselves on a bargain: if I give up this, then felicitous results are guaranteed. In the mind of Christians the bargain is evasion of eternal torment for giving up certain pleasures and activities. Some Christians will argue that there is no quid pro quo with the Deity, but rather one is granted freedom from the demands of morality -- in Christian terminology :”the Law” -- so as to follow God’s Will with forgiveness guaranteed to earnest efforts to follow God’s Will that fall short because of one’s own shortcomings and flawed desires.

If the root virtue of morality considered as an ethic is obedience, the question presents itself: what are alternative ethics? Considering morality as an ethic implies that multiple ethics are possible. A most unchristian insight. How might one or more of these alternative ethics be elaborated? A plurality of possible answers to the question: How then am I to live? Or more appropriate to this context, how am I to choose between these possible hypothetical ethics? In considering this question in this context, appeals to obedience are excluded from the outset. Some of these hypothetical ethical possibilities will exclude appeals and justifications for obedience. The value of each of these different possible ethics would appear to be equal. There would seem to be no way to decide between all of these hypothetical ethics by consideration without falling back into an ethic derived from obedience. A standard by which to judge is lacking. This is true if thought and consideration are limited to a comparison of the various possibilities ethics with one another. Considered in themselves, each hypothetical ethic would seem to be equal in value and attractiveness.

It would seem without recourse to an ethic of obedience the specter of relativism and nihilism stands as a scarecrow barring further consideration of alternatives to any ethic not derived from holding obedience as the highest value.

The question that ethics would answer is “how then am I to live?” A hint to a possible resolution of this conundrum lies in the question itself. How am I to live? The question expresses a desire. Desires mean one thing if nothing else: that each possible ethic is not the same to me. I have preferences and desires to which each possible ethic is not all the same to me. Obviously enough, considered in this way each possible ethic would only be binding on myself.

This insight generates more questions than it would seem to answer. This is not an objection, but a hint to consider whether these questions are answerable. More questions are not objections.

How am I to live? Pursuit of alternatives to an ethic of obedience suggests that I am already pursuing an ethical ideal, albeit unconsciously. It is an alternative to an ethic of obedience to proceed as if one were already pursuing an ethic in seeking an alternative to an ethic of obedience. One of the presumptions of an ethic of obedience is that one’s natural inclinations are to be mistrusted. Obedience presumes that one is obedient to something (an ideal, a person, an imagined deity, etc.) external to oneself which provides direction and a source to one’s ethical efforts.

The imagery of obedience suggests sacrifice and renunciation of one’s own desires and self-direction. When engaged in an ethic of obedience one renounces the presumption that one knows best for oneself. The source of ethical imperatives is located outside oneself. Transposed into the social realm this means obedience to would-be mouthpieces of morality and God’s Will. An ethic of obedience presupposes that one does not know what is best for oneself. Questioning and curiosity mean error an disobedience and punishment. It is typical for an ethic of obedience that error is a danger to be avoided at all costs. The consequence of an unacknowledged error is catastrophic. Consider the result of even the tiniest unredeemed sin in Christianity: eternal punishment.

One alternative to an ethic of obedience is to consider ethics as reflection on what one is already doing. One systematizes one’s efforts as to choose more in accordance with one’s existing propensities. Instead of sacrifice and renunciation, enhancement and refinement of one’s efforts with hopefully fewer mistakes and wasted efforts. Why pursue ethics? One is already doing so. One is is curious and wants to better understand oneself.

It's been a while...

It's been a while since I last posted anything. It's not like I've forgotten about this blog. I'm still depressed. Most days are tolerable and I don't feel depressed, just not particularly motivated to do anything. Occasionally, though, there are days when I feel depressed and am paralysed with feelings of hopelessness and sadness. Good days are grey, and the rare really good days are off-white.

