David Barney came to tell Kwame Mainu that cocaine had been found in the second fertility doll discovered in a police search of the combustion engine research laboratory where Nelson Evans Agyei had been working. The search had been very thorough and they were sure no more would be found. Nevertheless, it was bad enough; one carved wooden elephant and two fertility dolls had been used to import narcotics. When David had gone Kwame went to update his boss, Professor Tom Arthur.

‘He has Professor Thomas with him,’ Tom’s secretary, Alice Brown, said, ‘He’s usually not long, it might be worth waiting.’ Kwame picked up the Telegraph and settled to read but it was impossible to ignore the raised voices from the inner office.

‘Does Prof Thomas have a new problem?’ Kwame asked. ‘He’s heard about Miss Garg from Mrs Gupta and now he wants to travel to Ghana with Prof,’ the secretary replied.

The inner office door opened and a red-faced professor emerged. Ignoring the occupants of the outer office, he marched straight ahead through the outer door. ‘Ah Kwame,’ said Tom, ‘just the man I need.’

‘It’s good to be needed.’

‘Did Alice tell you?’

‘About Prof Thomas wanting to come to Kumasi?’

‘Yes.’

‘Why don’t you let him come? Everyone falls in love with Ghana. He won’t trouble us any more after that.’

‘It’s a heavy expense the project can’t afford.’

‘But Mick isn’t coming.’

‘Prof will cost us more; he likes to travel first class!’

‘It will be worth it in the long-run.’

‘I’m sure you’re right, Kwame.’

‘You didn’t come here to talk about Prof Thomas,’ Tom said.

‘No, I came to tell you about the fertility dolls.’

‘Is that what you call akuaba?’

‘Exactly.’

‘Still not managing it then, Kwame?’

‘They’re not for me; they were brought by Nelson!’

‘With cocaine filling like the elephant?’

‘That’s what they tell me.’

Kwame explained to Tom how the first doll had been found by the laboratory technician when he was clearing out the storeroom. ‘I should have told you earlier but it slipped my mind when we discussed Sandra’s leave. At that time, it hadn’t been confirmed that it contained drugs.’

‘Who found the second one?’

‘Leon’s people, they carried out a thorough search.’

‘And they both contained cocaine!’

‘At least none of it was sold on the street.’

‘No, but all of it was found on our campus.’

Tom sat in silence, looking glum, but Kwame tried to see the glass half-full. ‘It’s still the same case, not a new one,’ he said, ‘and Leon’s people believe that the Kumasi couriers thought they were carrying wee, not hard drugs. We don’t expect any other cases to arise. Let Prof Thomas come and see for himself. We’ll explain everything that has been done in Kumasi to stop the drugs couriers as well as to select reliable visitors who won’t become illegal immigrants.’

‘Or impregnate our female staff?’

‘There’s not much we can do about that.’

Distinguishing yourself from the competition when searching for a job start with the presentation of your resume. Many employers will first look at your resume and decide whether they want to meet you in person. There are many thing that they take into consideration when assessing you resume.

Firstly, a well written resume does not need to be very long. A good CV will not be more than two pages long. If it is too long, the employer may get tired just by reading the first pages. While the CV has to be brief, it most provide the employer with enough information so that he will be willing to give you an interview. In fact the resume is your marketing tool.

You may be surprised to know that there are many people who have many qualifications, talents, and skills but find it hard to obtain a job. Some things that you can do to increase your chances are; To hire the service of a resume writing company, have your CV read by an expert for advice, tailor your CV for the specific employment that you are seeking.

Resume writers can be found online. Obviously, their service comes with a cost. Such service can help you get to the door for an interview. Keep in mind that if a company actually calls you for an interview, it means that you have at least 50% of chance to get the opportunity the other 50% remaining requires that you distinguish yourself from the competition

A good resume writing company will not only help you with your CV but they can also provide you with tips about attending an interview. Some things to take into consideration are the following:

The presentation of your resume is of high importance. It must be tailored to reflect and put emphasis on your knowledge, experience, and skills for the position sought

The wording is important. If you are an expert in your field, the keywords that you will use should be of technical nature reflecting your professionalism

Make use of action verbs to portray yourself such; accomplished, transformed, improved

Your resume should have clearly defined sections. Avoid too many personal pronoun such as “I” or “me”. Often, it only takes an employer about 30 seconds to determine whether he/she will read further or will discard your resume. The opening presentation should be a marketing pitch for the position. It should be brief but contain enough point which will have the employer seek to read further. Remember, the resume is used to get you that first interview.

