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https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Canine-Flea-Problems
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How to Identify Canine Flea Problems
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To identify canine flea problems, first check your dog for common signs of fleas, like scratching, gnawing, or skin redness. You can also use a flea comb from a local pet store or online to check your dog's skin for fleas, which are red-brown and only 1/8th of an inch long. You can look for the dark red-brown flea dirt that fleas leave behind, too. Additionally, check your dog's bedding for fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs, paying particular attention to the creases.
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Look for behavioral signs of a flea infection. Is your dog scratching itself more than usual? Is it gnawing at its coat? These are signs that your dog might have fleas. Flea bites can cause itchiness on the dog's skin. The bites can make small red bumps on the skin and continue to itch for some time. Some animals can actually be allergic to these bites, making the itching and redness more intense and widespread. Hair loss and skin infection can also occur. Inspect your dog for "flea dirt. " After a flea eats, it will leave dark red-brown “flea dirt,” or excrement, on the dog. Look for flea dirt on the hind quarters, head, and neck, which are the most common areas where adult fleas like to feed on a dog. By using a flea comb (very fine toothed comb) to comb the hair, flea dirt can be brought up from the skin. If you don't find actual fleas, tap any debris caught in the comb teeth onto a white sheet of paper and wet it with a little water. If the “dirt” streaks the paper red, that is flea dirt. Examine your dog for actual fleas. Get a flea comb from your local pet store, or online, and use it to look closely at your dog's skin. Pick the area that your dog is scratching at the most. Part the dog's fur with the comb and then pull the comb through a small area of the fur. While you are combing, look for fleas on the skin's surface, as they flee from the comb, or in the tines of the comb. Adult fleas are red-brown which have a “flattened” appearance from side to side. They do not have wings. Instead of flying, they get around by jumping. They are only 1/8th of an inch long (2.5 mm), so they are hard to see, especially when they jump. Cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis, are the type of fleas most likely to infest dogs and cats. They use their mouths to latch onto the skin of their victim to obtain blood for nourishment. They spend their time feeding, mating, and egg laying on the dog's skin. Inspect your dog's bedding. Look for evidence of a flea infection. This could include flea dirt, flea eggs, or fleas themselves. They are likely to be in the creases of plush beds or imbedded in areas that are not cleaned regularly. Look for flea eggs in areas of your home that your dog frequents. If your dog is infected with fleas, then eggs will end up in places other than just the dog's bed. The adult fleas will lay smooth, glistening white eggs, which are no longer than 1/32 inch, on the affected dog's skin. These eggs will generally fall off the animal and infest the environment. In 2 to 5 days the eggs will hatch into dirty white larva that are about 3/16 inch (3-4 mm) long. They will crawl around and feed on the dried blood and excrement the adult fleas produce when taking their blood meal on the dog. Spotting flea eggs in your home will not always be easy. They are small and can blend into the environment. After feeding for up to two weeks, they will cocoon and develop into adults. Larva prefer certain environmental factors in order to develop into adults. This includes 75% relative humidity and temperatures between 70° to 90°F. At these ideal conditions they will emerge as adults in around 18 days. However, in cool temperatures the larva can remain in their cocoons for up to 12 months. The pressure from walking and/or vacuuming will make the larva emerge from cocoons. Spot signs that humans in your home are getting bitten. Sometimes it isn't until the people in your home start getting bitten that you begin to notice a problem. If you are getting small bites, that occur mostly on your lower legs, then the culprit may be fleas. Human reactions to flea bites vary from person to person. Usually, the bites are red, itchy, and hard. Don't ignore the problem. Once you see one flea you should assume there are more and that they have already laid eggs. Be proactive and immediately treat your dog and your house to prevent the problem from getting worse. Consult with your veterinarian about treatment options. There are many products available that will kill fleas on the pet and kill the eggs in the environment. This is why it's a good idea to consult with your veterinarian so they can help you choose the most appropriate product for your dog and house. Flea medications include dusts, shampoos, topical treatments, and flea collars. Certain dogs can be allergic to flea saliva. To determine if a dog is allergic, a veterinarian can perform skin testing where a small amount of the flea saliva allergen is injected into the skin. If the area around the injection swells and turns red, then the dog is allergic to flea saliva. Give your dog flea treatments regularly. Dogs need to be treated regularly to prevent infestation. How often you give your dog flea treatment will vary depending on what type of flea prevention you are using. Many topical flea treatments are given once a month. It is important to keep up on these medications in order to keep your dog protected. Get your dog flea treatment if it has associated medical issues. If you find that your dog has tapeworms, cat scratch fever, or typhus, it may also have fleas. This is because fleas can spread these diseases, so they may have been caused by a flea infestation that you did not know about. Fleas can also spread plague to dogs, as well as humans. This is a rare illness that is treatable with antibiotics, but is a risk associated with flea infection. Clean your house and your dog's surroundings. To control fleas, you need to clean up any fleas, or eggs, in the environment. This means vacuuming and cleaning any areas that your infected dog has spent any time in, including laundering all sheets and slip covers. For a bad infection, you may need to use some insecticide in your house to eliminate the larvae living in your carpets and fabric-covered furniture.
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Look for behavioral signs of a flea infection. Inspect your dog for "flea dirt. Examine your dog for actual fleas. Inspect your dog's bedding. Look for flea eggs in areas of your home that your dog frequents. Spot signs that humans in your home are getting bitten. Don't ignore the problem. Consult with your veterinarian about treatment options. Give your dog flea treatments regularly. Get your dog flea treatment if it has associated medical issues. Clean your house and your dog's surroundings.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Face-Look-Bright-and-Awake
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How to Make Your Face Look Bright and Awake
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To make your face look bright and awake, try refrigerating some used tea bags and then placing them over your eyelids for 20 minutes once they're chilled, which can help reduce redness and puffiness. Also, do a few yoga poses in the morning to improve your circulation and give your face a healthy color. You can also try finishing your morning showers with 10 seconds of cold water, which can make your skin look more healthy and alert. If your eyes are a little red, apply some moisturizing eye drops before you start your day.
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Use tea for more than just a drink. The cold and caffeine in tea will bring down any redness, and there are great plant compounds in tea that naturally remove eye puffiness too. Green, black, and chamomile teas are best for their anti-inflammatory properties like caffeine. Brew the tea by steaming water and putting the tea bags in to steep. After a couple minutes, drain the water and pop them in the fridge. Once they have cooled off, place them on your eyelids for twenty minutes. Exercise every morning. When you first wake up, get your heart pumping with a thirty minute workout. Certain yoga positions that require you to hang upside down, like the downward dog, help to reverse the blood flow which diminishes dark circles that develop under the eyes. It also helps circulation throughout the whole body, adding a healthy color to the face. Exercise boosts energy which will help you look, and feel more awake. Eat a grapefruit, orange, or lemon in the morning. Foods made up of white flour or sugar will drag you down and make your skin appear dull. Citrus fruits however, will pick you up because they are packed with vitamin C and can increase energy and alertness. If you don't want to eat these citrusy fruits, you can get a similar by using lemon-scented body wash. Put your eye cream or eye mask in the refrigerator to make it cool. Avoid the freezer because if it gets too cold it could pop blood vessels on your face once it's applied. To prevent this, only put it in the refrigerator for about five minutes. After you take it out, apply it on your face and leave it on for twenty minutes. Another method for a cooling, de-puffing fix is by using cold spoons. Put two spoons in the fridge before bed and in the morning, lay them over your eyes for about ten minutes. Finish out your showers with ten seconds of cold water. This will not only physically perk you up, but it will give your face and hair an extra shine because the cold water will close your pores and hair cuticles. Also, try letting the water run down directly on your face to boost circulation and restore color to your cheeks. Apply eye drops to diminish eye redness. If your eyes are red from allergies, sleepiness, or what have you, a few drops of eye moisturizer in each eye can remove redness. Eye drops should not be used everyday, but on those mornings that you're seriously in need, a few drops will help restore the white of your eyes. Cleanse your face with a mild face wash. Every morning and every night, it is important to wash off dirt and oil. Find a mild, cream cleanser that suits your skin type. Gently massage your face using light pressure and circular motions when applying to improve blood circulation and to make your skin glow. Depending on if you have oily, dry, or combination skin, there is a cleanser to help balance, repair, and moisturize your skin. Steam your face to open your pores. This is the best way to thoroughly deep clean your pores. Steam your face once a week to loosen debris that may be embedded into your skin causing it to look dull. The steam works to widen any clogged pores and soften the skin in order to more easily cleanse out impurities, traces of makeup, dust, and dead skin cells that naturally build up. Boil a pot of water with herbs like thyme, peppermint, rosemary, lavender or lemon. If you have sensitive skin try chamomile or lime. Carefully hold your face over the steam for about ten to fifteen minutes and then cleanse with face wash. This process will allow your skin to detox. Exfoliate your face everyday to make your skin glow. For the best results, exfoliate your face immediately after steaming it. Exfoliating removes dead skin and debris that clogs your pores and causes a dull and patchy complexion. Use a cream based exfoliator that suits your skin type and scrub with gentle, circular motions, avoiding the eye area. Don't exfoliate your skin for more than 2 minutes, otherwise you can irritate it. Regular exfoliation prevents problems like blackheads, whiteheads, pimples and acne. Use a brightening face mask to perk up a dull complexion. These masks add moisture, luminosity, and work great to bring back the natural glow to your face. They contain vitamin C which is known to give an especially bright glow to your skin. The best time for applying a face mask is after steaming your face, because the pores are open and the mask will be able to penetrate deeply into the skin. There are great firming, nourishing, purifying and hydrating facial masks you can try that are designed for every skin type. Nourish your skin with a moisturizer every night and morning. You cannot have glowing skin if you don't nourish it properly. Right before going to bed, apply a thick layer of face cream that uses natural ingredients such as aloe, honey, chamomile, almond oil, olive oil, vitamins, minerals and essential oils. Thoroughly rub the cream into your skin by using gentle, circular motions. No matter what age or skin type, this is essential for everyone to practice. Invest in a good eye cream. Use a peptide-containing eye cream with light-diffusing ingredients to mask dark circles, the inevitable cause of lack of sleep. When you do apply eye cream, gently massage a small amount using circular motions to increase circulation. Try exfoliating with milk. The lactic acid in milk has a natural exfoliating effect that is easy on the skin. Pour whole milk into a bowl, and soak a wash cloth in it until fully wet. Lightly ring out some of the milk and gently lay it on your face. After five minutes, take it off and wash your face with a cream cleanser and water. Make your own banana and milk face mask. Mash one banana together with milk and apply it to your face for 20 minutes. This natural mask will give the skin a healthy glow. Honey is another great household item to use on the face to get that fresh glow. Leaving honey on the skin for around 20 minutes will keep the skin tight and healthy looking. Wash your face with a cleanser after. Open up your eyes with bold lashes. Use mascara to immediately widen your eyes and make them look bigger, brighter and more well-rested. Make sure your eyelashes are clean and free of residue, as applying more mascara on top of that could lead to a lumpy mess. Curl your eyelashes with a curler for an even wider awake look. Cover up your dark circles with concealer. Sometimes dark circles are impossible to get rid of and are the most obvious sign of fatigue. Often, dark circles are genetic and around even on your most well-rested days. To help disguise them, simply purchase an under eye concealer that matches the skin tone of your cheeks. Use your finger to pat the concealer on very gently starting from the outside of your eye and working your way in. Do not rub it on. Continue to reapply throughout the day as needed. Pop a little eyeshadow highlighter on your eyelids. By physically adding a light, shimmery color near your eyes, you will brighten your face and add sparkle to your eye. It will help to enhance the color of your eyes and the white in your eyes. Start at the lash line, just above your iris. Lightly apply a sheer, white color across your lid. Wear a sheer liquid foundation. To cover any redness that won't seem to go away, cover your complexion with concealer. First, cleanse and moisturize your face. Then, apply the foundation using your finger tips and circular motions. This will give your face a natural looking color and even out your skin tone. Use a blush in pink or peachy shade as these shades suit almost everyone and look more natural. Apply the blush with a round brush and build the color gradually. Use a powder blush as it lasts longer than a cream or gel blush. Choose brighter shades because they will make your skin glow and will freshen your face. Use lipsticks or lip glosses in brighter shades to make your skin glow. Choose a pink or peach lipstick to keep your look on the lighter side.Use a brush to apply the color evenly. Remove the excess with a tissue and your are good to go. Continue to reapply throughout the day to keep your lips looking bright. Stay away from darker lip colors like plums and browns. Wear colors that compliment your complexion. If you are feeling like you need an extra lift for the day, don't reach for neutrals. Black also won't help your face look more awake and it will cast dark shadows on your face. The wrong shade of white could possibly make you look washed out. It's key to know what your skin tone is so you can choose a color that will flatter you. Certain colors can give your skin a natural, healthy flush. The wrong colors can make you look even more tired than you feel. There are generally two types of skin tones. Here is the general guideline to follow: If you're cool-toned, choose jewel tones like blue, pink, purple, blue-green, magenta, blue-based red, or pure white. If you're warm-toned, choose earth tones like yellow, orange, brown, chartreuse, army green, orange-based red, or ivory. Get a full night of rest. Your body biologically needs around seven to nine hours of sleep on average in order to be fully rested. Without proper sleep, it will cause dark circles around your eyes that will make you look tired. Be sure to plan accordingly to that you can get the proper amount of sleep. Regular sleep deprivation will lead to premature aging over time. Make sure you get your rest. Drink tons of water for soft, hydrated skin. If you wake up with a dull, sunken complexion, drink a tall glass of water. Drinking plenty of water helps to naturally restore your skin's moisture and natural glow. At the minimum, you should be drinking eight, 8oz. glasses of water a day. Dehydration starts on the inside without proper water intake and if you don't get enough, your skin will look dull, patchy, and dry. Try keeping a large water bottle at your desk throughout the day and refilling it each time you're done to encourage you to drink more. Water hydrates our organs and our brain, so we'll not only feel more awake, but also look it. Minimize your sugar intake. The sugars that are found in processed foods and candies cause many negative side effects for skin. Sugar causes inflammation which produces enzymes that break down collagen and elastin, resulting in sagging skin and wrinkles. It also causes acne breakouts and makes your skin age faster. Take care of your eyes. Eyes are generally the first place to show signs of tiredness. Take preventive steps to keep your eyes healthy and clear, and avoid the itchy red eyes associated with sleep deprivation. If you wear contacts, make sure you clean and store your lenses properly to keep your eyes bright and white. Do not smoke. Besides all of the negative health consequences such as cancer and gum disease, smoking takes a huge toll on your skin. It causes your skin to look mottled and even with premature fine lines and wrinkles. It also causes a leathery, rough skin texture because it dries out your skin and breaks down cells. Wear a moisturizer with added sunscreen everyday. Sunscreen helps to prevent facial brown spots, skin discolorations, the appearance of red veins and blotchiness. It also prevents the development of wrinkles and premature aging skin. By regularly using sunscreen, you can keep your skin looking young and healthy.
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Use tea for more than just a drink. Exercise every morning. Eat a grapefruit, orange, or lemon in the morning. Put your eye cream or eye mask in the refrigerator to make it cool. Finish out your showers with ten seconds of cold water. Apply eye drops to diminish eye redness. Cleanse your face with a mild face wash. Steam your face to open your pores. Exfoliate your face everyday to make your skin glow. Use a brightening face mask to perk up a dull complexion. Nourish your skin with a moisturizer every night and morning. Try exfoliating with milk. Make your own banana and milk face mask. Open up your eyes with bold lashes. Cover up your dark circles with concealer. Pop a little eyeshadow highlighter on your eyelids. Wear a sheer liquid foundation. Use a blush in pink or peachy shade as these shades suit almost everyone and look more natural. Use lipsticks or lip glosses in brighter shades to make your skin glow. Wear colors that compliment your complexion. Get a full night of rest. Drink tons of water for soft, hydrated skin. Minimize your sugar intake. Take care of your eyes. Do not smoke. Wear a moisturizer with added sunscreen everyday.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Promotional-Model
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How to Become a Promotional Model
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To become a promotional model, start by taking a clear photo of your face and then a full-body shot, which you can take on your phone, so you have photos of yourself to submit with your applications. Then, make a modeling resume that features your personal stats, like your body measurements, as well as any experience you have with public speaking, working in customer service, or interacting with the public. Once you have photos and a resume, register yourself with promotional modeling agencies online to start finding jobs.
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Take good pictures. There are two types of pictures you need to perfect: a headshot and a full body shot. The headshot is useful for submitting to most companies, because it shows your face in the clearest way. The full body shot reveals your body structure, important when marketers want to produce a particular type of image. Neither of these photos need to be professional. You can even take them on your phone. Just make sure the image is clear and free of shadows. Do not use a photo of you in a group setting, as this makes it difficult to determine which one you are. Do not make a face in any of these photos. Not a “duck” or “kissy” face, not a modeling “hard” look. Instead, use a photo in which you are smiling and appear friendly and approachable. Use a tasteful photo in the full body shot, making sure you aren't wearing revealing clothing or are attempting to be “implied nude.” Wear a tasteful, attractive outfit. Choose the right clothes. For modeling photos and interviews, the clothes should not be center-point of your photos. Modeling is about selling the person in the clothes, so the viewer should not even feel like commenting on the outfit because they are so drawn to the individual. Wear only solid colors. No prints, images, or words. Make sure the clothes fit properly; not too tight or too baggy. Don't wear jewelry. Large jewelry especially is distracting and can be seen as tacky. Write a solid modeling resume. You don't need modeling experience to come up with a good resume for modeling. Instead, if you have very little or no experience, begin the resume with your personal stats followed by experience that suggests you enjoy interacting with people. The final portion should showcase any special skills you have. You should find an example of a modeling resume and fill it in with your information. Personal stats include shoe size, dress size, hair color, eye color, face shape, body measurements, and any other physical detail you feel would be useful for promoting products. Don't lie about these things; since you appear in person at gigs, the lie will quickly become obvious and tarnish your reputation (not to mention lose you a job). The experience section includes any time you have hosted an event, done public speaking, bartended, worked in customer service, performed or assisted at a trade show, and any number of socially-oriented tasks or work. Special skills useful on a modeling resume include speaking another language, singing, MCing, DJing, fighting styles, and anything that could be used in a promotional setting. Take accurate measurements. For your resume, you need honest and accurate measurements. This is because model recruiters are looking for specific sizes, and if you show up not fitting the outfits they have for you, you lose a job. Instead, take good measurements and put them on top of your resume. For women: measure your height barefoot, the bust, smallest part of your waist, the largest part of your hips and bottom, and leg from crotch to ankle. For men: measure the neck at the Adam's apple (loosening it slightly with one finger), your height barefoot, waist and hips like women, chest below armpits at the fullest part, inseam from crotch to ankle, and sleeve from middle of the neck (between shoulders) and over the shoulder and elbow to the wrist. Register with marketing agencies. Although it is tempting to reach out directly to companies to find gigs, most jobs come through third-party modeling agencies. These agencies partner with companies to supply them with models. You should register yourself on the website of these agencies before approaching the companies themselves. Some reputable modeling agencies include Fusion Event Staffing and Cosibella Promotional Modeling. Find modeling agencies in your area by asking local models that you have met. You can also find them by using internet search engines and using terms like "modeling agency" with your city name. Look on craigslist for modeling gigs. The next place to discover real modeling gigs is craigslist. This is especially helpful for finding work in your local area. Look in the sections titled Gigs, Talent, or Job, and search for positions such as “brand ambassador” and “promo girl.” You can use other classifieds websites like Bookoo.com and Freecycle.com, as well as searching the classifieds section of your local newspaper in print or on their website. Join Facebook groups. Facebook is a convenient forum for gathering people of like minds. Joining Facebook groups in your area with “promo girl” or “promotional model” in the title will most likely list promotional gigs quite frequently. For example, search for a group title like “Brand Ambassadors of ________”, inserting your city name. If the group exists, you will likely find plenty of work right in your town. Browse the Internet. You can of course always use good old Google to find local gigs. Use search terms like “promo girl” and “brand ambassador” followed by the word “agency” or “company.” It's always best to apply to agencies, not directly to companies, since companies outsource their modeling hires to these agencies. Create a profile on modeling websites. There are also portfolio websites where you can post your information for agencies to look up. Just fill in a profile with one of your prepared photos, and agencies might reach out to you. Websites like Model Mayhem and One Model Place are popular portfolio database websites. A profile should include a good head shot, your age (important for when agencies look for specific ages), your measurements, personal website, location, information about your experiences and what you enjoying modeling for, and others things that the website prompts you to enter. Network with other promotional models. Instead of focusing on networking with agency managers, look to other promo models to help you find work. Although some models might not give you a referral because they fear losing work themselves, many will be happy to tell you where to find their booking agencies. Ask other promo models who helps them book gigs and whether you should fill out an online form or contact the modeling agency manager directly. Remember, this is not the same thing as talking to a company owner—you are looking for the agency who books the models, and whether or not this agency can be networked in person. Be professional when reaching out. When applying for direct positions you have found in your job search, have a cover letter ready to go with your resume. This letter should include details like what things you do to remain professional, why you are easy to work with, and what makes you a good promotional model. This goes for both internet and in-person applications, although it is likely most of your applying will be done online. If you are headed to an event where different companies and promo models will be present, it is wise to bring along your resume, cover letter, and promotional photos. Then you can hand them over if you get the chance to meet a modeling agency manager. Wear what others tell you. Many promotional modeling gigs require brand-identifying outfits or costumes. If they don't give you clothes to wear, they usually want you to dress in a particular way. You should always check into the type of clothes required for the gig before signing a contract. If you're uncomfortable with what is required of you, back out. For example, many beverage girl gigs require revealing dresses or tight outfits. Since these girls are usually hired to promote alcohol at events with men present, the commitment to such outfits might inspire flirtation. If you are uncomfortable with attention like this, you shouldn't sign up. Maintain an active stance. You can't just stand there and “look pretty.” Promotional models have to be energetic, outgoing, and interactive. They aren't like the models on game shows who just stand still and press buttons. The goal of most promotional gigs is to pass out samples or flyers, often getting consumer information in return. You must be able to get people involved in events, and get them excited enough about products to purchase them. You should be able to enjoy yourself in crowds. If you look like you're having fun, the consumer will too. Find reliable transportation. Since many promotional models must travel to events, making sure you don't rely on public transportation or a lemon car is key. On top of this, you will probably be shipped any number of promotional materials needed to showcase at an event, and you must be able to transport them safely. Promotional materials may include free samples, flyers, and character costumes, and you will most likely end up at malls, events, and various stores in your local area. Pay taxes and health insurance on your own. Since most models are contract workers, this means they have to pay taxes from their earnings on their own. Models must also come up with their own health insurance, or pay the annual fee for not having health insurance. The 2016 health insurance penalty was 2.5% of household income, and this rate is rising each year. Go to the HealthCare.gov website to find an insurance plan if you don't have one yet. You will receive a 1099-MISC from the agencies you model for each year. The sum of earnings on these forms is what is taxed by the IRS. The 2016 self-employment tax rate was 15.3%, and that is how much you should save from each paycheck throughout the year. One modeling agency that does provide a W-2—meaning they pay the taxes—is Across the Nation, a rarity among promo modeling agencies.
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Take good pictures. Choose the right clothes. Write a solid modeling resume. Take accurate measurements. Register with marketing agencies. Look on craigslist for modeling gigs. Join Facebook groups. Browse the Internet. Create a profile on modeling websites. Network with other promotional models. Be professional when reaching out. Wear what others tell you. Maintain an active stance. Find reliable transportation. Pay taxes and health insurance on your own.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Clothing-for-Your-Cat
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How to Measure Clothing for Your Cat
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Before you measure your cat for clothing, wait until it's calm since you might have a hard time doing it if it's hyper. Once your cat is in a good or sleepy mood, measure its length from the base of its neck to the base of its tail. Then, measure its width around the largest part of its belly when it's lying at full length. Depending on the outfit you want for your cat, you may also need to measure the length of its legs while it's standing.
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Measure a calm cat. Catch your cat in a good mood, or a sleepy mood. Wait until your cat is holding still, and take his or her measurements. If your cat is hyper, play with him for a while and gradually calm him down. For example, let your cat chase a toy for a while, then let him catch the toy. Feeding your cat might calm him down. If your cat will not hold still, try pinching the scruff of his neck with a binder clip. This will not hurt your cat, and it is likely to calm him. Different strategies work for different cats. Do whatever your cat needs to calm down. Measure your cat's length. Take a measuring tape. Measure from the base of your cat's neck to the base of your cat's tail. Record the number. If you have no measuring tape, procure a string and a ruler. Measure with the string, then lie the string along the ruler and record its measure. Measure your cat's width. Do this while your cat is lying quietly at full length. Start the measuring tape in the middle of your cat's back. Slide it under your cat, then wrap it around the largest part of the cat's belly. If you are making an outfit with a harness, wrap the tape measure firmly, but without squeezing. If you are making clothes that cover the belly, leave a little room so your cat doesn't feel squished. Measure any other relevant areas. Depending on the design of the outfit, you might want to measure the length of the legs or the circumference of the head. Measure your cat's legs while he stands. Try to avoid dressing your cat in anything that will squeeze his neck or obstruct his hearing or vision. Turtlenecks are not recommended. If your cat wears a collar, measure the collar instead of your cat's neck. Cats generally are distressed when their ears are covered, so reconsider the hat. Buy an outfit. Buy pet clothing from an independent designer or a trustworthy pet accessory retailer. Opt for outfits that have been cat-tested and cat-approved. Avoid outfits with small or dangling pieces. The outfit's description should include measurements: make sure they match the measurements you took, and opt for a looser fit over a snugger one. Buy an outfit made for a large doll only if it will accommodate your cat's neck and limbs without squeezing. Sew an outfit. Cut out your cat's outfit from a pattern designed specifically for cats. Check the pattern against your measurements. If it is too small, discard it. Add 1 inch (2.5 cm) to every measurement to avoid creating a snug outfit that will rub your cat's hair uncomfortably. Pick a soft cloth that does not smell strongly. If you can, let your cat play with it before you sew it. If the cloth smells familiar, your cat will be less disturbed by it. If you cannot find a good pet costume, you can try adapting an outfit designed for a large doll. Try it on for safety. Try the outfit on your cat to see if your cat will tolerate it. Make sure the costume does not obstruct your cat's vision, hearing, or movement. Clothing that covers the ears, falls in the eyes, or blocks the legs will cause your cat a lot of stress. Do not tie anything around your cat's neck, as this can choke it. Remove any small or dangling parts of the outfit, as your cat may chew and swallow them.
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Measure a calm cat. Measure your cat's length. Measure your cat's width. Measure any other relevant areas. Buy an outfit. Sew an outfit. Try it on for safety.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Support-Someone-with-Anxiety-During-Coronavirus
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How to Support Someone with Anxiety During Coronavirus
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The coronavirus pandemic has been difficult for everyone, but people with anxiety can find it especially hard to cope. If you know someone who is dealing with anxiety, check in with them regularly to see how they're doing. Encourage them to continue any medications or other treatments they were using before the coronavirus outbreak, since this can help prevent their anxiety from getting worse. A person with anxiety can easily pick up on your feelings, so try to stay calm when you're talking to them. Give them a chance to vent to you about their feelings, which can help make anxiety feel more manageable. It might also help to get them to define their specific fears and identify actions they can take to put those fears at ease. For instance, if they're worried about getting sick, talk about strategies for protecting themselves, like washing their hands frequently and wearing a mask in public.
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Keep yourself calm and collected while interacting with the person. People with anxiety are often sensitive to the way other people behave, and they're probably especially on edge curing the outbreak. If someone you know suffers from anxiety, it's best to model calm, confident behavior when you talk to them, especially if they seem like they're on the verge of a panic attack. Your own calm demeanor could help steer them away from more anxiety. This is especially important with children and teenagers. They often model the behavior they observe, so be extra careful about staying calm if they're feeling anxious. This doesn't mean you should lie to the person or hide your own feelings. Just try to say things in a confident tone and avoid getting too worked up. Tell them it’s okay to feel anxious during the outbreak. Validating the person's feelings is very important. They shouldn't feel like they're alone or abnormal for feeling anxious. Tell them it's normal and completely okay to be worried. Use calming phrases like “With the way the world is now, it's very normal to feel overwhelmed by it all.” Leveling with the person can help as well. Say, “I know how you feel, this all gets me down sometimes too.” Remember to say this calmly, without seeming frustrated. Encourage them to talk about their fears. Some people really just need to vent and get their fears out, especially in a stressful time like the COVID-19 outbreak. Ask directly what they're afraid of. Then be open and let them talk. Don't judge or interrupt them when they're speaking so they can make all their points. During the outbreak, their fears will probably focus on getting sick, someone in their family catching the virus, or maybe losing their job. These are normal challenges that many people are experiencing. Remember that not all of these fears might be logical. This is a part of anxiety. Still, let them vent before you interrupt. Some people who experience anxiety feel like they're a burden when they tell other people about their problems. Assure them that they're not a bother and you want to hear what they have to say. Ask them to make a list of how they think the outbreak will affect them. This is a good exercise for coming to concrete solutions rather than simply focusing on fears. As a first step, encourage them to write out a list of the things that are bothering them about the outbreak. You can then use this list to help them reach constructive solutions. Putting all of these fears into words could be overwhelming and might even trigger a panic attack. Keep an eye on them and encourage them to take a break if they seem to be struggling. Help them focus on problems that they can control. While the person writes down their fears, there will probably be a division between the things they can control and the things they can't control. Focusing on problems we can't control is futile and makes anxiety worse. When they're finished, encourage them to focus and work on the things they can control. They can then take action to prevent those particular fears from happening. For example, they might say that they're afraid of the coronavirus lasting for another year, getting sick themselves, and someone in their family getting sick. While they can't control how long the outbreak will last, they can take steps to keep themselves and their family safe. Encourage them to focus on those problems. You may have to be firm and tell them that some of their fears are uncontrollable. Do this in a friendly, nonjudgmental way. Say, “It's very logical that you'd be scared about this. But you know, you can't control that, even if you did everything perfectly.” Talk about solutions for the problems that they can control. After identifying problems that the person can control, you can talk about how to solve them. Discuss constructive solutions and actions that the person could take for each one. You don't need perfect solutions for every problem. Simply having a set of solutions is often comforting for people with anxiety. For example, if their fear is getting sick with COVID-19, a way they could take control is making sure they wash their hands, wearing a facemask in public, and disinfecting everything they bring into their home. You don't have to have all the answers here. You could just listen to the solutions they're considering and provide feedback on whether or not they're good ideas. Make sure they continue with any treatment regimens they had. If the person suffered from anxiety before the outbreak, then they may have had a treatment regimen in place. Whether this included taking medication, following a daily routine, or other therapies, it's very important that they continue during the COVID-19 outbreak. Remind them of this, and encourage them to stick with the schedule that their doctor or therapist recommended. Unless it is your child suffering from anxiety, you unfortunately can't force someone to follow their treatment regimen. You can only encourage them to do so and tell them that they'll feel better. Remind them that this could be a continuation of a previous anxiety condition. If a person had an anxiety issue before the COVID-19 outbreak, then the outbreak is probably making it worse. It could be helpful to remind them that some of their worries are from their condition and they can work through it. If they state some illogical fears, for example, you could say “You know that's your anxiety talking. You've worked through all of this before and you can do it again.” Never act frustrated or condescending when you remind a person of their anxiety. Always say it with an encouraging tone. Monitor the person for signs of an anxiety attack. People can express anxiety without having an actual anxiety or panic attack. However, a panic attack can build, so monitor the person for signs of an attack. Common signs are hyperventilating, fast speech, shaking, sweating, and increasingly fearful or illogical thoughts. If you notice these signs, then the person may be having a panic attack. Also monitor if the person complains of sudden body aches or headaches. These are signs of increased anxiety as well. Remember that not all people respond to anxiety by crying, hyperventilating, or getting agitated. Some suddenly shut down and get very quiet. This is also a sign of an anxiety attack, so be mindful of that. Stay calm and talk them through it if they do have a panic attack. In the event someone does have a panic attack, there isn't much you can do to stop it. The best thing you can do is stay calm and supportive. Tell the person that it's okay and that you're here for them. Use supportive statements like “You'll get through this” and encourage them to take deep, slow breaths. Panic attacks often last around 20 minutes, but this is just a guideline. They could be longer or shorter. If they usually take medication for a panic disorder, then offer to get it for them and help them take it. Encourage them to see a therapist if they’re feeling overwhelmed. If the person seems paralyzed by their anxiety or suffers from regular panic attacks, then the problem might be out of your hands. The best thing to do is encourage them to see a professional. A therapist can help talk them through their fears and provide them with effective strategies to manage their anxiety. Many therapists have started offering remote services with videoconferencing software. This makes keeping an appointment even easier. Make sure they follow the CDC guidelines to stay healthy. Many people are probably feeling anxiety about getting sick, or someone in their family getting sick. It's important to show them the CDC guidelines for avoiding COVID-19 and encourage them to follow those guidelines as closely as possible. This way, they can alleviate some of their anxieties about getting sick. As of now, the CDC advises people to wash their hands often for at least 20 seconds, stay at least 6 ft (1.8 m) away from other people, wear a facemask in public, and disinfect anything they bring into their homes from outside. If the person follows those guidelines, they're doing all they can to avoid getting sick. Some secondary suggestions are maintaining a healthy diet, trying to sleep through the night, and avoiding alcohol and smoking. These steps keep your immunity up and improve your body's ability to fight off diseases. Encourage them to only check the news once a day. Constantly checking the news causes a big increase for many people's anxiety. It's best to just get the information you need once a day and then turn the news off. Too much exposure will only make you worry more. Once a day isn't a concrete rule. If the person can handle more news without getting upset, then it's fine for them to watch or listen. However, if even once a day makes them anxious, then they should limit their exposure even more. Remember that news comes from many places. They should also be careful on social media and online in general, because news pops up constantly. Show them trustworthy news sources so they don’t read fake stories. With the internet and social media, fake news spreads rapidly. For someone with anxiety, this is especially nerve-wracking. Show them reliable sources of information about the outbreak and encourage them to stick with these sources for their news. Some reputable sources are: The CDC's COVID-19 page: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html WHO's COVID-19 page: https://www.who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019 Mayo Clinic's page: https://www.mayoclinic.org/coronavirus-covid-19 Other.gov or.edu sites are also good sources for reliable information. Volunteer to give them news updates so they don’t have to check. It's very easy to come across worrying information when you check the news. This is even worse for people with anxiety. If the person finds it too overwhelming to look for news, even on reliable sources, then you can help. Offer to tell them about any important updates or developments as they happen. That way, they'll be informed of important information but won't have to look for news on their own and risk getting overwhelmed. You could schedule a weekly news check-in, for example. On a particular day during the week, check in and say “No news” or tell them any new developments that you've heard about. Contact them as often as you can if you don’t live with them. Isolation is very stressful for everyone, especially people with anxiety. Their minds will probably wander, which could make anxiety worse. If you don't live with the person, then try to check in every few days. Call or message them to see how they're doing. Text messages are good, but phone or video calls are better. These make the person feel more connected to you, which helps more with anxiety. If you live with the person, then ask how they're doing every few days. Don't overdo it, or you could make their anxiety worse by annoying them. Support them with encouraging, positive statements. Some positivity is a big help for people with anxiety. Whether or not they seem anxious, give them encouragement and support. Say things like “You're looking great today” or “I just feel like today will be a good day.” That positivity is contagious and could help distract a person from their anxiety. Try not to overdo it with these statements or they'll seem fake. Once a day is fine. Exercise with them if you can. Physical activity is a great way to decrease anxiety, and it's especially important during times of social distancing. If you live with the person, encourage them to take a walk or do some aerobics with you. If you don't live together, then try doing a video conference workout together. This is a great boost for physical and mental health. If there is an open park nearby, this is a great place to unwind. Getting out of the home for some fresh air is a big help. If you're unable to workout with the person, you can still be encouraging. Send them some exercise videos to do from home, for example. Distract them with other household tasks. Keeping their home in order is a great way for people with anxiety to not only distract themselves, but do productive things. Cleaning, organizing, or building something for their home are all good things that you can suggest for the person to stay distracted. You could try reminding them of things that have been on their to-do list. For example, say “Well I know you've been talking about organizing your bookshelf. That would be a good thing to do today.” Keep your tone encouraging. Don't make it sound like a task, but something that will make them feel better. Encourage them to help others. Sometimes helping others is the best way to make yourself feel better. There are a lot of people who need help now, and plenty of opportunities for a person to get involved. Some opportunities include: Buying food for a local food bank. Donating money to help needy families. Signing up to babysit children of essential workers. Volunteering at community centers that need more staff. If the person has a compromised immune system, then it's best to encourage them to do things that won't but them in contact with sick people.
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Keep yourself calm and collected while interacting with the person. Tell them it’s okay to feel anxious during the outbreak. Encourage them to talk about their fears. Ask them to make a list of how they think the outbreak will affect them. Help them focus on problems that they can control. Talk about solutions for the problems that they can control. Make sure they continue with any treatment regimens they had. Remind them that this could be a continuation of a previous anxiety condition. Monitor the person for signs of an anxiety attack. Stay calm and talk them through it if they do have a panic attack. Encourage them to see a therapist if they’re feeling overwhelmed. Make sure they follow the CDC guidelines to stay healthy. Encourage them to only check the news once a day. Show them trustworthy news sources so they don’t read fake stories. Volunteer to give them news updates so they don’t have to check. Contact them as often as you can if you don’t live with them. Support them with encouraging, positive statements. Exercise with them if you can. Distract them with other household tasks. Encourage them to help others.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Work-on-an-Oil-Rig
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How to Work on an Oil Rig
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To work on an oil rig, you'll need to be at least 18 years old, have a high school diploma, and pass a pre-employment drug test. You should also make sure you're physically fit since you'll be required to lift and move heavy equipment. There are a variety of positions available on oil rigs, like general laborer, painter, chef, and janitor, so try to look for something that you have experience or skills in so it's easier to find work. You can also improve your chances of landing a job by taking specialized training courses through a trade school or college.
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Determine whether you meet the basic requirements. While entry-level jobs on oil rigs are plentiful and technically don't require any experience, few companies will hire a "green hand" to work on their billion-dollar platforms. In general, oil rig workers only need to be 18 or older, have a high school diploma, and pass a pre-employment drug test. Successful applicants have usually pursued oil rig training independently or bring transferable skills to the job. All workers must meet certain minimum standards and certifications to work on an oil rig. Ask about the work visa requirements. Since many oil rigs are in international waters or even in foreign countries, it is important to be aware of what documents you'll need if you must enter another country for the work. Most companies will arrange for a current work visa for people working outside their native country. Get the necessary immunizations. Oil rig jobs are available in some of the world's most exotic locations, including the coasts of Africa and the waters of Southeast Asia. Workers from other regions often get jobs in these areas, but they must complete a full course of immunizations before they will be hired. Some of the most common required vaccinations include Hepatitis A; Hepatitis B; Tetanus; Polio; Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR); Meningitis ; Typhoid Fever; Seasonal Influenza; and Yellow Fever. Find specialized training courses. Many trade schools and colleges offer classes on various facets of the oil industry, including oil rig work. Most classes blend coursework with hands-on field experience. Companies often provide training for workers looking to advance their careers in specialized fields. Complete the required certifications. All offshore workers are required to earn an Offshore Survival & Firefighting certificate. Specialized workers like electricians, scaffolders, and welders must hold a state-issued license or certificate in order to work on a rig. Decide if you are capable of working long shifts. Most oil rig crews, both onshore and offshore, work grueling 12-hour shifts. Rotations vary, but most companies keep crews on site for two weeks and then give workers two weeks off. Prepare for the physical labor aspects of the job. Entry-level oil rig jobs are physically taxing. Most involve moving supplies and heavy equipment, like drill pipes. This kind of work requires a level of strength and endurance that other jobs might not. Research the weather conditions at your possible oil rig job. Oil rigs are often located in places with extreme weather conditions. Offshore and onshore rigs offer distinct challenges. Onshore rigs. Most oilfields in the United States are in the unforgiving climate of the Southwest, where summertime temperatures regularly exceed 100 degrees F (37.7 C). Drilling in the petroleum-rich fields of Canada reaches full capacity during the bitterly cold winter months, when the frozen ground is better able to withstand heavy equipment and exploration procedures. Offshore rigs. Workers on offshore oil rigs are at the mercy of the elements, too. North Sea platforms are battered year-round by strong winds and unyielding waves. Rigs dotting the U.S. coastline in the Gulf of Mexico are on alert during the hurricane season (June 1 to November 30). Decide if you can manage the aspects of physical danger. The contents of an oil well are under extreme pressure, but that's only part of the danger rig workers face daily. Cranes are constantly moving massive sections of pipe across the platform. Highly combustible gases are used in everyday operations that include welding and pipe-cutting. All of these aspects of oil rigs constitute a fairly constant level of danger that requires workers to be on guard and prepared to handle emergency situations. Consider your qualifications. An oil rig is a place where you really can work hard to get ahead. Most crane operators, shift supervisors and other skilled workers started out in entry-level positions. They set themselves apart by pursuing advanced oil rig training and accepting additional assignments. If you have previous experience, advanced qualifications or training, etc., you may be able to apply for non-entry level positions. If working on an oil rig is a long-term goal of yours or if you want to begin working at the highest level possible, it might be a good idea for you to pursue training options and certifications before you apply so that you are more qualified for non-entry level positions. Weigh your personal skills and preferences. There are a variety of jobs available for employment on oil rigs. Think about what kind of work you enjoy doing and what job might best fit with these ideas. If you enjoy cooking more than manual labor, consider applying to be a chef for the oil rig crew. If you want to learn a specific trade (like welding), you might want to apply to be a helper or apprentice to a welder or other specialist on the oil rig. Choose an entry level position that suits you, if necessary. There are many jobs available for inexperienced workers to begin their careers. Roughneck : Roughnecks are general laborers who usually work on the rig deck. They move equipment and supplies, and also are responsible for cleaning equipment and work areas. Roustabout : These workers are involved in drilling operations. They often move sections of drill pipe and clean spill. Roustabouts aspire to one day become the tool pusher, the senior supervisor on a rig. Helper : Helpers assist skilled personnel, serving as apprentices for rig electricians, lead welders, and heavy-equipment operators. Painter : Offshore oil rigs, in particular, must be painted constantly to protect the structure from the corrosive effects of saltwater. This is a hazardous duty, as painters often must be suspended in harnesses to reach remote areas of the platform. Motorman : Motormen maintain and repair all rig machinery, including generators and deck equipment. Deckhand : Deckhands build tow lines to secure barges and boats to the structure, facilitating loading and offloading of cargo. Steward : Housekeeping needs, including laundry service and janitorial duties, must be met to ensure the smooth operation of an oil rig. Assistant chef : Galley hands, including assistant chefs, work around the clock to prepare meals for all shifts. This is a job where mainstream experience is directly transferable to duties on the rig.
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Determine whether you meet the basic requirements. Ask about the work visa requirements. Get the necessary immunizations. Find specialized training courses. Complete the required certifications. Decide if you are capable of working long shifts. Prepare for the physical labor aspects of the job. Research the weather conditions at your possible oil rig job. Decide if you can manage the aspects of physical danger. Consider your qualifications. Weigh your personal skills and preferences. Choose an entry level position that suits you, if necessary.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Register-a-Vehicle-in-Texas
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How to Register a Vehicle in Texas
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To register a vehicle if you've just moved to Texas, first apply for a driver's license at a local driving license office. Remember to bring your current license, a piece of ID, your Social Security number, and proof of your address. Once you have a license, get a Texas car insurance policy from your old insurer or by using an online comparison site. After your insurance is updated, get a state inspection for your car at a local garage. Then, fill out a certificate of Title application form, which you can get from the Texas DVN website. Bring all of your documents to your local county tax office to register your vehicle, which will cost $50.75. When your plate and sticker arrive in the mail, put them on your car.
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Start the process within 30 days of your move. The day you move to Texas is the day that you establish residency. At this point, you have 30 days to complete your vehicle registration. Get a Texas driver’s license. Apply at a local driving license office. It will cost $25. As long as you have a valid driver's license from a U.S. state or territory, you will not need to take a written or road test. You will be given a temporary receipt, which you can use to help you register until the official license arrives. Bring your current driver's license, proof of identity (such as a passport or military ID), Social Security Number, and proof of residence (such as a current mortgage statement or a medical card) to the office with you. You will have to surrender your old license. You will receive your new license in the mail within 3 weeks. Licenses from France, South Korea, Taiwan or Germany will also qualify you for a license in Texas. If you have a license from any other country, you will need to take a road knowledge and driving test. You can find your nearest driving license office here: https://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/dmv-office-finder.php. Update your auto insurance. You will need to get new auto insurance when you move to Texas. Specifically, you are required to have coverage of $30,000 for each injured person, $60,000 for injuries per incident, and $25,000 for property damage. Try calling your old car insurance company to see if they offer policies in Texas. If not, you can use online comparison tools or a local insurance broker to help you find the best deal. Do not cancel your old car insurance policy until you have bought new insurance in Texas. You will receive a new insurance card in the mail, usually within 2 weeks. Keep this handy, as you will need it throughout the registration process. Get your car inspected at an approved inspection site. All cars are required to undergo a safety inspection, but some counties may also require an emissions inspection. When you take it in, ask for a state inspection. At the end, you will be given an inspection report. A safety inspection will usually cost $7 plus whatever the mechanic charges to do the inspection, but an emissions inspections may cost $31.50. You will be asked to show your auto insurance card when you get your car inspected. You can locate the closest inspection site to you at: http://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/VIactiveStationLocator/default.aspx Fill out the Application for Texas Certificate of Title. This is also known as Form 130-U. You may download it at http://www.txdmv.gov/forms. This form can be filled out using a PDF reader on your computer or with a pen. It is also available at your local county tax office. Leave the portion that states “Texas License No” blank. You will need to provide the vehicle identification number, odometer reading, make and model of the car, and standard personal information. Visit the County Tax Office to register the car. You can find your local county tax office by using the locator tool at http://txdmv.gov/tax-assessor-collectors/county-tax-offices. Make sure to bring with you: Your car insurance card The Vehicle Inspection Report Proof that you own the vehicle, such as the title or registration from your previous state The completed Application for Texas Certificate of Title Pay the fee. For cars and lighter pickup trucks, the fee is $50.75. It is $30 for mopeds and motorcycles. If your pickup truck is over 6,001 pounds (2,722 kg), you will need to pay $54. You may also need to pay local fees, inspection fees, and processing fees. These can vary from county to county. Local fees can be up to $31.50. The inspection fee is $7.50. This is in addition to what you paid the inspection site for the inspection. The processing fee is about $4.75. It will cover the cost of your plate and registration sticker. You may be asked to donate to various charities when you register, but these are optional. Put your new plate and registration sticker on your car. The plate and sticker will arrive in the mail. Remove the old license plate by loosening the screws, and switch it with your new plate. After you screw in the new plate, apply the registration sticker to the upper righthand corner. The license plate and sticker should arrive within 3 weeks. You can track your plate's arrival by going to http://www.txdmv.gov/track. Re-register your car before the last day of the month it expires. Car registration must be renewed once a year. Your registration sticker on your license plate will tell you the month and year that the registration expires. This means that the registration is good until the last day of that month. You must renew by that time. You will receive a reminder in the mail to re-register your vehicle. You can also sign up for email reminders by visiting https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/EReminderServlet. Undergo an inspection on your car. All counties require a safety inspection, but some also require an emissions inspection. Go to your local inspection site and ask for an annual state inspection. You may be asked to show your insurance card. A safety inspection will usually cost $7 and an emissions inspection may cost $31.50. The mechanic may also charge a fee. You will need to show your auto insurance card when you get your car inspected. You can find a local inspection site at: http://www.dps.texas.gov/rsd/vi/VIactiveStationLocator/default.aspx Fill out the registration online for a $1.00 discount. Go to https://rts.texasonline.state.tx.us/NASApp/txdotrts/registrationrenewal/jsp/txdot_reg_ren_enter_vehicle_info.jsp. To login, enter your license plate number and the last 4 digits of your vehicle identification number. Pay the registration fee with a credit card. It will take 3 weeks to get your new stickers. The state will check electronic records from the inspection site to verify that your car has been inspected. The state may be able to verify your insurance electronically. If not, you will be asked to provide information about your auto insurance. This information will be on your insurance card. If you have received a ticket because your registration expired, you cannot register online. Apply in person at the local county tax office instead. Bring your renewal notice, vehicle inspection report, and insurance card with you. If you didn't get a renewal notice, bring your license plate number, vehicle identification number, and registration receipt from last year. You will pay by credit or debit card. Cars and light trucks are $50.75. Pickup trucks between 6,001–10,000 pounds (2,722–4,536 kg) are $54. Mopeds and motorcycles are $30. You can find your local county tax office by visiting http://www.txdmv.gov/tax-assessor-collectors/county-tax-offices. Renew through the mail by paying with a check. The renewal letter will contain a form that you must fill out with your vehicle inspection information. Make a copy of your insurance card. Mail the completed form, copy of the insurance card, and a signed check. Never send the original insurance card. Always make a copy. Contact the DMV if you are out of state. If you cannot have your car inspected because you are out of state, the DMV may allow you to renew your vehicle without an inspection. You will be required, however, to have the car inspected within 3 days of your return. Visit the county tax office if you bought a car from a private seller. You must visit the office with the seller. You will need to bring your auto insurance card and the completed Application for Texas Title (Form 130-U) signed by the seller. The seller must bring a lien release from their car lender (if they owed money on the car) and the most recent Vehicle Inspection Report. The title transfer fee is between $28-33, depending on the county you are registering in. You can search for your closest county tax office by going to http://www.txdmv.gov/tax-assessor-collectors/county-tax-offices. Complete an additional form and tax if the vehicle was a gift. In addition to the Application for Texas title, you will also need to fill out a form called Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer (or form 14-317). You will pay an extra $10 for the gift tax. Take the forms and the payment to your local county tax office. Both forms are available online at http://www.txdmv.gov/forms. Visit the county tax office if you got the car in an inheritance or divorce. The process for title transfer can vary based on the circumstances of your divorce or inheritance. Talk to your county tax office for more information. You may still need to pay title transfer fees, typically between $28-33. For example, if your spouse passed away and left no will, you may be asked to fill out an Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle (Form VTR-262). Watch your mail for a receipt from the dealership. Fortunately, if you bought a brand new car, the dealer will register it for you. They must do this within 20 days of the sale. After this point, the dealer will mail you the receipt and the registration from the tax assessor's office. If you owe money on the car, you will receive a copy of the original title. If you paid your car off in full, however, you will get the original title itself. Visit the county tax office if there’s an issue. In most cases, dealerships will handle the registration. If the dealer does not issue a title and registration after roughly 30 days, visit the county tax office with the Manufacturer's Certificate of Origin and any receipts from the dealer. They will help you identify what went wrong. You can find your local county tax office by going to http://www.txdmv.gov/tax-assessor-collectors/county-tax-offices. Apply the new license plate to your car when you receive it. You will have temporary plates on your car when you first purchase it. Once your dealer registers the car, you will receive permanent plates. Remove the temporary plates by turning the screws counterclockwise and install your new plates. Make payments on the car if you owe money. Pay your monthly payments on time. If you miss payments, the dealer can repossess your car at any time. Once you have finished making payments on the car, you will receive the original title in the mail from the dealer.
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Start the process within 30 days of your move. Get a Texas driver’s license. Update your auto insurance. Get your car inspected at an approved inspection site. Fill out the Application for Texas Certificate of Title. Visit the County Tax Office to register the car. Pay the fee. Put your new plate and registration sticker on your car. Re-register your car before the last day of the month it expires. Undergo an inspection on your car. Fill out the registration online for a $1.00 discount. Apply in person at the local county tax office instead. Renew through the mail by paying with a check. Contact the DMV if you are out of state. Visit the county tax office if you bought a car from a private seller. Complete an additional form and tax if the vehicle was a gift. Visit the county tax office if you got the car in an inheritance or divorce. Watch your mail for a receipt from the dealership. Visit the county tax office if there’s an issue. Apply the new license plate to your car when you receive it. Make payments on the car if you owe money.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Fix-a-Toxic-Relationship
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How to Fix a Toxic Relationship
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Being in a toxic relationship can be frustrating, but there are strategies you can use to take care of yourself and break toxic patterns. While it can be tempting to try to “fix” the other person, focus instead on controlling your reactions to them. For instance, to avoid reacting in a negative way, try taking a deep breath and counting to 10 before responding. You can also reach out to family and friends for support or advice as you figure out the best way to deal with your toxic relationship. As you work to break toxic cycles, fulfill your own needs by taking a class, joining a club or sports team, or trying a new hobby. As you move forward, set and maintain boundaries to protect yourself, like telling the person “I'm not going to keep talking to you if you call me rude names. The next time that happens, the conversation is over.”
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Avoid trying to “fix” the other person. It's tempting to want to fix the other person, especially if you care about them. However, you can't change another person's thoughts or behaviors, and trying will only make the situation worse. Instead, focus on yourself. Trying to change the other person will frustrate both you and them. Learning to control your reactions to the other person and to support your own emotions will have a bigger impact toward fixing your relationship. Reach out to trusted friends and family for support. Talk to them about what you're going through. Share your struggles and concerns so that they don't build up inside of you. They may offer advice, which you can choose to take or ignore. Choose people who won't judge you, your actions, or the other person. Don't try to turn people against the other person, as this won't improve your situation. Instead, just try to get relief for your feelings. When you feel ready, ask those you trust to point out their observations on the situation so you can gain an outside perspective on the relationship and how you can change your own behavior for the better. For example, they may point out that you trust their harmful statements about you more than your own thoughts about yourself. Develop your own interests, hobbies, and goals. People in a toxic relationship often feel that they can't be who they are, and may rely on the other person to fulfill certain needs. The best way to overcome that is to learn how to fulfill your own needs by focusing on what makes you happy. You'll also improve your self-esteem, which will help you break the toxic cycle. Working on yourself will help you be a better, more stable partner. Even if the other person doesn't change, your relationship will still improve. For example, you might enroll in a class, join a recreational sports team, or try out a new hobby that interests you. Journal to work through your thoughts. Journaling is a great way to work through what's bothering you. It can help you better understand your problems and uncover potential solutions. Write about how you're feeling and the struggles that you encounter in your relationship. You can use a paper journal or keep a digital journal. For example, you might install the Google Docs app on your phone so that you can write from any device. If you're artistic, you could try art journaling rather than just writing your thoughts. Engage your coping skills to help you manage your emotions. You can't control what the other person does, but you can control how you react to it. Choosing healthy coping skills can help you feel better and have better interactions with the other person. Here are some great options for healthy coping: Meditate to calm your mind. Take a bubble bath. Use essential oils or aromatherapy. Go for a walk. Do breathing exercises. Color in an adult coloring book. Spend time with your pet. Go out with friends. Talk to a therapist. A therapist can help you recognize your role in the toxic relationship and work to change it. They can also help you learn to be a stronger person with better self-esteem, which can help you break the toxic cycle. Your therapist will also help you develop better coping skills. You can find a therapist by searching online. Keep the lines of communication open. When you feel that your relationship is toxic, you might naturally pull away. However, this won't help you fix your issues. Your partner needs to know exactly what you want in your relationship; otherwise, they won't be able to give it to you. Make a point to talk to the person. Approach them first, or be the first to pick up the phone. Tell them the changes you hope to see, as they can't read your mind. You might say, "I want us to spend more quality time alone together so I feel like our relationship is fully committed." Be honest and assertive when telling them what you want. Don't shut down or stop advocating for your needs because you're afraid of how they will react or are worried they'll feel bad. Your feelings matter, too. Consider opening multiple lines of communication. For example, texting, calling, and emailing are all options for helping you talk more often. Unless your personal safety is at risk, don't walk away from them. This shuts down the lines of communication. Don’t engage in mind games. Toxic relationships often involve mind games, and it's hard to break that habit. You may think that mind games are the only way to get your needs met, but they actually make things worse. It's better to be honest with your partner about what you want. Here are toxic mind games that you should avoid: Keeping score of chores, sacrifices, unmet needs, etc. Being passive-aggressive by dropping hints instead of openly communicating your needs. Telling your partner that everything is okay, even though it's not. Tell them how you feel, using “I” statements. No one can read your mind, no matter how well they know you. The only way they'll know how you feel is if you tell them. Share your feelings as you experience them, rather than holding them back. Don't bottle up your feelings, as this ensures that you'll eventually blow up. You could say, “I feel like you don't want me to go out with my friends, but I need time with the girls.” Be honest with your partner. Listen to their perspective. The other person also needs to feel heard. It's possible that they see things in a completely different way from you. It's important to understand how each of you feel about the situation. Make eye contact while they talk to you. Nod or make acknowledging comments so they know that you're listening. In a toxic relationship, you may feel that the other person's perspective is flawed, perhaps due to a narcissistic personality or extreme neediness. However, denying their feelings won't help. The only way to fix things is to understand where they're coming from. Ask them to tell you what they need in your relationship. Just as you have unmet needs, they may, as well. Watch their nonverbal signals – and yours. Nonverbal signals can say just as much as words. You can understand them better by watching their body movements, and you can monitor your own to make sure that you don't send the wrong message. Here are some things to watch for: Avoiding eye contact can mean that they're not listening to you. Be sure to maintain eye contact to show you're interested. Folding your arms across your chest means you're defensive or closed off. Notice if they do this and try to put them at ease, and avoid doing it yourself. Getting loud and aggressive can mean that you're feeling angry or unheard. If your partner does this, tell them that you're listening and encourage them to calm down. If you start getting loud, take a few deep breaths to calm down. If they turn away from you, it could mean they're closed off to you. Ask them to open the lines of communication. Similarly, don't turn away from your partner while you're talking. Keep your emotions in check. Although your emotions are important, expressing them at the wrong time can make the situation worse. Don't let your emotions control you when you're communicating with the person. Stay calm throughout your conversation so that both of you can be heard. You can express your emotions afterwards by talking to a friend, journaling, or discussing them with your therapist. If you feel yourself becoming overwhelmed with emotion, take a deep breath and count to 10 before you respond. Avoid bringing up the past, if you're tempted. The past belongs behind you. If you want to fix the relationship, you need to focus on repairing the present and building a better future. Bringing up past grievances will keep you stuck in unhealthy patterns. It's possible for your relationship to improve, but that won't happen if you refuse to let go of the past. Constantly bringing up past mistakes tells the other person that nothing they do will matter. If you need help overcoming past issues, it's best to work with a therapist. Look for behavior patterns that cause conflicts. If you know the pattern, then you can avoid it in the future. In some cases, you and the other person can work together to break the pattern. However, they may refuse to acknowledge the problem. In that case, you can learn to step away. For example, you may become upset when the other person dismisses your feelings. This might cause you to lash out to feel heard, which in turn causes a fight that leaves you both upset. Knowing this behavior pattern can help you make better choices moving forward. Recognize what triggers you to become upset. If you know your triggers, you can learn to better cope with them. Look at your patterns in the past to uncover what makes you react. You can also ask yourself questions like these: Why does my mom make me so mad? Why do I get so upset about my partner going out without me? Why keeps me in this relationship? What does my partner do that upsets me so much? What about this do I find so upsetting? Learn the other person’s emotional triggers. Just as you have things that upset you, the other person will, as well. It's likely that you're both triggering each other whenever there's a conflict. Pay attention to what happens just before they get upset. You can also directly ask them to help you understand what triggered their upset feelings. You could ask, "I noticed that you just became angry. Can you tell me why you feel that way?" If your partner is behaving in an abusive manner, step away from the situation. Nothing that you do justifies another person's abusive behavior. Take responsibility for managing your own emotions. Even if the other person continues to trigger you, it's possible to not react. You can control your own emotions. While you might feel frustrated at first, you'll feel better in the long run. When you feel yourself becoming upset, take a few cleansing breaths. You may also want to visualize yourself calming down, which can help you manage your stress. Afterwards, engage in a relaxing activity that helps you release the negative emotions, such as talking to a friend, taking a bath, or journaling. Remind yourself that you can't change the other person, but you can change your reaction to them. You refusing to emotionally react is for your benefit, not theirs. Respect the efforts the other person makes, regardless of outcome. Of course you want your relationship to be healthy, but it will take time to see improvements. Instead of looking at outcomes, celebrate the efforts you're both putting into it. For example, thank your partner for respecting your decision to go out with friends, even if they weren't happy about it. Similarly, give your mom credit for making it through a phone call without criticizing you. Say, “I can tell that you're really working hard to show me how much you care about me. I want you to know that I see that and really appreciate you.” Share your gratitude for the positives they bring to your life. It's easy to get bogged down in the negatives of your relationship. Make a point to share 3 things you're grateful for at least once a week. This will remind you of why you want to fix the relationship and show them that you see their positive qualities as well as the negative. For example, let them know that you enjoy their sense of humor, enjoy eating the dishes they cook, and appreciate that they always clean up after breakfast. As another example, you could tell your mom that you're grateful for her giving you life, you appreciate that she calls you often, and you appreciate the nice things she says about you to her friends. Set and maintain boundaries moving forward. Boundaries help you protect yourself and your emotions. Having boundaries tells the other person what you will and won't tolerate from them. Tell the person your boundaries in clear terms, as well as what will happen if your boundaries are crossed. For example, you might set a boundary that you won't tolerate name calling from your mom. Say, “Mom, I'm not going to stay on the phone with you if you call me rude names. The next time that happens, I'm hanging up.” Similarly, you might set a boundary with your partner that you won't answer the phone while you're out with friends. You could say, "During girls night, I'm going to put my phone on silent. If you try to call, I won't answer." Avoid negative behaviors that can harm your relationship. You can't control your partner, but you can make sure your own behaviors are positive. Here are four problematic behaviors to avoid: Criticizing your partner Having contempt for your partner Being defensive Withdrawing from them to avoid conflict Make your relationship a priority. Your relationship has to be important to you if you expect it to improve. Let the other person know that you're committed to working on it, and ask them to participate, as well. Schedule time to spend together so that you can improve your relationship, and stick to that schedule. For example, you can commit to calling your mom once a week and spending 2 hours together every weekend. As another example, you could schedule a date night with your partner and commit to talking about your feelings every night. In some cases, toxic relationships may be consuming all of your time, so keep in mind that your relationship doesn't have to be your only priority. Your career, family, friends, and goals can also be priorities. Spend quality time together and apart. Time together helps you grow closer and nurture the bond between you. On the other hand, time apart helps you stay mentally healthy and nurture your bonds with others. Both are important for a healthy relationship. Work with the other person to ensure that both of you are getting your needs met, both together and apart. If you're rebuilding a romantic relationship, try dating again. Also, set aside time for each of you to spend with other important people in your lives. If you're reconnecting with a relative or friend, invite them on weekly outings or out for coffee. You might also schedule a weekly phone call or text session. Support each other’s passions. It's important that you each have interests outside the relationship that fulfill some of your needs. It's good to bring each other into that world sometimes. Involve the other person in what you're doing when you can. In return, show them that you support what they're doing. For example, you might invite them to an art show that you're in or take them to see a sign that you've just installed. In return, you might go watch their softball game, even if you don't like the sport. Be respectful toward each other. Respect is important for any relationship, so you both need to act and speak with respect. Without respect, you can't have a healthy partnership. Although you can't control what the other person does, you can do your part to be respectful: Don't engage in name calling. Avoid raising your voice to them. Don't criticize them or belittle their feelings or interests. Go to therapy together. Therapy can help you work through the problems that you have, especially if you're hung up on the past. Your therapist can help you and the other person learn to communicate more effectively. They can also help you understand each other's perspectives. If your toxic relationship is romantic, you can try couple's therapy. For a familial relationship, you can go to family therapy. You can find a therapist online. Take a break if the other person refuses to improve your relationship. If the other person continues to behave in a toxic manner, you might need to walk away, at least for awhile. No matter what you try, it's impossible to change another person. In some cases, it's in your best interest to end the relationship. Depending on the type of relationship, it's sometimes impossible to end it. For example, it's hard to leave behind a toxic relative. However, you can take a break from them and then enforce your boundaries when you're ready to talk again.
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Avoid trying to “fix” the other person. Reach out to trusted friends and family for support. Develop your own interests, hobbies, and goals. Journal to work through your thoughts. Engage your coping skills to help you manage your emotions. Talk to a therapist. Keep the lines of communication open. Don’t engage in mind games. Tell them how you feel, using “I” statements. Listen to their perspective. Watch their nonverbal signals – and yours. Keep your emotions in check. Avoid bringing up the past, if you're tempted. Look for behavior patterns that cause conflicts. Recognize what triggers you to become upset. Learn the other person’s emotional triggers. Take responsibility for managing your own emotions. Respect the efforts the other person makes, regardless of outcome. Share your gratitude for the positives they bring to your life. Set and maintain boundaries moving forward. Avoid negative behaviors that can harm your relationship. Make your relationship a priority. Spend quality time together and apart. Support each other’s passions. Be respectful toward each other. Go to therapy together. Take a break if the other person refuses to improve your relationship.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Hair-from-Your-Bikini-Area-with-Nair
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How to Remove Hair from Your Bikini Area with Nair
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To remove hair from your bikini area with Nair, start by exfoliating the area to remove dead skin cells and open up your pores. Then, trim your hair down to 1/4 inch in length using scissors or an electric razor so it's easier to remove. Next, soak your bikini area in warm water for a few minutes to open up your hair follicles before spreading some Nair over the hair you want to remove. Finally, let the Nair sit for a few minutes, and then rinse it off with warm water.
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Decide how much hair you want to remove. Perhaps you have a clear idea of exactly how bare you want to be, or maybe you're not quite sure. If you're party to the latter, it is best to figure out exactly what you want. Keep in mind that hair removal can take a lot of time, so if you're hoping to simply be bathing-suit ready, it may be best to keep the amount you take off to a minimum. Do you hope to remove just the hair that is exposed outside of your underwear? Do you want to take off a bit more, and go for the 'landing strip' or a sculpted triangle? Is it your goal to go Brazilian and remove it all? Clean up down south. As with all hair removal, you want to make sure that there is nothing that might hinder or slow the process. Additionally, it is good to be hygienic, especially in the nether regions. Take a moment to wash up, removing any loose hairs or dead skin cells. Use an exfoliator to smooth out the skin and open the pores up a bit, making hair removal easier. Trim your hair. Nair is great because it doesn't require much effort; just slather on and leave it be. However, it will take a much longer time (and thus be potentially more harmful to you) if your hair is very long and thick. Expedite the Nair-ing process by trimming all your hair to about ¼ of an inch. Use a pair of nail or sewing scissors, or use an electric razor specified for use on the bikini. Even if you don't intend on removing all the hair in your bikini area, it might be nice to trim it all. This will keep longer hairs from poking out the sides of your panties or bathing suit bottoms. Wet the skin. Although you can use Nair on dry skin, soaking your bikini area with a bit of warm to hot water will open up the hair follicles and make removal easier. Sit in a hot bath for a few minutes or hop in the shower. Towel dry off so that you skin is just damp before applying the Nair though, so that it doesn't just slide off. Apply the Nair. Squeeze some of the cream out onto your fingertips, and spread it over the area of desired hair removal. Spread it only as thick as necessary to cover the root of the strands, but not so thin that you can see your skin through it. Regardless of how much hair you're removing, test a small patch of more sensitive skin prior to slathering your entire pubic area with Nair. Avoid getting any Nair inside the vaginal canal or near your rectum; if inserted internally, the Nair can cause an infection. Give it time to work. Have a timer or clock handy, and keep track of how long the Nair is on for. The directions on the bottle will likely suggest a time of 3-5 minutes before rinsing. If at any time the Nair causes a burning or stinging sensation, rinse it off with warm water. Rinse off the Nair in a test patch. No two people have the same hair, so the 3-5 minute range may be too little or too much time depending on your hair and skin type. Rinse off a small patch of the Nair ; if most or all of the hair comes off and leaves little to no stubble, you are finished. If your hair is still mostly attached or only a small portion rinses off, then wait a few more minutes before rinsing. Do not exceed a total of 10 minutes of Nair application (no more than an additional 5 minutes after the first 5 minutes). Wash off all the Nair. Use a steady stream of warm water or a dampened washcloth to wipe away all the Nair and hair. Make sure that all of it has been removed, so that you don't end up burning your skin or getting an infection. Wait 24 to moisturize your skin. Most Nair creams contain moisturizing agents to help moisturize your skin while you use them, and moisturizing your skin immediately after application can cause irritation. That said, applying chemicals to your skin can dry it out, so moisturizing after 24 hours can be beneficial. Maintain your bikini. One of the benefits of using Nair is that it keeps your hair gone for longer than shaving. However, unlike waxing, the grow-back period is anywhere from 3-6 days after the first Nair use. Maintain your naked bikini by using Nair 1-2 times a week.
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Decide how much hair you want to remove. Clean up down south. Trim your hair. Wet the skin. Apply the Nair. Give it time to work. Rinse off the Nair in a test patch. Wash off all the Nair. Wait 24 to moisturize your skin. Maintain your bikini.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Become-an-Entrepreneur
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How to Become an Entrepreneur
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If you want to become an entrepreneur, first brainstorm an idea for something people need or want. Then, go online to research the market. You can also talk to potential customers to see if the idea might succeed. When you've settled on an idea, create a business plan to flesh out details, like where you'll get funding and how you'll do marketing. Finally, network in your field by going to trade shows, joining professional associations, and taking part in online discussions.
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Think about your priorities. Ask yourself some questions about what you want out of life, as well as out of your business. What does achieving your goals in life look like? What is important to you? What are you willing to sacrifice? Consider what you need to make these priorities and goals happen. Is it a certain amount of money? A certain amount of free time to spend with friends and family? Decide whether your personality is a good fit for entrepreneurship. Becoming your own boss is a goal for many people, but some people are better suited to this lifestyle than others. Knowing how you are likely to react to events will help you achieve your goals. Are you comfortable with a lot of responsibility? Entrepreneurs often have no backup and are responsible for the success or failure of their business. Do you enjoy interacting with people? Almost all entrepreneurs have to do a lot of customer service, particularly at first. If you aren't good with people, you may have difficulty getting your business off the ground. Are you able to accept uncertainty and even failure? Even the most successful entrepreneurs -- for example, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, and Richard Branson -- have had businesses fail on them, often several times, before they found a formula that worked. Do you thrive on problem-solving and creative solutions? Entrepreneurs at all levels face many problems that they need to find creative solutions for. A high tolerance for frustration and the ability to think through problems will serve you well as an entrepreneur. Meet other entrepreneurs to assess whether being one yourself is a good fit. List your strengths. Be honest with yourself as you consider your strengths and weaknesses. When you talk to potential investors or sell to clients, you will need to have a very clear idea of what your strengths are so you can communicate them to others. Determine to succeed. Energy and determination will get you through many of the hurdles you will face as a beginning entrepreneur. Be idealistic enough to believe in yourself, but pragmatic enough to examine the realities of your situation. Brainstorm a great idea. Most businesses start with one compelling idea — whether it's a service people need, a product that would make life easier, or something that combines both.The business world is full of great ideas (and many not-so-great ones). What will set yours apart is whether you can find a niche need to fill. You don't necessarily have to do something revolutionary or brand-new to be successful. You just have to be better at something than your competitors. You will likely be more successful if you do something you know and love. Going into computer programming might make your business very marketable, but if your heart's not in it you won't have the energy to keep yourself going. If you're having trouble thinking of an idea, create a list of things about your target market, such as places they shop and things they purchase. Narrow the list down to about three items, keeping cost, manufacturing time, and popularity in mind. Find the easiest, most realistic product you can offer. Research your market. The key to starting a business is to know whether there is a demand for your product or service. Is what you can offer something that is not being done as well as it could be? Is it a need that doesn't have enough supply to support demand? There are many sources of free industry information. Search online for industry and trade associations in your target market and read the articles and press releases they post. You can also get valuable demographic information from census data. The U.S. Small Business Administration has a website with excellent suggestions on how to come up with venture ideas, conduct market research, how to write a business plan, and how to recruit investors. It is an invaluable source of reliable information if you're starting a business. Talk to potential customers/clients. You can have the greatest product or service in the world, but if nobody wants to pay you for it, your business will crash and burn. Talking to others will also help you prepare to persuade investors. Ask for honest feedback when you talk to potential customers. Your friends may try to be nice to you when you propose your idea, but critical feedback that points out weaknesses or problems will be much more useful, even if it isn't always easy to hear. Determine what you can risk. Entrepreneurship is always a game of risk and reward, but often the risk is greater (especially in the beginning). Take stock of all your assets and figure out how much money (and time and energy) you actually have to invest. In addition to considering your savings, credit, and other sources of capital, consider how long you can afford to go without making a profit. Small businesses are rarely profitable immediately; can you afford to not draw a salary for perhaps several months or even a few years? Understand the idea of “acceptable loss. ” According to ''Forbes'', “acceptable loss” is the idea that you should first determine the possible downside of your business venture and then invest only what you can actually afford to lose should your business turn out differently than you'd hoped. This limits the scale of failure if your venture doesn't work out. Commit to a goal, not a plan. One of the most important things in becoming an entrepreneur is flexibility. You can't control everything about your business, and adaptation is vital to survival. If you're overly committed to a plan, you may sabotage yourself. Create a business plan. A business plan typically describes what your company does (whom does it serve? what does it provide?), provides a market analysis, includes a detailed description of the product or service, and projects the expected financial future of your company for the next 3-5 years. If you are hoping to attract investors, they will want to see a detailed, thorough business plan. Write a company description. This should be a brief summary of what your business does, what needs it satisfies and how, and why it is superior to other ventures of its kind. Be concrete and specific, but keep this short -- imagine it as an “elevator pitch”. Present your market analysis. If you have done good market research, you should be able to talk in specifics about your chosen industry or field, your target consumer market, and your projected market share. This section should be as detailed as possible, as it needs to convince investors that you know what you're doing. One of the mistakes many beginning entrepreneurs make is failing to narrow their target market and trying to sell to too wide an audience. While it's tempting to believe that everyone needs and will love your product or service, the reality is that they won't. It's okay to start small. Include a section on organization and management. Even if your company is only you at this point, use this section to provide information on who owns your company, what their responsibilities are, and how you will structure your business as it expands. (Will you have a board of directors? How will your employees be organized?) Investors want to see that you have thought about the future of your company. Provide information on your service or product. This is where you can get into the specifics of what exactly your business will provide your customers. What are you going to provide? What need will it fill? What competitive advantages does it have over other similar products? Provide details from potential customers' point of view. If you have already talked to potential customers, you should have a good idea what their opinions of your service or product are. If you are planning to sell a proprietary good or service, include any patent information or other ways you plan to protect your intellectual property. Investors don't want to invest in a business only to have their product scooped by a competitor. Describe your marketing and sales strategies. This section will focus on how your business plans to attract and keep customers. How do you plan to reach your target consumers? How will you use marketing to grow your business? Do you already have potential customers lined up, or will you have to start completely from scratch? Outline a funding request. If you are seeking investors or a bank loan, you will need to state exactly what you need to get your business started. You should include any amount you are investing yourself, how much money you need from your investors, and (most importantly) how you plan to use this funding. Investors like specifics. A funding request that just says “I need a million dollars” is less likely to be persuasive than a requests that breaks down costs and expenditures. Outline your financial projections. If you're just starting out, you won't have much historical financial data to work with. You should include any collateral you have that can guarantee your loan, but only list what you can truly afford to lose. You should also include information on prospective financial data. This may seem like simply making up numbers, but it should incorporate the data from your market analysis. How well are your competitors doing? What do their expenditures and cash flows look like? You can use these to help you make projections for your company. Make sure that your financial projections match the figures in your funding request. If your projections show that you will need $500,000 but you've only asked for $200,000, this could suggest to investors that you haven't done your homework. Include appendices, if necessary. If you are just starting out, you may want to include other documentation to boost your credibility. Items such as letters of reference that can speak to your qualifications and skills or a credit history may be useful. Write your executive summary. This actually goes at the very beginning of the business plan, but you'll need to wait to write this until you've thought the rest of the plan out. The executive summary is a “snapshot” of your venture as a whole: its goals, its mission statement, and an introduction to yourself and your company. As a new entrepreneur, you should highlight your background and experience with your chosen product or service. It should be no longer than one page. Develop an elevator pitch. This type of pitch is called an elevator pitch because it should be concise and informative enough to let someone know who you are, what your business does, and why they should be interested -- all in the time it takes to ride an elevator. First, consider the problem or need that your venture addresses. This is often effectively stated as a question, which is why TV advertisements often begin with questions such as “Did you know that….” or “Are you tired of…” or “Have you ever had a problem doing…”. Second, consider how your product or service fixes the issue you've identified. This should be no more than 1 or 2 sentences, but should be as specific as possible without getting into jargon. Third, describe the main benefit of your product or service. This could be a description of how it achieves something for the customer, or how it outperforms your competition. Finally, consider what you need from investors to get your venture going. This part can be longer, because it needs to express your basic needs, your experience and credentials, and why your investors can trust you to succeed. Keep your elevator pitch short! Many experts suggest that it should not be longer than one minute. Remember: attention spans are short. Hook your audience quickly, or you may not hook them at all. Create a PowerPoint that summarizes your business plan. This should summarize all the information in your business plan. You should be able to deliver it, without rushing, in about 15 minutes. Practice your pitches. You will likely be jittery about pitching your business at first, so get in some practice. You can rehearse delivering your elevator pitch and discussing your business plan with friends, coworkers, and other colleagues. Ask for feedback. You will probably make mistakes at first. Ask the people you practice with for honest feedback. Were you expressing your ideas clearly? Did you sound nervous? Did you talk too quickly or too slowly? Where do you need to explain more, and are there explanations you could cut? Network, network, network. Attend trade and industry shows in your field and talk with exhibitors. Join relevant professional associations. Build a strong social network with other entrepreneurs, both online (using social media and professional sites like Linkedin) and in person. Attending networking events such as local fairs hosted by your chamber of commerce is a great way to connect with other entrepreneurs in your area. These connections can provide you with support, ideas, and opportunities. Be generous to others. Don't consider networking with other entrepreneurs only in terms of what they can give you. If you offer advice, ideas, and support to others, they will be more likely to want to help you as well. Nobody likes to feel exploited. Pay attention to others' ideas. Even if you're in direct competition with someone, you can probably still learn from them. You can learn from others' mistakes as well as their successes, but only if you listen to them. Develop a strong brand. You need to be able to effectively communicate your business to others in person and online, and that means having a strong brand presence. Professional-looking business cards, a website, and social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, etc.) that provide information about your business in an attractive, cohesive way will help show that you're serious about your venture. It will also give people the opportunity to look you up and learn more about you. Look at the websites and branding of some successful companies. See what they have in common, what they do that's interesting, and try to emulate that formula with your own brand. (Never steal or copy someone else's intellectual property, though.) Consider starting a professional blog, especially if you are in a service field. This can be an excellent way to show off your experience and ideas and help investors and customers get to know you. Ask network contacts to refer you to investors. Chances are, you know someone who knows someone who's looking for something to invest in. Many investors won't consider “blind submissions” (business plans sent without invitation) but are happy to hear a pitch from an entrepreneur recommended by someone they already know and trust. Remember to return this favor whenever possible. People are more likely to want to help you if they feel that you will help them when and if you can. Goodwill is essential for an entrepreneur to have. Acquire investors. Pitch your idea to any potential investor to get money to start your company. The type of business you're starting will help determine who wants to invest in it. Networking is an excellent way to hear about investing tips and opportunities. Keep in mind that venture capitalists (often referred to in the business world as “VCs”) are focused on two things: how much money investing in your business will make them, and how soon that profit will happen. While hundreds of thousands of businesses are started every year, only about 500 a year get VCs as investors. If you are providing a professional service, such as consulting, accounting, law, or medicine, consider forming a partnership with someone who is already established in that profession. Someone who is familiar with your field (and your knowledge of it) may be more likely to invest in your success. Starting small and pleasing a small number of customers at first is a high-probability way to get there. If you can get your business started without spending a lot of money, that might be your best route. Sell. Sell and distribute your product. If you're getting revenue, then you're in business! You're testing your theories about the market, you're finding out what really works and what doesn't, and you're getting fuel for more ideas and improvements. Stay flexible and keep working hard! Understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for success. Not every successful entrepreneur needs the same amount of sleep or goes to bed before midnight. Winston Churchill stayed in bed until 11 a.m., because he liked working in bed. Albert Einstein slept 12 hours a day because he felt that it gave him much more clarity. It seemed to work perfectly for them. Don't just follow the same routines the most successful people adhere to. Create your personal routines. Make time for yourself and your routines, especially when you are busy. Create a business plan that fits into your life, not the other way around. Much of the advice for entrepreneurs is centered around finding ways to make time for themselves between their business activities. Do it the other way around and find a business structure that fits into your life. Evaluate if your personal goals are still compatible with your business goals. If yes, and you are energized and motivated, then keep going! If not, try to find ways to make your business fit into your life better. Avoid loss aversion. Is your investment in the business is the only reason that is keeping you from reinventing your business? It's a common but also very irrational thought. The psychological phenomenon -loss aversion- describes why this feeling is irrational. Loss aversion makes us feel more depressed at the loss of $100 than happy at winning $100. For instance, it's a typical mistake that stock investors make. After buying a stock, investors are likely to hold on to their stocks even though they may have lost a tremendous amount of money. People just hate to sell something at loss. They hold on to the stock although the most rational action would be to sell their loosing stocks and invest what's left of their money in a more promising stock. Cut your losses and reboot. Come up with a better strategy and do not focus on what you have lost but focus on what you can win with your changes. Be realistic. Starting your business while you have another stream of income can be less stressful. Try to obtain a part-time position, where you can learn valuable lessons for your own business in a related industry, learn a transferrable skill (like marketing and SEO) or where you could network in your business area. Don't expect to build your empire overnight, it is totally normal to start out small. Take a vacation. Take a couple of days off or go on a vacation regularly. Take some time to recharge your batteries and give yourself the chance to re-evaluate your business with a fresh perspective regularly.
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Think about your priorities. Decide whether your personality is a good fit for entrepreneurship. List your strengths. Determine to succeed. Brainstorm a great idea. Research your market. Talk to potential customers/clients. Determine what you can risk. Understand the idea of “acceptable loss. Commit to a goal, not a plan. Create a business plan. Write a company description. Present your market analysis. Include a section on organization and management. Provide information on your service or product. Describe your marketing and sales strategies. Outline a funding request. Outline your financial projections. Include appendices, if necessary. Write your executive summary. Develop an elevator pitch. Create a PowerPoint that summarizes your business plan. Practice your pitches. Ask for feedback. Network, network, network. Develop a strong brand. Ask network contacts to refer you to investors. Acquire investors. Sell. Understand that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for success. Create a business plan that fits into your life, not the other way around. Avoid loss aversion. Be realistic. Take a vacation.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-Different-Dog-Worms
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How to Identify Different Dog Worms
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To identify different dog worms, look for the worms in your dog's feces or vomit. Roundworms average from 8 to 10 cm, and are round with smooth bodies. Tapeworms have flattened, segmented bodies and can average from 50 to 250 cm long, although you will usually only see individual segments. Hookworms and whipworms are usually between 0.5 to 2 cm long and extremely thin, and may look like a strand of thread or hair. If your dog is coughing or breathing heavily, it may have lungworms or heartworms.