I've set myself a task: to compose a series of posts devoted to the topic of ethics for atheists. It's not meant to be a definitive solution that will work for everyone. There is no new proposed law for all humankind to be found in these posts. These posts will be best understood by those of us who believed in God once upon a time, but now find themselves adrift and confused in a godless universe. The presentation is a polemic against a prejudice common to followers of Abrahamic religions: it is impossible to live an ethical or a moral life without something to demand obedience.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

I have always found the persistent voice of excessive criticism to be one of the most difficult aspects of depression. Just to be clear, this is not a literal voice that I hear, but rather a persistent pressure giving rise to self-critical thoughts. It is a relentless pressure to find fault, not so much in particulars but in my life as a whole. My voice tells me that I am a failure and that it was foolishness to ever think that I might amount to anything. It is these thoughts that give rise to suicidal ideations. I feel small and anxious in opposing this tendency because I can't point to anything in my life that would be evidence for not being a failure. This pressure tempts me to believe that everyone would be better off without me. It was this train of thought that ended in a suicide attempt.

It is accurate to say that I have hit a low point in my life. The death of my mother coupled with my wife deciding that suddenly she's really been a lesbian almost drove me insane last year. The double abandonment hurt immensely. I had been close to my mother, we spoke by phone almost everyday. Zoya, my wife, gave me only the vaguest of inklings that all was not well in our marriage. My mother's death and Zoya's leaving in the same week was a profound shock. She moved out the day before my birthday, to add insult to injury.

The illusions in this posting's title? The most painful is the relentless pressure of self-critical thoughts to believe horrible things about myself. Opposing the relentless pressure requires strength of character. I do not have the luxury of a belief in God and Christianity or that there is a higher purpose to my life or that there is a lesson to be learned in all of this. These thoughts are neither "true" nor "false," but these thoughts present themselves as true, meaning without an alternative. This makes this pressure oppressive in their relentlessness. The temptation is to believe in truth and that these thoughts and pressure are not representations and reflections of other things going on in my life.

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Monday, April 23, 2012

Something someone told me once

Some fifteen years ago, when I told a colleague that I was depressed, he explained to me that he was quite sure that my depression was a consequence of my pessimism. If only I would think more cheerful thoughts, I wouldn't be depressed. My colleague's assertion is a common superstition that fails to withstand even modest scrutiny. The motivation and psychological pay-off is suspicious. The belief that our beliefs are causative of other mental states preserves a sense of control. Our mental life ought not appear strange to us. We should not be strangers to ourselves. We ought to be able to maintain a sense of control and safety inside our own skins. I am skeptical of any belief that allows for such unwarranted comfort. My skepticism is not sufficient grounds to consider a belief as unwarranted. It is, however, an expression of mistrust and motivation to think more deeply.

Do our beliefs cause anything? Does a pessimistic outlook cause depression? If only I thought happy thoughts, then would my depression lift? Or are depressive tendencies primary and the pessimistic outlook a consequence of a predisposition? Can this underlying predisposition be changed or at least mitigated? Is what I am calling "an underlying predisposition" better called by the old term "character"? Are there aspects of personality that are unchanging in spite of the vicissitudes of circumstance? And if there are unchanging elements to a personality, would it be possible to know what they are with any degree of certainty?

Before I get ahead of myself, what do I mean by character? It might clarify a little to substitute "limitation" for character. A person has his/her own typical limitations. These can be repetition of the same types of mistakes. A person can have certain beliefs and value judgements that are difficult, if not impossible, to evaluate objectively and with detachment. A belief that women are (somehow) inherently trustworthy for instance. This line of thought strongly suggests that what is often understood as neurosis (doing the same thing over & over but expecting a different result each time) is in some cases at least a matter of character. For what it's worth, there is nothing in the concept of character that requires it to refer exclusively to uplifting moral qualities. Traditionally, along with good upstanding character there were also low and mean characters.

The argument against character is that of what I call eternal optimism. There are no limitations to one's personality, only resignation and not trying hard enough. This brings us back to what my colleague told me. Some mental states, if not all mental states, are causative. They make other things happen, even if only other mental states. Certainly it is the case that mental states seem to engender other mental states. For many people the feeling of certainty that comes with the repetition of the Lord's Prayer brings feelings of peace, calmness, and safety, just as the thought of homosexual acts bring feelings of anger, fear, and loathing to some of these same people. It is also seems likely that there is not any mental state that will engender the same mental state(s) in all people. It does seem that particular mental states in similar circumstances will typically in a given person give rise to the same mental states.