There are many ways to get ahead financially: attend seminars where you cut up your credit cards with hundreds of other people, participate in financial assistance service that help you take out a home equity loan or refinance your home, or you can transfer debt on one credit card to another credit card with an introductory rate of 0% (which goes up to 12% six months down the road).

The reason these methods don’t work is because we don’t concurrently cut our expenses while implementing these strategies. Even if we’re making more money, unless we cut expenses, we will continue to spend more money than we have and incur debt. Manage yourself and your money. Money is like food; we don’t eat only when we’re hungry, and we certainly don’t spend only when we need something.

Beware: Debt forgiveness can hurt you. The company that forgives your debt can issue a 1099C, which means the forgiven amount gets added to your taxed income.

When there’s a will, there’s another way:

Your credit score (also called your FICO or Beacon score) will affect the interest rate you’re able to secure. Credit scores range from 500 to 850. Where are you on the scale?

What’s in a number?

500 and below-you’re in serious trouble

650 to 680 you probably will have a difficult time getting credit, and if you do it will be at higher rates

700+–excellent score

How you got your credit score:

a) Payment history (35% of score). Make payments on time or early.

b) Amounts you owe (30% of score)

c) Credit history (15% of score). The longer you have credit, the higher your score can be.

d) New credit (10% of score). New credit cards.

e) Type of credit you have in use. Mortgages, Bloomingdale’s, etc.

There are three reporting services that can give you your score: Equifax.com, Experian.com and Transunion.com. At least once, do an experiment and order a report from all three. They probably will provide a complimentary report each year, per person. You will most likely find inconsistencies in the reports such as missing and incorrect information.

Each time a credit report is run on you, your score is lowered by two or three points. You still want to shop around for a mortgage, but consider using a mortgage broker who runs one report to shop around the loan. If you go to five different banks, that can drop your score 15 points.

The best way to improve a kitchen appearance is by painting cabinets or restaining cabinets. Refinishing kitchen cabinets is an economic cost effective method to change the look of a kitchen. One thing do it yourself homeowners need to know is they need to remove any grease from existing kitchen cabinets.

Grease or oil residue is the fastest contaminant that will cause a paint or stain to fail. Oil stains can prevent paint or stain from properly bonding to kitchen cabinets. Removing grease and cooking resin from kitchen cabinets will go a long ways in the longevity of new finishes. Also it’s easier to clean your cabinets with the doors removed and put your doors in a safe place.

The first thing to the cleaning process of cleaning kitchen cabinets is to remove all hardware from the cabinets and doors. Removing hardware will prevent grease and water from settling behind hinges and door knows which could pose a problem later.

There’s a few things needed to clean cabinets from main kitchen contaminants. The list of items needed would be scotch pads, any strong degreaser solution, sponges, towels, and a clean 3 gallon bucket.

Scotch pads are needed to scrub the cabinets to help pull the contaminants below the grain. Some people like to spray degreaser on their cabinets and others like to pour some degreaser in a bucket and dilute the solution with water according to the amount of grease deposit buildup on their kitchen cabinets.

Once the cabinets are cleaned with a scotch pad and cleaned, pour clean water into the 3 gallon bucket and soak your sponge. Once the sponge is soaking wet, wringe it out, and wipe all the degreaser away from your cabinets and doors. After you have removed all of the cleaning solution from your cabinets, you want to repeat the cleaning process at least 2 times. Preferably you want to clean your cabinets 3 times as a minimum.

Cleaning your kitchen cabinets thoroughly is the best way to ensure you will have proper adhesion for your paint finish. Using the right cleaning products and removing all contaminants are especially important before you move onto the next stage.

You will need to do a test before you move on to the next phase to make sure you removed all the grease and oil from your cabinets. An oil test kit can be purchased from your local paint store for about 50 bucks at the time this article is written.

Modern urban farmhouse are home design keywords that are very popular today as the natural aesthetic vibe is very much in sync with being grounded to Mother Earth and being respectful to her compassion. Growing up on farms and being surrounded by nature, incorporating rustic wood and furniture is a natural progression of the farmhouse decor style.