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Watch for symptoms. Many of the symptoms of worm infections are general and non-specific. Thus, it is not possible to diagnose what sort of worms a dog may have, based on symptoms alone. However, signs in a dog that has not been wormed recently should raise suspicion of worm infection and trigger an investigation into what sort of parasite is present. Look for worms in feces. Sometimes, even in an asymptomatic dog, you may see physical evidence of the worms in the dog's feces. If you are not completely confident in worm recognition, collect the worm in a screw-top container and take it to the vet clinic for identification. Collecting a worm is far more helpful to your vet than describing it, since most worms have similar physical appearances to the naked eye. Identify gastrointestinal signs. Although life-cycles vary, all worms will at some point travel through the gut. If the numbers are low, then the dog may not show any signs. However, when larger numbers colonize the bowel they can cause irritation to the lining which results in symptoms such as sickness, diarrhea (sometimes with mucus and/or blood), poor appetite and weight loss. Collect a fecal sample. Worms either live in or transit through the gut, thus at certain stages in their life cycle evidence of infection is passed out in the dog's feces. In a heavy infestation you may see actual worms in the feces, but this is less common if mild infections. Instead, either eggs or larvae may be present in the feces, which is harder for the naked eye to spot. Scoop a sample of feces with a popsicle stick or a disposable spoon and place it in a clean, screw-top container that has a tight-fitting lid (your vet can provide you with a container specific for this purpose if you don't have anything appropriate). Store the sample below 30 degrees Celsius and drop it off at the vet clinic when you can (the sample does not have to be especially fresh to have evidence of worms. If your vet asks for a pooled sample, you will take samples from the dog's stool once daily for 3 days in a row, placing them in the same collection container. This may be necessary for a suspected "false negative" result. The pooled sample reduces the risk of unreliable results. The vet may run the fecal analysis, which involves examining a smear of feces under the microscope to look for worm eggs or larvae, or she may send it to an outside lab for assessment. Ask your dog's vet for a blood test. Some worms that cause serious illness, such as lungworm or heartworm, can be diagnosed on a blood test. The veterinarian draws a small volume (1-2ml) from the pet to obtain as the test sample. A variety of tests are available but in practice an ELISA test is most common. The test looks for the presence of antibodies to the heartworm and causes a color change if positive. Most veterinarians in high-risk areas for heartworm require a yearly test as part of the dog's physical checkup before renewing or prescribing a monthly preventative treatment. Avoid contact with feces and worms. Some worms, such as roundworms, can be transferred from dogs to humans. Young children who become infected with roundworms may experience damage to their eyesight. Worms or feces infected with worms should be removed from children's play areas. Infected feces should be handled or collected with gloves. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water after handling animal feces. Be aware of risk factors for specific types of worms. Because worms can look very similar, one of the best ways to identify the type of parasite that is plaguing your dog is to understand the environmental or situational factors that most lead to each type of worms. Roundworms are often passed to puppies from a roundworm-infested mother because the eggs and larvae cross the placenta to infect the puppy in the womb, and eggs are also excreted in the mother's milk. Puppies should be wormed as a matter of routine. Tapeworms are caused by a dog's eating vermin already infected with tapeworm, or from fleas that contain tapeworm eggs. Thus, hunting dogs or dogs with a flea infestation are likely to pick up tapeworms. Hookworms and Whipworms thrive in damp soil and the dogs most at risk are those kept on grass runs, especially in warm, humid conditions. These infections are more common in kenneled dogs that have access to communal grassy runs. Heartworm is spread by insects such as mosquitoes and is therefore endemic in certain areas where insects are more common. High risk areas include the Southeastern and Midwestern United States and along the Atlantic coast. Lungworm is becoming more prevalent and is spread via fox feces, slugs, and snails. Contact with any of these is considered a risk factor. Document any symptoms or risk factors that apply to your dog. Sometimes the best way to diagnose the types of worm is to document the risk factors for the dog. Make notes of the dog's environment, climate, and habits. Be sure to also document the severity and duration of any symptoms of illness and provide the information to your veterinarian if you suspect an infection. Look for distinctive features of worm types. If worms or worm parts are visible in the dog's feces or vomit, you may be able to identify the type of worms. While many worms look similar, each has some distinguishing characteristics that may allow you to pinpoint the worm variety. Roundworms look a lot like cooked spaghetti noodles. They average 8 - 10cm long, but can reach 18cm in length. They have a round profile and smooth bodies. Tapeworms are distinctive with flattened bodies made up of segments. The length varies with the species but averages from 50 centimeter (19.7 in) to 250cm long. If you see tapeworms in the feces or vomit, it is likely to be individual segments, not the entire tapeworm. Hookworms and whipworms are much smaller than roundworms or tapeworms. They are usually between 0.5- 2 cm long and extremely thin, like a strand of thread or hair. Their small size tends to make them appear translucent, and they can be more difficult to see without close examination. Watch for respiratory or cardiac signs. Lungworm and heartworms infest blood vessels and either the heart or lungs. This can cause symptoms such as coughing, heavy or rapid breathing, lack of energy, or even collapse and death. Lungworm and heartworm can interfere with blood clotting and so some dogs show the alarming symptom of uncontrolled bleeding after a minor injury. Any of these signs should prompt an immediate visit to your vet. Though treatments can be costly, prompt treatment is more likely to result in a favorable outcome. Check for egg packets. A sure sign of tapeworms is egg packets stuck to the dog's fur near his anus. This happens when the mature tapeworms release eggs into the bowel lumen, after which the eggs wriggle out of the dog's anus, which can also cause itchiness around the anal ring. These egg packets look like sesame seeds or small rice grains stuck to the hair near the dog's bottom. If you look carefully you can sometimes see these small, cream-colored seed-like objects wriggling. Check the dog's physique. Because worms, particularly tapeworms, absorb nutrients from the dog's food and make less available for the host, worm-infested dogs may have poor fat cover over their bones but swollen bellies due to the excessive worms in their gut. The classic appearance of a wormy puppy is a bony, ribby dog with a potbelly and a dull coat. Take a worm or egg sample to your dog's veterinarian. The best way to diagnose the specific type of worm is to let the professionals do it. They will be able to examine the worms or eggs under a microscope and have experience identifying minute differences between worm types. With worm eggs the differences can be subtle, such as the shape being oval instead of round, of having a plug at one or both ends. Identify and treat worms promptly. Worm infections tend to get worse the longer they are left untreated. An infection with a great number of adult worms, known as a “heavy” infection, can have adverse effects on a dog's overall well-being, so identifying worms before the infection becomes “heavy” is the best approach. Some canine worm infections can cause gastrointestinal illnesses such as diarrhea. Some worm infections can ultimately lead to a dog's death, particularly with heart or lungworms. Administer a monthly heartworm preventative. Particularly if you live in a high-risk area with many mosquitoes, you should give your dog a monthly heartworm preventative. Heartworm preventatives require a prescription. Most vets require a negative heartworm test to write a heartworm preventative prescription. Many heartworm preventatives are meat-flavored and chewable, making them easier to administer. Keep your dog free of fleas. Because some worms are transferred by fleas, keeping your dog free of fleas with a regular flea treatment can help him stay free of worms as well. Some companies make a combination heartworm and flea treatment in one chewable pill. It is also possible to administer a monthly topical flea treatment. This is usually squeezed onto the dog's scruff, at the back of his neck. Restrict your dog's access to harmful environments. Ensuring that your dog stays away from environments that are most conducive to worms can help eliminate the need for de-worming. Keep your dog away from warm, grassy areas shared with other dogs who have not been de-wormed. Do not let your dog come into contact with wild or prey animals. Avoid warm, humid climates that have high populations of bugs such as fleas or mosquitoes. Do not let your dog eat or rub themselves in the feces of other dogs or wild animals. Administer a de-wormer if necessary. If your dog has worms, you may need to administer a de-wormer. A precise worming protocol depends on the individual pet's risk factors, and is best discussed with your veterinarian. Most de-wormer is a powdery substance that can be mixed into the dog's food or another vehicle such as plain yogurt (consult your vet before feeding your dog food made for humans). Most de-wormers need to be administered only once, but if your veterinarian prescribes fenbendazole, you'll need to administer it repeatedly over the course of several days. Fenbendazole is a very gentle de-wormer frequently used for young puppies. Be sure to read the directions on the package of de-wormer and consult your vet before giving your dog any kind of medication. Maintain regular veterinary visits. Having your dog checked regularly by a veterinarian will keep her in generally good health. The vet will have the opportunity to identify problems before they become extreme and cause lasting harm to your canine companion.
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Watch for symptoms. Look for worms in feces. Identify gastrointestinal signs. Collect a fecal sample. Ask your dog's vet for a blood test. Avoid contact with feces and worms. Be aware of risk factors for specific types of worms. Document any symptoms or risk factors that apply to your dog. Look for distinctive features of worm types. Watch for respiratory or cardiac signs. Check for egg packets. Check the dog's physique. Take a worm or egg sample to your dog's veterinarian. Identify and treat worms promptly. Administer a monthly heartworm preventative. Keep your dog free of fleas. Restrict your dog's access to harmful environments. Administer a de-wormer if necessary. Maintain regular veterinary visits.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Junk-a-Car
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How to Junk a Car
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If you need to junk your car, you have a few different options depending on how much time you want to invest and what condition your car is in. If your car has valuable parts like radios, speakers, amplifiers, or capacitors, you can remove them and sell the parts off individually to make a little money. You can also take your car to a salvage yard if you just want to be rid of it. Don't forget to bring your vehicle's title or the salvage yard probably won't accept it!
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Consider any particularly valuable parts. Experts like Kelly Blue Book and National Auto Dealers Association price the car as a whole. If you have the time and inclination, the car might be worth more if you sell individual parts. Some parts are valuable for their materials, others can be valuable if they are discontinued by the manufacturer. Remove any electronics. Radios, speakers, amplifiers, capacitors, batteries, etc. are worth more being sold on their own than their weight as scrap. Take these parts from the car before scrapping it. Remove any custom interior parts. This might mean leather seats, or just seat covers. These items can be sold separately to catch you a little more cash. If you leave them on the car you will only get their weight added to the scrap value (which will be very little). Remove any valuable or sought after parts. If you take the time to take off parts that someone else might want, like rims or tires, you can sell them for more money. Also, things like a catalytic converter can be recycled at a higher rate on its own than what you get from leaving it in the car (sometimes even at the same scrap yard). Sell your parts. This can be done locally if there is a demand. You can also post your parts online to sell to a larger audience. Sites like Craigslist and eBay have sections just for motor vehicles. Select a salvage yard. Be sure to search for competitive local rates. Also, keep in mind that you have to transport the car to the salvage yard somehow, so closer is usually better. Verify that the salvage yard accepts cars. Some yards only deal in specific materials, or have certain materials that they do not accept. Make sure ahead of time that the salvage yard you choose will take your car. Also, be ask if you need to remove any specific parts or fluids from your car. Arrange transportation to the salvage yard. Usually, the cheapest way to transport a vehicle to the scrap yard is to drive it there. This isn't always possible, so some salvage yards will come pick up your vehicle for an extra charge. If that isn't an option either, you will have to arrange to have your car towed to the salvage yard. Bring any required paperwork. This is usually just a title, but be sure to call the salvage yard ahead of time and make sure that they do not need anything else. If you do not have all of the needed paperwork, the yard will not accept your vehicle. Consider your options. It is rare that donating a car to charity provides significant benefit to the donor. Even in the case of tax exemptions, you will rarely get fair market value for your car. It is, however, an easy way to be rid of your car. Confirm that your charity of choice qualifies. If you wish to get any tax write off at all, your organization will have to qualify. This means that they will have to be a 501(c)(3) organization with the IRS. If you are unsure, ask the organization if they are a 501(c)(3). Talk to your accountant. You cannot claim any tax deduction for your donation unless you file deductions on your income tax. This may mean giving up your standard deduction, which could be worth more money to you. An accountant can tell you if claiming your car donation will hurt or help you in your taxes. Call your charity of choice for instructions. If you do decide that donating your car is the right path for your, call your charity of choice. They will give you instructions on how to release the vehicle to them. They will also help you arrange transportation of the vehicle (some will pick the vehicle up). Locate the vehicle’s title. It will be difficult, if not impossible, to sell your vehicle without a title. This includes to most salvage yards. Make sure that you have a clear title in your name before attempting to junk your vehicle. Check the mileage on your vehicle. Knowing the mileage can help determine the value of the car and any parts on it. If you can, get the mileage from the car's odometer. It might be a good idea to write it down so that you can recite it quickly. Find insurance and registration documents. In most states, it is necessary to have insurance on your vehicle and to register it with the state's DMV before driving it. If your plan is to drive the car to the scrap yard, you should have these documents in the car with you. Obtain a one-way permit. This can usually be done at your local DMV office. This permit will allow you to drive the car from one place to another being exempt of normal registration requirements. This is a great option if your car is not legal to drive but could otherwise be driven to the scrapyard. Call your local DMV office. You will need to have it on file that you have surrender your vehicle for scrap. This protects you from liability if the vehicle is stolen or involved in some sort of accident. Provide any needed documents. Oftentimes no paperwork is needed for the DMV to note that you have surrendered your car. It may be as simple as calling the DMV, but it's a good idea to do this ahead of time in case you need to collect any documents from the scrap yard. Submit any requested forms. You may also need to file a form with the DMV. If this is the case, just find out which forms they need and be sure to complete them. Get a confirmation. This will just give you the peace of mind that the DMV does have your transaction on file. You are no longer tied to your junk car.
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Consider any particularly valuable parts. Remove any electronics. Remove any custom interior parts. Remove any valuable or sought after parts. Sell your parts. Select a salvage yard. Verify that the salvage yard accepts cars. Arrange transportation to the salvage yard. Bring any required paperwork. Consider your options. Confirm that your charity of choice qualifies. Talk to your accountant. Call your charity of choice for instructions. Locate the vehicle’s title. Check the mileage on your vehicle. Find insurance and registration documents. Obtain a one-way permit. Call your local DMV office. Provide any needed documents. Submit any requested forms. Get a confirmation.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Shape-Your-Eyebrows-Without-Plucking
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How to Shape Your Eyebrows Without Plucking
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If you don't want to pluck your eyebrows, you can use several other methods to shape them instead. One easy option is to wax them at home. You'll have the added benefit of being able to remove finer hairs that you would miss when plucking. Alternatively, try combing and trimming them with a pair of scissors to make them look neater. You could also give more definition to your eyebrows with a powder or eyebrow pencil. Applying an eyebrow gel is a further option for shaping your brows, especially if you want them to look neater. If you don't feel like shaping your eyebrows yourself, ask a stylist to try threading, which is when they twist cotton threads around your eyebrow hairs to remove them.
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Understand the best eyebrow shape for your face. As with hairstyles, the shape of your face should dictate which brow shape looks best on you. If you have a square jaw, softly rounded brows that aren't too angular or round are the way to go. However, if your face is round, angular brows work better because there is a lack of definition in a rounder face that angled brows can fix. If you have a heart-shaped face, bold brows will probably overwhelm your face. Don't make your brows too thick but you want a controlled shape that isn't too bushy. If your face is oval, a classic balanced brow works well because your face is already well-proportioned. Outline the eyebrow shape you want. It's important to figure out exactly which shape you are going for before you attempt to shape your brows. You need to plan this out with care. The way to do this is to remember that the front of your brow should line up with the bridge of your nose. You could use a pencil to determine where that spot is, and draw a little washable dot there with brow pencil. Hair inside the line will be filled, and hair outside the line lightly trimmed or removed. Your brows should begin directly above your tear duct. They should peak at the outer side of your iris. They should end 45 degrees from the outer corner of your eye. The brow arch should be about three-quarters away from the nose bridge. The tail of the eyebrow should taper off after that. Figure out your brow thickness. Although this varies, a rule of thumb is to have brows that are between a quarter inch and a half inch at the thickest. Try waxing, either at home or in a salon. Waxing is a relatively quick way to shape your eyebrows without plucking. It will remove finer hairs, too, that you would be unlikely to see with a pair of tweezers and a mirror. If you have thick or dark brows, waxing may be the best bet. At a salon, they will spread wax under and on top of your eyebrows. Then, they apply a small cloth or strip to the wax and pull the wax off (the hair comes with it). This is somewhat painful, but it's over fast. One benefit of waxing is that the hair won't grow back as fast as it will with some other methods. You can also buy at-home waxing kits at local drugstores.It would be a good idea to try waxing at a salon first. If you mess up, eyebrows do grow back, but it's still not a fun thing to go through. At home kits usually include wax and application sticks. Another version of at-home waxing kits are waxing strips that are already shaped for eyebrows. Try threading to shape your eyebrows. Threading involves using cotton strings to remove hairs by twisting them off. The stylist can shape the eyebrows this way with great precision. You should ask at local salons or malls whether they offer threading. It's best not to try this yourself unless you are specifically trained in it. Threading is an ancient art that dates back to ancient Eastern culture. One benefit of threading is that wax can irritate sensitive skin, but threading is less likely to do so because you aren't applying a chemical to the skin. Another benefit is that threading creates very detailed definition of the brows. Comb and trim your eyebrows to make them look neater. One way to make your eyebrows tidier is to trim them with a pair of small manicure scissors (don't use large scissors!) First, start with a spoolie brush. This is a mascara style brush (but that doesn't have mascara on it). You can buy these makeup brushes at drug stores and beauty stores. Comb your eyebrows upward. This will neaten your eyebrows and help you determine their natural shape. Then, cut along the tips of any eyebrow hairs that extend beyond the top of your eyebrow. Be careful! You can't undo what you cut. The smaller scissors will be easier to control. Use an eyebrow pencil or powder to fill in your brows for a better look. The problem with tweezing is that you could accidentally over tweeze your eyebrows. Luckily there is a fix for this. You can also use pencil or powder to define brows even more that are already in decent shape. Fill in the thin spots of the eyebrow with an eyebrow pencil. You can find these at beauty stores or drug stores, and you should choose a color that most closely matches that of your eyebrows. If you don't have a special brow filler, you can use a matching eyeliner pencil or eyeshadow.Don't draw too hard or the pencil could become too obvious. You want to go for a natural look here. For more filling, use eyebrow powder and a small makeup brush. This will create a natural look that shapes your brows. Look for open spaces by holding a pencil or tweezers from the front of your brow to the arch. Then fill in any open spaces with powder or pencil. Begin applying the powder in the center of the brow. Work outward to the edge of the brow and then back toward the beginning of the brow. Use short, light strokes. You can use more pressure on the underside of the brow. Use an eyebrow gel to make them look more in control. There are eyebrow gels widely available that will make your brows look more tamed and shapely. These gels usually come in a mascara like tube, and you put the gel on your eyebrows with a small mascara style wand that comes with the product. The gel is usually clear, but you can also buy tinted gel for eyebrows. Another variation is to put hairspray on your eyebrows. This method will also hold the fine hairs in place, but it gets a little stickier.
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Understand the best eyebrow shape for your face. Outline the eyebrow shape you want. Try waxing, either at home or in a salon. Try threading to shape your eyebrows. Comb and trim your eyebrows to make them look neater. Use an eyebrow pencil or powder to fill in your brows for a better look. Use an eyebrow gel to make them look more in control.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Kill-Ferns
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How to Kill Ferns
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If ferns are taking over your garden, you can easily kill them with an herbicide. For a cheap and natural option, pour boiling water or salt water over the ferns. If the ferns are still alive after a few days, try pouring more water on them. You can also kill ferns by spraying them with white vinegar. You may need to repeat this a few times before they fully die off. For the most effective fern killer, use a chemical herbicide. All you need to do is spray the herbicide onto the ferns' leaves, base, and soil. Just make sure you wear protective goggles and clothes and a respirator to avoid irritating your eyes, skin, or lungs. Once your ferns have died, pull them out by hand and dig up their roots to remove any traces.
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Use boiling water as a cheap, natural herbicide. The simplest, most budget-friendly herbicide is hot water. Pour boiling water over a plant's root system and leaves to kill it within several days without leaving a poisonous residue in the soil. You should need 1–2 gallons (3.8–7.6 L) of water to kill the fern, depending on its size. While you'll only need to pour the water once for most plants, you may need to repeat the process for larger or stubborn ferns. Use caution while handling hot water to prevent burns and other injuries. Douse the fern with saltwater as a quick herbicide. Table salt or rock salt equally works as a herbicide, especially when dissolved in water. If you want to kill the plant's root system within several days, saltwater is a natural, highly effective option. If you want to create salt water, mix the solution in a ratio of 1 part salt for every 8 parts water. Depending on the plant's size, mix 1–2 gallons (3.8–7.6 L) of the saltwater solution. Do not use salt if you plan to replant a new fern or shrub in that area, as salt has a detrimental effect for growing plants. Spray the fern with vinegar in repeated applications. White vinegar and industrial strength vinegar are both natural herbicides. Unlike some herbicides, however, you may need to apply the herbicide daily until the root system dies completely. Industrial strength vinegar can irritate the skin, eyes, and lungs, so wear appropriate safety equipment while handling or use white vinegar as a safer alternative. Spray ⁄ 2 –1 gallon (1.9–3.8 L) of vinegar on the fern to effectively kill its root system. Your fern should only need 1-2 applications and die within a few days of spraying the solution. Use a chemical herbicide as the most effective fern killer. Chemical herbicides are the quickest and most reliable way to kill ferns. If you don't care about applying chemicals to your yard, buy a store-bought herbicide made for shrubs or invasive plants. You can buy herbicides from most garden centers or nurseries. Wear eye, skin, and lung protection while handling herbicides. Both natural and chemical herbicides can cause respiratory, eye, or skin irritation. Before you apply the herbicide, put on safety goggles, a respirator, and gardening gloves to protect yourself. Wearing long-sleeved clothes can also protect your skin while you work. Spray the ferns' leaves, base, and soil. Although the root system is the most important part to spray, coat the fern's base and leaves in the herbicide as well. Depending on the herbicide, the fern should die within several hours or days. If using a store-bought chemical, check its packaging for specific application instructions. Reapply the herbicide daily or try another herbicide if the initial application doesn't kill the fern. Avoid spraying other plants while applying the herbicide. Even herbicides made to kill ferns or shrubs can damage or kill other plants. Limit your herbicide application to the specific fern you want to kill and the ground directly below it. Loosen the dirt around the fern's root ball. Using a hoe or shovel, dig a trench surrounding the fern. Continue digging until you reach the approximate depth of the fern's root ball, which should have a diameter of between 1–2 feet (0.30–0.61 m). Dig as close to the fern's trunk as possible to loosen it from the soil. Pull the trunk out of the soil with your hands. After digging a trench around the fern, grab the trunk firmly with both hands. Pull up to lift the trunk out of the soil and continue pulling until you remove the entire fern from the ground, setting it aside and away from the soil. Wear long-sleeved clothes and gardening gloves while handling the tree to protect your skin from residual herbicides. If you still can't remove the fern from the soil, try digging closer around the tree's diameter or at a greater depth. Dig up the entire root ball. To make the soil a hospitable place for the next plant, inspect the soil for any residual parts of the root system. Use your hoe or shovel to remove any remaining roots that you can see. Discard the dead fern without reusing it. Do not compost the dead fern or use it for mulch, as the herbicide may make it poisonous to other plants. Throw the dead fern in the trash or ask local recycling centers whether they take shrubs that were killed by herbicides. If desired, you can use the dead fern for kindling instead of throwing it out. The only exception to mulching or composting the herb is if you used boiling water as a natural herbicide.
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Use boiling water as a cheap, natural herbicide. Douse the fern with saltwater as a quick herbicide. Spray the fern with vinegar in repeated applications. Use a chemical herbicide as the most effective fern killer. Wear eye, skin, and lung protection while handling herbicides. Spray the ferns' leaves, base, and soil. Avoid spraying other plants while applying the herbicide. Loosen the dirt around the fern's root ball. Pull the trunk out of the soil with your hands. Dig up the entire root ball. Discard the dead fern without reusing it.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Whisk-Eggs
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How to Whisk Eggs
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To whisk eggs, start by cracking them into a bowl. Then, using a whisk or fork, stir the eggs quickly in a circular motion. As you're stirring the eggs, lift the whisk or fork out of the mixture every so often to make more air bubbles. Also, hold onto the bowl with your free hand so you're able to stir quickly without moving the bowl around. If your recipe calls for stiff peaks, continue to whisk the eggs until the egg mixture stands firm when you lift the whisk out of the bowl and rotate it.
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Set out the eggs. Place your eggs on your counter about 30 minutes before you intend to use them. Eggs whip to a greater volume when they're at room temperature (between 68° and 70° Fahrenheit or between 20° and 25° Celsius. If you're short on time, you can place whole eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5 to 10 minutes to bring them to room temperature quickly. If you only need egg whites for your recipe, separate the eggs while they're still cold. The white and yolk will separate easier before they warm up to room temperature. Separate the whites from the yolks, if necessary. Crack your egg as close to the middle as possible. Let the yolk settle in the bottom half of the shell and let the egg whites run into the bowl. Then use the shell halves to transfer the egg back-and-forth until all of the whites are in the bowl. You can also crack the egg into your opened hand. Keep the yolk in the palm of your hand while letting the whites slide through your fingertips into the bowls. Use a small bowl to catch your egg whites, then transfer them to your larger mixing bowl. That way, you can help prevent any yolk from getting into the rest of your ingredients. Figure out how much you need to whisk your egg whites. Depending on your recipe, your egg whites will need to achieve either soft, firm, or stiff peaks. Soft peaks are those just starting to hold their shape. If you stop whisking and turn your whisk upside down, the peaks will hold for a second before melting back into themselves. Some recipes ask you to whip the whites to a soft peak stage before adding other ingredients, like sugar. Firm, or medium, peaks hold their shape longer than soft peaks, but they gradually lose their form, and their peaks flop over. Stiff peaks stand firm when the whisk is turned upside down. The egg white mixture will be stiff and heavy at this stage. Recipes for meringues require you to whisk or beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Select a clean, dry glass, copper, or stainless steel bowl. Never use a plastic bowl to whisk egg whites. The tiny nicks and scratches in plastic bowls can interfere with the smooth whisking of the egg whites. Chefs prefer copper bowls, because tiny amounts of copper ions combine with the egg whites and help make the egg whites more stable. Additionally, it is difficult to overbeat eggs in a copper bowl. Copper bowls are expensive, so home chefs typically use glass or stainless steel bowls. Choose a clean balloon whisk with many thin wires. Balloon whisks are characterized by their large, round heads, useful for beating air into egg whites efficiently. Whisks with at least eight sturdy, flexible wires are best for whipping egg whites. Hold the whisk firmly and begin to slowly whisk the egg whites. Use your other hand to hold onto the bowl.Use a circular motion and make about two rotations around the bowl per second. After about 30 seconds, your egg whites will begin to look foamy. You can also try using a figure-eight motion in this step. Keep your egg whites moving constantly and occasionally lift the whisk to incorporate even more air into them. Add cream of tartar to your egg whites once they are foamy. This acidic by-product from the winemaking process adds stability to your egg whites. The addition of cream of tartar is not necessary if you are using a copper bowl. Increase your speed. Continue to whisk your eggs in a quick, circular motion; you should notice an increase in volume after 2 or 3 minutes of continuous whisking. As you continue to whip more air into your egg whites, you should reach maximum volume for them in 12–18 minutes. Whisking whites by hand to a stiff peak stage requires tremendous arm strength and much time. It will take several minutes to achieve stiff peaks when whisking by hand. Select either a stand or a hand-held mixer. These electric mixers are essentially motorized whisks. They enable you to achieve the proper consistency for your eggs in a fraction of the time of hand whisking. Handheld electric mixers are less expensive than stand mixers, and they are easier to store. Stand mixers offer the advantage of keeping your hands free to do other jobs in the kitchen while your eggs are being beaten. Use the whisk attachment with your stand mixer. Whisk your egg whites at low speed until foamy, for about one minute. If you immediately start to whisk them at high speed, they will not reach their full volume. Add a pinch of cream of tartar at the foamy stage to help stabilize the whites. Increase the speed gradually and continue to whisk your eggs. Your egg whites should reach their full volume within a few minutes. Since handheld mixers are not as powerful as stand mixers, you may have to use the high speed to achieve the consistency required by your recipe. If using a stand mixer, which is quite powerful, do not go above the medium-high speed. Your mixture will have more stable, smaller bubbles if you don't use the highest speed on your stand mixer Keep an eye on your whites. It is easy to step away from a stand mixer, but doing so risks over-whipping your egg whites. Over-whipped whites look dry and curdled or grainy and clumpy. The structure of the whites will break down, and liquid will then weep out of the mixture. You can try to salvage overbeaten egg whites by beating in another egg white. This may help the mixture recover its structure. Otherwise, throw everything out and start again. Select fresh eggs when baking. When beaten, fresher eggs will achieve more loft and greater stability than older eggs. Use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. This will help you achieve the ribbon stage more quickly than by using a hand mixer. If you use a hand mixer, be sure to circulate it through the mixture while beating to achieve the proper loft. Combine eggs and sugar according to your recipe. Whisk your eggs and sugar together until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved. This will ensure that your egg mixture won't become granular when heated, and the batter will have the necessary thickness and loft. Continue beating until the mixture is pale yellow. As more air is incorporated into your mixture, the deep yellow color will lighten and your mixture will thicken. Check for ribboning. Once your mixture is the right color, lift a beater out of the bowl. If some of the mixture falls back into bowl and forms a ribbon-like stream that holds its shape for a few seconds, you have reached the ribbon stage. Batters that aren't whisked long enough to attain the ribbon stage will result in dense, rubbery cakes.
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Set out the eggs. Separate the whites from the yolks, if necessary. Figure out how much you need to whisk your egg whites. Select a clean, dry glass, copper, or stainless steel bowl. Choose a clean balloon whisk with many thin wires. Hold the whisk firmly and begin to slowly whisk the egg whites. Add cream of tartar to your egg whites once they are foamy. Increase your speed. Select either a stand or a hand-held mixer. Whisk your egg whites at low speed until foamy, for about one minute. Increase the speed gradually and continue to whisk your eggs. Keep an eye on your whites. Select fresh eggs when baking. Use the whisk attachment on your stand mixer. Combine eggs and sugar according to your recipe. Continue beating until the mixture is pale yellow. Check for ribboning.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-the-First-Day-of-Middle-School-(Girls)
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How to Prepare for the First Day of Middle School (Girls)
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To prepare for the first day of middle school, pick an outfit that will look nice but still follow the dress code. It'll be your only chance to make a good first impression with both your teachers and your peers! You can also try wearing accessories like earrings or a scarf, and even a little makeup. B.B. Cream is a lighter version of foundation, concealer can cover any under eye circles, and mascara will make your eyes pop a little. You should also buy any school supplies that are on your list or the school website. If you don't know what to bring, a thin folder for handouts, a pencil, and some paper for taking notes should be enough. On the day itself, eat a delicious and healthy breakfast and make sure you brush your teeth and comb your hair. Don't forget any of your school supplies or your backpack!
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Have fresh, clean sets of clothing that you like or get the uniform. You'll need different kinds of clothes or uniform pieces for different purposes: skirts, shorts, slacks, blouses, shirts, jacket/sweater, phys ed setup, scarf/neck-tie (if any). Find out what is needed at your school's open house day. If your school doesn't have a uniform rule, then wear whatever you want as long as you stay within the dress code. Have a variety of clothing: basics, such as jeans, solid colored t-shirts, and solid jackets. That should make up about 70% of your closet. The other 30% can be weekend t-shirts, splattered/color jeans or trousers, and favorite jackets. If you're not familiar with the dress code, most of the time it's two finger spacing for tank tops, shorts can't be more than three inches above the knee, and the neckline of your shirt has to be three inches from the base of your neck. Wear something that the dress code will allow, and try to look as nice as possible. You want to make a good first impression, so dress to impress. Try a little makeup. Lay out your make up, and other accessories that you are going to wear, if these are permitted. Try some earrings, or maybe a necklace or a scarf. Just something to make your outfit look unique and don't go overboard with the makeup. Be aware that most middle school students, especially 6th graders don't wear any makeup at all. Don't worry if you aren't allowed to wear it or simply prefer not to. Some good things to start off with are B.B. Cream (lighter version of foundation that isn't as noticeable), concealer (helps cover under eye circles), and maybe some mascara. Buy the school supplies on your list. If you lost it, ask a friend or go to the school website. If you were not given one, check the school website. If they say you don't need anything special on the first day, then bring 2 pencils, an eraser, some paper to take notes on, and a folder to keep loose handouts in. If you want an extra confidence boost, maybe bring a small, inexpensive good luck charm, or wear your favorite nice-shirt/skirt or such. Bring a thin folder for papers, just in case, and a reading book for any free time you have. Try to categorize the folder and place worksheets of similar subjects together. This will keep you mess-free and also make things neater for you. Take personal needs. It's always a good idea to have some pads/tampons in your locker or backpack, just in case (whether you've had your period before or not) you might have it at school. Try placing them in a case along with other things that you might need (e.g. emergency makeup, spare raincoat, plasters etc.) Decorate your bag. This is optional, but a cute bag will most likely spark others' attention and interest as well as boost your confidence. Use fabric markers or fabric paint and get your creative side on to make it look more unique or just simply hang a keychain and stick on some pins. However, make sure your parents are okay with this, and that you'll still be able to use it next year. Make sure you have good personal hygiene. Wash your face if you took a shower the night before. Brush your teeth and floss/clean out your braces (if you have them). Get dressed. Try to choose clothes the night before. The first day of school may be stressful for you so preparing the night before helps. If you are to wear the school uniform remember to iron it and smooth it nicely to prevent creases. Try to look at the mirror before you leave, to make sure your outfit looks okay. Brush your hair and style it. Try to do hairstyles that will keep your hair out of your face because you are going to be concentrating in school. Clip up your bangs or long fringe. Additionally, you can try pulling back your hair and braiding it for a more classy look. Here are some good back to school hairstyles: Ponytail, French/Dutch/Fishtail/Infinity braid, pigtails, half up-do, side braid or a bun. Look presentable. Take your time on the makeup because you don't want it to look sloppy. Make sure it is even. For middle school you'll want a very natural look, so stay away from things like eyeliner, eyeshadow, and heavy blush. You'll have plenty of time for more colorful makeup looks in high school. A full face of foundation is also simply impractical for school. If you want to cover blemishes, a light concealer looks much more natural, comfortable, and appropriate. If you want, try some lip gloss, but don't wear lipstick. You will look too grown up. Have a delicious and healthy breakfast. Try delicious and healthy foods such as waffles, pancakes, (without sugary syrup) yogurt, bagel with cream cheese, or a breakfast burrito that will keep you filled up till lunchtime or recess. Avoid sugary cereals that will make you hyper and then crash halfway through the day. That way, you won't starve all day but stay energised and focused during class. Prevent bad breath. Rinse with some mouthwash after brushing your teeth and flossing. Also, try to bring mints with you. Make sure you have everything. You want to be prepared and totally ready. Double check to make sure everything is in your bag. Pack a large, healthy lunch, and snack if your school gives you a chance. Bring a water bottle so that you will always have water with you and don't have to leave class. Get on the bus, find an empty seat or sit with someone you know. If you're all alone, then don't sit by the window unless you want someone sitting next to you that you don't know. If you are new at your school, then ask someone who looks friendly -- or shy and alone -- whether you can sit next to him or her. Then strike up a conversation, or if you're by yourself, plug in your iPod, iPhone or MP3 player and ignore the crowd. If you're taking public transit, make sure to remember your stops! Keep a log on your phone. If you are late to school, your first day will be ruined! Be confident. Confidence is a likable trait. Having confidence will earn you a lot of friends. It also boosts your popularity. A good way to become confident is by practicing. A good way to practice is by standing in front of a mirror. Look yourself in the eyes, read out a passage that motivates you. Relax and try to gesticulate as much as you can. If you do this enough, you will start to do it around other people too. Averting your eyes and not looking directly at the person is taken as shy and definitely not confident. Don't present yourself with a bad attitude. Always have a smile on your face. If you act-up as if you're angry, you may give yourself a bad reputation to be overcoming and undoing for weeks/months, or all year (bringing unnecessary stress on yourself). Expect things to be different. For some, the first day of school may be a pain. Try to make it more enjoyable (or at least bearable) by waking up an hour early and getting 8 to 10 hours of sleep. In the morning, shower (if you didn't the night before.) Enjoy your day! Do the usual class routines. Chill out when the day is over. Check your TV guide and see when your favorite show is on, have a snack and do your homework so you can watch your show. If it's on pretty soon, have a quick snack, set your recorder to record the show -- then do your homework. After that, call or text your friends and swap first day stories! Make time to think about the day, what interested you and what could have been better. Write certain observations and develop a thought process for good and bad events in life.
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Have fresh, clean sets of clothing that you like or get the uniform. Try a little makeup. Buy the school supplies on your list. Bring a thin folder for papers, just in case, and a reading book for any free time you have. Take personal needs. Decorate your bag. Make sure you have good personal hygiene. Get dressed. Brush your hair and style it. Look presentable. Have a delicious and healthy breakfast. Prevent bad breath. Make sure you have everything. Get on the bus, find an empty seat or sit with someone you know. Be confident. Don't present yourself with a bad attitude. Expect things to be different. Enjoy your day! Chill out when the day is over.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Rent-a-Car-Without-a-Credit-Card
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How to Rent a Car Without a Credit Card
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If you need to rent a car without a credit card, you may be able to find agencies that accept debit cards or cash. To use a debit card, bring additional identification and information, like a plane ticket itinerary or proof of insurance. Also, make sure you have extra money in your account, as many companies will hold a deposit. To rent a car using cash, bring identification that matches the information on your driver's license, like a utility bill. Additionally, expect to pay a deposit of around a few hundred dollars to cover possible damages to the car.
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Present a debit card. If you don't have a credit card, if you have a checking account, many banks and credit unions will give you a debit card. Most car rental agencies will accept a debit card instead of a credit card, but it can be a longer process. Debit cards function almost like credit cards, except that the funds are debited (withdrawn) directly from your checking account, so you're not really putting it “on credit.” That's why car rental companies that accept them will put you through additional hurdles to get the car. Check logo requirements. Some rental companies will let you use a debit card to rent a car, but they may require that the debt card has the right logos. Car companies often require Visa or MasterCard logos. Check with the rental agency. Prepaid debit cards or those that aren't linked to an actual bank account are sometimes not accepted by car rental companies. Don't assume the company will accept the card just because it's a debit card. Bring extra identification. To save time, you may want to bring extra identification. You might need it in order to use a debit card or other non credit card method. You should assume you will be asked to prove your identity other ways. You might be asked to show proof of auto insurance, a plane ticket itinerary or a recent utility bill if you're not paying with a credit card. Expect to be asked to produce more than one way to verify your identity. The name on the extra identification will need to match the name on your driver's license. You're probably not going to get the best cars without a credit card. Most car rental companies probably won't let you rent a luxury car or SUV. Expect that they will check your credit score. Many rental car companies, such as Dollar, accept debit cards but only after they perform a credit inquiry screening through a company like Equifax. If you have very poor credit, you might not get the car. That means they are still going to check your credit score and report, and they won't let you rent the car with a debit card if your credit score is very poor. They want to make sure they can recoup their costs if something happens to their car. Some companies will let you pay the bill with a debit card even if your credit score is very poor at the end of the trip. However, they will still require a credit card to reserve it in the first place. If your credit is decent, renting a car with a debit card isn't likely to be an issue, although it will harm your credit rating a little bit when the company runs your report. Prepare for additional hurdles. To rent a car with a debit card, the rental car company may require additional steps. Expect to spend a little more time on the car rental process than you would with a credit card. The company might require you to purchase insurance through the rental company. It can take longer to pay with a debit card than with a credit card. They are going to check your credit, your insurance, and verify your identification. Car rental companies prefer renting to people with credit cards, so they make it harder not to do so. They are likely to make you prove your identify, possibly through several methods. Expect a hold on your account. The rental car company may place a hold on your account even if they accept a debit card. Make sure you have the extra funds to cover this hold. That's a deposit that they hold back until you return the car. The deposit can exceed $200. When the company puts the hold on the account, it means that those funds will not be available for your use. Holds on your card can last as many as 14 days. You will need to have enough money in your account to cover the entire cost of the rental and deposit. Some international locations might not accept debit cards at all. Check with the credit card company to find out where debit cards are accepted. Some rental car companies only accept debit cards at some non-international locations too. Use a prepaid card, check, or money order. Some car rental companies, but by no means all of them, will accept prepaid cards. You can buy these cards at many grocery and department stores. For example, Enterprise does accept prepaid cards. Other car companies only accept prepaid cards when you return the car. You will still need a debit or credit card to rent it in the first place. Some companies (but not most) accept personal checks on return or at corporate locations. Some accept money orders (Avis is one that does). This is rarer though, so check around. You might need to make a cash down payment in order to use a debit card at some companies. Pay cash to rent a car. You're going to have to check around because all companies don't allow this, and some that do allow it will only let you pay cash when you return the car, not when you pick it up. However, it's possible to rent a car with cash at some independent outlets or companies that market toward that clientele. For example Rent-A-Wreck is one company that accepts cash without a debit or credit card ever being presented. Some online sites have compiled lists of cities that have cash only locations. Prove your identity. To use cash, expect to have to prove your identity. And you might be asked to show a lot of it. The car rental companies may want to see several items to prove who you are before giving you the car. You may be required to show proof of insurance, a travel itinerary, and verification of your identity, such as your driver's license. The car rental company will probably limit the type of cars that you can rent, and they won't allow additional drivers in many cases. Alamo cash rental rules require a current utility bill with your current address and a verifiable phone number in the renter's name. Some major companies will let you pay for the car in cash, but you still need to present a credit or debit card to drive it away. Pay a cash deposit. You're going to need to have some extra money lying around if you want to pay for a rental car with cash. That's because the car rental companies are likely to want some extra cash as backup. You will often have to provide a cash deposit in addition to the rental's cost. You might be subject to a credit check. Alamo requires a $300 cash deposit in addition to the rental charges. Check with the specific car rental agency because rules can differ. You will receive the cash back when you return the car without damages, often by a refund check the company will mail to you. Use someone else’s credit card to rent the car. Some credit card companies make you use the same card to prepay for the vehicle and pick it up, but all don't. You could borrow a credit card from a family member and friend, and pay that person back with cash. Budget is one company that allows this. Some companies require that the person whose name is on the card and the person who picks up the rental car are one and the same. Clearly, you should only borrow someone's card with their permission, but perhaps you have a loved one who is willing to charge the rental car to their credit card if you agree to pay them back right away. Check around. Not all companies allow this. You will need to find a rental car company that allows you to use one card to prepay for the vehicle and other identification to pick up the car. Family-owned or lower-end rental companies, such as those specializing in used cars that aren't that great, might have more relaxed rules. Don't assume that all car rental companies are the same. Call around, and check on their requirements. You might be able to find an independent car rental company that will accept cash or someone else's card. The big name chain companies are less likely to do so. Break down and get a credit card. Some people qualify for a credit card, but they don't want to accrue credit card debt. If you are planning on renting a car, it would make your life a lot easier to break down and get one. You could always set aside the cash to immediately pay the card off. Most car rental companies are still going to make you present them with some plastic, whether a debit card or a credit car, in order to drive the car away from the lot in the first place. Look at it through their eyes. You're asking to drive a very expensive machine that they own away from their lot, and they want to make sure you'll bring it back (and that they know who you are if you don't). Improve your credit score. Maybe your problem is a low credit score, or maybe you have a debit card but can't rent a car because you have a low score. Pay off your accounts, and make sure not to run them up to the limit.
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Present a debit card. Bring extra identification. Expect that they will check your credit score. Prepare for additional hurdles. Expect a hold on your account. Use a prepaid card, check, or money order. Pay cash to rent a car. Prove your identity. Pay a cash deposit. Use someone else’s credit card to rent the car. Check around. Break down and get a credit card.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-Bitcoins
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How to Buy Bitcoins
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If you want to buy Bitcoins, you will need to set up an online storage site by either installing a wallet on your home computer or creating an account with a third party site. You can also store the key to your Bitcoins on a piece of paper printed with a code. Once you've set up your account, you can obtain Bitcoins by purchasing them through an exchange service, or you can purchase them from an individual Bitcoin seller. In some areas, you can even find Bitcoin ATMs where you can convert your Bitcoins into cash.
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Understand Bitcoin basics. Bitcoin is a completely virtual currency, that allows consumers a way to exchange money for free, without the use of a third party (like a bank, credit card company, or other financial institution). Bitcoin are not regulated or controlled by a central authority like the Federal Reserve and all Bitcoin transactions take place in an online marketplace, where users are anonymous and untraceable for the most part. Bitcoin allows you to exchange money instantly with anybody in the world, without needing to create a merchant account, or use a bank or financial institution. Transferring money does not require names meaning there is little risk of identity theft. Learn about Bitcoin mining. To understand Bitcoin, it is important to understand Bitcoin mining, which is the process by which Bitcoin are created. While mining is complex, the basic idea is that each time a Bitcoin transaction is made between two people, the transaction is logged digitally by computers in a transaction log that describes all the details of the transaction (like the time, and who owns how many Bitcoins). These transactions are then shared publicly into something known as a "block chain", which states every transaction, and who owns every bitcoin. Bitcoin miners are individuals who own computers that constantly verify the block chain to ensure it is correct and up to date. They are the individuals that confirm transactions, and in exchange for doing so, they are paid in bitcoin, which increases the supply. Since Bitcoin is not overseen by a central authority, mining ensures that the individual transferring the bitcoin has enough, that the agreed upon amount is transferred, and that the balance for each member of the transaction is correct afterwards. Gain familiarity with the legal issues surrounding Bitcoin. Recently, the federal agency responsible for combating money laundering announced new guidelines for virtual currencies. The updated guidelines will regulate Bitcoin exchanges, but will leave the rest of the Bitcoin economy alone, for now. The Bitcoin network is resistant to government regulation, and it has gained a loyal following among people who engage in illegal activities like drug dealing and gambling due to the fact money can be exchanged anonymously Federal law enforcement may eventually conclude that Bitcoin is a money-laundering tool and may look for ways to shut it down. Shutting down Bitcoin completely would be a challenge, but intense federal regulation could push the system underground. This would then diminish the value of Bitcoins as legitimate currency. Become aware of Bitcoin's advantages. Bitcoins major advantages include low fees, protection from identity theft, protection from payment fraud, and immediate settlement. Low fees: Unlike using traditional finance systems, whereby the system itself (like PayPal or a bank) is compensated with a fee, Bitcoin bypasses this entire system. The Bitcoin network is maintained by the "miners", who are compensated with new Bitcoin. Protection from identity theft: Bitcoin usage does not require a name, or any other personal information, simply an ID for your digital wallet (the means used to send and receive Bitcoin). Unlike a credit card, where the merchant has full access to your ID and credit line, Bitcoin users operate totally anonymously. Protection against payment fraud: Because Bitcoin are digital, they cannot be counterfeited, which protects against payment fraud. In addition, transactions cannot be reversed, like what occurs with a credit card charge back. Immediate transfer and settlement. Traditionally when money is transferred, it involves significant delays, holds, or other hassles. The lack of a third party means that money can be transferred directly between people with ease, and it without complexities, delays, and fees associated with making purchases between parties that are using different currencies and providers. Become aware of the downsides of using Bitcoin. With traditional banking, if someone makes a fraudulent transaction on your credit card or your bank goes belly-up, there are laws in place to limit consumer losses. Unlike traditional banks, Bitcoin does not have a safety net in place if your Bitcoins are lost or stolen. There is no intermediary power to reimburse you for any lost or stolen Bitcoins. Keep in mind the Bitcoin network is not immune to hackers, and the average Bitcoin account is not completely secured against hacking or security breaches. One study found 18 of 40 businesses offering to exchange bitcoins into other currencies have gone out of business, with only six exchanges reimbursing their customers. Price volatility is also a major downside. This means that the price of Bitcoin in dollars fluctuates wildly. For example, in 2013, 1 Bitcoin was worth about US$13. It then quickly moved to over US$1200, and is now approximately US$18597.99(as of 16/12/2017). This means if you are converting to Bitcoin, it is important to stay in it, as moving back to USD could result in a significant loss of funds. Understand the risks of Bitcoin as an investment. One of Bitcoins popular uses is as an investment, and this deserves a special word of caution before proceeding. The main risk of investing in Bitcoin is it's extreme volatility. With prices moving rapidly up and down, the risk of loss is substantial. In addition, because Bitcoin's value is determined by supply and demand, should Bitcoin end up being subject to government regulation in any form, it could reduce the amount of people who want to use Bitcoin, which could theoretically make the currency worthless. Store your Bitcoins online. In order to buy Bitcoins , you first need to create a storage site for your Bitcoins, and this is the first step to purchasing Bitcoin. Currently, there are two ways you can store Bitcoins online: Store the keys to your Bitcoins in an online wallet. The wallet is a computer file that will store your money, similar to a real wallet. You can create a wallet by installing the Bitcoin client , which is software which powers the currency. However, if your computer is hacked by a virus or hackers or if you misplace the files, you may lose your Bitcoins. Always back up your wallet to an external hard drive to avoid losing your Bitcoins. Store your Bitcoins via a third party. You can also create a wallet by using an online wallet via a third party site like Coinbase or blockchain.info , which will store your Bitcoins in the cloud. This is easier to set up, but you will be trusting a third party with your Bitcoins. These sites are two of the larger and more reliable third party sites, but there are no guarantees about the security of these sites. Create a paper wallet for your Bitcoins. One of the most popular and cheapest options for keeping your Bitcoins safe is a paper wallet. The wallet is small, compact, and made of paper that has a code. One of the benefits of a paper wallet is the private keys to the wallet are not stored digitally. So it cannot be subject to cyber attacks or hardware failures. Several online sites offer paper Bitcoin wallet services. They can generate a Bitcoin address for you and create an image containing two QR codes. One is the public address you can use to receive Bitcoins and the other is a private key, which you can use to spend Bitcoins stored at that address. The image is printed on a long piece of paper that you can then fold in half and carry with you. Use a hard-wire wallet to store your Bitcoins. Hard-wire wallets are very limited in number and can be difficult to acquire. They are dedicated devices that can hold private keys electronically and facility payments. Hard-wire wallets are usually small and compact and some are shaped like USB sticks. The Trezor hard-wire wallet is ideal for Bitcoin miners who want to acquire large numbers of Bitcoins, but do not want to rely on third party sites. The compact Ledger Bitcoin wallet acts as USB storage for your Bitcoins and uses smartcard security. It is one of the more affordable hardwire wallets on the market. Choose an exchange service. Obtaining Bitcoin through an exchange is the easiest way to obtain Bitcoin. An exchange works like any other currency exchange: You simply register and convert whatever your currency is into Bitcoin. There are hundreds of available exchanges, and the best exchange option depends on where you are located, but the more well known exchange services include: Cryptaw: This is a Singapore Based wallet service which allows user to trade Singapore Dollars for Bitcoins. The company currently has only web platform which is also mobile friendly. CoinBase: This popular wallet and exchange service will also trade US dollars and euros for Bitcoins. The company has web and mobile apps for more convenient Bitcoin buying and trading. Circle: This exchange service offers users the ability to store, send, receive, and exchange Bitcoins. Currently, only US citizens are able to link their bank accounts to deposit funds. Xapo: This wallet and Bitcoin debit card provider offers deposits in fiat currency that are then converted to Bitcoin in your account. Some exchange services allow you to also trade Bitcoins. Other exchange services act as wallet services with limited buying and selling capabilities. Most exchanges and wallets will store amounts of digital or fiat currency for you, much like a regular bank account. Exchanges and wallets are a good option if you want to engage in regular trading and don't need total anonymity. Provide proof of your identity and contact information to the service. When signing up for an exchange service, you will need to provide personal information to the service to create an account. Most countries legally require any individual or financial system using a Bitcoin exchange service to meet anti-money laundering requirements. Though you are required to provide proof of your identity, exchanges and wallets do not provide the same protection that banks do. You are not protected against hackers, or given reimbursement if the exchange goes out of business. Buy Bitcoins with your exchange account. Once you set up your account via an exchange service, you will need to link it to an existing bank account and arrange to move funds between it and your new Bitcoin account. This will usually be done via a wire transfer and entails a fee. Some exchanges allow you to make a deposit in person to their bank account. This will be done face to face, rather than through an ATM. If you are required to link to a bank account to use the exchange service, it will likely only admit banks from the country where the exchange service is based. Some exchanges allow you to transfer money to overseas accounts, but the fees will be much higher and there may be a delay changing the Bitcoins back into local currency. Search for sellers on LocalBitcoins. This is the primary site used to make face-to-face trades with a local seller. You can arrange a meet up and negotiate prices for the Bitcoins. The site also has an added layer of protection for both parties. Use Meetup.com to find sellers. If you are not comfortable with one on one trades, use Meetup.com to look for a Bitcoin meetup group. You can all then decide to buy bitcoins as a group and learn from other members who have used sellers to buy Bitcoins before. Negotiate the price before the meet up. Depending on the seller, you may pay a premium of around 5-10% over the exchange price for a face-to-face trade. You can check the current Bitcoin exchange rates online via http://bitcoin.clarkmoody.com/ before agreeing to the seller's rate. You should also ask the seller if they prefer to be paid in cash or via an online payment service. Some seller may allow you to use a PayPal account to pay, though most seller prefer non-reversible cash as payment. A reputable trader will always negotiate the price with you before you meet up. Many will not wait too long to meet up once the price is finalized, in case Bitcoin's value takes a dramatic shift. Meet the seller in a busy public place. Avoid meeting in private homes. You should take all the precautions, especially if you are carrying cash on you to pay the seller for the coins. Have access to your Bitcoin wallet. When you meet the seller face-to-face, you will need to access your Bitcoin wallet via your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. You will also need Internet access to confirm the transaction has gone through. Always check that the Bitcoin has been transferred into your account before you pay the seller. Locate a Bitcoin ATM near you. Bitcoin ATMs are a relatively new concept, but they are growing in number. You can use an online Bitcoin ATM map to find an ATM near you. Many institutions around the world now offer Bitcoin ATMs, from universities to local banks. Take out cash from your bank account. Most Bitcoin ATMs only accept cash, as they are not set up to process debit or credit card transactions. Insert your cash into the ATM. Then, scan your mobile wallet QR code or access the codes needed from your account via your smartphone to load bitcoins onto your wallet. Exchange rates at Bitcoin ATMS can vary from 3% to 8% on top of the standard exchange price.
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Understand Bitcoin basics. Learn about Bitcoin mining. Gain familiarity with the legal issues surrounding Bitcoin. Become aware of Bitcoin's advantages. Become aware of the downsides of using Bitcoin. Understand the risks of Bitcoin as an investment. Store your Bitcoins online. Create a paper wallet for your Bitcoins. Use a hard-wire wallet to store your Bitcoins. Choose an exchange service. Provide proof of your identity and contact information to the service. Buy Bitcoins with your exchange account. Search for sellers on LocalBitcoins. Use Meetup.com to find sellers. Negotiate the price before the meet up. Meet the seller in a busy public place. Have access to your Bitcoin wallet. Locate a Bitcoin ATM near you. Take out cash from your bank account. Insert your cash into the ATM.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Guy-Want-to-Be-With-You
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How to Make a Guy Want to Be With You
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To make a guy want to be with you, smile and tilt your head towards him when he's talking, which shows you're interested in what he's saying. You should also make sure you point your feet towards him, since pointing them away from him suggests you're not interested. During your conversations, gradually reveal some details about yourself instead of just using small talk, since this will help develop a stronger bond between you. As your relationship develops, try to find common issues that you're both passionate about, like politics or other topics, because engaged conversation about a common interest will make your time together enjoyable. Besides making conversation, you can do activities together like rock climbing or having a meal. Whatever you choose, make sure it's something you feel comfortable doing, since you'll show off your best traits when you're relaxed.
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Smile at him and keep your body open, towards him. Practice open body language by smiling at him as he speaks. Keep your arms relaxed and not crossed or tense. Don't hide your hands when you talk to him. Exposing your hands and wrists to him so he can see the soft skin on your arms is actually proven to be very attractive to men. Tilt your head and look right at him when he speaks. Head tilting shows you are interested and engaged in him. Avoid looking over his head, around the room, or down at your phone. This will only show him you aren't interested. Lean towards him. Leaning towards him is a nonverbal way of telling him you are engaged. This works well if you are in a group of people, but you want to single him out to let him know you're interested in him. Leaning towards him will also subconsciously pull him towards you. Don’t be afraid to blush in front of him. When we are attracted to someone, blood will flow to our face, causing our cheeks to turn red. This is actually an evolutionary way that your body tries to attract the opposite sex. So blushing in front of the guy will let him know you are attracted to him and send him a signal he will definitely recognize. Position your feet so they face him. The positioning of your feet reflect your attitude towards someone. So if your feet are pointed towards him, this is a sign of attraction. If your feet are pointed towards the exit, this may be a sign to him that you are not interested. Don’t use your purse as a shield. How you hold your purse when you are with a guy can actually be a form of nonverbal communication. For example, if you are clutching your purse tightly or placing it in front of your body, this shows you are uncomfortable and nervous. But holding your purse loosely at your side or not at all shows you are attracted to him and are relaxed in his presence. Be willing to share details about yourself with him. Revealing details about yourself beyond run of the mill small talk can create a more intimate bond between the two of you. This could be something as simple as telling him how many siblings you have, that you come from a small town, or that you love jazz music. Disclosing personal details shows you are starting to trust him. If he responds with intimate details of his own, you are both clearly working toward building a more serious relationship. Be careful not to reveal too much too soon. Telling him more about yourself over a period of time or over several dates can help to grow your mutual attraction to each other. Deeper questions like, "How's your relationship with your mother?" Or "what do you think about kids?" should only be asked after several dates and once you have built up trust and mutual understanding. Find things you both love to talk about. A good conversation can be a big turn on for a guy, especially if you both talk about things you enjoy or can agree on. The rule of no talk of religion, politics, or money during a date may be outdated. But focusing on topics like your favorite travel destinations or your favorite television shows can be good ways to keep the conversation going and make it enjoyable for both of you. Finding common ground also shows him you are interested enough to try to find ways to connect with his tastes and preferences. Though you may not agree all the time, working towards a mutual understanding can strengthen your relationship. If you know he is a big sports fan and you are also into sports, ask him: "So, what did you think of last night's game?" Or if you are more interested in pop culture, bring up the latest show you're obsessed with on Netflix, or share your celebrity crushes. Don’t be shy about voicing your opinion. Avoid being passive in the conversation or saying “yes” to everything he says. Voicing your opinion shows you have the intelligence to think for yourself and aren't afraid to be honest. A smart woman who knows what she wants and how to get it will attract men everywhere she goes. If he asks you a direct question, like "What is your favorite place you've ever traveled to?" or "What do you look for in a person?" Give him an honest answer and then ask him the same question. This will show you are interested in keeping the conversation going. It will also show you have a straight forward and honest attitude, a big turn on for most guys. Show off your sense of style. Though its important to maintain a certain level of hygiene (brush your teeth and your hair, shower regularly), its even more important to dress in a way that makes you feel confident and strong. This could mean a tight dress and heels or jeans and a t-shirt. Displaying your sense of style through your clothing, your makeup (or lack thereof) and your overall look will show him you are not afraid to be yourself. Most men are interested in women who dress based on what they think is sexy, rather than based on what men think is sexy. Do activities together that make you feel confident and strong. Rather than spend time with him doing things you may not find interesting or stimulating, suggest activities that you enjoy and feel great doing. This could be rock climbing together or sharing an intimate meal. Sharing things that you enjoy with him can also bring you both closer to each other and make your relationship stronger. Try to bring out the best in each other. Do this by encouraging his passions and being supportive of his goals, and expect that he will do the same for you. As your relationship gets stronger, remember to always try to bring out the positive sides of each other. This will ensure you both feel good around each other and will want to stay together for the long haul.
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Smile at him and keep your body open, towards him. Tilt your head and look right at him when he speaks. Lean towards him. Don’t be afraid to blush in front of him. Position your feet so they face him. Don’t use your purse as a shield. Be willing to share details about yourself with him. Find things you both love to talk about. Don’t be shy about voicing your opinion. Show off your sense of style. Do activities together that make you feel confident and strong. Try to bring out the best in each other.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Photograph-a-Solar-Eclipse
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How to Photograph a Solar Eclipse
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Before you photograph a solar eclipse, make sure you purchase a pair of certified eclipse safety glasses and a protective solar filter for your camera. When you're ready to shoot, secure your camera on a tripod and set your camera to “manual." From here, you'll probably want to start with a low aperture setting and a fast shutter speed, adjusting as the eclipse progresses and taking shots at different exposures. Additionally, make sure to turn your flash off, so it doesn't interfere with the light behind the moon.
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Choose your viewing tools. You don't have to have a fancy pro-grade DSLR camera to photograph the eclipse. An ordinary digital camera or even a smartphone will do the trick, though the results won't be as those taken on a more sophisticated device. As long as you've got some means of snapping pictures, you can add to the wealth of beautiful eclipse photos that are sure to surface following the event. The same basic technological safety precautions will apply no matter what type of camera you're using. Go someplace where you can view the eclipse. Before you can document such a rare and wondrous occurrence, you have to be in a position see it. Due to the earth's constant rotation, solar eclipses aren't equally visible from all locations. Conduct some research to find out if the area where you live falls within the path of totality, or the vantage point from which the sun is completely covered by the moon. The people within the path of totality, which typically encompasses an area about 10,000 miles (16,000 km) long and only 100 miles (160 km) wide, will have the best view of the proceedings. Guaranteeing that you're in a good position to witness the eclipse may require you to do some traveling. Obtain a pair of certified eclipse glasses. It's never safe to look directly at the sun with the naked eye, but this is especially true during a prolonged event like a solar eclipse. You can usually find the eye protection you need at local hardware store in the weeks leading up to the eclipse. Just make sure the glasses you pick up bear the ISO 12312-2 certification code, which confirms that they meet international safety regulations. If you're having trouble tracking down eclipse glasses in stores, you can always purchase them online. Only buy from reputable vendors to be sure that you're getting a quality product. As long as you're wearing eye protection, you'll be able to catch a glimpse without worrying about damaging your vision. While some astronomy experts claim that it's okay to remove your glasses during the darkest phase of the eclipse, ophthalmologists agree that it's wisest to just keep them on the entire time. Fit your camera with a protective solar filter. Like your own eyes, your camera's sensor is extremely sensitive to light. What solar filters do is cancel out just enough of the most penetrating light to allow the sun to show up on camera. Most solar filters can simply be slid or screwed into place over the lens. Once it's in place, you'll need to leave it on both leading up to and after totality. The brief period of totality is the only time that it's safe to photograph the eclipse without the aid of a filter. Look for solar filters of the correct size and specifications on websites that specialize in astronomy accessories. Most newer smartphone and digital camera models will work just fine without a separate solar filter. However, it's still probably a good idea to use one if you don't want to risk damaging your expensive device. Stabilize your camera with a tripod. You don't want to spend the afternoon lugging around a ton of equipment. A tripod or similar base will steady your camera, enhancing clarity and detail. It will also free you up to do more important things like tinker with key settings and track your focus. Connect your camera or telescope securely to the tripod to keep it from coming loose or falling off while you're moving it around. Avoid disturbing the tripod while you're lining up your frame. The slightest nudge could cause blurring or throw your shot out of alignment. Set the camera to “manual. ” With the manual setting, you'll have complete control over each of the camera's individual functions at all times. This will prevent the camera from making adjustments automatically as conditions change, which could affect the way your images turn out. If you're using a smartphone, your options will be somewhat limited. All you can really do is be patient and concentrate on getting the lens focused properly before hitting the capture button. Equip a lens with a long focal length. Most professionals recommend using an adjustable telephoto lens with a variable depth of focus. Somewhere in the 500mm-1000mm range will usually provide the most satisfying results—large enough to see in clear detail, but not zoomed in so far that you crop the outer edges of the corona or miss a stray solar flare. With a wide-angle lens, the sun will appear too far away to make for a striking picture. A standard telephoto lens will help enlarge it, but there will still be an undesirable amount of blank space within the frame. Use your own judgment to decide which focal length is best for the image you want to create. The most important thing is being able to fit the entire eclipse in the frame. Select an appropriate aperture setting. Your camera's aperture setting determines how much light makes it through to the lens. Since your camera will be pointed directly at the sun for a long period of time, it's a good idea to start with the lowest native aperture setting and work your way up incrementally as needed. On most higher-end models, somewhere between f /5.6 and f /8 will be the sweet spot. The amount of light is also known as “exposure,” and it can be the difference between a photo that's crisp and clear and one that's washed out or oversaturated. You may have less (or sometimes no) control over the exposure with an inexpensive digital camera. Adjust the shutter speed to its fastest value. Shutter speed determines how clearly defined the action in a photograph is. Since your goal is to capture the eclipse as accurately as possible, a high shutter speed is best. At 1/4000 or 1/8000, every glowing wisp and dazzling streak of the corona will be plainly visible. With a high (fast) shutter speed, the camera's sensor is only exposed to light for a split second, effectively freezing an image. Lower (slow) shutter speeds let the light linger, which can result in a blurry, smeared effect. It may be necessary to alter your shutter speed to successfully track the moon's progress as the light grows faint. Practice shooting with the settings you've worked out. You'll be juggling some technical and potentially temperamental settings, made even more frustrating by constant changes in lighting and atmospheric conditions. Make sure you take some time to familiarize yourself with what each feature does before the day of your shoot. That way, you can be sure that you'll walk away with some dazzling images and not an endless string of washed out black frames. Carry out a few sessions in a low-light setting, like a dark room or moonlit night, to mimic the conditions of shooting an eclipse as closely as possible. Perform a dry run of each of the techniques you'll be using during the event, including altering your shutter speed, cycling between different exposures, and removing and replacing the solar filter. Shoot at many different exposures. The trickiest part of shooting a solar eclipse is keeping up with the ever-shifting light. In the seconds before and after totality, “bracketing” your exposure will maximize your chances of getting true-to-life light levels. One simple way to do this is to increase or decrease your shutter speed—the longer the shutter is open, the more light the lens will take in, and vice versa. More sophisticated cameras sometimes have an auto-bracketing feature, which will allow you to set the shutter speed to predetermined “stops,” or degrees of exposure. Take some time to figure out your preferred exposure settings a few days before the actual phenomenon by practicing on the unobstructed sun. Once you've got them how you want them, leave them alone to make sure they stay just as they are. Turn off the flash. If you're shooting with a standard digital camera or phone camera, double check that the flash is completely disabled (not on “auto”). That way, an artificial secondary light source won't interfere with the natural light peeking out from behind the moon. The sun itself will provide plenty of illumination, even while it's obscured, so there's no need to worry about your shot being too dark. Even the brightest flash will be too weak to compete with the sunlight, but it's possible for it to affect the look of your immediate surroundings on film. Inadvertent flash could spoil the ambient lighting for other photographers nearby. Remove the solar filter during totality. As mentioned, the fleeting moments when the moon is hiding the sun are the only time it will be safe to shoot without the protection of your solar filter. This is when you'll be rewarded with the most stunning photos. Remember to keep the entire radius of the eclipse in the frame to include all of the little details and tricks of light. Be prepared to remove and replace your solar filter quickly so you don't waste a moment. Totality typically only lasts around a minute. Shooting totality with the solar filter still in place will just result in a dim, unimpressive approximation of the eclipse's true glory. Don’t miss out on viewing the event for yourself. While photographing a solar eclipse can be a fun and exciting project, nothing compares to seeing it with your own 2 eyes. Whether you're putting together a spread for a nature magazine or just shooting for your own enjoyment, be sure to pause for few moments to take it all in. It may be decades before you get another chance. Get the sun centered in your viewfinder early so you can step away and get a firsthand look. Don't waste time struggling with an uncooperative camera. If you happen to experience technical difficulties, just set your equipment aside and enjoy the show.
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Choose your viewing tools. Go someplace where you can view the eclipse. Obtain a pair of certified eclipse glasses. Fit your camera with a protective solar filter. Stabilize your camera with a tripod. Set the camera to “manual. Equip a lens with a long focal length. Select an appropriate aperture setting. Adjust the shutter speed to its fastest value. Practice shooting with the settings you've worked out. Shoot at many different exposures. Turn off the flash. Remove the solar filter during totality. Don’t miss out on viewing the event for yourself.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Essential-Oils
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How to Make Essential Oils
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To make essential oils, start by harvesting the plants you want to make the oils with, like lavender and rosemary. Then, hang the plants up to dry in a shaded area. Once the plants are dry, fill an essential oil still with water and put the plants inside of it. Bring the water to a boil and wait for the oil from the plants to be distilled. Finally, strain the distilled oil and pour it into a glass container for storage.
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Purchase an essential oil still. Although you'll likely be hard-pressed to find one in a store (unless you have a specialty store nearby), these stills are easy to buy online. However, beware that they can be expensive — usually around a couple hundred dollars. If you plan on making large quantities of essential oil, a professional still is a good investment. Build your own still if you don’t want to buy one. If you want to try building a still, you've got plenty of room for creativity - there are thousands of still designs, and even today, many stills are homemade. The key components of a still are: A heat source — usually direct fire A pressure cooker A 10 mm glass pipe A tub of cold water to cool down and condense the steam flowing through the pipe An essencier, which separates out the essential oil from other materials you don't want in your final product. Use stainless steel and glass parts, if possible. Do not use plastic tubing in place of a glass pipe, as it can affect the quality of the oil. Some plants react badly with copper, but heavily tinned copper is suitable in all cases. You can also use aluminum materials, but not with wintergreen, cloves, or other plants whose oils have phenols. Bend the pipe so it can pass through the cooling tub. You'll bring the plant matter to heat in the pressure cooker, and the resulting steam will pass through the pipe. You have to be able to cool that steam back down to liquid by immersing it in a cold water or ice bath. Depending on what you're using for your cooling tub, you'll have to bend the pipe in different shapes. For example, if you're simply using a basin, you might have to bend it into a coil so that it can lay in the open tub. If you're using a large bucket of ice, you might be able to bend the pipe to a 90 degree angle so that it can go down through the top of the bucket, then out a hole in the bottom. Connect the pipe to the pressure cooker valve. Use a small piece of flexible hose that fits snugly over both openings, which should be roughly the same size if you're using a 10 mm pipe. You can secure the connection using a jubilee clip purchased at a hardware store. Make sure you cut the hose long enough to allow some room to bend. Otherwise, your pipe will stick straight up in the air, and you'll have to give it a 90 degree bend so it can run toward the cooling tub. Run the pipe through the cooling tub. If you're using an open basin, position it so that the coil lies completely inside the tub. It should be completely submerged when the basin is filled with cold water or ice. If you're using a bucket, drill a small hole in the bottom so the pipe can pass out of the ice bath. Seal the hole using a silicone sealer or epoxy to prevent water from dripping through it and making a mess. Position the open end of the pipe over the essencier. Once the distillate drips into the essencier, it will do all the rest of the work for you. It will separate the essential oil from the rest of the matter that you don't want in your final product. Make sure all your instruments are in stable positions. Depending on the tools you're using and the shape of your pipe, you may have to work a little bit to find a safe, stable setup for all of your still components. Put the lid on the pressure cooker with the pipe attached to it, run the pipe through your cooling tub, and position the open end of the pipe over your essencier. Make sure the pipe is at a comfortable angle and nothing will get knocked over. Determine when to harvest your plant material. The amount of oil in a plant depends on where it is in its life cycle, so it's important to harvest each species of plant at the right time. You need to do some research to figure out when to harvest the plants you want to distill. For example, lavender should be harvested when about half the flowers on the stem have withered. Rosemary, on the other hand, should be harvested when the plants are in full bloom. Harvest your plants correctly. Just as you need to research when to harvest plants for best essential oil production, you need to research how to harvest them. Careless handling, harvesting the wrong parts, even harvesting at the wrong time of day can reduce the quantity and quality of the essential oils. For example, you only want to use the flowering tops of the rosemary plant when making rosemary essential oil. Discard or use the rest of the plant some other way. Most essential oils are held in the plant's oil glands, veins and hairs, and these are very fragile. If you disturb or break them, you'll get less oil from your plants. Handle the plants with care, and handle them as little as possible. Be choosy if purchasing your plants. If you're buying already-harvested plants, you will not have much control over the harvesting process. Look for plants that appear healthy and undamaged, and ask the seller when they were harvested. Generally, plants that are in whole form (not crushed or powdered) are best. While distillation removes many impurities, pesticides and herbicides can contaminate your oil. It's best to use organically grown plants, whether you purchase them or grow your own. Dry the plant material. Drying reduces the amount of oil in each plant, but can greatly increase how much essential oil you make per batch. This is because you'll be able to fit more material into each batch. Drying should be done slowly and away from direct sunlight. Commercially grown plants such as lavender and peppermint may be allowed to dry in the field after cutting for a day or so. The ideal drying method varies from plant to plant, but in general, you shouldn't overheat the plants. Drying in the shade or even in a dark room minimizes the oil loss. Don't allow the plants to become wet again before distillation. Distill as soon as possible after drying. You can choose not to dry your plant material if you'd like to skip this step. Pour water into the tank of your still. If you made your own still, your tank is the pressure cooker. Use clean water; it should be ideally filtered or distilled and as soft as possible. If you're using a manufactured still, follow the manufacturer's direction. Otherwise, just make sure you have enough water to complete the distillation. Depending on the plant and on the quantity, distillation can take anywhere from a half-hour to six hours or more after the water boils. Add your plant matter to the water. Fit as much plant matter as the tank can contain. As long as you have enough water to last without boiling off, your plants should be fine even if they're packed in tight. Just make sure that they don't block the steam outlet in the lid of the pressure cooker. Give yourself a couple inches of leeway. You don't need to chop or otherwise prepare the plant in any way — in fact, doing so will cause you to lose some of the oils. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil. Seal the lid so that the only steam that escapes must travel through the pipe that's attached to the steam valve. Most plants will release their essential oils at 100 degrees Celsius or 212 degrees Fahrenheit — the normal boiling point of water. Keep an eye on the still. After a while, the distillate should begin to come through your condenser and into your separator. The process should be fairly hands-off, but you want to make sure you don't run out of water in your still. Depending on the length of the distillation process, you may also need to change the water in the cold-water tub. If the hot pipe warms the water up, replace it with fresh cold water or ice so that the cooling process continues to work. Filter the collected oil (optional). Once your distillation is complete, you might choose filter the oil through cheesecloth or similar dry cotton fabric. Make sure that the cloth is dry and clean — detergent residues and dirt can contaminate the oil. Don't be disappointed that you get a very small amount of essential oil from a large amount of plant matter. Percent yields vary from species to species, but they're always lower than a beginning distiller might think. Pour the oil into a container for storage as quickly as possible. Most essential oils can be kept for at least one or two years, but some have very short shelf lives. To maximize the useful life of your oil, keep it in a dark glass bottle or stainless steel container. Use a clean funnel to pour the oil into the container, and make sure the container is clean before pouring the oil into it. Store it in a cool, dark place. Decide what to do with the hydrosol as well. The other material in the essencier is hydrosol — water that's been distilled and infused with the scent of the plant. Some hydrosols, like rose or lavender water are usable themselves. If you don't want to save the hydrosol, you can pour it into the still for the next batch if you will be distilling another batch immediately. Otherwise, throw it out.
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Purchase an essential oil still. Build your own still if you don’t want to buy one. Use stainless steel and glass parts, if possible. Bend the pipe so it can pass through the cooling tub. Connect the pipe to the pressure cooker valve. Run the pipe through the cooling tub. Position the open end of the pipe over the essencier. Make sure all your instruments are in stable positions. Determine when to harvest your plant material. Harvest your plants correctly. Be choosy if purchasing your plants. Dry the plant material. Pour water into the tank of your still. Add your plant matter to the water. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil. Keep an eye on the still. Filter the collected oil (optional). Pour the oil into a container for storage as quickly as possible.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Install-Upper-Cabinets
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How to Install Upper Cabinets
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Upper cabinets are easy to install, even if you don't have a lot of experience, but you will want to have someone help you. Before you install the cabinets, use a stud finder and mark where the studs are located on your wall. Then, drill a ledger board onto the wall, which will ensure the cabinets stay level. Once you've done this, drill holes through the backs of the cabinets so they line up with the studs in the wall. Then, rest the bottom of the cabinet on the ledger board and screw the cabinet into place. Use connecting screws to attach each cabinet to the one next to it as you work.
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Measure up from the floor to find where the cabinets will rest. Hold a level on the ground and against the wall to find the floor's highest point. Measure up the wall about 48 in (120 cm) or 19 ⁄ 2 in (50 cm) above a lower cabinet. Mark this spot with a pencil and draw a straight line through it all the way across the wall. Use a ruler to trace any lines. You want to keep them as straight as possible since you'll use them as references when hanging the cabinets. When you're finished tracing the line, you can use a level to check it. Outline where the 1st cabinet will hang. Using a tape measure, note the dimensions of the cabinets. The line you drew earlier represents their bottom edge. Measure up from it to sketch the cabinet's height. Then, use the ruler to make a 2nd straight line all the way across the wall so you can keep the cabinets level later. When hanging multiple cabinets, always start with the corner cabinet if there is 1. Otherwise, start with the leftmost cabinet. Mark the stud locations on the wall. The cabinets need to be screwed into the wood studs in the wall. The easiest way to find them is with a stud finder purchased from a home improvement store. Mark these spots in pencil so you know where to hang the cabinets. Another way to find the studs is to knock on the wall. You'll hear a lower, fuller sound when hitting a stud instead of empty space. If you can't find the studs, you can do it by drilling partway into the wall about every 16 in (41 cm). You'll have to repair these spots with spackling or another substance before hanging the cabinets. Mark the length between studs on the cabinets’ backs. First, measure the length between the studs, then transfer this onto the cabinets. The cabinets will have a thick support rail on the top and bottom. There should be 1 mark on each of both rails. Some cabinets will have another one of these thick support rails in the middle that you should also mark. Hang a ledger board on the bottom line you traced. At the home improvement store, pick up a 1 in × 4 in (2.5 cm × 10.2 cm) ledger board or wall cleat. Line the board's top edge up with the bottom line you drew. Use 1 ⁄ 4 in (3.2 cm) drywall screws to secure it to the wall. This board ensures the cabinets are level upon installation. If you have a friend who will hold the cabinets as you install them, you don't need a ledger board. Instead of a ledger board, you may also use a cabinet jack. Set the cabinet on the jack and raise the jack up so you can reach the cabinets while you work. Remove the doors from the cabinets. Removing the doors, along with any shelving or other extra features, makes the cabinets a lot lighter. Be sure to label the parts with tape after unscrewing them so you can reinstall them properly later. Drill holes through the backs of the cabinets. Find the stud measurements you marked on the back of the cabinets. Drill all the way through them, making holes about 2 in (5.1 cm) wide. Make sure the holes are about ⁄ 4 in (1.9 cm) from the cabinet's edges. Screw the cabinet to the wall. Start with the corner cabinet or leftmost cabinet if you're not installing in a corner. Rest the bottom of the cabinet on the ledger board. Line it up with the studs, then fasten it in place with 3 in (7.6 cm) cabinet screws in each hole. It's best to leave the screws a little loose until you've finished shimming the cabinet. Shim the cabinet until it’s level. Check over the cabinet for uneven spots. Slip shims behind the cabinet's sides to raise them. Continue adding and adjusting these wooden strips until the cabinet is plumb. Shims are small, wooden strips used for positioning. They're sold in packs at home improvement stores. You can test the cabinet with a level to make sure it looks perfect. Hang the second cabinet next to the first one. Secure 2 cabinets to the wall before trying to fasten them. First, get the cabinet as close to the first one as possible. Repeat what you did before, screwing the cabinet to the studs and shimming it until it's level. Pre-drill holes from 1 cabinet to the other. Pick the cabinet where the screws will be least noticeable. The holes should be inside the cabinet on the front edge of the frame. Make sure you're not drilling where the hinges lay. Drill a ⁄ 8 in (3.2 mm) hole below the top hinge, then another hole above the lower hinge. Hold the cabinets together with a pair of clamps to ensure they stay level. Screw the cabinets together. Slide a 2 ⁄ 2 in (6.4 cm) screw into each hole. Use a cordless screwdriver to secure the cabinets together. Remove the clamps and check that the cabinets appear level. If the cabinets aren't level, undo the screws. Adjust the shims as needed, then push the cabinets closer together before putting the screws back in place. Hang and secure the other cabinets together. Repeat the process with any other cabinets you want to hang. Hang them next to the last cabinet, securing them to the wall first before screwing them together. Always add the connecting screws where they're least noticeable. Cut a filler strip if there’s a gap between the cabinet and wall. Spare filler strips or moulding can be purchased from a home improvement store. Lay masking tape over the strip, then pencil on the gap measurement either by using measuring tape or a scribing block. Cut the filler strip to size with a jigsaw. Try to match the filler strip's color and appearance to your cabinets. You may need to stain or paint it. Secure the strip to the cabinet with screws. Drill a pair of ⁄ 8 in (3.2 mm) holes from the cabinet's frame to the filler strip. Stick 2 ⁄ 2 in (6.4 cm) screws in the holes, then tighten them with a cordless screwdriver. Filler strips are placed beside the leftmost or rightmost cabinets, between the wall and cabinet. Keep in mind that it will be visible, so make sure it matches your cabinets. Remove the ledger from the wall. Make sure all the cabinets are tightly screwed to the wall first. Undo the screws in the ledger or wall cleat to remove it. The screws will leave holes that you'll need to repair with spackling. Hang the doors on the cabinets. Reattach the doors, shelving, and other features you removed earlier. Line the hinges up over the cabinet's frame. Place the screws and tighten them to finish installing the cabinets.
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Measure up from the floor to find where the cabinets will rest. Outline where the 1st cabinet will hang. Mark the stud locations on the wall. Mark the length between studs on the cabinets’ backs. Hang a ledger board on the bottom line you traced. Remove the doors from the cabinets. Drill holes through the backs of the cabinets. Screw the cabinet to the wall. Shim the cabinet until it’s level. Hang the second cabinet next to the first one. Pre-drill holes from 1 cabinet to the other. Screw the cabinets together. Hang and secure the other cabinets together. Cut a filler strip if there’s a gap between the cabinet and wall. Secure the strip to the cabinet with screws. Remove the ledger from the wall. Hang the doors on the cabinets.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Roast-Potatoes
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How to Make Roast Potatoes
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To make roast potatoes, first wash the potatoes under running water. You can use any kind of potatoes you like, and peel them or leave the skin on. Next, cut 1-2 pounds (1-2 kilograms) of potatoes into quarters or small cubes. Next, bring a large pot of water to a boil and boil the potatoes for 10 minutes, which will make them crispier when you roast them. Drain the potatoes, then transfer them to a large roasting pan. Now, add 2 tablespoons (30 grams) of olive oil or butter, and season the potatoes with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs. Toss the potatoes in the oil and seasoning so they're evenly coated. Finally, bake them in the oven at 450 degrees Fahrenheit (230 degrees Celsius) for 20 minutes or until they're tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Serve and enjoy.
