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How to Grow Rhododendron	Rhododendrons are ornamental shrubs with bell-shaped flowers and wide, evergreen leaves. They can be difficult plants to grow as they require specific conditions to flourish. Rhododendrons prefer well-draining, acidic soil and thrive in dappled shade with mild temperatures. To grow your own rhododendron, plant your shrub in mild weather and care for it regularly. As long as you give your plant plenty of attention, you can grow luscious, healthy rhododendrons! 1. Plant your rhododendron in spring or early fall. Although you can grow rhododendron during any time of the year, they adapt best when planted in mild weather. In hot climates, early fall is preferred but in cold climates, aim for springtime. Early fall is ideal so your plant has time to grow a root system before winter. 2. Find a spot with dappled shade. Rhododendrons thrive in areas with an equal amount of sunlight and shade every day. Choose a spot with your garden that gets both shade and sunlight a day, avoiding both deep shade and full sun. Rhododendrons planted in excessive shade usually flower less. 3. Choose well-draining soil for your rhododendron. Because they have delicate roots, rhododendrons need well-draining soil to get enough nutrients and avoid becoming waterlogged. To test its draining levels, dig a 12 inches (30 cm) hole in the soil and fill it with water, timing how long it takes to drain. If the soil takes between 5-15 minutes to drain, it is suitable for rhododendrons. 4. Pick acidic soil to grow your rhododendron in. The ideal acidity for your soil is 4.5-5.5 pH. You can find the soil's pH level by buying a pH soil test kit from a nursery or getting it professionally tested. To raise the soil's acidity, you will need to amend the soil by mixing pine needles, sphagnum peat, sulfur, and organic mulches. If you have tried amending your soil and it is still too alkaline, you may want to pick a different flowering shrub, such as lilac. 5. Choose a low-lying area for your rhododendrons to grow. Rhododendrons can be damaged or even killed by strong winds. To protect them from unexpected storms, choose a spot near a building, hedgerow, or fence. 6. Buy healthy rhododendron plants or cuttings. When visiting your plant nursery, choose rhododendrons that are a deep green, and avoid yellowing or wilted plants. You can also take stem cuttings from existing rhododendrons and plant them to grow a new plant. Most amateur gardeners do not grow rhododendrons from seed, as they take between 2-10 years to flower. If you grow cuttings, you will need to grow the cuttings for 1-2 weeks in water so they can develop roots. 7. Water your rhododendron and loosen the roots before you plant it. Water the rhododendron plant, then make 2 inches (5.1 cm) cuts into the root ball equally spaced around the sides. Use your hands to loosen the root ball and pull roots near the cuts outward. This stimulates your rhododendron's root growth and helps it absorb water and nutrients. 8. Give your rhododendron 2–6 feet (0.61–1.83 m) of space. If you are planting multiple rhododendrons, place them between 2–6 feet (0.61–1.83 m) apart depending on the plants' sizes. Give the rhododendron at least that much space from other plants if you are only planting one. 9. Set the rhododendron into the hole with its roots at soil level. Dig a hole twice as wide as the root ball and as deep. Set the plant into the soil, positioning it so its roots are approximately at soil level. Planting the rhododendron below soil level can cause root rot. 10. Cover the rhododendron's roots with soil, watering them at around halfway. Fill the hole back up with soil halfway, then water the rhododendron to help the soil settle. When you've finished watering, fill the rest of the hole with soil. 11. Water your plant every day for the first year. New rhododendrons need daily watering to stay healthy. After the first year, the plant should be able to get moisture on its own unless the rainfall is less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) a week. The soil surrounding your rhododendron should be moist, but not damp or watery. Overwatering your plant can cause root rot and other diseases. 12. Mulch your rhododendron Mulching your plants protects its root system and keeps the soil moist. Apply 2–5 inches (5.1–12.7 cm) of an acidic mulch or compost to the soil surrounding your plant, preferably made with pine wood chips or needles. Keep the mulch 1–2 inches (2.5–5.1 cm) away from the rhododendron's trunk. You can purchase acidic mulches at most plant nurseries or garden centers. 13. Fertilize your rhododendron Whether your rhododendron is a spring or fall bloomer, fertilize your rhododendron annually in springtime. Spray or apply a light coating of fertilizer to the rhododendron, as a heavy application can burn it. Rhododendrons thrive best if you use fertilizers with high nitrogen, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, and calcium. Look for fertilizers that are specifically labeled for rhododendrons and azaleas for the best results. 14. Wrap your rhododendron in burlap to protect them from harsh weather. Rhododendron shrubs need protection from snowfall and cold weather. Wrap your rhododendron branches lightly in burlap and secure it with twine. Plan on wrapping your rhododendron in late autumn before the first frost. 15. Prune Prune your rhododendron in early spring for the first 1-2 years after planting it. Pruning established plants can prevent them from blooming for several years, so let older rhododendrons grow naturally beyond cutting back 1 or 2 branches a year.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Rhododendron", "language": "en"}
How to Make a Crown	Whether you're the birthday kid or adult for the day, a crown is the perfect accessory for every event! Wear a paper crown while playing make-believe. A fresh flower crown will complete your summer picnic look. Silk flower crowns are perfect for special occasions, like birthdays and weddings. 1. Find, download, and print a crown template. Click on the crown template above or browse for a different template online. Search for “princess crown template” or “crown template.” After you have found the perfect template, download the document or pdf. Print the template at home, your local library, or send it to a print shop. If you are searching for a template for a princess crown, look for templates with softer shapes and curves. The more delicate, the better. If you are looking for a template for a royal crown, look for templates with jagged shapes. 2. Cut out the template. Find a pair of scissors. Follow the lines and carefully cut out the template. If the template has two parts, line up the edges and staple or glue them together. If you are doing this project with kids, assist and supervise with this step. 3. Trace the template onto paper and cut out the crown. Cardstock, cardboard, or even poster paper are great options! Set the paper “wrong side” up, the side that won't be showing when you wear it. Lay the template on the piece of paper you will be using. Use a pencil to lightly trace the template onto the paper. Once complete, remove the template and cut out the crown. If you want to use thinner paper, such as scrapbook paper or wrapping paper, glue it down onto a stiffer paper (such as cardstock) first. If you want your crown to be a special color (such as silver or gold), paint it first using spray paint or acrylic paint. Let the paint dry, then trace it, then cut it out. 4. Reinforce the crown. Measure the length of the crown. Cut out a strip of cardboard or fabric that is the length of the crown and 1 to 1.5 inches wide. Line up the bottom edge of the strip with the bottom edge of the crown. Adhere this strip to the “wrong side” of the crown with glue. The cardboard or fabric will reinforce the crown and prevent it from ripping. Allow the glue to dry. 5. Decorate the crown. You can decorate your crown any way you choose! Use markers, crayons, or colored pencils to make cool designs. Bedazzle your crown with your gems and sequins! Sprinkle glitter on the crown. Let your creativity flow! Allow your decorations to dry. To create a princess crown, use silver or gold glitter glue, and pink or purple gem stones. To create a royal crown, use gold glitter glue, and blue, red, green, or purple gem stones. To make a crown fit for an ice queen, use lots of silver or iridescent glitter glue. Use lots of blue and silver gem stones. If you want to make a creepy crown, consider using black glitter glue, and glueing on some plastic spiders and black or purple gem stones. 6. Fit the crown and wear it. Circle the cut out crown around the wearer's head. The edges of the crown should overlap. Make a pencil mark where the two edges overlap. Remove the crown from the wearer's head. Line up the edges at the pencil mark and staple or glue them together. Let the glue dry before wearing your crown! 7. Gather the supplies. For this project, you will need a pair of garden shears or sharp scissors, floral tape, and floral wire. You will also need a roll of pliable twine covered wire and a roll of plain twine or ribbon. 8. Select and prep the flowers. Choose 2 or 3 types of flowers for your crown. Roses, daisies, violets, tulips, and lavender are great options! Select 1 to 2 filler flowers. Try baby's breath or fresh pine. Cut 8 to 12 sprigs of each flower and filler flower. Make sure each stem is approximately 3 inches long. 9. Cut, fit, and loop a piece of twine covered wire. Wrap the twine covered wire once around your head. Place a finger where the pliable twine meets and remove it from your head. Grab the shears or scissors and cut the twine several inches longer than you need it. Form a small loop at each end of the wire. Twist each loop closed. You will slip a piece of ribbon through the loops to tie the crown shut. Consider wrapping floral tape around the twisted part to hide it and keep it from catching onto your hair. 10. Arrange and tape mini floral arrangements. Combine 4 or 6 stems of flowers and filler flowers together to form a small bouquet. Make sure the mini arrangement looks good from multiple angles. Start wrapping your arrangement at the base of the flowers. Tightly wrap the tape downwards to the ends of the stems. Create 6 to 7 more unique mini bouquets. The mini arrangements don't all have to look alike. Put together unique combinations! 11. Wrap the first mini arrangement around the twine. Grab the piece of pliable twine with the loops on the ends. Place 1 mini arrangement parallel to the twine—the end of the stem should be located at the base of the left loop. Wrap a piece of floral wire around the stems of the small bouquet and the pliable twine. In order to make the floral tape sticky, you have to stretch it a bit. 12. Wrap the remaining floral arrangements. Working from left to right, slide the stems of the next mini arrangement under the flowers of the secured mini bouquet. Wrap a piece of floral wire around the stems of the small bouquet and the pliable twine. Continue adding mini arrangements to the pliable twine until you have reached the right loop. 13. String a piece of twine or ribbon through the loops. Cut a 2 foot piece of twine or ribbon. Thread the ribbon or twine through the two loops and tie a loose bow. Place the crown on your head and adjust the crown's size. After adjusting the crown to the proper size, tie the ribbon or twine in a double knot. Enjoy your fresh floral crown! 14. Gather your supplies. For this project, you will need wire cutters, floral wire, and floral tape. You will also need to purchase and array of silk flowers. You may choose any kind of silk flowers that you would like. Roses, baby's breath, peonies, poppies, daisies, dahlias, and lamb's ear are all great options! Consider going with a seasonal theme. For example, for a Fall-themed crown, use lots of reds, oranges, and yellows. Try to include some maple leaves, sunflowers, and marigolds. Consider going with a holiday theme. For example, if you want to create a Halloween themed crown, consider using dark purple and black flowers. Roses, mums, and dahlias. 15. Fit the crown to your head. Unwind the spool of floral wire. Gently wrap the floral wire around your head. The end of the wire should overlap the wire by 3 to 4 inches. Remove the wire crown from your head and cut the wire. Wrap the ends of the wire around the circular frame. Consider wrapping a piece of floral tape around the seam to hide it, and to prevent it from catching your hair. 16. Prep the silk flowers. Grab a pair of wire and your silk flowers. Cut the heads of each flower off, leaving 3 to 4 inches of stem. Leave the greens or smaller flowers, like the baby's breath, in bunches. Consider saving the leaves off of some of the larger flowers. These can make great fillers. Do not use scissors to cut the silk flower stems. Many silk flowers have wires inside the stems, which can ruin a good pair of scissors. 17. Place and attach the silk flowers around the wire crown. Place and wrap each flower around the wire crown with floral tape one at a time. Work counter clockwise around the circle. Place the head of one flower on top of the taped stem of the attached flower. Try to make all of the flowers face in the same direction. Here are some ideas on arranging your flowers: Place the largest flowers in the front, and use smaller flowers towards the end. Alternate large and small flowers. Consider looping long pieces of ribbon at the back of the crown. 18. Wear the crown. Place the crown atop your head. Enjoy the silk floral head piece for years to come!	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Crown", "language": "en"}