Warm and collected, modern rustic farmhouses are filled with casual, lived-in village charm. Designers take elements from the old world architecture, mix with practical and modern fittings thereby making a statement piece.The modern farmhouse aesthetic takes the front porch and makes it whimsical with an elaborately handcarved swing with flowers and peacock detailing. Whether a triple arch spans the entire front porch of the house, or has one that is small and enclosed, a front porch is a beautiful farmhouse touch.

Create a collected fresh look yet one that is worn with time. Use a medley of colors and vary the distressed carved wood cabinets to create a gathered over time ambiance. Keep windows bare so you can see the pastures and fresh flowers blooming. Farmhouse life is centered around the kitchen so have lots of storage and sitting. An old door created into a dining table with a glass top and ox cart benches bring the village rustic charm.

Find an old steel sink for the bathroom and convert a rustic chest into a vanity. Reclaimed old doors are used to make these chest and are very earth friendly. Some have metals like iron and brass that will balance the energy in the room by grounding the negative ions into the earth. An old window frame with iron accents was used to make a mirror. Run a simple sari curtain instead of cabinet doors to cover up storage without taking away from the rough textures of the old woods.

Combine the new into the old. The bathroom glass shower disappears into the stone wall. The carved Tree of Life barn door adds softness to this rustic room. Exposed beams and a carved natural stone Buddha statue carries the zen ambiance through with a waterfall cascading behind it and lots of broad leaf palms accent the white stone walls. Exposed plumbing and electrical conduits run parallel to the cabinets. Primitive lanterns and old ceiling fans with a utilitarian feel hang from the exposed rafters. Rustic handmade wardrobe cabinets give extra storage as well giving and old world sophistication to the room.

Bifold doors permit an unhindered view of the outsides and are the best choice, especially where space is at a premium. One may opt for single glazed bifold doors or for double glazed types. The latter is especially advantageous from energy conservation and acoustic insulation perspectives.

Regardless, one must consider the choice of blinds for bifold doors. Blinds are necessary when one wishes to cut out the light. One can opt for curtains as the easiest way to create privacy but curtains can impede the view when the doors are opened. Venetian blinds may be considered but these present their own set of problems. Adding blinds creates disharmony in the visual composition and mars looks especially when the doors are folded back. Operating such blinds can also be a bit of bother. External blinds also need to be cleaned and maintained. The solution is to opt for integral blinds in double glazed bifold doors. At one stroke all the issues are taken care of without hindering the convenience of blinds.

Instead of ordering double glazed bifold doors and then adding blinds as an afterthought it is wiser to order such doors with integral blinds for a neater, smarter and ergonomic solution that looks neat as well.

Manufacturers of quality bifold doors incorporate the blind into the glazing, fitting it neatly inside the frame so that it does not become an obstruction when one opens the door or gets in the way or gets tangled up and damaged in the process. The blinds are cut and precisely fitted inside the sectional frame to conform to the size of the glass glazing and the mechanism is neat and integrates well with the overall structure. Such integral blinds work smoothly and never get in the way of closing or opening the bifold doors.

In the case of double glazed bifold doors the solution to integrate the blind between the glass panels is even better because then, the blinds remain fully enclosed and never need cleaning. A magnetic system permits opening or closing of the blinds by the simple expedient of sliding an unobtrusive lever. There is no need for cord or rods. The look is much improved when blinds are sandwiched between the glass panels. From the health perspective too, enclosed blind prevent accumulation of bacteria and dirt, which is another reason to consider this type of blinds for doors and windows.

If one considers installation of new bifolds then it is best to order such doors with integral blinds. Functionality and aesthetics improve with such integrated blinds. If one already has single paned bifolds then it is a good idea to get a retrofit of double glazing with integrated blinds. It does represent some investment but the lasting improvements will give so much ease of use as well as value addition to the house. The current trend is towards minimalism and clean, neat lines in interiors. Integral blinds exemplify this trend, resolving all aesthetic and practical considerations in one simple, single stroke.

When you think about getting new doors for your home you don’t want to have something normal and common. There are different kinds of doors that may have an impact on the way the room is portrayed.