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Choose a type of potato. Any kind of potato can be roasted to delicious perfection. However, different kinds of potatoes offer different textures and flavors. For example: Waxy potatoes such as red skinned and fingerling don't get as crispy as other varieties. Starchy potatoes such as russet and sweet potatoes are mildly crispy when roasted. All-purpose potatoes such as Yukon Gold and purple potatoes get crispy on the outside but stay creamy on the inside. Wash the potatoes. Hold each potato under cold running water and scrub it with a soft vegetable brush. This will remove any dirt or debris on the skin of the potato. Don't use soap when washing vegetables. If you don't have a vegetable brush, rub the potato vigorously while you rinse it. Decide whether to peel your potatoes. If your potato has a thick, fibrous skin, you may consider peeling it to improve the texture of the finished product. However, many people enjoy the texture of roasted potato skins and leave them on. Alternatively, peel the potatoes and roast the skins separately for a crunchy, salty snack. Use a vegetable peeler to easily peel potatoes. Cut the potatoes into pieces. The larger the pieces of potato, the longer the cooking time will be. If you're trying to make a quick snack, cut the potatoes into small pieces. If you're making a hearty side dish, cut the potatoes into larger chunks. If you're using small thin-skinned potatoes, you can leave them whole. Larger, thick-skinned potatoes can be halved, quartered, or cubed. Roast diced potatoes for a crunchy, salty hash. Decide whether to parboil the potatoes. Many people decide that parboiling is a hassle and skip straight to the roasting. However, parboiled potatoes take less time to roast. Additionally, the potatoes will have a crispier skin and a creamier interior. When a vegetable is “parboiled,” it is softened but not completely cooked. If your potato pieces are smaller than 1 x 1 inches (2.25 x 2.25 centimeters,) don't parboil them. They may become overcooked. Fill a pot with salted water and potatoes. Choose a large, deep pot. Add the pieces of potatoes to the pot. Fill the pot with cold water until all of the potato pieces are submerged. Next, add a large pinch of salt and stir the mixture. If you don't salt the water, the potatoes may taste bland. Parboil the potatoes. Place the pot on your stove over medium high heat. Allow the water to come to a boil and cook the potatoes in the water until they're soft on the outside. The surface of the potato should flake easily, but it should be slightly difficult to pierce the potato with a fork. Large pieces of potato need to boil for ten minutes. Small pieces should be boiled for five minutes. Drain the potatoes. Place a large metal or plastic colander in your sink. Pour the potatoes and water into the colander, draining the potatoes. Let the hot potatoes cool to room temperature before seasoning and roasting them. Once the potatoes have cooled, consider scoring the tops with a fork. This will help create a crunchy crust on the finished product. Preheat your oven. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C). Let your oven preheat for about ten minutes while you prepare the potatoes. Some ovens indicate when they're finished preheating by beeping. This may take more than ten minutes, depending on your oven. Season the potatoes. Place your potatoes in a large bowl. Drizzle them with your oil of choice and sprinkle on some seasonings. Use a large spoon to toss the potatoes, coating each piece completely. There are a variety of delicious seasoning options for roasted potatoes. For example: Create an herbaceous rosemary seasoning by drizzling on 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and ½ teaspoon of dried crushed rosemary. Toss the potatoes with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 ½ teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 tablespoons of minced garlic, and 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh parsley. Add 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan cheese, ½ teaspoon of salt, ½ teaspoon of garlic powder, ½ teaspoon of paprika, and ¼ teaspoon of black pepper to make cheesy garlic potatoes. Arrange the potatoes on a baking pan. Spread the potatoes onto the baking pan in a single layer to allow each piece to become crispy. Line the pan with parchment paper or foil for easier cleanup. For extra crispy potatoes, use a large metal roasting pan. If you don't have a metal roasting pan, use an oven-safe glass casserole pan or a cast-iron skillet. Roast the potatoes. The cooking process will take anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour, depending on the size of the potato pieces. Check the potatoes every ten minutes to see if they're done cooking. Signs of a properly roasted potato include: A crispy, golden-brown crust on the surface A fork can easily penetrate the potato The potatoes smell buttery and fried Serve the potatoes. Remove the potatoes from the oven and allow them to cool slightly. Transfer them to a serving dish and serve them immediately. Roasted potatoes are excellent side dishes that pair well with a variety of main courses. For example: Serve roasted potatoes with leftover meatloaf. Eat several vegetable sides with roasted potatoes for a hearty vegetarian dinner. Dice leftover roasted potatoes and sprinkle them over a salad.
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Choose a type of potato. Wash the potatoes. Decide whether to peel your potatoes. Cut the potatoes into pieces. Decide whether to parboil the potatoes. Fill a pot with salted water and potatoes. Parboil the potatoes. Drain the potatoes. Preheat your oven. Season the potatoes. Arrange the potatoes on a baking pan. Roast the potatoes. Serve the potatoes.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Cope-After-the-Death-of-a-Pet
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How to Cope After the Death of a Pet
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Although it can be difficult to cope after the death of a pet, try to share your feelings with close family and friends, who can help you work through your emotions. You can also look online for support groups so you can talk to people who understand what you're going through. Additionally, practice self-care by socializing with others and doing activities you enjoy, since dwelling on your grief can lead to isolation and loneliness. It may also help to pay tribute to your companion by donating to an animal charity in your pet's name.
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Be aware that everyone experiences grief in different ways. Grief is an intense process and often happens gradually. Everyone processes grief differently and there no “normal” timeframe from grieving so you may feel better after several weeks, months, or even after a year. Be patient and allow yourself to experience grief for your pet, as this is an important way to process the death of your pet. Though you may try to ignore the pain, this will likely only make it worse. Rather than bottle up your feelings and emotions, it can be more useful to allow yourself to go through the stages of grief and heal over time. You may experience several of the stages of grief or only a few of them, but whatever your grieving process is, it's important that you let it occur and do not keep your emotions hidden or suppress your feelings of sadness and loneliness. Try to avoid feeling guilty for the death of your pet. One of the initial stages of grief is feeling guilt and responsibility for the death of your pet. Try to avoid asking “what ifs” and thinking about “if only”. This will only make you feel worse and make it more difficult to move past your grief. Take the time to remind yourself that you are not responsible for the death of your pet and that the death of your pet was out of your control. If you believe in a higher power, you may pray on your pet's death and talk to the higher power as a way to work through your feelings of guilt. Confront your feelings of denial. Another initial stage of grief is denial, where you may feel like your pet is still alive. You may have difficulty coming home to not find your pet waiting for you or not having to put out dinner every night, like you usually do, for your pet. Rather than tell yourself your pet might still be alive somewhere, it's important that you are upfront and honest about the reality of the situation. Denial of your pet's death will make it more difficult for you to move past your pet's death and cope. Release your anger in healthy ways. A key emotion in the grieving process is anger, which can be directed at the driver of the car that killed your pet, the illness that killed her, or the vet who “failed” to save your pet's life. Though your anger may feel justified, holding on to it can lead to feelings of resentment and rage, which will only make you feel worse in the long run. Anger can also distract you from resolving your feelings of grief and cause you to hold onto your grief, rather than release it and start to heal. Releasing your anger in a healthy way may mean leaning on the support of your family and friends, or focusing on self-care, where you do activities that make you feel good like hiking outdoors, doing a creative project, or socializing with good friends. Think of activities that can help you to release your anger in a way that feels useful and healthy, rather than destructive and painful. Let yourself feel sad but fight off depression. A natural symptom of grief is feelings of depression, which can leave you feeling powerless to cope with your emotions. While it is healthy and important that you let yourself feel sad about the death of your pet, feeling depressed can cause you to feel worn out, lonely, and isolated. Fight off feelings of depression by leaning on friends and family, occupying your time with activities you enjoy doing, and spending time creating a tribute for your pet. Focus on trying to work through your feelings of sadness so they do not develop into feelings of depression. Share your feelings and emotions with family and friends. Rather than keep your grief to yourself, do not be afraid to share your feelings with close family and friends. If a friend offers to stop by for a visit, say “yes”, even if you do not feel like talking to someone. Simply sitting with a sympathetic friend and talking about trivial things can make you feel less lonely and isolated. Reach out to your family and try to see them more often, as they can offer comfort and kind thoughts that can help you remember your pet fondly and process your grief. Keep in mind some people may not understand how deep your loss is over your pet. They may ask, “What's the big deal? It's just a pet!” Family or friends may not be able to understand how the loss of an animal can compare to the loss of a person, and they may not be as sympathetic as you may expect. Try not to take this personally, as they may not have a pet of their own and so cannot understand your connection with your deceased pet. Reach out to friends who have also lost pets. Seek out family and friends who will be sympathetic to your grief and understand how it feels to lose a pet. Spend time together talking about your pets and sharing memories of your pets. You should find mutual understanding and connection with other pet owners who have also experienced loss and grief. You can also reach out to others who may understand pet loss through online pet loss support groups and online message boards. Support from other pet owners can be key to helping you process your grief. Practice self-care through socializing and staying busy. Self-care is very important when you are feeling low and can help you feel better physically and mentally. Look after your emotional needs by socializing with others and doing activities with others you enjoy to stay busy and not dwell on your grief. This could be exploring a new hobby like painting, drawing, or running by joining a class or group. Or you could join a fitness group to ensure you exercise regularly to boost your mood and fight off feelings of depression. You can also practice self-care on your own by doing a solo activity you enjoy, pampering yourself with a massage or a long bath, and taking time alone to read or do something calming and relaxing. Try not to spend too much time alone as you cope with the loss of your pet, as this can lead to isolation and loneliness. Maintain a balance of time with others and time with yourself to ensure you are taking care of your physical and emotional needs during this hard time. Talk to a grief therapist, if needed. Sometimes, grief can be overwhelming and you may find you are still feeling depressed and upset even after you talk to family and friends. If your grief is causing you to feel powerless and unable to function, you may want to ask your doctor for a referral to a grief therapist. You can also ask family and friends for a referral to a grief therapist they may have gone to themselves, with positive results. Arrange a funeral or a memorial service for your pet. The ritual of a funeral or a memorial service can be a healthy way to grieve and process your emotions. This could be a small service honoring your pet's life or a more elaborate affair. Though some people may consider it inappropriate to have a funeral for a pet, you should do what feels good to you as a pet owner and take the necessary steps to release your grief. Create a physical reminder of your pet. This could be planting a tree in memory of your pet, creating a photo album of your pet, or commissioning a physical gravestone for your pet. Having a physical legacy of your pet can help you to celebrate your pet and move on in your grief. Donate to an animal charity in memory of your pet. You may want to pay tribute to your animal companion by donating your money or time to an animal charity in his name. This will allow you to give back to the community and help other pet owners to take care of their pets. It also creates a tribute to your pet that focuses on caring for others and supporting others, a positive legacy you can feel proud of. Take care of any other pets in your household. Though it may be difficult to focus on the needs of your other pets after the death of a pet, you should try to devote yourself to providing good care to any other animals in your home. Your other pets will likely also be mourning the loss of a fellow pet, especially if they all lived together in close quarters. Focusing on the needs of your other pets can help you to move forward and cope with your loss. It can also be a way to honor your deceased pet by ensuring all your other pets receive love and care. Consider getting a new pet. Another way to cope and pay tribute to your pet is to perhaps get a new pet. Rather than see the new pet as a replacement for your deceased pet, think of the new pet as a new chapter in pet ownership. A new pet will allow you to love and care for an animal and to move forward from the death of a pet. Some pet owners may feel they cannot get a new pet because it would be disloyal to their deceased pet. It may take time after the death of your pet to consider getting a new pet, but a new pet may be a healthy way to move through your feelings of grief and feel better about coming home to a pet filled house again.
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Be aware that everyone experiences grief in different ways. Try to avoid feeling guilty for the death of your pet. Confront your feelings of denial. Release your anger in healthy ways. Let yourself feel sad but fight off depression. Share your feelings and emotions with family and friends. Reach out to friends who have also lost pets. Practice self-care through socializing and staying busy. Talk to a grief therapist, if needed. Arrange a funeral or a memorial service for your pet. Create a physical reminder of your pet. Donate to an animal charity in memory of your pet. Take care of any other pets in your household. Consider getting a new pet.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Stop-Hyperventilating
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How to Stop Hyperventilating
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To stop hyperventilating, try breathing into a paper bag to avoid the symptoms of hyperventilation, like dizziness, weakness, or muscle spasms. Begin by holding the bag over your mouth and nose, then breathing as normally as possible for 6 to 12 repetitions before removing the bag. You can also try to retrain your breathing by resting on your back with a book on your stomach to help keep your focus here. Once you're comfortable, breath through your nose and down into your abdomen to raise and lower the book, which will teach you how to avoid the shallow breathing that can lead to hyperventilation.
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Discover the symptoms. It may be the case that even during an episode of hyperventilation a person may be unaware that they are over-breathing. Since most cases of hyperventilation are caused by fear, anxiety, or panic it may be difficult to notice specific symptoms. Pay careful attention to your symptoms during such states to see if they are indicative of hyperventilation. Fast or increased rate of breathing. Confusion, dizziness, and light-headedness may be present during hyperventilation. Weakness, numbness or tingling in the arms or mouth, and muscle spasms in the hands and feet can also occur with hyperventilation. Palpitations and chest pain may be noticeable during hyperventilation. Understand the causes. The main causes of hyperventilation are states of panic or anxiety which increase the rate of breathing in a person. This over-breathing results in unusually low levels of carbon dioxide in the body. Altering these carbon dioxide levels cause the typical symptoms that come with hyperventilating. Hyperventilation can also be done at will, purposefully over-breathing. Some medical issues such as infection, blood loss, or heart and lung disorders can cause hyperventilation. Visit with your doctor to learn more. To accurately and safely diagnose hyperventilation you will need to speak with your doctor to learn more. Your doctor will be able to help you discover the causes, triggers, and best treatment plans related to your own unique case. If your hyperventilation is caused by anxiety or panic attacks your doctor can help you with these issues directly. Hyperventilation may be indicative of another medical issue that your doctor can diagnose and work towards treating. Find a paper bag to use. Breathing into a paper bag can be a useful method when managing the symptoms of a hyperventilation episode. By breathing into a paper bag you can help reuse carbon-dioxide that would normally be lost on your exhalation, maintaining proper levels in the body and avoiding the symptoms of hyperventilation. Do not use plastic bags as these can pose a choking hazard. Make sure the paper bag is clean and there are no small items inside that could be accidentally inhaled. Be sure that your doctor has cleared you for this technique as it can be dangerous to use when hyperventilation is caused by a physical injury or disease. Place the paper bag over your mouth and nose. In order to properly use the paper bag breathing method during an episode of hyperventilation you will need to make sure that it completely covers your mouth and nose. This will ensure that the carbon-dioxide is caught in the paper bag, allowing you to re-breathe it and reduce some of the effects caused by hyperventilating. Hold the bag with one hand towards the opening of the bag. Pinching the bag slightly can help shape the opening of the bag, allowing it to fit over your mouth and nose more easily. Place the opening of the bag directly and completely over your mouth and nose. Breathe in and out of the bag. Once you have placed the paper bag over your mouth and nose you can begin breathing in and out of the bag. Try to remain calm and breathe as naturally and completely as you can during an episode of hyperventilation. Take no more than six to 12 breaths using the paper bag. Breathe as slowly and easily as you can. After taking six to 12 breaths remove the bag from your mouth and nose and breathe without it. Lie on your back and relax. To start your practice of retraining your breathing you will need to rest comfortably on your back and relax your body. Relaxing the entire body will help you focus entirely on your breathing and let you get the most out of your breath training. Take off any tight or restrictive clothing such as a belt or tie. You can try putting pillows under your knees or back for extra comfort. Put something over your stomach. Breathing during an episode of hyperventilation is generally shallow, at the chest level, and rapid. You will be working to retrain your breathing to have more rhythmic and complete inhalations using your stomach and diaphragm. By placing an object on your stomach you help keep the focus on this area and provide resistance to strengthen the muscles responsible for abdominal breathing. You can place something like a telephone book on your stomach while you retrain your breathing. Avoid any items that are too heavy or are an unusual shape. These can either cause injury or be difficult to balance on your stomach. Breathe using your stomach. After you are comfortably laying down and have a suitable object placed on your stomach you can begin to retrain your breathing. The goal here is to raise and lower the item on your stomach, using your abdomen like a balloon. Keep the following in mind as you practice this new way of breathing: Breathe through your nose when practicing. If you can't breathe through your nose you can purse your lips and breathe through your mouth. Take comfortable and rhythmic breaths. Breathe smoothly and try to avoid pauses on the inhalation or exhalation. Only your abdomen should be moving. Keep the rest of your body relaxed. Keep practicing. In order to get the most out of this new method of breathing you will need to get regular practice. By practicing you will become more comfortable using this method of breathing, allowing you to avoid hyperventilating during a stressful time. Practice for at least five to 10 minutes a day. Gradually slow your rate of breathing during your practice sessions. Begin practicing this way of breathing while sitting up or walking. Eventually you will want to use this method right before you expect a panic attack or during one. Consider medication. If your hyperventilation is caused by panic or anxiety related issues your doctor may prescribe medications to treat your anxiety. These medications work to reduce the effects of anxiety and panic attacks, in turn reducing the instances of hyperventilation. Talk with your doctor to learn more about the medications used to treat anxiety and panic attacks. SSRIs or selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are commonly prescribed antidepressants. SNRIs or serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors are FDA approved as a antidepressants. Be aware that medications can take weeks before effects are noticeable. Benzodiazepines are usually given only for short term use as they are habit forming over time. Work with a psychotherapist. Hyperventilation related to panic and anxiety disorders can sometimes be treated by a psychotherapist. Your psychotherapist will work with you to uncover and cope with any underlying psychological issues that may be responsible for panic or anxiety-related issues and the hyperventilation they can cause. Most psychotherapists will use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to help you move beyond the physical sensations caused by panic or anxiety. Psychotherapy sessions can take time before the effects are noticeable. Sticking with the process for several months will help ensure that your symptoms decrease or disappear completely. Contact your doctor in an emergency. Hyperventilation can indicate a serious issue and there are some cases in which you will want to contact your doctor or seek emergency services. If you notice any of the following aspects in regards to your hyperventilation seek immediate medical attention: If this is your first time experiencing rapid breathing. If you are in pain and hyperventilating. If you have an injury or fever and are hyperventilating. If your hyperventilating gets worse. If your hyperventilating is accompanied by other symptoms. Notice the signs of hyperventilation. Before you can help someone during an episode of hyperventilation you will need to assess his condition. Generally, the signs will be apparent; however, you will need to be sure that he is in fact hyperventilating in order to help him properly. Hyperventilation will usually be characterized by very fast, shallow, chest level breathing. The person will generally appear to be in a state of panic. Speech will be difficult for the person. Muscle spasms in the person's hands may be visible. Reassure the other person. If you think someone is hyperventilating you can help by offering your reassurance that she is going to be fine. Often times hyperventilating can cause even more panic during a panic attack, resulting in an increasing cycle and worsening symptoms. Calm reassurance can help lower the amount of panic the person is feeling and restore normal breathing rates. Remind her that she is having a panic attack and that she is not experiencing something life-threatening, such as a heart attack. Keep your tone calm, relaxed, and gentle. Let her know that you are there with her and are not going to leave her. Help the person to increase his carbon-dioxide levels. During an episode of hyperventilation, carbon-dioxide levels fall in the body and can cause symptoms typically associated with hyperventilating. In order to retain carbon-dioxide in the body, have the person breathe using the following methods: Have him purse his lips, exhaling and inhaling through them. He may also try closing the mouth and one nostril. Have him breath in and out only through one open nostril. If the person appears in distress, turns blue, or complains of any pain, then emergency services should be contacted for evaluation in the ER.
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Discover the symptoms. Understand the causes. Visit with your doctor to learn more. Find a paper bag to use. Place the paper bag over your mouth and nose. Breathe in and out of the bag. Lie on your back and relax. Put something over your stomach. Breathe using your stomach. Keep practicing. Consider medication. Work with a psychotherapist. Contact your doctor in an emergency. Notice the signs of hyperventilation. Reassure the other person. Help the person to increase his carbon-dioxide levels.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Surface-Area-of-a-Cube
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How to Find the Surface Area of a Cube
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To find the surface area of a cube, use the formula: surface area = 6s^2, where s is the length of one of the sides. If you don't know the length of the sides, you can find the surface area using volume. Just find the cube root of the volume, which is equal to the length of one side of the cube. Then, plug that number into the formula for finding the surface area.
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Understand that the surface area of a cube is made up of the areas of its six faces. Since all of the faces of a cube are congruent, we can just find the area of one face and multiply it by 6 to get the total surface area. The surface area can be found by using a simple formula: 6 x s , where "s" represents a side of the cube. Find the area of one side of the cube. To find the area of one side of the cube, you need to find "s," which represents the side length of a cube, and then find s. This really means that you'll be multiplying the length of the cube's side times its width to find its area -- the length and width of a cube's side just happen to be the same. If one side of the cube, or "s," is equal to 4 centimeter (1.6 in), then the area of the side of the cube is (4 cm) , or 16 cm. Remember to state your answer in square units. Multiply the area of the side of the cube by 6. Now that you've found the area of one side of the cube, all you have to do to find the surface area is to multiply this number by 6. 16 cm x 6 = 96 cm. The surface area of the cube is 96 cm. Find the volume of the cube. Let's say that the volume of the cube is 125 cm. Find the cube root of the volume. To find the cube root of the volume, just look for a number that can be cubed to become the volume, or use your calculator. The number won't always be a whole number. In this case, with the number 125 is a perfect cube, and its cube root is 5, because 5 x 5 x 5 = 125. So, "s," or one side of the cube, is 5. Plug this answer into the formula for finding the surface area of a cube. Now that you know the length of one side of a cube, just plug it into the formula for finding the surface area of a cube: 6 x s. Since the length of one side is 5 centimeter (2.0 in), just plug it into the formula like this: 6 x (5 cm). Solve. Just do the math. 6 x (5 cm) = 6 x 25 cm = 150 centimeter (59.1 in).
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Understand that the surface area of a cube is made up of the areas of its six faces. Find the area of one side of the cube. Multiply the area of the side of the cube by 6. Find the volume of the cube. Find the cube root of the volume. Plug this answer into the formula for finding the surface area of a cube. Solve.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Pet-Rabbits-Cool
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How to Keep Pet Rabbits Cool
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To keep a pet rabbit cool, make sure its cage isn't in direct sunlight, and consider moving it to a cooler location, like a room with air conditioning. You can also set up a fan near your rabbit's cage to keep it well-ventilated. Or, you can drape a cool, wet towel over the cage and place an ice pack underneath it to cool your rabbit off.
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Monitor the temperature. The ideal temperature for a rabbit is between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. They can tolerate temperatures as high as 85 degrees Fahrenheit, if absolutely necessary, but anything higher will increase the risk of heat stroke. If you keep your rabbit outdoors, pay attention to the temperature. Summertime is the most common time of the year to be concerned. If your rabbit is left outdoors in a pen or a cage during the summer months, its fur will trap the sun's heat, causing it to heat up quickly. Keep your rabbit's cage out of the sun. Cover any windows with blinds and curtains if necessary. If this doesn't make a difference, consider moving the cage to a cooler part of the house, such as a basement. If you have a window air conditioning unit, you can close the doors to that room and keep the bunny there. If you have central air conditioning, you may want to close some vents and direct the cool air to the rabbit room to manage the electricity bills. You can also purchase standing air conditioning units for a particular room. Keep your rabbit cage well-ventilated. Use fans to cool your rabbit. Position an oscillating fan so that it blows in the rabbit cage, but not directly on the rabbit. This will create a breeze to cool your rabbit down. Make sure that your rabbit can escape the fan if it chooses. You can build a hiding place for the rabbit with a cardboard box. Be careful that the rabbit doesn't chew on the cords. This can be quite hazardous. A wire covered cage allows air to flow freely from all sides. If your rabbit is outdoors in a hutch keep them in the shade and allow for cover without compromising ventilation. Bedding should be absorbent and non-toxic like straw, aspen shavings, CareFresh (recycled paper), or wheat-based like Eco-Straw. These materials air out easily and don't retain heat. A circulating ceiling fan above the cage is another option. Used in combination with floor fans, ceiling units can effectively ventilate your rabbit's area. Hang a wet towel over top of your rabbit cage. This is especially effective in combination with a running fan. Not only will the towel provide shade, but the cool moisture will help as well. Take a normal sized shower towel (roughly 2.5' x 3.5'). Soak it in cool water. Wring it out and place it on top of the cage. Try to cover the entire cage with the towel. You want to make sure that you don't obstruct the cage's ventilation. Make sure that the towel is not still dripping either. You don't want to soak your rabbit. Use ice to cool down its cage. Put some ice packs underneath your rabbit cage. This will cool the bottom of the cage. You can also freeze a water bottle and place that inside the cage to create a cool spot for the rabbit to lie against when it is too hot. Never apply ice directly to the rabbit's body. Doing so may lower your rabbit's temperature too quickly. Limit exercise time to morning and evening hours when it's cooler both indoors and outdoors. Rabbits should get at least a couple hours of out-of-cage play time a day. Your rabbit won't feel like running and playing as much if s/he is very hot. Check for common signs of heat exhaustion. Your rabbit's ears are the most important to pay attention to. When rabbits overheat, blood vessels in their ears swell and cause a general redness to appear. This is a great indicator of heat stroke in rabbits. An overheated rabbit may also have one or more of the following symptoms: Wet fur below the nose Heavy and fast breathing Flared nostrils Sprawled out on the floor Hot ears and feet Inactive and not as alert as usual (lethargic) Eyes half closed Brush your rabbit's fur. Rabbits shed a lot. Normally, they clean themselves and remove all the excess fur and dander. If your rabbit is shedding and not cleaning itself properly, this extra fur can act as another layer of insulation. In the winter, this works well for a rabbit. In the summer, it can lead to heat exhaustion. Brush your rabbit from head to posterior. Keep your strokes light. You don't want to remove too much fur or hurt your rabbit. Do so during the summer months regularly. Keep your rabbit hydrated. Place small ice cubes in your rabbit's water bottle to lower its temperature. If you have to leave your rabbit for a long period of time in warmer temperatures, this is a good step. Over the course of the day, the water will remain cooler for longer as the ice cubes melt. Dehydration can lead to heat stroke more easily in rabbits. If your rabbit is overheated, it will look for ways to cool itself off. If its water is colder than usual, it will seek it out and drink more to cool itself down. Give your rabbit veggies to help keep it hydrated. Soak small carrots, celery stalks, and other vegetables that your rabbit enjoys in water and then place them in your rabbit's cage. This way your rabbit will get additional water through its food. Do not submerge your rabbit in icy water. It is ok to dip its feet in water, but don't completely dunk it in it. Rabbits by nature are not strong swimmers. You may think that a quick dunk will cool them off, but in reality, it may exacerbate your rabbit's condition. The shock of the water may cause anxiety, which will elevate your rabbit's core temperature. You can lightly mist your rabbit with water, but don't drench it (see next step). Lightly mist your rabbit with water or a rubbing alcohol/water solution. Mix 1 part 50% rubbing alcohol and 3 parts water in a spray bottle; then spritz the solution on the outside of the rabbit's ears and on the top of the paws. Wet them well and the evaporation will cool the rabbit tremendously. (The alcohol just speeds evaporation.) See your veterinarian. Try calling your vet first. He may ask you to try different cooling measures before you bring your rabbit in for an exam. He'll probably suggest many of the tips included above. If you've already tried all of these tips, tell your vet so and then proceed to bring your rabbit into the clinic.
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Monitor the temperature. Keep your rabbit cage well-ventilated. Hang a wet towel over top of your rabbit cage. Use ice to cool down its cage. Limit exercise time to morning and evening hours when it's cooler both indoors and outdoors. Check for common signs of heat exhaustion. Brush your rabbit's fur. Keep your rabbit hydrated. Do not submerge your rabbit in icy water. Lightly mist your rabbit with water or a rubbing alcohol/water solution. See your veterinarian.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Melt-Aluminum
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How to Melt Aluminum
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To melt aluminum in a small foundry, place the steel crucible in the center of the foundry and light it. Let the foundry heat for about 10 minutes, then place the aluminum in the crucible. Once the aluminum melts, use a metal rod or tongs to skim off the slag, then slowly remove the crucible from the foundry with a pair of metal tongs. Carefully pour the aluminum into a steel mold and remove any excess slag.
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Position your foundry. Set your foundry in a metal stand or on an insulated surface (like gravel, sand, or bare earth; concrete could crack from spills). Make sure that the surface can withstand the more than 1220 degrees Fahrenheit (660 degrees Celsius) needed to melt the aluminum. Avoid any wooden or plastic surfaces because they will melt or burn. For the best results, set your foundry in a sturdy metal stand that will not easily tip over. Place the crucible in the foundry. Make sure that the crucible is in the center of the foundry. A steel crucible works the best for melting aluminum. If you're using a charcoal-fueled foundry (instead of propane), place a layer of charcoal in the bottom of the foundry and set your crucible on top of it. Then fill in the space between the insulation and the crucible with more charcoal. Placing a layer of charcoal under the crucible will help it heat up quicker and more evenly. Connect the propane torch (or blower tube). If you're using a propane-fueled foundry, connect the included torch end (with attached fuel and air lines) to the opening in the side of the foundry. Follow the instructions provided with your foundry (charcoal-fueled foundries are a somewhat safer DIY project). For a charcoal-fueled foundry, set up your bellows after placing the charcoal and crucible inside. Place the steel end of the blower tube into the foundry. You can blow into the plastic end to maintain air flow or attach an electric hair dryer, which will provide a more constant flow of air. Because it is at an angle, place something (like one or a few bricks) under the propane/blower tube to prop it up. This will keep it from breaking or damaging the foundry. Light the foundry. For a propane-fueled foundry, turn on the gas and follow the lighting instructions provided with the unit. For a charcoal-fueled foundry, a propane blowtorch is the quickest lighting method, but even a match will do. As the coals heat, blow through the blow tube or turn the hair dryer on low. Place the lid on the foundry and let it warm up. Let the foundry heat for about 10 minutes before placing aluminum inside of it. The temperature in the foundry will need to be above 1220 degrees Fahrenheit (660 degrees Celsius). Once the crucible is glowing orange, the foundry is hot enough to melt aluminum. Place aluminum in the crucible. Once the foundry is hot enough, you can begin melting aluminum. You can choose to either: remove the lid and place uncrushed cans in the crucible, or leave the lid on and place crushed cans in the crucible through the vent hole. Both methods work well, but if you leave the lid on, less of the metal will be oxidized. The cans will melt in a matter of seconds, so you need to quickly add more cans to the crucible. It is important to quickly add new cans in order to create a pool of molten aluminum. This is necessary to prevent the cans from being overheated and turning into a gas, a process known as oxidization. You can put the aluminum in the crucible while using just proper heat-resistant gloves, but using long metal tongs as well is safer. Remove the crucible after skimming off surface slag. Use a metal rod or tongs to skim slag (thick clumps of non-aluminum materials) off the top of the liquefied aluminum. Then, with a pair of metal tongs, slowly remove the crucible from the foundry. To prevent oxidization, be sure to remove the molten aluminum from the foundry at least three minutes after the last piece of aluminum melted. Separate the pure aluminum from any excess slag. Once you have melted enough aluminum to fill your crucible, you will want to remove any remaining impurities. Things like aluminum cans will have lots of other materials in them (plastics and other metals) that will create slag or dross. The slag will form a thick clumpy layer on top of your pure molten aluminum. The easiest way to remove the slag is to use your tongs to slowly pour out the molten aluminum into a steel mold, and then tap the slag out of the crucible onto a square concrete paver placed on sand or bare earth. Keeping the crucible clean allows you to melt more aluminum quickly. Pour the molten aluminum into steel molds. You can let the aluminum ingots air cool and then dump them out of the molds, or use water to speed up the process. To water cool the aluminum, take your tongs and place the ingot and mold into water for about 10 seconds. After soaking in the water, the ingot should be cool enough to touch. However, you should use your tongs to avoid being burned. The pure aluminum ingots can now be reused for later castings and will not produce as much slag as before. Empty out the foundry after it cools completely. When you're done melting aluminum, turn off the torch and/or blower (according to the provided instructions) and allow the foundry to air cool in place for several hours. When the foundry has cooled completely, disconnect and store the torch/blower components, and scoop out any charcoal ash or other debris from the foundry's interior. Supervise the cooling process, especially early on, when the foundry is hot enough to ignite items like wood, paper, and fabric. Make the outer body. Purchase a 12” x 12” (30 x 30 cm), 10 quart (9.5 liter) steel bucket with an open top. This common steel bucket can be purchased at most home and garden stores. Because of the heat you will generate, it is important that you use a steel bucket. Other materials may melt or become brittle under the intense heat generated by your foundry. Mix the materials for the lining. In a five quart (5 liter) or larger bucket, mix 21 scoops of plaster of Paris, 21 scoops of play sand, and 15 scoops of water (the scoop should hold roughly one cup or 250 ml). Quickly stir the ingredients together by hand. It is important to moisten all of the dry powder and work out any lumps. After a few minutes of stirring, the mixture should be runny and a uniform color. Because the mixture will set in roughly 15 minutes, it is important that you do the step with some urgency. Pour the insulation into the bucket. Once you have worked out any lumps, slowly pour the insulation mixture into the steel bucket. The fluid should fill the bucket, leaving about three inches (8 cm) of space at the top. To avoid creating a mess, pour slowly to limit splattering. Form the center of the foundry. Fill a 2.5 quart (2.5 liter) bucket with water or sand and place it in the center of the insulation mix. Slowly push the bucket into the mix. Move the bucket up and down a few times to help level the mixture before it sets. Finally, hold the bucket still for two to three minutes and let the mixture set around it. Once the plaster has hardened, the small bucket should stay in place once you remove your hands. Let the plaster mix sit for one hour to harden. Clean off any splattered plaster from around the top edges of the steel bucket. Remove the inner bucket. After the plaster has hardened, use a pair of pliers or channel locks to remove the plastic bucket you used to create the opening. Grip the bucket with your pliers and twist it in on itself. With enough torque, the bucket should cleanly pop free from the plaster mix. Drill a hole for the air supply port. In order to promote air flow, you will need to drill a hole in your foundry for a blower tube. Use a 1-3/8” (3.5 cm) hole saw, attached to an electric drill, to cut a hole in the top line of the bucket (about three inches [7.5 cm] from the lid). Once you have cut through the bucket, position the blade at a roughly 30-degree angle and drill. This hole should be the perfect size to accommodate a one-inch (2.5 cm) steel tubing, which will act as your blower tube. The hole saw can found at your local hardware store. Buy one that is specifically designed for cutting through metal. Ask a salesperson if you're not sure. Creating an angled air supply port will prevent molten aluminum from flowing out of the foundry if your crucible fails. Make a blower tube. Take a 1” x 12” (2.5 x 30 cm) steel pipe and screw on a 1” PVC coupling at one end. Once you have attached the coupling to the steel pipe, slide a 1” x 24” (2.5 x 60 cm) PVC pipe into the smooth end of the coupling. The coupling should have a threaded end for the steel pipe and a smooth end for the PVC pipe. The blower pipe should fit smoothly into the air supply port, but not so snugly that it is difficult to slide it in and out of the hole. Create a lid. Fill a 5 quart (5 liter) bucket with 10 scoops of plaster of Paris, 10 scoops of sand, and 7 scoops of water (at roughly one cup or 250 ml per scoop). Stand up two 4” (10 cm) U-bolts in the plaster mixture, placing the ends with the nuts down in the mix. Let the plaster set for an hour. Once it has set, you can simply pop the lid out of the bucket. Finally, drill a hole in the top of the lid using an electric drill and a 3” (7.5 cm) hole cutting saw. The vent hole will relieve pressure inside the foundry and allow you to add metal without taking off the lid. Try to make the lid hole the same diameter as your crucible. This will help prevent heat loss when you melt your aluminum. Find proper pieces of aluminum. The best sources for scrap aluminum are old machine parts. Car cylinder heads, transmission cases, water pump housings and pistons are all great examples. More common sources are things like beer and pop cans, furniture frames, home siding, window frames, and turkey and pie pans. However, these sources tend to be weaker alloys that have lots of impurities, which means that they create more slag and oxidize quickly. An easy way to melt aluminum cans and prevent oxidizing is to add them to a pool of already molten aluminum. Wear proper safety equipment. When you are working around extremely high temperatures, it is important to wear proper safety gear. When handling molten metal, you should wear a thick and long-sleeved shirt, pants, an apron, a face shield or glasses, and leather gloves. These things will prevent molten metal from burning your skin. Because molten aluminum can give off noxious gasses, you should also wear a respirator. Find an open or well-ventilated space. When working with molten aluminum, some alloys will give off noxious fumes. Because of this you will want to work in a well-ventilated space or outdoors. This will also help keep you cool while working around extreme heat and avoid dehydration or heat stroke. If you begin feeling sick, have a headache, or are dizzy, turn down the foundry and take a break. Go to a cool place and drink some water. Use proper tools. Before you begin melting aluminum, make sure that you have the necessary tools for handling molten metal. You will need a pair of metal tongs, a metal strainer or stirring rod, a crucible, and a foundry. Things like the foundry and crucible can be made at home or bought at a store or online. Be safe. Because of the relatively low temperature necessary to melt aluminum, it can be melted in a variety of unsafe methods outside of a foundry. Avoid melting aluminum in large bonfires or on BBQ grills. These methods are less controlled and can lead to a fire or injury. If you are new to working with molten metals, be sure to work with a more experienced person before attempting to melt aluminum.
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Position your foundry. Place the crucible in the foundry. Connect the propane torch (or blower tube). Light the foundry. Place aluminum in the crucible. Remove the crucible after skimming off surface slag. Separate the pure aluminum from any excess slag. Pour the molten aluminum into steel molds. Empty out the foundry after it cools completely. Make the outer body. Mix the materials for the lining. Pour the insulation into the bucket. Form the center of the foundry. Remove the inner bucket. Drill a hole for the air supply port. Make a blower tube. Create a lid. Find proper pieces of aluminum. Wear proper safety equipment. Find an open or well-ventilated space. Use proper tools. Be safe.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Glowstick
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How to Make a Glowstick
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To make a glowstick, start by putting on latex gloves, goggles, and a face mask since you'll be working with dangerous chemicals. Then, mix 3 milligrams of fluorescent dye with 10 milliliters of solvent Diethyl Phthalate. Next, add 50 milligrams of TCPO and 100 milligrams of sodium acetate. Finally, add 3 milliliters of 30 percent hydrogen peroxide and shake everything together so the mixture starts to glow.
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Wear clothing to protect your eyes and skin. Some of the chemicals are carcinogenic and incredibly dangerous when used improperly. It should also be noted that these are expensive and often difficult to obtain chemicals, best bought in bulk. They are not conducive to only making one or two glow sticks. At the very least, you should have: Latex gloves Ventilated goggles (lab goggles) Long sleeves Face mask A clean, tidy work station Clean glass tubes or containers with matching lids. Start with 10mL of the solvent Diethyl Phthalate (DP). This is your base and makes up the majority of the liquid in your glow sticks. It will hold the chemicals that actually glow and amplify them. Start with 10mL of DP, but know that you can double or half this for bigger or smaller sticks. This looks like water, but the chemical reaction necessary for glowing won't work in water You may have to dig around a bit online to find these chemicals. Chemistry giants Alfa Aesar and Sigma Aldrich are two great resources. If you double the solvent, then you should double the rest of the ingredients below. Add 3 mg of your chosen fluorescent dye to add color. You cannot use normal or additive dyes; make sure you're using fluorescent dyes. These dyes will not be the same color un-mixed as they are when they glow, so trust the guide given below to make your colors. There are a variety of different dyes you can use, depending on the color you want: 9,10-bis(phenylethynyl)anthracene for green Rubrene for yellow 9,10-diphenylanthracene for blue Rhodamine B for red ( note: rhodamine decays quickly, meaning reds tend to fade fast). Mix half yellow, half blue to create white. Add 50 mg of TCPO to the dyed mixture. TCPO stands for bis (2,4,6-trichlorophenyl) oxalate, which you may need to know to purchase it. It's quite expensive to buy, but you can make it fairly cheaply if , again, you're experienced and competent around chemicals. Otherwise, making it is not advised. The TCPO is used instead of luminol in this method -- it's the component that makes the mixture glow and it lasts for hours. TCPO is incredibly carcinogenic, and should be handled with care. Never inhale TCPO. Add 100 mg of sodium acetate to the mixture. If you don't have sodium acetate, an even mixture of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and sodium salicylic can effectively be used instead. When added, put the lid on and shake the bottle well. Finally, add 3 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide to the mixture. It's important to do this step last, as it creates the chemical reaction. Put the lid back on, shake it up well, and turn off the lights. You should have a quite impressive stick/tube/container glowing ferociously in front of you. The hydrogen peroxide is an activator, not part of the reaction, so you won't need much. When you buy glow sticks, the "crack" noise to activate them is breaking a little glass vial of hydrogen peroxide. Add larger quantities of TCPO and Sodium Acetate to make the reaction go on for longer. If you so desire, mess around with the recipe to see what warrants the best results. This reaction works because TCPO and Sodium Acetate release energy when combined, as they start to decay. This energy is picked up by the florescent dyes, which can convert energy into light. More of each leads to more energy and a longer reaction. Put on protective glasses. In addition, wear gloves to protect your skin. It's also a good idea to not wear your Sunday best. Throw on some old clothes or put a smock over clothes you want protected. Some of this stuff is dangerous -- this experiment is not meant for children! Listen up, kids: You'll be working with a solution that's near a 12 on the pH scale. That basically means don't swallow it, don't put it in your eyes, don't bathe in it, and don't really expose yourself to it directly at all. Got it? Moving on. Combine 50 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide and a liter of distilled water in a mixing bowl. A ceramic bowl will work best, but plastic works too. Use funnels, measuring tubes, and basters to keep everything well-measured and well away from you. Hydrogen peroxide is used to replace the luminol's nitrogen atoms with oxygen. When that happens, all the substances create a rave and start partying and electrons fly everywhere and what results? The glow. Mix .2 grams of luminol, 4 grams of sodium carbonate, .4 grams of copper sulfate, .5 grams of ammonium carbonate and 1 liter (0.3 US gal) of distilled water in a second bowl. It is important not to touch the luminol. Use a funnel to make everything safe and easy. Unfortunately, these hazardous chemicals will not float freely in mid-air like this graphic suggests. Yep, unless you're a coroner or some sort of crazy spy/criminologist you probably don't have this stuff lying around the house (hopefully not...). If you're dead set on starting your own glowstick business (worse ideas exist), try websites like Alfa Aesar or Sigma Aldrich for supplies. Mix everything well. Don't use your hands -- use a metal or plastic utensil of some sort. Clean the containers and dry them thoroughly. It's important to use sanitary, clean tubes for your glowsticks. The last thing you want is other substances interacting with the reactions you're depending on to make the substances glow. Set the correct lid next to each container. This enables you to seal the containers quickly after filling. It's not like the glow will get up and run away from you, but still. Combine equal amounts of the first and second solution in the container and close the bottles. Shake them up once the lids are on tightly. Then turn off the lights! If it's not already glowing, something went wrong. Do over! Watch as the chemical compound creates a colorful glow. Take your glowsticks to the party and charge your friends loads of money for them! But act quickly...the glow won't last very long. Expectations crushed? Method one to the rescue! The reaction that the luminol and hydrogen peroxide creates doesn't last long at all -- maybe a couple of minutes. For something that lasts hours, go to the next method (which is a lot easier to facilitate if you have access to a laboratory, but it's still worth mentioning).
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Wear clothing to protect your eyes and skin. Start with 10mL of the solvent Diethyl Phthalate (DP). Add 3 mg of your chosen fluorescent dye to add color. Add 50 mg of TCPO to the dyed mixture. Add 100 mg of sodium acetate to the mixture. Finally, add 3 mL of 30% hydrogen peroxide to the mixture. Add larger quantities of TCPO and Sodium Acetate to make the reaction go on for longer. Put on protective glasses. Combine 50 milliliters of hydrogen peroxide and a liter of distilled water in a mixing bowl. Mix .2 grams of luminol, 4 grams of sodium carbonate, .4 grams of copper sulfate, .5 grams of ammonium carbonate and 1 liter (0.3 US gal) of distilled water in a second bowl. Clean the containers and dry them thoroughly. Set the correct lid next to each container. Combine equal amounts of the first and second solution in the container and close the bottles. Watch as the chemical compound creates a colorful glow.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Help-Shut-Down-Puppy-Mills
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How to Help Shut Down Puppy Mills
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If you want to help shut down puppy mills, find news stories about their negative impact and share them on social media to educate your friends and family. You can also raise money for a local rescue center, which will help take business away from puppy mills and direct it to centers that treat puppies better. IEven though puppy mills are legal in some places, they can still get in trouble for neglecting their animals, so you should report any evidence of neglect to the USDA. Alternatively, you can report the puppy mill to an animal defense organization, like the Humane Society, National Mill Dog Rescue, or the Animal Legal Defense Fund.
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Boycott puppy stores. Almost every pet and puppy store that sells puppies receives their dogs from a puppy mill. Buying these dogs, even to rescue them from the store, will encourage mills to keep breeding dogs in abusive conditions. Some pet stores may advertise their puppies as coming from USDA breeders, but this does not mean that the puppies came from humane conditions. Stores that sell puppies from USDA breeders are actually more likely to buy from puppy mills. Some pet stores will hold adoption events by bringing in dogs from local shelters. Verify with your local shelter that these dogs do indeed come from them before adopting at one of these events. Puppies sold online also often come from puppy mills. Adopt from a shelter or rescue. Animal shelters and rescues are the best place to adopt dogs in need of a home. Many will even adopt out puppies or younger abandoned dogs. By adopting dogs from shelters, you make room for more dogs to have homes. Check out your local Humane Society or Society for the Protection of Animals (SPCA) for adoptions. Your county or municipality may run an animal shelter where you can adopt animals. These will often post adoptable dogs or puppies on their website. They may even have special events where they waive the adoption fees. If you're looking for a specific breed, research a rescue that works with that particular breed. For example, if you want a greyhound, look for a greyhound rescue. Visit the breeder. If you want to purchase a purebred puppy, find a local breeder yourself, and visit their kennel. This is the only way to guarantee that they are a humane breeder and not a puppy mill. When adopting from a breeder, check out the living situation of the puppies. Make sure that they have clean bedding and that they are free to roam during the day. Examine both the puppies and their mother carefully for any signs of disease or malnutrition. Just because a puppy has papers from a kennel club does not mean that they were bred responsibly. Always check the kennel for yourself. Verify the puppy’s age. Many puppy mills will sell a puppy as young as six weeks. A reputable breeder will never remove the puppy from its litter before eight weeks of age, and some will wait until up to twelve weeks. To make sure your puppy is old enough to leave the litter, you should try to check its age. Ask for documentation that the dog has received their eight week vaccinations. This should be signed by a veterinarian, who you can call to authenticate the records. This will prove both that the puppy is healthy and that they are the right age. Eight week old puppies will be running around, and their eyes will be fully open. They should be fully weaned off their mother's milk and capable of eating solid foods. They will sleep about 18 to 20 hours a day, but when they are awake, they will be active. Research your local laws. In the US, puppy mills are regulated by the USDA. As long as the mills provide dogs with basic care, such as food, shelter, and water, they are allowed to operate under the Animal Welfare Act (AWA). This means that the puppy mill may not be illegal, and you cannot take direct action. That said, some states and counties have specific animal welfare laws that might restrict or outlaw these mills. In the US and Canada, there are about 70 municipalities that require pet stores to get their animals from shelters and not breeders or mills. If you live in one of these municipalities, you can find stores that buy from mills and report them. Find evidence of neglect. Because puppy mills are permitted under the AWA, you may have to prove that there is extreme neglect in the mill to force it to close. This can be extremely difficult to do. As long as puppy mills provide the dogs with basic food, water, and shelter, they can keep as many dogs as they like, even in dismal conditions. That said, you can start to slowly build a case. If the dogs are sheltered outside in kennels with no protection from the elements, you may be able to make a case for animal neglect. If you know of sick puppies that came from the mill, you may be able to demonstrate that the mill is not providing sanitary care. Never trespass on property or break into a facility that you suspect might be a puppy mill. You can be arrested, and this will not help close the puppy mill. Instead, gather what information you can legally, and file a report with the authorities. Contact the authorities. If you have evidence that a puppy mill is neglecting their dogs, you can contact the appropriate authorities to shut them down. There are many different legal venues you can reach to open an investigation. The USDA is responsible for overseeing puppy mills and breeders in the US. In most cases, they will be the first and only place to file a complaint. In the UK, your local authority is responsible for licensing breeders or puppy farms. Visit your council for more information about reporting a puppy farm. If puppy mills are illegal in your area, you can contact law enforcement to report your suspicion of a local puppy mill. They will handle the investigation and collect evidence. Inform an animal defense organization. It can be extremely difficult to shut down a puppy mill on your own, and it is not advised that you contact the mill yourself directly. Instead, reach out to a local or national organization with experience in animal defense. They will be prepared to handle the legal aspects of the closure. Some places you might call include: Animal Legal Defense Fund Humane Society of the United States The Puppy Mill Project National Mill Dog Rescue Rehome the rescued dogs. If you do manage to shut down the puppy mill, you should make sure that all of the dogs find new homes. Otherwise, the dogs will likely end up at a shelter, and many might be euthanized. You should petition friends on your social media sites to encourage them to adopt or to share the news that these dogs need homes. Upload notices on websites like Petfinder and Adopt-a-Pet to reach out to potential homes. You can hold an adoption event where you pair the dogs with new owners. You may want to organize temporary shelter for these dogs at a local no-kill shelter. Talk to your local representatives. If you want to make puppy mills illegal, you should reach out to your local municipal, state, province, or council leaders. Let them know that you want new regulatory laws to be introduced to outlaw puppy mills. Calling or writing letters to your representatives will let them know that you are serious about this issue. You might even want to organize a campaign where you get others to all call about the same issue at the same time. Circulate a petition. Petitions are a good way of encouraging your local representatives to take action. Write up a petition for stricter regulations for breeders. You can stand out in front of grocery stores, universities, and shopping centers to encourage people to sign, or you can start an online petition that you share through email and social media. Websites like Change.Org or The Petition Site are good places to start petitions. If there is an existing petition with many signatures, you might sign that instead of making your own. Share it with your friends so that they can help it gain momentum. Volunteer to work at a local animal shelter. Animal shelters are often in dire need of volunteers to help walk, feed, clean, and socialize their dogs. By volunteering, you're helping them reduce costs, and enabling more dogs to find homes. Many animal shelters will post forms on their websites for volunteers. Volunteering is a great way for younger advocates to get involved in caring for animals. Raise money for a local rescue. By raising money for animal shelters, you can help stray dogs find homes. This will reduce the business that puppy mills do, thus helping them close forever. You can sell homemade cookies, cakes, lemonade, or jam. You can donate the money to a local shelter, or use the money to buy pet food and supplies for your local shelter. You might set up a fundraising page on a crowdfunding website to encourage people to donate to your cause. Research carefully to make sure that the shelter or rescue you are donating to will use the money on animals and not on their own administration costs. Ask them to show you where their money is going before making the donation. Tell your friends to adopt. To reduce the amount of business that puppy mills receive, encourage friends and families to adopt their dogs from shelters or rescues instead of buying them from stores. If someone you know mentions that they want to adopt a puppy, you can say, “That's sounds great. Are you going to rescue one from the shelter? That's the best way to find a healthy puppy that wasn't born in a mill.” If they want a purebred, you can offer to go check out the breeder with them. You can say, “Make sure you visit the breeder so you know that the puppy didn't come from a mill. I'd love to come check it out with you if you're worried about that.” Always try to maintain a positive tone, and don't criticize your friends. You're much likelier to convince them if you remain non-judgmental and pleasant. Explain what problems a mill puppy may have. If your friend seems insistent on going to a puppy mill, you might try to warn them that mill dogs are more likely to have genetic or behavioral problems. These puppies may also be infected with a disease like mange, kennel cough, or parvovirus. You might say, “You know that puppies that come from pet stores may not be as healthy, right? In fact, they're more likely to be sick when you adopt them.” You should also remind them, “Puppies from mills are taken from their mothers too soon. The dog may develop bad habits or behavior problems. It's safer just to adopt.” Share articles on social media. When you find news stories about puppy mills, share them on social media so that your entire social network can learn about the abuses and problems caused by puppy mills. This will help prevent others from buying from mills. You can also share links to petitions or donation drives to help shut mills down.
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Boycott puppy stores. Adopt from a shelter or rescue. Visit the breeder. Verify the puppy’s age. Research your local laws. Find evidence of neglect. Contact the authorities. Inform an animal defense organization. Rehome the rescued dogs. Talk to your local representatives. Circulate a petition. Volunteer to work at a local animal shelter. Raise money for a local rescue. Tell your friends to adopt. Explain what problems a mill puppy may have. Share articles on social media.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-with-Social-Media-Jealousy
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How to Deal with Social Media Jealousy
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To deal with social media jealousy, try to avoid comparing yourself to other people and remember that social media profiles don't always reflect reality. Next, go through your list of friends and followers for each of your profiles and delete or unfollow anyone who makes you feel bad about yourself. If possible, replace those "friends" with people who inspire you. It can also be helpful to simply log out of your accounts and give yourself a break so you can focus on your own life and what makes you happy!
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Acknowledge that social media profiles do not always reflect reality. It is easy to be envious when scrolling through Facebook and Instagram because people typically post about positive experiences in their lives. They will share pictures from a recent trip to the Caribbean or an amazing music festival, like Coachella. When you see these photos you need to keep in mind that this is not a depiction of regular life. Remember that these people also experience difficulties in their lives, just like you do, but they are not sharing these difficulties on social media. Additionally, the posts and photos that you see do not tell the true story of how the individuals are able to have these experiences. They may have their expenses paid by others, or they could be going into massive debt to maintain the lifestyle - things you might not want for yourself. Also a lot of photographs posted to social media are cropped or edited using special filters to make them look even more pleasing than the original photo. For example, photos can be brightened to make a day that was actually overcast appear sunny. Avoid making comparisons. Most feelings of envy and jealousy that are associated with social media use are caused by comparing your actual life to the constructed lives of those you follow online. By constantly comparing your life to your friends, you may lose sight of the amazing things about your own life. Focus on what you have, not what your friends have. For example, someone you knew in grade school may have just gotten engaged to a successful, attractive lawyer, and you feel jealous because you are still single. Instead, you should focus on the great parts of your life, such as your friends, career, home, health, and family. Appreciate what you have and be grateful for your own achievements. When you feel yourself start to make comparisons, remind yourself that others are likely comparing themselves to you as well. While you may feel insecure that you didn't go on a great vacation this year or that you haven't found a partner, someone else might be thinking that your life is more carefree and exciting than theirs is or that your family appears to have a better relationship. Post about good and bad things in your life. Try and provide a more well-rounded and realistic portrayal of your own life by sharing both positive and negative experiences on social media. This will allow your followers to view you as a more authentic person. Do not reinforce the cycle of jealousy on social media by making your life appear perfect. If more people begin to share negative experiences it may change the culture of social media. Social media jealousy will decrease if people share both positive and negative experiences. For example, you could post photographs that didn't turn out well and use self deprecating hashtags such as #selfiefail or #vacationfail etc. You could post a social media rant about a negative experience you had that day, to demonstrate that your life is not always perfect and that you face stressful situations daily. Consider sharing hard times that you're experiencing rather than just a mistake or a bad day. You may find that your friends can provide you with great support and advice during your time of need. Examples of things to share include a recent job loss, an illness, or the end of a relationship. Just remember to be tactful when sharing information that involves others. Connect with actual friends on social media. Most people use social media platforms, such as Facebook, to stay in touch with people. Although this can be an amazing tool, it can also lead to social media jealousy. For instance, you may follow multiple people who you went to high school or even grade school with, but haven't actually seen in years. It is more likely that you will feel jealous looking at posts by former friends and acquaintances than actual friends. Only follow true friends on social media because this will give real life context to some of their posts, reducing instances of jealousy. If someone becomes upset that you do not want to be friends on social media, then you'll know you made the right choice. You don't have to explain your choices to anyone. Focus on what's best for you. You are more likely to be happy for the achievements of a close friend than a one-time acquaintance. Purge your social media accounts. Different social media platforms are used for different purposes. For instance, Facebook is typically used as a way to stay connected with friends. Alternatively, Instagram and Twitter can be used as a way to follow existing friends and make new connections. Regardless of the platform, you should go through the list of people you follow and delete or unfollow anyone who makes you feel worse about yourself, or any brands or companies that make you envious of their products and consequently inadequate. Never feel guilty or ashamed for unfollowing or deleting someone, even if that person is well-meaning, such as friend who shares a lot of "inspiration" posts. You are making choices that will help you simplify and feel better, and that has nothing to do with them as a person. For instance, many companies, brands, and designers have Instagram accounts and will advertise their merchandise by posting professional photographs. These types of posts can cause you to be envious of material goods and make you feel as though your own possessions are not “good enough” or “cool enough.” Follow new accounts that inspire you. Another way to avoid social media jealousy is to follow people that inspire you, rather than people who you feel competitive with. For instance, you may want to follow creative people that work in a completely different field than you. This way you may not compare your life to theirs, because you lead different lives, but you can find inspiration through their creativity and work ethic. Log out of your social media accounts. If you are suffering from social media jealousy, it is probably a good idea to reduce the amount of time you spend scrolling through social media feeds. One easy way to do this is to logout of your social media accounts. This will make it more difficult to access social media. Alternatively, you could delete social media apps, such as Facebook and Pinterest, from your phone or tablet. This way if you only have five minutes to kill, it will be more difficult to spend that time surfing social media sites. Set goals for how you'll use social media. Plan how you'll use social media in a way that supports your mental health. For example, designate a time to catch up with friends and family and set a time limit for how long you'll spend on social media each day. Choose a time of day when you're less likely to get derailed by social media or depressed about what others are doing. For example, don't start scrolling through social media when you're bored at work or school because it may cause you to spend more time scrolling. Additionally, you may feel worse about yourself since you're not having a fulfilling work day. Try a time that precedes something you enjoy. For example, check your social media accounts before you head to your dance class at the gym or to meet a friend for coffee. You'll be more likely to stick to your time limit and have something fun going on in your own life. Unplug from social media. If you are beginning to feel depressed as a result of social media jealousy and you constantly find yourself comparing your life with people on your Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, or Twitter accounts, you should unplug from social media. This will allow you to focus more on your own life. You may find that you don't even want that handbag your friend posted last week, and your small apartment is the perfect size. If you are not bombarded with images of people living amazing lives, you will begin to appreciate the things that you have in your own life. Make a habit of identifying things to be grateful for each day. Consider incorporating them into your journal, prayers, meditation, or therapy. You can also post a gratitude list in your home. If you're not sure if you're feeling depressed because of social media, take time to ask yourself how you feel after you use it. Ask questions like, "How do I feel about my life right now?" and "Do I feel satisfied with myself?" If you're feeling down, see if it traces back to social media. Try journaling your thoughts to see if you're quietly comparing yourself to the people you follow. Choose to build relationships without social media. This may sound old fashioned, but one way to manage social media jealousy is to build and develop relationships without using social media. Getting together with friends face-to-face will help you get to know what is really happening in their day-to-day lives. You are more likely to feel compassion for your friends if you develop real and meaningful relationships. Try these tips to maintain friendships without social media: Call or text a friend to make plans, rather than send a message through a social media platform. Get together with a friend to show them photos of your latest vacation, rather than just posting the images online. Meet with a friend to congratulate them on their new job, engagement, wedding, or birth of a child rather than just “liking” or commenting on a social media post. If you have friends or family who live out of town, consider using Skype or FaceTime to have face-to-face visits or communicating via telephone.
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Acknowledge that social media profiles do not always reflect reality. Avoid making comparisons. Post about good and bad things in your life. Connect with actual friends on social media. Purge your social media accounts. Follow new accounts that inspire you. Log out of your social media accounts. Set goals for how you'll use social media. Unplug from social media. Choose to build relationships without social media.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Tapioca-Pudding
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How to Make Tapioca Pudding
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If you want to make tapioca pudding, measure out the sugar, quick-cooking tapioca, and milk into a saucepan before adding 1 beaten egg. Stir the ingredients until they're combined, then let the pan sit for 5 minutes to soften the tapioca. To cook, turn the heat on to medium and stir the pudding until it comes to a full boil, which takes around 15 minutes. Finish by letting the pudding cool for 20 minutes and stirring in the vanilla extract.
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Soak the tapioca in cold water for at least 12 hours. Place 1/2 cup (76 g) of medium pearl tapioca into a large bowl. Pour in four cups (1 liter) of cold water. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap and let the tapioca sit out at room temperature for at least 12 hours. Avoid using quick-cooking or instant tapioca because these don't need to be soaked before cooking. Drain the tapioca. Place a fine-mesh strainer over the sink. Drain the soaked tapioca pearls through the strainer and discard the liquid. Set the soaked tapioca pearls aside while you prepare the rest of the pudding. Whisk together the milk, vanilla, salt, and some of the sugar. Get out a large saucepan and pour in four cups (1 liter) of whole milk, 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of pure vanilla extract, 1/2 cup (100 g) of the sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon (2 g) of salt. Whisk the mixture and set it aside. Whisk together the eggs and yolks. Crack 1 egg into a large mixing bowl and add 3 egg yolks. Whisk the eggs with the yolks until they're combined. You can discard the three egg whites or save them to use in another recipe. Whisk the remaining sugar into the egg mixture. Gradually whisk in the remaining 1/2 cup (100 g) of sugar. Continue to whisk the mixture until it becomes pale and very light in color. This should take about two minutes. Set the egg mixture aside. Heat the milk mixture. Place the saucepan that contains the sweetened milk mixture on the stove. Turn the heat to low and cook the milk until it just starts to bubble a little. Stir the mixture a few times as it heats. Turn the heat off once it starts to simmer. Temper the eggs with the hot milk. Whisk the egg mixture while you slowly pour in a few tablespoons of the hot milk mixture. Keep whisking the eggs while adding a little of the hot milk mixture at a time until you've whisked in all of the milk mixture. You now have a basic custard. Tempering will prevent the eggs from cooking or scrambling when they're exposed to the hot milk. Pour the custard into the saucepan and stir in the tapioca. Spoon the custard back into the large saucepan. Stir in the soaked tapioca pearls until they're combined. If you think your eggs cooked a bit or would just like a smoother custard, consider placing a mesh strainer over the saucepan. Strain the custard directly into the pan and discard any solids. Whisk and cook the tapioca for about 20 minutes. Turn the heat to low and cook the tapioca for about 20 minutes. You'll need to whisk constantly so the pudding thickens evenly. As they cook, the tapioca pearls will become clear. Turn off the heat once the pudding starts to thicken. Refrigerate the pudding for at least two hours. Transfer the tapioca pudding to a serving bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. If you don't want the pudding to form a dry skin on top, press the plastic wrap directly onto the pudding. Refrigerate the tapioca pudding for at least two hours before you serve it. Keep in mind that the pudding will become thicker as it cools and sets. Measure the sugar, tapioca, milk, and egg. Place a medium saucepan on the stove and measure 1⁄3 cup (65 g) of sugar into it. Add 3 tablespoons (28 g) of quick-cooking tapioca and 2 3⁄4 cups (650 ml) of milk. Beat 1 egg and add it to the saucepan. It's important to use quick-cooking (small pearl) tapioca because large pearl tapioca has to soak for hours before you cook it. Stir and let the pudding mixture rest for 5 minutes. Stir the tapioca pudding ingredients until they're combined. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes so the tapioca softens a little. Stir and cook the pudding for 15 to 20 minutes. Turn the heat on to medium and stir the tapioca pudding mixture. Keep stirring and cooking the pudding until it comes to a full boil. This should take about 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the tapioca pudding for 20 minutes. Once the pudding is at a rolling boil, turn off the heat. Let the pudding sit for 20 minutes. Don't stir the pudding until it's cooled a little. The tapioca pudding will continue to cook and thicken as it sits. Stir in the vanilla. Pour one teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract into the tapioca pudding and stir it until it's distributed in the pudding. You can serve the tapioca pudding while it's still a little warm or refrigerate it and serve it cold. Consider topping the tapioca pudding with a sprinkle of cinnamon and some whipped cream. Soak the tapioca in the coconut milk. Pour 2⅔ cups (630 ml) of coconut milk into a medium saucepan. Stir in ⅓ cup (50 g) of small pearl tapioca and let it rest for 30 minutes. The tapioca should absorb some of the coconut milk and soften a little. Stir in the sugar and salt. Pour ⅓ cup (65 g) of granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of salt into the saucepan. Stir the tapioca mixture until the sugar is combined. Stir and cook the pudding until it simmers. Turn the heat to medium and cook the pudding until it begins to bubble gently. Stir the pudding frequently so it doesn't scorch on the bottom. It may take about 10 minutes for the tapioca pudding to start bubbling. Reduce the heat and simmer the pudding for 15 minutes. Turn the heat down to low and stir the pudding constantly. Keep cooking the tapioca pudding for 15 minutes. It should thicken and the tapioca pearls should turn clear. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Once the tapioca pudding is thick, turn off the heat. Stir in ½ teaspoon (2 ml) of pure vanilla extract until it's thoroughly mixed in. Chill the tapioca pudding for three hours. If you'd like to serve the tapioca pudding in individual bowls, pour the pudding into six ramekins. Place the ramekins (or the entire bowl, if you don't want single servings) into the refrigerator. Chill the puddings for at least three hours. Serve the tapioca or store it for up to three days. Refrigerating the tapioca will help it set up completely. Consider topping the coconut milk tapioca with sliced fresh fruit (such as mango) or coconut chips.
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Soak the tapioca in cold water for at least 12 hours. Drain the tapioca. Whisk together the milk, vanilla, salt, and some of the sugar. Whisk together the eggs and yolks. Whisk the remaining sugar into the egg mixture. Heat the milk mixture. Temper the eggs with the hot milk. Pour the custard into the saucepan and stir in the tapioca. Whisk and cook the tapioca for about 20 minutes. Refrigerate the pudding for at least two hours. Measure the sugar, tapioca, milk, and egg. Stir and let the pudding mixture rest for 5 minutes. Stir and cook the pudding for 15 to 20 minutes. Cool the tapioca pudding for 20 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Soak the tapioca in the coconut milk. Stir in the sugar and salt. Stir and cook the pudding until it simmers. Reduce the heat and simmer the pudding for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Chill the tapioca pudding for three hours.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Fall-Asleep-Again-After-a-Nightmare
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How to Fall Asleep Again After a Nightmare
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To fall asleep again after a nightmare, try relaxing your body by tensing and releasing your muscles one at a time, starting at your toes and ending with your forehead. You can also try meditating by focusing on your breath as you inhale and exhale, which can help distract you from any anxious thoughts you're having. Additionally, you can try to distract your mind from the nightmare by listening to calming music or reading until you're ready to sleep again. If you find yourself sweating from nightmares, remove some of your bedding to cool off.
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Relax your body. In most cases, a person will wake up suddenly because of a nightmare. This sudden shock to your system from fear can cause your heart rate to rise. By tensing and relaxing your muscles, you may be able to return your heart rate to a normal level and easily drift back to sleep. Tightly tense and release muscle groups by beginning at your toes and ending with your forehead. Tense muscles for about 10 seconds and give them 10 seconds to release. You may find that taking a deep breath in between further relaxes you. Calm yourself with meditation. In addition to higher heart rate, you may also be experiencing rapid breathing and anxiety as a result of the nightmare. Meditation can help lower your heart rate, return breathing to normal, decrease anxiety, and enhance relaxation. Meditating for a few minutes may help your body calm down and fall back asleep quickly and easily. Allow your breath to flow naturally without controlling it. This may greatly increase your relaxation and bring your heart rate back to normal more quickly. Allow your thoughts to come and go. This may help you more readily let go of the images from your nightmare. If you're finding it difficult to refocus your mind and relax, try repeating “let” with every inhalation and “go” with every exhalation. Distract your mind. If you can't fall asleep within a few minutes of waking from a nightmare or the images continue to disturb, do something to distract your mind. You may want to get out of bed for a bit or do another activity, which could help relax you enough to eventually become drowsy enough to fall back asleep. Go someplace where you relax. Try reading or listening to soft music, both of which can distract your mind and relax you. Keep lights dimmed to avoid stimulating your brain to stay awake. Remove some bedding. Many people experience sweating along with the other physical and emotional symptoms of a nightmare. Remove some of your bedding to help cool off, which may in turn help you fall asleep more quickly. Having a higher body temperature can make it difficult to fall and stay asleep, so only remove what bedding you need to cool off and stay comfortable. Cover yourself with whatever you need to ward off chills and help you feel comfortable and safe. If you've soaked your bed because of sweating from a nightmare, you may want to remake your bed to help your relax and fall back asleep. Ignore the clock. Watching time pass can increase the physical and emotional distress from your nightmare. Don't watch your clock if you can avoid it and you may feel that you are more readily able to relax and return to a peaceful slumber. Turn the face of the clock away from yourself. If the clock is wall-mounted, do your best to ignore it. A clock that glows in the dark may hinder your ability to fall asleep. Consider covering it with a blanket or pillowcase if it bothers you. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Sticking to the same bedtime and waking time every day can help you to fall back asleep if you wake up. You may also find that this helps control the frequency with which you have nightmares. Try and go to bed and wake up at the same time every day. This establishes your body's natural rhythms. Aim to get between 7.5 to 8.5 hours of sleep every day. Learn about nightmares. Educating yourself about the causes of nightmares and the ways in which to prevent them can help you successfully cope with and manage your nightmares. As a result, you may find that you are less stressed as a result of missing sleep or disturbing images and can get the sleep your body needs. Nightmares are often caused by stress, anxiety, trauma, and physical and mental illness. In some cases, doctors don't know what causes nightmares. Although nightmares can seem harmless, they can actually significantly affect you and your ability to function because these scary dreams are disrupting vital sleep time. Most nightmares occur about 90 minutes after you go to sleep and this pattern can continue throughout the night, significantly impacting your ability to relax and get much-needed rest. Keep a dream diary. You may find that keeping a dream diary can help you learn about the source of your nightmares. Any time you wake up from a nightmare, write down what caused the disruption in your sleep and any other factors such as diet or alcohol that may exacerbate scary dreams. Over time, you may notice patterns that can help you take concrete steps to reduce or prevent nightmares. Place a small notebook and pen next to your bed so that you can write as soon as you wake up. If you don't like writing, keeping a small voice recorder next to you can be a good alternative. Take your dream diary to any doctor's appointments you may have to deal with your nightmare. This can provide your doctor clues about what is causing the bad dreams. Wind down early to relax yourself. You need time to switch into nighttime and sleep mode. Giving yourself an hour or more to relax can signal your body and brain that it's time to sleep and may help to reduce or prevent nightmares. Staying away from electronics including television and devices can help your brain relax and keep it from seeing images that may stimulate nightmares. You may also want to avoid reading anything that is scary, too. Keep the lights in your home and bedroom dimmed to help signal your body and brain that it is time to wind down. Consider avoiding exercise within three hours of your bedtime to help your body temperature return to normal and minimize the stimulation of your brain. Establish a pre-bed ritual. A fixed bedtime routine can further signal your body and brain that it's time to relax and go to bed. Do anything that helps you relax. A bedtime routine is an excellent way to reduce anxiety and stress that can cause nightmares and disrupt your sleep. Reading a light novel with the lights dimmed may reduce stress and anxiety and entertain you while not overstimulating your brain and senses. Drinking herbal tea such as peppermint, lavender, or chamomile while you read may further relax you and keep you asleep. Take a warm bath to promote relaxation and drowsiness. Limit or cut out alcohol and drugs. There is evidence that alcohol and drugs such as marijuana or cocaine can cause nightmares. Limiting or quitting either substance altogether may control or prevent nightmares and help you get a better night's sleep. Do not drink more than 1-2 alcoholic drinks per day and stay away from any alcohol within three hours of your bedtime. Drinking caffeine or taking caffeine pills close to bedtime may also cause nightmares. Avoid caffeine within three hours of your bedtime. If you are having any problems quitting alcohol or drugs, see a doctor who can help formulate a treatment plan to quit. Illuminate a nightlight. Having a nightlight in your room may help more readily cope with nightmares by helping to re-orient yourself if you suddenly wake up. Choose a light that is a soothing and non-stimulating color such as red or orange. Place the nightlight near your bed if possible. You may also want to add others in your bedroom or other rooms of your home. Reduce stress and anxiety. There is a lot of evidence that stress and anxiety are a primary cause of nightmares in adults. Lowering the amount of stress and anxiety in your daily life may reduce or prevent nightmares and help you get a better night sleep overall, which in turn can improve your ability to function. Avoid stressful situations as much as possible by removing yourself from them if you can. If not, consider taking a ten-minute walk to help you come down from the situation. Exercise is an excellent way to control stress and anxiety. Aiming to get at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week may help reduce and prevent your nightmares and ensure a full night's rest. Alter nightmare storylines. Some research has shown that altering the storylines of your nightmares can help you to control and cope with them. Actively switch out terrifying aspects of nightmares with more positive images. You can work on story lines as soon as you wake up from a nightmare or even during the day. Look into your dream diary and write out new endings or elements to your dream, and remove anything that makes you uncomfortable. For example, if you dream that a giant sea monster eats you and your family, tell yourself or write in the notebook, “we got on the monster and rode it to a beautiful desert island and learned that the monster was a great entertainer.” See a doctor. If you find that nothing alleviates your nightmares or they are severely disrupting your ability to sleep, see your doctor. She may be able to identify the cause of the dreams including stress, medications, or illness. Take your dream diary with you to help your doctor better assess the situation. Your doctor will likely ask you a series of questions to help her understand when the nightmares started and what factors may contribute to them. Your doctor may suggest you see a psychologist or sleep specialist to help manage or cure your nightmares. She may also prescribe medication to control nightmares.
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Relax your body. Calm yourself with meditation. Distract your mind. Remove some bedding. Ignore the clock. Maintain a consistent sleep schedule. Learn about nightmares. Keep a dream diary. Wind down early to relax yourself. Establish a pre-bed ritual. Limit or cut out alcohol and drugs. Illuminate a nightlight. Reduce stress and anxiety. Alter nightmare storylines. See a doctor.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Litter-Train-Your-Ferret
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How to Litter Train Your Ferret
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To litter train your ferret, start by putting a litter box in the corner of its cage. Then, add some of your pet's urine and feces to it, so it will understand where it should go to the bathroom. If your ferret has an accident, move the waste into the box to reinforce what the litter box is for. Additionally, make sure to give your ferret verbal praise or a small treat when it uses the box. You can also encourage your pet to use the box by scooping out the waste daily and replacing the litter weekly.
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Choose a litter that's safe for ferrets. Not all litters are safe for ferrets. Ferrets have a tendency to roll in or sniff their litter and many ferrets have very sensitive respiratory systems; therefore, a dust-free, unscented litter that does not clump is safest for ferrets. Denatured wood litter pellets, recycled newspaper pellets, and alfalfa pellets all make good litters. If you run out of regular litter, you can use cat litter if it's unscented and un-clumping in a pinch. You can also use shredded newspapers. Avoid cedar and pine shavings as litters. The chemicals can irritate your ferret's eyes. Pick a big enough litter pan. Your ferret should be able to fit all four of their paws in the litter pan comfortably, so make sure pick a box or pan that's big enough. You also want a litter pan or box with lower sides. Ferrets will have an easier time getting in and out of a litter pan with lower sides. Place your litter box in your ferret's cage. You want to start litter training in the ferret's cage. Set the litter box in the corner of the ferret's cage. Fill it with your chosen litter. Make sure you don't use the litter anywhere else in the cage. You want it to be clear to your ferret they need to eliminate in the litter box. Put feces and urine in the litter box. Ferrets are not like cats. They do not instinctively opt to use a litter box; therefore, you need to teach your ferret what the litter box is for. Place some urine and feces in the litter box. The scent will encourage your ferret to go in the area. Litter train your ferret in the cage at first. Keep your ferret their cage when unsupervised until they are litter trained. This is the easiest way to keep accidents contained and teach your ferret to use their litter box. Keep your ferret contained until they are regularly eliminating in the litter box and do not have accidents in other areas of the cage. You should take your ferret out of the cage whenever you can during litter training. You do not want to keep your ferret locked up all the time. Whenever you're able to supervise, let your ferret out of its cage. Move accidents to the litter box. When you see your ferret has gone outside the litter box, move the accidents to the litter box. This will teach the ferret this is what the litter box is for. It will also help develop a scent in the litter box. Ferrets are likely to eliminate in areas that smell like urine and feces. Praise your ferret for using the litter box. Ferrets respond to positive reinforcement, so offer your ferret some praise when they use their litter box. If you catch your ferret eliminating in the litter, offer them verbal praise once they are done. You can also give your ferret a small treat for eliminating in the litter box. If your ferret loves a particular type of treat, giving your ferret this treat can help encourage them to use their litter box. Clean the litter box regularly. Your ferret is unlikely to use a litter that's very dirty or smelly. To encourage your ferret to use their litter box, clean the litter box once a day. Use a litter scooper to remove feces and any clumps of urine. Once a week, completely dump the contents of the litter box and replace them with fresh litter. Clean up accidents completely. Even after your ferret is using its box regularly, it may have an occasional accident outside the box. If an area smells, a ferret is more likely to eliminate there again. To prevent this, clean up accidents completely after they happen. Treat the stain as quickly as possible. You need to thoroughly deodorize the area or the ferret will be drawn back to this spot and will think it is an appropriate place to eliminate. To prevent reoccurrence, spray something like lemon or apple bitters near the spot. Ferrets dislike these smells and will be discouraged from going in these spots again. Fasten your litter box to the cage if your ferret digs a lot. Ferrets may dig in their litter box. This can cause the box to slide around the cage, making the ferret more likely to eliminate outside of the cage. If your ferret is pushing their litter box around, drill holes in the litter box and attach it to the side of the cage using wire. Make sure the sharp ends of the wire are outside of the cage so your ferret does not injure itself. Put water, food, and toys in areas where your ferret is going to the bathroom. If your ferret keeps eliminating outside the cage, start putting its toys and food in these areas. Ferrets are less likely to eliminate near where they eat, sleep, and play. Having food, toys, and bedding in the places where your ferret has accidents will discouraged future accidents. Do not scold a ferret. Ferrets, like most animals, do not respond to scolding. If you scold a ferret for going outside its litter box, it's likely to simply get agitated and stressed. This will not encourage litter box training and will only serve to upset your animal.
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Choose a litter that's safe for ferrets. Pick a big enough litter pan. Place your litter box in your ferret's cage. Put feces and urine in the litter box. Litter train your ferret in the cage at first. Move accidents to the litter box. Praise your ferret for using the litter box. Clean the litter box regularly. Clean up accidents completely. Fasten your litter box to the cage if your ferret digs a lot. Put water, food, and toys in areas where your ferret is going to the bathroom. Do not scold a ferret.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-a-Same-Sex-Crush-(Girls)
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How to Deal With a Same Sex Crush (Girls)
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If you're a girl who has romantic feelings for another girl, first know that it's perfectly normal to be attracted to someone of the same sex. However, if you're confused about your feelings, talk to someone you can trust, or find a supportive LGBT community. Then try spending more time with the girl you're crushing on to find out if you're into her as more than just a friend before you tell her how you feel. If she says yes to a one-on-one date with you, she might like you back!
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Assess your feelings. Sometimes it's hard to pinpoint exactly how you are feeling when you have interest in a new person. You may want to spend a lot of time with someone, and think about them a lot, but you're not sure exactly what that means. In order to move forward, you need to understand what your feelings actually are. You need to be able to distinguish between wanting to be friends and a sexual crush. Do you fantasize about kissing the girl or do you just want to spend a lot of time with the girl? If you simply want to spend time with the girl then you may just have a friend crush. If you want to be romantic with the girl then you probably have a sexual crush on the girl. Try writing down what is going on with you. This may help you clarify your feelings. Sometimes it can be confusing to figure out the difference between really liking a friend as a friend and having romantic feelings for a friend. Making a list of your feelings can help you figure out if you have a romantic crush or you just want to be best friends with this person. You could also discuss your feelings with a close friend. Tell them about your feelings and ask your friend why you are confused about them. Know that these feelings are normal. Don't freak out! Just because you have a crush on someone of the same sex it does not make you strange. Instead, it makes you a developing young woman who is getting to know herself and her desires, which is perfectly normal. Know that there are thousands of others out there who have had to deal with the same confusion. Many of them have figured out a solution, and so will you! This is a chance for you to explore your sexual identity. Do some reading about how sexual identity is formed and what happens when people become sexually mature. This should help calm any fears you are having because what you are feeling is perfectly normal. Accept your feelings. Don't try to fight your natural desires. Instead, accept them and embrace them with pride. It's important to be true to yourself! If you feel like you might potentially be a lesbian or bisexual, consider finding a place in the LGBT community. These are the people who will understand your feelings and give you the support you need. Consider joining a gay-straight alliance at your school or going to a teen group at your local LGBT center. You can even find community online, in forums such as those on emptyclosets.com. Don't hide these feelings forever. It can be hard to come to grips with a same-sex attraction yourself, let alone letting others know about it. However, willing your feelings to go away or deciding to never let anyone know about them will not make them go away. In fact, hiding who you really are can really impact your relationships and not allow you to fully enjoy the relationships you have with those you love. This doesn't mean that you need to shout about your crush from the rooftops. It just means that you shouldn't keep your crush a total secret. Keeping it a secret implies that there is something wrong with it, which there isn't. If you are hesitant to let a lot of people know, pick a friend to confide in and tell him or her about your feelings. If you think it might be dangerous for you to tell your family or friends that you have same-sex feelings, find a trusted adult or counselor to confide in to get advice. You should always put your safety first. Become friends with your crush. Get to know her if you don't know her already. If you have a mutual friend, ask your friend to introduce you to each other. If you don't, find a way to introduce yourself. For example, if she is reading a book you have never read, ask her about it casually. Or if you have a class together but have never talked, strike up a conversation about the class. Basically, find an entry into conversation and try to engage her. If you do know her already, learn more about her. This is a great opportunity to think about whether you really like her romantically or not. This may also give you a chance to learn whether she's open to a same-sex relationship. Tell her how you feel. It's important to express how you feel honestly and clearly. Perhaps start the conversation by saying, "I have really enjoyed getting to know you" or "I really love spending time with you." Then tell her that you are interested in her romantically. This can be a really hard conversation to have. It may also take a while to build up to this kind of conversation. Make sure that your friendship is on solid ground before trying to take it to the next level. Don't rush it! Take your time and decide when the time is right. If she is sidetracked or in a bad mood, choose a different time to bring up your feelings. Accept that she may not return your feelings. This can be hard to do, especially if you have a really big crush. However, it is a good idea to be prepared for rejection while at the same time being confident that she may go out with you. This is a balancing act that is important when asking anyone out! The worst-case scenario is that she insults you, puts you down, or makes fun of you. If this happens, don't let it get to you. She obviously is not the type of person you should be in a relationship with. Just know that if this girl doesn't share your feelings it's not the end of the world. There are plenty of other people, men and women, out there for you. If she says no, stay calm. It may be your first instinct to feel hurt and alone. Try to remember to be proud, not ashamed, of your feelings. Be aware that a girl that doesn't return your feelings may tell others about your same-sex attraction. Just be prepared to be outed before you take the plunge with this girl. Plan a date. If the girl you desire seems open to your advances, whether it is hesitantly or not, make a plan to hang out with her. Don't just tell her you like her and leave the conversation at that. You can ask her to hang out or to go on a proper date. Either way, you don't want to have an opening and not take it! Going to dinner and the movies is a classic first date. You can get to know each other better during dinner but then you can relax while watching the movie. A first date can actually consist of a variety of different activities. Pick something that you know she likes to do. It doesn't have to be super fancy or expensive. It could just be taking a walk in nature or going to the mall together. Whatever she likes, give it a try! Decide whether to come out. If you ask a girl out, especially if you go to the same school, means that your attraction may become public knowledge. You need to understand this and mentally prepare for this to happen if you want to act on your crush. Think about who is important to you and if those people should hear about your feelings from you rather than from someone else. It can be a hard conversation to have but that can be better than someone hearing it through the grape vine. Coming out doesn't mean that you have to tell everyone or that you have to choose a definite sexual orientation for yourself. For example, you can start simply by telling your best friend that you have this crush and you are not sure what it means about your sexual orientation. Coming out in an area, or in a family, that is not gay friendly can be really difficult. You do need to balance your desire to be your authentic self with concerns for your safety and well being. Above all, make the decision that is right for you! Cope with an unsupportive family. Your family may not jump for joy that you have a same-sex attraction. It would be so great if they did but most families need an adjustment period before they can embrace this kind of attraction. In order to deal with an unsupportive family you will need to be plan how you tell them and prepare for gradual acceptance instead of immediate excitement. You know your family best, so pick a time when your family members are in a good mood and are open to having a serious conversation. Try to stay calm. Getting upset and yelling at your family that they don't understand won't make them more likely to understand. What will make them more likely to understand is information. Gradually teaching them about the naturalness of same-sex attraction will change their minds more than getting mad and yelling at them. Don't expect the impossible. Some family members will probably always be homophobic. This is very sad but true. Instead, have low and gradual expectations for those that are very, very homophobic to begin with. That way you may be pleasantly surprised at progress instead of disappointed at lack of progress. Deal with conflicted feelings. Not all the resistance you feel may be coming from the outside. It can be hard to come to terms with having a same-sex attraction if you have been told all your life that it is wrong. In order to deal with internalized homophobia you will need to be very honest with yourself about your feelings and work on accepting them as wonderful and natural. Fighting internalized homophobia is hard and it may take even longer than making your family accept your feelings. Just remember, however, that the end goal of self love and happiness is worth the effort it will take to wipe the bad feelings out of your head. Fighting conflicted feelings may take more than just willing yourself to do it. In many cases is takes a professional, whether it be a counselor, therapist, or other mental health specialist, to help you work through your feelings. These people can help you identify where your negative feelings are rooted and how to eliminate them gradually. Coming to terms with a same-sex attraction can be particularly hard if you continue to be involved with people who do not support your feelings, for example if you continue to be involved in a church that doesn't support same-sex attraction. In this situation you need to make a decision about what is best for you personally. If continued involvement is important to you, then you need to take steps to make sure that what is said about same-sex attraction doesn't hurt you. This could mean a variety of things, from walking away when negative things are said to talking to a therapist about this conflict.