How to Remove Car Paint	Removing old paint from your car is a crucial step before you apply a fresh coat of paint. The new paint will stick better and last longer if there's no old paint beneath it. Having old paint professionally removed can be expensive, so you can save costs by stripping the paint yourself. If you bought your car new and know it only has 1 layer of paint, sandpaper should remove it all. Do several rounds of sanding with increasingly fine grits until you reach bare metal. For multiple paint layers or if you aren't sure if the car has been painted before, use a chemical stripper. Spread it on your car and let it sit. Then scrape off the old paint. Finish the job with a good sanding and wash. 1. Put on goggles, a dust mask, heavy gloves, long sleeves and pants. Electric sanding throws a lot of dust and debris into the air. Protect your face with goggles and a dust mask or respirator. Wear heavy work gloves to avoid getting cut. Also cover all your exposed skin with your clothes so no debris gets stuck in your skin. Work in a well-ventilated area. Outside is best. If you’re in a garage, keep the door open. Spread a sheet under the car to catch any falling debris. 2. Load a dual-action sander with 40-grit sandpaper. A dual-action sander uses compressed air to spin the sanding surface. Start with a coarse, 40-grit sandpaper. This strips off the top layer of paint. You can buy or rent sanders from a hardware store. You can also use a grinder. This strips the paint off much faster. However, it can also damage the metal. Always keep the grinder moving and don’t hover over one spot to avoid denting the bare metal. Another option is sanding by hand, without an electric sander. This is extremely time-consuming, but you will save money. Also, sanding by hand is a better option if you own a classic car to avoid damaging the body. Use a sanding block at the same grit levels as you use for the electric sander. 3. Begin sanding on large, flat surfaces like the hood. Flat surfaces like the hood or roof are the easiest to sand, so start here. Start the sander and press it down on the car surface with even pressure. Leaning the sander to one side could cause denting. Slide the sander slowly across the car and let it grind off the paint as you move. If the car has only been painted once, you’ll see the white primer and then bare metal. If there are multiple paint layers, spend more time on each section to strip it away. Some spots may be tougher than others. If the paint won’t come off in one spot, keep the sander there for a few seconds to work the paint off. Replace the sandpaper when it gets too dull. You’ll notice that it doesn’t strip the paint as well after a while. This means it’s time for a new piece of paper. 4. Open the doors, hood, and trunk to access tighter areas. Once you've tackled the larger areas, move on to tight areas like the ones around the doors. These are tougher to reach, so try opening doors and the trunk to get into tight spots. Angle your sander so it fits into these areas. Spread a sheet inside your car to protect the interior from dust and debris. If there are tight areas at angles you can't reach, try using a sand block on these spots instead. 5. Sand again with 120, 220, and 400-grit paper. After finishing with the 40-grit paper, wipe the car down with a moist rag to remove any dust. Then load finer-grit paper onto the sander. Do another sanding round with 120, 220, and 400-grit paper. Remember to wipe the car down in-between each sanding session. This process removes small sections of oxidation and rust that you can’t see with the naked eye. Leaving these on the car’s surface could damage a new paint layer over time. 6. Wash your car Once you’ve gone through all the sanding steps and the car is down to its bare metal, give the car a good wash. Use water and soap to remove any dirt and debris. Then let the car dry completely. For a faster job, you can also wipe the car down with mineral spirits rather than wash it with soap and water. Once all the paint is off and the car is clean, continue with painting the car. If you’re going to paint the car, apply primer as soon as the car is dry to prevent rusting. 7. Park the car on top of a plastic sheet. Stripping paint with chemicals is messy. Avoid making a mess in your driveway or garage by spreading out a large plastic sheet. Then park the car on top of it. Don’t use a sheet that you want to use again. The chemicals and paint remnants will ruin it. Paint stripper produces fumes, so work outside or in a garage with the door open. 8. Cover all the parts on the car that you don’t want paint stripper on. Paint stripper can damage rubber and glass, so don’t let it get on anything besides the paint. First, spread painting tape on all the trim areas of the car. Also cover any openings in the hood and between the doors. Then use plastic sheets to cover the windshield and windows. If you’re not stripping paint from the whole car, then cover painted areas as well. 9. Put on a respirator, thick gloves, goggles, and thick clothes. Sanding paint produces irritating dust and paint stripper is a corrosive, toxic chemical. Protect yourself throughout the whole process by covering all your exposed skin before sanding or handling the chemicals. Wear long sleeves, pants, and thick work gloves. Then protect your face with goggles and a respirator. If you get any paint stripper on your skin, run the area under cold water for 5 minutes. If you get any in your eye or mouth, contact poison control right away. 10. Sand the paint lightly with 80-grit sandpaper to prepare it for the chemicals. Do a preliminary sanding with a medium-grit sandpaper. Use a dual-action sander to make the job go faster, or do it by hand. Sand all the areas that you’ll be pouring chemicals on. Don’t try to strip off all the paint with this sanding. It only has to disturb the surface so the chemicals can soak in better. 11. Pour automotive paint stripper onto the car and spread it with a brush. Start by pouring the chemical onto the surface you’re stripping. It is a thick, syrupy substance, so it spreads slowly. Then use a paint brush and spread it around. Cover all the areas that you want to remove paint from. Automotive paint stripper is available at hardware and auto stores. If you can’t find the right product, ask an employee for assistance. Check the surface area that 1 container of the stripper will cover. Get more if this isn’t enough to cover your car. Always read the instructions on the product before using it. Follow those directions if they differ from the ones given here. 12. Cover the paint stripper with plastic and let it sit for 15 minutes. The plastic contains fumes and accelerates the paint stripping process. Lay the plastic out and press it against the paint stripper. Then let the mixture sit covered for 15 minutes. You don’t have to tape the plastic down. It sticks to the paint stripper. If the product label tells you to let the paint stripper sit for a different amount of time, follow those instructions. 13. Scrape the paint off with a putty knife. Peel the plastic off after 15 minutes. Most of the paint will turn into a gel-like substance by this time. Take a putty knife and scrape all the paint off the car’s surface. Most will come off easily. Just push the stripped paint off and onto the floor. This is what the plastic sheet was for. Some spots might require a bit more scraping. Rub back and forth a few times if any paint is still stuck. Put all the plastic sheets in a garbage bag and seal it. Contact your local trash collection agency to check if you should place in the regular trash or save it for a hazardous waste pickup. They will likely ask you the main ingredients, so have the packaging nearby to check. 14. Pour more paint stripper on paint that’s still stuck. If your car has multiple layers of paint, some might not come off after the first chemical application. After you scrape off all the loose paint, check the car for remaining spots. Rub some more paint stripper on it, cover it with plastic, wait 15 minutes, and scrape again. Repeat this for any spots that still have paint on them. 15. Wipe the remaining chemicals off with a wet rag. Use a rag with no soap or solvents. Then scrub all the areas you poured paint stripper on. Rinse and re-wet the rag as it soaks up chemicals. If needed, use a fresh rag when the one you’re using gets too dirty. After you wipe all the chemicals and paint residue off, remove the tape and plastic from the car. Don’t use any solvent or other chemicals to wipe off the paint stripper. Mixing other chemicals could produce toxic fumes. 16. Sand the metal to prepare it for priming and painting. Finally, remove any remaining rust and paint with a thorough sanding. Start with a coarse, 40-grit paper. Then work up to using a 120, 220, and 400-grit paper. Wipe down the metal with mineral spirits after each sanding session. Use a dual-action sander to make this job much easier. However, you can sand by hand if you don’t have a sander.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Strip-Paint-From-Your-Car", "language": "en"}
How to Avoid Self Incrimination	In the United States, you have a Constitutional right not to testify against yourself. The Fifth Amendment reads, “No person….shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself.” This means that you don’t have to testify in court as a defendant. It also means that you don’t have to talk to the police. You must be careful to avoid self-incrimination. Any statement you make, at any time, could potentially be introduced at trial. This includes statements you make when you are not yet a suspect. 1. Get an attorney. The best thing you could do is get an attorney. If you were involved in a criminal incident, in any way, then you should talk to an attorney, even before the police come knocking on your door. Ask the attorney how you can best protect your rights and get a phone number where you can reach him or her if you are arrested. You can find a criminal defense attorney by contacting your local or state bar association and asking for a referral. You could also talk to people in your community who have used criminal defense attorneys. However, you might want to hesitate so that no one in the community knows that you were connected in any way with the criminal incident. 2. Refuse to talk to police. Police might contact you because a witness at the scene of the crime saw you there. The police might not think you are a suspect. Nevertheless, anything you say can later be used against you in court, whether you are a suspect or not. Unless you are absolutely innocent, then you should refer the police to your lawyer. You are not required to answer any police questions. In some states, you must identify yourself if you are stopped by the police. For example, in Ohio, you must provide your name, address, and date of birth to a police officer when asked. Do not answer any other questions. 