Panelled doors are great features to have in your house. The design used to make a panel door gives the room an elegant look. The best part about panel doors is that they come in many different designs to suit your style. These doors often range from 2 panels to 6 panels depending on what you feel will suit your home.

Louver doors might not be as stylish but are practical when it comes to homes and kitchens. The purpose of a louvered door is to allow light and ventilation through. Natural light sometimes gives a better look into a room than constant electrical light. Louvered doors often come in different designs depending on your style.

Glass doors are better for rooms such as studies, libraries and dining rooms. The glass allows light to enter the room and gives the overall appearance of more space. Many modern houses only consist of glass doors because allowing natural light in saves money and electricity.

Some glass doors are made completely of glass like most offices and sun rooms whilst some are made with half a panel in glass and half in wood to increase beauty of the room. Glass doors should mainly be considered for interior rooms or the exterior that doesn’t face the street.

Doors with grilles give the room a different character. The grille frame can be designed differently according to your preferences. Plus it is functional as it protects you from possible intruders. This design is practical and beautiful. The grille is usually paired with a glass door to allow natural sunlight to enter the room. When natural light enters a home the atmosphere is warmer. This could come in handy during the winter months.

Flush doors are less stylish and only serve the purpose of closing up a space. If you are the type of person that prefers the simple features a flush door is right for you.

You want to feel that your house is beautiful inside and out. Although people don’t necessarily see the inside as much you do, you still want it to look appealing to your eye. If you have a specific idea in mind you could always visit custom door manufacturers for the perfect design style.

There is that awkward moment when your realtor is fumbling with the lock box to get the key, and you (the buyer) are patiently waiting and subconsciously creating an image of the home you are about to see. Could this be the one? Such anticipation!

This holding pen outside the front door is a golden opportunity for a savvy seller to set the stage for the buyers tour of their home. That front door area is where first impressions start, and it truly creates the tone for the rest of the home tour. Just three simple steps can make your front door set the wow tone for potential buyers: Clean, Update and Stage!

Clean:

• Trim back bushes, pull weeds, throw down some fresh mulch, plant some flowers, etc.
• Sweep out the porch, steps and walkway (do not forget the cobwebs).
• Wipe down the front door (and screen door, if you have one).
• Polish door knobs and light fixtures.
• Power wash if necessary.

Update: Now that you can see everything, does anything need updated or repaired?

• What is the condition of the front door? Does it stick? Do you have to swing your hip into it to get it open? Make sure it operates smoothly.
• What about your screen door? If it does not work smoothly, or if it is an eyesore, take it down.
• Do the steps need repaired? Is the handrail sturdy? Chances are these types of repairs might show up on an inspectors list anyway. Might as well fix them now.
• Light fixtures – are they worn out or dated? Do the light bulbs work? Make it shine!

Stage: Now you have your clean canvas to work with. Look at your front door objectively.

• Are your house numbers up to par, or looking a little worn (or outdated)?
• Pitch your welcome mat and spring for a new one. That one small investment can make a huge difference!
• If you have room, add a welcoming seating area (but please, no cheap looking lawn chairs!).
• Add some natural elements, ideally potted plants. Choose something bold and of proper scale to make an impression.
• If appropriate, add a seasonal wreath. Just make sure it is not too cutsie and please, no dried flowers (they represent death in some cultures).
• Adding solar-powered lights along the walk way or spotlights highlighting a tree can also make a big impact.

Now that you have that wow front door, remember to check on it periodically to water the flowers and keep it swept.

I would be remiss if I did not take this subject to the next step. What happens once they walk inside your home? Keep up the momentum and stage the inside of your home too! A professional stager has the objective ability to see your home as a buyer would see it, and make resourceful, yet meaningful changes to how your home is presented.

Class is now in session….

There are many types of garage door openers out there, so which one is right for you?? The first thing you have to realize, is that garage door openers are not a one size fits all application. Garage door openers are made to function better if its on the right type of door, most of our repairs are done on machines that are either installed wrong or the opener is on the wrong type of door, and in a lot of cases just a low quality opener.