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Assess your feelings. Know that these feelings are normal. Accept your feelings. Don't hide these feelings forever. Become friends with your crush. Tell her how you feel. Accept that she may not return your feelings. Plan a date. Decide whether to come out. Cope with an unsupportive family. Deal with conflicted feelings.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Range-Hood
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How to Clean a Range Hood
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If you need to clean your range hood, make sure you use a cleaner that's appropriate for the material, such as soapy water for a plastic hood and copper cleaner for copper. Spray the cleaner onto the outside of the hood, then wipe it off and dry the hood with a paper towel. To make cleaning the inside easier, boil a pot of water so the steam loosens the grime on the hood. Next, test spray your cleaner on a small area before applying it to the hood if it causes no damage. When the hood is clean, wipe off the cleaner with a damp towel.
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Choose the right cleaner for your specific hood. Range hoods can be made from a variety of materials. When choosing what to clean with, pick a cleaner that's safe to use on that material in order to avoid damaging it. For instance: For plastic or vinyl hoods, use an all-purpose cleaner or warm soapy water. For stainless steel, go with warm soapy water. For copper, use copper cleaner. Wipe the outside of the hood. Expect the hood's exterior to be a pretty easy job since it's aimed away from your stovetop. Simply spray it with your cleaner. Follow the cleaner's directions if it advises letting it sit for any length of time before wiping it off. Dry the hood. Wipe it down with a dry, clean cloth or paper towels. Remove all traces of the cleaner. If the hood's material has an obvious grain, wipe with the grain for a more effective clean and polish. Steam the inside if needed. First, take a peek under the hood. If it looks like you have your work cut out for you up there, fill a large pot three-quarters of the way with water. Bring it to a boil, uncovered, on the stovetop and keep it boiling for a half hour or more, as needed. Let the steam soak into the crud so it starts to loosen from the hood. Wait for the stovetop to cool before proceeding. Keep in mind that you'll probably have to lean over the stove to reach up and under the range hood. If you boiled water to work the crud loose with steam, remove the pot to a heat-safe surface. Wait for the burner to cool down before moving on. Test-spray the inside. If the dirt is light enough for your regular surface cleaner to work, great. If, however, you need a tougher chemical for degreasing (like Super Clean, OxiClean, or Mrs. Myers' All-Purpose Cleaner) to get the job done, give a small area of the hood a test spray before using it all over. Make sure it doesn't cause any adverse reactions with the hood's paint or other materials. Again, always double-check the cleaner's recommendations regarding which materials it's safe to use on. Spray and wipe. First, read your cleaner's instructions for proper use. Wear safety gloves if advised. Open windows and turn the exhaust fan on if strong ventilation is recommended. Then spray the hood's interior as directed and wipe it down with a sponge, cloth, or paper towels. Some cleaners may recommend wiping down immediately. Others may advise letting it sit for a period of time so it can soak into the dirt, grease, and crud. Wipe again with wet towels. Expect strong cleaners to leave streaks and odors if any traces are left to linger. Once the area is clean, dampen a cloth or paper towels. Wipe the interior again to remove any chemical residue. Then repeat with a dry cloth to dry it. Repeat frequently. Expect the job to be tougher the longer you wait in between each cleaning. Make washing the hood part of your daily or weekly routine when doing the whole kitchen. If a particular meal used a lot of oil or caused a lot of splatter, clean it up immediately afterward, as soon as the stovetop is safe to work around. Check it monthly. Clean the hood itself on a daily or weekly basis, but don't worry about dealing with the filter that often (unless you happen to deep-fry a lot of foods on a regular basis). Inspect it once a month. If it appears stained or splattered, plan on cleaning or replacing it ASAP. Remove the filter. Filters can be secured into place in a number of different ways. Give yours a look over. It will probably be attached by: A fastener that you can rotate in and out of position. A latch that you need to press and lift. Rim supports that just need to be pushed up and rotated. Screws. Replace fabric and charcoal filters. If you have either of these types, do not attempt to clean them. Simply switch the old one out and install a new one. However, with charcoal filters, keep in mind that you only need to replace these if you have a ductless range hood. A ductless range hood means the exhaust fan is recirculating air right back into the kitchen. If the exhaust is being ventilated out of the house through ducts, you shouldn't need to replace your charcoal filter. Soak metal filters in cleaner and water. Fill your sink with hot water. Add dish soap or the recommended amount of a stronger cleaner (like Super Clean or OxiClean) to degrease it. Let it soak for ten minutes up to a half hour, then agitate it in the water to shake off any loose dirt. Use a bristle brush to scrub any stubborn bits. Then rinse clean under a strong jet of water (like your faucet's sprayer attachment). After that: Set the filter on a clean towel or drying rack and allow it to air-dry before reinstalling.
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Choose the right cleaner for your specific hood. Wipe the outside of the hood. Dry the hood. Steam the inside if needed. Test-spray the inside. Spray and wipe. Wipe again with wet towels. Repeat frequently. Check it monthly. Remove the filter. Replace fabric and charcoal filters. Soak metal filters in cleaner and water.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Test-a-Relay
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How to Test a Relay
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If you want to test a coil rely, make sure there is no power going to it, then use a digital multimeter to test the resistance between each of the relay's poles and their NC and NO contacts. All the NC contacts should read 0 ohms, or 0 resistance, while the NO contacts should read infinite resistance. Then, connect the relay to a power source, listen for a click, and check all of the poles again. This time, the NC contacts should have infinite resistance, and the NO contacts should have none.
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Consult the relay schematic or data sheet. Relays have fairly standard pin configurations, but it is best to search for the data sheets to find out more about the number of pins from the manufacturer, if available. Typically, these will be printed on the relay. Information on current and voltage ratings, pin configurations, and other information is sometimes available in the datasheets will be invaluable in testing, and eliminate most errors associated with testing. Testing pins randomly without knowing the pin configuration is possible, but if the relay is damaged, results may be unpredictable. Some relays, depending on their size, may also have this information printed directly on the body of the relay as well. Do a basic visual inspection of the relay. Many relays have a clear plastic shell containing the coil and contacts. Visible damage (melting, blackening, etc) will help narrow down the issue. Most modern relays have an LED to tell you if they are in the active state (ON). If that light is off and you've got control voltage to the relay or coil terminals (typically A1[line] and A2 [common]) then you can safely assume that relay is bad. Disconnect the power source. Any electrical work should be done with all power sources disconnected, including batteries and line voltage. Be especially mindful of capacitors in the circuit, as they can hold a charge for a considerable length of time after removing the power source. Do not short capacitor terminals to discharge. It is best to check your local laws before performing any electrical work, and if you feel unsafe, leave it to the professionals. Extra low voltage work typically will not fall under this requirement, but it's still important to be safe. Determine the coil requirements of the relay. The manufacturer's part number should be listed on the case of the relay. Look up the applicable data sheet and determine the voltage and current requirements of the control coil. This also may be printed on the case of larger relays. Find out if the control coil is diode protected. A diode around the pole is often used to protect the logic circuitry from damage due to noise spikes. The diode will be shown on drawings as a triangle with a bar across one corner of the triangle. The bar will be connected to the input, or positive connection, of the control coil. Assess the contact configuration of the relay. This will also be available from the manufacturer's data sheet, or may be printed on the case of larger relays. Relays may have one or more poles, indicated in drawings by a single line switch connected to a pin of the relay. Each pole may have a normally open (NO) and or normally closed (NC) contact. The drawings will indicate these contacts as connections with a pin on the relay. The relay drawings will show each pole as either touching the pin, indicating a NC contact, or not touching the pin, indicating a NO contact. Test the de-energized condition of the relay contacts. Use a digital multimeter (DMM) to test the resistance between each pole of the relay and the corresponding NC and NO contacts for that pole. All NC contacts should read 0 ohms to the corresponding pole. All NO contacts should read infinite resistance to the corresponding pole. Energize the relay. Use an independent voltage source appropriate for the rating of the relay coil. If the relay coil is diode protected, make sure that the independent voltage source is connected with the proper polarity. Listen for a click when the relay is energized. Check the energized condition of the relay contacts. Use a digital multimeter (DMM) to test the resistance between each pole of the relay and the corresponding NC and NO contacts for that pole. All NC contacts should read infinite resistance to the corresponding pole. All NO contacts should read 0 ohms to the corresponding pole. Use an ohmmeter to check solid-state relays. When solid-state relays start to short, they will almost always fail. Solid-state relays should be checked with an ohmmeter across the normally open (N.O.) terminals when control power is off. The relays should be open, switched to OL, and closed (0.2 , the internal resistance of the ohmmeter) when control power is applied. Use a multi-meter in diode-test mode to confirm your findings. You can further confirm that the relay is bad by taking a multi-meter, put it in diode test and checking across A1(+) and A2(-). The meter will apply a small voltage to make the semiconductor conduct and read that voltage on the screen. This will check the (typically NPN) transistor from the base(P) to the... emitter. If its bad, the meter will read 0 or OL, but if the relay is good it will read 0.7 for a silicon transistor (which almost all of them are) or 0.5 for a germanium transistor (which are relatively rare but not unheard of). Keep SSRs cool. Solid-state relays are easy to troubleshoot, cheap to replace and last a long time if they stay cool. Typically, new relays come in DIN rail packages and block mountings. There is also a special type of relay called an SCR that comes in two flavors for heating wires and IR lamps and ovens, usually for exquisite process temperature control. This is basically a fast switch on a much faster switch that can turn off and on, which fail often due to temperature fluctuations.
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Consult the relay schematic or data sheet. Do a basic visual inspection of the relay. Disconnect the power source. Determine the coil requirements of the relay. Find out if the control coil is diode protected. Assess the contact configuration of the relay. Test the de-energized condition of the relay contacts. Energize the relay. Check the energized condition of the relay contacts. Use an ohmmeter to check solid-state relays. Use a multi-meter in diode-test mode to confirm your findings. Keep SSRs cool.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-Gel-Nails
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How to Apply Gel Nails
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To apply gel nails, first cut and file your nails so they're all the same length. Then, apply cuticle oil to your cuticles to loosen them, and push them back with a cuticle pusher. Buff each of your nails, which will remove built-up oils and help your gel nails last longer. Wipe your nails off with an alcohol wipe when you're finished. Next, apply a base coat to your nails. Cure the base coat under a UV lamp for 30 seconds. Then, paint your nails with gel nail polish. Cure the first coat under your UV lamp. Apply more coats until you have an opaque finish, curing your nails after each coat. Finally, apply a top coat and cure your nails one last time.
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File and shape your nails. To get the ultimate look from your at-home gel nails, start with the ultimate blank nail. Take the time to cut, file, and shape your nails. Before you cut them, decide what shape you want. Cut the basic shape and then file the tips. Finally, finish shaping by rounding the surface of your nails with a buffer. You can create round, square, pointy, almond, or oval nails, depending on your preference. Because gel nails are based off of your nails, this is when you shape your nails. It is not like applying acrylic nails that can be shaped during/after application. Use cuticle remover. Once you have the basic shape to your nail, apply a cuticle remover around the base of your nails. Use a cuticle stick to push back any skin off of your nail plate. Remove any remaining oil or debris from your nail with a cotton ball that's been dipped in acetone. Apply your base layer. Apply a very thin layer of your basecoat to your nails. For gel, you use a much thinner layer than you would with standard nail polish. Be careful when applying your base layer: you don't want to get the gel on your fingers. Let your base layer dry for twice as long as recommended. Apply 2 thin layers. Once your base layer has dried completely, apply another extremely thin layer. This will be your color gel. It will probably look streaky, but that is normal for the first layer. Make sure to use these colored layers to paint over the tip of your nail as well as over the surface. This will keep the gel from curling back off your nail. Cure each layer under a UV lamp for 2-3 minutes. Apply your top gel. Coat your nails completely in your top gel. Paint over the tip, like you did with your color gel. Once again, cure the gel polish under a UV light for 2-3 minutes. Remove the tacky. Some gel methods leave a tacky, sticky layer on and around your nails after curing the top gel. If this is the case, simply take a cotton ball dipped in isopropyl alcohol and wipe over the tacky. Finish off your gel manicure by rubbing a cuticle oil into the skin around the base of your nail. If your gel nails start to look dull after a few days, take a buffer and smooth out the top layer of clear coat, then cleanse your nails and reapply another clear top coat to bring back the shine. File off the top layer. To remove your gel nails, you first need to file off the top layer of the gel. This will take away the shine. Only once the shine is removed can you move forward in removing the gel. Avoid picking the polish off your nails. That can remove layers of your nail in the process, leaving them brittle and dry. Cover cotton balls in 100% acetone. The gel won't come off if you don't use 100% acetone. Take 10 pieces of cotton balls and soak them in your acetone. The cotton balls should be big enough to cover your whole nail. Use caution when you're working with the acetone, as it's a harsh chemical. Also, keep in mind that the acetone is very drying to your nails, so they could be brittle afterward. Wrap tin foil around your fingertips. Take one of you cotton balls and place it on your nail, covering your entire nail. With the cotton ball in place, wrap the nail and the tip of your finger with tin foil. Do this over the rest of your nails. It is recommended to do this one hand at a time. It is very difficult to use foil-covered fingers to wrap the second hand. Let sit and then remove one at a time. Let the foil stay wrapped for 15 minutes. Don't try pulling it open to check if it's working—keep it shut. After 15 minutes, remove the wrapping one nail at a time. The gel will have started to peel back. Use a cuticle stick to push the gel off your nail. If there is gel stuck that you can't remove with the cuticle stick, re-wrap your nails with another acetone soaked cotton ball and foil. Let sit for another 15 minutes and try again. Finish with cuticle oil. Once again, you want to finish with cuticle oil. Massage cuticle oil into the skin around the base of your nail. If your nails look rough, apply cuticle oil to the surface of your nail and buff them using a nail buffer.
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File and shape your nails. Use cuticle remover. Apply your base layer. Apply 2 thin layers. Apply your top gel. Remove the tacky. File off the top layer. Cover cotton balls in 100% acetone. Wrap tin foil around your fingertips. Let sit and then remove one at a time. Finish with cuticle oil.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Adopt-Multiple-Dogs-at-One-Time
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How to Adopt Multiple Dogs at One Time
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If you're interested in adopting multiple dogs at one time, reach out to animal shelters in your area to see what their policies are. Generally, shelters won't let you adopt more than one dog at a time, since bringing home 2 dogs at once can be overwhelming. However, you might be able to adopt 2 dogs that are bonded together, like siblings, if you can show the shelter that you have the resources to take care of them. Even if you can't adopt 2 dogs at once, ask local shelters if they'll let you adopt a second dog 1 month after you adopt the first. If you do find a shelter that will let you adopt multiple dogs, make sure you have the time and means to raise them before you go through with it, since even just 1 dog can cost around $1,000 a year to take care of.
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Ask local shelters if they will allow you to adopt multiple dogs at once. Most shelters and rescue groups will not allow you to adopt multiple dogs at one time. Some shelters may allow you to adopt a bonded pair. However, you will likely need to demonstrate that you have the time and resources to care for two dogs simultaneously. After adopting your first dog, many shelters will allow you to adopt another dog in one month. Because adopting one dog can be difficult, most shelters will help you adopt a second dog once the first has successfully adjusted to your home and family. Check with your local shelters and rescue groups about their adoption policies. Ask things like “Do you allow people to adopt multiple dogs?” and “What are your policies regarding bonded pairs?” Avoid adopting two or more puppies at the same time. Puppies, even if they are from different litters, have a tendency to form very close bonds with each other, often failing to build relationships with their owners. This makes it very difficult to properly train the puppies and socialize them. Unless you are willing to spend a significant amount of time training the puppies, the result is often an unruly pair of puppies that do not recognize your or members of your family as the alphas of the pack. Ideally, you should adopt one puppy and, once it is trained and socialized to your family, adopt another dog. Be sure that you can afford multiple dogs. The ASPCA estimates that caring for one dog can cost anywhere from $500 - $1,000 each year depending on its size and health. You will need to multiply that cost by each dog that you adopt. Dogs are particularly expensive in the first year when you are purchasing new toys, bedding, food, and paying for any health expenses. Look at your finances and, if you cannot afford to pay at least $1,000 a year in dog-related expenses, you should avoid adopting multiple dogs. Remember that having a second dog will also mean twice the boarding expenses if you have to travel for work or holidays. It can be more challenging to find people to watch 2 or more dogs as a favor. A responsible shelter or rescue group will ask questions about your finances during the application process. If they feel that you are unable to take care of multiple dogs, they will deny your application or ask you to adopt only one dog. Try not to be offended if they decline your request to adopt a second dog and consider your own circumstances. Make sure you can devote time to training. Multiple dogs will take a considerable amount of time, particularly if you adopt multiple puppies. Adult dogs may need less training. However, you will spend considerable time and resources adjusting them to your home and each other. Puppies are even more problematic because you will need to train them separately. With two puppies alone, you will double the amount of time spent simply training them. Unless you are capable and willing to spend multiple hours each day training and caring for your dogs, you should consider only adopting one animal. Talk with the people in your life. Before you adopt multiple dogs, talk with your family members and roommates about your decision. Bringing multiple dogs into your home will initially be a little hectic as the animals adjust. They may be extremely noisy and make multiple messes. Explain the situation and find out if everyone that you live with is okay with multiple new dogs being in your home. Be sure to check with your landlord about whether or not pets are allowed in your building. If they are allowed, you should also find out how many you can have. Depending on where you live, they may also have the right to increase your security deposit. Look for a bonded pair. One of the few occasions under which a shelter or rescue may let you adopt multiple dogs is if they are a bonded pair. This means that the dogs have become closely bonded and separating them would cause significant mental anguish for at least one of the animals, resulting in severe behavioral issues. Shelters will often advertise bonded pairs, preferring to keep them together. You can check online or call your local shelters rescue groups to find out if they have any bonded pairs. A bonded pair usually consists of an alpha and a beta dog. Individually, alphas can often be placed in a new home with little problem. However, betas can struggle with the separation and experience behavioral problems. Interact with the dogs. After narrowing your search down to a few pairs that you are interested in, you should visit the dogs at the kennel. Take them for a short walk and play with them. This will help you get a feel for their personalities and determine whether they will be a good fit. Be sure to bring along your family members or any additional pets that you own to make sure that everyone will get along nicely. Just remember to call in advance to make sure you're allowed to bring your current pets at the shelter or kennel. Get the pair’s history. Be sure to talk with the staff of the shelter or rescue group about the pair's history and their temperament. It is important to know if the dogs suffered any trauma or abuse in their previous home. You should also talk with the pair's previous veterinarian to determine if there are any health problems that you should know about.. Ask the staff things like “How does the pair behave when separated?” and “How long have these two dogs been together?” Ask the veterinarian questions like “Are the dogs up-to-date on their vaccinations?” and “Does either dog have any major health problems?” Apply for adoption. Once you have decided on a pair of dogs to adopt, the shelter or rescue group will have you complete an adoption application. This typically involves answering a number of questions about your income, home, employment history, and veterinarian. Because adopting a pair requires a significant investment of time and resources, the vetting process may be more thorough. Do not be surprised if the organization denies your application to adopt multiple dogs. Each organization has its own requirements and adoption process. True bonded pairs are a rare circumstance, so understand that a shelter may still deny your application to adopt sibling pets or companions that may not be bonded. Sleep on it. If the shelter or rescue group approves your adoption, you should take 24-hours and think things over. Determine whether you are dedicated to caring for a pair of new dogs. Talk it out with your friends and family. Remember that dogs that are adopted and returned to the kennel suffer significant emotional and mental trauma. This manifests as behavioral problems that make it more difficult for the dogs to get adopted later on. Adopt the dogs. If you decide that you still want to move forward with the adoption, you will need to complete some paperwork and pay the organization's fees. The paperwork often gives the medical history of the individual dogs and documents your agreement to care for the animals. The fees pay for any licensing and help cover the expenses of the organization running the kennel. The fee can run anywhere from $20 to over $100 per dog. The adoption fee for rescue groups is often higher, ranging between $150 and $400 each. Create a space for your dogs. If you are bringing home a bonded pair, you will need to create a quite space for the two dogs. Place their bedding, food, and other necessities in a part of your house that is peaceful, yet frequently accessed by members of your household. If you are bring home two new puppies, you will need to give each of them their own space, bedding, food, and toys. This prevents them bonding too closely with each other. Avoid having any large social events in the first few weeks after your bring your new pets home. Ask your roommates or family members to keep it quiet while the new dogs adjust to your home. Take them to the veterinarian. After your pets have had a few days to adjust to your home, you should take them to see your veterinarian. Your vet will want to make sure that they are up-to-date on their shots and that they are in good health. Depending on the age of your dogs, your veterinarian may have tips on how to care for them as well. Talk to your vet about any questions you may have about having 2 dogs in your home, including helping them adjust, caring for them, and keeping them happy and healthy. Train the dogs separately. If you are bringing home a pair of puppies, you will need to do all of their training individually. This includes crate training and housetraining. Because it will be extremely difficult to reward and direct both dogs at the same time, you should set up individual training sessions so that you are properly training your dogs. You can also have someone else train one dog while you are training the other one. Because older dogs often lapse in their training when they are adjusting to a new environment, you may also need to retrain members of a bonded pair as well. Depending on the level of separation anxiety, you should also try to train them separately. Train the dogs separately, but with the same style and commands. This will help them understand commands later in communal circumstances. Walk and play with the dogs separately. With multiple puppies, you should be sure to walk and play with each dog individually. This will ensure that you are properly leash training each puppy without any interference from the other dog. You should also play with them separately to ensure that they are socialized as individuals and not a pair. If you adopt a bonded pair, you may want to walk them together if they are already leash trained. If not, you will need to separate them for training as well. A bonded pair can play together since they have already been socialized as a pair and not individuals.
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Ask local shelters if they will allow you to adopt multiple dogs at once. Avoid adopting two or more puppies at the same time. Be sure that you can afford multiple dogs. Make sure you can devote time to training. Talk with the people in your life. Look for a bonded pair. Interact with the dogs. Get the pair’s history. Apply for adoption. Sleep on it. Adopt the dogs. Create a space for your dogs. Take them to the veterinarian. Train the dogs separately. Walk and play with the dogs separately.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Blueberries
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How to Store Blueberries
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To store blueberries, start by making sure they're fully dry so that mold doesn't grow on them in storage. Then, line a well-ventilated container, like the plastic container they came in, with a paper towel, which will help absorb any moisture on the blueberries. Put the blueberries in the container and store them in the fridge for 5-10 days. For long-term storage, spread the blueberries out on a lined baking sheet, freeze them for 3 hours, and then transfer them to a freezer bag. Store the blueberries in the freezer for up to a year.
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Sort the moldy blueberries from the fresh ones. Look for berries that have white, fuzzy mold and toss them out. The mold can be found around the stem area. You will also want to discard any berries that are too soft or wilted looking; they are too ripe and will rot quickly. Sorting the bad berries from the good ones will prevent mold from spreading. Pull off any stems. Most of the stems should have fallen off on their own, but it would be a good idea to go through the berries again and pick off any remaining stems. They won't harm you if you eat them, but they will taste bitter. Consider rinsing the blueberries with one part vinegar and three parts water. In general, you should not wash berries until you are ready to eat them. Washing them too soon can lead to mold. Washing them with vinegar water, however, can kill mold spores and prevent from mold growing in the first place. Put the berries into a colander or strainer, and dunk them into a bowl filled with the vinegar water. Shake the colander or strainer, then pull it out. Rinse the berries using cool water; this will get rid of any vinegar flavor. Make sure that the blueberries are dry. Any moisture left on the berries will cause them to mold too soon, so you will need to make sure that they are completely dry before storing them. There are a few ways in which you can dry the berries: Line the inside of a salad spinner with a few paper towels and put the berries inside. Spin them for a few seconds until there is no more moisture. Spread the berries out on a tray and let them air dry. Use a fan to speed up the process. Find a basket-like container and wash it well. You can use a ceramic bowl with slits in it, or you can use the original plastic basket that the blueberries came in. The container will need to have small holes in it to provide adequate ventilation. Avoid using anything made from metal. Blueberries can react with metal, leading to discoloration and stains on both the berries and the metal container. Fold a paper towel into quarters and place it in the bottom of the basket. If you are using a larger container, such as a bowl, then use several sheets of paper towel; you do not need to fold them. Add the blueberries on top of the paper towel. The paper towel will help soak up moisture and prevent mold from developing. Store the blueberries in the refrigerator. Avoid keeping them in the coldest part of the fridge, or they will get damaged from the cold. The best place to store the berries is on the middle or bottom shelf. Try not to keep them in the crisper. Most crispers are too humid and do not provide enough circulation. This could lead to mold. When kept in the fridge, blueberries can last five to ten days. The coldest part of the fridge is the top. Spread the blueberries in a single layer across a shallow tray. You will be freezing the berries individually first. This will prevent them from sticking and clumping together. You can also use a pan, casserole dish, or baking sheet. If you are using something made from metal, consider lining it first with parchment paper to protect the blueberries. Place the tray into the freezer and wait until the blueberries are frozen. It will take about two to three hours for the berries to freeze completely. Transfer the blueberries to a freezer-safe Ziploc (resealable) bag. Pull the tray out of the freezer carefully so as not to spill any of the berries. You can scoop them into the bag by hand or simply tip the tray over the opening of the bag. Close the Ziploc bag and place it into the freezer. The berries will be good for up to one year. You do not need to thaw frozen blueberries before baking with them, however rinsing them with cool water until the water runs clear may help prevent them from releasing too many juices during baking.
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Sort the moldy blueberries from the fresh ones. Pull off any stems. Consider rinsing the blueberries with one part vinegar and three parts water. Make sure that the blueberries are dry. Find a basket-like container and wash it well. Fold a paper towel into quarters and place it in the bottom of the basket. Add the blueberries on top of the paper towel. Store the blueberries in the refrigerator. Spread the blueberries in a single layer across a shallow tray. Place the tray into the freezer and wait until the blueberries are frozen. Transfer the blueberries to a freezer-safe Ziploc (resealable) bag. Close the Ziploc bag and place it into the freezer.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Heavy-Cream
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How to Make Heavy Cream
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To make 1 cup (240 mL) of heavy cream, first place 1/3 cup (75 g) of unsalted butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave the butter on high for 10 seconds at a time until it's fully melted. Then, take the butter out of the microwave and let it cool for 1-2 minutes. Finally, pour 2/3 cup (160 mL) of whole milk into the melted butter and whisk the ingredients together for 1 minute. You now have heavy cream. Store your homemade heavy cream in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-mix the cream when you take it out of the fridge before using it.
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Melt the butter. Start with butter that has been thawed to room temperature. There are a few different ways to melt the butter. Here are some methods to consider: Melt it on the stove. Put your butter in a skillet and turn the heat on low. Butter melts between 82 and 97ºF (28–36ºC), which can be about room temperature on a hot day. Keep an eye on your butter and remove it from heat when about 3/4 of the butter has melted. Use a spoon or spatula to spread the butter over the bottom of the pan as it melts. Melt it in the microwave. Chop the butter into small pieces (if cold) and place it in a microwave-safe container for about 10 seconds at a time until melted. Pour the melted butter into the milk. In a medium bowl, mix together 1/3 cup (75 grams) butter (melted) and 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) whole milk. Make sure you have let your butter cool before pouring it into the milk If you prefer to use milk with a lower fat content you'll need to add 1 tbsp of flour to help your cream thicken. Whisk your ingredients together. Whisk together with an electric mixer, handheld whisker, fork, or spoon. Mix for several minutes until the cream is thick and frothy. Be aware that this homemade heavy cream will not whip into whipping cream like store-bought heavy cream will. Store your heavy cream (optional). Place your heavy cream into a covered container in the refrigerator and store for 1 to 2 days. Use your homemade heavy cream. You can substitute this 1 cup (236ml) of homemade heavy cream in baked goods, soups, and savory sauces immediately. Try using skim milk and cornstarch. If you only drink skim milk, you can still use this as a basis for your heavy cream substitute. In this case, use one cup of milk and add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch or unflavored gelatin to allow the mixture to thicken. Using a whisk, mix the ingredients for 3-4 minutes until the mixture begins to thicken. Try tofu and soy milk. If you are looking for a low-fat or vegetarian heavy cream substitute, try blending tofu with unflavored soy milk until the mixture is smooth. This substitute is a healthy alternative for heavy cream. Try cottage cheese and milk. Cottage cheese and non-fat milk powder can be mixed in equal amounts to create a low-calorie heavy cream substitute. Mix the ingredients until there are no lumps in the mixture. If you don't have powdered milk for this recipe, you can use skim milk instead. Try evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Chill the evaporated milk and add vanilla extract to taste. This mixture is a good one for soup recipes that call for heavy cream. Try Greek yogurt and milk. Greek yogurt is much thicker than regular yogurt and can be used as a substitute for heavy cream while reducing the fat in the recipe. Be aware that if you are baking cookies or bread recipes that call for heavy cream, you may want to use half yogurt and half whole milk to preserve some of the taste of the fat. In recipes such as cheesecake where the texture is critical, you may want to use half heavy cream and half Greek yogurt to reduce the fat in your recipe. Yogurt will curdle when heated too fast. Use low heat if you are making a sauce with Greek yogurt. You can even make your own Greek yogurt by wrapping 2 cups of plain milk yogurt in a cheesecloth. Let the liquid drain off for several hours and you will be left with 1 cup of thick yogurt. Try half-and-half and butter. For each 1 cup of heavy cream in a recipe, you can use a substitute of butter and half-and-half. Melt 1/6 cup of butter and allow it to cool. Be sure it does not solidify during the cooling process. Put 7/8 cup of half-and-half into a bowl and stir in the cool melted butter until they are well blended. Try low-fat cream cheese. Substituting low-fat cream cheese will provide the same consistency while reducing the calories and fat in the recipe. If the recipe calls for 1 cup of heavy cream, use only 1/2 cup of cream cheese. The taste of the cream cheese is a little sour. Don't use it in recipes that need the sweetness of heavy cream.
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Melt the butter. Pour the melted butter into the milk. Whisk your ingredients together. Store your heavy cream (optional). Use your homemade heavy cream. Try using skim milk and cornstarch. Try tofu and soy milk. Try cottage cheese and milk. Try evaporated milk and vanilla extract. Try Greek yogurt and milk. Try half-and-half and butter. Try low-fat cream cheese.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Preserve-Tomatoes
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How to Preserve Tomatoes
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To preserve tomatoes by freezing, start by rinsing them thoroughly with clean water and allowing them to dry. Next, arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on a baking tray. Once you've done that, put the tray in the freezer for 15-30 minutes to flash-freeze the tomatoes. After enough time has gone by, check on the tomatoes to make sure they're frozen, then transfer them to a sealed freezer bag and label it with the date. You can store your frozen tomatoes for up to 3 months.
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Wash tomatoes thoroughly after gathering them from the garden. Wipe them off or allow them to air dry. Arrange a layer of dry tomatoes on a baking tray. Make room in your freezer for the tray. Pop the tray in the freezer to flash-freeze the tomatoes. Keep them uncovered for 15 to 30 minutes. The larger the tomatoes, the longer they will need to stay in the freezer initially. Remove the tray. Ensure that the tomatoes are hard. Pour the tomatoes into large freezer bags and remove all of the air. Label and date your frozen tomatoes. They should be used within two or three months. Place them back in the freezer until you are ready to use them. Remove them and place them to thaw on your counter. After thawing, you can easily peel away the loosened skins. Gather approximately 21 lb (9.5 kg) of tomatoes for seven quarts of canned tomatoes. Prepare your boiling water canner on the stove. You will need to bring it to a boil and sterilize your jars in the water for at least 10 minutes. Keep the jars warm until you are ready to pour in the tomato sauce. Wash your lids and rims with soapy water. Pour boiling water over them to sterilize them. Wash the tomatoes. Remove any rotten or bruised tomatoes for immediate use. Heat another stockpot or large saucepan full of water. Prepare large ice bath beside the stove top. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds. When the skins split, they are done. Place them in the ice bath. Slip off the skins. Take a knife and core the tomatoes by slicing the center top of the tomato with a circular cut. Slice them in half or keep them whole for canning. Boil water for canning. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of lemon juice and 1 tsp (6 g) of salt to each quart jar. You can substitute with one-half tsp. of citric acid. Take the jars out of the simmering water bath. Wipe them and place them on the counter. Fill the jars with tomatoes and boiling water, leaving 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) headspace. Wipe the tines with a damp paper towel. Screw the lids onto the quart jars. Place them in the water bath to seal for 45 minutes. Remove them and place them on your counter to cool before storing. If you are at 1,000 to 3,000 feet (304.8 to 914.4 m) in altitude (0.2 to 0.5 miles), they require 50 minutes. If you are at 3,000 to 6,000 feet (0.5 to 1.1 miles), process for 55 minutes. Purchase a dehydrator. Most ovens don't stay at a low enough temperature to dehydrate food, but check to see if it can stay at a temperature of 135ºF (57ºC). If it does, arrange the tomatoes on a baking tray and dehydrate them according to this recipe. Slice tomatoes in half from top to tip. Leave the seeds inside if you want to rehydrate them as whole tomatoes or snack on the dehydrated tomatoes. Scoop them out with a teaspoon if you prefer tomatoes without seeds. Arrange them on your dehydrator tray with the cut side up. Ensure there is one-half inch (1.3cm) between each tomato half so that air can flow through. Set them to 135ºF (57ºC). Allow them to dehydrate for 18 to 24 hours. Cool them and place them in airtight containers, such as canning jars. Fill to the top. You can also grind them in a coffee grinder to make tomato powder. Rehydrate them in stock, water or wine before they go into your next sauce. Wash your tomatoes thoroughly. Dry them with a paper towel. Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Line several baking trays with aluminum foil. Grease the foil with olive oil. Cut your tomatoes in half from top to bottom. Squeeze the tomato seeds out into a bowl or remove them with a tsp. Place the tomatoes on the foil-lined tray with the cut side up. Season the tomatoes with olive oil. Sea salt, black pepper, basil, oregano or other Italian spices. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. They should be completely cooked, but not burned. Meanwhile, if you want to use the seeds and juice, you can cook them on the stove for five minutes. Remove the tomatoes. Place them in a large bowl. Pour in the tomato juice and seeds, if you choose. Stir with a wooden spoon. Place them in freezer bags in individual servings or can them. Be sure to label and date them.
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Wash tomatoes thoroughly after gathering them from the garden. Arrange a layer of dry tomatoes on a baking tray. Pop the tray in the freezer to flash-freeze the tomatoes. Remove the tray. Place them back in the freezer until you are ready to use them. Gather approximately 21 lb (9.5 kg) of tomatoes for seven quarts of canned tomatoes. Prepare your boiling water canner on the stove. Wash your lids and rims with soapy water. Wash the tomatoes. Heat another stockpot or large saucepan full of water. Blanch the tomatoes for 30 to 60 seconds. Slip off the skins. Boil water for canning. Add 2 tbsp (30 ml) of lemon juice and 1 tsp (6 g) of salt to each quart jar. Take the jars out of the simmering water bath. Screw the lids onto the quart jars. Purchase a dehydrator. Slice tomatoes in half from top to tip. Arrange them on your dehydrator tray with the cut side up. Set them to 135ºF (57ºC). Cool them and place them in airtight containers, such as canning jars. Rehydrate them in stock, water or wine before they go into your next sauce. Wash your tomatoes thoroughly. Preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC). Cut your tomatoes in half from top to bottom. Place the tomatoes on the foil-lined tray with the cut side up. Season the tomatoes with olive oil. Bake for approximately 50 minutes. Remove the tomatoes. Stir with a wooden spoon.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Connect-PC-to-LG-Smart-TV
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How to Connect PC to LG Smart TV
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To connect your PC to your LG smart TV using SmartShare, start by turning on your TV to allow it to be a trusted item on your computer. Once your TV is on, connect your PC and TV to the same home network router via Ethernet. After your devices are connected, click the Windows logo on your PC and type in “media streaming options” to search for items in your Control Panel. From here, click “Turn on media streaming,” check the box next to your LG TV's name, and click “OK” to save your options. With your TV remote, press the “Home” button and select SmartShare to select your PC on the “Devices” page. When you open your PC's page, you can select which media you want to play.
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Understand what SmartShare is. SmartShare is a program on your LG Smart TV that allows you to stream media files directly from your computer to your LG TV over your home network. This lets you watch movies or listen to music stored on your computer without having to transfer the files onto a flash drive or burn a DVD. SmartShare works best when both the computer and TV are connected to your network via Ethernet cable. Using SmartShare over Wi-Fi may result in hitches or low-quality playback. Turn on your LG Smart TV. You'll need the TV turned on in order to allow it as a trusted item on your computer. Connect the PC and the LG Smart TV to the same home network. In order to stream your computer's media files to your LG Smart TV, you'll need to connect both the TV and the computer to the same home network. Again, for the best streaming performance, both the TV and the computer should be connected to the router via Ethernet. Open Start on your PC. Click the Windows logo in the bottom-left corner of the screen to do so. Before you can use SmartShare, you'll need to enable media streaming for your computer. Type in media streaming options. This will search your computer for the Media Streaming Options menu item that's usually found in Control Panel. Click Media streaming options. It's at the top of the Start menu's results. Doing so opens the Media Streaming Items menu. Click Turn on media streaming. This option is in the middle of the window. Check the box next to your LG TV's name. Scroll through the available options until you find your LG TV, then check its box. If the box is already checked, you don't need to click the checkbox. Click OK. It's at the bottom of the window. Your PC will now be able to stream content to your LG TV as long as it is connected to the same network. Press the "Home" button. It's in the middle (or the lower-right side) of the remote. Select the SmartShare option. Scroll right or left until you find the SmartShare icon, which resembles four colored spheres (red, yellow, green, and blue, respectively), then select the icon with the cursor and press OK. Select Devices. It's a tab on the left side of the screen. Select your computer. You should see your PC's name on the "Devices" page; select it there. Select media to play it. Once you open your PC's page, you can browse the video, photo, and music files on your PC. Select any such file to open it on your LG TV. The computer from which you're streaming content must be turned on and logged into your account in order for its files to show up here. Understand what Miracast is. If you just want to display your PC's screen's contents on your LG TV, Miracast will allow you to stream your screen's contents directly to your LG TV without having to use any cables. As with the SmartShare option, Miracast works best when both your LG TV and your PC are connected to your router via Ethernet rather than Wi-Fi. Turn on your LG smart TV. Press the Power button {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png\/30px-Windowspower.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} on your LG TV remote to do so. Press the remote's "Home" button. This will open the list of your TV's apps. Open Device Connector. This app allows you to connect your Windows computer to your LG smart TV: Select the App List option. Select the Device Connector icon. Press OK on the remote. Select PC. You'll find this option on the Device Connector page. Select Screen Share. It's near the bottom of the screen. Select Miracast. This tab is on the left side of the page. Select START. It's on the right side of the page. Select PC Windows 8.1 or later. You'll find it on the right side of the screen. Doing so will make your LG TV discoverable by your PC. There may also be a PC Windows 10 option here; if so, select that option instead. Connect your PC to the TV. Click the "Notifications" square in the bottom-right corner of your PC's screen to prompt the Action Center pop-out menu, then do the following: Click Project Click Connect to a wireless display Click the LG smart TV's name. Enter the code that's displayed on your TV screen if prompted. Click Connect Select your LG TV as the sound output. If your PC's sound is still coming from your computer and not your TV, do the following: Open Start Type in sound Click the speaker-shaped Sound option. Select your LG TV in the Playback tab. Click Set Default Click Apply , then click OK Use your LG TV's screen as an extension of your PC. You should be able to see your PC's screen scaled to the LG TV, meaning that you can watch online content or view movies from your library on the TV while using your PC as a remote. Make sure that your PC has an HDMI port. HDMI ports resemble thin, wide slots which taper down to a bottom which is more narrow than the top. Most modern PCs have at least one free HDMI port. Buy an adapter if necessary. If your computer doesn't have an HDMI port, you'll need to buy an output to HDMI adapter where output is your computer's video output. Common non-HDMI output options include DisplayPort, USB-C, and DVI or VGA (older computers only). Get a cable that has room to move. Measure the space between your TV and your PC (if not using a laptop), then get an HDMI cable which is a few feet longer. This will ensure that you have enough slack to work with if things need to be moved around. There is very little difference in an HDMI cable that costs $5 and a cable that costs $70. Since HDMI is a digital signal, its either "on" or "off", and the cable doesn't affect signal quality. The difference in quality only becomes apparent with longer cables. HDMI cables are compliant with standards up to 40 feet (12.2 m) in length. There are longer cables available that will technically still work, but they are likely not complying with standards. If you need to run HDMI over extremely long distances, you'll likely need an amp to boost the power. Attach one end of the HDMI cable to your TV. The HDMI cable should plug into one of the "HDMI" inputs at the back (or on the side) of the TV. If your LG TV has more than one HDMI port, the port will have a number on it. This number pertains to the HDMI channel to which you'll need to switch later. Attach the other end of the HDMI cable to your PC. Plug the HDMI cable into the port on your computer. If you're using an adapter for your PC's video output, plug the adapter into the PC, then plug the HDMI cable into the HDMI port on the outside of the adapter. Turn on your LG TV. Press the Power button {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5d\/Windowspower.png\/30px-Windowspower.png","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":460,"bigWidth":"30","bigHeight":"30","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>I edited this screenshot of a Windows icon.\n<\/p><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"http:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Public_domain\">Public Domain<\/a><br>\n<\/p><\/div>"} on your LG TV remote to do so. Switch to the HDMI input. Use the TV's "Input" button to switch to the HDMI number which pertains to the TV input that you used to plug in your HDMI cable. You should see your PC's screen appear on the TV. Select your LG TV as the sound output. If your PC's sound is still coming from your computer and not your TV, do the following: Open Start Type in sound Click the speaker-shaped Sound option. Select your LG TV in the Playback tab. Click Set Default Click Apply , then click OK Use your LG TV's screen as an extension of your PC. You should be able to see your PC's screen scaled to the LG TV, meaning that you can watch online content or view movies from your library on the TV while using your PC as a remote.
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Understand what SmartShare is. Turn on your LG Smart TV. Connect the PC and the LG Smart TV to the same home network. Open Start on your PC. Type in media streaming options. Click Media streaming options. Click Turn on media streaming. Check the box next to your LG TV's name. Click OK. Press the "Home" button. Select the SmartShare option. Select Devices. Select your computer. Select media to play it. Understand what Miracast is. Turn on your LG smart TV. Press the remote's "Home" button. Open Device Connector. Select PC. Select Screen Share. Select Miracast. Select START. Select PC Windows 8.1 or later. Connect your PC to the TV. Select your LG TV as the sound output. Use your LG TV's screen as an extension of your PC. Make sure that your PC has an HDMI port. Buy an adapter if necessary. Get a cable that has room to move. Attach one end of the HDMI cable to your TV. Attach the other end of the HDMI cable to your PC. Turn on your LG TV. Switch to the HDMI input. Select your LG TV as the sound output. Use your LG TV's screen as an extension of your PC.
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https://www.wikihow.pet/Identify-an-Aegean-Cat
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How to Identify an Aegean Cat
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To identify an Aegean cat, look for a coat that's longer in the winter and shorter during the spring and summer. Additionally, notice if its coat is primarily white with cream, black, or red markings. You can also expect the cat to have a muscular build and weigh between 9 and 10 pounds. Finally, make sure to study your cat's face, since Aegean cats have ears that are wide at the base, widely set apart, and rounded at the tips. You can also identify an Aegean by its affinity for water or strong hunting instincts.
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Notice a semi-long hair coat. Aegean cats have longer hair that is described as brushy. The hair will be longer during the winter. They will shed during the spring and summer, which will make them look like a shorter-haired cat. They will shed all year if they live inside. The tail is thick and bushy. When they shed their hair, the tail will remain thick and bushy. Look for two or three colors. The coat of an Aegean cat is multicolored. Generally, they have two or three distinct colors in their coat. The main color is always white, and usually covers more of the body than the other colors. The other colors may be cream, blue, black, or red. This breed may or may not have tabby stripes. Expect a medium, lean build. Aegean cats are medium in size. They have lean and muscular bodies with an athletic build. They generally weigh between nine and ten pounds. They have a long body and tail. Their athletic build makes them good at catching fish with their paws and hunting mice. Examine the ears and paws. The ears of an Aegean cat are distinct. They are wide at the base and widely set on the head. The ears also have rounded tips. The paws of the breed are typically rounder, and their legs are strong. Study the eyes. An Aegean cat's eyes are wide and almond-shaped, and they tip up slightly. The color of their striking eyes may be any shade of green, but they may also have shades of yellow or blue in the green. The head is a broad shape. Get a DNA test. You can order DNA tests online or through your vet to help you determine your cat's lineage. Most of these tests will require you to swab the inside of your cat's cheek using a sterile swab included in the kit. The sample is then sent to a lab, which can analyze your cat's ancestry. Look for a pet DNA lab that has a wide database. Make sure the have Aegean cat DNA on file before you purchase from them. This will help you get the most accurate results. Determine if it is social. Aegean cats are social and friendly cats. They love to be around people and can be quite affectionate. The breed is good around children, cats, and dogs. These cats love to talk and will sit and socialize with you. Expect a cat that loves water. Aegean cats are from the Greek islands, and they often hang out at the docks and on fishing boats. They will also fish for food themselves. Due to this natural habitat, this breed loves the water. You can identify an Aegean cat by their enthusiasm for playing in water. They are not afraid or resistant to water. Aegean cats are good for people who like to be around water or fish and want a feline companion. Look for hunting tendencies. Aegean cats are natural hunters. They love to explore, climb, and be active, and their natural athletic build makes them good hunters. If you have an Aegean cat, you notice hunting and predator-like movements. Aegean cats are known for hunting mice. Learn about the breed. Aegean cats are considered one of the oldest domesticated breeds in the world. They get their name from their origin on the Aegean islands of Greece. The breed is also one of the few natural breeds, meaning that humans didn't have any part in making the breed. This breed is also considered one of the healthiest breeds without any genetic diseases. Adopt an Aegean cat from Greece. Finding Aegean cats can be difficult. The easiest way to get one is to go to Greece and adopt one there. They are a relatively rare breed in the rest of the world. Since they are a natural breed, there are not many breeders who breed Aegean cats. If you bring a pet into a country from Greece, you will need to have an International Health Certificate from a veterinarian. You will also need to get them a rabies vaccine. If you are interested in bringing a cat into your country from Greece, talk to your vet about what your state laws are. Search online. If you want to search for an Aegean cat, you can search online. You may find a breeder in your area or country, but make sure you find a reputable breeder. You may ask your veterinarian or rescue organizations for recommendations. You may also try looking for an Aegean cat through pet adoption websites. Just remember to double check that the characteristics to ensure the cat is an Aegean. Some people may try to claim their cat is an Aegean when it is not. Remember, these cats are rare in most places in the world.
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Notice a semi-long hair coat. Look for two or three colors. Expect a medium, lean build. Examine the ears and paws. Study the eyes. Get a DNA test. Determine if it is social. Expect a cat that loves water. Look for hunting tendencies. Learn about the breed. Adopt an Aegean cat from Greece. Search online.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Natto
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How to Eat Natto
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To eat natto, which is a traditional Japanese dish made from fermented soybeans, start by opening your package and removing the soy sauce and mustard packets. Stir the natto, which will be very sticky, with a spoon or chopsticks until you reach a consistency you're happy with. For a simple flavoring, mix the sauce packets into your natto. You can also use vinegar to reduce the bold smell and taste of the natto. Alternatively, add diced green onions and eggs to your natto.
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Purchase a package of natto at an Asian supermarket near you. Natto is relatively inexpensive to buy, and can be purchased for as little as $0.89 USD (0.77 Euro) or as much as $3.00 USD (2.58 Euro). It is typically offered in small, round single packs, or bundled into 3 medium, square packages. Natto is a refrigerated item and can spoil. Make sure to check the expiration date before purchasing. Choose between a large, medium, and small soybean size. The different types of natto are usually distinguished by the soybeans' size, variety, and processing method. Recipes including natto do not typically specify the soybean size, so pick one that you think you will enjoy eating the most. Large soybeans will give you a bigger bite of the fermented flavor and sticky texture, while smaller soybeans can mix more subtly with rice and other dishes. The packaging may not indicate the bean size directly, but the small bean is the one that is most commercially used. If you purchase a package of natto, it will most likely use the small to medium bean variety. The larger beans are traditionally black or red soybeans. If the packaging mentions using either of those, then know that the soybean size will be large. Natto is also offered as a spread. Hikiwari natto involves pulverizing the soybeans prior to fermenting them. If you are considering using the natto as a spread, pick up some hikiwari natto instead of the traditional natto. Take off the packing lid, and remove the two sauce packets. There will be a small arrow on one of the corners of the lid to indicate where to open it. Pre-made natto containers usually come with a small packet of tare, or sweetened soy sauce, and a spicy Japanese mustard that you can use to mix with your natto. You are not obligated to use these sauces, but both will complement the natto nicely. Make sure to keep the lid of the packaging nearby as it will give you a place to rest the sticky packaging film later on. Tear off the clear film from the packaging to expose the natto. Natto is extremely gooey, so if you aren't careful with taking off the clear film, you can wind up with sticky hands really quickly. Common methods of removing the film are by pinching the center of the film, or by carefully sliding the film off. Pinch the center of the clear film, and slowly lift it away from the natto. As you lift the film, move your hand in circles over the container. This will help gather the sticky strings from the natto that have stuck to the film. Once the strings are contained, rest the clear film on the lid of the packaging. This method of removing the packaging is often referred to as the tornado method because of the circling motion you make with your hand. For the slide method, grab an edge of the clear film, and slide it until it overhangs one side of the container. Put the lid back on the container, and pull the film out through the seam. Use a spoon or chopsticks to thoroughly mix the natto. The natto will be hard to stir at first, but will eventually soften and loosen. Don't be alarmed if the mixture begins to turn white or develop bubbles, as this is normal for the natto as it aerates. Stop mixing the natto when you have reached a consistency you are satisfied with. Most recommendations are to stir the natto in one direction to avoid spilling it, and to stir it for at least 50 turns or 60 seconds. Mix in the packets of soy sauce and mustard for a simple flavoring. You can squeeze in as much or as little of both sauces as you want. Just make sure to thoroughly mix in the sauces before eating it. Try adding the sauces before your initial stirring of the natto. Some people claim that the natto is more flavorful and less slimy if you add the soy sauce and mustard, and then only thoroughly stir the natto once. Instead of the sauce packets, you can add some of your favorite sauces as well. Experiment by adding sriracha to give the natto some heat, or add teriyaki sauce to make the natto tangy and sweet. Use vinegar to reduce the bold smell and taste of the natto. Just adding 1–2 teaspoons (4.9–9.9 mL) of vinegar to the natto will help round out the smell and flavors. Rice vinegar will mellow the natto, but won't add any noticeable flavors. Balsamic vinegar will pair nicely with the natto, and add extra flavor to it. A few drops of sesame oil will also add flavor to the natto, and reduce the smell. Add diced green onions and eggs for a traditional Japanese taste. While it is custom to eat a raw egg or a raw egg yolk with the natto, you can recreate a similar experience with a poached, over-easy, or sunny-side up egg instead. The gooeyness of the egg yolk and the crunch from the green onions will mellow and round out the unique flavor of the natto. Other standard toppings that pair nicely with the green onions and eggs include sesame seeds for an added crunch; katsuobushi or bonito flakes, which is dried, fermented, and smoked skipjack tuna; and kimchi, which is Napa cabbage or Korean radishes seasoned with chili powder, scallions, garlic, and ginger. Heat the natto to soften the texture and bring out the natural flavors. If you don't enjoy the texture of the cold natto, try eating it warm. Rest the lid on the container, and place it in the microwave for 20 seconds, and then stir the mixture to redistribute the heat. Hot or warm natto will have a stronger smell, but some people have found that the heat also enhances the flavors of the fermented soybeans. Make sure to remove the clear film before warming the natto in the microwave. The thin plastic of the film may melt when heated. Pair natto with plain white rice for a simple traditional Japanese dish. You can either eat the natto and white rice plain, or you can add additional seasonings and toppings. If you choose to season the natto, do so before adding it to the rice to make mixing the flavors easier. Consider adding the complimentary packets of soy sauce or mustard, or adding chopped green onion, and a cooked egg for a quick breakfast dish. Instead of white rice, add natto to your favorite pasta shape to create a mixed noodle salad. Mix in some chopped green onions and bell peppers to round out the flavors. Make a stir-fry using fried brown rice and natto. Add chunks of roasted pork, chopped carrots, and even scrambled eggs. Mix up a natto salad to create a filling lunch. Pick bold flavors that will either contrast the fermented taste like perilla leaves, which are of the mint variety and have notes of anise or licorice, or pick subtle flavors as found in sweet, earthy root vegetables. How much of an ingredient you add is completely up to your taste and texture preferences. For hearty, tangy salad, mix ingredients like wasabi, your favorite shredded cheese like cheddar or pepper-jack, mayonnaise, nori (seaweed), pickled plums, and perilla leaves. Season the salad with some black pepper to taste, and dice up some cooked tuna for added protein. For a light and refreshing taste, marinate your prepared natto with shredded root vegetables like carrots, beets, kelp, and daikon, which is a mild-flavored winter radish; seaweed soaked in rice vinegar; mirin, which is a tangy, sweet rice wine; and sesame oil for 30 minutes. Before serving, give the salad a final stir to redistribute the stickiness of the natto, and enjoy. Make natto toast if you are looking for a quick snack. This is a simple snack that can be eaten plain, or dressed up with other toppings. And if you throw on some cheese, and a second slice of toasted bread, you can even turn it into a grilled cheese sandwich. Toast up your favorite type of bread like a classic white bread or a hearty whole grain for an extra crunch. Thick slices of bread work better than thin ones. The natto and any other toppings you add can easily oversaturate or become too heavy for thinner pieces of bread. Spoon your desired amount of natto onto the bread. This is a good time to use the hikiwari natto that is spreadable, but you can just as easily cover the toast with normal natto as well. For added sweetness or texture, drizzle on some honey, or sprinkle cheese on the toast while it is still hot. Cook the natto on the stovetop with eggs for an omelet packed with protein. A standard package of natto can be cooked with 1 to 3 eggs depending on the ratio you want. Then get creative and add more complementary ingredients like cheese, spinach, or green onions, either into the egg mixture or on top of the cooked omelet. Top your favorite meat with natto for added texture. Natto doesn't just go well with eggs; it actually nicely complements just about any cut of meat. Try pairing the natto with slices of grilled chicken, or chunks of pork that is seasoned with sesame oil and ginger. If you are feeling adventurous, mix some barbeque sauce in with the natto, and spoon the mixture onto slices of seared steak. The warmth of the meat will melt the natto mixture into a thin glaze. As a side dish to cooked salmon, mix the natto with kale, tamari, and lemon juice. These neutral flavors will meld together, and the lemon juice will help cut the bold taste of the natto.
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Purchase a package of natto at an Asian supermarket near you. Choose between a large, medium, and small soybean size. Take off the packing lid, and remove the two sauce packets. Tear off the clear film from the packaging to expose the natto. Use a spoon or chopsticks to thoroughly mix the natto. Mix in the packets of soy sauce and mustard for a simple flavoring. Use vinegar to reduce the bold smell and taste of the natto. Add diced green onions and eggs for a traditional Japanese taste. Heat the natto to soften the texture and bring out the natural flavors. Pair natto with plain white rice for a simple traditional Japanese dish. Mix up a natto salad to create a filling lunch. Make natto toast if you are looking for a quick snack. Cook the natto on the stovetop with eggs for an omelet packed with protein. Top your favorite meat with natto for added texture.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Relax-Before-a-Final-Exam-in-College
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How to Relax Before a Final Exam in College
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To relax before a final exam in college, try listening to some calming music or reading a book. The day before your test, make sure to eat and drink well so you don't have trouble sleeping at night. Stay away from spicy and greasy foods as well as alcohol, which can both disrupt your sleep, and drink plenty of water. Another way you can make sure to get a good night's rest is to stop working at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Also, avoid blue light from screens like your phone and TV at least 2 to 3 hours before sleeping.
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Use a schedule. In order to stay calm, you will need to have a firm grasp on your time. You will probably want to review but you should also take a few hours for yourself. The best way to find a good balance is to use a daily sheet to monitor your activities. Leave time for breaks. It's important to stop once in a while to allow your brain to rest. Get up, walk around, give yourself a good stretch. Be realistic. Instead of trying to review everything, set priorities. If you target your weaknesses, you will cover far more ground. Eat and drink well. Stress has an effect on the body and on our ability to study. Try to maintain a healthy diet and remember that moderation is the key. There is no need to drink ten cups of coffee or energy drinks to work more efficiently. If anything, it will make you more nervous and might prevent you from sleeping. Drink plenty of water. It's good for your body and research has demonstrated that it boosts your brain's reaction time. Don't eat spicy, greasy, or heavy food. It takes longer to digest and could keep you up late. Try a relaxing herbal tea. Chamomile, peppermint, and passionflower are all good choices to help you unwind. Avoid illegal substances. Many students use cognitive-enhancing drugs to get higher grades. It is both illegal and dangerous. Don't drink alcohol. You might think it helps you sleep, but alcohol actually disrupts your REM sleep, the type of deep sleep that helps you feel awake and alert the next morning. Plus, you don't want a hangover the morning of the big exam! Skip the booze -- you'll be glad you did. Do some exercise. Sport is a great way to release the pressure after a hard day of work. You will probably have spent a lot of time in your room studying. Going outside and doing physical activities will relax your muscles and occupy your mind with something fun. Sport is great but avoid dangerous games. You don't want to break your leg the day before your final exams. Go with your friends. Combining social and physical activities is rewarding. Try some aromatherapy. If you're feeling very jittery, try using an essential herbal oil to help you unwind and relax. Add a few drops to an eye mask or your pillow, or soak in a calming bath. You could use an oil diffuser, too. Lavender has been shown to help people relax, de-stress, and fall asleep. You can also try one of the following to help battle anxiety and stress: Chamomile Sage Neroli Rose Lemon balm Bergamot Jasmine Take a warm bath. The warm water will help you relax and get ready for bed. Add a few drops of lavender or another essential oil to help soothe your nerves. Stop working at least 30 minutes before going to bed. You need a cooling-down period. Listen to some music or read a book. Don't call a friend to talk about the exams. It will only stress you. Avoid blue light from screens, such as from phones, TVs, laptops, or tablets, for at least 2-3 hours before you want to sleep. Blue light emitted from screens can interfere with your body's melatonin production and keep you from sleeping well. Try some deep breathing exercises. Deep breathing can help you relax your body and get ready to sleep. Focus on breathing from your diaphragm and take about 6-8 deep breaths per minute. Place one hand on your belly, below your ribcage, and one hand on your chest. Inhale through your nose. You should feel the hand on your belly lift as you breathe in. If you don't, adjust your breathing until you feel your stomach expand as you inhale. Hold the breath for 1-2 seconds. Then, slowly exhale for a count of 4. Repeat this 6-8 times per minute for a few minutes. Try relaxing your muscles in groups. Called progressive muscle relaxation, this technique can help you de-stress and get ready for sleep. Begin with your toes and squeeze them as tightly as you can for 5 seconds. Release the tension and relax for 5 seconds. Then, move up to your feet. Curl them towards your knees as hard as you can for 5 seconds. Release the tension and relax for 5 seconds. Continue tensing and relaxing muscle groups all up your body, including your legs, buttocks, stomach, back, shoulders, neck, and face. Sleep well the night before. Having a good night's sleep is important but there is no need to go to bed earlier than usual if you aren't tired. You don't want to get nervous in your bed because you can't sleep. Once in bed, try to keep your mind off your exams. Think about something relaxing, such as your next holiday, or about a happy memory. If you can't sleep, get up and go to another room, but don't turn on the TV or play with your phone. Listen to some quiet music or read a book. You'll probably feel sleepy in a few minutes, and then you can go back to bed. If you don't manage to sleep much or at all, don't panic. Research shows that it might not be as important as you think. Your body can usually handle one night of less sleep because adrenaline will kick in. Don't forget to set up an alarm. You don't want to be late. Go through your morning routine. You will probably wake up feeling stressed. This is normal and there are ways to keep the anxiety at bay. Take a relaxing shower or a bath and dress for your exam. Wear comfortable clothes to feel at ease. Eat a healthy breakfast and make sure to drink plenty of water. Dehydration can make you feel foggy or tired. Don't work while eating your breakfast. It is important to dedicate your attention to one activity at a time. Enjoy your food and make sure to start the day with a positive attitude. Eat smart. Breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Studies show that people who eat breakfast tend to perform better on exams. Eat some whole-grain complex carbohydrates, such as oatmeal or low-sugar muesli, that will digest slowly, helping your blood sugar stay steady. A few eggs would also be a good idea, as they contain protein and choline, which may help improve your memory. A portion of fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as mackerel or salmon, may help boost your brainpower. If you're in a rush, consider some protein-packed yogurt, a banana, and some seeds and nuts. The mixture of carbohydrates and proteins will help power you through the morning. If you usually enjoy a cup of tea or coffee with breakfast, go ahead! Caffeine may have a positive effect on your memory, according to researchers. Just don't drink so much that you feel jittery. Go through your notes. If you have studied seriously, you shouldn't need more than fifteen minutes to go through your notes or a difficult point. Now is not the time to accumulate more information. You will probably have the feeling that you forgot everything. It's a common sensation among students and there is no reason to panic. When asked specific questions during the exam, you will remember what you studied. Use relaxation techniques. If you feel like panicking, try a relaxation technique. The following techniques should progressively relax your entire body: Breathe deeply. It might seem unnatural at first but it will slow your heartbeat and lower your blood pressure. Focus. Sit comfortably, breathe deeply and slowly. Once your body gets used to this, close your eyes and focus on something relaxing. Do this for at least ten minutes. Prepare yourself for the day. Pack your food and a big bottle of water and think about what you need for the exams. Do you need a ruler? A pen? Paper? Make a list and cross every item off once it's put in the bag. Don't forget to silence your phone. You don't want it to ring in the middle of the exam! Take more than little. It's better to come prepared and ready than having to borrow what you need for the exam. Go to your exam early enough and stay focused. You don't want to be late for your exam but there is no reason to arrive too early either. Being stuck with other students and comparing your knowledge is not the best way to stay relaxed. At this point, don't talk with your friends about the test you're about to take. Stress is contagious. Don't let the others make you feel bad. If you have studied, there is no reason to think you will perform worse. Stay positive even after the exams. It's sometimes difficult to tell if you did well. Once again, don't let the others affect your morale. If you've done your possible, there's no reason to panic.
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Use a schedule. Eat and drink well. Do some exercise. Try some aromatherapy. Take a warm bath. Stop working at least 30 minutes before going to bed. Try some deep breathing exercises. Try relaxing your muscles in groups. Sleep well the night before. Go through your morning routine. Eat smart. Go through your notes. Use relaxation techniques. Prepare yourself for the day. Go to your exam early enough and stay focused.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Have-Peace-of-Mind
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How to Have Peace of Mind
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The best way to feel more peaceful in the moment is to practice intentional breathing, which has been shown to reduce stress hormones. Slowly breathe deeply from your belly, hold the breath for a few seconds, and release. Then, repeat this for about 10 minutes. You should also try to spend time outside whenever you can, since sunlight helps your body produce Vitamin D, which increases serotonin levels and improves mood. In addition to these self care practices, look for ways to make peace with the challenges that might be contributing to your stress. If your relationships with your family or friends feel strained, take steps to ask for forgiveness from those whom you've hurt and forgive those who have hurt you. Though it may be difficult, letting go of a grudge will let you heal and free your mind from the anger and bitterness that is burdening your mind.
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Breathe. Intentional breathing is a simple activity, but it's one of the most powerful ways to create peace of mind. Emotions and breathing are closely connected. If you slow your breath and learn to breathe evenly and fully, your emotions will calm down as well. Breathing practices have been shown to reduce cortisol, the stress hormone. They also activate the "rest and digest" part of the nervous system, known as the parasympathetic nervous system. Here are steps you can take: Find a comfortable place to sit. Put one hand on your belly and one on your chest. Breathe in deeply from your belly, so that your stomach extends out but your chest stays in place. Hold this breath for a couple seconds and then breathe out. Repeat this sequence until you find a steady rhythm. Try to do this practice for 10 minutes every day. Exercise. Regular exercise is one of the best things you can do for your body and mind. You should do 30-60 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, running, bicycling, swimming, etc) 3-5 times per week for good results. Here are some of the things exercise does: Lifts your mood by flooding your brain with endorphins and serotonin, which are "happy chemicals" in the brain. Boosts your energy and reduces fatigue. Improves sleep, even chronic insomnia. Reduces your risk for diseases such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Get enough sunlight. Sunlight produces Vitamin D in your body, which also increases your serotonin levels. You can't get the same effect from indoor lighting, so try to spend time outside when you can. Here are some activities you can do: Play sports. Go for a swim. Pack a picnic. Pursue the "flow state. " One of the best ways to experience peace of mind and happiness is to get into a flow state. A flow state is where you are completely involved in an activity without overthinking things. You enter flow states when you are doing things you love and when you are being challenged in a way that's suitable to your abilities. Do what you love to do. This could be anything from playing darts on the weekend to landing your dream job as an accountant. Be generous. Generosity actually causes us to be happier and increases peace of mind. Giving away money can decrease the stress hormone cortisol. It can also extend how long you live, and it can even promote mental health. People who are more generous are less likely to be depressed. How you want to be generous is up to you, but here are a few suggestions: Volunteer at a soup kitchen or another community service organization. Donate to your favorite charity. Offer to help friends and family members with finances, home development, or babysitting. Cultivate gratitude. Being grateful for what you have in life is a great way to develop peace of mind. Gratefulness decreases stress and increases things like optimism and life satisfaction. You don't even need to have a lot to be grateful; there's always something you can be grateful for. Here are steps you can take to be more grateful: Keep a gratitude journal. People who have a gratitude journal feel better about their lives as a whole. Each day, write down what you're thankful for. See the positive side to challenges. For example, if you have a noisy neighbor, this can improve your patience and ability to deal with irritation. Join a community. People generally prefer being with others to being alone. Also, connecting with other people gives us an endless stream of peace and happiness. Many sources of "quick fix" happiness or peace of mind tend to go away the more we engage in the activity, but spending time with people we are close to seems to be an exception. For example, if you identify with a particular religion, find a good church, temple, mosque, or synagogue to attend. For more examples, join a sports team or a reading group. Express yourself. Creative arts can be a powerful source of happiness and peace of mind. Different ways to express yourself artistically can help you feel better about your life. Here are a few suggestions for things to do: Draw, color, or paint. You don't have to be amazing; you'll get the benefits of catharsis and engaging your imagination either way. Dance. Join a dance class or just make a habit out of dancing to music in your home. Play an instrument. Guitar, piano, and other instruments are a great way to express yourself through music. Identify your areas of challenge. If something is preventing you from achieving peace of mind, it's a good idea to figure out what it is. That way, you can make a game plan for overcoming these obstacles and reaching a peaceful state. Try making a list of things in your life that you're unhappy with. Writing them down is a good way to brainstorm more effectively. Make peace with your past. Is there an event in your past that still haunts you? Maybe you made a mistake that derailed your career or didn't tell someone you loved them? Try to make peace with your past in order to exorcise those old ghosts that may still be haunting you. Peace in the present moment can sometimes be blocked by a past that hasn't been dealt with. Forgive yourself if appropriate. You probably didn't have the same knowledge that you do now. Let go of your anger. Write about your inner rage privately. No need to hold back or censor yourself because no one will see these thoughts. It's important to not keep your angry feelings bottled up inside and let the negativity fester. Accept what has happened. Playing events over and over in your mind only continues the cycle of hurt feelings. Acceptance and moving forward helps to begin the healing process so you can focus on your future. Work on your relationships. If your relationships with parents or loved ones are strained, repair these connections so that you can more fully accept yourself and your life. Sometimes the best way to create peace of mind is to fix the current issues that make it difficult. Close relationships are one of the most important sources of happiness and peace of mind, so it's worth it to try and iron these things out. Seek couples counseling if you feel like your marriage or relationship is falling apart. Ask for forgiveness if you've hurt someone. Be sure to accept responsibility for your actions. Write a letter to the person expressing your desire to reconnect. Social isolation is a huge source of discontentment in life. Avoid isolating yourself, so that you can have the social connections necessary for true peace of mind. Participating in a shared activity is a great way to connect with others. You could volunteer, take a class, join a book club, or exercise in a group setting. Forgive other people. It's easy to hold grudges, but forgiving people who have hurt us is really important for mental health and better relationships. If you want peace of mind, you'll need to let go of any bitterness you have toward people from your past. You don't actually need to reconcile with these people if you don't want to; forgiveness is something that happens inside of you rather than between you and another person. When you forgive, you are allowing yourself to heal because you are letting go of your grievances and negative judgements. Holding onto grudges can negatively affect you by bringing anger and bitterness into every new situation, not being able to enjoy the present, losing connection with others, feeling like your life lacks meaning, and becoming depressed or anxious. A good exercise is to write down the names of people you're angry at and the reasons you're angry. You can then say "I forgive you" to each of the people. Lack of forgiveness can hurt you more than the other people, so do this for your own sake. Avoid materialism. Buying things is not a good method for creating peace of mind. You may feel a surge of happiness when you first get a new belonging, but this will wear off more quickly than other sources of happiness such as strong relationships. Materialism increases competitiveness, and people who have more tend to have higher rates of depression and marital dissatisfaction. If you want peace of mind, avoid the trap of buying things to feel good. Make changes where necessary. You may need to make significant changes in your life in order to feel at peace. For instance, living in a bad neighborhood can negatively affect your mind, causing things like depression. If you feel really stressed by life circumstances such as your current job or where you live, it's recommended that you take steps to changing your surroundings. A job that makes you miserable or an unsafe neighborhood may seem tolerable, but they can have strong effects on your mental health and prevent you from having peace of mind. Here are some tips to help you make lasting changes: Make plans that you will stand by. Make sure when you're in the planning process that it's what you really want. For instance, if you want to move to a new place, make sure it's somewhere that you'd enjoy living in terms of culture, food, political affiliation, etc. Start with small, reasonable steps. Avoid planning to move across the country this coming weekend. If you do want to move, start small by researching housing options, school options, and more. Involve the other people in your life. Don't do it all on your own. Enlist help from friends and family members. If you want to move, ask what they think and see if they will help you pack up. Deal with toxic people. Toxic relationships can be a powerful obstacle to having peace of mind in your life. These people may drain your emotions and never give anything back. They may take advantage of you. It may feel like everything is about them in the relationship. You may feel uncomfortable being yourself around them. Here are some tips for how to deal with these kinds of toxic relationships: Avoid being in denial. It's easy to make excuses for the people we enjoy being around, but ask yourself how you feel after you've spent time with them. Ask yourself if you actually want to spend time with them or if it feels like you have to. Ask yourself if you expect something from them that you never get. Identify what you get out of the relationship. Even toxic relationships have some kind of draw, or you wouldn't be in them. Maybe the person makes you feel comfortable, even if they hurt you. Maybe they buy you things to make up for their negative behavior. Find alternative sources. The likelihood is that you can find other ways to fill these wants and needs for yourself. You don't need to stick around in a friendship or romantic relationship that's toxic; you can find the same perks elsewhere without all the baggage. Try meeting new people.
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Breathe. Exercise. Get enough sunlight. Pursue the "flow state. Be generous. Cultivate gratitude. Join a community. Express yourself. Identify your areas of challenge. Make peace with your past. Work on your relationships. Forgive other people. Avoid materialism. Make changes where necessary. Deal with toxic people.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-Feline-Lymphosarcoma
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How to Diagnose Feline Lymphosarcoma
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If you've noticed potential signs of feline lymphosarcoma in your cat, like diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, weight loss, difficulty breathing, lethargy, or swollen lymph nodes, take it to see a vet so they can help you figure out what's going on. Keep in mind that these symptoms can indicate other illnesses that aren't feline lymphosarcoma, so it's best to let a vet diagnose your cat. The vet will perform a physical exam and possibly do x-rays and tests, depending on your cat's symptoms. Unfortunately, lymphosarcoma isn't usually curable, but there are things the vet can do to prolong your cat's life, like chemotherapy.
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Pay attention to the signs of general illness. Many of the signs of lymphosarcoma are vague and are the symptoms of many other illnesses. This is because lymphosarcoma can affect a variety of organs, so the symptoms can vary quite a bit. However, symptoms to look out for include diarrhea, vomiting, fatigue, and weight loss. A good example of how general the symptoms are is diarrhea, which can signal a variety of illnesses. The vagueness of symptoms is why it's important to pay attention to your cat's general healthy and to get your cat checked by a vet, who can perform a clinical examination and draw up a list of possible causes. Also, the symptoms will vary depending on what type of lymphoma the cat has. When the lymphocytes flood different areas and organs, the results differ greatly. Most affected cats fall into the 10-12 year old age bracket, but others occur outside this range. This means that if your cat is having these general symptoms of illness, and it is also old, the likelihood that the symptoms are caused by lymphosarcoma are greater. Check your cat's lymph nodes. Enlarged lymph nodes are a symptom of lymphosarcoma. The nodes become swollen and easy to feel. These exist in pairs (one gland on the left and one of the right of the body) in a mirror image of each other. The easiest to feel are the submandibular (in the angle of the jaw) prescapular (in front of the shoulder blades) axillary (in the armpit) inguinal (in the groin) and popliteal (behind the knee). These glands are usually not easy to find and unless you are a trained veterinary professional. They can vary in size from a small quail's eggs to golf ball sized. Keep an eye on your cat's weight. Make sure that it stays relatively steady. Weight loss is one symptom of lymphosarcoma, although it can signal a variety of illnesses. This is because the cat loses its appetite as a result of feeling unwell, not because of the specific disease. Even if your cat has lost its appetite, it may have an increased thirst. Cancer can change levels of certain minerals in the blood stream, which can cause the cat to be thirsty. Look for vomiting or diarrhea. This can arise in any form of lymphosarcoma, but most commonly with lymphoma in the gut. This is due to the fact that the gut has a reduced ability to absorb the nutrition from food. The vomiting and diarrhea associated with lymphosarcoma is the same as vomiting and diarrhea associated with a wide variety of illnesses. Because of this, get your cat looked at by a veterinary professional if it has these symptoms. The cat could have a simple intestinal bug or may be very ill and your veterinarian is the best person to assess this. Keep track of your cat's activity level. Assess whether your cat is acting normally or whether it is acting strangely. Decreased activity, such as the cat being lethargic, lacking energy, and seeming unwell, can be a symptom of lymphosarcoma. This can also show itself through lack of grooming activity, so the cat's coat becomes dull looking and unkempt. Be concerned if your cat is having difficulty breathing. Lymphosarcoma can get into the lungs and make it very difficult for a cat to breath. The cat may take rapid shallow breaths. The cat may also change the way it sits or lays if it is having difficulty breathing. For example, it may not want to curl up but instead rest with its head and neck extended in order to make it easier to breath. Take your cat to a veterinarian. If you suspect that your cat is ill and you are not sure what it causing it, get the cat looked at by a veterinary professional. Lymphosarcoma has similar symptoms to a wide variety of illnesses, so its best to let your veterinarian know about your cat's symptoms and let the vet sort out a diagnosis. Your veterinarian will give the cat a general examination and assess its general health first. Then he or she will proceed with assessment of the illness. Confer with your veterinarian about options for testing. After a clinical examination, the vet will decide which are the most appropriate tests to run. If you are concerned about cost, feel free to discuss with the vet the costs of certain tests. A screening blood test is required in order to check on the cat's overall health and the impact the suspected lymphoma is having on organ function. The vet will also want to know if the cat is vaccinated against FeLV or not. The vaccination protects against certain forms of this cancer. The cat will also be screened for FeLV and FIV. While positive tests increase the chance of lymphoma, a negative test does not rule out lymphoma. The key diagnostic tool is examining cells from the swollen lymph node under a microscope. This can either be done by the vet taking a biopsy, or in some cases when the external lymph nodes are swollen it is possible to reach a diagnosis based on a fine needle aspirate. This is when the vet harvests a sample through a hypodermic needle and sprays the cells onto a microscope slide. When a pathologists looks at those cells under the microscope they can identify the type as lymphocytes and confirm they are present in abnormal numbers. It is also important to work out if other organs are affected, so the vet will probably want to complete a scan of the internal organs included liver, spleen, and kidneys. Discuss the diagnosis with your veterinarian. Diagnosis can be difficult with certain forms of lymphosarcoma and you and your veterinarian should discuss this difficulty. The most common form of lymphoma affects the gut, with the bowel wall becoming flooded with lymphocytes. This can be more difficult to diagnose as the thickening is internal and signs of a problem tend to be nonspecific, such as vomiting or diarrhea, and can be caused by any number of problems. This is known as alimentary lymphoma. A rarer form of lymphoma affects a lymph gland inside the chest, which sits centrally between the right and left lungs. This is known as mediastinal lymphoma. Older cats can be prone to lymphoma affecting the kidneys and this is known as renal lymphoma. The alimentary, renal, or intestinal forms can be difficult to diagnose because the swelling is internal. The vet will perform an ultrasound exam and attempt an ultrasound guided biopsy or to harvest a fine needle aspirate using the ultrasound to guide the needle placement. The easiest to diagnose is when the lymphocytes accumulate in lymph nodes. This is because these are located external to the body cavities and are easy to feel when they are enlarged. This is known as multicentric lymphoma. Follow your veterinarian's suggestions for treatment. Treatment usually involves chemotherapy. However, surgical removal of a discrete intestinal mass may be possible. These treatment options can cost quite a bit, so you should discuss the cost before scheduling the surgery. Even with treatment, lymphosarcoma is not usually curable. Treatment can extend your cat's life for months, or even years, but does not usually eliminate the condition all together. Consider getting pet insurance while your cat is in good health. This will help to offset the cost of expensive medical treatments, such as this.
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Pay attention to the signs of general illness. Check your cat's lymph nodes. Keep an eye on your cat's weight. Look for vomiting or diarrhea. Keep track of your cat's activity level. Be concerned if your cat is having difficulty breathing. Take your cat to a veterinarian. Confer with your veterinarian about options for testing. Discuss the diagnosis with your veterinarian. Follow your veterinarian's suggestions for treatment.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Resolve-Cat-Litter-Tray-Issues
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How to Resolve Cat Litter Tray Issues
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To resolve cat litter tray issues, start by making sure that the it's in a quiet, low-traffic area, since cats won't eliminate where they don't have enough privacy. Additionally, keep the litter box away from its water and food because cats don't like to eliminate near where they eat and drink. You can also place the tray where your cat is currently eliminating as your cat is already comfortable using this area. While the location of the tray is important, you should also make sure it's easy for your cat to climb in and out of, especially if it has mobility issues. Since cats can be particular about cleanliness, scoop out and change the litter on a daily basis and give the entire tray a thorough cleaning once a week.