It is tempting here to follow the chain of concepts and reduce mental life to a species of mechanistic determinism. While I can't decisively refute faith in the causal nature of one's thoughts and feelings, I can offer an observation. Thoughts do not come on command. Thoughts and insights come without warning and when they are good and ready. Further we learn from our past, maybe not as efficiently as we would like sometimes. A given thought will often engender the same thought(s), but eventually boredom sets in. Otherwise, a person becomes boring and prone to repetition of the same old tired syllogisms and arguments.

Where do these reflections leave self-knowledge?

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Thursday, April 19, 2012

It's been over six months...

It's been over six months since I last updated my blog. I'd like to say that I've been busy, but I haven't been. Having had much experience with depression, I can say that whatever depressed people do, being busy isn't it. Sometimes depression is synonymous with boredom. Unlike boredom, though, depression leaves me with an inability to help myself out of the depression/boredom. I'm bored but not bored enough. The difference between boredom and depression lies with rewards. One of the key symptoms of depression is, after all, a decreased appetite for pleasure. Pleasure of all kinds: cooking, eating, sex, conversation, sunny weather, etc. No reward seems to be worth the effort.

Explaining this to someone who has never been depressed is like explaining colors to a blind person. The experience is simply lacking to those blessed with good mental health. If the example of colors is too hackneyed, consider the difficulty of explaining the taste of a particular food to someone who has never tried it. There is a qualia to depression that cannot be communicated. Depression is not simply feeling really, really bad, although that is in many cases a prominent symptom. Nor is it merely feeling hopeless. Nor is depression any one thing. There are several symptoms that must be present in order for a case of "the blues" to merit a diagnosis of depression.

Psychiatrists use a list of symptoms, of which a certain number must be present for length of time. My own bias is to believe that no two instances of depression are ever quite the same. There are always differences in the specific symptoms as well as to their intensity, in addition each case's etiology is unique to thye sufferer.

That said, it is also true that cases of depression can be classified, categorized, and analyzed for their commonalities and differences. It is a dirty secret to psychiatry that the diagnosis and treatment of depression is an art and not a science. Part of the diagnostic procedure is questioning the patient about the presence, duration, and intensity of symptoms. Consequently, patience, insight and good listening skills are essential to being a good psychiatrist. These are all qualities in which some competency can be acquired, but more than a mere competency requires qualities of character. This means that there are personality types that cannot acquire more than the most basic rudiments of good psychiatry.

For all that, this doesn't mean that psychiatry is arbitrary in its diagnoses and categories. Psychiatry is properly speaking what psychiatrists do. The categories and criteria for diagnoses are the result of individuals with a certain type of training seeking to make sense of diverse but related phenomena. It is true, though, that a psychiatric diagnosis is because a psychiatrist says it is. The diagnosis, if it is a good diagnosis, will, when explained to other psychiatrists, appear reasonable and justified by the facts of a case. Facts here mean test results, observations, presentation of symptoms, etc.

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This article is about the plot device in The Fourth Wall. For other uses of the term, see fourth wall (disambiguation).

The Fourth Wall Theory is a fictional scientific hypothesis proposed by researchers in an alternate universe in the BZPower comic series The Fourth Wall.

The theory proposes four barriers (or "walls") defining levels of consciousness, taking its name from the last of which.

Working from a dualistic presupposition, the Fourth Wall Theory considers consciousness to be a field of indescribable energy inhabiting the same space as the mind on an unknown dimensional plane. Thus, it poses the question not just of what consciousness is, but where.

The theory states that there are four barriers to consciousness: stimulus-response thought, independent thought, self-awareness, and an incomprehensible fourth barrier. They maintained that humans surpass the first three boundaries only, and that once this fourth barrier of consciousness is broken, fuller access to the time-space dimensional plane opens. Incomprehensible things occur.