Now so far I’ve used the words “opener” and “machine” both have the same meaning, they refer to the entire mechanized operation so when I say “opener” I’m not referring to the handheld device in your car…that’s called a “remote control” or just “remote”. With that being said there are several types of garage door openers on the market.. there are screw-drives, there are chain-drives there are belt-drives and last but not least direct-drives commonly referred to as “Jackshafts”. But lets take them one at a time and start with…

Screw-Drives

These machines have been popular (not necessarily good) on all types of doors for the better part of 45 years but…because of their design they do require regular maintenance. Back in the late 6Os,7Os and early 8Os, Genie used a very durable steel in the “carriage” or “trolley” and the machines were tough! Even without grease on the screw they would run for what seemed like forever then they switched to a lighter grade steel and all that went downhill, the openers would still go as long as any out there provided you regularly greased the screw but who ever does that!! So the average life of the Genie screw-drive trolley was about 4-5 years and that’s being generous, Liftmaster or Chamberlain or Craftsman,all made by the same mfg…(Chamberlain) also has a screw-drive and it has the same problem so to counter that they use a plastic inner trolley and a self lubricating housing around the screw to keep the heat and wear down, but the self lubricating housing really only lasts about a year..or the equivalent of your warranty then its back to the same ol,same ol,”grease-grease-grease”. My official opinion on screw-drives is…stay away from them, they are old technology with a new look to them.

Chain Drives

This type of machine has been around for as long as screwdrives give or take 5yrs and they have come along way. Chain-drives have always been very durable machines but caught a bit of a bad rap when Sears started selling a do-it-yourself model from Chamberlain called the Craftsman, now this machine, although called a “chain-drive” was driven by a chain on one side and a cable on the other and it seemed like nothing could be done to make this thing quiet because the cable would stretch until it broke at the loop. So from then on the chain-drives started getting a bad rap as a “coffee-grinder” or noisy machine, although it wasn’t a true chain-drive.

The Liftmaster 1300 series of chain-drives…dollar for dollar are as good a machine as you can get, they are versatile, in that they can handle any type of door from heavy wood to light steel, one-piece or sectional and they are powerful and inexpensive and relatively speaking…low maintenance, but to get to this point they have had many good improvements along the way. Chamberlain has added a chain spreader which keeps the chain from slapping the rail,swapped the front sprocket to a pulley drastically reducing chain noise, they switched out the steel worm gear to a nylon worm gear inside the case to reduce heat on the helical gear and they removed the two tension springs off the inner trolley to reduce door bounce and its a solid one piece rail with a full wrap around chain.

The components on this machine can handle what the motor puts out, so in most cases you don’t need a 1/2 hp to lift the door, and as far as routine maintenance goes..there’s virtually none, just have the two nylon gears inside the motor case lubed every 7 yrs and that’s about it, in the rare case where you happen to own a house right on the beach and only use the opener in the summer then you can spray the chain with a good silicone to keep the links on the chain free. The two models I prefer that have been real work horses for us over the last two decades are currently called #1346=1/3 hp and #1356=1/2 hp.

Belt-Drives

Several manufacturers make belt-drives these days but I like to stick with the most reliable brand which to me is Liftmaster, we carry most brands but prefer to deal with the brand with the least amount of problems so lets focus on Liftmaster belt-drives for now. Keep in mind that belt-drive openers are a VERY door specific machine, they do NOT work on 1pc doors very well or for very long and should NOT be installed on a 1pc door. To keep it simple there are two types of belt-drives…AC and DC.

The AC model belt-drive known as a formula I, is one of the early model belt-drive designs and essentially its a chain-drive motorhead that’s driving a belt instead of chain. It is minutely quieter than a chain-drive minus the power and to me… not a good machine, but an easy one to sell because its cheaper than a DC model and the general public doesn’t know the difference, they just know belt-drives are supposed to be top of the line and this is a belt-drive, so they are none the wiser to the tricks, dealers can buy these types of machines much cheaper than their DC motor counterparts and sell them for the belt-drive (premium) price. What makes a “DC motor” belt-drive quiet is the motor! Otherwise why would they even offer it in DC, plus the other benefit is being able to have a battery back-up attached so it will run even with the power turned off.