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Change the location of the litterbox. For every litter tray issue, there is a solution. You may think your cat's litter tray is in the perfect location, but your cat may think otherwise. If you placed it somewhere far away or unpleasant, like behind a noisy appliance or way down in the basement where she your cat can't easily access it, she will avoid it. She'll also stay away if the litter tray is in a high-traffic area where she won't have adequate privacy. Move the litter tray to where she is currently eliminating, since that location is clearly her preference. After about a month, move the box—literally inch by inch—to an area that's more appropriate. Your cat may not be using the litter tray because it's close to her food and water—she does not want to eliminate where she eats and drinks. Move the litter tray as far away from the food and water bowls as possible. Ideally, the location for her litter tray should be in a private, low-traffic area that is easily accessible to her (but not children or other pets). If she hears someone coming, she should be able to exit the area quickly. If your cat has mobility issues, or is incontinent, move the litter tray closer to an area where she frequents. Make the litter tray easier for your cat to climb into and out of. This is especially important if you have an old, arthritic, or injured cat who has mobility issues. Find a litter tray that has low sides. If purchasing a new litter tray is not practical for you, you could try cutting the sides of the litter tray you have to make the entrance lower for your cat. Covered litter trays, while adding privacy, can be challenging for a cat with limited mobility to use. If you have a small cat, you may need to purchase a smaller litter tray. Similarly, a larger cat will need a roomier litter tray. Increase the number of litter trays. If you have a multi-cat household, an insufficient number of litter trays could cause one cat to get bullied away from the available trays. Now you have two problems: inappropriate elimination and stress. To address these problems, have one tray per cat, plus one extra. Each litter tray should be placed in a different location, ideally in a different room. To help the bullied cat feel less stressed, place her tray in the area where she spends most of her time. Consider putting litter trays on each level of your home, if applicable. Change your cat’s litter. Although humans might like deodorized litter with the sweet smell of lavender, your cat's sensitive sense of smell might have her thinking the complete opposite. Any litter with a strong scent has the potential to put off a cat from using it. If you are currently putting scented litter in her litter tray, switch to an unscented litter. The type of substrate is also important. Some cats prefer grass or dirt, similar to what they would use outdoors. Other cats may prefer smooth or soft surfaces, like bedding or carpeting. Some cats prefer non-clumping litter, since clumping litter can get caught between their paws and claws. Consider leaving out multiple litter trays, each with a different litter type, so your cat can choose which one she prefers. If you switch litters, due so slowly. Any change can cause your cat to feel stress, which itself can cause litter tray issues. Whichever litter type you choose, put only 1 to 2 inches of litter into the tray. Any more than that, and your cat could have trouble maneuvering within the litter to eliminate. Clean your cat’s litter tray regularly. Your cat may be avoiding her litter tray because the litter is too dirty. In fact, she may be eliminating somewhere else because that location is cleaner than her litter tray. If this is the case, establish a more frequent cleaning schedule for her litter tray. Scoop out and change the litter on a daily basis, and give the entire tray a thorough cleaning with baking soda and unscented soap once a week. Daily litter scoops and changes are especially important if you are using clumping litter. Self-cleaning litter trays are also available. Litter tray liners help keep litter trays clean, but not all cats like them. You may want to wear a mask so you don't breathe in the dust from the litter. Keep in mind that the paws that walk in the litter tray are going to be on your lap soon. Reduce your cat’s stress. Since stress can lead to litter tray issues, try to identify and remove potential stressors in your cat's environment. For example, keep her routine as steady as possible. Other ways to reduce her stress include keeping her food and water bowls full and in the same place and closing blinds and windows to block her sight of outside cats. If your cat is stressed because of conflicts with your other cats, give each cat her own resting area and make sure each cat has her own supply of toys and scratching posts. Treat your cat’s underlying medical problem. If your veterinarian has identified a disease that's causing the litter tray issues, then treating that disease will resolve (or at least reduce) the issues. For example, if your cat has a urinary tract problem, your veterinary may prescribe antibiotics or other medications to treat the condition. For mobility issues like arthritis, your cat may need medications to relieve pain and inflammation. Some diseases, like a urinary tract infection, are easily treatable. However, other conditions like kidney failure or diabetes require long-term management. Even after treating the underlying medical condition, your cat may not immediately go back to using the tray. This may be because she has a negative association with the litter tray—she may associate the pain of her medical condition with the litter tray. Clean the area where your cat is eliminating. As you can see, resolving your cat's litter tray issues takes a lot of work. After all of that effort, you would not want your cat slipping back into old habits by revisiting the area of inappropriate elimination. To make this area undesirable, clean it thoroughly with an enzymatic cleaner that is specific for removing pet odors. Enzymatic cleaners are available at your local pet store. Do not use an ammonia-containing cleaner. The ammonia could actually attract your cat back to the area. It may take multiple cleanings to remove your cat's odor from the area. Make the surface unpleasant for your cat to stand on. To discourage your cat from going back to her old elimination spot, make it difficult or uncomfortable for her to find her footing on that area's surface. Place double-sided tape on the floor. You can also put tinfoil or upside-down carpet runners in the area. If your cat can't get comfortable, then she won't go back to that spot to eliminate. Put other objects in that area. Your cat will probably want to eliminate in an area that does not have any of her other creature comforts nearby. To make the area of inappropriate elimination more undesirable to your cat, place a food bowl or water bowl in that spot. You could also place her bed or toys in the area to discourage her from eliminating there. Refrain from physically abusing your cat. You may be frustrated with your cat when she eliminates outside of her litter tray, but you should never physically punish her. Physical punishment includes rubbing her nose in her urine or feces and dragging her to her litter tray. This type of negative reinforcement will not correct her behavior, and will make her more fearful of you and stressed. Remember your cat's perspective: it is stressful for her that she can't use the litter tray, especially if a medical problem is keeping her from doing so. Do not make her stress and suffering worse by punishing her. Do not scold or yell at your cat. Do not confine your cat with her litter tray. You may think that keeping your cat in a small, enclosed room with a litter tray will encourage her to use it. Without addressing the underlying problem of why she is not using the tray, confining her in a room with it will not solve the problem. Do your due diligence to identify and address the underlying problem. Do not use treats to entice your cat to use the litter tray. If your cat has developed some type of aversion to her litter tray, treats will not make it look more appealing to her. She will not want to be disturbed, much less eat, when she is trying to eliminate. Making the litter tray more appealing in general (e.g., adequate privacy, comfortable litter, low entrance) will be more effective than enticing her with treats.
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Change the location of the litterbox. Make the litter tray easier for your cat to climb into and out of. Increase the number of litter trays. Change your cat’s litter. Clean your cat’s litter tray regularly. Reduce your cat’s stress. Treat your cat’s underlying medical problem. Clean the area where your cat is eliminating. Make the surface unpleasant for your cat to stand on. Put other objects in that area. Refrain from physically abusing your cat. Do not confine your cat with her litter tray. Do not use treats to entice your cat to use the litter tray.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Recover-Your-Voice-After-Losing-It
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How to Recover Your Voice After Losing It
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To recover your voice after losing it, gargle warm salt water 4 times a day, but do not swallow it. Steam may also help your throat, so hold your face over a bowl of boiling water for about 5 minutes twice a day. If you like, you can add soothing essential oils like lavender or peppermint to the water. You should also rest your voice as much as possible, so try not to talk at all for 2-3 days. In addition, don't smoke, and avoid acidic foods, as these can irritate your vocal cords more.
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Drink plenty of water. The best thing to do for your achy vocal chords is to drink water. Nothing on the entire Earth is better for you than good ol' H2O. Keep it at room temperature to avoid shocking your throat with the freezing or burning liquid. You shouldn't be chugging the stuff like it's your job. Your body is very good at telling you when you're thirsty, so do not ignore it. Drink regularly, but sensibly. Not only will it help restore your voice, but it's good for your body, your digestive system, your skin, your weight, your energy levels, and just about everything in between. Gargle salt water. Four times a day, heat up a glass of water in the microwave (until it's very warm, but not hot) and dissolve a tablespoon of salt in it. Gargle the entire thing. This helps deal with the mucus in your throat. Don't worry about the taste -- you aren't swallowing it. In fact, if your throat is a bit sore, you'll probably find it comforting. Consider drinking teas with honey and lemon. There are two sides to the story here: Some people believe that tea (especially chamomile with honey and lemon) is a great vocal soother. It's been used for decades in this manner. However, know that acid is bad for your epithelial tissue (the stuff that makes up your vocal folds) and both tea and lemon are acidic. What's your verdict? There's nothing wrong with honey, however. Another common (but less common) method is a spoonful of honey straight. What a great excuse to get your honey on! Next up they'll be saying spoonfuls of Nutella. Hang your head over steam for five minutes twice a day. Steam can increase the moisture in your throat. It's the same reason you see divas wearing scarves when they're sick -- it's for the idea that heat is good for the throat. Boiling water is an easy way to create steam. Put a towel over your head and the pot with hot water so you get a good amount of steam. Try adding some essential oils if you want. You could hang around the humidifier, too. Or, turn the shower on hot, plug the drain, turn off the fan and breathe deep. (Please use water responsibly, especially when in a drought). Use lozenges. Many singers are on the slippery elm bandwagon (sounds kind of funny if you've never heard of it), but the official scientific verdict is still out. Slippery elm lozenges have great reviews, but there's no science to back up why they work. It could be a placebo effect. Even if there's no math behind it, at the very least they're not harmful. Lozenges in general will offer some form of temporary relief. Give your hoarse voice a break. The best thing you can do is to not talk at all for a couple of days. Vocal rest is necessary for your epithelial tissue to repair. Silence, after all, is golden. If you have to communicate with someone, pass notes instead of whispering. Whispering can cause your vocal cords to bang together as strongly as if you were shouting. Passing notes can also be fun, if you draw pictures or make the receiver decode the message! If you have a job which requires you to raise your voice to be heard, use mechanical means to make yourself louder. Chew gum or suck on lozenges so that you will have no choice but to keep your mouth closed. It will also improve production of saliva. Breathe through your nose. Hopefully you figured this out when you were told not to talk and keep your mouth closed. How else would you breathe, but through your nose? Breathing through your mouth makes it dry, so hopefully you don't have a stuffy nose and can still breath somehow! Don't take aspirin under any circumstances. If one of the reasons you might have lost your voice because you yelled too loudly, you probably ruptured a capillary. Aspirin can reduce clotting and cause excess bleeding which can impede the healing process. There are other ways to relieve pain if your throat is scratchy. We'll get to those in the next section. Don't smoke. Big duh, right? In case you've been living under a rock, smoking is a cause of throat dryness, in addition to many other negative health consequences. Smoking could be the cause of your voice changing. After all, your lungs are using smoke to produce sound. What do you expect? Quit smoking and you may see an immediate improvement. Avoid acidic foods. Foods like tomatoes, chocolate, and citrus fruits are highly acidic; that acid tears away at the tissue in your vocal folds. To be most comfortable with your hurt throat, it's best to avoid this as much as possible. Spicy foods aren't super good for your voice, either. Anything that causes a reaction should be avoided. (That's why water is so ridiculously good for you -- it's au natural.) See a doctor if your voice doesn't come back within 2 or 3 days. If you rocked out at a concert a little too hard last night, it's perfectly normal to lose your voice the next day. But if you randomly lose your voice with no other symptoms, it's probably the sign of a bigger problem. Consult your doctor for further guidance. Treat other issues. If you're battling a fierce cold, it doesn't make sense to tackle your voice -- hit your immune system first and your voice will fall into place. If you're experiencing other symptoms, address those first. It may solve your problem. Take it slow. Even if your voice is getting better, keep up your voice-healthy habits. Think of it as completing a course of antibiotics; even if you feel good after the first few days, you still have to take the rest. Keeping it up will ensure you reach 100% and stay there. It's commonly believed that dairy will increase mucus production, but there's no scientific evidence to support this. Nevertheless, it is possible that milk may coat your throat in a way that causes you to feel as though it's thickened the phlegm already there. You may opt to stay away from dairy during recovery, but if it isn't contributing to feelings of increased irritation, it isn't necessary.
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Drink plenty of water. Gargle salt water. Consider drinking teas with honey and lemon. Hang your head over steam for five minutes twice a day. Use lozenges. Give your hoarse voice a break. Breathe through your nose. Don't take aspirin under any circumstances. Don't smoke. Avoid acidic foods. See a doctor if your voice doesn't come back within 2 or 3 days. Treat other issues. Take it slow.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Filter-Wine
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How to Filter Wine
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To filter wine, start by getting a gravity flow filter, which is the least expensive method. First, affix a filter pad to the intake tube, which you'll want to position below the barrel or storage unit. Next, attach the outtake tube to the release on the barrel or storage unit and prepare a bottle for the wine to flow into at the other end of the filter pad. Then, open the release on the barrel or storage unit to allow the wine to flow toward the filter pad and trickle into the bottle.
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Obtain a gravity flow filter. This method of filtering is the cheapest of all the filtration methods. It works by connecting the filter body, containing a filter pad, with a siphon tube. The siphon tube pushes the wine through the filter. This is the cheapest method, but it is also the slowest. The slowness of this process also causes the filter pads to collect yeast and other particles from the wine. Buy extra filtration pads. The wine is forced through the filter pads. There are three different grades of filter pads. Coarse filter pad. This type of pad adds polish to the wine without losing body or color. Polish/medium filter pads. This is the type of pad that winemakers most commonly use. It adds polish to wine without removing too much body or color. Sterile/fine pads. This type of pad should be used last after the other two pads. The greatest amount of yeast is removed with this pad. It also helps remove the effects of oxidation in your wine. Affix the filter pad to the intake tube. Make sure to affix any other attachments to the intake siphon tube. Position this below the barrel or storage unit. Attach the outtake tube. Fasten the outtake siphon tube to the release on the barrel or storage unit. Prepare a bottle for the wine to flow into at the other end of the filter pad. Make sure that the system is hooked up properly, and the filtration plates are set up right to prevent leakage. Complete any steps in the winemaking process, except cold stabilization, before filtering. Your wine should be in the barrel or storage unit and ready to be bottled prior to beginning gravity flow filtration. Sterilize your filtration system before using. Open the release on the barrel or storage unit. Wine should begin to flow towards the filter pad where it will slow down and trickle through to the bottle. Replace the bottle with an empty one as it fills. This method is best if you are dealing with one or two gallons of wine at a time. Allow 45 minutes to an hour to filter one gallon of wine. Observe the buildup of particles on the filter pad. This type of system produces a coarser filtration. For a finer filtration, you will need a mechanical filtration system. As wine begins to get stopped up behind the pad, tilt the siphon tube back toward the barrel or storage unit, remove the filter pad, and replace it with a new one. Clean the filtration system. Use water and sulfite solution. Rinse thoroughly with water. Purchase a hand pump system. This system requires two people to operate. One person is needed to steady and pump, and the other person is needed to switch bottles. It works by pumping the system to push the wine through the tubing to the filtration system. This method is faster than using a gravity filtration system. Buy extra filtration pads. The wine is forced through the filter pads. There are three different grades of filter pads. Coarse filter pad. A coarse pad adds polish to the wine without losing body or color. Polish/medium filter pads. This is the type of pad used by winemakers. It adds polish to wine without removing too much body or color. Sterile/fine pads. Use this pad last. 80% of yeast is removed with this pad. A fine pad also removes the effects of oxidation in your wine. Connect the outtake tube pump to the barrel or storage. Affix the outtake siphon tube to an empty bottle. Open the release on the barrel or storage unit. Make sure to sterilize your equipment before using. Have one person operate the pump while another steadies the tube on the bottle, switching out bottles as necessary. Observe the build-up of particles on the filter pad. As wine begins to get stopped up behind the pad, cease pumping and replace the pad with a new one. Purchase filtration powder. Apply the process of powder filtration by adding the powder to the wine in small doses. Continue to add powder in small amounts to the wine as you push it through the filtration system. Powder filtration works by forming a cake along the filter pad with the filtration powder, allowing the pad to filter out very fine particles. Replace your filtration pad constantly. Never reuse pads. Clean your system. Clean it with water and sulfite solution. Rinse once more with water. Buy any type of powered pump filtration system. This is the fastest, most efficient, and most expensive filtration systems. It works by either by creating a vacuum that pulls the wine through the filter, or a powered mechanical pump pushes wine through the filter. This filtration system is best if you want to filter high volumes of wine. This type of system produces the finest filtration. Purchase filtration pads. The wine is forced through the filter pads. The three grades of filter pads are: Coarse filter pad. A coarse pad adds polish to the wine without losing body or color. Polish/medium filter pads. This is the pad that winemakers most use. A medium pad adds polish to wine without removing too much body or color. Sterile/fine pads. This is the last type of pad you should use. The greatest amount of yeast is removed with this pad. It also helps remove the effects of oxidation in your wine. Assemble your system. Put together your system according to the instructions specific to the brand of filter you purchased. A powered pump system is the easiest type of filtration system to work. Once it's put together, you just need to plug it in. Attach the tubes to your system. Attach the intake tube to your barrel or storage unit that is already holding the wine. Attach the outtake tube to the empty storage unit. Next, all that is left to do is turn on your system. This type of system can filter one gallon per minute to one gallon per ten minutes, depending on the system. Clean your system. Wash it with water and sulfite solution. Rinse with water once more after cleaning.
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Obtain a gravity flow filter. Buy extra filtration pads. Affix the filter pad to the intake tube. Attach the outtake tube. Open the release on the barrel or storage unit. Replace the bottle with an empty one as it fills. Observe the buildup of particles on the filter pad. Clean the filtration system. Purchase a hand pump system. Buy extra filtration pads. Connect the outtake tube pump to the barrel or storage. Observe the build-up of particles on the filter pad. Purchase filtration powder. Clean your system. Buy any type of powered pump filtration system. Purchase filtration pads. Assemble your system. Attach the tubes to your system. Clean your system.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Look-Good-for-School
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How to Look Good for School
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By taking a little extra time to look good for school, you'll feel more confident around your friends. Pack your bag with your books and homework the night before so you have more time in the morning to get ready. You should also choose your outfit the night before so you're not scrambling for whatever you can find in the morning. When you wake up, take a shower and brush your teeth to maintain good hygiene, which is essential if you want to look your best. You can easily add a touch of style to your outfit with some basic makeup or a new hairstyle. For example, straighten your hair or apply some lip gloss.
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Take a shower. Good hygiene is essential to look healthy and nice, if you're going to school, going to the movies, or even just going to church. You can either take a shower the night before or in the morning , but if you take a shower at night, you have a few more minutes of sleep in the morning. You don't have to wash your hair every day. People with drier, coarser, thicker hair can get away with showering it once or twice a week. But do wash your body every day to stay smelling fresh, especially if you regularly exercise. Collect what you need for school. Put everything you need in your bookbag the night before. This way you can concentrate on very looking good in the morning and don't have to worry about running around finding your books and homework. If you have to bring a lunch tomorrow, prepare it the night before, too. But don't put that in your backpack – you can keep that in the fridge. If there's something that has to be left out (say an art project that has to finish drying), make yourself a note and leave it on top of your backpack to remind yourself in the morning that it hasn't been packed yet. Pick out what you want to wear. Find an item that you really like such as a shirt, shoes, a belt, a necklace, or even socks. Center your outfit around that item, and piece it together to make it look good. Hang it in a special place or leave it close to your bed. When you wake up, you don't have to rush picking out an outfit in the morning. If you wear a uniform, make sure it is ironed and hung up in your closet. You do not want your clothes to look wrinkled and worn. Get a sufficient amount of sleep. You should get at least eight hours of sleep every night so you look good and get good grades. Plan your day out so you can get a full night of sleep. Everybody needs a different amount of sleep, but most people fall into the 7 to 10-hour category. In fact, the average teen needs a whopping 9 1/4 hours of sleep to feel rested. Aim for that number as much as possible. Wake up on time. Resist the urge to snooze for just a few more minutes. Instead, go to the restroom and splash some water on your face to wake you up In fact, recent research says that hitting the snooze button can make you more tired. Avoid it if you can – it'll make you run late anyway. Give yourself 5 or 10 minutes more than what you think you need. This way if you're running behind, you're still on time. It's the worst feeling to be rushed in the morning and feel like you don't have enough time to do what you need to get done. Brushand floss your teeth . Brush your bottom and top teeth in a circular or up and down motion for a solid minute. Don't forget to brush your tongue to prevent bad breath, too. Flossing and mouthwash not only kill bacteria, but they keep your breath smelling good for longer, too. If you eat breakfast early, consider gargling with mouthwash afterward to be extra fresh for school. If you have acne-prone or oily skin, wash your face with a mild cleanser every morning. To spot-treat and cover your new breakouts, use a concealer that is made specially to hide and diminish acne. Experiment with how often you need to wash your face. For some people, two or three times is helpful. For others, once is as often as they can without drying out their faces. Also, only use oil-free skin products. Coconut, olive, and tea tree are the three oils that will help your skin. The rest, like mineral, will clog your pores and cause you to break out. Begin your beauty routine. This could be showering, shaving, applying deodorant, lotion and/or perfume – whatever your routine is. Maybe brushing your hair, applying a little lip gloss? It doesn't have to be anything fancy. Try to keep everything to a minimum – natural is always best. This goes for everything from hair gel to eyeliner. Especially for school – save the crazy beauty routines for going out at night. Get dressed. Good thing you have that outfit all ready! Now all you have to do is slip it on and you're set! Take a look in the mirror to make sure you weren't going crazy the night before. Does your outfit look as good as you thought it would? Excellent. Style your hair. Do you have gym class today? Then it might be best just to brush your hair and do something basic with it. If it's a lazier day, take the time to straighten or curl it. If you want straight hair, dry your hair while combing it with a flat brush. You may want to actually straighten it with a thermal spray and a flat iron, also. If you want curly hair , skip the blow dryer, put some curling gel in your hair, and scrunch. You could also try "plopping" your hair , which will dry it sufficiently and curl it at the same time. Eat breakfast. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. It should be something substantial, like eggs or ham (in other words, not a doughnut). It will give you the energy you need for the day. If you don't have the time, grab something (like a cup of yogurt or a handful of trail mix) on the way out. Apply a few touches of makeup if desired. Most girls look best with a natural look – a bit of concealer, blush, mascara, and a touch of lipgloss. If you're worried about not wearing enough, bring those pieces with you so you can reapply at lunchtime. This could be part of your beauty routine, too, but the later you do it, the longer it'll last at school. If nothing else, just reapply some lip gloss and you're good to go. Accessorize. Don't forget to pick a few pieces to add to your outfit. However, stick to a couple of main colors and an accent color – you don't want to look like a clown with a lot of colors. The rule is to put everything on and then take one thing off. Alternatively, stick to the either/or rule. You can either wear a necklace or a bracelet, for example. Wearing too many accessories easily becomes overkill. They distract from each other, too. If you're wearing just a necklace, it'll pop more than if you're wearing a necklace, earrings, and a bracelet. Do one last check before you head out the door. Is everything in your backpack? How's the hair? Matching socks? Do you have extra clothes for gym? A sweater if it gets cold? A hair tie? Headphones? Check, check, and check? Then you're ready and looking good, for sure. If looking good is a top priority for you, keep a small bag in your backpack full of supplies. A brush, a small bottle of hair gel/spray, and anything else you think you may need. Match the color of your clothes. Pay close attention to your outfit's color scheme. Neutral colors like black, white, tan, and grey go with anything. Neutral colored clothes should be your bread and butter. Also, as a rule of thumb, primary colors (red, blue, and yellow) and complementary colors (orange and blue, green and red etc...) always go well together. Nearby colors like indigo and purple harmonize nicely too. Mix and match colors until you find an outfit that pleases the eye. Remember to match the color of your shoes to the color of your outfit. Blue jeans match everything. If you're feeling daring, try an eye-catching monochrome look like an all red outfit. Buy clothes that fit your body type. The easiest way to look good is to wear well-fitted clothes. Your clothes shouldn't be baggy or skin-tight. They should flatter your body type. There's no need to guess. Measure your pant size and remember it. Try on clothes before you buy them. A medium in one brand may be a large in another. If you can, avoid ordering online so you're certain of the fit. Match the quality of your clothes. If you're wearing a fancy button-down shirt, try to match it with nice khakis. Avoid sneakers with a classy outfit and go for something more like black, leather loafers. Similarly, if you want to go with something more casual, make sure you whole outfit is casual. All your clothes should work together. Or in other words, nothing should stand out. Accessorize appropriately. Depending on your school's dress code, add necklaces, bracelets, belts, sunglasses etc... into the mix. This adds depth to your look. If you're wearing neutral colors, use your accessory as an accent. A bright blue necklace or red shoelaces can bring otherwise drab clothing to life. Don't overdo it. Too many accessories can make it look like you're trying too hard. Aim for one or two matching accessories per outfit. Don't over match your accessories. If you're wearing a mainly blue outfit, avoid blue accessories. You can match the color of your accessory to one of the understated colors of your outfit. A hint of red on your shirt and red earrings go very well together. Accessories are a good way to express yourself. A crazy scarf or unique hat makes for an intriguing look. Keep your outfit simple. If you wear orange stripes and green polka dots with two different jackets, your look is too loud. It's better to err on the side of simple and elegant than complex and busy. From there, you can accent your outfit with trendy shoes, bright accessories, or an interesting hairdo. On the other hand, if you just wear a t-shirt and jeans every day your style will get old. Try to find a reasonable middle ground. If you're a girl, wear jeans or leggings with a casual blouse or nice t-shirt. Mix in the occasional sundress and skirt for variety. Accessories are essential. Pay close attention to how your accessories and shoes interact with your outfit. Play around with your accessories until you find combinations that work. Match your necklace to the length of your neckline. Jean shorts and tank tops are a fashionable look for girls. Make sure you comply with your school's dress code, though. Layer with jackets and undershirts to add more color and depth to your outfit. Sweaters generally look great on girls. Apply a light layer of makeup. Makeup is a good way to bring out the natural beauty in your face. Other than your lipstick, makeup shouldn't be noticeable. If you're a boy, wear collared shirts like polo and button-downs. Styles change, but collared shirts will always look good on boys. You can match easily with blue jeans and a light jacket. Wear a nice belt and matching shoes to round out your style. T-shirts are a basic but perfectly acceptable look. You can experiment more with colors once it's warmer and you can wear shorts. Colored and patterned shorts are very fashionable, especially if they match your outfit. When it's colder, layer with a light jacket, overcoat, hat, and scarf. Make sure all those elements are working together. Sweaters are a timeless look for boys too. Mix it up. Don't wear the same clothes every day. Change your style and adapt to fashion trends. Using these general rules, play with your outfits and create a style all your own! Always fold and hang your clothes. Wrinkled clothes don't make for a good look. Crisp and smooth clothing is far more fashionable. If you take the time to properly store your clothes, you'll instantly look better dressed. Nicer clothes like button-downs and blouses should be ironed before they're worn. Organize your wardrobe to make putting together an outfit quick and easy. Wash your clothes regularly. It doesn't matter how good your hygiene is; if your clothes smell bad, you'll smell bad too. Don't wear t-shirts more than once, and only wear pants that you know aren't dirty. Use a scented detergent so your clothes naturally smell good. Though if you have eczema or chemical sensitivities, avoid fragrances and scents as they can irritate skin. Maintain your clothes throughout the day. It's a good idea to carry around a lint roller and instant stain remover. Be careful not to spill on white clothes. If you have P.E. or an outdoor field trip, bring a change of clothes. Keep your shoes clean. Your shoes aren't just functional. They're an important part of your outfit. You can clean your shoes when they start to get brown, and if you can't see their original color anymore, it's time to buy new shoes. Be careful not to wear white shoes in grass or mud. If it's raining, wear boots or shoes you don't mind getting dirty. If your school has a uniform, make sure yours stays in top condition. Take care of your uniform by washing it and ironing it frequently. Keep it away from any pets and keep it dry if it's raining. You have less room to express your style with a uniform, but you can still make differentiate yourself with accessories and unique hair style. Wash and care for your hair every day. Find a shampoo and conditioner that's right for you. Wash it daily to maintain healthy hair. Then, brush and comb your hair how you like it. Blow dry your hair if it's long. Style your hair. Do some research on hair styles and find one that suits your tastes and your hair type. You aren't stuck with the style you have. Put some thought into your hair and make it look how you want it. Find a quality hair salon nearby. Ask the stylist's advice and build a relationship with them. Specific hair cuts are better than generic ones. For girls, hair ties and braids are your friend. You don't have time to do your hair up every day. Put your hair in a bun or ponytail for an easy hair style. For boys, short buzz cuts are safe. If you grow it out, make sure to comb and part your hair appropriately. Work out. Exercise three or four times a week. If you aren't on a sports team, make time for physical activity. This will help you maintain a healthy body type. You don't have to go to the gym to stay in shape. Go for a bike ride. Try yoga. Play basketball with your friends. Don't stress about your body type. A healthy lifestyle and consistent physical activity will get you the body you want. Apply lotion to maintain healthy skin. Know your skin type. If you have oily skin, use an oil-free moisturizer. If you have dry skin, use moisturizer rich in essential oils to revitalize it. A little attention to your skin can go a long way. Shower every day. Wake up early and use the morning for hygiene. You should wash your hair thoroughly and clean your whole body with soap or body wash. If you have facial hair or excessive leg hair, you can also shave in the shower. If you have longer hair you should condition it too. You can also shower at night before bed. Wash your face to maintain healthy skin. After a hot shower, your pores open up. This is the perfect time to wash your face. Apply a gentle face soap to clean your skin. Then, dry your face with a soft towel. If you have acne problems, make sure your face wash fights acne and oil too. Brush your teeth at least twice a day. White teeth and fresh breath are central to your cleanliness. Make sure to brush for at least two minutes and floss once a day. It's a good idea to carry breath mints or gum to freshen up during the school day. Mouthwash helps too. Use deodorant or perfume. Not only should you smell clean, you should actively smell pleasant. Before you leave for school, put on the deodorant or perfume of your choice. Don't put too much on or it will be overpowering. If you have the tendency to sweat, make sure your deodorant is an antiperspirant too.
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Collect what you need for school. Pick out what you want to wear. Get a sufficient amount of sleep. Brushand floss your teeth If you have acne-prone or oily skin, wash your face with a mild cleanser every morning. Begin your beauty routine. Get dressed. Style your hair. Eat breakfast. Apply a few touches of makeup if desired. Accessorize. Do one last check before you head out the door. Match the color of your clothes. Buy clothes that fit your body type. Match the quality of your clothes. Accessorize appropriately. Keep your outfit simple. If you're a girl, wear jeans or leggings with a casual blouse or nice t-shirt. If you're a boy, wear collared shirts like polo and button-downs. Mix it up. Always fold and hang your clothes. Wash your clothes regularly. Maintain your clothes throughout the day. Keep your shoes clean. If your school has a uniform, make sure yours stays in top condition. Wash and care for your hair every day. Style your hair. Work out. Apply lotion to maintain healthy skin. Shower every day. Wash your face to maintain healthy skin. Brush your teeth at least twice a day. Use deodorant or perfume.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Safe-During-a-Landslide
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How to Be Safe During a Landslide
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Landslides happen when large amounts of wet debris, like rocks, earth, and trees, slide down a slope. If you notice your home warping, roads sinking, or hear a faint rumbling sound getting louder, one may be approaching and you should get to safety immediately. If it's safe, leave your house and bring emergency supplies with you, like food, water, and a first aid kit. Just be sure to avoid dangerous areas like flooded streams and collapsed pavement. If it's not safe to leave, get to the top story of your house. Curl up into a ball and protect your head with your hands. Once the landslide has passed, listen to a radio for instructions from the authorities. Likely, there will be a designated public shelter you can take refuge in. If possible, try to get help for any neighbors that may be hurt or stranded.
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Keep yourself alert and awake. Landslides can occur quite suddenly, so you need to be ready to take action at a moment's notice. Many landslide-related deaths occur while people are asleep. If you are with other people, work together to keep one another awake. Watch and listen for warning signs of a nearby landslide, including sounds of falling debris or changes in water clarity or flow. It is imperative that you familiarize yourself with landslide warning signs, especially if you live in an at-risk area. Keep reading to learn more about landslide warning signs in detail. Listen to a local news station for updates. Using a battery-powered radio or television, listen to your local news station for updates about the weather. Be alert to warnings about intense rainfall, which can trigger landslides. Evacuate if it is safe to do so. Sometimes, your local law enforcement will order an evacuation, but other times, they may not be aware of a landslide until it is too late. If you think a landslide is imminent and it is safe to leave, evacuate immediately. Contact your neighbors and your local police or fire department to warn them of danger. Be sure to bring your animals with you. Don't forget to bring your emergency kit, which contains essential items like food, water, and medication. You'll learn how to make one in a later section. Be cautious and alert while driving. If you need to drive to leave a dangerous area, proceed with caution. Beware of flooded roads, collapsed pavement, fallen debris, and washed-out bridges. DO NOT cross flooded streams--instead, turn around and try to find an alternative route. Move to a second story, if possible. If it isn't safe to leave the building, but you believe a landslide is imminent, move to the building's second story, if possible. Move out of the path of the landslide as quickly as you can. Landslides move very quickly--much faster than you can run or walk. Trying to outrun a landslide is futile. Instead, remove yourself as fast as you can from the path of the landslide. Before crossing any bridges, always look upstream to see if a landslide is approaching. If this is the case, do not cross the bridge and move out of the path of the landslide. Avoid river valleys and other low areas. These areas are especially dangerous when landslides are imminent, so stay away. Curl into a ball if you cannot escape. In some cases, you may not be able to escape. If you are trapped in the path of a landslide, curl up into a tight ball and protect your head. Go to a public shelter. Your local community should have a designated public shelter. Go to the shelter if your home is unsafe or the authorities have called for an evacuation. To find the shelter closest to you, text SHELTER + your ZIP code to 43362 (4FEMA). For example, if your zip code is 56789, you would text SHELTER 56789. Avoid the area where the landslide occurred. Landslides may recur in the same location. Avoid this area and seek shelter. Check for trapped and injured people. You should not enter the area where the landslide occurred. However, if you can see people who are trapped or injured in the area, notify the authorities immediately. Help neighbors who need special assistance. Infants, the disabled, and the elderly may experience extra difficulty in emergency situations. If it is safe to do so, help your neighbors with special needs. Remember that neighbors with large families may require additional assistance as well. Assess the area for damage and safety. Report any damaged utility lines, roadways, and railways to the authorities. If you are in a building, examine its foundation, chimney and surrounding land to determine if the structure is stable. If the area appears unsafe, leave immediately. Replant the affected area. Landslides often destroy vegetation. Without vegetation, the area is more susceptible to erosion and flash flooding, which can lead to another landslide. Replanting the affected area helps prevent future landslides. Talk to a geotechnical expert. If your property was damaged in the landslide, consider talking to a geotechnical expert to reduce landslide risk. The expert can evaluate your property and determine what modifications, if any, should be made to ensure your safety. Look for new areas of moisture. If you see springs or puddles in areas of the ground that are usually dry, this could be a sign of an imminent landslide. Look for warping in your home. Take note if your deck, patio, or concrete floors are tilting, pulling away from the building, or cracking. Sticking doors and windows could also indicate warping that precedes a landslide. Broken water lines or other utilities may also be a warning sign. Look for warping and movement in the surrounding area. Sunken roadbeds and leaning fences, telephone poles, and trees can signal an imminent landslide. Notice unusual sounds. A faint rumbling sound that gets louder and louder could indicate an approaching landslide. Sounds like cracking trees or scraping rocks may signal moving debris from a landslide. Monitor changing water levels. A sudden increase in creek water levels is a warning sign, as is a sudden decrease in water levels despite recent rain. If you live near a waterway, check the water's clarity. A change from clear to muddy could mean a landslide is imminent. Follow proper land-use procedures. Proper land use-procedures dictate that you should not build near mountain edges, steep slopes, or natural erosion valleys. These areas are prone to landslides. Contact local officials about past landslides. Landslides tend to happen in the same area where they have occurred before. Talk to local officials about landslides in your area. If you are in an at-risk area, consider getting a site analysis of your property. This will help you determine any necessary corrective measures. You should be especially attuned to landslide warning signs if you live in an at-risk area. Consider building retaining or deflection walls. Retaining walls, channels, and deflection walls can shield your property from landslide debris and divert debris flow. If you live in an area that is vulnerable to landslides, consult a professional to see what should be done. Beware—if your channels or deflection walls cause debris to flow into a neighbor's property, you may have to pay for damages. Talk to an insurance agent if your area is at risk. If your area is vulnerable to landslides, talk to an insurance agent to see if your insurance covers landslide-related damage. Although landslide insurance is not usually available, some flood insurance policies cover damage from landslide flows. Make an emergency kit. An emergency kit contains the essentials that your household will need during an emergency. Make your kit in advance so it is ready at a moment's notice. Your kit should contain enough food and water to last for at least 72 hours, as well as supplies like medications, flashlights, batteries, cell phones, copies of personal documents, and cash. Remember that landslides can cut off services like electricity, sewage treatment, gas, water, and telephones. Pack supplies in your kit that will allow you to deal with these outages. Choose food that is non-perishable and can be prepared during power outages. Pack any important items that would be difficult or impossible to replace. Discuss safety protocol in the event of a landslide. Talk to your family about the appropriate actions to take in order to stay safe during a landslide, especially if you live in a vulnerable area. Be sure to discuss evacuation procedures, as well as safe locations and areas to avoid. Understand how to get emergency alerts. Make sure everyone knows how to get emergency alerts from local officials, whether it be via phone, television, or radio. Talk to your local emergency management agency to see how alerts are delivered in your area. Don't forget to emphasize the importance of listening to the local news station for emergency updates in the event of a landslide! Collect family members’ contact information. Write down each family member's phone number, email, social media, medical facilities, and school or workplace. Having this information on hand will make it easier for family members to get in touch in the event of the landslide or other emergencies. Pick an emergency meeting place. In the event of a landslide or other emergency, choose a place where the family will meet to reunite. Select a location in your neighborhood and your town. Make sure everyone is aware of the location. Choose a location that is accessible for everyone in your family, particularly for members with disabilities. If you have pets, pick a pet-friendly area. You might choose to meet at a neighbor's house or your mailbox for your neighborhood location, and at a community center or a place of worship for your town location. Compile and share your plan. Compile contact information, landslide safety protocol, and your emergency meeting places on a single document. This is your emergency plan. Give every family member a copy and make sure they carry it with them at all times. Put a copy somewhere central in your home, like on the fridge. You may also want to make an emergency plan for your business. Practice your plan. Meet with your household periodically to review your plan and practice landslide safety protocol. This is important if you live in an area where landslides are common.
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Keep yourself alert and awake. Listen to a local news station for updates. Evacuate if it is safe to do so. Be cautious and alert while driving. Move to a second story, if possible. Move out of the path of the landslide as quickly as you can. Avoid river valleys and other low areas. Curl into a ball if you cannot escape. Go to a public shelter. Avoid the area where the landslide occurred. Check for trapped and injured people. Help neighbors who need special assistance. Assess the area for damage and safety. Replant the affected area. Talk to a geotechnical expert. Look for new areas of moisture. Look for warping in your home. Look for warping and movement in the surrounding area. Notice unusual sounds. Monitor changing water levels. Follow proper land-use procedures. Contact local officials about past landslides. Consider building retaining or deflection walls. Talk to an insurance agent if your area is at risk. Make an emergency kit. Discuss safety protocol in the event of a landslide. Understand how to get emergency alerts. Collect family members’ contact information. Pick an emergency meeting place. Compile and share your plan. Practice your plan.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Bat
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How to Draw a Bat
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To draw a bat, start by drawing a circle for the bat's head and an overlapping oval below it for the bat's body. Next, draw 2 small vertical ovals on either side of the circular head for the ears. Then, add a small oval at the center of the oval for the bat's snout. At the top part of the oval body, draw a stick framework of the bat's wings. You'll then want to add the bat's limbs using small, thin ovals for the legs and tail. Once your basic bat is complete, connect the wings framework by connecting the wings and the tail. Finally, add details to the bat's face.
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Draw a circle and an oval which overlap each other in the end of the circle. This will be for the bat's head and body respectively. You may want to tilt the figures depending on where you want the bat to face. Draw two elongated ovals on each upper side of the circle. Draw a smaller inner oval in each oval drawn. This will be for the bat's ears. The ear at the left is bigger to depict distance. Draw the bat’s tail and wings using curved lines which connect to the oval body. Draw small ovals to form the bat’s limbs and feet. Connect the wings of the bat and draw its back and tail. Draw two circles of different sizes inside the circle for the head. This will be for the eyes. Draw also a curved line below the circle for the neck. Add details to refine the eyes and to draw the mouth. Erase unnecessary overlaps and lines. Color as you like using shades of black! Draw a circle and an oval which overlap each other in the end of the circle. This will be for the bat's head and body respectively. You may want to draw it at the center to give space for the bat's wings. Draw two small vertical ovals and connect each oval on both sides of the circle. This will be for the bat's ears. Draw a small oval at the center of the circle for the bat’s snout. Draw stick framework of the bat’s wings. Draw the bat’s limbs using thin and small ovals at the rear end of the big oval body. Draw the tail at the bottom center of the oval body. Connect the wings framework by drawing a curve which connects the wings and the tail. Refine and add details for the bat’s head to depict the ears, mouth, eyes, and snout to resemble a real bat. Trace with a pen and erase unnecessary lines. Add details to the bat's wings and body. Color to your heart’s delight!
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Draw a circle and an oval which overlap each other in the end of the circle. Draw two elongated ovals on each upper side of the circle. Draw the bat’s tail and wings using curved lines which connect to the oval body. Draw small ovals to form the bat’s limbs and feet. Connect the wings of the bat and draw its back and tail. Draw two circles of different sizes inside the circle for the head. Add details to refine the eyes and to draw the mouth. Erase unnecessary overlaps and lines. Color as you like using shades of black! Draw a circle and an oval which overlap each other in the end of the circle. Draw two small vertical ovals and connect each oval on both sides of the circle. Draw a small oval at the center of the circle for the bat’s snout. Draw stick framework of the bat’s wings. Draw the bat’s limbs using thin and small ovals at the rear end of the big oval body. Connect the wings framework by drawing a curve which connects the wings and the tail. Refine and add details for the bat’s head to depict the ears, mouth, eyes, and snout to resemble a real bat. Trace with a pen and erase unnecessary lines. Color to your heart’s delight!
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https://www.wikihow.com/Get-a-Tax-ID-Number
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How to Get a Tax ID Number
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If you're an employer and you need to get a tax ID number, download form SS-4 from the IRS website. Fill out the form and mail it to the address listed on the website. There is no fee required for filing this form, and you should receive your EIN, or employer ID number, within 4 weeks. If you'd like to speed up the process, submit the form online via the IRS website to receive an EIN immediately.
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Understand what EINs are used for. Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) are used for business entities that file taxes separately from the owner's personal taxes. Any type of employer can have an EIN, including a single-member LLC that reports business income on their personal tax return (as an EIN is often required to open a business bank account). Any entity that distributes money to employees or beneficiaries is eligible for an EIN. You will need to provide the legal name of the entity, its mailing address, the maximum number of expected employees, the type of entity, and the product it markets. There is no fee to obtain an EIN. Apply online for convenience. Go to https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/apply-for-an-employer-identification-number-ein-online and fill out the application. Your information will be electronically validated immediately. If you are eligible for a new EIN, you will receive one at the end of the session. Save a copy of the application as well as the EIN confirmation notice for your own records. Apply by mail if you're not in a hurry. Just as with an online application, you need to fill out SS-4 to get an EIN. Download the form from the IRS website at: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fss4.pdf. Send the completed form by certified mail (so you have a return receipt as proof) to: Internal Revenue Service Center/Attn: EIN Operation/Cincinnati, OH 45999. Expect a response from the IRS within 4 weeks. Submit an application by fax if it suits your needs. To speed the process, you can submit the same form SS-4 mentioned above as a fax. Simply complete the form, then fax it to (855) 641-6935. If you provide a return fax number, you will receive a response with your EIN in 4 business days. Determine if you need a PTIN. Anyone who helps with the preparation of IRS tax forms for compensation is required to have a Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Those who provide free assistance are not required to have a PTIN. You do not need to pay a fee to get a PTIN. Apply for a PTIN online for the easiest option. The online application process can take as little as 15 minutes. Information about the PTIN and links to the application are available at the IRS's website. You should generally receive a PTIN immediately upon completion of your application. You will have to create an online PTIN account before you apply. This will require a username and password. You will be required to provide your name and address, Social Security Number, your business's information, an email address, and information from your most recent tax return. Submit an application through the mail for a more traditional approach. You will need to download form W-12, the application for a PTIN. You can download the form on the IRS website: www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw12.pdf. Mail the form to IRS Tax Professional PTIN Processing Center/1605 George Dieter PMB 678/El Paso, TX 79936. As with the online form, you will be required to provide your name and address, Social Security Number, your business's information, and an email address. If you have never filed a US federal income tax return, you will need to apply via mail and send an original, notarized, and certified copy of your social security card, along with one more type of photo ID, including: Passport, Driver's License, U.S. State ID Card, Military ID Card, National ID Card. Know when to get an ITIN. An ITIN is a way for resident or nonresident aliens to file tax returns. If you are an immigrant, earn money in the United States, and are not eligible for a Social Security Number, then you should apply for an ITIN. You can also apply for an ITIN for resident or nonresident spouses and dependents. This will allow you to claim tax deductions. Fill out the W-7. Download form W-7 from http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7.pdf. Fill out the form, including your name, address, date of birth, place of birth, foreign tax id, type of visa, country of citizenship, and the name of the company or university which employs you. Collect the necessary documentation. You will need to have a federal income tax return and personal identification. A passport is sufficient identification. If you don't have a passport, you will need 2 other types of identification. Other accepted IDs include: current National Identification Document, U.S. driver's license, birth certificate, state I.D., voter registration, visa, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration services photo I.D., medical (for dependents only), school records. Return the application. You can return the application in person at an IRS walk-in office or an authorized acceptance agent.. Acceptance agencies are colleges, accounting firms, and financial institutions in all 50 states and some countries abroad which are authorized to accept applications. You can also mail the application. To mail the application, address the envelope to: Internal Revenue Service/ITIN Operation/P.O. Box 149342/Austin, TX 78714-9342. Be aware that they will only accept certified copies of your identification documentation, which are copies that the original issuing agency certifies as an exact copy of the original document. It can take 7-11 weeks for the IRS to notify you of your ITIN status after you apply. Know what an ATIN is for. An ATIN is a temporary identification for an adopted child (or child placed in your home whose adoption isn't final) who does not yet have a Social Security number or whose Social Security number you are unable to obtain. This is a way to claim tax credits for a dependent child. The number will be valid for 2 years. Fill out a W-7A form. The form is available on the IRS website: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw7a.pdf. You will need to provide information the name of the adopting parents, their address, their Social Security numbers, the child's name, the date and place of their birth, the name of the placement agency, and its address. Gather documentation. If the adoption was domestic, supply one of the following: a copy of the placement agreement, a copy of the hospital record authorizing the release of a newborn, a copy of a court order approving placement of the child, or an affidavit signed by the adoption attorney or government official who placed the child. If the adoption was international you will also need to supply either a green card, certificate of citizenship, or passport with “I-551” stamp. Mail the application. To complete the application, send the form and documents to the IRS. You should address the envelope: Department of the Treasury/Internal Revenue Service/Stop 6182/Austin, TX 73301-0066. It usually takes 4-8 weeks for an ATIN to be issued.
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Understand what EINs are used for. Apply online for convenience. Apply by mail if you're not in a hurry. Submit an application by fax if it suits your needs. Determine if you need a PTIN. Apply for a PTIN online for the easiest option. Submit an application through the mail for a more traditional approach. Know when to get an ITIN. Fill out the W-7. Collect the necessary documentation. Return the application. Know what an ATIN is for. Fill out a W-7A form. Gather documentation. Mail the application.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-You-Have-Diabetes
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How to Tell if You Have Diabetes
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To tell if you have diabetes, look for common signs and symptoms like excessive thirst and hunger, blurry vision, frequent urination, fatigue, and wounds that don't heal or heal slowly. Also, your chances of having diabetes are higher if you lead a sedentary lifestyle or are overweight. It's best to see your doctor if you're worried or experiencing any of these symptoms, since a doctor can make a definitive diagnosis based on blood test results and create a treatment plan for you.
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Be aware of the following signs and symptoms. If you have 2 or more on the list below, it is best to see your doctor for further evaluation. Common signs and symptoms of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes include: Excessive thirst Excessive hunger Blurry vision Frequent urination (you wake 3 or more times in the night to urinate) Fatigue (particularly after eating) Feeling irritable Wounds that don't heal or heal slowly Take note of your lifestyle choices. People who live a sedentary life (with little to no exercise) are at a heightened risk of Type 2 diabetes. People who are overweight or obese, or who eat more sweets and refined carbohydrates than is ideal, are also at significantly higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Note that Type 2 diabetes is acquired in one's life, most often related to poor lifestyle choices, versus Type 1 diabetes which is a condition that most often presents in childhood in which the pancreas simply cannot make use of insulin due to a lack of beta cells. See your doctor if you suspect diabetes. The only way to truly confirm whether or not you have diabetes is to see your doctor for diagnostic testing (in the form of blood tests). The numbers that come back on your blood tests will help to classify you as "normal," "pre-diabetic" (meaning you are at very high risk of soon developing diabetes if you do not make some dramatic lifestyle changes), or "diabetic." It is best to know sooner rather than later whether or not you have the disease, because if you do, prompt treatment is key. The damage that results to your body from diabetes is mostly long-term damage caused by "uncontrolled blood sugars." What this means is that, if you receive treatment that helps to control your blood sugars, you can avert or at least delay many of the long-term health consequences of diabetes. It is for this reason that prompt diagnosis and treatment are key. Get tested by a physician. Your primary care physician can perform 2 different tests to check your blood glucose levels. Normally, a fasting blood test is used to check for diabetes, but a urine test can also be performed. Normal blood glucose levels are between 70 and 100. If you're borderline diabetic ("pre-diabetic"), your levels will be between 100 and 125. If your levels are above 126, you're considered diabetic. A non-fasting or random blood glucose level of 200 or above can also be a sign of diabetes. Get your HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) levels measured. This is a newer test that is being used by some doctors for diabetes. It looks at the hemoglobin (a protein) in your red blood cells and measures how much sugar is attached. The higher the value, the more sugar is attached, which directly correlates to your risk of having diabetes. (After all, diabetes is the heightened prevalence of sugar in the bloodstream.) The normal correlation between HbA1c and average blood sugar levels is as follows. An HbA1c of 6 equates to a blood glucose level of 135. An HbA1c of 7 = 170, an HbA1c of 8 = 205, an HbA1c of 9 = 240, an HbA1c of 10 = 275, an HbA1c of 11 = 301, and an HbA1c of 12 = 345. In most labs, the normal range for HbA1c is between 4.0-5.9%. In poorly controlled diabetes, it is 8.0% or above, and in well-controlled patients it is less than 7.0%. The benefit of measuring HbA1c is that it gives a more reasonable view of what's happening over the course of time. It reflects your average sugar levels over the past 3 months, rather than a simple glucose test which is a one-time measurement of your sugar levels. Keep in mind that HbA1c tests aren't a perfect diagnostic tool for diabetes. Some conditions, like iron deficiency anemia and chronic blood loss, can cause these tests to give misleading results. Talk to your doctor about how to treat your diabetes. To treat diabetes, you may need to take insulin injections or pills daily, and you will be asked to watch your diet and to exercise. Sometimes, in more mild cases of Type 2 diabetes, the only thing needed is diet and exercise. Sufficient lifestyle changes can actually reverse diabetes and put you back into the "normal" range for your blood sugars. Talk about some great motivation to make changes! You will be asked to cut back on sugars and carbohydrates, and to exercise for about 30 minutes a day. Your individual needs may vary, but in general, women should eat no more than 45-60 g of carbs per meal, and men should stay in the 60-75 g range. If you follow through with these changes, you will likely see a noticeable reduction in your blood sugar levels. Type 1 diabetes, on the other hand, will always require insulin injections because it is an autoimmune disease where the body fails to produce insulin. It is extremely important to properly treat diabetes. Note that, if left untreated, the elevated blood sugars from diabetes can lead to more serious health issues, such as nerve damage (neuropathy), kidney damage or failure, blindness, and severe circulation problems resulting in difficult-to-treat infections that can progress into gangrene necessitating amputation (particularly in the lower extremities). Seek follow-up tests as recommended by your doctor. It is important to get repeat blood tests every 3-6 months or so for people who fall into the "pre-diabetic" or "diabetic" range. The reason for this is to monitor either improvement of the condition (for those who make positive lifestyle changes), or worsening of the condition. Repeat blood tests also help your physician to make decisions about insulin doses and medication doses. Your doctor will be trying to "target" your blood sugars to be within a particular range, so having the numerical values from repeat blood tests is key. It can also provide motivation for you to exercise more, and to make positive changes to your diet, knowing that you may very well see tangible results on your next blood test! If you fall in the pre-diabetic range or if your diabetes is well controlled, you may only need tests every 6 months. If you have poorly controlled diabetes, your doctor may recommend testing every 3-4 months.
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Be aware of the following signs and symptoms. Take note of your lifestyle choices. See your doctor if you suspect diabetes. Get tested by a physician. Get your HbA1c (hemoglobin A1c) levels measured. Talk to your doctor about how to treat your diabetes. Seek follow-up tests as recommended by your doctor.
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https://www.wikihow.pet/Keep-a-Dog-in-an-Apartment
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How to Keep a Dog in an Apartment
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If you live in an apartment and you want a dog, choose a smaller breed that is known for being quiet, like a Boston terrier or a Cavalier King Charles spaniel. If you already have a large dog, you'll need to try to find a larger apartment. Spend some time each week training your dog, and take your dog for a walk every day. Since dogs prefer to have a space that belongs to them, consider crate training your dog, or place the dog's bed under a table so it will have a safe space to curl up.
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List your priorities. If you already have a dog, then you already know which one is the right fit for you. But if you are looking to add a new pet to your home, take some time to figure out which type of dog will best fit your life and your apartment. Write down the qualities that you are looking for in a dog. One of the first things you should consider is whether you want a puppy or an adult dog. Puppies often take a lot more time to train, so keep that in mind. Do you want a dog that requires a lot of attention? Or are you looking for more of an independent type? These are good questions to ask yourself. Will your dog be spending time around children? Some breeds are much better with kids than others. Look for a smaller dog. It is a good idea to choose a dog based on where you plan to live. If you live in a small space, like an apartment, it is a good idea to select a breed that won't get too big. If you already have a big dog, try to find a large apartment. Do your research. Look at various websites to learn about different dog breeds. If you are considering getting a puppy, make sure that you can find out his lineage. Try to figure out how much he will weigh when full grown. Popular small breeds include the French bulldog, Chihuahua, and the Yorkshire Terrier. You could also consider a dachshund. Choose a quiet breed. When you live in an apartment, your neighbors will be very close by. Unless you have a building with excellent soundproofing, you should keep noise in mind when choosing a dog. If you already have a dog, try to find ways to keep him from barking. There are several breeds that are known for being pretty quiet. Think about getting a Boston terrier or a pug. A Cavalier King Charles spaniel might be a good choice for an apartment. These dogs are quiet and small. If you already have a dog and he tends to bark, consider visiting a trainer. You can find ways to help your dog adjust to his new space. Pick the right energy level. Different types of dogs have different levels of energy, just like people. When you live in an apartment, you dog probably won't be able to move around as much as he would if he lived in a big house with a private yard. Consider getting a dog with a lower energy level to keep in your apartment. Look for a dog that does not constantly need to be busy. For example, basset hounds are low energy dogs. Maybe you already have a high energy dog and you need to move to an apartment. You will need to make sure that you walk your dog several times a day and let him get vigorous exercise at least once a week. Talk to your landlord. Before bringing a dog into an apartment, you need to check out the regulations. Some buildings do not allow any pets. Others have specific regulations. Ask your landlord about any pet restrictions. Make sure to get specific details. For example, maybe dogs are allowed. Ask if there are any breed or weight restrictions. Find out whether there are any pet fees. Sometimes you will need to make a one time non-refundable deposit. Other landlords might charge monthly pet rent. Visit a local shelter. Once you have decided what types of dogs might work for you, it is time to find the perfect pet. Contact your local animal shelter. Ask them what types of small, quiet dogs they have available. Go to the shelter during visiting hours. Spend some time with a variety of dogs. Ask a lot of questions. Talk to the shelter staff and volunteers about the different dogs and their personality types. Take other people with you. Anyone who is going to live with the dog should have an opportunity to meet it before you bring a pet home. Make each room safe. Whether you are dealing with a new puppy, or a canine companion you have had for years, you will need to dog proof your apartment. Your first step is to make sure that the entire space is safe for your dog. Go through each room in the apartment and make sure it is ready for a dog. In the kitchen and bathroom, secure the lower cabinets with child-proof latches. You don't want any small paws to be able to open cabinets that hold cleaning supplies or medication. In other rooms, secure any loose or dangling wires. These are dangerous for dogs to chew on. If you have house plants, keep them out of reach. Dogs often chew on plants that may be harmful. Set boundaries. Dogs like structure. A good dog owner will provide rules and guidelines for the dog. This can be especially helpful when you are living together in a small space. Decide whether your dog is allowed on the furniture. This is a personal preference, but one you need to make right when you move the dog into the apartment. If the dog is not allowed on furniture, make that clear. Use clear commands and signals to keep him off the couch. House train your dog. Even if the dog is already house broken, living in an apartment can be an adjustment. Make sure your dog knows that when you go on walks, that is the time to urinate and defecate. If your dog has trouble adjusting, talk to your vet. Create a space for your dog. Dogs are den animals. This means that they like to have a defined space that belongs to them. Create an area where your dog can feel safe and have some alone time. Consider crate training your dog. Your pet can stay in the crate while you are at work or during other times when you're not home. Talk to your vet about what type and size of crate to get. Small dogs will prefer a smaller crate. You can also be creative when making a den for your dog. Try placing his dog bed under a table. This can be a safe, secure space for him to curl up. Train your dog. Dogs like routine. Spend some time training your dog. This will help both of you get acclimated to living together in a small space. Consider taking your dog to obedience classes. A professional can help your dog master the skills that will help him live happily in an apartment. Group classes are often cheaper. They are also a great way to help your dog learn to socialize with other animals. Find the right trainer. Ask your vet for a recommendation. You can also ask friends, family members, and co-workers if they have anyone they would like to refer. Deal with separation anxiety. One of the major problems with keeping a dog in an apartment is separation anxiety. When this happens, dogs don't deal well with being left behind when you head off to work or a social engagement. This can be a big problem in apartments, as it might bother your neighbors. Barking and howling are common signs of separation anxiety. Unfortunately, you might not realize this is happening until your neighbors complain. Try helping your dog realize that good things can still happen when you are not home. For example, you can give him a puzzle toy stuffed with a healthy food, like low fat peanut butter. These can take 20-30 minutes to finish. Ask your obedience trainer to help you address the issue. He can help you train you dog to adjust to being left alone. Visit your vet. You want to make sure that your dog is not suffering from an underlying medical issue. Create a routine. Dogs do best when they have structure. You can help your canine companion adjust to apartment living by providing him with some reliable structure. For example, feed your dog at the same time each day. Choose a time in the morning and a time in the evening to feed your dog. He will appreciate knowing exactly when his next meal is coming. Make a set schedule for walks. Try to walk your dog at the same time each morning and evening. If you have a dog walker during the day, ask that they come at approximately the same time each afternoon. Schedule playtime. Make sure your dog knows that on weekends, he is going to get some extended quality time, and even a trip to the dog park. Consider some daytime help. One of the drawbacks to having a dog in an apartment is that you likely can't give your dog unlimited access to a yard. Because of this, you will need to take extra steps to make sure that your pup gets enough outdoor time. This can be tricky if you work outside the home full time. Think about getting a dog walker. Even if your dog can go 10 hours without going to the bathroom, that doesn't mean he wouldn't enjoy some fresh air. Hire someone to come and walk your dog for 15-30 minutes midday. Most cities have affordable, reliable dog walking services. Try doggie daycare. Your dog might enjoy getting out of the house to socialize. Look for a reputable doggie daycare near your house. You can drop your dog off 2 or 3 days a week, depending on what you can afford. Invest in good supplies. Your dog will require some material items to keep him happy and healthy. First, make sure that you are buying the right food. Talk to your vet about the type of food that is best for your dog. Buy lots of toys. Dogs like to play, and many of them like to chew. Provide toys that will allow them to have fun and express their energy. Dogs have different personalities. If your dog doesn't seem interested in one type of toy, keep trying different options until you find one that catches his interest. Buy a dog bed. Your dog will enjoy having his own special place to curl up. If you don't allow animals on your furniture, it is especially important to provide a comfy bed on the floor. Spend quality time together. The best way to keep your dog happy and healthy in an apartment is to pay attention to him. Make time each day to focus on your dog. Find ways to interact other than just feeding him. Make time for long walks. Don't take your dog back inside right after he does his business. Play with your dog. Take time to interact with games like fetch or hide and seek. Go to the dog park together. Your dog will appreciate time to run free, and the two of you can have plenty of space to play together.
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List your priorities. Look for a smaller dog. Choose a quiet breed. Pick the right energy level. Talk to your landlord. Visit a local shelter. Make each room safe. Set boundaries. Create a space for your dog. Train your dog. Deal with separation anxiety. Create a routine. Consider some daytime help. Invest in good supplies. Spend quality time together.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-with-Baking-Soda
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How to Clean with Baking Soda
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To clean with baking soda in your house, mix equal parts baking soda and water in a large bucket to create a paste. Use a cloth to apply the paste to walls with handprints or dirt marks, and wipe it up with a dry towel to remove the blemishes. You can apply this mixture to dirty grout in a bathroom or kitchen with tiled floors. Let the paste sit on the grout for 10 minutes, and scrub the paste into the tile with a toothbrush before wiping it up. In the bathroom, dust a damp cloth with baking soda and wipe down surfaces to remove dirt and stains.
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Clean your walls. Mix equal parts baking soda and water to form a paste. Apply to any areas blemished by handprints, crayons, or other dirty marks. Use a cloth to softly rub the mixture around the affected surface. Then use a dry cloth or paper towel to wipe away the paste. Reapply as needed. Wash grouting. Form a paste that is half baking soda, half water. Apply along the grout in between tiles. Let the paste soak up the dirt for about 10 minutes. Use a toothbrush to scrub the grout once the dirt has loosened. For tiled floors, you can simply shake some baking soda over the grout and then use a spray bottle to soak it with water instead of forming a paste. Shine your bare floors. Fill a mop bucket with warm to hot water. Add at least a ½ cup of baking soda to the water. Stir to mix. Mop your floor with the solution. Rinse the mop and then mop the floor again with clean water to remove any traces of baking soda. Clean counters, sink basins, and other raised surfaces. Soak a hand towel or cleaning cloth with clean water. Dust either the cloth itself or the surface to be cleaned with baking soda. Wipe the surface in a circular motion to remove dirt and stains. Reverse from clockwise to counterclockwise (or vice versa) so that you aren't merely pushing, say, a stubborn piece of dried, caked tomato sauce down into the countertop again and again. For tougher stains, create a paste. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part water. Cover the stain and let it soak up the paste for a few minutes before rubbing vigorously with a clean cloth. Wash your dishwasher. First, fill the sink (or a container large enough to fit the washer's filter) with warm water and a dab of dish soap. Take the filter out of the washer and give it a 10-minute soak before putting it back into place. Pour a cup of white vinegar into the bottom of the dishwasher and then run the machine on a heavy cycle. Once the cycle ends, shake a cup of baking soda over the bottom. Let it sit overnight before running a second empty cycle. Use a toothbrush to rub away any dirt or stains that survived both cycles. Clean your oven. Fill a spray bottle with white vinegar. Spray the inside of your oven evenly. Sprinkle baking soda over the bottom. Pour some into your palm, hold your hand up to your lips, and blow to coat the walls. Pour some more into your palm and toss it upward to coat the ceiling. Allow the baking soda to mix with the vinegar for half an hour. Then use a heavy-duty sponge to scrub the insides. Wipe up the remainder with a clean cloth or paper towels. Tackle dirty pots and pans. Pour some baking soda into them, add a couple drops of dish soap to each one, and fill with warm water. The amount of baking soda needed will vary depending on how much residue has crusted over, but when in doubt, use a lot for extra abrasive power. Let the cookware soak for a quarter of an hour before scrubbing and rinsing them out. Soak cookware overnight if burnt food has scorched to it. Shine your silver. First, make a paste. Stir up a 3-to-1 ratio of baking soda and water. Apply the paste to the silver. Massage the silver all over with a clean towel. Rinse off the paste with clean water and then dry immediately with a clean cloth. Avoid scratching your silver. Always use cloth towels, never paper. Clean your grill. Soak your grill brush in water so that the baking soda will stick. Pour some baking soda over it to coat the bristles. Then scrub away at the grate. Soak the brush in clean water to apply more baking soda as needed. Once you are satisfied, give the grate a rinse with clean water and then wipe it down with a clean cloth to remove residue before using the grill again. For very dirty grills, pour the baking soda directly onto the grate. Fill a spray bottle with clean water and then spray the baking soda. Allow the mixture to sink into the char for a few hours. Once the char has loosened, use your grill brush to break it up. Save on detergent. Wash clothes with a half-and-half mixture. Use only half the recommended amount of detergent for your cycle. Make up the difference with an equal portion of baking soda. Run the machine on your desired cycle. For tougher stains, apply a paste that is 3 parts baking soda and 1 part water to the affected area before washing. Strengthen your bleach. Make your whites extra bright by adding baking soda. Use the recommended amount of bleach in your machine's cycle. On top of that, add a ½ cup of baking soda. Deodorize your hamper. Prevent one stinky piece of clothing from stinking up the rest. Sprinkle baking soda over clothes that are already inside your hamper. Then sprinkle some more over the offending article. Deodorize your carpets. Dust your rugs and carpets evenly with baking soda. Use as much as you deem necessary, depending on the smell's strength. For a quick job, allow the baking soda to absorb odors for at least a quarter of an hour (or longer if you have the time) before vacuuming. For a more thorough freshening, declare the area off-limits for the next 24 hours and then vacuum it the following day. Minimize the smell of garbage. Dust the bottom of your garbage can and/or the inside of your trash liner to counteract stinky garbage. Rinse the old baking soda out with each change of the bag and reapply. Be careful not to set the old garbage bag on your floor, since it will be powdered with baking soda. However, you can clean your floor easily with a wipe of a cloth or a quick vacuum, so don't stress out too much about it. Alternately, you can leave a full opened box of baking soda at the bottom of the can to avoid messy bag-changes. Freshen your cat litter. Dust the bottom of the tray with baking soda for additional odor-absorption. Then fill it with your store-bought cat litter. Alternately, you can create your own litter by filling the tray with three inches of sandy clay and then stirring in an 8-ounce box of baking soda. For especially strong odors, use a 16-ounce box. Freshen your cat or dog. Shake some baking soda over your wet pet to reduce “wet fur” and other smells when you don't have time to give them a full bath with shampoo. Keep it light to avoid startling them with a thick cloud, or simply pour some in your palm and rub it into their fur if that is easier. Work it in with your fingers so it can trap the odors. Then use your pet's brush to comb the baking soda out. Wash your hair. Create a paste in your palm with a tablespoon of baking soda and water from the showerhead. Apply to your hair just like shampoo. Wash and rinse to remove dandruff. If you don't have it in you to give up store-bought shampoo or other hair products, mix a tablespoon of baking soda with your regular shampoo every two weeks to rid your hair of product build-up. Prolonged use of baking soda as a shampoo substitute may cause dry or damaged hair. Either alternate between baking soda and store-bought shampoo at regular intervals, or only wash your hair every few days to allow your scalp's natural oils to revitalize your hair. Whiten your teeth. Soak your brush with water. Sprinkle baking soda over the bristles until they are coated. Brush gently for a couple minutes. Gargle with clean water and spit to rinse your mouth out. Baking soda is very abrasive and can damage your teeth's enamel. Limit yourself to two brushes per week. Keep the pressure very light and brush your teeth softly. Some amount of burning or tingling is to be expected. However, if it begins to feel uncomfortable, discontinue use. Rinse your mouth repeatedly with clean water to rid it of all traces. Baking soda alone is not sufficient to prevent cavities or other conditions caused by bacteria. Do not use baking soda as a substitute for toothpaste. Do not use baking soda if you have braces, since this may damage them. Deodorize your armpits. Mix ⅛ teaspoon of baking soda with just enough water so that it forms a paste. Apply it to your armpits and rub it into your pores. To form an antiperspirant that will also reduce sweating, apply a dry mix of cornstarch and baking soda in a 6-to-1 ration. Remember that baking soda is abrasive, so don't use it as a deodorant immediately after shaving your armpits, when they are at their most sensitive.
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Clean your walls. Wash grouting. Shine your bare floors. Clean counters, sink basins, and other raised surfaces. Wash your dishwasher. Clean your oven. Tackle dirty pots and pans. Shine your silver. Clean your grill. Save on detergent. Strengthen your bleach. Deodorize your hamper. Deodorize your carpets. Minimize the smell of garbage. Freshen your cat litter. Freshen your cat or dog. Wash your hair. Whiten your teeth. Deodorize your armpits.
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https://www.wikihow.com/React-when-Your-Hedgehog-Bites-You
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How to React when Your Hedgehog Bites You
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The best way to react to a hedgehog bite is by staying as calm as possible and maintaining your composure. You can try discouraging this behavior by gently blowing a puff of air at the hedgehog right after it bites you, which doesn't hurt the animal at all. Otherwise, try to resume normal behavior immediately. Even though it may be upsetting in the moment, never react violently by hitting, flicking, or shouting at your hedgehog.
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Try not to react violently. You may accidentally harm your hedgehog if you react too strongly. This may cause you to drop or throw your hedgehog. This is easier said than done, but try and hold your composure. Never hit or flick your hedgehog! This will not only harm your hedgehog, but also conditionally teach it to fear you. Avoid verbal reaction. A verbal reaction like “Ow!” or “Oh!” (or maybe even a swear!) will verbally condition the hedgehog that it will get a response from you because of a bite. This may teach the hedgehog to bite you further to elicit a response. Further, a loud verbal response might scare your hedgehog. Blow a puff of air at your hedgehog after a bite. This is a gentle way to discourage your hedgehog from its behavior. This will not harm the hedgehog and will teach it that biting is not something it should be doing. Try distracting your hedgehog if it is nipping you. This could be gently moving your hand or trying to gets its attention with a soft verbal cue. Remember, hedgehogs are curious so it may just be exploring and not biting! Resume normal behavior. Do not immediately put the hedgehog back in its cage. This teaches the hedgehog that it can go back to its safe space after doing something mean. Do not withhold food or water as punishment. This is cruel to your hedgehog and may hurt his health. Always feed and water your hedgehog appropriately. Your hedgehog should always have a supply of clean water. You should be feeding your hedgehog a high protein, low grain diet. Know when your hedgehog isn’t feeling well. Your hedgehog may bite or nip at you if it is not feeling well. Learn to recognize hedgehog illnesses by watching for these symptoms: Lethargy Losing quills Lumps on or under the skin Wobbly walking Loss of appetite Green poop Red and/or itchy skin Tattered ears Recognize emotional responses. A hedgehog may bite because it is emotionally upset. There can be a number of stimuli that may startle your hedgehog into biting. Loud or sudden noises New or strong smells -- lotions, other animals, perfume, etc Wrong time of day -- hedgehogs are mostly nocturnal. If you wake up your hedgehog in the middle of the day to handle it, it may bite Fear -- it may be not fully tamed or not used to you Sudden temperature change -- hedgehogs must be kept in a warm environment (75-80 degrees fahrenheit, or 23-26 degrees celsius) Understand behavioral responses. A hedgehog can ''learn'' to bite if conditioned to do so. Be careful not to accidentally teach your hedgehog to bite! If you respond verbally after your hedgehog bites you, it may learn that it can get a similar response if it continues to bite. You feed it treats to train it, it might bite to get a treat. Be careful not to reward your hedgehog for unwanted behavior. Train your hedgehog to be more tame. Getting your hedgehog to be more comfortable with you can reduce the risk of being bitten. When holding him, talk quietly and make slow movements. Avoid fast, jerky movements that might startle him. Give him treats if he is acting appropriately. Do not reward for bad behavior, but you can give a treat (like a mealworm) to get him to trust you. Recognize nibble vs. biting. Hedgehogs are naturally curious creatures that use their strong sense of smell and taste to get to know their world. One way they do this is by nibbling and/or licking an unknown area. Knowing the difference between these two actions is critical in behavioral training. Nibbling is usually accompanied by not using pressure with teeth and licking the area. Biting can be quick, sharp, and painful. It might be brought on by a stimulus. Make sure your hedgehog is well fed. If your hedgehog is well fed and watered, it may be less likely to bite out of hunger or thirst. Keep your hedgehog healthy. Keeping your hedgehog healthy will reduce stress on both you and the hedgehog. It will reduce the reason for bites. Handle your hedgehog with care. Always be gentle when holding your hedgehog. Do not squeeze or grip it tightly. Do not handle it high up in the air or that may give it a chance to fall and hurt itself. Respect your hedgehog. Hedgehogs have moods too! It may want to sleep, eat, or exercise. Be sure to not interrupt its daily routine just because you want to hold it. This may irritate it into biting. Consider changing hand lotions or scented soap. Hedgehogs have extremely strong senses of smell. You may want to avoid using harsh-smelling soaps, lotions, or body wash to make it easier for your hedgehog's nose. Learn to read hedgehog body language. Using the tips above, you should be able to learn what your hedgehog may do before it bites. Watch your hedgehog and learn its personal behavioral traits to know when it is the best time to handle it. One tip is to watch its quills. When a hedgehog is in a relaxed pose, its quills will lie evenly against your hand and will not be sharp. If it is in a defense pose, its quills will stand on end and be sharp!
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Try not to react violently. Never hit or flick your hedgehog! Avoid verbal reaction. Blow a puff of air at your hedgehog after a bite. Resume normal behavior. Do not withhold food or water as punishment. Know when your hedgehog isn’t feeling well. Recognize emotional responses. Understand behavioral responses. Train your hedgehog to be more tame. Recognize nibble vs. Make sure your hedgehog is well fed. Keep your hedgehog healthy. Handle your hedgehog with care. Respect your hedgehog. Consider changing hand lotions or scented soap. Learn to read hedgehog body language.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Move-on-from-a-Toxic-Parent
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How to Move on from a Toxic Parent
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Moving on from a toxic parent can be difficult, but with some patience and support, it'll be easier for you to lead a happy and healthy life. The first step in moving on from a toxic parent is setting some boundaries. For instance, you might ask your parents not to insult your partner when they visit. If they ignore your boundaries, stand up for yourself and walk away from the situation. You might try to see them less or stop seeing them altogether. If you do decide to see your parents occasionally, meet with them in public places. That way you can leave if you need to, and they'll be less likely to do or say hurtful things. While you distance yourself from your parents, focus on building healthy relationships with other family and friends.
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Distance yourself from your toxic parent. Getting some space from your parent will help you feel confident enough to stand up for yourself as an adult. Even if you don't want to cut off contact with your parent, reduce your communication and visits for a while. See how you feel when your parent has a less prominent role in your life. Often people in toxic environments don't realize how dysfunctional the people around them are. If you've spent a lot of time around your parent in the past, distancing yourself may provide some much-needed perspective on your situation. Try to establish relationships with other parent-type figures, such as aunts, uncles, grandparents, and close family friends. For example, when you spend some time apart from your mother and find other sources of support, you might recognize how little support she provides. Or, even more, you might notice that she not only doesn't offer support but requires it from you. Take responsibility for your own emotional health. If one or both of your parents are toxic, you will have to give yourself the support and care they should have provided. This isn't an ideal situation or a fair one, but the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can move on from your parent and work on healing yourself. Avoid holding out hope that your parent will see their mistakes and work with you to repair the relationship. If they were going to change, they would have done it a long time ago. Don't think that distancing yourself will miraculously change them, for instance. You need to be okay with getting time and space for your own emotional well-being--not simply to force them into changing. Build up your self-esteem. Challenging your negative self-talk is an effective way to start repairing the damage of a toxic upbringing. If your parent frequently made fun of you or put you down, you might be in the habit of criticizing yourself harshly – maybe even in their voice. But keep in mind that their behavior is not your responsibility. Practice shutting down this critical inner voice and reminding yourself of your strengths instead. For instance, if you catch yourself thinking “I'm nothing but a burden,” shut that thought down and recognize where it is coming from, such as by saying to yourself, “Those are my mother's thoughts, not mine.” Then, replace the thought with, “I help my friends when they need it, and I'm productive at work.” Make a list of all your best attributes and slide it into your wallet or post it on your bathroom mirror. Review the list whenever you start doubting your abilities. Practice good self-care. As an adult, you're no longer dependent on your parents to take care of your physical and emotional health. Recognize and honor your own needs by adopting a healthy lifestyle and making time to relax. Several healthy habits that can make a big difference in the way you feel include eating a clean diet, getting eight hours of sleep every night, and getting some exercise most days of the week. You can take care of your emotional health by meditating, writing in a journal, or working on a creative hobby. Make sure to spend plenty of time around positive people who value you for who you are. See a therapist. A mental health professional can help you work through your feelings towards your toxic parent. With their guidance, you can learn to respect yourself, cope with the pain your parent caused you, and move on with your life. Talk to your family doctor in order to receive a referral for mental health therapist who can help with your circumstances. Think carefully about whether to go no contact. Making the decision to “divorce” a toxic parent can be very difficult. In some cases, cutting contact might be necessary for your mental health and happiness. In other cases, you may be able to maintain a relationship by setting better personal boundaries with your parent. Make this decision with your long-term well-being in mind. It might help to write out a pros and cons list. Write out all the benefits of getting distance with your parent versus any disadvantages you can think of. You might include pros such as "Peace of mind," while cons might be "Missing their presence." Avoid putting yourself at the mercy of your parent. If you decide to maintain your relationship with your parent, establish that you are an independent adult now. Don't put yourself in situations where you won't be able to leave if you need to. Instead, set limits on when and where you'll see your parent. For instance, don't stay overnight at your parent's house and don't let them drive you places. Consider meeting them in public instead of at home, so they'll be less likely to say or do something hurtful. Take control of conversations. If your parent tends to hijack conversations by belittling you or bossing you around, change the topic instead of letting them continue. If that doesn't work, tell them you have to go, and break off the conversation. For instance, if your mother is criticizing the way you've redecorated your house, you could redirect the conversation by saying, “I like how the living room looks now. What did you do last weekend?” Make sure that you always have an exit line or exit strategy to help you in these types of situations. Let your parent know what behaviors you won’t accept any more. Set boundaries for what you're not willing to live with. Then tell your parent what you need from them and what actions you will take if they don't respect your boundaries. For example, say something like, “Dad, it's not okay with me that you insult my husband when he's not here. I need you to stop doing that around me, or I'll have to leave.” Only set consequences that you can enforce. For instance, don't threaten to leave unless you are prepared to do so. Walk away if your parent disrespects your boundaries. If your toxic parent ignores your requests, remove yourself from the situation. Stand up for yourself by walking away, hanging up the phone, or following through with another consequence. Your parent might try to test your boundaries to see if you really mean what you say. If your parent repeatedly disrespects your boundaries and seems unwilling to make an effort to cooperate, consider decreasing or ending your contact with them. Accept who your parent is and stop trying to change them. Change your mindset by acknowledging and accepting who your parent is and giving up on trying to change them. Your parent will likely never accept responsibility for being toxic. To protect yourself, try to lower your expectations of your parent. Cultivate relationships outside your family circle. Spend time with your friends regularly, or make new friends by reaching out to co-workers, classmates, and other people you see often. Social support is an important part of emotional health, and having a few good friends can help heal the hurt caused by a toxic parent. Take the initiative and join groups, classes or activities with people who have similar interests as you. Introduce yourself and ask questions about them. Choose to be with people who value your presence and who make you feel good about who you are as a person. Choose friends who are emotionally healthy. People who grew up with toxic parents often subconsciously choose friends and romantic partners who recreate the same dynamic. Take a look at your social circle and evaluate whether your relationships are built on mutual liking, helpfulness, and trust. If you discover that you have some toxic friendships, it's probably best to distance yourself from those people. Listen to your instincts when selecting new friends. Do you often feel uncomfortable, pressured, or frightened around them? Do they shame you into doing things you don't want to? Stay away from these types of people. Look out for any toxic behaviors you may have inherited. You might not like to think about it, but it's possible that you could have learned some toxic behaviors from your parent. Abuse and toxicity often run in families because children learn from the adults around them. Be aware of your own behavior and take steps to correct any negative habits you notice in yourself. Having a few learned toxic behaviors doesn't mean you're a toxic person, especially if you are willing to work on making changes.
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Distance yourself from your toxic parent. Take responsibility for your own emotional health. Build up your self-esteem. Practice good self-care. See a therapist. Think carefully about whether to go no contact. Avoid putting yourself at the mercy of your parent. Take control of conversations. Let your parent know what behaviors you won’t accept any more. Walk away if your parent disrespects your boundaries. Accept who your parent is and stop trying to change them. Cultivate relationships outside your family circle. Choose friends who are emotionally healthy. Look out for any toxic behaviors you may have inherited.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Paper-Without-Using-Scissors
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How to Cut Paper Without Using Scissors
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To cut paper without using scissors, fold the paper along the line you want to cut. Pinch along the fold with your thumb and index fingernails to make the sharpest crease possible. Unfold the paper and fold it along the crease in the other direction, using your fingernails along the crease again. Repeat this at least 3 times in each direction to weaken the paper fibers. Create a small rip at one end of the crease with your fingertips, then use your palms and fingertips to pull the paper apart along the fold.
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Fold the paper over right along the line where you want to cut it . Then, sharpen the crease by pinching the nails of your thumb and index finger against the fold and zipping them from end-to-end along the cut line. If you need help making a straight fold along your cut line, slide a ruler against the line and fold the paper against and over the top of it. You can also sharpen the crease by pressing the folded-over paper against a table with one hand and firmly zipping your thumbnail along the fold with your other thumb. Fold the paper back and forth along the cut line several more times. In other words, fold the paper in one direction along the cut line, then fold it in the opposite direction along the line. Each time, use your fingernails to sharpen the crease. Do this at least three times in each direction—the more back and forth folds you make, the weaker the paper fibers will become along the crease. Make sure you're folding back and forth over the same crease, instead of creating separate creases right next to each other. Create a small rip at one end of the crease with your fingertips. Use both thumbs and index fingers to pinch the paper on either side of the crease, right at the edge of the paper. Push one pair of fingers away from you while you pull the others toward you in order to begin a tear along the cut line. This initial rip doesn't need to be more than about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) long. Use your palms and fingertips to pull the paper apart. Press your palms flat on either side of the cut line, with your index fingers right near the starter cut you made. Slide your fingers away from each other while keeping your palms on the paper, so that it splits apart along the cut line. Reposition your hands further down the paper, if necessary, to complete the cut. Fold the paper crisply along your intended cut line. Run your finger over the fold to give it a sharper crease. If you want, you can also fold it in the opposite direction along the same crease in order to further weaken the paper fibers. This method works best when you want to cut a straight line that is less than 12 in (30 cm) in length—that is to say, shorter than a standard ruler. Lay the edge of a ruler right against the crease. Place the ruler so that it's laying on top of the smaller section of paper. For example, if you want to cut 4 in (10 cm) from the length of a sheet of standard copier paper, lay the ruler on top of the smaller 4 in × 8.5 in (10 cm × 22 cm) section that you plan to remove. Press down on the ruler and lift the paper to begin cutting. With one hand, push firmly on the ruler to hold it up against the cut line. Grasp the paper on the other side of the cut line with your other hand, near the edge of the sheet. Pull up where the crease meets the paper's edge to start tearing the paper along the ruler. Maintain firm pressure on the ruler the entire time. It's easier to grip and rip the larger section of paper, which is why you should place the ruler on the smaller section. Pull the paper slowly or quickly along the ruler to finish the cut. Maintain firm pressure on the ruler with one hand, and keep lifting the paper with the other hand to complete the cut along the crease. You may prefer to progress slowly, or to lift and tear in a quick motion—try both methods and compare your results. Tearing paper with a ruler is similar in this way to removing an adhesive bandage—some people like to peel slowly, while others believe you should “grip it and rip it.” Use a credit card if you can’t find a ruler. Press the credit card against the seam, then slowly tear the paper about two-thirds of the length of the credit card. After that, reposition the credit card along the seam so that the top third of it overlaps the cut you started, then press it down firmly and tear some more. Repeat this until you complete the cut. You can also try using a hardcover book or CD case in this fashion. Try using a squared table edge as another alternative. Lay the seam right along the edge of the table, so that the bigger section of the paper is dangling off the side. Hold the smaller section firmly against the table with one hand, and pull down on the bigger section with the other hand. Reposition your holding hand as needed in order to complete the cut. This method makes a straight cut more often than not, but it's not as reliable as using a ruler to make your cuts. If the table has a rounded edge, this method won't work. Fold the paper where you want to cut it. For example, fold all the edges around a picture, or just fold down one side of a page. Create a sharp crease by folding the paper one way, then folding it back on itself the other way. Wet the crease that you have created by folding. You can do this by dipping your fingertips in some water, or you can lick the paper along the fold line. Repeat this on all sides where you have made creases. Moisten the paper, don't soak it. If it gets too soggy, the paper will just fall apart instead of tearing smoothly along the crease. Moistening the seam further weakens the paper fibers. Place your hands on either side of the crease and separate the paper. Put your index fingertips alongside the crease where it meets an edge of the sheet, and lay your palms flat on the paper. Use your fingertips and palms to separate the paper along the seam from edge to edge. Reposition your hands as you work, especially with larger sheets of paper. Moistening the paper may damage writing or drawings on it. Otherwise, after giving the paper a few minutes to dry out, you'll likely be unable to tell that you moistened it.