Put another way, in the first three levels of conscious, stimuli impose themselves upon mental processes (to varying degrees). After the fourth wall is broken, the mind imposes itself upon nature.

The theory was tested on innocent people by the scientists, being subject to sleep deprivation, hallucinogens, brainwave alteration, and more. These efforts were met with success, frightening the researchers and causing them to abandon the project entirely.

The primary effect of a "wallbreak" (see Etymology below) upon a subject is the ability to traverse the time-space continuum, resulting in teleportation, time travel, interdimensional travel, or any combination thereof. One who does any of these things is described as a "Traveler." A wallbreak may or may not be volunary, and can also be inflicted upon someone by another wallbreaker.

Increased control over the fourth wall yields other abilities which are virtually limitless, both in nature and volume. The known wallbreak powers are as follows (with Traveler-related abilities included for consistency):

  • Teleportation
  • Time travel
  • Interdimensional travel
  • Telekinesis
  • Pyrokinesis
  • Hammerspace
  • Shapeshifting

Introduced to a number of new concepts, several new terms were created by the scientists to describe the results of their experimentation.

  • The fourth wall is the final boundary to human consciousness. Its role in the mental makeup of an individual is similar to that of the "fourth wall" in fiction, allowing the subject to interact with their environment in an entirely different way.
  • A wallbreak technically refers to any transition from one level of consciousness to another, but is generally used in reference to the fourth wall only.
  • Travelers are those who have accessed any of the three primary wallbreak powers; that is, teleportation, time travel, or interdimensional travel.

See also

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About Coding Autism

Oliver Thornton

When Oliver was two years old, he was diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome shortly after his older brother was diagnosed with Autism. Throughout Oliver's adolescent years, he struggled with his speech, making friends, and lacked self confidence in his intelligence and ability to succeed. Through the motivational forces of autism influencers such as Temple Grandin, Oliver transformed his mentality of what it truly meant to be a person on the autism spectrum. With this newly adopted mentality, Oliver drove himself to success in his college years at California Lutheran University (CLU), where he obtained his Real Estate Salesperson License, co-founded CLU's professional business fraternity Delta Sigma Pi, and won CLU's 2016 New Venture Competition. Since Oliver's graduation, Oliver has devoted himself to his real estate representation at Compass in Beverly Hills as well as building up Coding Autism.

Austen Weinhart

Austen Weinhart comes from a background of extensive experience in the technology space, performing roles in marketing, quality assurance, and web development. Early on as a student at UC Berkeley, Austen acted as president of the public relations student group, PR @ Cal. After graduating from Berkeley, he worked on both technical and marketing projects for high-profile clients such as Adobe, Microsoft, Google, Facebook, and others. Austen was drawn into Coding Autism both for his passion for autism advocacy and also as someone who is a product of a coding bootcamp education. Austen is eager to create an environment where others can turn their lives around by learning to code, just as he did.


These Facts About Sitting Cross Legged Will Leave You Speechless

We might have heard the old people raise concern over sitting cross-legged, especially the females. My mom use to everytime point it to me to sit properly when ever she found me sitting cross-legged. Is there any truth to it?

Sitting for a prolonged time is not healthy but let’s look into the matter of sitting cross-legged.

Can It Lead to Disease Conditions?

Also, Read 38 signs of body language that can explain everything!!

Cross Legged Skeletal Structure

Some people say that sitting cross legged can eventually lead to the varicose vein. But there is no valid proof to this. A varicose vein is caused mostly due to hereditary factors and sometimes with age or due to obesity. There are no studies to support the onset of hypertension due to the cross legged seating position. But there has been speculations that the blood pressure levels can increase in people who are already suffering from hypertension.

Pelvic problems can be caused due to sitting cross-legged most of the time. The position in itself is not recommended by doctors as the upper knee is exerting pressure on the lower knee. By crossing your legs, even though one might seem to be comfortable in that stance, the pelvis is twisted to reach out the leg. Automatically, the lower back would also hunch up and even twists the back also slightly. Some may say that alternating the leg on top would cause reduced effect, but there are no reports to back that fact.