3. Ignore promises made by the police. In order to get you to talk, the police might say all kinds of things. For example, they might promise not to use a statement that you make against you. Or they might say, “Hey, you aren’t a suspect, so you have nothing to worry about. Just talk to us and this will go away.” These are empty promises. The police do not decide what statements can be used later in a prosecution. The prosecutor will decide what evidence to present to a jury. You should never listen to the police when they try to tell you what will happen in the future. Police are allowed to lie to you. For example, a police officer can say that they have fingerprints and DNA evidence that tie you to the crime. The police can lie in the hopes that you will confess. Always refer the police to your lawyer no matter what they say. You might feel pressured to talk because you just want this whole situation to go away. However, you cannot argue your way out of being investigated or suspected of committing a crime. If you talk, all you potentially do is dig a hole for yourself. 4. Don’t talk about the incident with others. Any statement you make to other people can also be introduced at trial. For this reason, you shouldn’t talk to other people about any criminal incident you were involved in. Keep a low profile. Your friends might start calling or stopping by, wanting to know what happened. You need to ignore them as best you can. 5. Listen to your Miranda rights. The Supreme Court requires that police give the four warnings before questioning you. They only have to give these warnings if you are in custody. Remember, however, that any statement made, even when not in custody, can be used against you. The four Miranda warnings are: You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in court. You have the right to a lawyer. If you can’t afford a lawyer, one will be provided for you. 6. Say you don’t want to talk to the police. You have to make an explicit request: “I don’t want to talk to you.” You can’t just sit there silently. Without an explicit request, the police can continue to question you. The police can also come back after a certain amount of time and ask if you want to talk (unless you requested a lawyer, in which case they can’t re-engage you). You will have to continue to repeat that you don’t want to talk to the police. 7. Request a lawyer. After stating that you want to remain silent, request a lawyer. You need to be explicit. Don’t just nod your head when the officer says you have the right to a lawyer. Also don’t request a probation officer. Instead, you should say, “I want to talk to an attorney.” When you request a lawyer, the police must stop all questioning. The right to a lawyer is a separate right from the right to remain silent. You need to say both. If all you say is, “I don’t want to talk to you,” then the police do not have to interpret that as a request for a lawyer. If you have a lawyer, then you should be able to make a phone call to talk to him or her. If you can’t reach your lawyer, then call a family member. Tell them where you are located. If you can’t afford a lawyer, then you will need a public defender. You might have to wait days, until your arraignment, before you meet with the public defender. 8. Avoid chatting with the police. After you request a lawyer, the police can’t approach you to start up questioning again. However, if you reach out to them and start talking about the incident, then they may start questioning you again. For this reason, you should limit what you say to the police. You can ask for food or water or to use the bathroom, but that’s it. Don’t engage in small talk with the police. If an officer approaches you to talk, repeat that you don’t want to talk and that you want to meet with a lawyer. 9. Talk with your lawyer about your interrogation. You might have confessed or made incriminating statements to the police. However, you might be able to prevent the prosecutor from introducing those statements in court. Generally, you can “suppress” the statements if the police made mistakes while questioning you. For example, you could get the statements suppressed if the police made any of the following mistakes: The police physically coerced you to confess. Any physical coercion is generally prohibited. The more coercive the touching—such as slapping or punching—then the easier it will be to prove that your statements weren’t voluntary. However, even slight touching, such as grabbing your wrist, could be coercive. The police denied you food or water, or otherwise made you very uncomfortable. A court will throw out the statements if the “totality of the circumstances” leads them to believe the interrogation was coercive. Coercion is more than physical coercion. It can also include making you physically uncomfortable. Other factors include your age and intelligence. The police didn’t read you all of your Miranda warnings. 10. Bring a motion to suppress. You can get any incriminating statements thrown out of court by bringing a motion to suppress. In order to win the motion, you have to identify that the police did something wrong when they interrogated you. Your lawyer must draft the motion and file it in court. In federal court, and in many state courts, you have to file this motion before trial. Your lawyer might not want to draft the motion. Motions usually take a lot of time to write, and your lawyer might be pressed for time. Nevertheless, your lawyer needs to draft and file a motion to suppress. If he or she doesn’t, then you did not preserve the issue for a possible appeal. 11. Have your lawyer argue the motion. The prosecutor will be allowed to respond to the motion and then the judge will schedule a time to hear argument. If you win, then the prosecutor cannot use your incriminating statements in their case. The outcome of the motion might influence whether you want to testify. Talk about this with your lawyer. For example, your incriminating statements might have been the only real proof the prosecutor had that you were at the crime scene. If the statements are suppressed, then you might not want to testify at trial. 12. Raise the issue on appeal. If you are convicted, then you can appeal your conviction to a higher court. In your appeal, you point out any mistakes you think the judge made. One error might be the judge’s refusal to suppress your statements. If you win your appeal, you can get a new trial. With luck, your trial lawyer filed a pre-trial motion to suppress. If not, then the appellate court will review the judge’s decision only under the “plain error” standard. This means the error must have been obvious and probably led to your conviction.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Self-Incrimination", "language": "en"}
How to Organize Your Day Planner for School	Maintaining a day planner for school can help you complete all of your assignments on time. Once you’ve chosen the type of planner you want, create sections for each subject and fill in all the information you already have. Each day you can look at what’s on the agenda and add any new information. Color-coding your planner and making sure to add all types of events and obligations will help you stay on top of all your tasks. 1. Choose the right planner for you. You’ll want to pick one that fits in your pocket, purse, or backpack; whichever place you would like to carry it. Choose one in your favorite color or with a fun design so that it is aesthetically pleasing. Ensure it has enough pages and is organized in the way you prefer; some have a page per day, some have two pages per week, etc. There are different types of planners with different layouts. Some also have smaller sections while others have larger. Choose one that suits you the best. If your planner is too plain, consider decorating it. If you can't buy a planner, check out How to Make Your Own School Planner. 2. Create sections for every subject/course you take. You should do this ahead of time for an entire semester or year. Block out a space for each subject or course so when the time comes to write in it, you’ll know exactly where to put each assignment. Keep your classes organized by day. For example, if you have Math and Science on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, put those sections next to each other. 3. Create a section for other events. You’ll likely have other things to do than homework, so make a section to record other engagements such as sporting events, concerts or recitals, dances or other school functions, work or chores, etc. You could schedule in free time as well. Consider creating separate sections for school-related activities and extracurricular activities. For example, a school ball game could be in one section and a concert in another. 4. Add birthdays and holidays. Write in birthdays, holidays, and other special events ahead of time. That way, when you look at a week or month you’ll know if there are any occasions that could change your schedule or take up extra time. You can also add information such as first and last days of school, holiday breaks, etc. You don't need to write in every single birthday--just focus on your friends and family. If you plan on doing something special on that day, such as a party, make a quick note of it. 5. Decide which method you will use. You may want to write down assignments on the day they were assigned or on the day they are due. This will depend on your personal style and preference. If you write things down on the day they were assigned, this will enable you to look at each day to see what you should be working on (e.g., If reading chapter 5 was assigned on Monday, you would write it down under Monday’s space and do the assignment that day). If you write things down on the day they are due, you will need to look ahead to see what you should be working on (e.g., If reading chapter 5 needs to be completed Wednesday, you would write it down under Wednesday’s space but look ahead on Monday or Tuesday in order to complete the assignment by Wednesday). 6. Make your planner a part of your daily routine. Write new information in your planner every day; any assignments, events, meetings, and get togethers you plan should be recorded daily. You should also check your planner each morning and night to ensure you aren’t forgetting to do anything. You can put a sticky note on your mirror or another place you look daily, or set a daily reminder in your phone, to help you remember to check your planner if you think you might forget. Some teachers like to write out assignments weeks ahead of time. If your teacher does this, you can transfer these assignments to your planner. Once you develop the habit of checking your planner, you may no longer need reminders, such as sticky notes on the mirror. 7. Fill in things as soon as you find out about them. Your teacher may mention that a group project will be due on the last day of class; though that may seem like a long way off, write it down immediately. This goes for homework, tests, other assignments, and events as well. Write down the corresponding textbook pages and any other information the teacher tells you to include. If you tend to procrastinate, consider putting reminders into your planner. For example, you can write "Start working on Shakespeare essay" the week before it is due. 8. Create your own deadlines. If you have a major project or test coming up you can schedule time to work on it in your planner. This will keep you from rushing to complete a big assignment the night before it is due. For example, you could write: Monday: start research Wednesday: complete outline Friday: write rough draft 9. Color code your planner. You may want to do this by subject (blue for algebra, green for chemistry, red for English, etc.) or by type of assignment (blue for tests, green for homework, red for projects, etc.). Choose whichever method you think will be most helpful for you. You can do this with colored pencils, pens, highlighters, or even colorful sticky-note flags. 10. Look ahead. On the first day of each week you should scan your planner to see what is due or what events you have. This will give you a good idea of what you will need to do through the week as well as help your manage your time efficiently. For example, if you have a lot of exams or a large essay due during a particular week, it might not be a good idea to schedule other things, like parties. 11. Review your planner before you start your homework. This will give you an idea of what you need to do that day and help your prioritize assignments. It also ensures that you won’t forget anything and will avoid panicking the next day when you realize you didn’t do everything that was assigned. Start with assignments that are due the following day. If you have extra time that evening, you could do the other assignments to get ahead of schedule. If none of your assignments are due yet, consider doing the easiest ones first to get them out of the way. Alternatively, you could try doing the hardest one first. 12. Keep old pages. You never know when you may want to look back and check on something. If you don’t want to keep them in your planner, tear them out and store them in a box or a desk drawer. Some people like to fold the old pages of their planners towards the spine. This will create bulk, but it will also make it easier to find the newest page.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Organize-Your-Day-Planner-for-School", "language": "en"}