In its simplest form a DC motor puts out more torque than an AC motor and the horsepower for DC is rated in “Newtons” rather than HP but the DC motors also have a “slow start/slow stop” feature which helps keep the entire operation quiet. When an AC motor machine is activated it goes O-60 or should I say “O to full speed” in one shot…the second you push the button, but the door on the other hand is not on the same page and wants to resist the sudden force and that’s where a lot of the noise comes from..basically its the jerky-ness of the door resisting the opener, where as the slow start of the DC machines act as a smoother motivator for the door to get it going without all the jerky-ness, and it does the same as it comes to a stop, so for the first two inches and at the last two inches it slows down, greatly reducing the clanky-ness of the entire operation.

The DC machines also electronically calibrate the pressure needed to operate a door based on its resistance and weight,

which leaves little room for installer error, in other words the installer cannot set the machine to crush your car hood or your cat, AC motors are at the mercy of the installer, if he sets the force adjustment too high, it crushes, if he sets it too low the door will bounce back up on a cold or wet morning while you are happily driving off to work not knowing your garage door will be open all day and that brand spankin’ new Craftsman tool box you just got for your birthday is about to be sold for a fraction of the price its worth at the local swap meet….all because you thought you got a belt-drive garage door opener for a bargain price!! Final thoughts…AC motor belt-drives= not good (better off with a chain-drive) DC motor belt-drives=Very good, very quiet, but very door specific. (Only works on a sectional door)

Jack-Shaft (Direct Drive)

This section is simple because there is literally only one available and its a Liftmaster # 3800, and it will only work on sectional doors. So for those of you looking for a machine that does not mount to the ceiling like a traditional machine does, the Liftmaster #3800 might just be what you’re looking for, its quiet, has (800 Newtons) or the equivalent of 3/4 hp and mounts on either end of the torsion tube provided you have atleast 10 inches of side clearance, so the idea behind this opener is that if you have a room above the garage, it removes completely… the vibration of a typical opener that hangs off the ceiling, or if you have a low beam in the garage that supports the second story of your house or have had a loft or storage shelving installed where a typical opener would be mounted you could still automate your door using this type of machine.

It can also be used on applications where you just simply don’t want an opener hanging down in the middle of your garage.I have found over the years that the #3800 likes the heavier sectional doors vs the light non-insulated models, another benefit of this type of machine is that it will lift a sectional door up to 13 feet high with no modifications while a normal machine only lifts doors up to 7’4″ with a normal railed machine you would need to get a longer rail to accommodate the added height of say an 8′–9′ or 10 ft high opening which is becoming more common in newer houses.The Liftmaster #3800 has been a very reliable alternative for us since 2004.

Everybody loves choices, but given the fact that when it comes to garage door openers there really are so many choices that it also makes it very easy to make the wrong choice for your particular garage door which could lead to many future service calls and repairs so hopefully this can clear up a few things for you when it comes to choosing the correct machine and you will have many “good” ups and downs with the right system.

Today I knocked on Heaven’s door

As it was locked, just like before

An Angel finally came to see

To what I sought, on bended knee.

The Angel asked, What brings you here?

Dear child on earth, what do you fear?

Stand up now please, I see your eyes

They’re filled with tears, why do you cry?

Upon my chin, her hand she placed

As her wing passed, tears to erase.

A touch so soft, my cheek now dry

‘My heart’s heavy, that’s why I cry.’

‘I feel the weight, my world, too much

I need to feel, my savior’s touch

Such pain I feel, ready I am

To meet my Lord, I come again.’

I said, ‘you see, I’ve been before

There’s many times, I’ve knocked this door

But yet each time, no answer came

Turned back to earth, each time in shame.’

That’s when I heard, the angel say

Dear child you’ve erred, it’s not that way

You see my Lord, told me convey

His words to you, this very day.

It’s not your time, to join him yet

Your job on earth, do not forget

Incomplete work, you have there still

And this is why, not yet, his will.

When work fulfilled, you shall return

To join him here, no more to yearn

Your work on earth, just a short while

His home is yours, in time, dear child.

Return now child, to what you must

Our Lord’s promise, you must have trust

All things to come, as meant to be

Will be fulfilled eventually.

When it’s the time, to be called back

You’ll hear his voice, a knock to lack

Just heed his call, as your name’s read

For in his book, your name is said.

So return now, fulfill his will

Be mindful child, you know the drill

Listen to hear, his voice to lure.

No knock needed, on Heaven’s door.

Copyright 2006 All Rights Retained and Reserved O’Della Wilson AKA Alhavakia