Worsen a Knee Problem

Also Read: Squats for Women: 5 Variations You Should Try

Cross Legged Position
Cross Legged Position

Knee health is a crucial factor in helping you walk. This is in turn related to healthy back and hip. Knee pain alleviates with misaligned knee position. This is a known factor, so by crossing your legs, you are actually putting your leg in an abnormal position. Even if it won’t be a causative for knee problems, you can probably worsen an already existent knee pain.

With several years or taking this sitting position, the strain and effort will deteriorate making you feel comfortable, but the damage will remain. This pertains to not just sitting cross legged but with any twisted seating. It can cause intense damage to Skelton and even Lymphatic system. For people who are able to relate their knee pain to crossing their legs, it is recommended to check into their hips and pelvic issues initially. This is done with physiotherapy treatments and will take some time to cure the root issue.

It is not wise to be sitting cross-legged for more time can you would take to sip a cup of coffee.

So, How Should you Be Sitting?

Also Read 17 Best Poses for Women, Now Look More Gorgeous With These Tricks!

Proper Sitting Position
Proper Sitting Position

For people who have to sit for a prolonged period, the right position is the key to keeping pains at bay. The legs have to straight with flat feet, If you have a height problem, you can use a footstool to lie the foot flat. Most of the people today have a sedentary lifestyle. Sitting for long hours can do immeasurable damage. Its is advised to take a short stroll after every 55 minutes.

We humans have not been manufactured for the sedentary lifestyle so we have to move to keep our body functioning optimally. Next time, when your body complains of a shoulder or knee pain, recheck on your movements and sitting position.


Boss and Employee funny joke

Boss : There r 50 bricks on an airplane. If u drop 1
outside. Hw many r left?

Employee : That's easy,49.
Boss : What r the 3 steps to put an elephant into a

Employee : Open the fridge. Put the elephant in.
Close the fridge

Boss : What r the four steps to put a deer into the

Employee : Open the fridge. Take the elephant out.
Put the deer in,
close the fridge.

Boss : It's lion's birthday, all animals r there except
one, why?

Employee : Because the deer is in the fridge.

Boss : How does an old woman cross a swamp
filled with crocodiles?

Employee : She jst crosses it bcz d crocodiles r at d
lion's birthday

Employee : I guess she drowned?

Boss : No! She was hit by the brick fallen from the
airplane. U may leave now..

Moral: Jitna marzi prepare karlo. Agar boss ne
tumhari leni hai to leke hi manega !!


Leased fee value of an auto dealership and rental rates

Carole Hale

NOTE: The following article is from the collection of articles in our Automobile Dealership Buy/Sell Newsletters. The newsletter deals with the complex area of buying and selling automobile dealerships. Some of the material may not be up to date because of changes in the law from the date shown at the end of the article. This article is not to be taken as legal, accounting, tax, or other advice. You should consult your own professionals for such advice and for any updating of the information provided.

The appraisal of a property under a “market value” premise assumes a consummation of a sale. Most of the time, the appraisal will be utilized to assist in obtaining financing for the real estate. The purchaser (or lender if the loan goes into default) is primarily interested in what they will receive from the property.

When selling a property that is leased under an “arms-length” transaction (no intra-company lease), the interest being sold is considered the “Leased Fee.” The definition of a “Leased Fee” is:

“An ownership interest held by a landlord with the rights of use and occupancy conveyed by lease to others. The rights of the lessor (the leased fee owner) and the leased fee are specified by contract terms contained within the lease.”(The Dictionary of Real Estate Appraisal, Third Edition, published by the Appraisal Institute).

An older, but more concise, definition would be:

“A LEASED FEE interest is defined as the right to receive periodic rental payments over the term of the lease and the ultimate right of repossession of the premises at the expiration of the lease.”

The above definitions mean that the owner of the property (landlord) will receive rental payments over the term of the lease (based upon the lease terms) and return of possession of the property at the end of the lease term.