How to Get to Heaven (Christianity)	People have a lot of ideas about how to get to heaven. You might think that all you have to do is be a good person, go to church, or help others. However, the Bible teaches that the only way to get to heaven is by becoming a Christian, which you do by accepting Jesus as your Savior. First, take some time to familiarize yourself with Christianity and Jesus’ message. Then, say a simple prayer committing your life to being a follower of Jesus Christ. 1. Believe that Jesus is the Son of God. Everyone has sinned, or done something wrong, and those sins separate you from God. In the Old Testament of the Bible, people were commanded to make animal sacrifices in order to be forgiven for their sins. However, the New Testament says that God sent His son Jesus to Earth to be killed as the ultimate sacrifice, so that all people could be forgiven if they accepted him. The Bible also says that Jesus was raised from the dead 3 days after he was killed, proving his divine nature. John 3:16 describes God’s gift to mankind: “For God so loved the world, that He gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Romans 5:8 describes the sacrifice Jesus made for sinners: "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." 2. Accept that you can't go to heaven unless you become saved in Christ. The Bible says in John 14:6: “Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.'" This means that before you can become a follower of Jesus, you have to let go of the idea that there are any other paths to heaven. That’s the only way you can fully understand the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice and the importance of worshipping him. The Bible also makes it clear that you can not be good enough to get into heaven on your own—it is not something that can be accomplished by your “works,” or actions. Ephesians 2:8-9 says: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast." 3. Ask Jesus to come into your life through the prayer of salvation. Simply acknowledging that Jesus is the Son of God and he died for our sins isn’t enough to get you into heaven. You have to make a conscious decision to become a follower of Jesus, praying to God for forgiveness for your sins. This is known in Christianity as being “born again,” because your life should be different from that moment forward. In John 3:3, the Bible explicitly states that you can not go to heaven without doing this: "Jesus answered to him, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.'" 4. Become baptized as a sign of your commitment to Christ. Being baptized isn’t necessary to get into heaven. However, God does command his followers to be baptized as a signal to God and the world that you have undergone a significant spiritual experience. As you’re lowered into the water and lifted back up, it symbolizes that Jesus is washing away your sins and bringing you up as a new person. Acts 2:38 describes this command: “And Peter said to them, 'Repent and be baptized every one of them in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.'" The fact that baptism isn’t required for salvation was made clear in Luke 23:41, when Jesus was being killed on the cross. A thief who was being executed at the same time asked Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Although the man would not have time to be baptized, Jesus responded, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” 5. Pray the prayer of salvation when you’re ready to commit your life to Christ. There are no set words to the prayer of salvation because the words aren't what will get you into heaven. It’s the intention in your heart to become a follower of Jesus. Because of that, don’t say the prayer of salvation unless you’re truly ready to dedicate yourself to a Christian life, or else it will be meaningless. Although you may still sin sometimes after you become a born-again Christian, you should strive to always be as much like Jesus as you can be. 6. Open the prayer by admitting that you have sinned. In Romans 3:23, the Bible says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Even if you’ve tried hard your whole life to be a good person, there has certainly been a time when you told a lie, disrespected your parents, envied someone else’s success, or committed some other sin. The first step in being forgiven for that sin is to admit that it occurred in the first place. For instance, you might start your prayer by saying something like, “Dear God, I know I have sinned and I’m not perfect.” Even one sin, no matter how large or small, is enough to keep you apart from God for eternity. James 2:10 says: "For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it." Romans 6:23 specifies the penalty for sin, and the gift that Jesus gave sinners: "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." 7. Repent When you become a follower of Christ, you won’t suddenly become perfect. You’ll still face the temptation to sin, and sometimes you might even give in to that temptation. It’s human nature, which is why Jesus’ sacrifice was so powerful. It doesn’t just cover your past sins, but any future sins as well, as long as you’re sincere about following him and trying to do better. For example, you might say, “Lord, please forgive me for my sins. I’m sorry that I haven’t lived up to what you expect of me.” To repent means more than just to apologize. It means to be truly sorry for your sins and to turn away from them. 1 John 1:9 says that God will forgive you if you confess your sins and ask for His mercy: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 8. Pledge to follow Jesus for the rest of your life. Once you’ve asked for forgiveness, tell God that you want to trust Jesus as your Lord and Savior. As your Lord, he will be the leader of your life. As your Savior, you acknowledge that Jesus is the Son of God who died on the cross as a sacrifice for mankind’s sins, who was raised again, and who now lives in heaven. Through this prayer, you will commit your heart to following Jesus’ teachings and His guidance in your life. For instance, you might conclude your prayer by saying, “I know that Jesus is the Son of God, and I believe that He died on the cross for my sins. Jesus, please come into my heart and help me be more like you. Amen.” The Bible has a number of passages that clearly state that this prayer is the way to be saved, such as Romans 10:9: “Because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Acts 4:12 is another verse that makes it clear that this is the only way to heaven: "There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-to-Heaven-(Christianity)", "language": "en"}
How to Varnish Wood	Finishing wood with varnish not only preserves it, but it also helps protect it against scratches and stains. Varnish also beautifies wood pieces and can help bring out its individual grain and color; it can also be purchased tinted to change the color of the wood. Follow these steps to apply varnish to your wooden furniture. 1. Choose a well-lit, well-ventilated area. Strong, bright lighting will make it easier for you to spot imperfections such as air bubbles, brushstrokes, dents, and bare patches. Having good ventilation is also important as some varnishes and thinners contain strong fumes, which might make you feel lightheaded or nauseous. If the fumes are too strong for you, consider opening a window or turning a fan on. 2. Choose an area that is free of dust and dirt. The area you will be working in must be very clean and free of dust. You may have to mop or vacuum your work space to prevent dust from settling on your work and ruining it. If you are working outside, avoid windy days, otherwise tiny dust particles may land in the wet varnish and ruin the finished look. 3. Pay attention to the temperature and humidity. The temperature in the area you will be varnishing should be between 70 °F and 80°F (about 21°C to 26°C). If it is too hot, the varnish will dry too quickly, resulting in tiny air bubbles forming. If it is too cold or humid, the varnish will dry too slowly, thus giving tiny dust particles more time to settle onto the wet varnish. 4. Wear proper protection. When varnishing wood, you will be working with chemicals that may be harmful if they get on your skin; they may also ruin your clothes. Before starting to varnish your wooden piece, consider wearing some clothes that you would not mind getting dirty or stained, as well as some protective gloves and glasses. You may also consider getting a dust mask or a ventilated face mask. 5. Find the right varnish. There are many different types of varnishes available, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. Some varnishes are easier to use than others, while others are better for certain projects. Choose one that suits your project and preferences. Oil-based varnishes, including some polyurethane varnishes, are very durable. They usually have to be mixed with a paint thinner, such as turpentine. They also have strong fumes and must be used in a well-ventilated area. The brushes you use must also be cleaned well in order to preserve them and make them last longer. Acrylic and water-based vanishes have low-odor and can be mixed with just water. They tend to dry quicker than oil-based varnishes, but they are not as durable as oil-based varnishes. The brushes you use can be cleaned with just soap and water. Spray on varnishes are easy to use. They do not require brushes and they do not need to be thinned. They must be used in a well-ventilated area, however, as they have strong fumes, which might make you feel lightheaded or nauseous. Varnishes are also available in both clear and tinted forms. Clear varnishes will allow the wood's natural color to show through while colored varnishes can act as a stain and tint the piece a specific color. 6. Remove the old finish, if desired. You can apply varnish over an already-painted surface to preserve it, or you can apply it to a raw, unpainted surface. There are various ways to remove old finishes including using paint stripper and sanding. If your wooden furniture has never been painted or varnished, or if you wish to preserve the original paint, then you can proceed to Step 5. 7. Consider removing old finishes with a paint stripper. Remove old paints and finishes by applying a paint stripping solution to the wood with a paintbrush. Leave the solution on the wood according to the manufacturer's directions, then scrape it off using a putty knife with rounded corners. Do not allow the paint stripper to dry. Be sure to remove any paint stripper residue. How you remove the residue will depend on the type of paint stripper you buy, but most strippers will need to be removed with turpentine or water. 8. Consider removing old finishes with sanding. You can remove old finishes using sandpaper, a sanding block, or a handheld sander. Sandpaper and sanding blocks work best on uneven or curved surfaces, such as knobs and chair legs. Handheld sanders work best on flat surfaces, such as table tops. Start with a medium-grit sandpaper, such as 150-grit, and move up to a finer grit, such as 180. 9. Consider removing old finishes with a paint thinner. Much like paint stripper, paint thinner can be used to remove old finishes. Soak an old cloth or rag with some paint thinner, and rub it over the surface of your wooden piece. Once the old finish has been loosened, scrape it off using a putty knife. 10. Sand the wood with fine-grit sandpaper. Sanding the wood not only gets rid of any residual gloss or finishes, but it also gives the varnish a rough surface to grip onto. Use 180 to 220-grit sandpaper and sand with the direction of the grain. 