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Fold the paper over right along the line where you want to cut it Fold the paper back and forth along the cut line several more times. Create a small rip at one end of the crease with your fingertips. Use your palms and fingertips to pull the paper apart. Fold the paper crisply along your intended cut line. Lay the edge of a ruler right against the crease. Press down on the ruler and lift the paper to begin cutting. Pull the paper slowly or quickly along the ruler to finish the cut. Use a credit card if you can’t find a ruler. Try using a squared table edge as another alternative. Fold the paper where you want to cut it. Wet the crease that you have created by folding. Place your hands on either side of the crease and separate the paper.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Boost-Your-Immunity-to-the-Common-Cold
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How to Boost Your Immunity to the Common Cold
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To boost your immunity to the common cold, focus on maintaining a healthy diet with vitamin and mineral supplements. Opt for foods like Brazil nuts, tuna, and chicken, since they contain a macronutrient that strengthens your immune system. Additionally, you can strengthen your immune system by eating leafy green vegetables, which contain vitamins that strengthen your body's response to certain vaccines. Just make sure to consult your doctor before changing your current medication regimen.
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Identify how your immune system works. Your immune system is not a single organ or place in your body. It is a complicated and intricate network that helps prevent infections and limits the effects of those that you do catch. Because it is such a complex system, scientists have not been able to prove direct links between lifestyle changes or taking vitamins or supplements to enhancing your immune system. Scientists are studying things that may boost your immune system, but there are no definite answers yet. There are two types of immunity: humoral and cell mediated immunity. Humoral involves the production of antibodies and fights infections outside of the cell, like bacteria. Cell mediated immunity fights intracellular organisms, such as viruses and cancer. Cell mediated immunity fights the common cold. Put simply, cells that originate in your bone marrow relocate to all areas of the body to help fight off infection. This includes your skin; lymphatic system; spleen; mucosal tissues like those in your mouth, nose, and gut area; your thymus gland; and your blood stream. Basically, any possible way a germ can enter your body, cells are there to help fight off a possible infection. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. The very best single thing that you can do to help your immune system be as strong as possible is to make everyday changes to live an overall healthy lifestyle. Some of the steps you can take include the following: Avoid smoking or quit smoking. This includes avoiding secondhand smoke as much as possible. Control your alcohol intake. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. Excessive and repeatedly heavy alcohol use adds stress to many organ systems in your body, making it harder to provide the needed balance to help prevent infections. Exercise regularly. Try to select an exercise routine that you enjoy so you are more likely to stay with it. Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight or obese, take steps to lose weight. Talk to your doctor if you need help with a diet plan, a referral to a nutritionist, or even medication that can help you get started towards your weight-loss goal. Control your blood pressure. High blood pressure leads to cardiovascular disease, which compromises organ function and blood flow. This can interfere with your immune system's ability to work effectively in your blood stream, which is one of the ways diseases can enter your body. Get enough sleep. Feeling overly tired and having trouble just making it through every day puts added stress on your entire body, including your immune system. Get any medical screenings that are recommended for your age group. Recognizing problems as early as possible strengthens your body's ability to help fight off unwanted diseases. While there are no screening tests for viral infections like the common cold, routine screenings for other diseases helps to keep your immune system strong to fight off all the germs you are exposed to every day. Eat a healthy diet. Maintaining a balanced and healthy diet provides the tools your immune system needs to be as strong as possible. Include a balance of vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds, whole grains, healthy fats, and protein sources such as lean meats. Focus on the quality of the food you eat. Pay attention to the type of carbohydrates as opposed to focusing on the quantity of carbohydrates. For example, the carbohydrates found in vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and beans, are healthier than others. Drink plenty of water and avoid consuming sugary beverages. Use healthy oils in food preparation, such as olive and canola oil. Create a healthy plate at every meal. A healthy plate contains mostly vegetables—the greener the better—fruits of all colors, whole grains such as whole grain breads or pastas, and protein sources like fish, poultry, beans, and nuts. Limit the amounts of refined grain products, red meats, and avoid bacon, cold cuts, and other processed meats. Avoid highly processed foods with a high sugar content since they can negatively affect your immune system. Have timely and age-appropriate vaccinations. Vaccines are one way to boost your immune response to specific viruses and diseases. Participation in the recommended vaccinations provide short- and long-term benefits when you are exposed to those germs later on. Some vaccines contain very weakened parts of the actual microorganism that the vaccine is intended to protect you from. This type of immunization is called "artificially acquired immunity." Some vaccines last your whole lifetime, others require boosters, and some you need to get each year, like the flu vaccine. Follow your doctor's instructions on getting the immunizations you need. Consider taking vitamins and minerals. If you do not think you are getting enough nutrients from your diet, consider taking a multivitamin with minerals each day. Talk with your doctor before making any changes to your existing medication regimen, including adding or altering vitamin and mineral products. Taking a multivitamin with minerals helps to ensure you are getting an adequate daily intake of vitamins as well as micronutrients in case your daily diet is not what it should be. Taking large doses of any one vitamin or mineral is not recommended. Large doses of zinc especially are not recommended and can cause an upset stomach. There is evidence that consuming adequate amounts of the micronutrients helps to maintain the natural function of your immune system. These include selenium, zinc, iron, copper, folic acid, vitamins A, B6, E, and C. Make sure selenium is part of your diet. Selenium is a mineral that has antioxidant properties It is found in foods like Brazil nuts, liver, shellfish, tuna, beef, and chicken. It is being researched for its potential to help your natural immune system fight off the progression of different types of cancer. The research is not related to viral infections like the common cold, but the work is helping scientists to better understand possible ways to boost the immune response to different diseases. Selenium helps the cells in your body with normal metabolism and has been identified as possibly having anti-inflammatory properties considered useful in fighting some diseases, such as some forms of arthritis. Most people get enough selenium from their diet. There is no need to take supplemental selenium unless your doctor feels you are deficient and recommends that you do so. The recommended daily dose is about 55mcg. Consider adding vitamin A. Taking vitamin A has proven helpful when there is an actual deficiency, but most people get enough vitamin A from diets that contain sweet potatoes, carrots, dark green and leafy vegetables, fish, and fruits. There is no evidence to suggest taking vitamin A is beneficial in helping to fight infections in people that are not vitamin A deficient. Vitamin A plays a role in the treatment of some infections that involve mucosal membranes, which is one way common cold viruses enter the body. Vitamin A influences the production of certain types of T cells. T cells are an important part of how your body's immune system works to fight infections. Ask your doctor about extra vitamin B2 and B6. Both of these B vitamins have been identified as playing a role in fighting off infections. Natural sources of vitamin B2 include dark green and leafy vegetables, dairy products, and nuts. Natural sources of vitamin B6 include seafood and poultry. Vitamin B2, also called riboflavin, has been shown to enhance the immune system in animal studies. Research in humans is ongoing. Vitamin B6, known as pyridoxine, causes the immune system to be suppressed in people that are deficient in this vitamin. Large doses of pyridoxine are not recommended. Supplements are only suggested in low to moderate doses and should be taken by people that are considered deficient. Excess amounts of vitamin B6, or pyridoxine, may actually help cancer tumors to grow. Avoid taking large amounts of vitamin B6 unless your doctor advises you to do so. Take vitamins D and E. Natural source of vitamin D include exposure to natural sunlight, seafood, and dairy products. Obtain vitamin E naturally through a diet that includes dark, green, leafy vegetables and nuts. Vitamin D has been shown effective in treating tuberculosis (doctors have long found exposure to sunlight helpful in treating TB), because it triggers an antimicrobial response to the disease. Scientists are researching whether or not the Vitamin D produced by sunlight has the same affect on other diseases like the common cold. Vitamin E has been shown to boost the body's response to certain vaccines. More work is needed to clearly understand this finding. In people over the age of 65, higher than normal vitamin E doses were given following hepatitis B and tetanus vaccines. The vitamin E improved the performance of the vaccines. So far, the results are limited to those two vaccines only, and only in people over age 65. Work in this area is ongoing. Use zinc. It is important to have enough zinc in your diet, but too much zinc can actually interfere with the immune system. Taking zinc within the first 24 hours of developing cold symptoms may help to reduce the severity and the duration of a cold. Do not use intranasal zinc products. Research has linked the intranasal use of zinc to severe side effects, including the loss of the ability to smell. Taking zinc orally can cause gastrointestinal problems, including nausea. Taking zinc for long periods of time can cause some types of mineral deficiencies. Zinc can be obtained by consuming shellfish, lean beef, and liver. Beware of product labels. Herbal products and the claims they make are not regulated by the FDA. In addition, the companies are not required to show evidence that supports their claims. Having said that, there is some good preliminary evidence to support the possible benefit of some herbal products. Talk to your doctor before making any changes to your existing medication regimen. This includes adding or changing herbal products. Herbs are drugs that have side effects and have the potential for serious drug interactions. Take ginseng. North American ginseng root has been rated by a division of the United States National Library of Medicine as being possibly effective in preventing colds. Taking 200mg twice a day during the cold and flu season may help to prevent catching colds or possibly even the flu. The study suggests this may be effective in adults ages 18 to 65. The researchers go on to report that it may not help to prevent the first cold of the season, but may help to prevent further colds. Consider taking garlic. Some evidence suggests that garlic may have some ability to help fight infections. Laboratory work has shown garlic to be effective against bacteria, fungal, and viral infections like the flu and the common cold. While this work is promising, human research is yet to show efficacy in controlled scientific studies. Take probiotics. There is clear research that now supports the work done by “good” bacteria that lives in the gut in helping your immune system to function properly. Probiotics do support good bacteria, but the direct scientific link between taking probiotics and improving your immune system is still not established. Take care to choose probiotic products carefully as they are not regulated and they are not all the same. Use other herbal products with caution. Products that contain herbs like aloe vera, echinacea, and licorice root, claim to help fight infections. Many of these agents can be harmful and scientific evidence to support their claims of efficacy specific to improving your immunity is lacking. This does not mean the claims are not true, but there is little evidence to support the claims. Echinacea has been written about many times, claiming to help with the prevention of colds. Echinacea may shorten the duration of your cold; however, researchers at Harvard suggest using echinacea with caution. In addition, echinacea can be dangerous. People with allergies to ragweed have suffered serious allergic reactions when taking echinacea, including some episodes of anaphylactic shock. There is little evidence that aloe vera does anything to alter the immune response. Topical application for various skin conditions has been shown to be helpful, but there is no evidence to support the use of aloe vera in preventing colds. Licorice root has been used in Chinese medicine for many years; however, it is usually combined with other herbs and ingredients. The specific claims of efficacy for licorice root have yet to be scientifically validated. Talk to your doctor before using licorice root since it can interact with many commonly used prescription medications. Do not use licorice root for an extended period of time. Take practical steps to prevent infections. Follow good personal hygiene habits and use common sense to control your exposure to germs that can cause infections like the common cold. In addition to adopting healthy lifestyle habits and maintaining a healthy diet, avoiding contact with unwanted germs is the next most effective step in helping your immune system to keep you healthy. Wash your hands. The best way to prevent catching a cold is to keep your hands clean and wash them frequently. Always wash your hands after using the bathroom, assisting a child to use the bathroom, and changing a diaper. Be sure your hands are clean before you begin food preparation. Wash your hands frequently as you prepare your meal. Clean your environment. Keep surfaces as clean as possible, especially those used to prepare food. Keep door knobs, sink handles, mats used for napping by children, and bathroom surfaces clean. Disinfect surfaces using EPA-approved products. The websites for both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Environmental Protection Agency provide more information. The CDC and the EPA publish information on agents that are approved as disinfectants for commercial, hospital, and residential use. Examples of residentially approved products include two familiar brand names, Lysol® products and residential cleaners made by Clorox®, among many others. Avoid touching contaminated objects. If you are around someone that is sick, be aware that their germs are likely on their hands. Pay attention to objects touched by the sick person and properly clean the objects as soon as possible to control the spread of germs. Do not hug, shake hands with, or kiss, someone with an infection. Use paper towels. Avoid using fabric or cloth towels when several people need to dry their hands after washing. Using hand sanitizer is a good way to clean germs from your hands without the need for a towel. Select daycares with smaller classes. Exposing your child to other children at an early age is not necessarily a bad thing, as this helps to strengthen their immune system. To prevent some colds, the flu, and other infections, choosing classes with smaller numbers of children enrolled may help to limit your child's exposure to an excessive amount of germs. Breastfeeding an infant is key in boosting the child's natural immune system, even years later.
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Identify how your immune system works. Adopt a healthy lifestyle. Eat a healthy diet. Have timely and age-appropriate vaccinations. Consider taking vitamins and minerals. Make sure selenium is part of your diet. Consider adding vitamin A. Ask your doctor about extra vitamin B2 and B6. Take vitamins D and E. Use zinc. Beware of product labels. Take ginseng. Consider taking garlic. Take probiotics. Use other herbal products with caution. Take practical steps to prevent infections. Wash your hands. Clean your environment. Avoid touching contaminated objects. Use paper towels. Select daycares with smaller classes.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Cover-up-a-Fart-in-High-School-Settings
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How to Cover up a Fart in High School Settings
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If you need to cover up a fart during school, there are a few different ways you can create a diversion. The easiest way is to move in your chair or rub your shoe on the floor so the squeak will cover up the noise. You could also spray some cologne or perfume to cover up the smell. If anyone notices, just blame someone else. If you're outside or in the hall, just lag behind your friends when you fart and likely no one will notice.
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Pretend the fart was your shoe or chair. The second you fart, move your feet on the floor so your shoes squeak. Create a diversion by dropping a book or talking right at the moment that you fart. Move in your chair to create noise from your chair moving across the floor or from the cushions in the chair. You could also cough at the same time that you fart. This won't hide the smell, but it will help camouflage the sound, which helps identify you as the culprit. Pretend someone else did it. There's always the good old blame someone else tactic. This works best if you are the first person to point out the fart. Rather than waiting for someone else to notice it, notice it first. Point it out, and look at the person next to you and point out that they just farted. Or, better yet, blame someone who doesn't know you're blaming them. The kid in the chair ahead of you who hasn't smelled the fart or heard it or the teacher who just walked past. It's less suspicious if you bring it up than if you ignore it. Who should you blame? If you're struggling for a suspect, just pick the person closest to you. Walk behind. If you're about to fart in the hall in a group of people, just lag behind a little bit. If you're walking behind them, they won't very easily smell the smell. Or make an excuse and go to the restroom or your locker when you sense that a fart is coming on. Just don't stand around a group of people. Try to go to the bathroom right before class. You will need to be in a group of at least three people for people to not be sure where to put the blame. So, if you're in a large group, you might get away with it. If you're with one or two people, lag behind or walk away. Go outside. If you can sense a fart coming on, and you're able to do so, go outside before you let it rip! Obviously, the outside air will more closely dissipate the smell. The worst place to fart is in a small and enclosed space, such as an elevator. You might not be able to hold it for long, but it's a good idea to hold it at least long enough for the elevator doors to open. If you're stuck in a classroom, you could ask to go to the bathroom, but that will give away that you did it if you've already farted, so better to try a diversionary tactic in that case. Buy a flatulence deodorizer. Yes, believe it or not, there is a medical supply website that has created an ultimate scented pad. The goal of the Flatulence Deodorizer is to camouflage the bad smells that might come out of your body. You wear the deodorizer like you would a sanitary napkin, but it's scented. The same company produces scented pillows. Use perfume. You could just douse the smell the old-fashioned away with perfume, cologne , deodorant , or room freshener – if you're able. Even if you're in a school classroom, you might be able to subtly rub some perfume on your wrists. Buy a small roll-on perfume stick you can keep in your purse. Too much perfume doesn't smell very good, either, but it's a lot better than people smelling your farts. Light a match. Obviously, don't light a match if this will get you in trouble at school. Playing with fire is serious business, and you shouldn't do it. However, if you're able, lighting a match will cover up a fart smell. The reason is that the smell from a fart comes from hydrogen sulfur. When you light a match, you're igniting phosphorus. This will ignite the sulfur in the air, and mask it. Avoid carbonated drinks and chewing gum. Some activities cause more gas in your body, and this can lead to stomach aches and unexpected farts. The reason is that you are taking too much air in. Carbonated drinks, including soda and water, are known to cause more stomach gas. Chewing gum also builds up the amount of gas you might have to pass. Holding in gas is not a good idea, either, as it can cause stomach aches. It's hard to hold farts in for a very long time anyway, so just avoid ingesting things that will cause gas. Try not to eat foods that are hard to digest. Foods that have a lot of cellulose in them are very hard to fully digest. Partially digested food leads to flatulence. Instead drink herbal teas. Beans, lentils, and root vegetables like onions, scallions, and garlic, will cause more farting. Avoid them. Dairy products and green vegetables, such as sprouts, cabbage, and broccoli, are also going to create more gas inside of you. Dairy products will especially cause flatulence in people who are lactose intolerant. Use over-the-counter medication. If you're in high school, you need permission of your parents to take medication. But there are some over-the-counter medications that will lower the gas. Bean-O is an enzyme supplement that breaks down carbohydrates. It's going to help reduce your gas if it's caused by certain foods like beans or broccoli. Mylanta Gas, Maalox Anti-Gas and other similar products reduce intestinal discomfort by breaking up gas bubbles. Lactase supplements will help you with gas that is caused by intolerance to dairy. Hold it in. Ignore it, and hold it in as best as you can. You can do this by not squeezing and "holding it in." You may feel weird, but this is the most non attention grabbing way to do it. If this is not possible and you have a big one, try one of the other measures. If it is a big one, ask to go to the bathroom because there is no way to hide it. To do this raise your hand, tell the teacher it is an emergency, and go to the hallway. Once in the hallway let it rip (unless people are in the hallway), then go to the bathroom. If you know it will not be as noticeable, then you are in the clear. Just cough while executing the dirty deed, and you will be fine. But if you feel people will still notice, stand up and sharpen your pencil because it makes a lot of noise. Thus, make the fart inaudible.
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Pretend the fart was your shoe or chair. Pretend someone else did it. Walk behind. Go outside. Buy a flatulence deodorizer. Use perfume. Light a match. Avoid carbonated drinks and chewing gum. Try not to eat foods that are hard to digest. Use over-the-counter medication. Hold it in.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Layer-Lasagna
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How to Layer Lasagna
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To layer lasagna, start by pouring a little bit of sauce into the baking dish, which will prevent the bottom of the lasagna from drying out. Then, cover the bottom of the dish with a layer of noodles. Next, add one-third of your lasagna filling to the dish and spread it out over the first layer of noodles. Once you've added the filling, make a thin layer of cheese over it. Then, add some more sauce and repeat the process until you've added all of your filling. Top the lasagna off with a layer of noodles and a little bit of cheese on top.
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Get all your ingredients ready. This means any cold ingredients, like cheese, hot ingredients, like meat or grilled vegetables, and your sauces. Make sure you have a clear and clean workspace and everything is within easy reach. Keep things organized by separating your ingredients into individual bowls on your counter space. If you are making a meat lasagna , try minced beef, chicken, or pork mixed with a little bit of bacon and seasoned with herbs. Make sure your meat is fully cooked before layering it into your lasagna. For vegetarian lasagna , try mushrooms, sliced zucchini, and fresh spinach. Choose your noodles. You can use no-boil or regular lasagna noodles. You must precook standard, dry lasagna noodles to soften them before you layer them into your lasagna, while no-boil noodles cook during the baking process. Choose your noodles based on preference and how much time you have. If you don't have a lot of experience making lasagna, you can make a lasagna a lot more quickly with no-boil noodles. Get the right kind of dish. For the layering effect of your lasagna to work, you'll need a deep, wide dish. You can use either a glass or metal dish. Pick the dish that is deepest and wide enough for the size of the lasagna you need to make. A deep dish will require longer to cook than a shallow one. Glass is a poor conductor of heat, but it also distributes heat more evenly. Using a glass dish will help your lasagna cook more evenly and stay warm if you need to wait for someone to get home before serving dinner. Metals, especially aluminum, are generally better at conducting heat. They heat up quickly, but also can lose the heat quickly once removed from the oven. Using a metal dish may crisp the edges and bottom of your lasagna more than a glass dish would. Also, because metal dishes lose heat quickly, you won't want to wait too long before serving. Get your noodles ready. If you are using no-boil noodles, remove them from the package and place them with the rest of your ingredients. If you are using regular noodles, follow package directions for cooking time, and drain thoroughly. Allow them to cool for a few minutes. They can be very hot to handle while assembling the lasagna. Running cold water over them helps this along, but be sure not to let the noodles sit too long after cooling, as they will stick together. If you're using a smaller pan than the recipe calls for or are only making half the recipe, you can cut the cooked noodles to fit. You can also carefully break the no-boil noodles to fit the shape of your dish. Tuck the ends of your noodles into the pan before baking, as any that extend over the edges may burn or dry out and become hard and brittle. For easier serving and a golden edge, lightly buttering your glass or metal baking dishes before assembly. If using a nonstick surface, butter may be unnecessary. Begin your first layer. Start with a small amount of sauce at the bottom of your dish to keep your lasagna moist and prevent the bottom layer of pasta from sticking to the pan. Take a sheet of your boiled and strained regular noodles or no-boil noodles and lay them out flat at the base of your dish, overlapping them slightly. The goal is to get the entire bottom of the dish covered in a layer of noodles. Remember, you can cut or break your noodles to fit the size and shape of your pan if necessary. If using no-boil noodles, you may want to break them to fit instead of overlapping them, as the overlapped parts can get hard while baking. Add the filling. Your filling will vary depending on the recipe. Follow your recipe guidelines to create your filling and spread it over your base layer of noodles. Spread about 1/3 of your filling onto the base noodles. Don't let your layers get too thick! This can cause your lasagna to fall apart when serving and eating. Drizzle on the cheese. Follow your recipe guidelines to create your cheese mixture and cover the surface area of your dish with a thin layer of cheese. Use enough cheese so you can cover the previous layer. If your recipe calls for a ricotta mixture and separate layer of mozzarella, put down the ricotta first and follow it with the mozzarella. Pour on some sauce. Use a spoon to drizzle sauce over your cheese until covered. Depending on the size of your dish, you may need to use more or less sauce. Take care not to use too much sauce; this could create a runny lasagna. When using no-boil noodles, use slightly more sauce. No-boil noodles will absorb more moisture to cook. Repeat the process! Once you have laid down the second sauce layer, place another layer of noodles on top, followed by your filling, cheese, and another layer of sauce. The number of layers your lasagna has will vary by recipe and size of your dish. Use your entire filling mixture. Make sure to leave about four noodles, or as many you would need to cover the top of your lasagna. Leave a little bit of extra cheese to sprinkle on top. Top it off. Finish your lasagna by placing four noodles on the top, one crosswise and three lengthwise. You may need to use more or less depending on the size of your dish. Sprinkle your remaining cheese on top. This will cook to make a nice brown surface. Sprinkles of sweet paprika make a delicious final addition. If you are using no-boil noodles or prefer a more sauce on your lasagna, you can add a thin layer of sauce to the top. Freeze your lasagna (optional). If you'd like, you can cover your lasagna dish with aluminum foil and place it in the freezer for up to three months and still bake beautifully. Make sure to let your frozen lasagna completely defrost before baking it, otherwise you may have to increase the cooking time. Remove frozen lasagna from the freezer the night before you plan to bake it and let it thaw in the refrigerator overnight. It's better to cool your lasagna slightly frozen than to let it thaw on the countertop. Try some different sauces. Red sauces, with and without meat are the more popular and traditional sauces to use with lasagna, but you can also create delicious Alfredo lasagna. Mix up the cheese. For an interesting and innovative twist, swap out the ricotta for cottage cheese. You can also use slices of mozzarella instead of grated. Sprinkle in some Parmesan cheese too! Try trading your noodles for ravioli. This can create truly exciting lasagna as you can pick and use your favorite ravioli. Try a mushroom, meat, cheese, or vegetarian ravioli for a delicious twist on a classic dish. Ditch the noodles all together! This is a great way to enjoy lasagna if you are on a low carb diet or need to eat gluten free. Use slices of zucchini instead of noodles; you will be eating healthy without even realizing it. Create seafood lasagna. If you're looking for a recipe to absolutely impress the pants off someone, try a classy seafood lasagna. Load your lasagna with crab, shrimp, and scallops. Red sauces can easily overpower the delicate flavors of most seafood. Make your seafood lasagna with a creamy white sauce instead. This recipe is very easy to assemble in advance; giving you more time to enjoy the company you are sharing it with. For truly special occasions, try adding lobster to the mix at the same time you add the crab. Explore the options! Make use of any leftover chicken or steak in your fridge from last night's dinner; don't be afraid to mince it up for lasagna! If you have some tomatoes or onions that need to be used, dice them and toss them in your sauce. Be careful of adding additional ingredients. You may have to adjust your cooking time. Precooked ingredients will usually be fine, as they're just getting reheated as part of the lasagna but if you're introducing fresh ingredients, such as slices of zucchini or shredded carrot, be sure that the fresh food will cook in time. Chop items into small pieces if you're unsure.
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Get all your ingredients ready. Choose your noodles. Get the right kind of dish. Get your noodles ready. Begin your first layer. Add the filling. Drizzle on the cheese. Pour on some sauce. Repeat the process! Top it off. Freeze your lasagna (optional). Try some different sauces. Mix up the cheese. Try trading your noodles for ravioli. Ditch the noodles all together! Create seafood lasagna. Explore the options!
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https://www.wikihow.com/Dry-Basil
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How to Dry Basil
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Before you can dry basil, harvest it when all the leave have sprouted but before you see flowers on the stems. Cut the basil leaves from the larger stems and rinse them well. Next, preheat your oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit and arrange your basil leaves in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Place the tray in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, then turn the oven off and allow the basil leaves to remain in the oven overnight. By morning, the leaves should crumble when pinched.
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Harvest the basil just before it flowers. Basil will flower after all the leaves on one stem are full-grown, but the herb loses some of its flavor after flowering occurs. The flowers appear in the middle of a bunch of leaves in a pyramid shape. Plan to prep and dry basil once all the leaves have sprouted, but before you see flowers on the stems. Basil leaves have the most oil just before the plant flowers, so harvesting them at this point will ensure that the dried basil has as much flavor as possible. Harvest at mid-morning. This is the best time to harvest because the plant has been watered but the sun has dried the leaves. Cut basil leaves from the stems. Separate bunches of basil leaves and cut the individual leaves from the larger stem. Separating them will help you lay them flat and clean them properly. Leave a small length of stem, no more than an inch, at the bottom of each leaf to help you bundle them and tie them together. Rinse the leaves well. Rinse cut basil leaves under cold water before drying them. This will remove any dirt, chemicals or other debris that may have fallen onto the leaves while growing or while being shipped if your basil is store-bought. Pat the rinsed leaves dry. Lay the rinsed leaves on a paper towel and gently pat them dry with a second paper towel. Removing excess moisture before drying basil will prevent molding during the drying process. Gather the leaves in bunches. Group the prepped leaves in a bundle and tie them together at their stems with a rubber band or twist tie. Make more than one bundle if you have lots of basil leaves. Hang leaves to dry. Hang your bundles of basil from a hook or wall tack to dry. You don't have to hang them in your kitchen, but make sure you choose a place with freely circulating air and moderate sunlight to aid the drying process. Choose a room with a window that can be opened to let air and sunlight in and preferably one where bugs won't be able to get to your drying herbs. Let the basil hang for two weeks. Your basil will be dried and ready to use in about two weeks or when the leaves are dark green, dry and brittle to the touch. If the leaves or stems still feel a little flexible, let them hang another week. Remove the rubber band or twist tie, separate the dried basil bundle and crumble the dried leaves with your fingers. Store them in a labeled jar or container for future use. Use the crushed dried basil now in your recipes. Remove the leaves from the stems after harvesting. If you want to dry the leaves more quickly, you can go ahead and remove the leaves from the stems. Discard the stems along with any leaves that are bruised or broken. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Rinse them gently in water, then set them on paper towels and gently pat them dry. Prepare your oven or food dehydrator. Basil leaves dry beautifully in either an oven set to very low heat or a food dehydrator. If you're using the oven, set it to the lowest temperature - 200 °F (93 °C) or lower. If you're using a food dehydrator, ready it for operation according to the manufacturer's instructions. Spread the leaves on trays in a thin layer. Either spread them on a baking tray or the food dehydrator tray. Make sure none of the leaves overlap. They should be arranged in one thin, even layer. Dry the leaves to the correct moisture content. The leaves should be dried over the course of 24-48 hours until they are no longer moist; they should crumble easily when pinched between your fingers. If you're using the oven, place the tray of leaves inside the preheated oven and let them bake for 20 minutes. Turn off the oven and leave the leaves inside overnight. In the morning, they should be sufficiently dry. If you're using the food dehydrator, place the tray of leaves inside and operate the food dehydrator for 24-48 hours. Store the dried leaves. You can store them whole in plastic food storage bags or bins, or crush them and store them in spice bottles.
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Harvest the basil just before it flowers. Cut basil leaves from the stems. Rinse the leaves well. Pat the rinsed leaves dry. Gather the leaves in bunches. Hang leaves to dry. Let the basil hang for two weeks. Use the crushed dried basil now in your recipes. Remove the leaves from the stems after harvesting. Rinse the leaves and pat them dry. Prepare your oven or food dehydrator. Spread the leaves on trays in a thin layer. Dry the leaves to the correct moisture content. Store the dried leaves.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Have-a-Good-Poker-Face
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How to Have a Good Poker Face
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Having a good poker face is all about looking relaxed and not showing emotion. Take a deep breath and relax your facial muscles to hide what you're thinking and feeling. Make normal eye contact with people so you always seem confident. Look straight ahead and avoid glancing around, which can be a sign that you're hiding something. In addition to keeping a blank face, you should also avoid any kind of fidgeting, like tapping your fingers, touching your hair, or cracking your knuckles, which can give away your emotions. If you're struggling to contain your nervousness or excitement, squeeze your fist under the table or press your knees together to relieve the tension.
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Relax your face. Your face is the first giveaway that could cost you a game of poker. Keeping your emotions and reactions in check regarding hands dealt to you is a key part of poker. Any type of expression sacrifices your power in situations with your opponents. Clear your mind, wiggle your face to loosen the muscles, take a deep breath, and relax. You want to be in control of the situation and if you're too stressed, you can lose that control. Hiding your reactions is power because no one knows what you're thinking or what you're about to do. Maintain eye contact with others. You can win the upper hand by showing people you are confident and intimidating by locking eyes with them. Meeting people's eyes also shows that you have nothing to hide so they don't know what to expect from you. Look at the bridge of their nose to stare them down and keep your focus. Blink occasionally to avoid staring. Staring into space or focusing too hard on your cards is also how your poker face can be compromised. It either shows that you aren't paying attention, or that you're concerned for your hand and chances. Remind yourself to blink so that your eyes don't dry out while you concentrate. Excessive blinking can also show nervousness, so don't go overboard. There's a balance between blinking enough to keep from staring and keeping your eyes focused so they don't flit around. Staring too hard can also cause your shoulders to bunch up and posture to suffer. Focusing too hard on one thing visually can also distract you and you may miss an important play. Keep your lips together and jaw relaxed. Your mouth is the main support for your face muscles and any tension, smile, frown, or smirk will influence the rest of your face. Relax your jaw first by letting it go slack, creating space between your back teeth. Open and close your mouth a few times to help relax as well. Avoid showing your teeth. Whether it's for a small grin or grimace, visible teeth means your mouth is moving and movement can give you away. Don't grind your teeth. Your jaw will show the pressure your teeth are under. Look straight ahead. Don't look up or to the left or right out of the corners of your eyes. These are all tells which are little clues to your opponents that you have something to hide, whether it's a good hand of cards or bad. It's hard to do, but minimize your eye movements. Even squinting or excessive eyebrow raises can give away your reaction. Wear sunglasses to conceal where you are looking. To protect yourself, wear sunglasses so you don't have to worry about giving anything away with your eyes. Sunglasses won't be a problem indoors if you have enough lighting. Relax your posture. Take a deep breath, raise your shoulders to your ears, and let them drop down. Arch your back and then let it settle into a natural, upright position. Shake out any tense limbs and roll your head around on your neck. All of these will help you get back to a proper posture and break up any tension you have built up that will reveal your anxiety. Avoid fidgeting or adjusting your body or clothes. Whether you're excited or nervous, small twitches are a big giveaway to your emotions. Take a mental note to see if you're exhibiting any little movements that come from nervous energy. Pay attention to yourself to make sure you're not demonstrating any of these tics: Knuckle cracking Fingernail biting Tapping fingers Pulling on your collar or tie or shirt sleeves Rubbing your face, hands together, or arms Divert any tension to something else. Hold a stress ball or curl your hand into a fist to take any tension your body is storing. It can be hard to make yourself relax your entire body, so if you have to tense up, try allowing only one part of your body to hold that stress. Conceal any movement or tension that you have. For example, hold your fist under the table or press your knees together to redirect any tension to where no one can notice it. Don't grip your cards too tightly or you'll have white knuckles which will show. Speak with an even and balanced tone. Your voice is also capable of revealing your emotions. A quiver in your voice or jumping to another octave while speaking is an easy tell for your opponents. Clear your throat or take a full breath before speaking so that you have enough air to talk in a neutral register. Keep your words few and simple. Stick to the facts of what's happening and you won't need too many words. Stumbling over your sentences, stuttering, or saying “um” too many times shows that you are nervous or unsure of yourself. Short, sweet, and to the point is how you should talk when in high-stress situations. One-word answers are acceptable, especially in high-stakes games like poker. You need to concentrate more on the game anyways rather than shooting the breeze with your opponents. If you're playing a game with friends and there isn't real money at stake, the atmosphere may be a little more relaxed so talking may more appropriate. Just watch yourself when examining your hand. Nod your head if you aren’t comfortable speaking. When asked a question by the dealer or someone else, it's acceptable to simply answer “yes” or “no” by nodding or shaking your head. If you don't feel comfortable opening your mouth because you're afraid that your voice will give you away, simply use relaxed body language to convey your answer. To distract yourself and keep from speaking, chew gum or keep snacks at the table. It helps to think about what you want to say before you speak. That way you can keep yourself from sounding excited or disappointed. Confuse your opponents by talking constantly. To be completely counter-intuitive, instead of staying silent you can comment on every hand dealt or result. You can pepper in false reactions too to throw your opponents off. Constantly talking can also distract your opponents by diverting their attention from the game to whatever you're saying. Bluffing is an important part of poker. For example, you can receive a bad hand and pretend like you just got a winning hand. If you're consistently inconsistent with your reactions, no one will be able to guess your true reactions. This is much harder to do but can work in your favor.
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Relax your face. Maintain eye contact with others. Blink occasionally to avoid staring. Keep your lips together and jaw relaxed. Look straight ahead. Wear sunglasses to conceal where you are looking. Relax your posture. Avoid fidgeting or adjusting your body or clothes. Divert any tension to something else. Speak with an even and balanced tone. Keep your words few and simple. Nod your head if you aren’t comfortable speaking. Confuse your opponents by talking constantly.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Guitar
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How to Clean a Guitar
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Before you clean your guitar, remove the strings so that no oils or other cleaning products get on them. Then, wipe away dirt or grime on the fretboard with a slightly damp cloth. Next, rinse out the cloth and use it to wash the front, back, and sides of your guitar's body. You can also remove dust and dirt from the bridge with a damp cloth. Finish by polishing your tuning keys with glass cleaner and a cloth.
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Gather your materials. Cleaning a guitar requires only a few materials. A soft cloth, like an old t-shirt or a sock, will do the job well, along with some water, glass cleaner, and a guitar polish that contains pure carnauba wax. An electric guitar can be cleaned in the same way as an acoustic. If you want to do a heavy duty cleaning on your guitar, you can use white distilled vinegar -- this is a safe product that won't damage the finish on your guitar. You should avoid most household cleaning products that contain silicone, heavy waxes, lacquer thinner, and bleach. All purpose cleaners and furniture polishes are also products you should avoid as they can damage the finish on your guitar. Avoid using paper towels to clean your guitar as they can scratch the guitar's finish, especially if it is a lacquer or shellac French polish. Using a cloth that has been laundered many times will work best because it should be mostly free of lint. Remove the strings. Before your begin the process of cleaning your guitar, it's a good idea to remove the strings so that cleaning your fretboard becomes an easier task. When you change your strings, that may be a good time to clean your guitar. Make sure you only remove a few strings at a time so that you don't mess with the neck tension on your guitar. It's important that you remove your strings on your guitar, because as you are cleaning the rest of the guitar you don't want any cleaning products to come into contact with your strings. Your strings should be free of any oils, polishes, or damp cloths that you may use while cleaning. Store your guitar when it's not in use. It can be tempting to display your guitar or to leave it out on its stand when you aren't using it, but the best way to protect your guitar and keep it clean is to put it back in its case. If you feel like you need to leave your guitar on its stand so you will remember to play it, make sure the room it is in has about 50 percent humidity. Little humidity can dry the wood out on your guitar, causing the fretboard to shrink and flex. If your guitar does show signs of drying out, you can purchase a guitar humidifier and place it in the body of the guitar. Exposing a guitar to humidity can help restore its original look. Take extra caution with vintage guitars. Vintage guitars with a nitro finish will change color or develop a sheen or patina over time as part of the normal aging process. You want to avoid using polishes on these guitars as they can remove these finishes. Clean your vintage guitars simply with a cloth and a little bit of water. Clean the fretboard and neck. This is the part of your guitar where the strings are. A fretboard, or fingerboard, should only be cleaned once or twice a year, so that the natural oils and moisture on your guitar that are picked up through the contact with your fingers remain on the guitar. Using your cloth, lightly dampen it with water or distilled vinegar, and gently wipe away the dirt or grime you find on your fretboard. When cleaning your guitar, make sure you wring out your damp cloth as much as possible -- you don't want to oversaturate your guitar with water or cleaning products. For those really dirty spots on your fretboard, you can use a piece of extra fine #000 or #0000 steel wool to scrub them out. Because steel wool can get caught to the magnets of your pickups, you might want to cover up your pickups if you choose to use steel wool. Clean the body of your guitar. Moving down the length of your guitar, clean the body of your guitar -- the front, back, and sides -- with the same damp cloth. Make sure you rinse out the cloth so that you don't just spread the dirt to other areas of your guitar. Move the cloth in circular motions across the body of your guitar. As you clean your guitar you may notice some spots that don't come off just by wiping them with the cloth. Fingerprints, smudges, or dirtier spots may need a little bit of moisture, so "huff" warm breath on your guitar, just as you would if you were cleaning a window. Then, wipe with the damp cloth. If this still isn't enough you can use a small amount of mild detergent with water. After you have cleaned these spots, buff with a dry cloth to remove streaks. Clean your bridge as you would the fretboard. The bridge is located on the body of the guitar, below the soundhole, and it supports the strings of your guitar. To clean the bridge of your guitar, use the same method as the fretboard, dampening a cloth and wiping down the bridge to remove dust, dirt, and grime. For the difficult spots, you can use a toothbrush or pipe cleaner to gently scrub away the dirt. Wipe down the tuning keys. These are the keys at the top of your guitar neck, on the headstock of your guitar. To clean these keys you can spray a dry cloth with glass cleaner and polish each key to bring back the shine. Polish your pickups. These are usually located on an electric guitar, on the body of the guitar in place of the sound hole. If your pickups look a little dirty you can clean them up with a damp cloth, but if you spot rust on your pick ups, carefully remove them from your guitar. Once you have unscrewed your pickups (using an Allen wrench is an easy way to do this), clean them with a rust-dissolving agent. You can also remove rust spots using a white pencil eraser or a cotton ball with a small amount of lighter fluid. Once you have cleaned your pickups, screw them back onto your guitar and wipe dry with a clean cloth. Polish your finish. Some guitar experts suggest not to polish your guitar frequently, as the polish can build up and while it looks nice cosmetically, it may dampen the sound of your guitar. If you are going to polish your guitar, use a polish that contains pure carnauba wax and no solvents or petroleum products. Spray your polish on a cloth and gently wipe down your guitar. If your guitar has a satin finish, do not polish or buff it. Buffing a satin finish will cause it to look blotchy. You should also avoid polishing vintage guitars. Follow the above directions for how to protect your vintage guitars.
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Gather your materials. Remove the strings. Store your guitar when it's not in use. Take extra caution with vintage guitars. Clean the fretboard and neck. Clean the body of your guitar. Clean your bridge as you would the fretboard. Wipe down the tuning keys. Polish your pickups. Polish your finish.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Sausage-Gravy
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How to Make Sausage Gravy
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To make sausage gravy, start by cooking 1 pound of ground pork sausage in a skillet until it's evenly browned. Then, gradually stir in ⅓ cup of flour using a wire whisk. Next, add 2 to 3 cups of whole milk, adding ½ cup at a time, to prevent any drastic temperature changes in your gravy. After stirring in the milk, season with as much black pepper as you like, and let the gravy simmer for 5 to 7 minutes before serving.
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Heat your skillet, preferably cast iron or heavy-bottomed to medium heat. Let it get nice and hot before adding the sausage, as this will quickly brown the sides. A thick or heavy-bottomed pan will hold its heat even as you add cold ingredients, leading to a better final consistency. Arrange your ingredients near you and cut open the package of sausage, waiting to add until the pan gets hot. Let the milk get to room temperature as well -- it's best if it warms up on the counter a bit before adding it, so don't leave it in the fridge because you're worried it might spoil. It won't. Cook the sausage until brown, and there is no more pink in the centers. Using a spatula, pull the pork apart into nickel-sized chunks, breaking it up so that it cooks faster and is easier to eat later. Keep separating it while it cooks, moving it around so that no one side gets too brown. Leave the grease in the pan as it cooks, adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter for a richer gravy. Gravy is just cooked flour in a fat, and that fat can be animal fat, butter, or both. But you can't have a completely dry pan or there will be nothing to absorb the flour and make a gravy. Butter isn't strictly necessary, but it helps if you're using a lower-fat sausage, like turkey or chicken sausage. Using a wire whisk, slowly add and stir in the flour. You need to do this slowly, as the flour wants to be incorporated evenly into the liquid. The best way to do this is to break the 1/3 cup of flour into three parts, adding and stirring each one in individually. Keep the whisk moving, breaking up and clumps and stirring until none of the flour is at all visible. Slowly stir in the whole milk. In a pinch, 2% will also work, but don't use skim -- you need the fat to help bind the gravy. If you can, measure out the milk ahead of time and let it warm slightly towards room temperature. You need to add the milk slowly because you don't want to rapidly change the temperature of your gravy. Pour a bit in, stir and let it simmer, then add some more. While you need to add the milk slowly, you don't want to dilly-dally. Add about a 1/2 cup, stir until simmering, then add more. Add more milk for a thinner gravy, but know that you can always thicken it if you add too much. Season with ground black pepper to taste. A classic sausage gravy is spiced only with ground black pepper and the seasoning already on the sausage. You can use as much as you desire to get your perfect sausage gravy. Recipes range from 2 teaspoons to 2 whole tablespoons, so add it bit by bit and taste to get your desired amount. A pinch (1/4 teaspoon or so) of nutmeg is also added frequently. Simmer everything, stirring frequently until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. As it cooks, the liquid will evaporate off and leave a thick, delicious gravy. You can stop the process at any point, knowing that it will thicken a bit as it cools, but most chefs like to cook for at least 5-7 minutes. Eat while still hot, adding a bit more milk and simmering if it gets too thick. This gravy is best right off the stove, and it tends to thicken too much and congeal after the first day. Enjoy it hot and fresh, preferably slathered over fresh biscuits. Add some finely minced garlic and or shallots with the sausage for a decadent, nuanced gravy. Adding some aromatics to your gravy ahead of time isn't typical, but it will add a new depth of flavor. The garlic, finely minced, will get a rich, toasted color and taste with a pinch of sharp garlicky spice, and the shallots will bring out a mouthwatering sweetness when browned. The garlic and onion will absorb some of the grease, so add 1 tablespoon of butter as well to ensure you have enough liquid for the gravy. Spice the gravy up with more than just pepper. Most people love a simple, but delicious gravy made of only pepper, milk, and sausage, but you can really mix things up if you're feeling adventurous. In essence, this sauce is simply a white cream sauce with sausage, and can be spiced as if it were an Alfredo or savory cream sauce. Some ideas include: Cracked red pepper Cumin Fresh Thyme and/or Rosemary Fresh, finely chopped Sage Garlic and/or Onion Powder Use leaner ground meats, like turkey or chicken, but add butter to account for the lost fat. Remember that the base of all gravies is flour cooked in liquid fat. While you can use chicken or turkey sausage, you need to account for this lost fat when making gravy. Add 2-3 tablespoons of butter and melt it when the meat is almost finished cooking, then add the flour like normal. Want a new flavor without going lean? Try some crumbled bacon along with the sausage! Substitute a cup of diced brown mushrooms for the sausage (or with it) and cook in 2 tablespoons butter and oil for a vegetarian variation. Remember that you'll need to keep some liquid fat in the pan, and that mushrooms tend to soak up liquid. Heat up 1 tablespoon butter and 1 of olive oil, cooking in that, and then add 2 tablespoons more butter once the mushrooms are soft and brown on the edges. Use this butter with 2-3 tablespoons flour to make your gravy. Throw caution into the wind with a southwest chipotle sausage gravy, complete with chorizo. Looking for something completely new in your sausage gravy? Swap the breakfast sausage out for some Mexican chorizo and toss in a can of chipotle in adobo sauce or drained green chiles and cook like normal, until the sausage is browned. Then add 2 tablespoons of butter and whisk it in with the flour until you have a nice gravy base, proceeding like normal.
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Heat your skillet, preferably cast iron or heavy-bottomed to medium heat. Cook the sausage until brown, and there is no more pink in the centers. Leave the grease in the pan as it cooks, adding 1-2 tablespoons of butter for a richer gravy. Using a wire whisk, slowly add and stir in the flour. Slowly stir in the whole milk. Season with ground black pepper to taste. Simmer everything, stirring frequently until the gravy reaches your desired consistency. Eat while still hot, adding a bit more milk and simmering if it gets too thick. Add some finely minced garlic and or shallots with the sausage for a decadent, nuanced gravy. Spice the gravy up with more than just pepper. Use leaner ground meats, like turkey or chicken, but add butter to account for the lost fat. Substitute a cup of diced brown mushrooms for the sausage (or with it) and cook in 2 tablespoons butter and oil for a vegetarian variation. Throw caution into the wind with a southwest chipotle sausage gravy, complete with chorizo.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Fluffy-Slime-Without-Glue
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How to Make Fluffy Slime Without Glue
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To make fluffy slime without glue, start by mixing ½ cup of shampoo with 1 cup of shaving foam in a mixing bowl. Once you've mixed the shampoo and shaving foam into a fluffy consistency, add a few drops of your chosen food coloring and stir it in to give your slime some color. Then, mix in ¼ cup of cornstarch until your slime thickens and becomes slimy in texture. After you've fully mixed in the cornstarch, pour around 1/3 cup of water into a separate bowl and add it to the mixture one tablespoon at a time. Keep stirring the mixture with each tablespoon until you've added all of the water. To finish off your fluffy slime, take it out of the bowl and knead it for about 5 minutes.
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Squeeze around 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of shampoo into a mixing bowl. Choose a shampoo that smells nice and that isn't too thin or watery. Measure out your shampoo and pour it into a big mixing bowl. You could also use a 2-in-1 shampoo and conditioner, or a 3-in-1 shampoo, conditioner, and body wash. As long as it's shampoo, it should work for making slime! If you don't want to get shampoo in your measuring cups, you can squeeze roughly the right amount of shampoo directly into the bowl. If your slime isn't slimy enough, you can always add more shampoo or more cornstarch to get it right. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of shaving foam to the shampoo. Give a can of shaving foam a good shake to make sure it fluffs up well. Point the nozzle of the can over your measuring cup and spray some shaving foam into it. Scoop the shaving foam into your mixing bowl and stir it together with the shampoo. Make sure you use shaving foam, rather than shaving lotion. You need it to be foamy and fluffy to make fluffy slime. Use food coloring or essential oils to customize your slime. The shampoo and shaving cream will likely be white or a very pale color. If you want to make your slime brighter and more interesting, add a few drops of food coloring to the mixture and stir it in to combine. If you want to change the scent of your slime, add a drop or two of an essential oil you like! Adding more food coloring will make your slime bright and vibrant. If you want a lighter, pastel color, add only 1 or 2 drops to the shampoo mixture. Mix in 1/4 cup (31 g) of cornstarch to thicken your slime. Measure out your cornstarch and pour it into the shampoo. Use a wooden spoon or something similar to begin stirring everything together until it thickens up and becomes a slimy consistency. You might need more cornstarch to get the right texture for your fluffy slime. Start with 1/4 cup (31 g) and add more as you need it. Stir in 1⁄3 cup (79 ml) of water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time. Pour around ⁄ 3 cup (79 ml) of water into a separate bowl. Use a tablespoon to scoop some water out and pour it into your slime mixture, stirring it until everything is combined. Repeat the same process 4 or 5 times, until all of your water has been stirred into the slime. The amount of water you add each time doesn't need to be exact. If you don't want to use a tablespoon, add a small splash at a time. Knead your slime for around 5 minutes. Take your slime out of the bowl and place it onto a flat, clean surface. Use your hands to begin working the slime, stretching it and squishing it back together. After around 5 minutes, your slime should be easy to work with and ready for you to use! If your slime is still too sticky, add a little more cornstarch and knead it in. Repeat this process until you're happy with the texture of your slime. If you want to make your slime more interesting, knead in some polystyrene balls or some glitter. This will give your slime a crunchy consistency, or make it sparkle. Store your slime in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Once you've finished playing with your slime, collect up any bits that have fallen off. Store the slime in an airtight container or resealable bag for up to 3 days. After a few days, the slime will lose its texture and become too sticky to play with. Measure 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of thick shampoo into a freezer-safe bowl. In order for your slime to work properly, you will need a very thick shampoo. Squeeze your chosen shampoo into a freezer safe bowl. A thicker shampoo will make your slime softer and stretchier. For the best results, choose the thickest shampoo you can find. You can also use 2-in-1 or 3-in-1 toiletries, as long as they contain shampoo. Stir around 1 cup (240 ml) of shaving cream into the shampoo. Point the nozzle of your shaving cream or foam over a measuring cup and press down on the top. Keep spraying until you have around 1 cup of foam, before scooping it into the mixing bowl. Use a wooden spoon or something similar to mix the shampoo and shaving cream together. Shake your can of shaving cream or shaving foam for a few seconds before spraying it. Make sure you use shaving foam or cream, rather than aerosol shaving lotion. The lighter and fluffier your shaving cream is, the fluffier your slime will be as well! Add in around 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of table salt to make your slime slimy! Table salt will help thicken your ingredients to turn your shampoo and shaving cream into slime. Pour the table salt into your bowl and stir it for 1 to 2 minutes. The mixture should become stretchy and slimy. If your slime doesn't thicken up properly, add a little more salt and keep stirring it. The amount of salt needed will change based on the type of shampoo that you use. Your mixture should begin to look like slime, but will still be very soft and sticky. Freeze your slime for 15 to 20 minutes. Once you slime has started to come together, put the bowl in the freezer to set up. After around 15 minutes, you can take your slime out and begin playing with it! If it begins to soften after a while, put the slime back in the freezer until it becomes slimy and easy to play with. Leaving your slime in the freezer for too long will turn it solid, making the slime very difficult to play with. Similarly, leaving the slime out of the freezer will make it start melting and become too sticky. Once you've finished playing with your slime, throw it away to stop it from melting or freezing. Mix your peel-off face mask with some shaving cream in a bowl. Measure out around ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of peel-off face mask that contains polyvinyl alcohol and pour it into a bowl. Add in around 1 cup (240 ml) of shaving cream and stir it to combine. Polyvinyl alcohol is the same active ingredient in the glue used to make slime, meaning it's a perfect substitute. Make sure the peel-off face mask you choose has polyvinyl alcohol listed in the ingredients. You can add more or less shaving cream to change how fluffy your slime will be. Add cornstarch and baking soda to thicken your slime. Measure out 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) each of cornstarch and baking soda. Pour them into your shampoo and shaving cream, using a wooden spoon or something similar to stir everything together. Your slime will start to thicken up, but won't look like slime quite yet. Make sure all of your ingredients are fully combined before moving on. Activate your slime with around 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of contact solution. Contact solution contains boric acid, which will activate the PVA in your face mask and turn it into slime! Add a few drops of contact solution to your bowl at a time, stirring to make sure all of it's mixed in. Keep adding contact solution until your slime is thick, stretchy, and fluffy! The amount of contact solution you need will vary based on the amount of boric acid it contains, as well as the type of face mask you used. Only add enough to make your slime perfectly slimy! If you want a stretchier slime, add 1 to 2 tablespoons (15 to 30 ml) of water. Knead the water into the slime until the slime no longer feels wet. Store your slime in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Once you've finished playing with your slime, scoop it into an airtight container or resealable bag. The slime should stay clean and safe for up to a week. Throw the slime away after a week, or even earlier if the slime begins to look dirty.
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Squeeze around 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of shampoo into a mixing bowl. Add 1 cup (240 ml) of shaving foam to the shampoo. Use food coloring or essential oils to customize your slime. Mix in 1/4 cup (31 g) of cornstarch to thicken your slime. Stir in 1⁄3 cup (79 ml) of water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time. Knead your slime for around 5 minutes. Store your slime in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. Measure 1⁄4 cup (59 ml) of thick shampoo into a freezer-safe bowl. Stir around 1 cup (240 ml) of shaving cream into the shampoo. Add in around 1/2 teaspoon (3 g) of table salt to make your slime slimy! Freeze your slime for 15 to 20 minutes. Mix your peel-off face mask with some shaving cream in a bowl. Add cornstarch and baking soda to thicken your slime. Activate your slime with around 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of contact solution. Store your slime in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Stencil-Print
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How to Stencil Print
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If you want to stencil print, put the item you want to print on, like a t-shirt, on a flat surface. Then, attach your stencil to the item with double-sided painter's tape so it stays in place. For a positive stencil, paint the shape inside the stencil with a brush or sponge. Next, wait for the paint to dry before applying another coat. Alternatively, you can remove the stencil if you've got the color you want from the first coat. Finally, apply finishing touches if required, like eyes or a nose.
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Brainstorm your stencil ideas. If you plan on creating an original design, you might want to take a piece of paper and a pencil to sketch out some concept designs. If you plan on using a pre-made image, like one used by your favorite artist, video game, or TV show, you should should find a high resolution copy of the image. High resolution images will result in crisper, cleaner stencils. Beginners might want to stick with simple designs while learning the basics of stencil printing. A simple line drawing or thick, plain, black text will work well for your stencil. Create your design. This can be easily done on a computer with image editing software, like Adobe Photoshop or MS Paint. You might import an image from online or your personal image library and make some modifications to it with your editing software, or you might use your own original artwork. If you don't have a printer, you can always look into how to make a stencil by hand. With image editing software, it will be easy for you to move around components of the design until you are happy with it. Text, in particular, will likely require some adjustment for you to get the right placement and size. Compare the size of your design to your substrate, which is the technical name for the thing you'll be stenciling onto later. This will prevent you from creating a stencil that is too large. Some examples of substrates you might stencil your design onto include: t-shirts, backpacks, posters, towels, walls, folders, and so on. You might want to change your image properties to "Black and white" before printing. This will make it easier to identify the parts you will need to cut from your image to make your stencil. Print your design. You should print your image in black and white on a sturdy piece of paper, like card stock or posterboard. Depending on your printer, you may be able to cut a piece of white posterboard or card stock down to the size of a normal sheet of paper and use it in your printer as you would normally. Depending on your region and printer, your standard paper size may vary. Generally, you can expect most printers to accept paper 8.5 inches (21.6 cm) wide. Sturdy paper will result in a sturdier stencil. Using normal paper for your stencil might cause it to fall apart while stenciling. Cut your stencil free of the paper. Take your utility knife and cut around the perimeter of the black areas of your image. Try to cut in an unbroken line around the perimeter to limit the number of touch-ups you'll need to make at the end. If you need to cut through the blank space surrounding your image, cut a thin line from the border of the page to the perimeter of your image, then cut the image free by following its perimeter. Do not throw away any of the pieces of your stencil. Depending on the kind of stencil you want to make, you might use either the white pieces or the black pieces when stenciling. Be careful not to trim floating or protruding ares of white space. Even if a white space is mostly or completely surrounded by the black of your image, you should keep it. All white pieces should stay together with other white pieces and black pieces with black pieces. In stencil making, the white part of your stencil is called the positive stencil while the black parts make up the negative stencil. Be careful not to damage the surface you are cutting on! You may want to put a piece of cardboard or a self-healing cutting mat beneath your design while cutting. Position your substrate. The best place to apply your stencil is a clean, sturdy, flat surface, like a table, desk, or counter. Make sure your substrate and surface are both clean before placing it onto your surface. Put an extra layer of unused posterboard or card stock beneath your substrate so it is under the area you plan on applying your stencil. In the event your paint bleeds through, this will prevent an unnecessary mess on your surface. If you plan on stenciling bags and backpacks, you should insert a piece of stiff cardboard inside to prevent your paint bleeding through to the inside or opposite side of the bag. If you don't have cardboard or extra posterboard/card stock, you can always use an old board game box. Decide between positive and negative stencils. Before you go any further, you'll have to figure out which stencil you'll be using: the positive (white) or negative (black). Positive stencils are great for letters and outlines. They also give the appearance of your image being part of the background of your shirt. Negative stencils are better for figures and details. Negative stenciled images will appear to be in the foreground of your shirt. Mark your stencil placement with painter's tape. This is especially important for your negative stencil, as you will not have the border of your page to orient your stencil as you will with your positive stencil. Using small pieces of painter's tape, mark the placement of your stencils. With painter's tape marking positioning, you'll have an easier time aligning your stencils with your substrate. Your tape guides will also prevent you from stenciling something crooked. The positive stencil will be the easier of the two to position on your substrate. Use the outer edges of the page of your positive stencil to place it and mark its position with tape. To mark the position of your negative stencil, first place your positive one. Use the outer borders of the page of your positive stencil to position it precisely. Then mark the interior of the positive stencil. This is where you will need to place your negative stencil before applying your paint. Place your stencil. Hold your substrate free of its surface and allow it to hang naturally in your hands. While holding the substrate, check to see that your painter's tape guides are even and straight; small errors will result in a skewed or uneven image. Return your substrate to its surface and correct any errors in tape placement, then align your stencil with your tape guides. Stencils can sometimes stick to your paint applicator and come free from the substrate. This can sometimes result in poor image quality. To prevent this, you can use double sided tape (or a loop of tape with the sticky side out) to attach your stencil to the substrate. Paint your stencil. If you're using the positive stencil, you'll be painting its inside. If you're using the negative stencil, you'll be painting the outside. In either case, it doesn't matter if you get paint on your stencil. You should not, however, get paint under the stencil; this will result in the border of your design being irregular and not looking clean. Pour a moderate amount of your suitable paint, like fabric paint in the case of t-shirts, into a paint tray. In place of a paint tray you could use several paper plates or even pieces of wax paper. Then, using either a brush or sponge, transfer paint to your substrate. If you don't have a paint brush or sponge, you can always use cheap hand towels or rags. Layer a few of these together and roll them up to make a fabric tube. This will be your makeshift applicator; dip it into your paint and dab it onto your substrate. Be careful not to rub or brush against your paint while it is wet. This can cause it to smear and can even result in a stain on the clothing you are wearing. Wait for your paint to dry completely. Removing your stencils before the paint is completely dry can result in paint-smear. Be patient while waiting for your stenciled image to dry. To speed this process, you might use a hair dryer or low intensity fan directed at the drying paint. Another technique that you might use to help your design dry involves an iron and wax paper. Lay your wax paper over your design and, in short intervals, run the iron over the wax paper slowly but steadily. Remove your stencil or add another coat. When your paint is fully dry, peel one edge of your stencil carefully away from your substrate. Do not remove your stencil completely at this point. With your stencil still mostly attached to your substrate, check the first layer of paint you used for your stencil design. If it looks thin or light in color, reattach the corner of the stencil you've peeled away and apply another coat of paint. If your first layer of paint is consistent and you have achieved the desired color, continue to peel your stencil free from the substrate until it is completely removed. If you plan on using your stencil again, place it somewhere safe; otherwise you can throw it away. Add finishing touches with a paintbrush. Now that your paint is dry, you can add artistic touches to your design. Especially if the negative space where you applied your paint is lacking in color or personality, use your paints and a brush to add personal touches to the design. Some stencils might not transfer certain features very well, like eyes, for example. In this case, you might want to use a paintbrush to add these features. Dry your finishing touches and enjoy. You can do this in the same fashion you did previously. Either wait until the paint is dry or speed the process along with a blow dryer. When the paint of your finishing touches is dry, your stencil printing project is complete.
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Brainstorm your stencil ideas. Create your design. Print your design. Cut your stencil free of the paper. Position your substrate. Decide between positive and negative stencils. Mark your stencil placement with painter's tape. Place your stencil. Paint your stencil. Wait for your paint to dry completely. Remove your stencil or add another coat. Add finishing touches with a paintbrush. Dry your finishing touches and enjoy.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Colors-when-Crocheting
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How to Change Colors when Crocheting
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To change colors when crocheting, wait until you reach the point where you want the new color to begin, and leave 2 loops on your hook. Then, wrap the new color around the end of the hook, with about 5 inches of yarn for a tail. Pull the new yarn through the loops to start the color. Remember to cut the old color of yarn to detach the skein from the garment, and continue crocheting with the new color!
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Choose your colors. Before you begin crocheting, choose the colors that you would like for your pattern and decide where you want these colors to start. Some patterns may tell you specifically where to change colors, but if you are crocheting without a pattern, simply decide how much of each color you want in your work. It's best if you decide how many rows and chains you want in your pattern before you start working. For example, if you are making a dish cloth you may want 28 rows with 28 stitches going across. Then, you would need to decide how many rows of each color you want. Create your chains and rows. Take your first color and create your first chain and then your rows of single crochets until you have your desired size of that one color. Follow the steps for basic crocheting to create your pattern. Or, if you are following a specific pattern, create that pattern until you have reached the point where you want to change colors. On the very last stitch, don't complete your single crochet. Stick your hook through your chain, yarn over, and then pull it through to create two loops. At this point you should have two loops around your hook. Leave these loops on your hook as you switch colors. These specific instructions are for a single crochet stitch, which is the most basic, common stitch for crocheting. However, the technique used for this stitch can also be used for all types of stitches, so you can follow the instructions and gear them towards the type of stitch you are using. Take your new yarn and pull it through your hook. Place the yarn you are working with down, with the crochet hook still inside it. Then, take your next color and fold it in half at the end, with five or so inches at the end of the yarn on one side of the fold. Then place your hook through the loop you just created and pull the second yarn color through the two loops on the hook. Make sure you don't tie a loop in color two. You just want it folded in half so that it can slide through your loops in color one. As you are pulling color two through color one, you might need to hold onto the loose end of it to make sure you don't lose the yarn. Cut and pull color one. Now that you have color two attached, cut color one's attached strand of yarn. Leave about four inches, cutting the yarn attached to the skein. Then, pull the strand of yarn left that you just cut to tighten color two in place. You might need to adjust color two into place by pulling on the end of the yarn with the end of color one. Take the color one yarn still connected to your work. Then, grab hold of the end of color two yarn and pull both strands together. This well help you adjust the yarn so the ends are about the same length. Create the first chain with your new color. Place the yarn under then over your hook and pull it through the loop on your hook. At this point you will start to crochet as usual, single crocheting over loose strands and then continuing to form rows and chains until you have your desired size. Single crochet over loose strands of yarn. Taking the color one and color two yarn you just pulled to adjust and tighten your crochet, hold them in the back of your work, near the top of your highest row. Now, turn your work and single crochet over both of those colors. Place your hook through the second chain. Then, grab your working yarn (color two attached to the bulk of the yarn) and place it over the hook. Then, pull color two through the loop. Crochet the strands until they are secure. As you create your stitches, the single strands of yarn will be crocheted into your work. Continue to create crochet stitches until the yarn feels secure, doing at least six to eight single crochets over the strands. Then, cut the ends of the yarn close to your last single crochet. Continue to crochet. Now you should be solely working with color two. Continue to crochet color two into your work until you have your desired amount. At this point you can switch back to color one, add another color, or continue to crochet with color two. If you are going to switch colors again, just repeat the steps you used to switch from color one to color two. It's that easy! Finish your project. After you have your desired size, you'll need to do something with your loose yarn ends. Finish off your last single crochet, pushing the hook through your last stitch, yarning over, and then pulling through the two loops. Then cut your working yarn, leaving four or five inches. Yarn over and pull the yarn with your hook through your last loop. Pull it tight and weave your loose ends through your work. To weave your loose ends through your work, place your hook through your last stitch, yarn over with your loose yarn, and then pull it through the stitch. Continue to do this through each loop until you have weaved in about half of your yarn. Then, turn and go back the same direction you came, putting your hook through the stitch you just used and weaving your yarn towards the start. Crochet your rows until your desired length. Begin your crochet project as you normally would with one color. Stitch as many rows as you want. Then, when you know where you want to start your next color, stop crocheting. You can start your new color in the very middle of the row, towards the end, or towards the beginning. It's up to you really. Feed the hook through the next loop. As you normally would, take your crochet hook and stick it through the next stitch with your color one yarn still on your hook. Then, wrap the yarn you are currently working with around the hook and pull it through the stitch (the first loop on your hook) just as usual. Let go of your yarn. Pick up your new yarn. On your final yarn over, you will add your new colored yarn. Leaving the loops from your previous yarn on your hook, wrap your second colored yarn around your hook. Then, pull it through the loops already on your hook. After you have pulled it through, tug the new yarn from the back to tighten and adjust it. Crochet as you normally would. At this point you should be working with your color two yarn. Simply crochet that yarn into your project as your normally would until you reach the point in your project that you want to change colors again. Then, change colors again in the same way. If you plan to switch back to the first color of yarn you were working with, then "carry" your yarn. Do this simply by changing colors in the way described, but keep the strand of your old yarn against the loops you are working with. Then, as you crochet with your new yarn, your old yarn will be carried in your work, because it is up against the loops you are crocheting. When you decide to change back to your previous color, it will already be in your work so the process will be easier. Purchase your supplies. To crochet you simply need a crochet hook and yarn. You can find both of these items at your local craft store or online. The best type of yarn to use when you are first starting out is 100 percent acrylic yarn in worsted weight. The best hook to use when you are first starting out is an aluminum crochet hook in size H (five millimeters). If you are an expert at crocheting, then use the supplies you already own. Create the first loop in your yarn. Hold the hook in your right hand and wrap the yarn around your left index finger, placing the yarn over your finger and then looping it around your finger in a clockwise manner. When the yarn reaches the top of your finger again (where you began to wrap it) place it over the loop. Then, place the existing yarn on your finger over that piece of yarn and pull that piece of yarn upwards, pulling it through to form a loop. Hold your hook in your right hand (even if you are a lefty) and place your thumb and index finger on the flattened part of your crochet hook. Insert the crochet hook into the loop. Insert the hook through the loop, and then take the loose end of your yarn and pull on it, until the loop is pulled tightly around the crochet hook. Begin the chain. Holding the hook in your right hand, take the yarn and place it over your left index finger. Then, take your thumb and middle finger and place them on the knot of the yarn that is around your hook. Hold that knot to secure it as you crochet. Then, move your crochet hook under then over the yarn in your left hand. Catch the yarn on the hook and pull the yarn through. This creates your first chain. Continue creating chains. In a simple crochet pattern you will create twenty one chains. Continue to repeat the previous step, placing your crochet hook under and then over your yarn. Then, catch the yarn on the hook and pull it through. Do this until you have created 21 chains. It is important in crocheting that you keep count of your chains. You want your crochet to be even, and if you loose count it may be difficult to continue to crochet the next chains and to keep them the same length. Create your first crochet stitch. After you have created your first set of chains, take your hook and insert it in the second chain next to the hook. Your hook will be at the end of your chains, so don't place it in the chain directly next to it. Insert it into the chain one away from it. Place the head of the hook through the chain, Then, place your working yarn over your hook, and pull the yarn through to form a loop. This step is called the single crochet. It is helpful to remember this terminology because as you continue to crochet, it will be easier for you to follow the directions. The chains are the first loops that you create, and then from there you will continue to create single crochets until you have your final crochet pattern. Pull the yarn through both loops. At this point you should have two loops on your hook. Now, place the yarn over the hook (yarn over), and pull the yarn through both loops. Then, move onto the next chain and do the exact same thing. Stick the head of the hook through the chain, yarn over, and pull it through the chain. Then yarn over and pull the yarn through both loops. You will do this step until there are a total of 20 single crochets, meaning you have looped your yarn through 20 of the chains. Add another row. Repeat the previous steps until you've completed the entire row of chains. Now, create the next set of chains by placing the working yarn over the hook and pulling it through the loop around your hook. Then, turn your work and skip the first chain. Place the hook through the second chain. Yarn over and pull it through both loops. Continue to do this until you have worked your way down your chains. Repeat these steps until you have finished. You will do 20 single crochets for each row and then 20 rows. Repeat these steps -- placing the hook through your chain, pulling the yarn through the two loops, continuing down the chain, turning your work and starting again on the next set of chains -- until you have completed 20 rows. If you mess up, that's okay! Simply, take your hook out of your yarn and begin to pull your yarn to unravel it, until you've reached your mistake. Then, stick your hook back through your yarn and continue to crochet. If this is your first time crocheting and your work looks like a mess, don't stress. Crocheting is an art that takes practice, so continue to practice until you get the hang of it.
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Choose your colors. Create your chains and rows. Take your new yarn and pull it through your hook. Cut and pull color one. Create the first chain with your new color. Single crochet over loose strands of yarn. Crochet the strands until they are secure. Continue to crochet. Finish your project. Crochet your rows until your desired length. Feed the hook through the next loop. Pick up your new yarn. Crochet as you normally would. Purchase your supplies. Create the first loop in your yarn. Insert the crochet hook into the loop. Begin the chain. Continue creating chains. Create your first crochet stitch. Pull the yarn through both loops. Add another row. Repeat these steps until you have finished.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Draw-a-Square
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How to Draw a Square
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To draw a square, start by drawing a straight line using a ruler. Then, measure the line so you can make the other sides of the square the same length. Next, draw a line going straight up from each end of the first line that are the same length as the first line. The angle between these lines and the first line should be 90 degrees. Finally, connect the upper ends of the 2 new lines with a straight line.
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Draw a side of the square using ruler. Keep track of the length of this side so you can make all four sides the same length. Considering the side drawn in the previous step as one of the arms, construct a right angle on each end of it. Thus the end points of the side drawn in the previous step would also be the two vertices of these right angles. Mark a point on each of the newly drawn arms (of the two right angles), at a distance (measured from the respective vertex of the right angle) which is same as the length of the side drawn initially. Join these two points. You just drew a perfect square! Erase any extraneous constructions if you so wish. Construct a right angle (let's name it LMN) as described here. Ensure that each of the arms are longer than the desired side length of the square. Place spike of the compass on the vertex of the right angle constructed in the previous step, i.e. on the point M, and set the width of the compass equal to the desired side length of the square - this set width remains unchanged until the entire construction is completed. Draw an arc cutting the arm MN at some point (say P) Draw another arc to cut the arm LM at some point (say Q) Place the spike of the compass on point Q and draw an arc somewhere below the arm MN. Place the spike of the compass on point P and draw another arc which cuts the arc drawn in the previous step at some point (say R). Connect the points P and R and the points Q and R using a straightedge. The figure PMQR is a square. You may erase other unnecessary constructions if you so wish.
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Draw a side of the square using ruler. Considering the side drawn in the previous step as one of the arms, construct a right angle on each end of it. Mark a point on each of the newly drawn arms (of the two right angles), at a distance (measured from the respective vertex of the right angle) which is same as the length of the side drawn initially. You just drew a perfect square! Construct a right angle (let's name it LMN) as described here. Place spike of the compass on the vertex of the right angle constructed in the previous step, i.e. on the point M, and set the width of the compass equal to the desired side length of the square - this set width remains unchanged until the entire construction is completed. Place the spike of the compass on point Q and draw an arc somewhere below the arm MN. Place the spike of the compass on point P and draw another arc which cuts the arc drawn in the previous step at some point (say R). Connect the points P and R and the points Q and R using a straightedge.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Open-a-Dunkin%27-Donuts-Franchise
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How to Open a Dunkin' Donuts Franchise
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To open a Dunkin' Donuts franchise, you'll need a net worth of $500,000 and at least $250,000 in liquid assets. You'll probably spend between $135,000 and $1,600,000 on opening the new restaurant. When you apply to be a Dunkin' Donuts franchise owner, they'll make sure you have prior restaurant management or food service operations experience. They also want franchisors to exhibit qualities like honesty, transparency, responsibility, and integrity. When you submit the franchise application, you'll have to decide your location and disclose your financials and experience. You'll also have to provide proof of citizenship and assets. Once your initial screening is done, you'll meet with a franchise manager, who will help you develop a business plan for your Dunkin' Donuts franchise. Once you receive franchise approval, you'll be free to move ahead with training, then to build your restaurant.
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Ensure you have adequate capitalization. In order to open a Dunkin' Donuts franchise, you must have a net worth of $500,000 and at least $250,000 in liquid assets. Having the necessary capital available is essential for applying to become a Dunkin' Donuts franchise owner. The requirements for international franchising are slightly different, requiring at least $1,500,000 in liquid assets and $3,000,000 in minimum net worth as well as the intention and capital required to develop at least 20 restaurants. Appreciate the investment required for a franchise. While you will be required to pay an initial franchising fee that ranges from $40,000 to $90,000 (depending on the type of unit you are looking to franchise), the costs will not stop there. You will also need to consider building and real estate costs, the cost of equipment and signs, the costs of licenses and permits, the cost of uniforms, the cost of insurance, etc. Expect to spend between $134,600 and $1,611,100 as your initial investment for a new restaurant. This does not include real estate costs. Evaluate your prior experience and strengths. Dunkin' Donuts looks for candidates for franchising that have prior restaurant management or food service operations experience. In addition, they look for candidates that demonstrate the ability to recruit, train, maintain, and motivate a high-performing team as well as experience managing profit and loss operations. Finally, they also want applicants who have an understanding of real estate development. You will want to thoroughly evaluate your prior business experience before applying to become a Dunkin' Donuts franchise owner. Determine if you qualify for the VetFran Incentive. The Veterans Transition Franchise Initiative offers a 20% discount on the initial franchise fee to qualified Veterans who purchase a Store Development Agreement for 5 or fewer stores. Dunkin' Donuts was ranked #15 in the 2011 “Franchise500” ratings for most popular franchises, and is #4 on the top ten list of popular franchises for military veterans. Recognize the values of the Dunkin’ brand. Dunkin' Donuts expects their franchisors to exhibit superior character. They focus on several key qualities found to be important to successful franchising. These qualities include: honesty, transparency, humility, fairness, respect, responsibility, and integrity. Before applying to open a Dunkin' Donuts franchise, it is important to evaluate your own interaction with these values to make sure you will be a good fit for the company and the brand. Ask yourself: are these values important to me? If possible, evaluate the ways in which you exemplify these values, particularly in the workplace. This will help you get a position as a Dunkin' Donuts franchiser. Assess market availability. You will want to look at the market availability for Dunkin' Donuts franchises and see if there are available markets in your location of interest before proceeding with the franchising application. Markets are available in both the USA and Canada, with “highlighted markets” of particular interest in California, Minnesota, Michigan, Missouri, and Louisiana.. There are some locations considered “reserved markets.” This includes most of New England, Pennsylvania, Florida, Nevada, Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, DC. This means that the markets are reserved for existing franchisees. Some locations (including Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Alaska are considered to be “future markets.” These are markets in which Dunkin' Donuts has not opened yet and in which there are currently no development opportunities. There are also opportunities for international franchising. Dunkin' Donuts has franchises in over 60 countries and is looking for additional growth around the world. Attend franchise events. These events are planned by Dunkin' Brands for prospective franchisees, and provide the opportunity to meet franchising managers, find out how new franchises are awarded, and learn more about the Dunkin' Brands company. Access the franchising application. You can access the application for domestic franchising here: http://franchisinginformation.dunkinbrands.com/Application. Decide your location. In particular, the application will ask if you want to open a “traditional store” or a “non-traditional store.” Non-traditional stores are unique venues (including airports, mass transit terminals, stadiums, hospitals, grocery stores, casinos, military bases, and universities) in which you can open a Dunkin' Donuts store. These non-traditional sites are designed to be placed in high-traffic venues or places where people dwell for extended times or are “captured audiences.” Disclose your financials and experience. You will be asked questions about your approximate total net worth and the approximate amount of your liquid assets. Next, you will be asked to discuss (in a free-form paragraph) your relevant restaurant experience. You will also have the opportunity to attach a resume. This will be helpful if you have experience that you feel will be attractive to those reviewing your application. You will be asked if you have a corporation (and if so, to provide information about it) and will be asked to list any additional partners. Submit your application. After providing this information, you will have the option of reviewing and submitting your application. Your application will be reviewed by the Dunkin' Donuts franchise team. You will be emailed a confirmation receipt upon reception of your online application. This email will include details regarding the next steps in the application review process. Review the Franchise Disclosure and Qualification Package. You will receive the Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), which contains information about the franchisor, the franchise system, and the agreements that will be required to open a franchise. Specifically, the FDD contains Dunkin Donuts financial statements, the franchise agreement, franchisee contacts, cost breakdowns, initial franchise fees, royalties and advertising fees. This is designed to assist in you in making an informed decision about opening a Dunkin' Donuts franchise. Provide proof of citizenship and proof of assets. You will be required to produce proof of your citizenship as an American citizen or provide your Permanent Resident/Alien Registration Card. In addition, you will be asked to provide proof of your assets so that the company can ensure that you have the financial resources and stability required to open a franchise. You will also be required to submit to a credit and background check as well. Interview with the franchise manager. After your initial screening (done through the application) is complete, you will meet with the franchise manager. Through communication with the franchise manager as well as other franchise owners, you will begin to understand how to develop a business plan for your Dunkin' Donuts franchise, which is an essential part of becoming a franchise owner. Consider what questions you may want to ask to the franchise manager and to other franchise owners. In particular, other franchise owners will be able to provide you with their personal experiences owning a Dunkin' Donuts franchise and may be able to provide advice on what to do and what not to do. Prepare a business plan. Your business plan is an important part of demonstrating your ability to run a successful Dunkin' Donuts franchise. You will be required to submit this business plan to the franchise manager. Your financial review will be done based on the information that you include in this business plan. You will find out more about the detailed requirements of the business plan as you go through the application process, but it should include the following general information: Details about the local market where you will open your franchise. Information about competitors in your area. Facts about what you will bring to the company and your expertise, including previous experience in the restaurant industry. Your financial model for managing your franchise. Undergo financial review. A thorough review of your financial plan for your franchise will be conducted based on your business plan. You must have a detailed financial model for running your franchise to present to the franchise manager. As long as you have included a detailed financial plan in your business plan, you will not have to do anything more as you undergo review. Receive franchise approval. You will receive franchise approval once your financial and background checks are completed, after you have had a financial review, and after you have completed and submitted your business plan. Approval will only be given to candidates who meet all the requirements of franchise owners. Sign your Store Development Agreements (SDA). This agreement sets out the geographic areas for the development of your new Dunkin' Donuts restaurant or restaurants. When you sign the SDA, you are agreeing to develop the minimum number of restaurants specified for that location. This number is determined by Dunkin' Donuts. Attend the necessary training. Before you open your first restaurant, you will be required to attend a 3-day training course held in Boston, Massachusetts. After completing this course, you must complete the Dunkin' Donuts Core Initial Training program. This program is held in Braintree, Massachusetts or Orlando, Florida or in a designated training restaurant. More details regarding the training required by Dunkin' Donuts can be found in the FDD. Enroll in Dunkin’ Donuts additional training programs. These programs are designed to teach you about the brand and about restaurant management in general. Topics that will be covered include an overview of Dunkin' Brands, information about restaurant management systems, and an explanation of manufacturing and production. Consult real estate and construction experts. These professionals will help you to identify and develop your new restaurant's location. The demographics and lease requirements for a Dunkin' Donuts restaurant can be found here: http://www.dunkinfranchising.com/content/dam/franchisee/Process/sitereuirements/DD-Site-Demo-Lease-Requirements.pdf. Pay attention to the specific requirements for preferred demographics and traffic count. In addition, note the typical lease requirements and make sure that you are able to abide by these terms before agreeing to open a franchise. Meet Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant requirements. Dunkin' Donuts will require you to abide by certain terms and meet certain minimums in your restaurant. For example, there are specific requirements for electricity, the HVAC system, the water piping, utilities, and restrooms. All of these requirements can be found here: http://www.dunkinfranchising.com/content/dam/franchisee/Process/sitereuirements/DD-Site-Demo-Lease-Requirements.pdf. Plan your grand opening. After you finalize your lease or purchase, your store is built, and your crew is hired, you will be ready for your grand opening. You will want to make this event a celebration to attract attention and draw crowds to your store. You may want to decorate your store in the theme colors of Dunkin' Donuts, orange and pink. You can offer prizes or incentives for attending your grand opening. For example, you may want to reward the first customer at your drive-through with a gift card to Dunkin' Donuts. This can help you gain and keep customers.
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Ensure you have adequate capitalization. Appreciate the investment required for a franchise. Evaluate your prior experience and strengths. Determine if you qualify for the VetFran Incentive. Recognize the values of the Dunkin’ brand. Assess market availability. Attend franchise events. Access the franchising application. Decide your location. Disclose your financials and experience. Submit your application. Review the Franchise Disclosure and Qualification Package. Provide proof of citizenship and proof of assets. Interview with the franchise manager. Prepare a business plan. Undergo financial review. Receive franchise approval. Sign your Store Development Agreements (SDA). Attend the necessary training. Enroll in Dunkin’ Donuts additional training programs. Consult real estate and construction experts. Meet Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant requirements. Plan your grand opening.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Work-Your-Lower-Chest
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How to Work Your Lower Chest
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There are a few great exercises you can use to work out your lower chest. You can do incline push ups as long as you have a bench, bed, or heavy chair about 2 feet high. All you need to do is place your hands on the bench and do push ups to work your lower pecs. Do a few sets of 10-15 pushups. At the gym, do decline bench presses, where your head is lower than your legs. Set the decline bench to 20-40 degrees and use dumbbells you can lift comfortably. Do a few sets of 5-10 reps. You can also do dips on a dip machine or parallel bars. These are like chin ups at waist level, where you hold your weight on your arms, lower yourself as far as you can, then raise yourself back up. Do a few sets of 10 reps.