When the contract rental rate is the same as the “market” rental rate, then the value of the property (leased fee value) is typically synonymous with “market value.” If the rental rate is “below market” and the remaining term of the lease (including options at the lower rate) is more than a couple years, then the leased fee value is less than the “market value.” Conversely, if the contract rental rate is higher than the “market” rental rate, then the leased fee value of the property is slightly higher than “market value.”

For example, assume a property is rented for $15,000 per month on a “market” rental basis. Using a typical vacancy rate of 5%, a typical expense ratio of 4%, and a typical overall capitalization rate of 10%, results in a property value of $1,640,000. If the “contract” rent on that same property is $10,000 per month and the remaining lease term is 20 years (including options), then the “leased fee” value of that property drops to approximately $1,190,000, an approximate 27% drop in value. Conversely, if the “contract” rent is $20,000 per month and the remaining lease term is 20 years (including options), then the “leased fee” value of the property increases to approximately $1,965,000, an approximate 20% increase in value. Considering a remaining lease term of 5 years under the above scenarios would indicate “leased fee” values of $1,415,000, or a 13.7% decrease for the “below market” lease and $1,835,000, or an 11.9% increase for the “above market” lease.[More consideration is given to the value of "below market" rents as they are considered to be assured.The strength of the tenant has to be taken into consideration in valuing "above market" rents.]

As you can see, the contract rental rate on a property can affect the sale value of that property. Because those rental rates may affect the sale price or financing capability of the property, the property owner needs to remember these factors when negotiating rental rates.

Note: Most auto dealership facilities are owner-occupied or contain intra-company leases. Even though these “intra-company” leases may be written at a market rate, they cannot be utilized by the appraiser in the valuation of the real estate as they could be canceled at any time. Most owner-occupied auto dealerships write leases to themselves for accounting/tax purposes and these leases are not utilized in the valuation.

Typically, rental rates on newer auto dealership facilities are based upon a percentage amount of the current value of the land and cost of improvements with returns at 10% on the land and 12% on the improvements (new). Some developers are utilizing an 11% rate on both the land and improvements as a composite and equal to [(10% + 12%) ÷ 2.] Rental rates are sometimes based upon a slight return above or commensurate return of the mortgage interest rate on the property, usually with a CPI adjustment annually or every 5 years (compounded).[Rental rates on older facilities can be calculated in a similar manner with the discount rate on the improvements adjusted slightly for the age of the improvements (generally not to the extent required for a residual analysis).]The rents are nearly always on a triple net basis with the tenant paying all expenses of operating the property including real estate taxes, insurance and maintenance. Typically, lease terms are for 10 to 20 years (seldom less than 5 years) with annual increases (usually CPI), or increases at least every 3 to 5 years.

Though auto makers generally set guidelines for how much rent a specific dealership can afford to pay (usually on a dollar amount per vehicle), market rental rates areseldombased upon the number of vehicles sold (either on a per-unit or dollar amount basis). The guidelines are more of a statement as to how much a particular dealership can afford to pay (similar to rental or mortgage qualification of a consumer based upon their income-i.e., 4 X, etc.). And, as you know, what the dealership can afford to pay is not necessarily reflective of the rental value of the property as different auto makes and dealership operations generate higher or lower sales volumes. [Note: In a slower market or when working with new market entrants, some auto dealership leases have been structured to include a lower minimum monthly rent (10% to 20% lower than "market") versus a percentage or dollar amount per vehicle sold. This lease type offers a lower minimum rental at the beginning of the lease while providing for potentially higher rental rates (above market) in the future when sales for the dealership increase. The dollar amount per vehicle sold (and/or percentage plus a percentage of service charges) would depend upon the sales history of the facility during the previous "normal" periods and the current time.]

The important thing to take into consideration when placing an “arms-length” lease on a property is that the terms of that lease will have a direct bearing on the market value of the property when sold or for financing. Some property owners will negotiate a “less than market rate” lease in order to sell the business only to find out later that the low rental rate has drastically affected the value of their property when they tried to sell it.

This article was written in 1998.

Carole Hale, MAI, SRA is a real estate appraiser for The Hale Company, a southern California-based appraisal company specializing in automobile dealerships and related businesses. She can be reached at 909-517-1064.