11. Clean the wood and your work space with a damp cloth and let it dry. Your work space will need to be free of any dust or dirt before you can start applying the varnish. Clean your wood piece by wiping it down with a damp cloth. Be sure to sweep and vacuum the tables and floors of your work space as well; you may have to use a damp cloth or mop. 12. Consider filling the wood grain. Some open-grained woods, such as oak, need to have the grain filled in with a grain filler for a smooth finish. You can use a color that matches the wood's natural color, or you can use the color of the stain you will be using. You can use a contrasting color to make the grain appear more pronounced, or you can use a similar color to make the grain appear more subdued. 13. Prepare the varnish for the initial coat, if necessary. Some varnishes, such as those that come in a spray can, do not need any preparation; other types of varnishes should be thinned for the first coat. This helps seal the wood and prepare it for the proceeding coats. The rest of the coats do not to be thinned. If you are using an oil-based varnish, thin it with a paint thinner, such as turpentine. Use one part varnish to one part thinner. If you are using a water-based or acrylic-based varnish, thin it with water instead. Use one part varnish to one part water. 14. Apply the first coat of thinned varnish and let it dry. Use a flat paintbrush or foam applicator to apply the varnish to the wood. Use long, even strokes, and work along the wood grain. Let this first coat dry for 24 hours. If you are using a spray on varnish, hold the can 6 to 8 inches away from the surface and spray on a light, even coat. Let it dry according to the manufacturer's recommendations. 15. Sand the first coat and wipe it with a damp cloth. After you have applied the initial coat of thinned varnish, you will need to smooth it out. You can do this by buffing the surface of the varnished wood with 280-grit sandpaper, and then using a dry cloth to wipe away any dust of debris. Make sure that you wipe down your work space with a damp cloth to get rid of any dust caused by the sanding. Make sure that you clean your brush with paint thinner (if you are using an oil-based varnish) or water (if you are using a water-based varnish). 16. Apply the next coat of varnish and allow it to dry. Using a clean brush or a new foam applicator, apply the varnish to the wooden piece. Once again, make sure that you are brushing along the wood grain. You do not have to thin this layer. Wait 24 hours for this layer to dry. If you are using a spray on varnish, you can spray on another coat. Make sure to keep the can 6 to 8 inches away from the surface, and spray on a single, light coat. If you spray the varnish on too thickly, you may end up with puddles, drips, and runs. 17. Sand the second coat and wipe it clean with damp cloth. Once the second coat of varnish has dried, sand it gently with a fine-grit sandpaper, such as 320-grit. Let the varnish dry 24 hours before applying the next coat, and remember to clean your work space of any dust or dirt caused by the sanding. 18. Continue applying more varnish and sanding between coats. Apply 2 to 3 more coats of varnish. Remember to let the varnish dry between coats, and to sand and wipe the varnish clean before applying more varnish. Always work along the grain when applying and sanding the varnish. When you get to the last coat, do not sand it. You can continue working with 320-grit sandpaper, or move up to 400-grit. For optimal results, consider waiting 48 hours before applying the final coat. 19. Wait for the varnish to finish curing. Varnish will typically need some time to finish curing. To prevent ruining the varnish, leave your wooden piece some place where it will not be disturbed. Some varnishes finish curing with 24 or 48 hours, while others need as much as 5 or 7 days. Some varnishes require 30 days to finish curing. Refer to the instructions on the can for more specific drying and curing times.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Varnish-Wood", "language": "en"}
How to Think Like a Man	If men are from Mars and women are from Venus, it is little wonder that the two genders have a hard time understanding what the other thinks. Boys and girls are brought up in different ways, and that can make a huge difference in their patterns of mind by the time they reach adulthood. If you are trying to better understand the perspective of a man, or if you're just looking for a fun thought experiment, here are some ideas to consider. 1. Stop thinking of coworkers as friends. Men value the feelings and thoughts of those close to them, but tend to worry less about coworkers and acquaintances. Women, however, expect openness, equality, and honesty from anyone they spend significant time with, including coworkers. In the standard hierarchical workplace, this will lead to disappointment and confusion for women. 2. Speak up. Whether you’re at a departmental meeting or briefing a small team, express yourself to the group. Men tend to speak more often in large groups to preserve social standing and demonstrate verbal ability. Tell a story, a joke, or present a report to demonstrate your oratory skill and command of the facts. While women are typically thought of as great communicators, they communicate in a way that facilitates friendship. In a competitive workplace, this can be detrimental. When speaking, men take fewer pauses and are less concerned with how their listeners feel. 3. Analyze situations objectively. Men find it easy to set feelings aside in order to make practical decisions based on facts alone. Women, by contrast, tend to make decisions based on how people will feel and their own intuition. Use charts, graphs, and hard data when making a business decision. 4. Don’t be afraid of STEM. From an early age, people are taught that math, science, and technology are masculine while the arts are feminine. Challenge the notion that your gender is an impediment to your STEM abilities. Read up on science news, catch an episode of Cosmos, and try out new geeky gadgets, games, and apps.If you're a student, enroll in a science or math class. 5. Acknowledge your limits and abilities. Whether it’s a project you don’t feel comfortable taking on or a small favor a coworker asks you to do, say no if you can’t do it – or just don’t want to. Men have think nothing of turning down excessive assignments. On the other hand, if you are interested in a raise, a new position at your company, or greater responsibility, tell your supervisor explicitly that you're interested. Don’t be afraid of being seen as demanding or pushy. Women often have a hard time saying no to additional responsibilities because they don’t want to be thought of as lazy and are genuinely more inclined to help others than men are. To think like a man, overcome these tendencies and realize that saying no is a sign of strength and self-respect, not laziness. Men believe they deserve the salaries and raises they seek. Be assertive and believe in yourself when thinking about whether to pursue a raise or negotiate your salary. Act with a sense of entitlement. 6. Communicate openly and honestly. Women often dance around a topic or express themselves in more subtle ways than men. Men, by comparison, are more likely to state their thoughts directly and promptly. Share whatever is on your mind in an unambiguous way. Don’t drop hints about a problem or issue. Be direct and say exactly what you’re thinking and feeling. Be honest with yourself as well as your partner. If you are interested in taking your relationship to the next level, let your partner know. Alternately, if you want to keep things casual, make sure you and your partner are on the same page. Men tend to speak less in private than in public. Try to build rapport with others by doing things rather than talking about things. 7. Exercise your spatial skills. Men are better than women at envisioning and remembering objects or new spaces. This is because male brains have a thinner parietal region (the area of the brain that processes visual information). Crafting a model, building a Lego kit, or playing a sport like soccer will help you think more spatially. You could also try drawing a map of a place you are familiar with. 8. Don’t worry, be happy. Men and women both worry, but women are more likely to continue worrying long after men have stopped. To think like a man, let go of small relationship issues, family matters, or troubles at the work place that you cannot solve. To worry less, set aside a designated time for your worries. Cut back on your internet surfing and try to get more exercise. You might also to find something that requires active engagement to distract you, like reading a book or painting a picture. 9. Prove your independence. While people like to feel desired, it's also good for them to know that their partner can care for themselves. Men are reared to act and think independently. Demonstrating that you can take care of yourself at work and in your social life will boost your self-confidence and let others know you are a capable, independent person. Financial security can go a long way to feeling independent and living an independent life. Women are often expected to provide only a supplementary income and focus on children while their male partner acts as primary breadwinner.> Create a solid financial foundation for yourself to build an independent life. 10. Keep your emotions in check. If your first instinct is to yell, weep, or storm out in a huff – don’t. Count patiently to ten and try to come at the conversation or problem a different way. Women have more brain circuitry devoted to expressing and remembering emotions, so tamping down on the emotional instinct is an important step to thinking like a man. 11. Get physical in your romantic relationships. Touch can express feelings in ways words often can’t. Compared with women, men have more twice as much brain space allotted to sexual thoughts. Physical affection is a good way to make your intentions clear and show you love your partner. 12. Let go of the details. Women tend to fixate on and recall small moments that men do not. Things like fights, offhand comments, or potential slights go unnoticed or quickly forgotten by men. Try not to obsess over negative experiences, and be willing to let things go. 13. Focus less on your appearance. Women are surrounded with pervasive messages that they need to look perfect. Men are not bombarded with the same kind of pressure to conform to a superficial standard of beauty, and tend to have better body image as a result. To think more like a man, learn to accept your appearance or body. Don’t fret over your imperfections. Stand in front of the mirror with your feet apart and declare to yourself "I’m awesome.” Do this every day until you believe it.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Think-Like-a-Man", "language": "en"}