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Place your hands on the edge of a bench. In order to help engage the lower pectoral muscles, the bench should be at least 2 feet (0.61 m) high. One of the benefits of the incline push up is that you can do it anywhere. If you like to exercise at home, do incline pushups against a bed, heavy chair, or low coffee table. Another variation of the push-up that you can try is the diamond push-up. For this type of push-up, you would place your hands on the floor so that your index fingers and thumbs are touching to form a diamond. Then, do push-ups with your hands in this position. Hold your body in the ‘plank’ position. This is the standard push-up position: knees locked, back straight, and arms bent. Keep your toes flat on the floor behind you. Lower yourself until your chest touches the bench. Bend your elbows to let your body sink down slowly. Then push your torso away from the bench until your arms are fully extended again. Do not let your body fall forward and collide with the bench. Both the descent and the push-up portion should be slow and controlled. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 push-ups. This will give your lower chest a thorough warm-up. In between the sets, you can rest for 1 or 2 minutes. Push-ups are a great exercise and can be done on their own. If you're at a gym and planning to work out with weights also, be sure to do push-ups first. They'll warm up your pecs before the subsequent weight training. Set the bench at a decline between 20 and 40 degrees. A decline means that your body will be lower at your head/shoulders and higher at your knees. This will force the lower portions of your pecs to do a majority of the lifting. The amount of decline can increase as you become more comfortable with this exercise. Set the decline to 20 degrees your first time and increase it to 25, 30, 35, and 40 degrees over the next few weeks. The best way to gain access to a decline bench is through joining a local gym. Or, if you are planning to put together a private home gym, you can find decline benches for purchase. Grip the bar with your hands at or less than shoulder-width apart. Situating your hands at or less than shoulder-width apart on the bar will focus more on the chest muscles than would be if you kept your hands farther apart. Always make sure to try new lifts with less weight than you would normally use to avoid injury. Lower the weight slowly and exhale as you do so. Bend your elbows slowly and use the muscles in your triceps and lower chest to control the bar as it sinks. Let it briefly rest on your chest while you inhale. Never let the bar fall or 'bounce' against your chest. You could cause yourself serious injury, and it's incorrect form. Push the weight back up until your arms are nearly extended. Use your lower pectorals to push the bar slowly up, and exhale as you push. The bench press is complete when your arms are mostly extended, with a very slight bend in your elbows. Do not lock your elbows when your arms are extended. Always keep a slight bend in your elbows, since locking them will put pressure on your joint and may lead to elbow damage. Perform 2 to 6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions. Start with 2 sets of 6. As you build muscle in your lower chest and feel more comfortable pressing at an increased decline, you can increase the number of reps and sets. Grasp the handles of the dip machine. The dip machine should be easy to spot: it will have a small platform for your feet, and two bars for your hands. These handles will each be about 8 inches (20 cm) long, and roughly 18 inches (46 cm) to 24 inches (61 cm) apart. If your gym doesn't have a dip machine, or if it's in use, you can also perform dips on parallel bars. Lower your body until your mid-chest is level with the handles. Then, lean forward so that your upper body is at least at a 30-degree angle. Let your body weight pull you downwards, but control the motion with the muscles in your triceps and lower chest. Slowly lower yourself until the center of your chest is even with the handles. Your forearms should be parallel to the ground Do not let your body weight abruptly fall, or you will risk damaging your shoulders. You can also do this exercise by placing your hands on two parallel benches or using hex dumbbells. Extend your arms fully. Once you've lowered your body between the handles of the dip machine, use your triceps to push yourself upwards until your arms are fully extended. Exhale slowly as you push yourself upwards. When your arms are fully extended, your feet will be dangling off the ground. Perform 2 to 6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions. As with the decline bench press, start with 2 sets of 6 dips and build from there. Attach the desired amount of weight to each side of a dual pulley machine. Unlike other pulley machines, the one you'll use for crossovers allows you to set weights for each side separately. Set them both to the same weight, and make sure that the cable pulleys are set in a low position as near to the floor as possible. Some cable machines have different grip attachments that can be attached. For cable crossovers, make sure to attach the single-grip cable attachments on either side. Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and lean your body weight forward. Make sure that you have a firm grasp on one of the handles in each hand. Based on personal preference, you can stand with your feet side by side, or with one slightly in front of the other. You can leave your feet in whichever position you choose for the entire time you're performing this exercise. Pull your arms upward and inward. Starting with your arms extended towards the floor, use your chest muscles and biceps to bring your arms up and forward until both arms are in front of your body, pointing straight ahead. When you've brought your arms fully forward, your knuckles should just touch. This exercise will be more effective if you pull your shoulders back and keep them that way. Otherwise, your deltoids will do most of the work. Keep your arms slightly bent during this exercise. Avoid locking your elbows, or you'll place a strain on the joint. Lower your arms until they’re back at your sides. Don't let the weights abruptly fall, or you'll risk damaging your shoulders or elbows. Use your pecs and biceps to slowly lower the weights and exhale continually as your arms return to your sides. Perform 2 to 5 sets of 6 to 12 reps. As you become more accustomed to this exercise and begin to build your lower-chest strength, you can increase the amount of reps and of sets. Or, keep the number of sets and reps the same but increase the weight on both sides of the cable machine.
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Place your hands on the edge of a bench. Hold your body in the ‘plank’ position. Lower yourself until your chest touches the bench. Perform 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 push-ups. Set the bench at a decline between 20 and 40 degrees. Grip the bar with your hands at or less than shoulder-width apart. Lower the weight slowly and exhale as you do so. Push the weight back up until your arms are nearly extended. Perform 2 to 6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions. Grasp the handles of the dip machine. Lower your body until your mid-chest is level with the handles. Extend your arms fully. Perform 2 to 6 sets of 6 to 12 repetitions. Attach the desired amount of weight to each side of a dual pulley machine. Stand with legs shoulder-width apart and lean your body weight forward. Pull your arms upward and inward. Lower your arms until they’re back at your sides. Perform 2 to 5 sets of 6 to 12 reps.
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https://www.wikihow.fitness/Train-for-a-Half-Marathon
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How to Train for a Half Marathon
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To train for a half marathon, give yourself about 20 weeks of training if you're a complete beginner, 16 weeks if you're an intermediate runner, and 12 weeks if you're an advanced runner. Create a training plan that allows you to gradually increase the distance you run each week, with the longest run being the race itself. However, make sure to alternate longer runs with easier recovery runs as well as cross-training sessions like biking or swimming to help you strengthen your whole body.
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Know your abilities. Running coaches advise being able to run 10–15 miles (16–24 km) a week before you consider training for a half marathon. If you're just starting out and haven't built up to this mileage, wait until you've built up enough endurance before you actually sign up for a race. Start early. Training for a half marathon takes several months, so pick a race far enough into the future that you'll have time to get fully prepared. If you're a beginner, plan to train for 20 weeks before racing. If you're an intermediate runner, give yourself 16 weeks. If you're an advanced runner, train for 12 weeks. Register for a race. The moment you actually pay the fee and officially register for a race is the moment your training deadline has been set. Mark the date on your calendar and prepare yourself for months of exciting buildup to race day. Consider signing up with a team. Training with teams, or just with a friend, can provide a motivational boost during training. You could also sign up for a cause. Have friends sponsor you to run for a charity. The thought of letting people down will certainly spur you forward during your training. Map out a training plan. Having a plan in place before you start getting in shape for a marathon helps you stay on track physically and provides motivation to keep going. A plan helps you track your progress and keeps your eyes on the end goal. Online resources like Runnersworld.com provide different types of training plans to fit different people's needs. Choose a plan that works with your schedule and abilities. If this is your first race, don't push yourself to select a training plan geared toward getting a fast time. Choose a plan designed to help you finish the race, and next time you can work on beating your personal best time. As you launch into training, keep a log of your workouts. Take notes on how each one went, and what needs to improve next time. Mix easy and long runs with cross training. Most training plans include a weekly schedule that lays out exactly what to do each day. Easy runs are recovery runs that you do in between longer runs. They're usually between 3 and 5 miles (4.8 and 8.0 km) long. Long runs typically take place about once a week, increasing in distance over the course of the training plan. Ultimately, the longest long run will be the race itself. Cross training is exercise like biking or swimming that you do to strengthen your entire body in preparation for the race. Make your plan fit your life schedule. Try to fit your runs into your existing routine, so you don't have to shift everything around to make time for training. It's easier to give up when your scheduled runs conflict with other important things in your life. If you happen to miss a long run one day, switch the training schedule around so you can make up for it the next day. If you miss an easy run or two, it's not the end of the world. Just pick up where you left off the next day. Don't overdo it. Overexerting yourself during training will put you at risk for getting an injury that could force you to sit out of the race. Don't jeopardize your plans by picking a training schedule that's more advanced than what you can handle. Don't try to make up for missed runs by adding too many miles to your next run. Your body needs to build up to long distances gradually. If you strain a muscle or feel a pain in your body, take a rest day. Don't risk injury by pushing through. Eat healthy meals leading up to the race. Nutrition plays a huge part in your training, and as the race gets closer, make sure your body is in the best shape possible by watching what you eat. As you run longer distances, 65% of your total calories should come from complex carbs, approximately 20% from unsaturated fats, and 10% from protein. Load your diet with carbs the week before the marathon so that your body is prepared for the physical challenge. Don't eat too much the day of the race, since the food might feel heavy in your stomach and slow you down. Stay hydrated. You'll naturally be drinking a lot of water during training, but in the days leading up to the race, make especially sure that you're well hydrated. As you go on longer runs, practice carrying a water bottle with you, either in your hand or around your waist, so you can stay hydrated as you run. Avoid drinking excessive alcohol and caffeine in the days before the race, since these dehydrate your body. Rest up. The last long run of your training should be several days before the race, so your body has plenty of time to recover. The day before the race, rest or do an easy run, but don't work out too strenuously. Enjoy the race. Put your training into practice, making sure you pace yourself so you'll be able to cross the finish line. If you have to stop and walk during the race, that's fine. Just pick up running again when you feel ready. Ask friends and family to come and cheer you on to provide a little extra motivation as you reach your goal.
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Know your abilities. Start early. Register for a race. Map out a training plan. Mix easy and long runs with cross training. Make your plan fit your life schedule. Don't overdo it. Eat healthy meals leading up to the race. Stay hydrated. Rest up. Enjoy the race.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Convert-Inches-to-Feet
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How to Convert Inches to Feet
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To convert inches to feet, divide the number of inches by 12 since there are 12 inches in 1 foot. If you wanted to convert feet to inches, you would just multiply the number of feet by 12.
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Start with your number of inches. Write this number down or type it into your calculator. If you wrote it down, be sure to label it "inches." Let's follow along with an example problem. If we want to figure out how tall a 70 inch-tall girl is in feet, we'll start by writing down 70 inches. Divide this number by twelve. You're looking for the number of times that 12 fits inside your number of inches. If it fits exactly into your inches a certain number of times, you'll get a whole number as your answer. If it doesn't fit perfectly into your number of inches, you'll get a decimal, a fraction, or a mixed number. In our example, dividing 70 inches by 12 gets us 70 / 12 = 5.83. We can also write this as 5 & 10/12 (5 & 5/6) or 5 remainder 10. See below for more information on remainders. Write your answer in feet. The answer you just got is the number of feet you were looking for. Label it "feet." If you're doing this for school, you may lose points if you forget the label. The answer we got was 5.83, so we would write it as 5.83 feet. The girl is 5.83 feet tall. Get back to inches by multiplying by 12. Once you have a feet measurement, just multiply by 12 to get back to feet. Since multiplying is basically dividing backwards , you'll end up with your original number of inches. In our example problem, 5.83 × 12 = 70 inches. This was our original number of inches. Use the same steps for decimals and fractions. Inches aren't always written as whole numbers. If you have an inch measurement that's written as a fraction or decimal, use the same process as above. See WikiHow's guides on dividing decimals and dividing fractions if you need help. Let's use an example problem to show how to do this. We'll figure out how many feet 15.4 inches and 15 & 2/5 inches are. These are the same numbers, just written differently. Decimal: 15.4 / 12 = 1.28 feet Fraction: 15 & 2/5 = (75 + 2)/5 = 77/5 inches. 77/5 inches / 12 = 77/5 × 1/12 = 77/60 feet , or 1 & 17/60 feet Divide the number of inches by 12. Instead of using fractions or decimals, feet measurements are often written as a mix of feet and inches. For instance, you might say that someone is "five feet, nine inches tall". Getting these "feet and inches" measurements is easy. Start by dividing by 12 — just like normal. For this section, let's figure out how many feet 28 inches is. To start, we'll divide 28 by 12. 28 / 12 = 2.33. Find the remainder. When you divide a number and it doesn't "fit" perfectly, you'll have a little bit left over. This is called the "remainder." For example, when you divide the number 16 by 5, 5 fits in three times, but not perfectly. There is still 1 "left over." This means the answer to 16 / 5 can be written 3 remainder (or "R") 1. Now, look for the remainder in your division problem. In our example, 12 goes into 28 twice, plus some left over. 12 × 2 = 24. Since 28 is 4 more than 24, the remainder is 4. We could write our answer, 2.33, as 2 R 4. Use the whole number as the feet and the remainder as the inches. Once you know your whole number answer and its remainder, getting a "feet and inches" measurement is easy. Your whole number is the number of feet. Your remainder is the number of inches. Write your answer like this: " x feet, y inches." In our example problem, we got an answer of 2 R 4. Since 2 is the whole number, we know we have two feet in our answer. Since 4 is the remainder, we know we have four inches. So, our answer is 2 feet, 4 inches. To get back to inches, multiply the feet by 12 and add the inches. Getting back to inches for these kinds of measurements is just a little bit harder than normal. Start by multiplying the number of feet by 12. This will give you a number of inches. Now, just add the other number of inches to get an answer that's only in inches. In our example, we would start by multiplying 2 feet by 12. 2 × 12 = 24 inches. Add the 4 inches to this to get 28 inches. This is our original inches measurement.
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Start with your number of inches. Divide this number by twelve. Write your answer in feet. Get back to inches by multiplying by 12. Use the same steps for decimals and fractions. Divide the number of inches by 12. Find the remainder. Use the whole number as the feet and the remainder as the inches. To get back to inches, multiply the feet by 12 and add the inches.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Montessori-Teacher
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How to Become a Montessori Teacher
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To become a Montessori teacher, start by enrolling at a fully accredited Montessori training center. Next, choose an area of certification and select a training program and schedule that accommodates your goals and needs. Then, complete about 1,200 hours of instruction, 90 hours of classroom observations and supervised teaching, and an on-site teaching practicum to earn your certification. Finally, start applying for teaching positions at Montessori schools near you!
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Complete a college education for the greatest range of opportunities. For aspiring Montessori teachers, a college education is a very smart idea. Though not every single Montessori-related job will require a college education, many states in the U.S. (and many countries outside the U.S.) have this as a requirement for Montessori teachers. In addition, the lack of a college degree may, in certain situations, qualify you only to become certified only for assistant-level positions. For these reasons, a college degree can greatly expand the range of Montessori opportunities available to you. Luckily, Montessori teachers-in-training usually aren't required to have majored in education or a related field in college. Many successful Montessori teachers originally studied in fields as diverse as law, engineering, or the humanities. Pick an accredited training center. Montessori certification training is a serious investment — though it will give you valuable skills and credentials, it can cost thousands of dollars and require a year or more to complete. Because of this, it's very, very important to be sure that the training center you enroll at is fully accredited by a recognized Montessori accreditation agency. Most legitimate training centers will be more than happy to disclose their accreditation status with you. If the training center you're thinking of enrolling in lacks the proper credentials, do not enroll — this can be a huge waste of your time and money. Luckily, Association Montessori Internationale (AMI), the global Montessori association, has a directory of certified training centers available on its website. In addition, The Montessori Foundation has a more extensive list of training locations. Additionally, the American Montessori Society offers a free online training center locator. Note that, in the United States, accreditation from the Montessori Accreditation Council for Teacher Education (MACTE) is generally seen as the definitive sign of a training program's legitimacy. Choose an area of certification. Contrary to popular belief, Montessori isn't just a style of teaching for preschool-aged children. In fact, it's a versatile teaching method that's used for children up to (and, in rare instances, through) their teenage years. While the foundational principles of Montessori teaching are the same for all Montessori classrooms, the techniques and skills used to teach different ages of children can vary substantially, so, in general, most people who want to become a Montessori teacher need to specialize in one or more educational age ranges. The most commonly-offered areas of certification are: Infant & Toddler: (0 - 3 years) Early Childhood: (2.5 - 6 years) Elementary I (6 - 9 years) Elementary II (9 - 12 years) Elementary I & II (6 - 12 years) Montessori administration Note that some special programs offer skills for teaching children up to age 18. Enroll in a training program. When you've located a fully accredited training center near you, you'll want to enroll in the next available training session. The precise start and end dates of your training period will vary based on your training agency — for instance some courses run year-round, while others take place over one, two, or more summers. Pick a training schedule that accommodates your goals and needs. Montessori training programs vary in price, but, in general, you should expect to spend at least several thousand dollars. For instance, some relatively low-cost Infant/Toddler training programs run at about $2,000 in total. Complete your coursework. Though training programs can vary, in general, people training to become Montessori teachers attend classroom lectures, complete written coursework, and practice hands-on training. The mixture of abstract and practical work offered by most Montessori programs is designed to produce a graduate who is comfortable and experienced working in a Montessori classroom setting and who understands the principles of Montessori teaching well enough to adapt to any situation. In general, Montessori teachers-in-training should expect to: Complete approximately 1,200 hours of instruction in total. Demonstrate an ability to create Montessori teaching materials for all subjects. Participate in approximately 90 hours of classroom observations and supervised teaching. Complete an on-site teaching practicum. Find a Montessori classroom near you. Congratulations! You've completed your Montessori training and you're now fully certified to lead a Montessori classroom. Many Montessori teachers get their first job from connections they make during their on-site training and practicum. However, if you don't, this is OK — except in some cases (like for certifications earned through distance learning), Montessori credentials are transferable, marketable skills. Generally, people who have just received their Montessori credentials will want to apply for jobs at local schools with open positions for teaching children of the age range(s) for which they are certified to teach. While you can simply contact local schools directly to check for job openings, an even easier way to find open positions is to use an online Montessori job finder! For instance, the American Montessori Society's online job search utility allows you to quickly find Montessori openings in your local area. Apply for multiple positions. As you would do when searching for any other job, you'll generally want to apply for multiple positions when you're looking to become a Montessori teacher. In some situations, you may be in competition with other Montessori teachers for the opening, and since you've presumably just become certified, you may have less teaching experience than some of the other candidates, so applying to a range of positions gives you the best possible chance of eventually getting a job. Note that, in the U.S., public schools generally pay their teachers higher salaries than private schools. However, for some teachers, private schools offer a freer, easier teaching environment with none of the bureaucracy of the public school system. Demonstrate your commitment to Montessori values. As with most other jobs, prospective Montessori teachers generally go through an interview/vetting process before being hired. You may be required to provide a resume, proof of your certification, and/or personal references (for these, the teachers with whom you completed your practicum are great choices). As you're being considered for the job, you'll want to show your potential employer that you fully understand the principles of Montessori teaching and that you're able to put them in to action in a classroom setting. Below are just a few things you may want to be prepared to talk about: The main principles of Montessori education (see section below) Your plan for organizing your classroom and coursework Unique teaching materials and opportunities you developed during your practicum Instances when you worked to help a slow-learning child progress during your practicum Your commitment to your students, the public, and your profession (a teacher's three main commitments in the Montessori code of ethics) Be negotiable in terms of your job opportunities. As a first-time teacher, it's a possibility that you won't get your ideal teaching position immediately. This is OK — like any other job, the profession of teaching values experience and seniority. As you teach in positions that may not necessarily be ideal to you, you'll gain valuable skills and experience that, in addition to making you a better teacher, will also make you a more attractive job candidate in the future. Stick with it — when it comes to getting your preferred jobs, more experience is always a good thing. Give your children freedom. Unlike traditional classrooms, Montessori classrooms are largely student-led. In other words, students have a great deal of freedom in choosing when and how they complete their assignments (and, in some cases, even which assignments they complete). This principle is fundamental to the Montessori style of teaching. Children who lead their own educational experience learn independence and are more motivated to learn because of the freedoms they're given. For instance, in Montessori classroom, it's not uncommon for the teacher to act as a "guide", rather than an instructor. She guides the children to their hands-on activities (and sits down and helps them if needed), but she allows them to interact freely with their environment. She doesn't force them to sit in rows of desks and complete assignments according to rigid rules. Allow your children to learn by doing. Montessori classrooms are much more hands-on than traditional classrooms. While some Montessori coursework may involve writing, spelling, drawing, and other activities that are done at a desk or table with pencil and paper, Montessori teachers look for opportunities for students to learn by manipulating hands-on objects like blocks, beads, and specially-designed Montessori teaching materials. Montessori educators understand that children (especially young children) don't learn best by sitting and listening to lectures — they learn by teaching themselves and each others as they interact with their environment. For example, while a traditional classroom may teach the concept of addition by rote math drills, Montessori classrooms may use hands-on materials like abacus-style "grids" of sliding beads to teach the same concept. Allow free movement in the classroom. In Montessori classrooms, children are largely free to come and go as they please. While there may be some periods of quiet, organized instruction, most of the time, children are allowed to move throughout the classroom from activity to activity. The classroom is designed to be accessible to the children — for instance, in a Montessori preschool classroom, teaching materials will usually be arranged on low, open shelves and the chairs, tables and work stations will all be appropriately sized for young children. Give children uninterrupted learning opportunities. While Montessori teachers are always available to offer their help to children who need them, often, they make an effort to step back and monitor the children as they learn, stepping in only as needed. Montessori teachers give their students opportunities to interact with their educational materials and each other with a minimum of interruption for hours at a time. This approach allows children to learn at their own pace without the interference of a rigidly structured schedule, which, for many children, can present unnecessary barriers to learning. For example, in a Montessori classroom, the teacher may instruct her children that, by the end of the day, they need to complete and turn in three specific educational tasks. During the day, the teacher will walk through the classroom, interacting with the children, monitoring their behavior, and offering help to those who need it, but she won't assign specific time deadlines for them to complete their various tasks. Encourage mixed-age interactions. One important hallmark of Montessori education is that classrooms can include children of varying ages. With this approach, the older, more experienced children are encouraged to teach the younger ones, which benefits both students — the young children receive instruction from their peers and the older children demonstrate mastery of the coursework by teaching it themselves. In addition, children taught in a mixed-age environment gradually become more patient and comfortable interacting with others of varying learning ability.
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Complete a college education for the greatest range of opportunities. Pick an accredited training center. Choose an area of certification. Enroll in a training program. Complete your coursework. Find a Montessori classroom near you. Apply for multiple positions. Demonstrate your commitment to Montessori values. Be negotiable in terms of your job opportunities. Give your children freedom. Allow your children to learn by doing. Allow free movement in the classroom. Give children uninterrupted learning opportunities. Encourage mixed-age interactions.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Obtain-an-Alcohol-Permit-in-Maharashtra,-India
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How to Obtain an Alcohol Permit in Maharashtra, India
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To obtain an alcohol permit in Maharashtra, India, purchase a Rs 10 court stamp fee from any court, and go to the nearest permit issuing office to get the application form. Fill out the form with your name, date of birth, age, occupation, and address, and glue the stamp onto the form. Finally, take the form back to the permit issuing office and submit the application. Keep in mind that you may need to show proof of your identity, so bring along your passport or photo ID.
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Gather documents to prove your identity and residence. To get a one-year or lifetime individual permit to purchase, possess, transport, use, and consume alcoholic beverages in Maharashtra, you must provide a passport-size photograph of yourself. You'll also need at least one document to prove your identity and at least one document to prove your address. The same document may serve as proof of both your identity and your address. Acceptable documents include: Aadhar Card Passport Voter ID PAN Card Driving license Purchase a court stamp fee for your application. If you're planning on applying for your permit in person at the excise office, you'll need a court stamp to affix to your application. As of 2019, a Rs 10 court stamp is required. You can get the court stamp from any court, or from the Asiatic Town Hall near the Collectors Office in Mumbai. The excise office is in the Collectors Office, so if you're going to apply for your permit in Mumbai, you can stop and get your court stamp on your way. Visit the excise office to apply in person. If you want to apply for your alcohol permit in person, take your identity and residence documents and your court stamp to the excise office. In Mumbai, go to the Old Customs House, also called the Collectors Office. This location is in the Fort area of South Mumbai. There are also regional excise offices in Malvani (Malad West), Andheri, Bandra, and Chembur. Complete the correct application form. You can either get a one-year permit or a lifetime permit. Even though there are two separate applications, they require similar information. However, you'll pay a higher fee for the lifetime permit than for the one-year permit. The application requires you to provide information such as your name, address, date of birth, and other identification information. When you enter the excise office, ask the clerk for the application you need. You can fill it out in the excise office. Present your application and documents to the clerk. When you've completed and signed your application, take it up to the clerk along with your photos and the documents you brought to prove your identity and residence. The clerk will review your documents and give them back to you. They'll keep your photos with your application for use on your permit. Apply online if it's more convenient for you. The government of Maharashtra also accepts online applications if you would rather do that than apply in person. You'll need a major credit or debit card to pay your fees online. Go to https://aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in/en/Login/Login to apply online. If you don't already have an account on the Maharashtra public services portal, you'll have to create one before you can submit an application. It shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes to set up your account. You will need a valid email address to receive updates and notifications about your application. The fees to apply online are the same as if you applied in person. As of 2019, the fees are Rs. 200 for a one-year permit or Rs. 2000 for a lifetime permit. Wait to receive your permit. Your permit will be mailed to you at your address or you can return to the excise office to pick it up if you want it sooner. If you applied online, you'll have to wait to get your permit in the mail. It shouldn't take more than a few days to receive your permit if you applied online. Regulations require these applications to be reviewed within 24 hours. You can check the status of your application from the account you created when you submitted your application. Register your premises. If you want to sell alcoholic beverages either for on-premises or off-premises consumption, you must register your premises with the excise office. You don't necessarily have to own the building where you plan to sell alcoholic beverages. If the premises are not yet constructed, you must provide information about the plan of your proposed premises. At a minimum, you must provide ownership documents or a lease agreement related to the property where you want to sell alcoholic beverages. If you're applying for a license for a proposed premises, you must provide detailed plans, boundaries, and a detailed address, among other information. Gather documents for your company. If you are applying for a retailer license on behalf of a partnership, company, or LLP firm, documents are required that demonstrate that your company is legally organized and registered. The types of documents you need depend on how your company is structured. If you have a partnership or LLP firm, you need a copy of your registered partnership deed or LLP documents. If you have a limited or public company, you need the certificate of registration of your company from the Company Registrar, Form 32 for all Directors, a resolution of the Board of Directors, your Memorandum of Articles, and your Association of Articles. If you have a co-operative or public company, you also need a copy of your By-Laws and Certificate of Registration and Resolution. Visit the excise office to apply in person. If you apply for your license in person, your application may be processed more quickly than it would if you applied online. In Mumbai, the excise office is located in the Old Customs House, also known as the Collectors Office. If traveling to Mumbai is too difficult for you, you might try one of the regional excise offices in Malvani (Malad West), Andheri, Bandra, or Chembur. Complete the appropriate application. There are several categories of retailer licenses. The specific license you get determines whether you can serve alcoholic beverages to people on-premises or sell them for off-premises consumption. The basic retail categories are: Permit room license Club license Beer shoppe license Mild liquor and wine bar license Wine bar license Wine shoppe license Submit your application and supporting documents. Once you've completed your application, submit it to the clerk in the excise office along with your proof of identity and proof of address. You also must have a passport-size photograph of yourself as the applicant for the license. Additional documents required depend on the type of license you're getting, how your business is structured, and where your premises are located. Pay the appropriate license fee. The license fee for a retail liquor license varies depending on the type of license you're getting. Retail licenses are valid for one year and must be renewed each year prior to the date of expiration. You'll pay additional licensing fees each year you renew. As of 2019, the fees for a permit room license are Rs. 5,44,000. In contrast, the fees for a beer shoppe license are Rs. 1,50,000. Complete the application process online if preferred. You'll typically have a smoother application process if you simply go to the excise office in person. However, you might also be able to submit a digital application online. Depending on your location, this might be more convenient for you. Go to https://aaplesarkar.mahaonline.gov.in/en/Login/Login to apply online. If you don't have an account set up already with the Maharashtra public services portal, you'll need to create one. You'll have to pay the fees for your license online when you submit it using a major credit or debit card. Wait to receive your license. Once your application is received and your supporting documents are reviewed, the excise office will grant your license. The license will be sent to the address you provided for your business. You should get your license within a few weeks of the date you submitted your application. If you applied online, you can check the status of your application through your account on the Maharashtra public services portal.
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Gather documents to prove your identity and residence. Purchase a court stamp fee for your application. Visit the excise office to apply in person. Complete the correct application form. Present your application and documents to the clerk. Apply online if it's more convenient for you. Wait to receive your permit. Register your premises. Gather documents for your company. Visit the excise office to apply in person. Complete the appropriate application. Submit your application and supporting documents. Pay the appropriate license fee. Complete the application process online if preferred. Wait to receive your license.
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https://www.wikihow-fun.com/Be-a-Heartbreaker
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How to Be a Heartbreaker
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To be a heartbreaker, show your fun side and attract attention by getting out and meeting lots of people, like at clubs or parties. While you're there, play the crowd by making eye contact with a few people to show your self-confidence and flirtatious personality. When others approach you, keep the conversation light and avoid letting them learn too much about your thoughts or feelings to avoid getting personally attached. Make sure to frequent a variety of night spots so you don't get a reputation as a heartbreaker, otherwise new people will stop approaching you.
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Have fun. This is rule number one of being a heartbreaker. Simply put, people who look like they're having fun give the impression that they are more fun to be around. One of the quickest ways to attract attention is present yourself in a fun-loving, light-hearted way. This is easier to accomplish in some settings than it is in others, so choose your night-on-the-town spot carefully. For example, a club, party, or any event that involves dancing is a great avenue to showcase your fun side. In this sort of setting, dance like you don't care who watches. Doing so projects confidence and a certain carefree mood. Smile often even when you don't necessarily feel like it. Laugh at jokes, even when they aren't necessarily funny. Control your laugh. A light, flirtatious laugh will attract more positive attention than a boisterous guffaw. Set the pace. Be the person in the crowd who decides when and what to do next, and never let your opinion get neglected. If someone you flirt with suggests heading out to another spot, keep control of the situation by playfully teasing that you would rather hang out at your current location for a little while longer, even if you secretly want to go as well. Then, when the time is right, indicate that you are ready to move on. The key here is to show that the decision is on your terms, not someone else's. If asked where you want to go, come up with a place, even if you aren't dying to go there. This is another way to keep things going at your pace and establish a certain control of the night. Play the crowd. When in a crowd of strangers, take the chance to make eyes at a few potential targets. Some may be turned off by the notion that they have competition, but others will either accept the challenge or find your obvious self-confidence attractive. Another advantage created by this situation is that you project a certain boldness, suggesting that you can be just as happy without any given person on your arm as you will be with them. This may seem counter-intuitive at first, but you are, in some ways, throwing down the proverbial gauntlet and giving the people around you a challenge. When approached by someone in particular, though, focus most of your attention on them. In order to be a heartbreaker, you will need to offer at least a little hope that the interaction might progress into something more. Only reveal emotion that benefits you. Keep your deepest thoughts and feelings a mystery and only reveal the ones that may help you in your quest to be a heartbreaker. Keep the conversation light and away from serious topics. Also avoid conversations that will allow the other person to get to know a lot about you, or you them. If your mood suddenly sours, resist the urge to express as much outwardly. Maintain the same cool, confident demeanor and work through the situation until you can leave. Show a little skin. The key phrase here is “a little.” Choose clothes that subtly reveal flashes of skin without looking as though you're begging for attention. Reveal enough skin to stimulate the imagination while keeping enough hidden to keep that imagination going. For example, you might wear a crop top, put on some low-rise jeans, or leave the top few buttons of your shirt undone. Flaunt your best features. Wear clothes that flatter your figure and draw attention to your best features while masking any features you may feel less-than-satisfied about. For example, if you've got great legs, you could show them off with a short skirt or a pair of form-fitting jeans. You can also make your features stand out with a flattering haircut or style. Talk to your stylist about getting a cut that can bring out your cheekbones or accentuate your jawline, for instance. Splash on a little perfume or cologne. Wear a long-lasting perfume with a fragrance that appeals to you. Note, however, that some scents will assist you in your quest to be a heartbreaker faster than others. Stay away from floral, green, and oceanic fragrances. While these scents are great for casual wear, they tend to be fairly light and may not have as strong an effect. Lean toward woody, musky, and Oriental scents when choosing the right fragrance for your heartbreaker persona. These scents tend to be richer and spicier. Keep fragrances light so they’re not overpowering. Only spray a little perfume or cologne along the pulse points of your body--most notably, your wrists, the back of your knees, behind your ears, and at the front base of your neck. Using too much scent can make it hard for people to be around you, let alone fall all over themselves to be near you. Strut your stuff with the right shoes. For a night on the town, grab some stylish shoes. Pick a shoe that complements your outfit and brings your whole look together. If you opt for high heels, choose a heel height you feel comfortable with. After all, if you end up tripping and falling flat on your face because you couldn't walk right, you might break an ankle but probably won't break any hearts. While dress shoes are always a safe bet if you're out at a club, you can also spice up most outfits with a sharp pair of sneakers, running shoes, or even boots. Strappy heels are feminine and work well with most dresses and skirts. On the other hand, heeled ankle boots can look a little more “edgy” yet just as appealing. Use makeup to highlight key features, if you like. Makeup can enhance your natural looks, perfect your skin tone, or give your face a bold splash of color. Never cake on the makeup. Instead, focus on highlighting attractive features like your eyes and lips while keeping your complexion looking clear. Use foundation and concealer to smooth your complexion. You can use a little powder, if desired, but keep this part of your makeup looking subtle. Apply eye makeup with caution. If you really want to bring out your eyes, you will need mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow. Only use enough mascara to lift your eyelashes, and never apply so much that your lashes look lumpy. You can get a little creative with the eyeshadow, particularly if going out at night, but keep in mind that shadowy colors and rich gem hues tend to look better than bright, “clownish” colors. Choose the right type of lip gloss or lipstick. If you have notably heavy eye makeup on, a gloss might be enough. You can get away with a lipstick if you downplay your eyes, though. Strong pinks and reds work well, but richer shades may look better than neon-bright shades. Take care of your body. Stay in shape and keep up on your basic hygiene routine so that you look your best both in and out of heartbreaker mode. Stay fit and healthy with a balanced diet and exercise. If you're not satisfied with your weight, keep your calorie count in check. If you want to stay at the weight you're at, make sure that the amount of calories you consume through food equals the amount of calories you burn through exercise. To lose weight, burn more calories than you consume. To gain weight, consume more calories than you burn. Bathe regularly. Showering every 1-2 days can keep your skin glowing and your hair clean and healthy. Take care of your hair. If you have brittle, damaged hair, apply deep conditioners and other hair care products designed to infuse moisture back in. For limp, oily hair, look for products that regulate the balance of oil on your scalp. Take care of your skin. Aside from washing up, you also need to care for your skin by applying lotion after every bath or shower. Stay out of the sun and avoid products that could stain or damage your skin. Keep them wanting more. Never go too far with someone you only intend to play around with. The occasional flirtatious touch or kiss is still acceptable heartbreaker behavior, but never give the impression that you might be “easy.” On the contrary, you should make yourself seem like a challenge who never quite gives in. The Marina & The Diamonds song puts it best: “Gotta be looking pure. / Kiss him goodbye at the door and leave him wanting more.” Avoid personal attachments. If you really want to avoid getting “trapped” or tied down, you will need to avoid giving out special treatment or getting to know any particular person too well. Once you give your heart away to someone, your heartbreaking days are over. This is not necessarily a bad thing, of course, but it's something to keep in mind. Move on before you get attached or develop a bad reputation. Avoid frequenting the same spots too often to avoid running into the same crowd. As more people begin recognizing you within a given crowd, you may start to build up a reputation as a heartbreaker, and even new people may stop approaching you.
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Have fun. Set the pace. Play the crowd. Only reveal emotion that benefits you. Show a little skin. Flaunt your best features. Splash on a little perfume or cologne. Keep fragrances light so they’re not overpowering. Strut your stuff with the right shoes. Use makeup to highlight key features, if you like. Take care of your body. Keep them wanting more. Avoid personal attachments. Move on before you get attached or develop a bad reputation.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Measure-Height
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How to Measure Height
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The easiest way to measure someone's height is by having the person take off any shoes or hair accessories and stand up straight against a flat wall. With their back against the wall, ask them to pull their legs slightly close to one another and balance their weight between both feet. They may want to cross their arms or clasp their hands, but this can affect their posture, so have them hang their arms loosely by their sides. To get their head in position, point at a spot across the room at eye level, and have them focus on that area. Once they are standing with good posture, use a pencil to make a mark on the wall at the very top of their head. Finally, get their height by placing a tape measure against the wall and measuring up from the floor to your mark.
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Find a wall to use for measuring. You are looking for a wall that has unobstructed access. It should be solid without a window or other cut-outs. It needs to be wide enough to fully fit the person's shoulders without them touching anything else. The floor in the area should be level as well. It is even better if you can find a wall that faces a mirror. This will allow you to track your movements during the process, which usually results in a more accurate final number. Remove all bodily obstructions. The person whose height is being measured should take off their shoes. Place them to the side and stay barefooted (or wear socks) for the duration of the measuring process. Take down any hair accessories that could interfere with measuring process, such as a ponytail. If the person is wearing a bulky coat or jacket, have them take it off. One of the reasons that bulky clothing must be removed is so that you can observe body posture and make sure that the person is standing up perfectly straight when measured. Stand up straight. Move to the wall for measuring. Place the person to place their back against the wall. Ask them to hold themselves up nice and straight for the entire time. When you look at their profile from the side, you should verify that the backs of their feet, head, shoulders, and bottom all lightly touch the wall. Position their legs together. Ask the person to pull their legs slightly close to one another. Their weight should be balanced between both feet. Their knees and ankles should be close to touching or actually touching one another. For some people with knee conditions this may be an uncomfortable position. Check with the person to make sure that they are not experiencing any pain. Place their hands and arms to the side of their body. Your subject may want to clasp their hands before them or cross their arms, however, this will have an effect on their posture and final height measurement. Instead, ask them to purposefully hang their arms loosely at their side. If you are measuring a child, you might tell them to keep their body as straight as a board and their arms as limp as noodles. Ask them to look forward. Point out a spot across the room, at eye level height, and request that they focus on this area while you complete the measurement. Circle around the person and make sure that their eyes and ears are horizontal to one another in profile. This is called the “Frankfort Plane” alignment and indicates that their head is in the correct position. To correctly observe the Frankfort Plane, you will need to be as tall, or taller, than the person being measured. So, have a step-stool nearby to assist you, if needed. If you are measuring a child, watch to see if they move their head around after taking a breath. If this is the case, you will want to re-position their head and then take a quick measurement. Use the pencil mark method. Place a pencil in a horizontal position above the person's head with the tip facing the wall. Lower the pencil until it reaches the top of their head, maintaining the level position. Slowly move the pencil tip toward the wall until it makes a mark. Get out a flexible tape measure. Place the tape against the wall and measure up from the floor to your mark. You can use any marking device, however, a pencil is best as you can erase the marks when you are finished. Just make sure to make a dark enough mark so that it is visible when you pull away. Make sure that you keep the tape straight as you go up from the wall. It should also lay lightly against the wall. You can use a straight ruler instead if you so choose, making a wall mark every 12 inches and then adding it all up. If you are measuring yourself you can do this method too, just make sure to keep the pencil level. It also helps if you are using a wall opposite a mirror so you can track your movements. Use a stadiometer. This is a piece of medical equipment composed of a measuring board affixed to the wall with a drop-down (adjustable) rod at the top. Have the person stand against the board and then adjust the rod so that it rests on the top of the person's head. With a manual stadiometer, you will need to write down the height where the rod meets the board. With a digital stadiometer, the height will be displayed immediately after you adjust the rod. It is not necessary to push the measuring rod down upon the person's head. It is enough to lightly touch the head with the rod. Measure on a horizontal surface. To get an accurate number you will need to have the person lay down on a firm area. You can use an examination table in a doctor's office for a small child. Or, a firm bed if you are measuring an immobile adult. Ask the person to look toward the ceiling. Lightly press their knees together and down until they contact the flat surface. Use a measuring tape to measure from the base of their feet to the top of their head. Be aware that this method is less accurate when used with taller persons. So, try to use a stand-up wall method whenever possible. This is often a good option for children who are moving around a great deal, but who are too big for the infant measuring device and too wiggly to stand up against the stadiometer. You can also make a pen or marker mark at the base of their feet and at the top of their head and measure between the marks. This works well if you don't mind marking up a bedsheet or if you are measuring on a paper surface (like at a pediatrician's office). Use a specialized horizontal headboard and footboard device. This is the preferred way to measure infants. You will lay the infant down in a measuring area. You then pull the headboard and footboard toward the baby until they meet its head and feet, respectively. You measure from board-to-board to determine height. Some of the more advanced measuring devices found in pediatricians' offices will actually show a digital display of the final measurement or distance between the boards. Record the final measurement. If possible, it is always easier to have one person doing the measuring while another person writes down the resulting numbers. However, if you are doing everything on your own, just make sure to write down the numbers as soon as you have them to preserve accuracy. Record all of your measurements to the nearest 1/8th of an inch (0.1cm). It is a good idea to take all measurements twice, if possible. Compare the two results to see if they are close enough to one another to indicate accuracy. If they are more than 1/8 of an inch apart, then you may want to measure one more time. Purchase and download a measurement app. Go to the app store and search for a “measure app.” You will see a number of options pop up, including the Easy Measure app. Read through the reviews and look over the pricing before you buy. Choose the one that best suits your needs and download it. For example, Easy Measure has a variety of attractive features. It comes with an animated tutorial explaining how to tackle measuring challenges. It also allows you to take a photo of the object measured and store it alongside the measurement for easy reference. Open the app. When you are ready to measure an object, you'll need to get within eyesight of it and take out your phone. Start up the application and complete any requested calibrations. Try out a few different ways to hold your phone in order to keep it the most stable. Point your camera at the object. Place your camera at eye level and direct it toward the object in question. Make sure that you pull your fingers out of the way as well. Move forward or backward to get the entire object into the view frame. This may take a bit of practice, so give yourself ample time. Part of the calibration process involves setting the correct camera height. It is best if you subtract 4 inches from your height and use that number (just so long as you keep the camera at eye level). Take a clear picture of the object. Snap a few photos of the object and wait for the measuring magic to take place. The app will display the height of the object and you'll have the option to save this information for later or even share it on social media. If you doubt the accuracy of the final measurement, do a few test runs on objects close to you. Use the camera to measure these objects and then take a traditional tape measurement as well. Compare the two numbers and they should line up to 1/8th of an inch.
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Find a wall to use for measuring. Remove all bodily obstructions. Stand up straight. Position their legs together. Place their hands and arms to the side of their body. Ask them to look forward. Use the pencil mark method. Use a stadiometer. Measure on a horizontal surface. Use a specialized horizontal headboard and footboard device. Record the final measurement. Purchase and download a measurement app. Open the app. Point your camera at the object. Take a clear picture of the object.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Store-Sliced-Cucumbers
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How to Store Sliced Cucumbers
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To store sliced cucumbers, start by dampening a paper towel with cold water. If it's dripping, squeeze the towel to get rid of the excess water. Then, wrap your cucumber slices in the paper towel so they're fully covered. Once you've wrapped your cucumber slices, place them in an open resealable bag, which protects them from bacteria but lets moisture escape at the same time. Place them in the warmest part of your fridge, such as inside a vegetable drawer or in the front of the middle shelf so your cucumbers don't get damaged by the coldest air. However, keep them away from melons, bananas, apples, peaches, pears, and tomatoes, since the ethylene in these fruits will degrade your cucumber faster. Use your slices within 2 days while they're still fresh.
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Wash the cucumbers before storing them. Take the cucumbers out of the package, even if they are vacuum-sealed in plastic. Rinse them under cool, running water in your sink. Soap isn't necessary, although it will not harm the cucumber if you choose to use it. Dry the cucumbers thoroughly. The cucumbers have to be dry before they can be stored. Wipe them off with a paper towel to remove most of the moisture. Afterwards, wrap them inside a clean paper towel or dishcloth. The material absorbs any remaining moisture until you are ready to slice the cucumbers. Any cucumbers that feel soft or have mold spots on them should be used immediately. Cut away the soft or moldy spots with a knife. Peel the cucumber for easier storage. Strip down the cucumber using a vegetable peeler. Remove the dark green skin, leaving the light green flesh exposed. Preventing the skin from going soft is difficult. It is easier to remove it, unless you prefer not slicing your cucumbers. Cut the cucumbers into small slices. Use a sharp knife to slice the cucumber into more manageable sections. Aim for slices ⁄ 4 in (0.64 cm) long. The slices don't have to be exact, so there is no need to break out a ruler. Try to keep the slices as small and as even as possible to prevent them from collecting water. Cucumbers are best when used right away. If you aren't planning on using a cucumber yet, refrain from slicing it. Instead, wrap it in a dry paper towel and place it inside a bag in the refrigerator. Dampen a paper towel. No matter how you slice the cucumbers, keep the skinless parts covered with a paper towel. Moisten the towel lightly under cool, running water in your skin. Avoid soaking the towel, since extra moisture causes cucumbers to soften faster. Squeeze the excess water out of the towel. Cutting a cucumber into small slices is the easiest way to store it, but it isn't the only way. You can store a partially-cut cucumber as long as you keep the flesh damp and the skin dry. For example, if you cut the cucumber in half, cover the exposed half with a damp paper towel. Cover the skin with a dry paper towel to prevent it from absorbing moisture. Wrap the cucumber in the paper towel. Set the cucumber pieces in the middle of the paper towel. Fold the ends over to cover the slices completely. The small amount of moisture should keep the fruit fresh without turning it to mush. If you are worried about adding too much moisture, you can wrap the slices in a dry paper towel instead. Because moisture causes cucumbers to turn soft and moldy, store slices separately from uncut cucumbers. Store the wrapped cucumbers in an open plastic bag. The produce bags available at many grocery stores serve as great storage containers. Resealable plastic bags are another option. Prevent the cucumbers from getting soggy by leaving the bag open. This allows moisture to escape. Tuck the bag into the warmest part of the refrigerator. A vegetable drawer or crisper are ideal spots if you have them in your refrigerator. Other than that, position them at the front end of a middle shelf. Your cucumbers are better off away from cold air, which collects near the floor and freezer. Studies show that cucumbers don't hold up well in the cold. Temperatures under 50 °F (10 °C) begin damaging them after 3 days. Control the temperature as best as you can and eat the slices as soon as possible. Keep the slices away from ethylene-producing fruits. Cucumbers are sensitive to ethylene and degrade faster in it. Avoid storing these fruits with cucumbers if you can. If you do have them in the same refrigerator, move them to opposite sides or utilize bins to reduce ethylene exposure. This invisible gas is produced by fruits such as melons, bananas, apples, peaches, and pears. Tomatoes are another big reason why your cucumbers may turn to mush way too quickly. Use the cucumbers within 2 days. Cucumbers don't last long, especially after being sliced. Plan on using them within a few days. With proper storage and a little luck, they may last as long as a week. Since cucumbers tend to spoil so quickly, minimize the number of slices you store. Leave cucumbers whole until you need them. Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl. Lay the cucumber slices as flat as possible in a large mixing bowl. Spread them out in a single layer, if possible. The more you are able to spread out the slices, the easier they will be to salt. Also, choose a bowl that can resist cool temperatures. Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers. The tablespoon (14.8 ml) of salt is meant for 7 cups of sliced cucumbers. Reduce the amount of salt when storing less than that. Using your fingers or a measuring spoon, distribute the salt evenly. You may also mix the slices by hand or with a spoon to coat them in salt. If you are ever unsure about how much salt to use, sprinkle a small amount on each slice. Use as much as you can pick up between 2 fingers. While you can freeze cucumbers directly without salt and other ingredients, they turn to mush because they have so much water. They are still good for adding flavor to drinks, soups, and smoothies, though. Refrigerate the cucumbers overnight. Move the bowl into the refrigerator. You do not have to do anything now but wait and can leave the bowl alone for up to 24 hours. If you wish to make sure the cucumbers stay crisp, cover the bowl with a towel and put a handful of ice on top of it. Drain the cucumbers. The next day, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and pour out the water. Press down on the cucumbers by hand or with a kitchen utensil to squeeze out excess water. Removing the water is essential to keeping the cucumbers crisp. Mix the cucumbers in sugar and vinegar. Add the white sugar and distilled white vinegar to the bowl. Mix the ingredients, allowing the sugar to dissolve as the cucumbers soak for a few minutes. Adjusted the ratio according to your tastes. Many times, more sugar and less vinegar is used for sweeter cucumbers. Using more vinegar than sugar leads to sour pickles. Store the cucumbers in freezer containers. Take out the bowl again and transfer the pickles to the resealable, frost-resistant containers. Include the sugar and vinegar liquid in the containers as well, leaving about ⁄ 4 in (0.64 cm) of empty space at the top. The cucumbers can last all year in the freezer.
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Wash the cucumbers before storing them. Dry the cucumbers thoroughly. Peel the cucumber for easier storage. Cut the cucumbers into small slices. Dampen a paper towel. Wrap the cucumber in the paper towel. Store the wrapped cucumbers in an open plastic bag. Tuck the bag into the warmest part of the refrigerator. Keep the slices away from ethylene-producing fruits. Use the cucumbers within 2 days. Place the sliced cucumbers in a bowl. Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers. Refrigerate the cucumbers overnight. Drain the cucumbers. Mix the cucumbers in sugar and vinegar. Store the cucumbers in freezer containers.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Clear-Skin-Using-Home-Remedies
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How to Get Clear Skin Using Home Remedies
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To get clear skin using home remedies, try making a cleansing mask using egg white and lemon. Beat 1 egg white until it becomes frothy, then add the juice from half of a lemon and mix it all together. Apply the mixture to your face and leave it on for 30 minutes. Then, gently rinse it off with warm water and follow up with a light moisturizer. The egg white will remove built-up dirt and oils, and the lemon juice will exfoliate your skin. You can also make your own skin scrub by combining 1 tablespoon of raw honey and 1 tablespoon of brown sugar. Wash your face, massage the scrub into your skin, then rinse it off with lukewarm water.
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Understand what acne is. If your reason for wanting clear skin is because of acne, learn about the condition. Your skin has a large number of glands and ducts (pores) surrounding hair follicles. Hair follicles or pores can get clogged with dried sebum (a natural skin oil), skin debris, bacteria, or dead skin cells. This causes acne, which can appear on your face, back, neck, shoulders, and chest. Acne includes blackheads (open comedones), whiteheads (closed comedones), pimples (pus-filled pores), pustules (large pimples), cysts, and abscesses. Cysts and abscesses are the deepest and most severe form of acne. Acne usually begins during puberty because hormones, especially testosterone, increase and stimulate sebum production. Acne can worsen from many kinds of makeup, especially those that are oil-based. Mild acne constitutes fewer than twenty non-inflamed blackheads or whiteheads or less than twenty mildly inflamed, irritated pimples. You can treat mild acne at home with good cleansing techniques. See Clean Oily Skin. A trained physician or dermatologist should treat moderate and severe acne. Moderate acne means you have more than twenty to one hundred comedones or pimples, with fifteen to fifty being inflamed or infected. Severe acne sufferers have more than one hundred comedones, pimples, pustules, nodules, and at least five cysts. Learn about dark spots. Dark spots can occur on your face from acne, excessive sun exposure, or hormonal imbalances. These brown spots result from inflammation, which increases melanin production and leads to hyperpigmentation. Increased estrogen from pregnancy or birth control pills can cause melasma (muddy-looking splotches) after sun exposure. Wear sunscreen with titanium oxide or zinc oxide. Avoid direct sun exposure to prevent dark spots. Avoid dark spots from acne by treating pimples with 1% hydrocortisone cream to reduce inflammation. Consult a doctor. If your skin condition, whether acne or dark spots, is moderate to severe or affects your self-esteem, see a dermatologist. Your dermatologist can recommend treatment options to supplement in-home practices. He or she might recommend hormonal therapy or over-the-counter treatments such as topical benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. Develop a natural cleanser. For a cost-effective, homemade way to wash your face, choose tea tree oil. Tea tree oil fights bacteria. Studies have shown it works nearly as well as benzoyl peroxide in fighting acne and has fewer side effects. To make your cleanser, acquire: ¼ cup castor oil ½ cup grapeseed oil ¼ cup jojoba oil 15 drops tea tree oil Add the ingredients together in a clean bowl. Whisk them. Store in a clean glass jar. To use the cleanser, wet your fingertips with the oil. Gently massage the oil on your face for one minute. Wet a clean washcloth with hot water. Place the cloth on your face. Steam your face until the cloth cools. Repeat once. Wipe the oil off your face. Pat your face dry with a clean towel. You can also see this wikiHow article on how to make a moisturizer to help you fight acne. Reduce inflammation with aloe vera. Apply aloe vera on your skin. Aloe vera is a plant with antibacterial properties. It works to reduce inflammation and prevents bacteria from infecting your acne. Using aloe vera regularly should improve the healing process. Be sure to purchase 100% aloe vera. Make an egg white and lemon mask. Egg white works to remove built up dirt from your skin and tighten your pores. Lemon brightens and exfoliates your skin. The citrus fruit also is a good source of alpha hydroxy acids and vitamin C. Combining the two ingredients gives your skin a healthy boost. To make this mask: Gather 1 egg white and juice from ½ a lemon. Beat the egg white until it becomes frothy. Add the lemon juice to your egg white. Mix together. Apply the mask to your face. Leave the mask on for thirty minutes. Gently rinse it off with warm water. Follow with a moisturizer. Apply jojoba oil for moisture. Jojoba oil is an effective, natural moisturizer. Place five to six drops of jojoba oil on a cotton ball. Dab on your acne. Jojoba oil does not clog your pores but instead works to improve your natural oil balance. Bring a glow to your skin as well as be acne free. Follow the most relevant steps for you above, then, for glowing skin, hold back your hair with a head band or towel, if you need to do so to prevent it getting wet. Rinse your face with water at a temperature you prefer. Take a spoonful of sweet, and tasty organic honey and spread it evenly on your face. Leave for 30 minutes then rinse or wipe off. Use vitamins. Vitamins E and C are particularly helpful in beating dark spots. Put vitamin E directly on your dark spots before sleeping. Open a vitamin E capsule or purchase liquid vitamin E in a bottle. Dab the liquid onto your dark spots. This will provide the skin with plentiful antioxidants to help even your skin tone. Additionally, eat foods with high vitamin C content, like strawberries or oranges. This will help reduce hyperproduction of melanin. Use natural products. Using products from your kitchen cupboard to reduce your dark spots is economical and often safer for your skin. Natural products usually lack harmful chemicals that can wreak havoc on delicate skin. Fruits, dairy products, and oils all have beneficial properties for helping your skin. Using circular motions, gently rub castor oil into your skin twice a day. This will bleach your dark spots. Apply green tea extract to your skin. This will give your skin antioxidants to help remove free radicals and produce healthier collagen. Dab milk with a cotton ball onto your dark spots. Leave the milk on your skin for eight to ten minutes. Wash it away. Do this twice daily for six weeks. Rub aloe vera on dark spots. Doing this once or twice daily for several weeks can reduce hyperpigmentation. Dab lemon juice on your dark spots for two weeks. This works well for dark spots from acne. Additional natural products that work to reduce dark spots include pineapple, honey, horseradish, yogurt, cucumber, potato, turmeric, papaya, and tomato. Leave any one of these items on your dark spot for two to three minutes. Wash them off and after several weeks, your dark spots can lessen. Make a homemade mask. Creating a mask to remove your dark spots has two major effects. First, wearing a mask can be meditative and relaxing. Second, masks stay on your face for several minutes. This gives your natural treatment time to soak into your skin. Create a mixture of raw honey and brown sugar. Mix 1 tbsp raw honey with 1 tbsp brown sugar. Place the brown sugar and honey in a small bowl. Mix together well. Store in a glass jar with an airtight lid. Keep the mixture at room temperature. Wash your face well and then apply a ½ tbsp of the scrub to your wet skin. Massage the mixture gently in a circular motion. Avoid your delicate eye area. Rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat it dry.
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Understand what acne is. Learn about dark spots. Consult a doctor. Develop a natural cleanser. Reduce inflammation with aloe vera. Make an egg white and lemon mask. Apply jojoba oil for moisture. Bring a glow to your skin as well as be acne free. Use vitamins. Use natural products. Make a homemade mask.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Find-the-Publication-Date-of-a-Website
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How to Find the Publication Date of a Website
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To find the publication date of a website, look underneath the headline of an article or blog post, where the date should be listed. If you're not looking at an article, try scrolling down to the bottom of the page for a copyright date or range, so you know if the website is currently being updated. However, if there's no date listed there, check the URL, since some websites automatically include the date that a post was written in the address. You could also take a look at some comments to get an estimate of how active the site is. Alternatively, try typing "inurl:" into Google, followed by the URL, to see if the date is listed in the search results.
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Look underneath the headline of an article or blog post. Most news sites and blogs will list the date underneath the title of the article, along with the name of the author. Check for the date right under the title or at the start of the article's text. There may be a 1-sentence secondary headline or an image between the title of the post and the date. Keep scrolling to see if the date is listed below the secondary headline or image. Some articles may have been updated after their publication date. When this is the case, you should see a disclaimer at the beginning or the end of the article that says when it was edited and why. Check the bottom of the web page for a copyright date. Scroll to the bottom of the page and look at the information listed there. You may see copyright information or a publication note. Read this information to see if it provides an original date of publication. However, keep in mind that this date may be the last time the website was updated rather than the publication date. The date a site was updated is the last time anything was added or changed on the site. That means the information you're reading may have been published at an earlier date. However, a recent copyright or update means that the site is active and being updated, so the information may be trustworthy. Look at the section of the article that contains a short bio of the author. Sometimes, the date may be right above or below it. See if the date is part of the URL. Look in the address bar and scroll through the URL. Some blogs and websites autofill the web address with the date that a post was written. You may find the full date, or you might just find the month and the year. Make sure you are on the web page dedicated to the individual post and not an archive or index page. Click on the post's headline to confirm you're on the post-specific page. Many blogs edit the URL so it's shorter and easier to search, so you may not find the date there. Look at the timestamps on any comments to get an estimate. While this is not the most accurate method, it can give you a sense on when the article was first published. Look next to the username in the comments to find the time when the comment was written. Scroll until you find the earliest date. If the user interacted when the article was published, this will be the closest date to publication. You can't use this date to cite a website. However, it can help you gauge when the website was published, so you'll have an idea of how old the information is. If it seems recent, you might decide to go ahead and use the website but cite it as “no date.” Copy the website’s URL and paste it in Google’s search box. Use your cursor to highlight the URL, then right click it and choose copy. Then, go to Google's homepage and paste the URL into the search box. Don't hit search yet because you're going to add to the URL. Make sure you copy and paste the full address. Type “inurl: ” in front of the page URL and hit search. This is an operator that will help you find more information about the website's URL link. First, put your cursor in front of the site's URL. Then, type out “inurl:” in front of the site. Don't leave any spaces. After you add the operator, hit search. Don't include the quotation marks. This might sound tricky, but you don't need to do anything special to use this operator. All you need to do is type it in and Google will handle the rest. Add “&as_qdr=y15” after the URL, then search again. Insert your cursor in the browser address bar after the URL you just searched. Then, type out “&as_qdr=y15,” leaving off the quotation marks. Hit search again to bring up your final list of results. This is the second part to the “inurl:” operator. It's okay to copy-and-paste the code if that's easier for you. Check the results to find the date listed in the website description. Scroll through the search results. You should see the link to the page you're trying to cite at the top. Look to the left of the page description to find the date. In most cases, you'll see it there. If you don't see the date there, then it may not be available. At that point, you might try to find the date the website was published by looking in the website's source code to help you decide if the information is worth citing as a “no date” website. Right-click on the page and select “View Page Info. ” Once you click on the menu option, it will open a new window or tab filled with the code from the website. It may look overwhelming, but you don't need to understand it to find the date. Depending on your browser, the menu option may read “View Page Source.” Open the “Find” function on your browser using Control+F or Command+F. The “Find” function will let you easily search the source code for the date. If you're using Windows, hit Control+F to open this function. For a MAC, use Command+F to search the code. Search for the term “datePublished”, “publishdate” or “published_time”. Type in either of the search terms and hit enter. The “Find” function will search through all of the code on the page to find your search term. Then, it will scroll directly to where the information is located. If none of the search terms work, type “publish” into the “Find” function. This could bring up the publication information. If you want to know when a web page was last changed or updated, search the source code for “modified.” Look for the date listed in year-month-day order. Read the part of the code the “Find” function found. The date will be directly after the term you searched. The year will be listed first, followed by the month and the day. You can use this date to cite the website or to determine how old the information on the website may be. Provide author, title, website, date, and URL for MLA format. Write the author's name, listing the last name, then the first name, separating them with a comma. Put a period, then provide the capitalized title with quotation marks around it, with a period after it. Add the website name in italics, followed by a comma and the date in day-month-year format. Type a comma, then list the URL and put a period. Here's an example: Aranda, Arianna. “Understanding Expressive Poems.” Poetry Scholar , 7 Nov. 2016, www.poetryscholar.com/understanding-expressive-poems. List author name, year, title, and URL to cite in APA. Write the author's last name, a comma, then their first name, followed by a period. Next, put the website's publication year in parenthesis, with a period after it. Add the title written in sentence case, followed by a period. Finally, write “Retrieved from” and put the URL where you accessed the site. Don't put a final period. This is an example: American Robotics Club. (2018). Building Complex Robots. Retrieved from www.americanroboticsclub.com/building-complex-robots Use the author’s name, page title, website name, date, and URL for Chicago Style. List the author's name with the last name, a comma, and the first name. Put a period, then capitalize the page title and put quotation marks around it, followed by another period. Add the website name in italics. Put a period, then write “Last modified” and provide the date the website was published as month, day, then year, followed by a period. Finally, write out the URL and put a period. Here's an example: Li, Quan. “Examining Art.” Insights into Culture. Last Modified February 12, 2015. www.insightsintoculture.com/examining-art.
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Look underneath the headline of an article or blog post. Check the bottom of the web page for a copyright date. See if the date is part of the URL. Look at the timestamps on any comments to get an estimate. Copy the website’s URL and paste it in Google’s search box. Type “inurl: Add “&as_qdr=y15” after the URL, then search again. Check the results to find the date listed in the website description. Right-click on the page and select “View Page Info. Open the “Find” function on your browser using Control+F or Command+F. Search for the term “datePublished”, “publishdate” or “published_time”. Look for the date listed in year-month-day order. Provide author, title, website, date, and URL for MLA format. List author name, year, title, and URL to cite in APA. Use the author’s name, page title, website name, date, and URL for Chicago Style.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Tune-a-Saxophone
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How to Tune a Saxophone
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To tune your saxophone, start by selecting concert note “A” on a digital tuner or a tuning app. Then, play “A” on your sax while watching the needle on the tuner. If the needle falls to the left of center, you're flat, and you should push your mouthpiece about a millimeter farther in along the neck cork. Alternatively, if the needle falls to the right, you're sharp, so you'll need to pull the mouthpiece out a bit. Continue tuning and adjusting until you hit dead center, which means you're in tune, before tuning concert note F# in the same way.
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Set your tuner to “A. ” If you have a designated rehearsal space, or don't mind lugging an extra piece of equipment around, purchase a standalone digital tuner. Otherwise, download a tuning app to your smartphone. Once you are ready to test your sax, select concert note A to begin tuning. If your tuner or app doesn't have any presets for specific notes, tune it to to a frequency of 440 hertz (Hz) for concert A. If possible, purchase or download a tuner specifically for saxophones. Most others are meant for the piano or guitar. Because those instruments are in a different key than saxophones, a standard tuner may read your sax's notes incorrectly. For example, an A note played on an alto or baritone sax may read as a C on your tuner, while the same note played on a tenor or soprano may read as a G. Tuning apps for saxophones include Cleartune (iPad) and Easy Saxophone (Android). Play the A note. Watch the needle on the tuner. Aim to make it stay exactly in the middle of the display for as long as you sustain the note. If the needle indicates that your note is either too flat or sharp by falling to the left or right, adjust your mouthpiece accordingly, roughly one millimeter at a time, and try again. Repeat as needed. If your note is too sharp, pull your mouthpiece out along the neck cork. If your note is too flat, push your mouthpiece farther in along the neck cork. Play an F#. Once your A note is in tune, test your F# (F sharp). These two notes are the easiest to tune on the saxophone. Start off with this easy pair before moving on to ones that may need more coaxing. Use the same technique of adjusting your mouthpiece to correct sharpness and flatness. A tuner meant for piano or guitar may read your F# as an A if you are playing an alto or baritone, while an F# on a tenor or saxophone may read as an E. F# = 370 hertz (Hz). Move on to other notes. Once you have a handle on A and F#, continue the process with other notes. Alter your embouchure (the way you apply your mouth to the mouthpiece) to play notes sharper or flatter. Add more pressure to make a note flatter. Loosen your mouth's grip to make it sharper. Run through the notes again once you have them all properly tuned. Close your eyes and listen to each one as you play. Develop your ear so you're less dependent on the tuner. Mouthpiece designs vary greatly, so even if you master your embouchure on one mouthpiece, those same techniques may not work on the next. Play with the way you set your lips, chin, and posture until you settle upon a combination that seems to work. Play scales. Start with the lowest note in the scale. Work your way up to the highest and then work your way back down. Aim to alter your embouchure as little as possible while still coaxing out the correct notes. Keep an ear out for notes that consistently sound wrong no matter what you do, which may indicate a problem with your sax. If your saxophone isn't giving you any trouble, repeat scales with your eyes closed to further develop your ear, since relying on your tuner while playing scales, long notes, and arrangements will work against you in the long run. Use the right mouthpiece. Mouthpieces vary in design. Make sure your saxophone is compatible with the mouthpiece, since older saxes may not work well with more modern mouthpieces. Check the baffle, the size of the chamber, and the width of the tip, all of which may effect your sound. Baffles in particular make a tremendous difference in sound, so sample various kinds to find the right one for you. Straight baffles are known for their steady sound. They are ideal for older saxophones and sopranos. Roll-over baffles , which are popular with jazz players, add a bit of a bang with growl effects and a suggestion of brightness at the beginning of a note, while still maintaining a loud, steady sound throughout. Step baffles may be the easiest barrel to work with. Their ability to project sound makes them popular with R&B and rock performers, who have to pierce through a lot of other noise in order to be heard over their bandmates. Concave baffles lack projection and are hard to hear unless you're right up close. Because of this, they're hardly ever used except to produce very specific effects. Be consistent. Choose a type of reed to play with: hard or soft. If you are a beginner, consider using a soft reed. Although they tend to produce flat sounds at first, you will have an easier time manipulating the sound between sharp and flat than you would with a hard reed. Whichever one you choose, stick to it, since switching from one to the other will result in drastic changes in sound. Along the same lines, if you tend to use a lot of vibrato when you play, be sure to add vibrato when you tune your sax, as well. Check the temperature. The colder the sax, the flatter the sound. If your sax has been stored in a cold area, move it somewhere warm so it can reach room temperature before you start tuning. If you don't have time for it to warm up on its own, use your body heat and blow warm air through it. Be sure the whole sax is of an even temperature. The top of the sax may feel warm over time, thanks to the body heat from your hands and fingers, while the base remains cold. If the temperature between top and bottom is inconsistent, play long notes to circulate warm air throughout the whole instrument. Check your sax’s age. If it refuses to play the correct notes no matter what adjustments you make to the mouthpiece or your embouchure, find out how old it is if you don't already know. Low-pitch saxes are considered standard these days, but before that was established, manufacturers made high-pitch saxes as well. Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do to tune the latter precisely to other, more modern instruments. If you are unable to find out for yourself as to whether your older sax is high- or low-pitch, bring it into a music store. A repairman should be able to tell the difference, as well as repair the sax if it turns out to be a standard low-pitch model that simply isn't working right. Adapt to your sax. Saxophones are known to be very temperamental in terms of tuning, since the slightest imperfection or deviation in design can alter its sound. Relax. Strive less for perfection and more for proficiency with each individual sax. If one or more notes sound incredibly off, take it in for repairs to make sure everything's where it should be. Otherwise, alter your technique to produce the right notes (or close enough) rather than stubbornly demand your sax to work the way you want it to. Rest assured that you're in good company even if you can't quite coax perfect notes from your sax. Several jazz legends famously had the same trouble.
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Set your tuner to “A. Play the A note. Play an F#. Move on to other notes. Play scales. Use the right mouthpiece. Be consistent. Check the temperature. Check your sax’s age. Adapt to your sax.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-Animal-Rights-Activist
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How to Be an Animal Rights Activist
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To become an animal rights activist, make animal-friendly lifestyle choices like adopting a vegan or vegetarian diet. You can also protect animals by boycotting products and companies that use animal products or do animal testing, and by supporting companies that are cruelty-free. Additionally, make your voice heard by writing to your government representatives about your concerns and participating in animal rights campaigns. If you can, donate your money or time to organizations that support animal rights, like the World Wildlife Fund.
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Understand what animal rights means. Many people confuse animal welfare with animal rights. While there may be some overlap in their causes and campaigns, the underlying philosophies of each are significantly different. Animal welfare poses humans as the protectors of animals and argues for their ethical treatment. Animal rights are based on the principle that all species are equal and deserving of the same rights. For example, animal welfare advocates might argue for the humane treatment of farm animals or pets, but animal rights activists believe that it's wrong for humans to breed, keep, or eat animals at all. Familiarize yourself with the key issues. Since animals are found practically everywhere on Earth and touch so many elements of our daily lives, animal rights include myriad causes. Understand the breadth of issues by recognizing the main global contexts in which animals are exploited or harmed. Some of the major areas of concern for animal rights activists include wildlife protection, domestication of animals, lab animals, and animals used in food, clothing, and other industries. Take time to understand the dimensions of each area of concern by doing an online search for related articles, videos, and websites. Read an authoritative book on the subject. The best way to get a solid introduction to animal rights is to get a book written by an animal rights expert, researcher, or scholar. Purchase a book or check one out from a library that provides a general overview of the theoretical concerns and practical issues involved in the animal rights movement. Some authoritative introductions to animal rights include Peter Singer's Animal Liberation , Paul Waldau's Animal Rights: What Everyone Needs to Know , Clifford Sherry's Animal Rights: A Reference Handbook , Julian Franklin's Animal Rights and Moral Philosophy , and Paola Cavalieri and Catherine Woodllard's The Animal Question. Subscribe to related journals, magazines, and/or newsletters. Getting periodicals related to animal rights is a great way to keep up to date on the current events and debates related to the cause. It also helps support the research and education initiatives of the animal rights groups who publish them. If you're looking for a print publication, try magazines and journals put out by related organizations, such as Animal Times (PETA), The UFAW Journal, The Animals' Voice, or Friends of Animals. Many animal rights and welfare groups, like PETA, ASPCA, the International Society for Animal Rights, Animal Welfare Approved, and many more, also issue weekly or monthly email updates. If you'd rather read online, subscribe to related organizations' e-newsletters by signing up on their websites with your email address. Attend a lecture, seminar, or conference. Sometimes the best way to learn about animal rights is to hear from the experts in person. That way, you can ask questions and meet other people (in the attendees) who are interested in the subject. If there are no lectures or seminars near you, try searching the internet for videos and documentaries related to animal rights instead. Be sure that you check the credentials of the authors and producers to make sure they are animal rights experts, researchers, and/or scholars. Consider enrolling in a course or MOOC to get a substantial foundation. Attending conferences can be pricey and time-consuming, but there's no better way to get access to a huge variety of animal rights experts and activists in so short a period of time. Besides hearing panels and talks by vetted presenters, you'll also have the opportunity to meet and have conversations with a bunch of like-minded, active people who could be potential collaborators in the future. Become a vegan or vegetarian. If you believe in animal rights, start acting on that principle in your daily life by taking animal products off your plate. This means learning to eat a mostly or entirely plant-based diet. Doing so puts your belief into practice while refusing to support industries that exploit animals. There are many variations of plant-based diets. The most basic distinction is between vegetarians and vegans. Vegetarians generally don't eat meat or products that come from the body of an animal. Vegans avoid all animal-derived products, including eggs and dairy. Many products, like gelatin or artificial food colorings, contain animal byproducts that you wouldn't think. Take time to educate yourself about which surprising foods and ingredients you should be avoiding with the help of the Vegetarian Resource Group: http://www.vrg.org/ingredients/. Practice cruelty-free consumerism. Don't purchase products that contain animal byproducts or patronize companies that perform animal testing. PETA publishes a list of companies that employ animal testing available here: http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdotest.pdf. Avoid these brands when you're shopping and instead opt for ones that explicitly advertise that they're vegan or cruelty-free. Be especially wary when it comes to your clothing and fashion. Many materials, like leather, silk, down, and wool, are animal-derived and their production processes involve high levels of animal cruelty. Instead, look for alternatives like cotton, hemp, faux fur, pleather, and other synthetic materials. Make animal-friendly investments. Don't invest in companies that create animal-based products or use animal testing. Instead, put your money where your mouth is by investing in companies that are certified as cruelty-free. That way, you will have a direct impact on changing industries to observe animal rights. PETA also publishes a helpful list of animal-friendly companies that are worth buying from and investing in. Check it out here: http://www.mediapeta.com/peta/PDF/companiesdonttest.pdf. Weigh in on the issues. Now that you've learned about the issues and committed yourself to tackling them, it's time to make yourself heard. Start by stating your beliefs about animal rights in influential public forums. For example, sign on to petitions, write letters to decision-makers, and send editorials to newspapers. If there is a hearing about a particular issue, such as the development of wetlands, sign up to give testimony. Donate to an animal-rights-related organization or cause. Animal rights groups need monetary backing to support their good work. Pick an organization that is running campaigns that you believe in and that are garnering measurable results. Most organizations make it easy to donate by having secure, online tools for making one-time or monthly contributions. If you choose a registered nonprofit, your donations are tax-deductible. Get involved in an animal rights organization. Join and/or volunteer with a group that's dedicated to animal rights. Membership usually involves paying dues, attending meetings, being on their contact list, and participating in sponsored events and campaigns. Check locally to see if there are organizations that are active in your area. If you'd like to get involved with a major player in the cause, here is a helpful online list of the biggest animal rights groups internationally with links to each: https://speakingofresearch.com/extremism-undone/animal-rights-activists-organizations/. Participate in an animal rights campaign. If there's a specific issue, such as factory farming or cosmetics testing, that speaks to you, get involved. There are plenty of ways, large and small, to lend a hand. Some informal ways to get involved include signing a petition, sharing information on social media, or attending a demonstration. Some more formal ways of participating include attending organizing meetings related to the campaign, volunteering your time to a related event or effort, or taking on a leadership role. Use your skills and talents to make a difference. The best activism takes advantage of the knowledge and experience that you already have. Ask yourself how you can use your education, career, and/or hobbies to help the cause of animal rights. For instance, if you are an artist, do a show or exhibition that engages the public in the cause. If you're a businessperson, set up a seminar to inform people in the industry about why investing in cruelty-free companies is good business.
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Understand what animal rights means. Familiarize yourself with the key issues. Read an authoritative book on the subject. Subscribe to related journals, magazines, and/or newsletters. Attend a lecture, seminar, or conference. Become a vegan or vegetarian. Practice cruelty-free consumerism. Make animal-friendly investments. Weigh in on the issues. Donate to an animal-rights-related organization or cause. Get involved in an animal rights organization. Participate in an animal rights campaign. Use your skills and talents to make a difference.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Run-a-20:00-5K
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How to Run a 20:00 5K
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If you want to run a 5K in 20 minutes, you'll need to develop a training regimen weeks before the race to help improve your time. As you train, practice speeding up for intervals during your run. For example, go at a comfortable pace for the beginning of your run, then speed up for about 50 to 100 meters before slowing down and repeating the process throughout the session. Additionally, practice on harder courses so when it's time to run the 5K, it will be easier to speed up. Rest is important, so don't forget to schedule 3 to 4 days of recovery before your race. Before the race, get plenty of sleep and eat a light breakfast about an hour beforehand.
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Train extensively weeks before the race. By developing a training regimen you'll be able to improve your time drastically. Try doing the following exercises to train for a 5K: Run up hills. Be sure to be perpendicular to the hill and lift your knees, using the proper healthy running form. Run intervals. Run the mile four times, an 800 six times, a 600 eight times, or a 400 ten times. Vary these. Miles should be close to race pace with 3-5 minutes rest intervals. The 600s and 800s work best at 5 seconds per 400 faster than race pace and 2-3 minutes rest interval. 400s in 86-92 would develop adequate speed. Rest 1:30 between each 400 Practice speeding up when you run. Run a comfortable pace then speed up for about 50 to 100 meters then slow down again. Repeat. Run hard courses. Most people do not run very fast when practicing so it is best to run hard courses to still speed up. Take time to recover. Don't overtrain. Remember it takes your body 3-4 days to recover from a reps session. Ideally do this on a Monday or Tuesday and race on a Saturday. Keep track of your training times. Running 5K in less than 20 minutes requires running at 6:26 pace for 3.1 miles (5.0 km). You need to be able to run at least a 6:00 mile before you run this 5k under 20 minutes. This alone still won't guarantee you your goal time. You must train regularly. Rest before the big race. Do not do push ups, pull ups or any other strenuous activities. Just stretch and spend time relaxing. Eat pasta for dinner. Muscles receive energy from glucose which is found in pasta. Go to bed early and make sure you get enough good quality rest before your big race. Wake up early. Save yourself enough time to eat a good, but light breakfast at least an hour before the race. Warm up. If it is cold on race day, keep your muscles warm by stretching. Do some quick sprints up to 100m right before the race. Do dynamic stretching beforehand, not static. Dynamic is more moving (i.e. Lunges) and static is more still (i.e. Touching your toes). Start fast but not too fast. You don't want to run out of gas early. Try to find someone your pace and settle yourself near the front at the start. Pick an athlete just in front of you who looks experienced - grey haired vets are ideal - imagine a rope between the two of you and that rope shortening until you are on their shoulder. Check your time. If there are mile markers you might want to keep track of your time along the way. If you realize that you are running too slow then you can speed up. Your first mile should be about 6:25, but preferably faster. Get your second mile split. It should be under 13:00. Finish strong by sprinting at the end. Empty the rest of what's in your tank and give it all you've got. Check your time and celebrate.
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Train extensively weeks before the race. Take time to recover. Keep track of your training times. Rest before the big race. Warm up. Start fast but not too fast. Check your time. Finish strong by sprinting at the end.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-a-Christmas-Cactus
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How to Prune a Christmas Cactus
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To prune your Christmas cactus, wait until after it's bloomed, when it's putting out new leaves, which is when it grows best. If you want your Christmas cactus to grow more fully, only prune 1 or 2 segments at a time. Alternatively, if you want to grow other plants from it, take cuttings that are 3-4 segments long, since these will survive better on their own. You don't need shears to prune a Christmas cactus. Just twist the segments with your fingers to break them off. If they don't come off easily, try digging your thumbnail in to separate them.
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Take 1-2 segments from the plant if you want it to grow more fully. If you are pruning your plant to allow further growth, you don't need to take much off the ends. In fact, you can remove up to ⅓ of your Christmas cactus if you want to reduce its size. Take longer cuttings if you want to propagate. To grow another plant from your cutting, take Y-shaped cuttings from the mother plant. Make sure the cuttings are around 3-4 segments long. These cuttings can be planted in different pots to grow as many new plants as you want. Wait until your cactus has bloomed before pruning. After blooming, your Christmas cactus will be entering a growth period and putting out new leaves. This is the best time to prune as it allows the cactus to branch out and grow more stems. If you are unable to prune it right away, you can continue to prune until late Spring. Twist the plant at the gap between segments. Each segment is a rectangular shape with a joint at the end. The stem should easily break at this point as it is the weakest part of the plant. Make sure you twist quickly to avoid damaging the plant. If it doesn't easily break, try using your thumbnail to separate the stem at the juncture. If twisting seems too harsh on the plant, you can trim it using garden clippers in the same place instead. Collect the longer pieces of trimmed stems. Cuttings larger than two sections can be used to grow new cactus plants, a process known as propagating. Discard any cuttings that are too short. Dry your cuttings for 2 days. This helps the cut edge to heal slightly and avoids stem rot which occurs when there is excess moisture in the plant. The cutting can be left to dry for up to 4 days. Prepare smaller pots using soil mix with good drainage. A mixture of moist peat and sand soil will provide enough nutrients for your growing plant. It will also allow proper soil drainage which is very important for cactus growth. You can also layer pumice on the bottom of your pot for additional drainage. Insert each segment into the soil. Make sure the cutting is about an inch deep to allow it to absorb enough moisture and nutrients. If needed, you can place multiple cuttings per pot at this stage of the process. Place your pot in a cool area with indirect sunlight. While it can easily adapt to low light conditions, your Christmas cactus will thrive in bright, indirect light. Avoid direct sunlight as this can easily burn the cactus leaves. Water your cuttings sparingly to prevent rot. Transplant your cuttings into a larger pot. After 2-3 weeks, your cutting will show growth at its tips. These are usually red in colour and a sign you can now transplant it into a bigger pot Fill this with a loose mixture of potting soil. Alternatively, you can use the same soil as the mother plant. Don't worry if your plant wilts at the beginning. This is normal and will subside once the plant gets used to its new home. At this point, your plant can be exposed to more indirect sunlight. Water your Christmas cactus frequently. Once your cutting has developed roots and new growth, it can retain water just as well as an adult plant. Ensure that the soil remains moist and care for your plant in the same way you would a mature cactus. Test the soil to see if it needs watering. Once the top layer of the soil feels dry to the touch, it is time to water again. Repot your cactus every 3-4 years. Christmas cactus plants like to live in tight pots so don't need to be repotted very often. Repotting should be done after blooming in late winter or early spring.
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Take 1-2 segments from the plant if you want it to grow more fully. Take longer cuttings if you want to propagate. Wait until your cactus has bloomed before pruning. Twist the plant at the gap between segments. Collect the longer pieces of trimmed stems. Dry your cuttings for 2 days. Prepare smaller pots using soil mix with good drainage. Insert each segment into the soil. Place your pot in a cool area with indirect sunlight. Transplant your cuttings into a larger pot. Water your Christmas cactus frequently. Repot your cactus every 3-4 years.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Use-an-Onion-to-Deodorize-a-Cat-Litter-Box
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How to Use an Onion to Deodorize a Cat Litter Box
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To deodorize your cat's litter box with an onion, start by purchasing an onion if you don't have one on hand. While yellow onions may be the most effective, any kind will work. Peel the onion if you wish, then take a sharp knife and slice it in half down the middle. Once the onion is cut, put the pieces in the room with the litter, preferably out of reach of your cats. The onion will probably smell strongly at first, but the smell should go away after a while and hopefully take the bad litter odors with it. Once the litter smell returns, replace the old onion with a fresh one.