How to Manage Angina Pain with Home Remedies	Angina is a type of chest pain that is often described as a “squeezing” sensation felt in the chest. The pain also can occur in your shoulders, arms, neck, jaw, or back. Angina pain may even feel like indigestion. Less common symptoms of angina include fatigue, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and palpitations. Angina is usually a sign of an underlying heart disease, such as coronary heart disease (CHD). This occurs when plaque builds up inside the arteries, slowing or restricting blood flow to the heart. When blood flow is restricted, you have an increased risk of having a heart attack. In many cases, managing angina pain can be done with home remedies and with changes to your diet and lifestyle. 1. Keep a journal. Write in a journal to track patterns or changes in your daily routine. This can help your doctor determine if your pain is a result of an underlying heart problem, especially if you experience chest pain frequently. Angina can be a sign of coronary heart disease (CHD), even if initial tests don't point to the disease. However, not all chest pain or discomfort is a sign of CHD. Panic attacks and other lung or heart conditions can also cause chest pain. Your doctor may ask about your symptoms, risk factors for heart disease, and your family history regarding CHD and other heart conditions. Take note of the following things in your journal: What the pain feels like, symptoms you experience when you have chest pain, such as high blood pressure, and any symptoms you experience afterwards, such as nausea or dizziness. How often you experience chest pain, where you feel pain or discomfort, the severity of the pain and how long the pain lasts. Dietary changes or foods you ate two to three days prior to experiencing chest pain or indigestion. Also note any beverages such as coffee, tea, and soda, and how frequently you drink them per day or per week. New exercise regimes or recreational activities that cause physical exertion. Any stressful environments, work or relationships that may be causing symptoms of chest pain. Any other conditions you may have or any illnesses you may have had, such as a fever or cold, prior to experiencing chest pain. Any drugs, medications, supplements, herbs or home remedies you are currently using or may have used in the past two weeks. If your chest pain is interfering with your daily activities. 2. Visit your doctor for diagnosis. Any kind of chest pain should be checked by your doctor, since it may be a symptom of an underlying condition. Your doctor may suggest lifestyle changes, medicines or medical procedures depending on the type and severity of your angina pain. Different types of angina have different symptoms and require different treatments. If you have angina, you may diagnosed with one of the following: Stable angina: Stable angina is the most common type which follows a regular pattern, such as when it occurs and what factors may trigger it. It usually occurs after stress or physical activity and may last one to 15 minutes. Stable angina isn’t a heart attack, but suggests that a heart attack is more likely to occur in the future. If you have stable angina, you can learn its pattern and predict when the pain will occur. The pain usually goes away a few minutes after you rest or take your angina medicine (usually nitroglycerin, taken sublingually or under the tongue). Variant angina: Variant angina is rare. A spasm in a coronary artery causes this type of angina. Variant angina usually occurs while you're at rest, and the pain can be severe. It usually happens between midnight and early morning. Smoking is a major risk factor for this type of angina. Medicine can relieve this type of angina. Unstable angina: Unstable angina doesn’t follow a pattern and it may occur more often and be more severe than stable angina. It often occurs while the person is at rest. This type is very dangerous as it suggests that a heart attack may happen soon and requires emergency treatment. Unstable angina also can occur with or without physical exertion — it often happens without physical activity. Rest or medicine may not relieve the pain. Microvascular angina: Microvascular angina can be more severe and last longer than other types of angina. It is often noticed during routine activities and times of psychological stress. Symptoms include shortness of breath, sleep problems, fatigue and lack of energy. Medicine may not relieve this type of angina. 3. Consider an electrocardiogram. Your doctor may suggest getting an electrocardiogram (ECG) to determine if you may have heart disease. If you experience angina pain or palpitations, an electrocardiogram is usually the first test to determine if you have heart disease. An ECG is a test that records the electrical activity of the heart to measure any damage to the heart, heart rate, size and position of heart chambers. It also measures the effects of drugs or devices you may be using to manage chest pain. In addition, an ECG can be used to monitor stress levels. The procedure for ECG is painless, done by attaching patches called electrodes to your arms, legs or chest to monitor heart activity. Ask your doctor about an ECG if you experience angina pain and have had heart problems in the past or have a strong history of heart disease in your family. Make sure your healthcare provider knows about all the medications you are taking, as some can interfere with test results. Exercising or drinking cold water immediately before an ECG may cause false results. 4. Get a blood test. Blood tests check the levels of certain fats, cholesterol, sugar, and proteins in your blood. Abnormal levels may show that you have risk factors for coronary heart disease. Your doctor may recommend a blood test to check the level of a protein called C-reactive protein (CRP) in your blood. High levels of CRP in the blood may increase the risk for coronary heart disease and heart attack. Your doctor also may recommend a blood test to check for low levels of hemoglobin in your blood. Hemoglobin is an iron-rich protein in red blood cells. It helps the blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to all parts of your body. If your hemoglobin level is low, you may have a condition called anemia. 5. Drink lots of water. Water helps flush out excess sodium that causes high blood pressure and hypertension. These symptoms often lead to angina pain and coronary heart disease. Aim to drink at least eight ounces of water every two hours. 2 liters of water is the daily recommendation for the average adult. If you take caffeinated beverages, take 1 liter of water for every cup (1 fluid oz.) of caffeine. If you are taking blood-thinning medications or diuretics (water pills) for angina pain, ask your doctor about how much water you should consume. Not getting enough water can also lead to dehydration. Dehydration can cause headaches, irritability, dizziness, irregular heartbeat and shortness of breath. Non-caffeinated, glucose-free sports drinks with electrolytes can help alleviate dehydration as well. 6. Get enough sleep. Not getting enough sleep has been linked to increased risk of high blood pressure, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and chronic stress, all of which can cause angina pain and increase the risk for heart disease. Studies show that sleep deprivation can weaken the immune system, increase the production of stress hormones, put you at higher risk for chronic disease and lower life expectancy. If you suffer from sleep apnea or insomnia, talk to your doctor for possible treatments. Other ways you can make sure you get enough sleep include: Avoid caffeine, nicotine, alcohol and sugary drinks four to six hours before sleeping. These can act as a stimulant to keep you awake. A quiet, dark, and cool environment can help promote sleep. Use heavy curtains or an eye mask to block light. Light is a powerful cue that tells the brain that it's time to wake up. Keep the temperature comfortably cool (between 65 and 75°F or 18.3 to 23.9°C), and keep the room well ventilated. Make sure your bedroom is equipped with a comfortable mattress and pillows. Change your sheets and pillow covers often. If you have trouble breathing, try to prop your head up on a pillow to improve air flow. Struggling to fall asleep just leads to frustration. If you’re not asleep after 20 minutes, get out of bed, go to another room and do something relaxing until you are tired enough to sleep. Avoid activities such as work or exercise three to four hours prior to sleeping. Physically and psychologically stressful activities can cause the body to secrete the stress hormone cortisol, which is associated with increasing alertness. Try listening to relaxing music or doing some light reading a few hours before sleeping. Having a regular sleep schedule helps to ensure better quality and consistent sleep. Try to set a routine by going to bed early and waking up early to set your body’s internal clock. If you have congestive heart failure in addition to angina you may need to elevate the bed with pillows when you sleep so that your head is above your heart. 7. Avoid sitting for long periods. Sitting idly greatly increases the risk for angina pain and other heart diseases. Do not sit in front of the TV, behind a work desk or driver’s seat for more than two hours if you have been diagnosed with angina. Think about ways you can walk while you work, such as standing while talking on the phone. Take five minute breaks between work to stretch your arms and legs. The muscle activity needed for standing and other movement seems to trigger important processes related to the breakdown of fats and sugars within the body. When you sit, these processes stall and your health risks increase. When you're standing or actively moving, you kick the processes back into action. 8. Avoid stress. While a small amount of stress is healthy, it can cause blood pressure, anxiety, irregular heartbeat and alter immune function, triggering angina pain and in severe cases cause heart attacks. As people age, achieving a relaxation response after a stressful event becomes more difficult. To avoid stress, practice meditation exercises like yoga and tai chi, make time for recreation and be sure to get enough rest. Other simpler ways to reduce stress are: Slow, deep breathing in a quiet environment. Breath in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try and feel the diaphragm muscle when you breath in order to stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system. Focus on positive outcomes. Restructure priorities and eliminate unnecessary tasks. Reduce use of electronic devices. These may cause eye-strain and trigger headaches. Use humor. Research has found humor to be an effective way to deal with acute stress. Listen to relaxing music. 9. Get moderate exercise. Studies show that regular exercise is beneficial for individuals with stable angina as it helps regulate high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Aerobic exercise, in particular, increases blood and oxygen flow to the heart while at rest and when you're doing everyday things like climbing stairs or carrying groceries. It also helps reduce the body’s production of stress hormones and has a positive impact on psychological health., Talk with your healthcare practitioner or a registered clinical exercise physiologist (RCEP) before starting an exercise program. Ask for specific program recommendations to improve cardiovascular fitness, increase muscle strength and endurance, and improve range of motion. An extended warm-up and cool-down may reduce the risk of angina or other cardiovascular complications following exercise. Warming up and cooling down are important parts of every exercise routine. They help the body make the transition from rest to activity and back again, and can help prevent soreness or injury, especially in older people. Choose low-impact activities such as walking, cycling or water exercises, which involve large muscles groups and can be done continuously. If your fitness level is low, start with shorter sessions (10 to 15 minutes) and gradually build up to 30 minutes five or more days per week. Perform light-resistance circuit training and whole-body range-of-motion exercises two to three days per week. Closely monitor your intensity level and stay within your recommended target heart-rate zone. Take frequent breaks during activity if needed. Stop exercising immediately if you experience angina. Contact your physician if you experience chest pain, labored breathing or extreme fatigue. Don’t eat for two hours prior to exercise. Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after a workout. If nitroglycerin has been prescribed, always carry it with you, especially during exercise. 10. Monitor your blood pressure. Irregular heartbeat, high or low blood pressure and increased stress can trigger angina pain, and in severe cases cause heart attack. Your doctor may ask you to keep track of your blood pressure at home. To do this, you will need to get a home blood pressure monitor. The monitor you choose should be of good quality and fit well., Digital monitors are the best choice for most people. Practice using the monitor with your doctor or nurse to make sure you are taking your blood pressure correctly. A digital blood pressure monitor will not be as accurate if your body is moving when you are using it. Also, an irregular heart rate will make the reading less accurate. Your arm should be supported, with your upper arm at heart level and feet on the floor with your back supported and legs uncrossed. It's best to measure your blood pressure after you rest for at least five minutes. Blood pressure should not be checked right after experiencing stress, exercise, tobacco exposure, or consuming foods or beverages, such as coffee, that can raise blood pressure. If your blood pressure monitor shows a reading of more than 120/80 mmHg, you may have moderate hypertension. If it shows a reading higher than 140/90 mmHg, you may have high blood pressure and should tell your doctor. All adults should have their blood pressure checked every one to two years if their blood pressure was less than 120/80 mmHg at their most recent reading. 