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Buy an onion. It doesn't matter what color (red, yellow, white, etc.) or type of onion you purchase. All of them will be relatively effective. However, yellow onions will be the most effective for deodorizing your litter box, as they produce the most potent smell. Red onions are often the most expensive, so buying a yellow or white onion may be preferable. Cut the onion in half. Use a sharp knife to slice the onion down the middle to make two halves. If you wish, you may remove the outer layers of skin to avoid it flaking off and creating a mess. The onion skin plays no role in reducing litter-box odor, so can be discarded without consequence. If you are using a large onion, you may decide to cut the onion into quarters. This will allow you to put onion sections in more places around the room. Place the two onion halves in the room with the litter box. Place the onion sections in the room soon after you cut the onion. The onion will most effectively dispel unpleasant odors soon after you cut it. Although it will be simplest to place the onion on the floor, you can experiment with different techniques. For example, try hanging the onion from the ceiling by passing a needle and thread through the onion and hanging it from a plant hanger. The potent smell of the onion will counteract the urine smell. The onion fumes, which also make your eyes sting and water, will neutralize the smell of the room. While a cut onion will counteract the smells of cat litter, it can remove unpleasant odors throughout your home as well. For example, a sliced onion left out in your basement will remove any musty odors. Expect the onion fumes to dissipate. Although the onion smell may initially be pungent in the room you have placed the onion halves, it will fade with time. Eventually the onions will dry out and lose their aroma. Don't worry about scaring your cat off with the aroma of onions. It's unlikely that cats will find the onion smell unpleasant, as humans sometimes do. Remove the onions when the litter-box smell returns. This indicates that your cut onions are no longer effective and need to be replaced. Experiment with how long the cut onions will last. You may be able to leave a single onion out for a week or longer. Repeat this process with fresh onions. If you have the time and budget, you could try using different types of onions simultaneously. Do not allow your cats near the onion halves. Onions are poisonous to cats. If your cat takes a small nibble from one of the onion halves in the litter-box room, she should be fine—but eating more than that can cause digestive health problems. Any of the Allium species of plants (which includes both onions and garlic) are toxic to cats. Allium species damage cats' red blood cells, and diminish the amount of oxygen that these cells can carry. In severe cases, this anemia can lead to death. Hide the onion halves. Rather than placing the halves in obvious locations that are easy for your cat to reach, look around the room and see where you could hide the onion. Be careful though—it can be difficult to hide things from cats, since they are curious and notorious climbers. Consider if you can: Hide the onion behind a tall bookshelf, Hide the onion beneath a tall sofa, Hide the onion on a high shelf that your cat cannot jump up to. Put a colander or other perforated object over the onion half. Because the smell of the onion needs to waft into the room, you can cover the onion as long as you do not put it under an airtight object. This cover should prevent your cat from eating the onion. If your cat is persistent, use a heavy object to weight down the colander. Closely watch your cat. If you suspect your cat has eaten a substantial portion of the onion, call your vet immediately. If you have reason for concern, look for symptoms caused by onion ingestion: Lethargy and weakness, Poor muscle coordination and excessive salivation, Vomiting or diarrhea. Have enough litter boxes in your house. A standard rule of thumb is to have as many litter boxes as cats, plus one more. This way, you cat won't have to travel far to find a litter box, and can take its pick between multiple boxes. If you have 1 cat, you need 2 litter boxes. If you have 4 cats, you need 5 litter boxes. Keep at least one litter box on every floor of your house. Locate the box strategically. While your impulse may be to keep the litter box as much out of the way as possible, if you put it in an inconvenient location, your cat may not be able to find the box or may dislike the location. Follow these general rules when placing the litter box: Keep it away from loud appliances, which may scare your cat. Keep it far from your cat's food and water bowls, for hygiene purposes. If the litter box is in a room with a closed door, prop the door open or add a cat entrance. Change the litter at least every other day. This is a general rule of thumb, although it can vary, depending on how many cats use the litter box. If you have several cats using the same litter box, you may need to change the litter once a day. If your cat scratches the floor next to the litter box, this is his way of telling you that the litter needs to be changed. Cats don't like to use a dirty litter box, and may start going to the bathroom around the house if the litter is dirty.
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Buy an onion. Cut the onion in half. Place the two onion halves in the room with the litter box. Expect the onion fumes to dissipate. Remove the onions when the litter-box smell returns. Do not allow your cats near the onion halves. Hide the onion halves. Put a colander or other perforated object over the onion half. Closely watch your cat. Have enough litter boxes in your house. Locate the box strategically. Change the litter at least every other day.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-Canine-Distemper
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How to Diagnose Canine Distemper
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To diagnose canine distemper, look for symptoms, like fever, loss of appetite, or a runny nose. In many cases, you'll notice the symptoms wane, then return a few days later along with other symptoms, like vomiting and diarrhea. If you notice these symptoms in your dog, contact your vet, who will perform a physical exam and a blood test to confirm the diagnosis. In addition to basic diagnostic tests, the vet will also collect a sample of fluid from around your dog's eyes.
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Notice if your dog becomes feverish and loses his appetite. Once your dog has contact with the virus, it may incubate in his body for three to six days. Your dog may become feverish, lose his appetite, and have general head cold symptoms like a runny nose. He may also appear slightly off color or noticeable ill. Blood tests taken at this time would show a dip in his white cell count, as his body is using up white cells to fight off the infection. Pay attention if the fever recurs and he exhibits head cold symptoms. The first stages of the virus can be subtle and may be missed or incorrectly labeled as a fever or a head cold. Your dog's fever may wane and he may appear normal for a few days. Then, the fever will return a second time and your dog may have very intense head cold symptoms, like thick, snotty discharge from his nose, yellow-green discharge from his eyes, and coughing and sneezing. Bring your dog to the vet if your dog remains unwell and starts to vomit or have diarrhea. At this point, your dog will appear very unwell and likely start to have gastrointestinal issues, like vomiting and diarrhea. These are all signs of canine distemper and means it is time to take your dog to the vet. As well, once your dog becomes unwell, his immune system will be weak, making him more vulnerable to secondary infections. This is especially prevalent in young dogs, as many young dogs die from distemper due to complications like pneumonia. Take your dog to the vet if he appears weak, cannot see or stand, and has seizures. A certain strain of distemper can cause inflammation of your dog's brain about two to three weeks into the infection. This can then lead to symptoms like stupor, weakness or dullness, an inability to see or stand and seizures. This strain can develop pretty fast, within two to three weeks, or several months to one year later in dogs with strong immune systems. If the brain damage is not as severe due to this strain, your dog may still have a permanent “tick”, where they twitch or jitter uncontrollably from time to time. Another late stage symptom is the development of “hard pads”, where the pads and the nose of your dog appear extended and excessive. This is due to hyperkeratosis, the excess production of keratin, which is the horny substance that makes up your dog's pads and nose. Allow your vet to confirm your dog’s symptoms. Though there are laboratory tests that can be done to detect if your dog has the virus, your vet should also take into account your dog's symptoms, your dog's age, and his immune status. She may do a physical exam and ask you when your dog's symptoms first appeared, as well as how they have progressed. Dogs who are not vaccinated or do not have their booster vaccinations are more susceptible to canine distemper. As well, puppies and young dogs are also more at risk. This is why dogs most at risk for canine distemper are shelter dogs with unknown vaccination histories or pet-shop puppies with an unknown breeding history or bred from an unwell mother. Keep in mind that your dog's vet may decide to try treatment options and see how the dog responds versus trying to diagnose distemper. This is because testing may be expensive and there is no cure for distemper. Allow your vet to collect blood and tissue samples from your dog. Your dog's veterinarian may need to collect a sample of the fluid surrounding your dog's eyes, or from the windpipe, vulva, or white cell layer in a spun blood sample. Your vet may also need a sample of your dog's blood and cerebral spinal fluid. Fluid samples can be inspected under a microscope to detect the presence of distemper. Blood and cerebral spinal fluid test results may be compared to detect the presence of distemper. However, collecting the cerebral spinal fluid comes with some risks. Be aware there is no specific diagnostic test for canine distemper. Though your vet may run blood tests to rule out other conditions like leukaemia or organ failure, these tests will not necessary confirm the canine distemper diagnosis. Because your dog's body is trying to fight off the virus by the time he has it, the blood test may not be able to distinguish between antibodies produced due to stimulation by vaccination or those produced due to the virus. Your dog's body may also be overwhelmed by the virus and be unable to produce antibodies. This means the test results could come back as a false negative, which is due to your dog being too sick to respond to the test. Receive treatment instructions from the vet. Though there is no medication currently available that can eliminate canine distemper, the vet can provide intravenous fluids to prevent your dog from getting dehydrated due to the infection. She may also provide antibiotics to prevent the development of secondary infections while your dog tries to build up his immunity to other diseases or infections. Keep in mind that though some dogs can survive canine distemper, the infection can be fatal for dogs. If your dog recovers from canine distemper, he may experience seizures or other central nervous system disorders that may only appear many years later. He may also have permanent brain and nerve damage, with symptoms that only appear in his later years.
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Notice if your dog becomes feverish and loses his appetite. Pay attention if the fever recurs and he exhibits head cold symptoms. Bring your dog to the vet if your dog remains unwell and starts to vomit or have diarrhea. Take your dog to the vet if he appears weak, cannot see or stand, and has seizures. Allow your vet to confirm your dog’s symptoms. Allow your vet to collect blood and tissue samples from your dog. Be aware there is no specific diagnostic test for canine distemper. Receive treatment instructions from the vet.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Soften-Hard-Water-Naturally
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How to Soften Hard Water Naturally
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To soften hard water naturally, get a filter installed, or for a short-term solution, try boiling your water before you use it. If you drink water straight from the tap often, consider installing a drinking water filter in your kitchen to remove impurities. Some filters attach directly to your faucet, while others act as filters for pitchers. If you only want to soften small amounts of water at a time, fill your kettle from your faucet and boil it. Let the water cool completely, then transfer it to a container with a baster, siphon, or ladle. Try to avoid any sediment that gathers at the bottom. To stop your boiled water from tasting flat, pour it back and forth between 2 clean containers for a few minutes, which will restore oxygen to the water and improve its taste. If you want to soften your shower water, get an ion exchange shower head filter from a hardware store. These filter chemicals, like chlorine and lead, from your water.
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Boil away impurities. If your water contains a lot of minerals, especially calcium, you can remedy the unpleasant taste by boiling the water before drinking. Fill a clean pot or kettle with water and place it on a stove burner set to high. Allow the water to boil for a few minutes. If you aren't sure if your water is hard, or if you want more specific information about the minerals in your water, test it with water hardness testing strips. You can pick up testing strips at your local hardware store. Transfer the clean water to a container. Turn the heat off and allow the water to cool completely. You'll likely see white sediment gather on the bottom of the pot or kettle. This sediment is made up of insoluble minerals, which can't be boiled away. Use a baster, siphon, or ladle to transfer the water to a clean container. Although it's not harmful, try to avoid as much sediment as you can during the transfer. Letting the sediment settle on the bottom first allows you to easily remove the clear water while leaving most of the sediment behind. Pour the boiled water back and forth between 2 containers. Boiling water can cause it to taste flat. Pouring it back and forth between 2 clean containers for a few minutes will restore oxygen to the water, improving its taste. Remove impurities with a drinking water filter. If you drink water straight from the tap often, boiling it every time may become a nuisance. Instead, try using a drinking water filter to purify your water before drinking it. Some filters attach directly to faucets, while others act as filters for pitchers. Water treated with a filter often has a better taste. These filters can be bought at most grocery stores and general retailers. Look for systems that have a secondary filter, like one made from carbon or that uses reverse osmosis, to ensure contaminants are being removed from your water. Install an ion exchange shower head filter. A shower filter is one of the best ways to remove chlorine and lead from your water. Shower filters are also effective at neutralizing unpleasant smells. They are specially designed to work with high temperatures and flow rates. Shower head filters can be found at hardware stores, home centers, and online marketplaces. To know exactly what minerals your water contains, try testing it with water hardness testing strips. You can pick up testing strips at your local hardware store. Install an ion exchange softener for your entire water supply. These kinds of softeners are usually installed by a professional. Water coming into your home is run through resin to pull out the contaminants. Purchase these kinds of softeners at hardware stores and home centers. Home ion exchangers are ideal for hard water rated medium to very hard. They are one of the most common choices for improving household water. You may want to run a hard water test first to note the kinds of minerals in your water. Some softening systems may be better at removing certain contaminants than others. Prices will vary according to model and region, but these kinds of softeners generally run between $500 and $1,500. Maintain your softener system. Many softener systems are straightforward and require little upkeep. Some filters may need to be regenerated by adding salt, while others may have a replaceable cartridge. Always follow the directions that came with your softener system to keep it running in the best condition for the longest time. Put in 1/2 cup (118 ml) of baking soda with your laundry. Pour the baking soda into the washing machine, then fill it with clothing and detergent as you would normally. Set the washing machine for your desired cycle and run it. Baking soda doesn't filter the minerals out of hard water, but it makes it softer to the touch. Softened water cleans and rinses better. Baking soda is also mildly abrasive, so it helps to more thoroughly clean your clothing. Add 1/2 cup (118 ml) of distilled white vinegar to the laundry. Keep an eye on your laundry and add the white vinegar before the last rinse cycle. If your machine has a fabric softener dispenser, you can fill this with the vinegar before you start the load and it will be released automatically. Vinegar, which is a natural acid, helps to neutralize hard water with a lot of calcium in it. Calcium is a very alkaline mineral. Even though vinegar has a strong smell, this will be completely washed out by the rinse cycle. If you want to turn vinegar into a scented cleaner, mix 1.5 drops of an essential oil, like lavender, with it before adding it to laundry. Only use white vinegar for softening your laundry water. Other kinds, like apple cider vinegar, won't do the trick. Dry clothes as you would normally. Move the clean clothes to your dryer and run them on a suitable setting. When dried, you should notice that the baking soda and vinegar have reduced the hardness of your water, resulting in softer laundry.
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Boil away impurities. Transfer the clean water to a container. Pour the boiled water back and forth between 2 containers. Remove impurities with a drinking water filter. Install an ion exchange shower head filter. Install an ion exchange softener for your entire water supply. Maintain your softener system. Put in 1/2 cup (118 ml) of baking soda with your laundry. Add 1/2 cup (118 ml) of distilled white vinegar to the laundry. Dry clothes as you would normally.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Easy-Fried-Rice-Using-Leftover-Rice
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How to Make Easy Fried Rice Using Leftover Rice
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To make fried rice from leftover rice, start by slicing any vegetables that you want in your fried rice. In a separate bowl, whisk some eggs, add salt and pepper, then set them aside. Next, put some oil or butter in a frying pan, and fry your veggies for a few minutes on low-medium heat. Add the rice, stir everything together, then wait another few minutes. Finally, add the eggs and cook everything until you don't see any liquid in the pan.
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Take the leftover cold rice out of the fridge. The rice will be cold. Get out a frying pan and put in on the burner, turn on the burner and add just enough vegetable oil to thinly coat most of the pan. Add rice to the pan, and stir it around with a spatula for about two minutes, do not turn the burner on too high, you don't want the rice to burn. Use the spatula to push the rice to one half of the pan, then push the pan to the side of the burner so that the empty side of the pan is in the middle of the burner. Turn up the burner high and add whisked eggs, stirring them with quick and choppy pushes of the spatula until the egg is cooked and in small pieces. Add frozen vegetable medley to the pan, move it back to the center of the burner and turn the heat down slightly. Mix all the ingredients together until everything is cooked and hot. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. Stir it all up, and it's now ready to serve. Bring the frozen rice out of the freezer to defrost. Slice onions, and any other veggies you want to add. In a separate bowl, break eggs (as many as you think appropriate for the amount of rice). Season to taste with salt, pepper, curry, etc. Using a little butter in a frying pan, fry the onions and the other veggies. Add the rice and fry for a few minutes. Add the eggs to the mix. Cook till it is not soggy anymore. Add soy sauce for taste. Serve.
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Take the leftover cold rice out of the fridge. Get out a frying pan and put in on the burner, turn on the burner and add just enough vegetable oil to thinly coat most of the pan. Add rice to the pan, and stir it around with a spatula for about two minutes, do not turn the burner on too high, you don't want the rice to burn. Use the spatula to push the rice to one half of the pan, then push the pan to the side of the burner so that the empty side of the pan is in the middle of the burner. Turn up the burner high and add whisked eggs, stirring them with quick and choppy pushes of the spatula until the egg is cooked and in small pieces. Add frozen vegetable medley to the pan, move it back to the center of the burner and turn the heat down slightly. Add soy sauce and sesame oil to taste. Bring the frozen rice out of the freezer to defrost. Slice onions, and any other veggies you want to add. In a separate bowl, break eggs (as many as you think appropriate for the amount of rice). Using a little butter in a frying pan, fry the onions and the other veggies. Add the rice and fry for a few minutes. Add the eggs to the mix. Add soy sauce for taste.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Freeze-Avocados
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How to Freeze Avocados
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If you want an easy way to freeze avocado, chop a ripe avocado in half and wrap the pieces in foil or plastic food wrap. Place each half in the freezer, then remove them when they're frozen and transfer them to a resealable bag. When you're ready to use the avocado, let it thaw for an hour or put it in the microwave on defrost for just under 1 minute. You can use the pulp in guacamole or cake batter.
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Choose very ripe avocados. Wash the avocados you're going to freeze. Peel each avocado. To peel, cut the avocado in half around the seed. Twist each half to open it up. Use a teaspoon to lift out the seed. Puree the avocados. Set up your food processor. Add the avocado and for every two avocados, add one tablespoon of lemon or lime juice. Puree. If you can't puree the avocados, then mash them with a fork. Put the pureed avocados into an airtight container. Leave a small space between the puree and the lid. Label and date. The avocado can be kept frozen for up to 5-6 months. Use. After freezing, pureed avocado is good use in dips, guacamole, soups, salads, sandwich or wrap spreads and for frosting mixes that use avocado. To thaw, leave the container in the refrigerator 12 to 24 hours before use, to allow gradual thawing. If you can't wait that long, place into a bowl and run cold water over it. Cut a ripe avocado in half. Wrap in foil or plastic food wrap. Place each half in the freezer. When frozen, place each frozen half in a resealable bag. Label and date the bag. To thaw, place at room temp for about an hour or place in microwave on defrost or low for just under a minute. The resulting pulp works well in guacamole, chocolate pudding, cake batter, etc.
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Choose very ripe avocados. Wash the avocados you're going to freeze. Peel each avocado. Puree the avocados. Put the pureed avocados into an airtight container. Label and date. Use. Cut a ripe avocado in half. Place each half in the freezer. When frozen, place each frozen half in a resealable bag. To thaw, place at room temp for about an hour or place in microwave on defrost or low for just under a minute.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Retirement-Letter
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How to Write a Retirement Letter
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To write a retirement letter, start with a formal greeting like "Dear Mr. Simpson" and format the rest of your letter to have three main paragraphs. In the first paragraph, discuss your intention to retire and include details like your planned last day at the company. Next, highlight the enriching opportunities and rewarding experiences you've had with the company in the second paragraph. Then, in the third paragraph, discuss your plans for a smooth transition and your intention to provide assistance for your replacement.
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Discuss your retirement plan with HR. Set up a meeting with a representative of the Human Resources (HR) department to discuss the details of your retirement plan. Doing this before you write your letter will help you to get an idea about how to shape your letter. When you meet with HR, bring any questions you have with you and take notes during the meeting. Jot down important details, as well as details you feel might pertain to your letter. The person you meet with may give you some pointers about your letter that apply specifically for your company. Think about the positive aspects of your job. Keep in mind that you aren't resigned, you're retiring. You've served your organization with dedication and have gracefully made it to the point of retirement. Therefore your letter should portray this moment in a positive light. You don't have to praise each co worker individually, but do your best to avoid mentioning any grievances when you brainstorm what to put in your letter. Make a list of things that you love about the company, as well as accomplishments you achieved during your time working for this employer and other highlights of your career. Understand that you must use a formal tone. You may be feeling a little sad about leaving your company, or maybe even reminiscent. However, it is important to remember that you should keep your emotions out of this letter; save it for personal letters or emails that you give to your coworkers. Keep your tone formal because this letter will be a part of your retirement document. As such, avoid referring to your feelings, making jokes, or using sarcasm. Create a plan for any projects that you are leaving behind so that you can refer to them in your letter. Your retirement means the company will be losing an employee and will need a replacement to fill your position. In your letter you should provide some instructions about any ongoing tasks or projects that you started, and what needs to be done to completely them if you will not be doing so. Prepare a plan for each individual project and refer to each in your letter. Each plan should contain details discussing how the replacement can easily pick up where you left off, making your transition out of the company that much smoother. Create your greeting. You will be giving your formal retirement letter to your boss. As such, you will need to address the letter formally, even if you are on a first name basis with the person you work for. Use Mr., Mrs., or Ms. when addressing your letter. You can choose to use your boss's full name, or to only use his or her last name. If you were to use your boss's full name, you would write: “Dear Mr. Cody Shier”. If you were to use only the last name, you would write: “Dear Mr. Shier”. You would not write “Dear Mr. Cody”. Make sure to address the letter specifically to the person you are giving it to. As mentioned in the previous step, you will be addressing your letter to your boss. Because of this, you would not address the letter using phrases like “To whomsoever it may concern”. A retirement letter is not an open letter; as such, it must be addressed to a specific person. Double check that you have spelled the recipient's name correctly. Break your letter up into three paragraphs. Your retirement letter can be divided into three paragraphs to give your letter structure and clarity. In each of these three paragraphs, you will discuss a different topic or topics. Each paragraph will be described in detail in the following steps. Discuss your intention to retire in your first paragraph. Your first paragraph should be used to discuss your intention to retire, including such details as the name of your organization, your designation, and your planned last day at your company. Always double check these details, as this information will be used by other departments for documentation purposes. An example first paragraph would contain information like: “I would like to take this opportunity to inform Cool Company of my intended retirement. I will be retiring from the position of Expert Candy Taster on September 18, 2014.” Discuss your time spent at the company in your second paragraph. Your second paragraph should contain information pertaining to your time spent at the organization. This is when you highlight the enriching opportunities you have had, the people who made an impression on you or inspired you, and the overall general (positive) feeling you have for the company. Example: “I have been with Cool Company for nearly 11 years, during which time I have had many enriching and rewarding experiences. I would like to thank all of the people (here you would like out people like those in management, colleagues, and subordinates) for their support and assistance. I feel truly honored to have been able to serve by their sides while we worked to provide candy to the world.” Mention your desire to make your transition out of the company as smooth as possible in your third paragraph. Your third and final paragraph should express your desire to make this transition as smooth for the company, and the person who will be taking your place, as possible. Mention your intention to provide assistance for your replacement. You can also mention how you are planning to spend your days in retirement, and that you would be happy to assist the company in any way that you can. Example: “I know that my leaving disrupts several projects, but I have already prepared plans for my replacement that outline in detail each step that is needed to complete the tasks. I will also be available to assist said replacement in any way that I can. During my retirement, I will be sailing my boat around the world, but will be able to be reached by several means outlined at the end of this letter in case there is anything I can do to assist this wonderful company.” End on a positive note. Your letter should end on a good note that involves extending your best wishes to the organization, your colleagues, and your replacement. You could also include a final word of thanks and acknowledgement. Example: “Thank you very much for the wonderful memories. I look forward to following the successes of this grand company, and send my best wishes to my dear colleagues, as well as Ms. Matilda Mathers, who will be taking over my position. It has been an honor working here at Cool Company. End your letter. After you have completed your paragraphs, sign off with an endnote such as “Yours truly” or “Sincerely,”. Writing “Sincerely” is generally thought to be the most formal way to sign off. Below your endnote, you would sign the letter. Below your signature, place your printed name and your position at the company. Provide contact details. Be sure to provide an email address, a phone number and your current address. The company can refer to these details when preparing your retirement document. Double check details so that there are no mistakes. A wrong phone number or email address could lead to a great deal of confusion. Proofread your letter. Once you have written your letter, go over it again to make sure that there are no awkward sentences or grammatical errors. Consider having a friend who does not work at the company take a look at it to help you spot any errors you might have missed.
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Discuss your retirement plan with HR. Think about the positive aspects of your job. Understand that you must use a formal tone. Create a plan for any projects that you are leaving behind so that you can refer to them in your letter. Create your greeting. Make sure to address the letter specifically to the person you are giving it to. Break your letter up into three paragraphs. Discuss your intention to retire in your first paragraph. Discuss your time spent at the company in your second paragraph. Mention your desire to make your transition out of the company as smooth as possible in your third paragraph. End on a positive note. End your letter. Provide contact details. Proofread your letter.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-US-Citizen
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How to Become a US Citizen
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To become a US citizen, you must be 18 or older, proficient in English, and a law-abiding person. If you meet those requirements, one way you can try to get a green card is by having a family member who's already a citizen sponsor you. Another way to get a green card is through your job if you have an employment offer. You also can petition for a green card if you have been in the US for 1 year as a refugee or asylum seeker.
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Obtain a green card. Before you can become a naturalized citizen, you need to become a legal permanent resident. This is called getting your “green card.” You can get a green card in the following ways: Green card through your family. A family member in the United States can sponsor you. If your family member is a U.S. citizen, then they can sponsor their spouse, unmarried children under twenty-one years of age, and parents. They can also sponsor siblings, married children, and unmarried children over twenty-one years of age. Green card through your job. If you have an offer of permanent employment, you are eligible to petition to get a green card. Others with exceptional ability can petition themselves and don't need an employer to sponsor them. Green card as a refugee or asylum seeker. Refugees and asylum seekers in the United States for one year may petition for a green card. Satisfy residency requirements. You need to live in the United States for a certain amount of time before you apply for naturalization. Check that you satisfy the following: You must have been lawfully admitted into the U.S. You must demonstrate continuous residence in the U.S. for at least five years immediately before you file for naturalization. For example, if you want to apply in January 2018, you must have been a resident since January 2013. You must have been physically present in the U.S. for at least thirty months during those five years. You must prove you have lived for at least three months in the state or USCIS district where you apply. Meet personal requirements. You must also meet certain personal requirements, such as the following: You must be at least eighteen years old when you file your application to become naturalized. You should be able to speak, write, and read in English. You will have to pass an exam to demonstrate your proficiency in the language. You must be a person of good moral character. Essentially, this means you are an upstanding member of society who works, pays their taxes, and doesn't break the law. Submit your naturalization application. Download Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, and either type the requested information or print neatly in black ink. Be sure to download and read the instructions ahead of time. You will have to submit supporting documents along with your application. Read the instructions to find out what to supply. For example, you must supply a copy of your permanent resident card. As of June 2017, the filing fee is $640. You also need to pay a biometric service fee of $85. Make your check or money order payable to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” Don't use other initials. To find out where to file, call 1-800-375-5283. Give biometrics. Most applicants will need to give their fingerprints, photograph, and signature. USCIS will notify you if you do. They will send a notice with the date, time, and location of your appointment. Your fingerprints will be sent to the FBI for a background check. Make sure to pick up your study booklet to prepare for your English and civics tests. Prepare for your tests. You'll attend an interview, where a USCIS officer will question you about your background and application. You will also take your English and civics test at the interview. You should prepare for the tests carefully. Think about attending an English or citizenship preparation class. To find your nearest class, visit this website: https://my.uscis.gov/findaclass. You can also take practice civics tests, which are available online. Attend your interview. You will receive notice in the mail telling you the date and time for your interview. At the interview, you will take the English and citizenship tests. If you speak English well enough in the interview, you might not need to sit the English test. Gather required documents ahead of time. A checklist should be sent to you (Form 477). Swear an oath. The final step is to swear the Oath of Allegiance. You'll receive Form 455, which will tell you where and when to take the oath. You must answer the questions on the back of this form and review them with an officer when you attend your naturalization ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, you will receive your certificate of naturalization. Obtain a green card through your spouse. Your spouse should submit Form I-130, Petition for Alien Relative to USCIS. Your spouse will need to submit proof of the marriage, such as a marriage certificate. If you're already living in the U.S. after entering legally, then you can adjust your status at the same time. Complete and submit Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residency or Adjust Status. Your spouse can submit this form along with Form I-130. If you're currently living outside the U.S., then you'll need to wait for your visa to be approved. You'll attend an interview at the nearest embassy or consulate. Once admitted into the U.S., you can adjust your status by filing Form I-485. Talk about your marriage in an interview. The U.S. government is worried about sham marriages, so you can expect to attend an interview where an official will ask personal questions. Common questions include the following: Where did you meet your spouse? How many people attended your wedding? Who does the cooking and who pays the bills? What did you do for your spouse's birthday? What forms of birth control do you use? Satisfy the residency requirements. You can't immediately apply for naturalization after receiving your green card. Instead, you must meet the following residency requirements: You must have been a green card holder for the three years immediately before you apply for naturalization. You must have been a continuous resident for the three years before you apply and have been physically present in the U.S. for at least eighteen months. You must have lived in a marriage with your U.S. citizen spouse during the three years. Your spouse must have been a citizen during the entire time. You must have lived within the state or USCIS district for at least three months before you file your application. Meet other personal requirements. In addition to residency, you need to show that you have other personal characteristics to be eligible. Check that you satisfy the following: You must be at least eighteen years of age. You must be able to write, read, and speak English. You need to be a person of good moral character. Generally, this means you haven't broken a serious law and that you meet your legal obligations, such as paying taxes and child support. You must have entered the country legally. For example, you can't be in the United States illegally and get citizenship simply because you married a citizen. Submit your naturalization application. Once you have satisfied the residency requirement, you can submit Form 400, Application for Naturalization. Download and read the instructions before completing the application, available here: https://www.uscis.gov/n-400. When you are ready to file, call 1-800-375-5283 to find out the address. Read the instructions to find out what documents you must submit along with your application. Make payment to “U.S. Department of Homeland Security.” As of June 2017, the filing fee is $640 and the biometric fee is $85. You can pay using money order or check. Give fingerprints. USCIS will send you a notice telling you where to give your fingerprints and when. USCIS needs your fingerprints so that the FBI can run a background check. Attend an interview. You'll need to meet with immigration officials to go over your application. USCIS is looking to confirm that your application is legitimate and that nothing has changed since you submitted it. You'll receive a checklist of documents to take with you to the interview, so gather everything ahead of time. Take your tests. You must pass exams in civics and English. You will take them at your interview, and you should prepare as much as possible. For example, look to see if a preparation class is offered near you for either test. You can find the nearest classes at this website: https://my.uscis.gov/findaclass. Enter your zip code. Several practice civics tests are available here: https://my.uscis.gov/prep/test/civics. Attend your naturalization ceremony. The final step is to swear the Oath of Allegiance at your naturalization ceremony. Form 455 will tell you when and where the ceremony will take place. At the end of the ceremony, you'll receive your certificate of naturalization. Be born to U.S. citizens. You will automatically become a U.S. citizen even if you are born outside the United States if both of your parents are U.S. citizens at the time of birth and are married to each other. At least one parent must have lived in the U.S. or a territory before the child's birth. Have one parent as a U.S. citizen. A child can also automatically qualify as a U.S. citizen at birth if one parent is a U.S. citizen, provided the parents are both married to each other. This parent must have been present in a state or territory for at least five years in their life before the child is born. The parent also must have spent at least two of those years in a state/territory after they were aged fourteen. The child must have been born on or after November 14, 1986. There are some other circumstances, which you can read about at the USCIS website. Qualify even if your parents are unmarried. A child can automatically qualify as a citizen at birth if their parents are unmarried. Consider the following situations: The mother is a U.S. citizen at the time of birth and the mother has been physically present in the U.S. or an outlying territory for at least one year. The genetic father is a U.S. citizen at the time of birth. The child's mother can be an alien. However, you must prove with clear and convincing evidence that the father is the child's biological father, and he must agree in writing to provide financial support for the child until they are eighteen years of age. The father also must have been living in the United States for a certain amount of time. Earn citizenship after birth. A child can automatically qualify for citizenship if they were born after February 27, 2001 and meet the following requirements: One parent must be a U.S. citizen. The child must be under eighteen years of age. The child should reside in the United States. The parent who is the U.S. citizen must have legal and physical custody of the child. If the child was born before February 27, 2001, then different requirements apply. Become a citizen by adoption. A child living legally in the U.S. with parents who have legal and physical custody can become a citizen by virtue of their adoption. One of the following conditions must be met: The parents adopted the child before the child's sixteenth birthday and reside with the child in the U.S. for at least two years. Alternately, the child was admitted into the U.S. as an orphan (IR-3) or Convention adoptee (IH-3) and the adoption was completed outside the U.S. The child must have been adopted before their eighteenth birthday. The child was admitted into the country as an orphan (IR-4) or Convention adoptee (IH-4) who arrived to be adopted. The child must have been adopted before their eighteenth birthday. Exercise good moral character. Good moral character generally means that you don't break the law and you meet all of your legal obligations, such as paying taxes and making child support payments. If you have a criminal conviction, consult with an immigration attorney. Show knowledge of English and U.S. civics. Members of the military must show that they can read, write, and speak English. They also must show knowledge of U.S. government and history, called civics. You'll have to pass exams in both English and civics. You can find information about the exams online. Serve in peacetime. If you served in peacetime, you can apply for naturalization if you meet the following requirements: Serve honorably for at least one year. Obtain a green card. File an application while still in service or within six months of separation. Serve during wartime. The requirements are different if you are serving during a period of hostilities. The U.S. has currently been in such a period since 2002, and it will last until the President designates that it is over. In this situation, all members of the military can immediately apply to become naturalized. Apply for citizenship. Every installation should have a person to contact. They will usually be in personnel or the Judge Advocate General's Office. You will need to complete Form N-400 and Form N-426. Contact them and receive a packet of information. Your filing fee is waived. USCIS has customer service specialists who can answer questions from military members and their families. Call 1-877-247-4645 Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. You can also email militaryinfo.nsc@dhs.gov. Swear an oath. Before you can become a citizen, you must show attachment to the U.S. Constitution by swearing an oath of allegiance.
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Obtain a green card. Satisfy residency requirements. Meet personal requirements. Submit your naturalization application. Give biometrics. Prepare for your tests. Attend your interview. Swear an oath. Obtain a green card through your spouse. Talk about your marriage in an interview. Satisfy the residency requirements. Meet other personal requirements. Submit your naturalization application. Give fingerprints. Attend an interview. Take your tests. Attend your naturalization ceremony. Be born to U.S. citizens. Have one parent as a U.S. citizen. Qualify even if your parents are unmarried. Earn citizenship after birth. Become a citizen by adoption. Exercise good moral character. Show knowledge of English and U.S. civics. Serve in peacetime. Serve during wartime. Apply for citizenship. Swear an oath.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Rickets
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How to Treat Rickets
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To treat rickets in your child, have them take prescribed supplements daily, like vitamin D, calcium, and phosphorus, to replenish their vitamin levels. You should also have them eat vitamin D-rich foods like salmon and eggs, as well as calcium-rich foods like yogurt, milk, and cheese. Besides eating nutritious foods, you may need to get corrective braces for your child to prevent deformities. You can also ask your doctor if they recommend gentle exercise to keep your child's joints healthy and build muscle as they recover.
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Take the prescribed supplements. If someone is diagnosed with rickets, the doctor will prescribe supplements to replace the vitamins your body lacks. In most cases, the doctor will prescribe vitamin D, calcium, and/or phosphorus supplements. Make sure you or your child take the supplements as directed. Vitamin D is best absorbed when taken with a meal, so plan to take your supplements with food. Consume foods high in vitamin D. One way to reach healthy vitamin D levels is by eating foods rich in this nutrient. The best dietary sources of vitamin D include fatty fish like salmon, tuna, and mackerel, as well as fish liver. Beef liver, egg yolks, and cheese are also good sources. Eat foods rich in calcium. You should add foods with calcium to your diet whenever possible. This is especially important if a calcium deficiency is part of the rickets diagnosis. Yogurt, milk, and cheese are all good sources of calcium. You can also add calcium to your diet with tofu, kale, or cabbage. Spend time in the sun. A deficiency in vitamin D can be one of the root causes of rickets. Sunlight boosts the body's vitamin D levels and can be an important part of a rickets treatment plan. If you have light skin, aim for 3 to 15 minutes of midday sun each day. If you have dark skin, try to get 15 to 30 minutes of midday sun exposure daily. Wear corrective braces as directed. Sometimes a doctor will ask you or your child to wear corrective braces as part of the treatment for rickets. If the doctor asks you or your child to wear corrective devices, make sure you follow the doctor's directions precisely. Corrective braces can help prevent and treat deformities caused by rickets. Try gentle exercise. Gentle, regular exercise can help keep joints mobile and build muscle. Exercise can also help someone with rickets stay mobile. Ask your doctor what types of gentle exercise are right for you or your child. Seek medical attention if you suspect that you or someone you care for has rickets. You should not attempt to diagnose or treat rickets on your own. You will need the care and advice of a medical professional to help you determine the proper treatment for rickets. Assess the risk of rickets. It is also a good idea to be aware if you or a loved one may be at risk of developing rickets. Some common risk factors include: Having dark skin. Being born to a mother who had a vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy. Living in a northern latitude or an area where there is less sunshine. Being born prematurely. Taking a medication that interferes with your body's ability to absorb vitamin D, such as an anti-seizure or antiretroviral medication. Receiving breast milk only as an infant. Expect a physical examination. The doctor will do a physical examination as part of their effort to determine if you or your child has rickets. As part of the physical exam, they will be evaluating you or your child for tenderness or pain in your bones. Ask for a blood test. Doctors use blood tests to determine whether or not a person has rickets. A doctor will usually test for low levels of calcium and phosphorus. They will also test for high levels of alkaline phosphatase. In some instances, doctors will perform genetic tests to see if the rickets is an inherited disorder. Be prepared for bone x-rays. In addition to blood tests, doctors will also perform x-rays on you or your child's bones. They will examine the x-rays for signs of calcium loss or for changes in the shape of a bone. Ask the doctor to perform x-rays in addition to blood tests if you think you or your child has rickets. Ask the doctor for a treatment plan. Before you attempt to treat rickets, you should obtain a detailed treatment plan from your doctor. This will include the types and amounts of supplements you or your child should take, foods you or your child should be eating, and possibly the use of corrective braces. Follow up with your doctor. It is important that you monitor the disease through regular checkups, x-rays, and blood tests. Talk to your doctor about how often you or your child should be reevaluated. Be prepared for surgery. Sometimes surgery is needed to correct bone damage caused by rickets. Surgery can help correct bone deformities and prevent future disfigurement. Ask the doctor if surgery will be part of the recovery plan. The type of surgery you or your child might need depends on you or your child's medical history and particular case.
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Take the prescribed supplements. Consume foods high in vitamin D. Eat foods rich in calcium. Spend time in the sun. Wear corrective braces as directed. Try gentle exercise. Seek medical attention if you suspect that you or someone you care for has rickets. Assess the risk of rickets. Expect a physical examination. Ask for a blood test. Be prepared for bone x-rays. Ask the doctor for a treatment plan. Follow up with your doctor. Be prepared for surgery.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Leave-the-Past-Behind
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How to Leave the Past Behind
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If you're struggling to leave the past behind, practicing meditation or yoga may help you become more sensitive to the ways your emotions affect you physically. You can also write down your thoughts in a journal to help you put words to difficult thoughts and emotions. Spend time with people who support you and talk to them about what you're going through. If you feel overwhelmed or helpless, consider seeking help from a professional therapist.
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Acknowledge the challenges of the past. Unresolved past experiences can sometimes produce lasting psychological and physiological effects. In such cases, it's important to come to terms with how your past is affecting your current outlook or habits. An important first step is to stop trying to pretend you aren't affected by past events. You can't get over the past until you accept it. If something happens that reminds you of a traumatic event or triggers a strong emotional reaction, try to calmly acknowledge to yourself that this is the case. Let yourself feel what you feel about the past. Later steps in this article provide some specific strategies to help with this. For example, if you find yourself in a social situation that triggers powerful emotions about the past, don't try to push them away. Instead, excuse yourself for a moment and step away from the group. Then, take a moment to reflect on the past and how it is affecting you before rejoining the group. The impact of past traumas can be especially strong if you are without a strong social support network. Sometimes, the trauma resulting from past experiences can be so intense that it affects the people you care about. Unresolved past experience can prevent you from building strong relationships with your loved ones. They can also keep you preoccupied with dreams that never came to fruition. This, in turn, can affect your current outlook and habits in ways that make it hard to cope with obstacles in your life. Understand how trauma affects the brain. Traumatic or particularly intense experiences can affect our neurochemistry. At times, this can even impact the structure of our brains. If you find yourself feeling like you should just "get over it," remind yourself that reality is more complicated than that. Traumatic events can actually change the way your brain works. This can take a long time to overcome, so cut yourself some slack and try to be patient. Emerging research in neuroscience suggests that brains have a certain “plasticity.” Our genetic predispositions can be manipulated and expressed in unpredictable ways after powerful experiences. In other words, your brain can change. It is a product of both your genes and your experiences. The physiological and psychological effects of past experiences can seem difficult to overcome and incorporate into your life. But, it's important to keep in mind your body and brain are constantly reorganizing themselves based on new experiences. Your brain and body have changed before, and will change again. You can make that change a positive thing. Accept that you cannot change what happened, only how you view it. You can't revisit the past, but you can change the way you perceive it and handle it from now on. If you don't, your hurt self will carry over this emotional pain into other new experiences and relationships. Your efforts here should be directed toward accepting the past and forgiving those who may have wronged you. Allow yourself to feel whatever emotions you have about your past. Then, try to let those feelings go. When you experience anger or sorrow about the past, try to remind yourself that hanging on to these negative emotions only harms you in the end. No amount of anger will undo what happened. Acknowledge your feelings. Then, look within for the compassion to forgive those who harmed you and the strength to let go. This process will take time and will be different for each person. Other steps in this article are designed to help with the process. Dwelling on the past can cause problems without any conscious desire on your behalf. Try meditation or yoga. There are several activities called embodied physical practices that can help you make peace with the past. Meditation and yoga, for example, can help you develop personal coping techniques. These activities help you become more sensitive to the ways your emotions affect different parts of your body. Yoga is best learned with the guidance of a professional instructor. If you've never tried it before check online to see if there are free or low-cost introductory classes offered in your community. Many places have affordable options you can use to try yoga and see if it's right for you. Meditation is something you can easily do alone in your home. Find a comfortable place to sit with your legs crossed and your hands in your lap. Close your eyes and take slow deep breaths. If your mind wanders, gently return your focus to your breathing. Try a CD or a downloaded MP3 to help guide you through meditation. These practices give you the psychological time and space to identify particular emotions related to past experiences. In doing so, they can allow you to notice and work through the effects they've had on your behavior and thought processes. Keep a journal. Write about the events in your day-to-day life, or about the past. These are great ways to work through difficult emotions. Start off one night by simply listing the events you experienced throughout the day. You don't even need to force them into any sort of narrative. Try not to think too hard about it; keep your mind open and just write down whatever feels natural. This will get you comfortable with the process of journaling. This should become easier with each day as it develops into a habit. At this point you can start writing about past experiences that come to mind during your writing sessions. Focus on your thoughts and feelings. The important thing is to express yourself, not to tell a beautiful story. Journaling about the upsetting events of your past can help you come to terms with them and make them less intrusive in your day-to-day life. Expressive writing has both mental and physical health benefits. It can help you process your emotions and can also help restore disturbed sleep patterns. This kind of emotional work can take some time and introspection but it can be very productive if you let the process unfold on its own. Spend time with other people. Unresolved past experiences can sometimes make it feel impossible to trust new people in your life. This can make it hard to build healthy relationships. However, strong social support systems can be the most important factor in healing the effects of damaging experiences. It's important to feel supported around other people as opposed to frightened so take it slow at first; maybe just meet a new person for coffee. Volunteering can also be a great way for you to become more comfortable with interacting with other people again. This can even help you become more comfortable with your vulnerabilities as you see others bear their own. Seek professional help. If you ever feel overwhelmed, or utterly helpless, consider getting support from a professional. If what you're dealing with just won't go away or isn't improved with the steps above speak to a counselor or therapist. There are times when past experiences can be so debilitating that it's necessary to get help from someone who has helped people through such issues before. This is what counselors and therapists are for. If you don't know how to find one you could speak to your primary care doctor who will likely be able to refer you. Your insurance policy may cover a certain number of visits to a mental health professional. Check your policy details to find out. Evaluate your social circle. Consider leaving behind friends who keep you focused on the past. The social environment we live is an essential part of what defines both who we are. It also affects how we incorporate unresolved past experiences into our lives. Spend some time thinking (or maybe writing in your journal) about the people you spend time with and how they make you feel. If there are people in your life who make you feel bad or reinforce negative habits, consider spending less time with them. For example, people who constantly put you down may not be good to have in your life. Friends who make it difficult for you to do what you need to do to incorporate difficult past experiences can also be a problem. Consider making new friends, or at least initiating a change of scenery. This isn't always easy, but can be a great way to force you out of your comfort zone and grow as a person. It's a good idea to try new hobbies with your new companions. When you're ready, start to push the boundaries of your comfort zone by joining a local sports team or art class. New directions for your life will gradually emerge that might not have otherwise seemed possible. Be grateful for the friends who support you. Don't upset yourself by thinking about people who did not respect and appreciate you. Instead, concentrate on those who stick by your side. Let them know you appreciate their help. It can be hard not to dwell on negativity. But, your supportive friends are the ones who deserve your attention. Keep good friends close by during this time. Having a supportive community of people around you will help you stay strong. It will allow you to feel confident enough to engage with unresolved past experiences or difficult emotions without feeling alone. When you feel like you're slipping, try spending some time around someone you trust who can help keep you on the right track. If you feel that you are going to fall back into a bad habit, or are on the verge of despair, call a trusted friend and ask if he or she can meet you for coffee or swing by your house. Having someone around can help you feel supported. This can help you make through tough times. Try systematic desensitization. Systematic desensitization is the process of gradually easing people into potentially distressing situations while using relaxation techniques.The goal is over time to feel more comfortable experimenting with these situations on your own. This is an approach you can use to start getting comfortable with situations that are causing you a great deal of anxiety. Start by learning basic relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing exercises or meditation. Then, expose yourself to situations that remind you of those that make you feel uncomfortable. Use the relaxation techniques you've learned to stay calm. Start with short exposures to stressful situations. The key here is to move at your own pace, guarding against pushing yourself too far. Eventually, you should be able to engage comfortably in situations that currently cause you distress. For example, imagine you were attacked and badly hurt by a vicious dog. You might start avoiding all dogs. To move beyond this, you could try visiting a trusted friend who has a dog you know to be friendly. Use relaxation techniques before and during a short visit to your friend's home. Try to visit often, staying a little longer each time. This might be difficult at first, but spending a little time with a non-threatening dog could help you overcome your feelings about the attack. Engage with your fears and alter your habits. Sometimes we develop habits that keep us from confronting and moving beyond unresolved experiences. They can keep us from incorporating their effects into our decisions in the present. Part of incorporating these effects is breaking these habits to confront your feelings. Let's stick with the example of a fear of dogs. If you were attacked by a dog, you might develop a habit of crossing the street when you see someone walking a dog. You might get to the point where you do this without even thinking about it. In the short run, this might reduce your anxiety. But in the long run, it might be preventing you from getting over your fear. If nothing else, its an inconvenience. In this situation, you could make an effort to break this habit. You don't need to seek out dogs, but try to stop crossing the street when you see one coming. After getting comfortable with that, you might even ask that stranger if you could pet their dog. Gradually, this will help you let go of the traumatic event. Systematic desensitization can he helpful in trying to change counterproductive habits. Sometimes we don't notice how unresolved experiences have changed us. Our attempts to avoid them become embedded in our day-to-day habits. One way to become more aware of changes in behavior is to ask someone you trust if they notice anything odd in the way you've been acting. Other people often are able to pick up on things we aren't able to notice in ourselves. For example, after a breakup you could ask your best friend: “have I been acting weird in any way since me and my girlfriend broke up?” Make a list to track your behavior. Sit down make a list of all the times you avoided doing something because you were afraid or didn't want to feel uncomfortable. You don't even have to know why you were afraid at the time. Sometimes just writing about your feelings about past experiences can be a great way to allow them to flow more openly. This can be especially valuable if you don't have a good friend around to ask about your behavior. As the ideas start to flow, think about new ways you can approach these situations in the future. For example, imagine your list makes it clear that you're hesitant to go out with your friends. Start by inviting them over to your house so you have a little bit more control over the situation. Maybe invite those you are closest to over at first, and then after a few visits, ask them to bring over some people you don't know very well. Take it slow and don't be afraid to ask for help from people you trust. A gradual progression can help you incorporate the effects of most negative past experiences that you haven't been able to resolve. By slowly pushing yourself in ways that might have made you uncomfortable before, dysfunctional habits will begin to fade away. Then you can start working towards building new, more functional habits in your day-to-day life. Put troubling objects away. For a time, it can be helpful to put the things that remind you of the unresolved past experience in a box. Get a large box and throw into it anything that reminds you of a past failed relationship, a job that left you feeling sore. Anything physical that reminds you of troubling experiences should go in the box. After some time has passed, decide whether this box should be tossed or stored. Either way, you are coming to a conclusion about its contents that they can no longer influence you. Write down your feelings or say them out loud. Putting words and names to emotions and unresolved experiences can make them more tangible. This can help you better manage your feelings. You could, for instance, write a letter to a person or people in the past who hurt you or experienced a difficult event with you. Being able to engage with such people from your past can be quite helpful, even if they are not actually present for you to converse with. You could write or speak poetry or prose. Anything that allows you to let out the feelings you are holding on to from the past is fine. No matter how horrid the words are that come to mind, let them out. Make thoughtful decisions. While you're going through the healing process , try to be aware of the triggers that can send you back to past habits. This can include experiences like coming in contact a person who hurt you. Sometimes even watching a movie that reminds you of an unresolved experience can be a trigger. When you are exposed to such a situation, use the techniques described above. Actively aim to put a hold on habitual reactions and challenge yourself to do things differently. This also means avoiding making decisions in haste that you may regret later. For example, think carefully before cutting off ties with somebody in your family or sending someone notes filled with anger. Before quitting something you have been doing for a long time, such as a job, give this careful consideration. Some of these choices might end up being the path you take after thinking it through. Initially though, this exercise is about strengthening yourself to make calm and enlightened decisions. It can be especially helpful to check in with a therapist or mental health counselor. He or she will often have suggestions to help you cope with experiences that trigger negative feelings. Remember in difficult times that you do care about tomorrow. Your goal is to build a responsible, thoughtful, and clear future that is free of the control of past habits. Take it slowly but surely. Don't expect an overnight transformation. You will only achieve the best results by allowing yourself time and space to incorporate the effects of the past into your life. Each person recovers a different pace. If you start to think: "I should be over this by now," try to replace that thought with: "I have made progress and will continue to do so."
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Acknowledge the challenges of the past. Understand how trauma affects the brain. Accept that you cannot change what happened, only how you view it. Try meditation or yoga. Keep a journal. Spend time with other people. Seek professional help. Evaluate your social circle. Be grateful for the friends who support you. Try systematic desensitization. Engage with your fears and alter your habits. Make a list to track your behavior. Put troubling objects away. Write down your feelings or say them out loud. Make thoughtful decisions. Take it slowly but surely.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Big-Wavy-Hair
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How to Get Big Wavy Hair
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If you want to get big, wavy hair, spritz your roots with a volumizing spray while your hair is damp. Use clips to divide your hair into 3-4 sections, then unclip one of the back sections. Take a smaller 2-inch section of hair and wrap it around a round brush, then hold the brush up and out. Blow-dry your hair, holding the dryer pointed downward, and move the brush down your hair until you reach the ends. Unroll your hair from the brush, twist it with your fingers, and give it a spritz with hairspray. Continue until you've dried all of your hair.
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Wash and condition your hair. In order to achieve maximum volume, you'll want your hair to be as clean and un-oily as possible, so be sure to shampoo it well. In addition to shampooing your hair really well, only use conditioner on your ends. Putting it anywhere else will weigh down your hair, making it more difficult to add volume to it later. If you have colored or otherwise damaged hair, avoid volumizing shampoos and conditioners as these can cause dryness and further damage. Instead, use a color-safe or moisturizing shampoo and conditioner, and then use a volumizing root spray afterward. If you want to moisturize and volumize your hair, seek out more lightweight conditioners like royal jelly and linseed oil. Towel dry your hair. The wetter your hair is, the longer it will take to blow-dry, and the more damaged it could become from the dryer's heat. It's healthier for your hair if you can let it dry out a bit on its own before blow-drying it. Some experts recommend leaving your hair in a towel for 15 minutes before blow-drying it. While waiting for your hair to dry off a bit you can get dressed, do your makeup, eat a meal, etc. Your hair should be at least 70-percent dry before you continue. Spritz your hair with a volumizing spray. Apply a few spritzes of volumizing spray to your hair, focusing mainly on the roots. Hold the spray about 6 inches (15 cm) away from your hair, and be sure not to apply too much or your hair could look flat and oily instead of voluminous. You can help protect your hair by purchasing a spray that also protects from heat. Many manufacturers make sprays that are both volumizing and heat-protecting, so just read the labels and choose one that does both. If you have dry/damaged hair, choose a volumizing spray that also moisturizes the hair. Look for the words “moisturizing” or “protective” on the packaging. Blast your roots (optional). It's okay (and common) to flip your head upside down and give your roots a little blast with the blow-dryer before sectioning off your hair. This can help give a bit of extra volume. Just be sure that you don't blow-dry your hair for too long in this way, otherwise it can become frizzy. You want most of your blow-drying to be done on small sections of hair, moving from your roots to your ends. Use hair clips to divide your hair into sections. How many sections you have will depend on how long and thick your hair is. The goal is to make it manageable, so just divide your hair into sections until you feel able to work with it. Separate your hair into 3 or 4 main sections: a strip near the nape of your neck, a strip across the centre-back of your head, and a strip at the top of your head. Next, separate those sections into at least 2 halves — one on each side of your part. Wrap a sub-section of hair around a round brush. Starting at the back of your head near the nape of your neck, unclip one section of hair and select a 2- to 4-inch-wide chunk of hair from that section. Wrap that smaller chunk of hair around the brush. Once the hair is wrapped around it, pull the brush up slightly so that it gently pulls your hair against the direction in which it grows (i.e. up instead of down). Round brushes come in different sizes. If your hair is quite long, you can use a medium to large brush. If your hair is somewhere around your shoulders, you'll want to use a smaller-sized brush. Choose your brush size wisely. If the brush is too large, you won't be able to wrap your hair around it multiple times, meaning you won't be able to create wavy curls. Hold your hair up and out while blow-drying. Once your hair is in the round brush, lift the brush slightly upwards, in the opposite direction of hair growth. Holding it this way as you blow-dry your hair will improve your hair's volume by locking it in a position that is up and away from your scalp. Blow-dry your hair. Holding the dryer at least 6 inches away from your hair, move it down the section of hair from your roots to your ends, in one smooth motion. You will move the blow-dryer and the brush at the same time as you pull down through your hair with the brush. Most blow-dryers come with nozzle attachments. Use the nozzle while blow-drying your hair to ensure an evener distribution of air. Experts recommend keeping the blow-dryer at least 6 inches, but up to 8 inches from your hair. Use a medium setting rather than the hottest setting on your blow-dryer. The hotter it is, the more damage it can cause to your hair. Only blow-dry in one direction. Move the blow-dryer down along the section of hair in one smooth motion, from roots to ends. When you reach the end of the strand, start again at the top of the section, repeating until it is almost (but not quite) dry. Do not move the blow-dryer upwards along the section, towards your roots. Blow-drying your hair in any other direction than down along the hair strands (from the roots to the ends) will cause your hair to look frizzy. Blow-drying your hair along the strand, from roots to ends, keeps the cuticles closed and your hair looking soft, shiny, and silky. Allow the hair to cool in the brush. Once it feels almost dry, give your hair a final blast with the blow-dryer at medium heat while it's still wrapped around the brush. Then let it sit for a few seconds until it cools down. Allowing your hair to cool down in the brush will help it hold the round shape of the brush, meaning it'll be curly, or at least wavy, when you take it out, and it will hold that shape longer. If your dryer has a cool air setting, you can give your hair a blast with cool air to help set the curl. Gently unroll the brush from your hair. Use one hand to unroll the brush and the other one to hold the hair as you go. This will ensure that you don't accidentally pull out the curl you've made with the brush and the blow-dryer. Twirl and spritz the hair. Once the section of hair is out of the brush, give it a gentle twirl with your fingers and let it drop to your shoulders. It should have a gentle, wavy curl in it. If you're happy with how the curl looks, give it a spritz of hairspray to help it hold its shape. If you use hairspray, hold it 6 inches (15 cm) away from your hair while you're spraying it. Don't go overboard with the hairspray, otherwise you'll risk weighing down your hair with product and/or making your hair feel crunchy. Repeat for all sections of hair. Do the same thing with the round brush and blow-dryer for each section of your hair, working in 2- to 4-inch-wide sections. Start at the nape of your neck (back) and work your way section by section, upwards to the front of your head. Finish it off. Once you're done, lightly spritz your hair all over with a texturizing spray or a hairspray. For extra volume you can bend at the hips and flip your head upside down, then spritz your hair a few times with a volumizing hairspray. As you spray your hair, you can gently shake your head from side to side and/or move your hands in a gentle scrunching motion to help encourage even coverage and extra body. Boost your waves with other tools (optional). If you'd like your hair to have more wave, use a curling iron or flat iron where you see fit to spruce it up a bit. Curling irons are pretty straightforward, but creating loose curls with flat irons is a bit more tricky: Starting roughly an inch down from your roots, close the flat iron on a 2- to 3-inch section of hair. Holding the end of your hair, turn the iron in you hand so that it does one full forward rotation while still clasping your hair. Next, pull the iron gently down the rest of your hair shaft while still holding on to the end of the section of hair that you're working on. The slower you go, the more heat will touch your hair, and the more intense the wavy curl will be. Move faster for a looser-looking wave. Let go of that section of hair, and you should find that it is wavy now. Note that this only works with thinner flat irons. For both curling irons and flat irons, you can start midway down the section of hair for a more natural wavy look. To avoid making a line at the starting point in your hair, keep your hand steady and move the iron as soon as you close it down on your strands. Start with clean, towel-dried hair. Make sure your hair isn't completely dry, as having it a bit damp will help it hold its shape better. You might consider using a leave-in conditioner to help protect your hair and boost its ability to hold waves. Note that wet hair is more fragile than dry hair, so you'll need to be careful. Experiment with different options for adding wave. There are countless options for adding waves or wavy curls to your hair without heat-styling tools. Here are some popular ones: Braids: You can braid your hair in a multitude of ways to achieve different types of wavy looks. Tight french braids on each side of your head will give you voluminous, kinky waves all over your head. A long, classic braid will give you softer waves that start around the nape of your neck. Headband curls : Start by placing a plain stretchy headband on top of your head like a crown, so that it sits low and cuts across your forehead. Starting at the front of your head, twist your hair into 1- to 2-inch sections, and wrap them around the headband moving towards the back of your head. Moving from the front of your head to the back, continue doing this with each section of hair until all of your hair is tucked into the headband. Leave your hair in the headband overnight for the best results. Sock buns : Cut the end (the toes) off a sock (preferably one that matches your hair color) and then roll it up so that it looks like a donut. Put your hair into a high ponytail on top of your head, then pull the ends through the centre of the sock. Move your hair around the sock as you tuck in the ends, so that most or all of the sock is covered by your hair, then begin rolling the sock towards your roots using your hands to keep your hair moving along with the sock. Once it's at the top of your head, fasten the bun with bobby pins. Leave the bun in overnight. When you take it out, your hair will be big, bouncy, and wavy. Use styling products. Using leave-in conditioner will help boost the hold of your heatless alternatives. You can also spray a texturized into your hair before whatever volumizing/wave-making method you choose. You might prefer to limit your product use until you've seen how the process turns out on your natural hair. Leave-in conditioner alone might be enough, and then you can just put in a little hair oil to de-frizz or calm your curls into waves. Be prepared for unpredictable results. If you don't like surprises, the downside of heatless alternatives is that they sometimes produce unexpected results. If you're leaving something in overnight, give yourself extra time in the morning just in case you need to tame your curls or flatten your hair a bit. Finished.
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Wash and condition your hair. Towel dry your hair. Spritz your hair with a volumizing spray. Blast your roots (optional). Use hair clips to divide your hair into sections. Wrap a sub-section of hair around a round brush. Hold your hair up and out while blow-drying. Blow-dry your hair. Only blow-dry in one direction. Allow the hair to cool in the brush. Gently unroll the brush from your hair. Twirl and spritz the hair. Repeat for all sections of hair. Finish it off. Boost your waves with other tools (optional). Start with clean, towel-dried hair. Experiment with different options for adding wave. Use styling products. Be prepared for unpredictable results. Finished.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Make-White-Smoke
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How to Make White Smoke
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Making white smoke is a cool science experiment you can do at home. All you need is a large bucket filled with water, a lighter, a pack of matches, and white printer paper. You'll need to roll the paper into a tight tube and hold it over the bucket. You can use a rubber band to hold the paper together if you want. Head outside and light your rolled-up paper over the bucket of water in case you need to put the flame out. Burn the paper until less than half of it's left, then blow the flame out. You should see white smoke rising from the leftover paper. This is the result of burning cellulose that releases water droplets and unburned fuel from the paper. You can repeat the experiment as many times as you like.
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Gather your supplies. For this experiment, you will need a large bucket, such as one that holds 10 gallons (38 l). You will need water. You will need a lighter, a pack of matches, or a fire igniter. Finally, you will need 5-10 pieces of plain printer paper. Set up a safe fire location. Fill your large bucket with water and place it outside. Make sure it is not located near wood, paper, dry grass, or other flammable material. For example, a driveway, parking lot, or gravel alley may be the most fire-safe place to complete this experiment. Roll up the paper into a tube. Stack several pieces of white printer paper on top of each other. Roll them up as tightly as you can into a single tube. If you wish, you may secure them at one end with a rubber band 3/4 of the way down the tube. You can hold the tube below the rubberband. For peak scientific precision, use a pencil to mark the quarter and halfway points along the tube. This will show you how much of the tube to burn. Burn the tube. Hold your paper tube by its rubber-banded end over the bucket of water. Light the end that is furthest from you. You should see flame, but no smoke. Allow it to burn into a quarter or a half of the paper has burned away, then gently blow it out. Watch out for stray bits of paper. If you see any, stamp on them or drip water on them so that no fires start. Watch the smoke rise from the paper. After you have blown out the fire, your tube should give off white smoke for a minute or so. The white smoke is the result of burning cellulose that releases water droplets and unburned fuel from the paper. Repeat the experiment as desired. You may burn it and blow it out until you are satisfied. Do not burn the paper once you can no longer hold it below the rubber band. Drop the paper in the water bucket before it gets too close to your hand. Make sure to soak the paper in water when you're done with it to avoid starting a fire. To produce black smoke, burn the end with the rubber band. It will smell horrible. Buy supplies. You will need 40 g of ammonium nitrate. You can buy this online, or you can buy a cold pack and cut it open. Gather newspaper, water, and a metal bucket or pan of any size. You will also need rubber gloves. If using a cold pack, make sure to get one that contains pure ammonium nitrate rather than a substitute material such as urea. Don gloves and put your ammonium nitrate in the pan. If using purchased ammonium nitrate powder, pour it into the pan. If you are getting your ammonium nitrate from a cold pack, cut open carefully at one end, discard the packet of water, and remove the packet of ammonium nitrate. Pour the granules into your bucket or large pan. If the water pack breaks, you will use up the chemical properties of your ammonium nitrate and will need to use a different pack for the experiment. Gloves should protect your skin from ammonium nitrate's toxicity. If you do get any on your skin, halt your experiment and wash your skin thoroughly with water. Add just enough water to cover the granules. Watch them dissolve. Don't add extra water unless they aren't dissolving, as you want the mixture to be as concentrated as possible. Soak single sheets of newspaper. Take a sheet and dip it into the solution for half a minute so it absorbs the liquid. Remove it gently and lay it out to dry. Soak individual sheets until all the solution is absorbed. Drying may take several hours. Roll up the paper. Once your newspaper is dry, roll it up as tightly as possible. Secure it with tape or string. This is your smoke bomb. You can make several small smoke bombs with individual sheets of paper, or one large smoke bomb that will last longer. Take your bomb outside. Pick a parking lot, gravel lot, or large driveway. Bring a bucket of plain water with you to douse any potential fires. Light one edge of your smoke bomb, and step back several feet immediately. The flame should burn slowly and should not be visible through the smoke. Douse it in water when you are finished. Set up a safe fire. Light a fire in a fire pit, barrel or campfire location. If your fire is on or in the ground, clear brush and debris from the site. Choose a spot that is downwind and is at least 15 feet from your belongings. Make sure there is water and a fire extinguisher nearby so that you can douse a runaway fire. Don't build a signal fire unless you are actually in need of help! Get dry and wet fuel. Gather dried out fallen tree limbs and dry twigs. You will want larger logs and branches for fuel, large twigs for kindling, and small twigs for tinder. Gather dead wood that is thoroughly dry. Tinder can also be made of wadded up paper, bits of wax, strips of cardboard, or wood shavings. For wet foliage, gather leaves, weeds, and grass. If they are not damp, pour a few cups of water along them. Build a fire from the dry fuel. Loosely pile the fuel logs at the bottom of your firepit. Stack kindling on top in a tipi, cross, or square "cabin" shape. Don't pack too much in—there should be air between the branches. Add kindling to the top and light with a match or lighter. Add more tinder as the fire goes. Blow gently at the base of the fire to encourage it. When you have strong fire, you can add more kindling or fuel to keep it going. Pile on wet foliage. Once your fire has been going for a while, and shows no sign of stopping, dump the wet foliage on it. Step back several feet and admire the results: a tall plume of billowing white smoke. If you do this in a remote location, you may attract rescuers. Alternatively, add a paper bag of wet straw. You'll get a smaller but longer-lasting plume. Douse the fire thoroughly with water when you are done. Check on it after the steam clears to make sure it isn't still burning, sparking, or smoking.
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Gather your supplies. Set up a safe fire location. Roll up the paper into a tube. Burn the tube. Watch the smoke rise from the paper. Repeat the experiment as desired. Buy supplies. Don gloves and put your ammonium nitrate in the pan. Add just enough water to cover the granules. Soak single sheets of newspaper. Roll up the paper. Take your bomb outside. Set up a safe fire. Get dry and wet fuel. Build a fire from the dry fuel. Pile on wet foliage.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Cafe
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How to Start a Cafe
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To start a cafe, start by buying or renting a space that's in a high-traffic area, which will help you get more customers. Then, fill the space with all of the equipment and furniture you need, like tables, chairs, and coffee machines. Once you've set up your cafe, design a menu and find distributors and suppliers to buy your food and coffee from. Finally, hire employees and make sure you have all of the necessary certificates and registrations to be operating a business before you open.
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Write a business plan. No matter what type of small business you intend to open, a written detailed business plan is an essential first step in the process. A good business plan analyzes your business, its market, and its plan going forward for several years. It is essentially your "road map" to success. It also serves as your primary "sales pitch" for potential investors and financing. Consult How to Write a Business Plan for detailed information on the process. For instance, common components of a business plan include: Title Page and Table of Contents. Executive Summary, in which you summarize your vision for the company. General Company Description, in which you provide an overview of your company and the service it provides to its market. Products and Services, in which you describe, in detail, your unique product or service. Marketing Plan, in which you describe how you'll bring your product to its consumers. Operational Plan, in which you describe how the business will be operated on a day-to-day basis. Management and Organization, in which you describe the structure of your organization and the philosophy that governs it. Financial Plan, in which you illustrate your working model for finances and your need from investors. Familiarize yourself with the legal requirements. Starting a cafe involves not only the legal "hoops" every new small business needs to navigate, but also the additional health and safety requirements of the food service industry. In the U.S., for instance, you will need to obtain a host of licences and permits (not to mention proof of insurance) on the local, state, and federal levels. To begin with, you'll have to determine the nature of your business organization. The options include (but are not necessarily limited to) a sole proprietorship, partnership, and limited liability company (LLC). There are pros and cons for each option. From there, you can begin investigating what business licenses and permits you will need to secure in order to open for business. Consider consulting your local chamber of commerce, the Small Business Administration , or similar group for assistance. For tax purposes in the U.S., you'll also want to secure an Employer Identification Number (EIN) from the IRS. You may want to consider hiring a business attorney to help you navigate the legal processes. Secure funding for your business. In your business plan, you determined how much funding you need to start a cafe business. To meet these start-up costs, you'll probably have to be creative. Contact investors, apply for loans, dip into your savings, and exhaust all reasonable possibilities to secure funds. Take the time to scout out the best options for securing a small business loan from a financial institution. You may or may not find your best deal at a bank with which you already have a financial relationship. Organizations like the U.S. Small Business Administration can help walk you through the process of securing your best loan. Your funding options need not stop with a bank loan and your own savings. Try to entice investors or partners with your business plan, for instance. If you are willing to deal with the potential pitfalls of doing so, ask family and friends for personal loans. Your creative options can range from running a crowdfunding campaign to renting out the third floor of you home. Always keep on the lookout for prospective funding sources. Create your brand identity. Develop your logo, graphics, business cards, and all other promotional materials. Try to find a consistent theme that represents your vision for the cafe. This will help you coordinate the colors you use in your décor, on your menu, and other marketing items. Consider the target clientele for your cafe based on your observations and research of the surrounding community, and your business goals. Is it nine-to-five office workers? College kids? A tech-savvy crowd, or people looking for quiet conversation? Let this information help guide your branding as well. Your ultimate goal is to create "one voice" that speaks across everything from your promotional materials to your lunch menu to your bathroom decor. If you are having trouble developing a brand identity, or sense that your concept is becoming too complicated, seek out the services of professionals that focus in this area. Find the right location. Investigate several different storefront locations. Look at various places that are available for rent or sale. Choose the place that best fits your budget and provides an ideal location for customers. If it has been previously used as a cafe, this may work to your benefit because you won't need to spend time and money converting it into a cafe. Of course, consider why that previous cafe failed. Personally scout prospective locations. Count how many cars or people pass by over an hour during different times of day. People will seek out good food and drink, but a new cafe will have a better chance of building a loyal clientele if it is in a high-traffic area. Adjust the layout and decor to suit your brand. Even if your chosen location is a former cafe left in good condition, it will usually pay to make updates and changes to suit your particular vision. That said, keep your budget in mind and don't go overboard in the remodeling. While important, don't focus solely on things like wall color and lighting fixtures. For a cafe in particular, make sure you create a kitchen area with good traffic flow that allows those preparing food to move their feet minimally. While you'll probably want your cafe to be a comfy spot where customers will want to come and linger, lay it out so that it is friendly to take-away customers as well. People who grab their food or drink to go cost you less to serve and make happy. Acquire the equipment needed to run your cafe. If you are repurposing a previous cafe, you may be able to utilize some existing tables, chairs, booths, credit card machines, etc. Even so, you will certainly need to purchase or rent at least some of the equipment you will require. Look for savings where you can find them. Perhaps a mix-and-match, eclectic furniture decor can work with your cafe theme, allowing you to save some money by picking up used tables, chairs, and other pieces as you find them. For a cafe, though, don't skimp on the key equipment, such as an espresso machine. If coffee is going to be your focus, make sure you can produce a quality product. People who pay a premium for coffee tend to know the difference. Research equipment rental vendors in your area. Consider multiple options to find your best deal, because you need to find savings wherever you can. Build your menu. Decor, ambiance, and the like are of course important to your cafe's success, but people won't come back if the food and drink selection isn't up to par. Take time to develop a menu with maximum appeal that won't ruin your budget. For a cafe in particular, it is often better to keep the menu somewhat limited, especially at first. Focus on key items that complement each other, such as a selection of pastries that pair up with your coffee options, or a manageable array of soups and sandwiches. Make sure you are an expert on the items on your menu, whatever its size. If you aren't already a coffee expert, research the subject extensively. Know where your produce comes from. Be able to discuss the sourcing of the meats in your sandwiches. Display a personal connection to your food, to separate you from the big chains. Develop relationships with suppliers and distributors. You need to secure the best and most cost-effective ways to obtain all the food and other items you need to run your business on a daily basis. To do so, you need to build solid relationships with reliable suppliers who consistently get your food, napkins, and new menus (among many other things) to you on time and at a good price. Suppliers are the lifeblood of a cafe. Without product that's there when you need it (at a fair price), you have nothing. Ask other restaurant and small business owners in the area which suppliers they use. Once you've selected your suppliers, work to establish and maintain a good working relationship with them. Don't be afraid to make a switch to get better prices or better service, though. Market and promote your cafe. If no one knows you are going to be opening soon, you won't have the customer turnout you desire and need. Start spreading the word early and often. Use press releases, social media, word of mouth, posters, and any other method you can think of to help people learn about your new cafe business. While spreading the word, try to remain consistent with your brand identity in your promotional materials. How to Open a Small Business provides a strong collection of information on preparing for your business' opening. Look particularly at Part 3 or the article, for information such as: Establishing a marketing budget for your grand opening (which some say should be 20% of your first year's marketing budget). Using traditional media, like TV, radio, and newspapers. Using digital media like social networks, websites, and advertising technology such as Google Adwords. Hire and train your kitchen and waitstaff. These people will be the backbone of your business. You will rely on your kitchen staff to make everything to the customers' liking, and you will rely on your waitstaff to give the customers a friendly and pleasurable experience. Familiarity with the cafe business is of course helpful, but pay at least as much attention to personality, temperament, and attitude. Conduct thorough interviews, and ask insightful questions (how they have dealt with adversity before and how they would deal with a particular example in the cafe, for instance). Remember, on the rare instances when you are not in the cafe, your employees will be the face of your business. Once again, How to Open a Small Business provides useful information on hiring employees, including details on your initial responsibilities as an employer. Open for business when you are ready. Once everything has been completed and your business is ready for the public, open the doors. Be prepared for kinks in the process, but take action to resolve them quickly so everything can run smoothly. You want your official grand opening to go as flawlessly as possible, so it may make sense to do a "soft opening" beforehand as a practice run. Invite a small group of guests, maybe even just friends and family, and run through the operation of your cafe. See what works and what doesn't before the official grand opening. Make your grand opening "grand" with ample advertising, giveaways, and whatever else will make people notice and be curious enough to stop in. Also think about the best day and time to officially open. When will your target clientele be most likely to come in? A workday morning? During the lunch hour? Weekend brunch? Keep them coming back. Getting customers into the door once is only the beginning, of course. Most cafes rely on a repeat clientele to survive. A great product, nice ambiance, helpful staff, and reasonable prices will all help, but don't be afraid to get creative in finding ways to turn customers into repeat customers. For instance, offer a loyalty program. It's not just a way to retain customers, it's also a good tool to understand them and build strong relationships with them. The lure of a free coffee after all the spots on a card are punched out can be enough to bring people back until it becomes a habit. Beyond simple punch-cards or coupons, there are a number of loyalty platforms using QR code.They make it very easy to offer a loyalty program and they are also cost-effective. Whatever method you use, do not see a loyalty program as giveaways. Rather, see it as a powerful marketing tool.
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Write a business plan. Familiarize yourself with the legal requirements. Secure funding for your business. Create your brand identity. Find the right location. Adjust the layout and decor to suit your brand. Acquire the equipment needed to run your cafe. Build your menu. Develop relationships with suppliers and distributors. Market and promote your cafe. Hire and train your kitchen and waitstaff. Open for business when you are ready. Keep them coming back.
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https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Lead-Paint
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How to Remove Lead Paint
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To remove lead paint, start by turning off the ventilation systems, like fans or central air systems, to keep the paint dust from spreading around your home. Additionally, wear goggles and a respirator mask with a HEPA filter to protect yourself from lead dust and fumes. Next, spray the painted surface with water before scraping the paint off with a scraper or wire brush, starting at the top and working your way down. Then, wet the surface again and use coarse-girt sand paper to sand off the remaining paint.
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Get a do-it-yourself test kit. If your home was built before 1978 and you want to renovate it, you should test the area first to check for lead. Testing kits are easy to use and available at most home improvement or hardware stores. Because lead is so toxic, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has tested all of the do-it-yourself kits on the market and only supports two particular brands – LeadCheck and DLead. Scrape off several layers of the paint and test it. Choose a place to test and then scrape away individual layers of the paint so you can check every layer. Test kits react to two chemicals – rhodizonate or sodium sulfide. To be thorough and accurate, get a test kit for each chemical. The results are shown by a test strip or swab that changes color when it comes in contact with one of these chemicals. If you're color blind, have a friend or family member confirm your results. Do-it-yourself kits are not always reliable. Results may be contaminated by other materials present in your test sample. Consider hiring a certified professional to test for lead. Professionals use x-ray fluorescence technology to determine which paint in your home contains lead. These contractors are certified in lead paint detection and removal. If lead is detected, they will assist you with determining a removal strategy. In some cases, it is wiser and safer to allow a certified professional to detect and also remove the lead paint in your home. Consult the Department of Housing and Urban Development website. If you live in the United States, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) can provide a lot of information about lead-based paint, as well as guidelines for lead paint testing and removal. Information is also provided about laboratories near you that can help you test for lead. Shut off all ventilation systems in your home. This include fans, central heat and air circulation systems and furnaces. Leaving these systems on will result in lead paint dust being spread throughout your home. Close all vents. Keep all windows closed to prevent dust from blowing around. Block off all vents and openings with plastic sheeting. Seal off air intakes, ductwork, dryer vents, bathroom vents, doorways, windows and other openings to your home with one-mil (.001 inch) polyethylene sheeting. This heavy-duty plastic sheeting will help minimize how much dust gets dispersed through the air. Seal doorways with poly sheeting. Close off and seal any room in which lead paint is not being removed. Exterior doorways also should be sealed. Secure the plastic sheeting in place with duct tape. You can get these materials at most hardware stores. Cover the floor with plastic sheeting. Tape the plastic to the floor or baseboard at least five feet beyond the area you're working in. Seal the side of the plastic so dust can't get under it. If you have wall-to-wall carpet, be very thorough. Once lead paint dust gets into carpet, it can be very hard to remove. You could tape the plastic to the baseboard instead, but be very careful, since this could strip the paint off when you remove it. Remove all furniture and other items from the area. Everything, including furniture, bedding, drapes, dishware, toys, food, rugs, etc.) must be removed to avoid contamination. If it can't be removed, cover it with two sheets of heavy duty plastic. Secure the sheeting in place with duct tape so that all seams are sealed. Limit access to the work area. Lead is extremely hazardous. Children and pregnant women should never, under any circumstances, do any lead paint removal work. Everyone, including pets, must stay out of the work area until clean-up is complete. If necessary, make arrangements for temporary living quarters. Seal off and restrict the work area to only others working on the project. Wear appropriate protective clothing. Wear a long-sleeved shirt, long pants and washable shoes. Disposable coveralls are a good option. Use paper-bootie shoe covers and remove them when you leave the work area. You'll also need gloves, goggles and a half mask respirator equipped with a HEPA (High Efficiency Particulate Air) filter to protect your lungs. Only HEPA respirators can filter lead dust and fumes. Paper or fabric dust masks will not protect you. At the end of the day, take a shower as soon as possible to remove any lead dust on your skin. Always wash your work clothes in a separate load from the rest of the laundry. Wet down interior surfaces that contain lead paint. “Working wet” helps to keep the dust levels down. The lead dust will cling to the wet surfaces, allowing you to easily wipe away loose paint without causing a massive dust cloud. Before disturbing any painted surface, always use a water-filled spray bottle to wet the area. Scrape off the paint. Wet the surface down again. Using a 2 inch carbide scraper or wire brush, scrape off the loose and flaking paint. Start at the top and work your way down. Keep cloths and an empty bucket nearby. Continually wipe up water, dirt, sludge and paint flakes as you work and wring out the rag into the bucket. You can also use a HEPA vacuum intermittently to clean up debris. Continually wet the surface with the spray bottle as you work to keep it moist. Sand off the remaining paint. Continue to work wet by moistening the surface before you start sanding. Never sand lead paint on a dry surface. Wet hand sanding with a coarse-grit sanding sponge or using an electric sander equipped with a HEPA filtered vacuum attachment are the only techniques that should be applied. Liquid paint removers can be used safely on small areas, like windowsills, doors and woodwork. Always read the warning labels and follow the instructions when using these products. Clean up the debris after every work day. Mist the debris with water, sweep it up and put it in double 4-mil or 6-mil plastic garbage bags. Wet-dust and wet-mop all surfaces. Use wet methods on exterior surfaces that contain lead paint. Do exterior work on calm days with nice weather. Wet-misting and vacuuming should be used to control the dust and paint chips. Cover the ground around the house with heavy plastic sheeting. Make sure the outer edges of the sheeting are raised so that it will properly trap the debris. Removing all of the exterior paint isn't necessary, and would cost you a lot of time and money. You only need to remove paint where it is loose and flaking off. Vacuum the area with a HEPA vacuum. HEPA vacuums, which can be obtained at any hardware store, come equipped with a certain kind of filter that effectively traps very fine particles and allergens. When you're dealing with lead paint dust, only a HEPA vacuum is sufficient for the job. Use the vacuum to pick up as much of the paint chips and dust as possible. Be sure to get in the nooks and crannies. Double check the cracks and corners, especially around windows, for debris. Use an attachment to get into the hard to reach areas. Do not remove your respirator or any of your protective gear before or during cleaning. Wipe everything down. Mix together equal parts of an all-purpose cleaner and water in a spray bottle. Soak a heavyweight paper towel in the solution and begin wiping the work surface. Start at the top and work your way down, so that the debris and residue are always being pushed in a downward direction. When the paper towel surface gets dirty, toss it into a bucket and get a new one. Make sure the paint chips you wipe off also go into the bucket. Rinse the surface with clean water. Fill a bucket with water, dip a clean cloth in it and start wiping everything down, starting from the top and working your way down. Always wipe horizontal surfaces in the same direction. Rinse and wring out the cloth in the bucket often. Change the water in the bucket as soon as it starts getting cloudy. Spray the heavy duty plastic with water. Use the spray bottle to wet down the areas of the plastic that are contaminated with lead to keep the dust in place. Begin to fold the plastic inward, starting at the corners. Continue folding until the plastic is fully rolled up on the floor. Put it in 6-mil garbage bags, along with all of the debris you collected in the bucket. Vacuum the floor again. Use the HEPA vacuum to suck up all debris on the floor. Be sure to get into the corners and edges of surfaces, where debris can hide. If you're working around old wooden floors, be extra thorough. These older floors have a lot have cracks that the dust can settle in. Wash and rinse the floor. Use the all-purpose cleaner mixture you used earlier to wipe down the floor thoroughly with a heavy duty paper towel. Make sure the paint chips you wipe up are wrung out into the bucket. After you've washed it, refill your bucket with clean water and repeat the rinsing technique from earlier – dip a cloth in the clean water, wipe down the surface, rinse and wring out the cloth, repeat. Remember to change the water in the bucket often. Double-bag all debris and paint chips in 6-mil plastic garbage bags and throw them in the trash. Thoroughly wash off your tools and respirator. Be sure to throw away the respirator filters and sanding sponges.
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Get a do-it-yourself test kit. Scrape off several layers of the paint and test it. Consider hiring a certified professional to test for lead. Consult the Department of Housing and Urban Development website. Shut off all ventilation systems in your home. Block off all vents and openings with plastic sheeting. Cover the floor with plastic sheeting. Remove all furniture and other items from the area. Limit access to the work area. Wear appropriate protective clothing. Wet down interior surfaces that contain lead paint. Scrape off the paint. Sand off the remaining paint. Use wet methods on exterior surfaces that contain lead paint. Vacuum the area with a HEPA vacuum. Wipe everything down. Rinse the surface with clean water. Spray the heavy duty plastic with water. Vacuum the floor again. Wash and rinse the floor.
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