11. Apply a warm towel compress. Soak a small towel in lukewarm water (104–113°F or 40–45ºC), then wring the water out. Lie down and apply the warmed towel to your chest or mid-back for 20 to 25 minutes. This helps improve circulation in the arteries and reduce spasms to relieve acute anginal pain within five to 10 minutes. If the pain is extremely severe, causes dizziness or shortness of breath, you should seek medical care immediately. 12. Take warm showers. Taking lukewarm showers (104–113°F or 40–45ºC) for five to 10 minutes can help improve circulation and reduce muscle pain, thus decreasing the chance of angina pain. You can do this up to two or three times per week. Taking frequent showers or showers longer than 15 minutes is not recommended as it can cause dry skin. 13. Quit smoking Smoking, secondhand smoke, exposure to carbon monoxide and taking in any form of nicotine can aggravate symptoms of angina pain. It can also cause hypertension and an irregular heartbeat, and it can constrict blood vessels. This increases the risk of having a heart attack and frequent angina pain. Try to avoid exposure to smoke and hazardous fumes in your environment. If you currently smoke, ask your doctor about ways to quit smoking. 14. Limit alcohol intake. A moderate amount of alcohol, whether it is wine, beer or spirits, can help lower the risk of heart disease and heart-related conditions such as angina. However, alcohol should be taken in moderation. If you have a condition related to angina, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat) or diabetes, you should reduce alcohol intake to one drink a day for women, and two per day for men. , Avoid alcoholic drinks if you are: someone recovering from alcohol addiction, pregnant or breastfeeding women, someone with a family history of alcoholism, someone with liver disease, or someone taking one or more medications that interact with alcohol. 15. Avoid inflammatory foods. Foods that cause inflammation can increase your risk for heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. They can also cause indigestion, bloating, stress and depression, all of which can trigger angina pain. These foods are also high in saturated fats, which can cause blood clotting, constricted blood vessels and plaque formation in the heart’s arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack in people with angina. Try to avoid these foods as much as possible: Refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries and donuts Fried foods Sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda or energy drinks Red meat such as veal, ham or steak and processed meats such as hot dogs Margarine, shortening and lard 16. Eat certain fruits to improve heart health. Certain fruits can be effective in stopping angina pain. Because they are rich in antioxidants, they aid in purifying and thinning the blood, eliminating toxins and improving blood circulation. They are also a rich source of essential minerals, vitamins and nutrients. They may help to improve your immunity and the elasticity of your blood vessels. Fruits that promote heart health, and thereby reduce angina pain, include: Grapes Pineapples Strawberries, blueberries and cherries Oranges Pomegranates Apples 17. Eat vegetables that may help to reduce angina pain. Vegetables that are rich sources of minerals, vitamins and nutrients may aid in managing cholesterol, reducing inflammation and regulating blood flow to reduce risk of angina pain and other heart diseases. Some vegetables to include in your diet include: Leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, collard greens, lettuce and cabbage Broccoli Green beans Sprouts Carrots Tomatoes 18. Increase your intake of foods with essential fatty acids. Eggs, fish and lean poultry meats contain essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These acids help lower bad cholesterol that can cause obesity and plaque formation in the arteries. They also help reduce stress and improve blood circulation and immune function. These factors will help reduce the risk of heart disease, heart attack and angina pain.,, Foods that are high in omega-3 fatty acids are are: Eggs Flaxseed Fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, mackerel and shrimp Poultry meats such as quail, turkey and chicken Nuts such as walnuts, almonds, and Brazil nuts 19. Use heart-healthy cooking oil. Some vegetable oils such as flaxseed, canola, olive, and soybean are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 essential fatty acids, which help reduce cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease. Replacing your regular vegetable cooking oil with a healthier alternative can help decrease the risk of angina pain., , You can also use these oils for salad dressings. 20. Add honey to your diet. The phenolic constituents in honey such as quercetin, acacetin and galangin may help to treat cardiovascular conditions. Flavonoids in honey may also decrease your risk of other heart conditions. Because of this, honey may improve blood circulation, oxygen supply in the blood, and may enhance the functioning of your organs. It can also reduce the accumulation of fat in your arteries, thereby reducing the possibility of angina pain. Eat a teaspoon of wild honey in the morning every day. You can also add ½ teaspoon of honey to decaffeinated tea or glass of water and drink the mixture, up to three times per day. Make sure the honey does not contain added sugars, as these sugars can increase the risk of diabetes when used for a long period. 21. Get more Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an important natural antioxidant that helps promote immune function, manage blood sugar, and stimulate cell growth and repair. Vitamin C also lowers the risk of various chronic diseases including angina pain and coronary heart disease. Although vitamin C deficiency is rare, it can greatly affect the immune system. Vitamin C can be taken as a dietary supplement with a recommended dose of 500 mg split into two or three times daily. You can also add vitamin C-rich foods to your daily diet. Good natural sources of vitamin C are: Sweet red or green peppers Citrus fruit such as oranges, pomelo, grapefruit, limes or non-concentrated citrus juices Spinach, broccoli and Brussel sprouts Strawberries and raspberries Tomatoes Mango, papaya and cantaloupe Since smoking depletes vitamin C, smokers may need an additional 35 mg per day. 22. Increase your intake of niacin. Niacin is a form of vitamin B3 used to improve blood flow and lower bad cholesterol levels. High cholesterol causes plaque to build up in your arteries. Lowering your cholesterol reduces the risk for angina and heart disease. Niacin may also help regulate blood sugar levels for type 1 and type 2 diabetes. The recommended dosage for niacin are 14 to 18 mg per day, whether taken as a supplement or through a food source. Do not take a higher dosage unless recommended by your doctor. People with coronary artery disease, severe or unstable angina should not take niacin without their doctor’s supervision. Large doses can raise the risk of heart rhythm problems. The best food sources of vitamin B3 are found in beets, brewer's yeast, beef liver, beef kidney, fish, salmon, swordfish, tuna, sunflower seeds, and peanuts. Bread and cereals are usually fortified with niacin. In addition, foods that contain tryptophan, an amino acid the body converts into niacin, include poultry, red meat, eggs, and dairy products. Niacin is available as a tablet or capsule in both regular and timed-release forms. The timed-release tablets and capsules may have fewer side effects than regular niacin. However, the timed-release versions are more likely to cause liver damage. Doctors recommend periodic liver function tests when using high doses (above 100 mg per day) of niacin. 23. Get enough magnesium. Magnesium is a necessary nutrient for many body functions, contributes to energy production. It regulates anxiety, stress, chronic fatigue, and helps maintain healthy blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels to reduce the risk of angina and other heart diseases. Magnesium deficiency can also weaken the immune system and cause a number of health problems. Natural food sources of magnesium are salmon, mackerel, halibut, tuna, dark chocolate, dark leafy greens, nuts, seeds, brown rice, lentils, soybeans, black beans, chickpeas, avocado, and bananas. Calcium can inhibit the absorption of magnesium supplements, so it is better to use more readily absorbed forms such as magnesium bicarbonate and magnesium oxide. 100 mg of magnesium supplements is recommended to be taken two to three times daily. Adults should get at least 280–350 mg of magnesium daily. Symptoms of magnesium deficiency may include agitation and anxiety, restless leg syndrome (RLS), sleep disorders, irritability, nausea and vomiting, abnormal heart rhythms, low blood pressure, confusion, muscle spasm and weakness, hyperventilation, insomnia, and even seizures. Excessive intake of magnesium can have adverse effects and reduce calcium absorption, so it is important not to overdose. Ask your doctor what dosage will be right for your individual needs. 24. Take resveratrol. Resveratrol is an active compound found in grapes, grape seed and berries. It is shown to have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health by reducing high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes and plaque formation in arteries, thereby managing and preventing angina pain. Resveratrol is available as a liquid extract, capsules or tablets at most pharmacies and nutrition stores. The recommended dosage for resveratrol is 30 to 45 mg after meals, up to three times per day. 25. Drink lemon water. Some studies show that lemon juice contains antioxidants that can help with weight loss, manage high cholesterol levels and flush out excess sodium in the bloodstream. This will help reduce plaque build-up in the arteries and avert angina pain. Squeeze half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink this mixture on an empty stomach in the morning. You may also add lemon juice as flavoring to your regular foods. 26. Increase your intake of garlic. Garlic is used for many conditions related to the heart and circulatory system, such as hypertension, irregular heartbeat, high cholesterol, coronary heart disease, heart attack, and to reduce plaque build-up in the arteries, thereby managing angina. This is because garlic contains a component called allicin, which aids in relaxing hard blood vessels. Garlic can also help reduce headaches, stress and promote healthy liver function. Eat one clove of raw garlic in the morning. If you do not like eating raw garlic, you can add minced or chopped garlic as a flavoring to your meals. Garlic supplements are also available at most pharmacies and nutrition stores. The recommended dosage for aged garlic extract is 600 to 1200 mg daily, divided into two to three doses. Garlic capsules or tablets should contain 0.5–1.5% of alliin or allicin to be beneficial, at a dosage of two 200 mg tablets, three times a day. People using prescription or blood-thinning medications, or those with ulcers and thyroid problems, should ask their doctor before using garlic or garlic supplements. 27. Eat ginger. Gingerol, a natural compound in ginger root, may help to lower blood cholesterol levels thereby potentially helping to prevent angina pain from occurring. It is also an antioxidant that protects the blood vessels from damage by cholesterol, helps manage stress and lower blood pressure., Do not take more than 4 gram of ginger per day without asking your doctor. Ginger should not be used with blood-thinning, hypertension or diabetic medications. Ginger can be added to your diet in many ways. You can boil 2–4 grams of ginger in a 1 cup of water to make unsweetened ginger tea. You can also take a ginger supplement, which are available at most pharmacies or add chopped ginger to your food. 28. Take ginseng supplements. Studies show that ginseng contains antioxidants that can help fight off free radicals, and improve heart health by regulating blood pressure, high cholesterol, blood sugar levels, reduce stress and improve physical strength and endurance, thus reducing the risk for angina and heart disease. Ginseng comes in different forms, such as liquid extracts, powders and capsules, and is often used in combination with other herbs or nutrients. Ask your doctor before using ginseng, especially if you are using prescription medications to manage angina. Your doctor will help determine the right dosage for you. 29. Try turmeric powder. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, inhibits plaque formation in your arteries and reduces bad cholesterol levels, both of which can lead to angina pain. Turmeric may also aid in managing obesity that can lead to other heart conditions, as well as reducing arthritis pain. Turmeric and curcumin supplements are considered safe when taken at the recommended doses. The recommended dosage for adults is 400–600 mg, up to three times per day. Taking large amounts of turmeric for long periods of time may cause stomach upset and, in extreme cases, ulcers. People who have gallstones or obstruction of the bile passages should talk to their doctor before taking turmeric. Add 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder to a cup of warm milk to create a heart-healthy drink that can be taken one to three times per day. You can also add a pinch of turmeric powder to your cooking for flavor. Ask your doctor before using turmeric if you are taking blood-thinning or diabetes medications. 30. Watch for severe symptoms. See your doctor right away if you have new, unexplained chest pain or pressure. You should call 911 if your chest pain does not go away five minutes after taking medication, increases in severity or if a person with angina loses consciousness. Other situations in which you should call your doctor are: You experience new or recurrent angina symptoms more often. You experience angina pain while sitting or resting. You have trouble taking your heart medication You feel tired, faint or lightheaded more often. You experience an irregular heartbeat, low (below 60 beats per minute) or high (above 120 beats per minute) blood pressure. You experience any other unusual symptoms that may be related to angina. 31. Ask your doctor about angioplasty. Angioplasty is a non-surgical, minimally invasive procedure used to open blocked or narrowed arteries, improving blood flow to the heart. Angioplasty can be performed by a licensed cardiologist to help treat moderate to severe angina pain caused by plaque build-up in the arteries. During an angioplasty, a small balloon is expanded inside the coronary artery to help compress the blockage and expand the artery wall. A wire mesh tube called a stent is sometimes implanted to keep the artery wall expanded. The procedure can last for two to three hours. Ask your doctor if an angioplasty may help your condition. 32. Consider EECP therapy. Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy is a non-invasive procedure helpful for some people who have persistent angina. Large cuffs, similar to blood pressure cuffs, are put on your legs. The cuffs are inflated and deflated in sync with your heartbeat. EECP therapy improves the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart muscle and helps relieve angina. You typically receive 35 one-hour treatments over a period of seven weeks. EECP therapy can be performed by a licensed therapist or physician. 33. Ask your doctor about medication. Talk with your doctor if you have any questions or concerns about taking your angina medicines. You should know what medicines you're taking, the purpose of each, how and when to take them, possible side effects and if they are safe to take with other medicines, herbs or foods. If you have side effects from your medication, let your doctor know. You should never stop taking your medication without your doctor's approval. Your doctor may prescribe medicine to treat CHD, high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol levels. These may include: Anti-platelet drugs, also called blood-thinners, such as aspirin. Take the baby strength (81 mg) aspirin or cut the regular strength (325mg) aspirin in half. Take one pill once a day with food. Studies have shown that taking aspirin decreases your risk of a cardiovascular disease. ACE inhibitors to treat hypertension and high blood pressure Beta-blockers to treat hypertension, irregular heartbeat, angina pain and to prevent a heart attack. Calcium channel blockers for angina pain and hypertension Diuretics (water pills) to flush out excess sodium Statins to lower cholesterol Nitroglycerin pills or nitrates to stop an angina attack 34. Make an emergency action plan. Angina increases your risk for a heart attack. It’s important that you and your family know how and when to seek medical attention. Talk with your doctor about making an emergency action plan. Discuss your emergency plan with your family members. Take action quickly if your chest pain becomes severe, lasts longer than a few minutes, or isn't relieved by rest or medicine. The plan should include making sure you and your family members know: The signs and symptoms of a heart attack How to use medications when needed, such as nitroglycerin How to access emergency medical services in your community The location of the nearest hospital that offers 24-hour emergency heart care. Call 911 if you experience unstable angina, a heart attack, or loss of consciousness. You should also call 911 if the pain lasts longer than usual or if the pain returns a few minutes after taking medication. 35. Take nitroglycerin for immediate relief. Nitroglycerin is used to prevent chronic or stable angina. This medicine works by relaxing the blood vessels and increasing the supply of blood and oxygen to the heart. This medicine is also used to relieve an angina attack that is already occurring. When used regularly on a long-term basis, or just before exercise or a stressful event, this helps prevent angina attacks from occurring. Your doctor may prescribe nitroglycerin as a tablet, capsule or spray to help relieve angina pain. This medicine should be used exactly as directed by your doctor. Do not take more than the prescribed dose, do not take it more frequently, and do not take it for a longer time than your doctor ordered. If you miss a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not take double doses. When you begin to feel an attack of angina starting such as chest pains, tightness or squeezing in the chest, sit down. Use a nitroglycerin tablet or spray as directed by your doctor. You may become dizzy, lightheaded, or faint soon after using a tablet or spray, so it is safer to sit rather than stand while the medicine is working. If you become dizzy or faint while sitting, take several deep breaths and bend forward with your head between your knees. Remain calm and you should feel better in a few minutes. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets usually give relief in one to five minutes. Nitroglycerin sublingual tablets should not be chewed, crushed, or swallowed. They work much faster when absorbed through the lining of the mouth. Place the tablet under the tongue or between the cheek and gum, and let it dissolve. Do not eat, drink, smoke, or use chewing tobacco while a tablet is dissolving. If the pain is not relieved, you may use a second tablet five minutes after you take the first tablet. If the pain continues for another five minutes, a third tablet may be used. Ask your doctor or nurse how to properly use a nitroglycerin oral spray if prescribed. You may administer one or two sprays of nitroglycerin oral spray at the onset of chest pain. If the pain continues after five minutes, a third spray may be used. You must wait five minutes after the first one or two sprays before using a third spray. If you still have chest pain after a total of three tablets or three sprays, contact your doctor or go to a hospital emergency room right away. Do not drive yourself and call 911 if necessary. Tell your doctor if you have any other respiratory or heart conditions. Also alert your doctor if you are using any other medications, supplements, herbal or home remedies, or if you experience an allergic reaction to nitroglycerin. Nitroglycerin should not be used for severe or unstable angina, during a heart attack, to treat low blood pressure or for people with anemia. Call 911 if you or someone with angina experiences a heart attack. Consult your doctor and see if nitroglycerin interacts with any of you current medication.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Manage-Angina-Pain-with-Home-Remedies", "language": "en"}
How to Be a Good Debater	It doesn't matter whether you're debating from a podium or you're just fighting with your mom at home: a few simple rules apply to arguing like a pro. When you use effective communication, a well-placed argument, and really pay attention to what your opponent is saying, you can make just about any opinion sound like the right one. 1. Follow the form, if debating formally If you’re going to be debating in a formal setting, such as for a class or for a club, you’ll want to be sure you know how a debate actually works. Formal debates follow a formula, and you’ll want to know that formula like the back of your hand so that you’re prepared. It’s also important because breaking from the formula can lose you points. Usually there is a statement and two or more teams or single debaters will be assigned to either agree or disagree with the idea. You’ll then take turns making your points according to a set period of time. There are a couple of different debate styles (which determine the rules and how the debate works), so you’ll need to know which one you’re using in order to be clear on the rules. It’s a good idea to look into this well in advance and do some research online. Look for words like “competitive debate”, “Parliamentary debate”, or “Oxford debate”. These are some of the styles of debate you might encounter. 2. Keep calm. When you debate, stay calm. Don’t start shouting or get angry. This will show weakness to your opponent. Instead, keep your voice even and keep your facial expression neutral. This makes it much harder for your opponent to find what buttons they can press to make you trip up. If you’re having trouble staying calm, try focusing on your breathing for a minute or two. 3. Speak clearly. When you talk, speak clearly so that people can understand you. Speaking clearly also makes you sound smarter and more confident. Speak clearly by using a loud enough volume that people can hear you and then enunciate your words. Don’t mumble or slur your words but say each word deliberately and say each syllable carefully. It’s easy to catch poor enunciation when reciting tongue twisters. Try this one: “How can a clam cram in a clean cream can?” 4. Explain your logic. When you explain to someone how you arrived at the conclusion that you came to, deliberately and step by step, you’re forcing their brain to think in the same way that yours does. As long as your reasoning is at least good on the surface, this can be one of the most effective ways to bring someone over to your side of the argument. 5. Be respectful and fair. When you argue with someone, be respectful. Don’t insult them, talk over them, or judge them. Doing this can be seen as a sign that your argument isn’t very good, plus it makes people defensive and much less willing to listen to you or want to agree with you. You should also be fair in an argument. Don’t distort the facts. Use evidence against them that is recent and directly related, not old and “water under the bridge”. A bad example of debating would look like: “Why should we listen to you? You broke the system last year when you were in charge of the project. You’d probably just ruin this too.” A good example of debating would look like: “I know you’re really excited about this project but the situation is very sensitive. It would be better to use someone with more experience so that it can be done more efficiently.” 6. Act confident. Although you don’t have to actually be confident, acting confident can make you and your argument much more appealing and believable. When you don’t act confident, you communicate (even if it’s not true) that you don’t think your argument is a very good one. You can do some simple, easy things to make yourself appear more confident, though. Make eye contact with your opponent, as well as people in your audience if you have one. Don’t fidget, instead using your hands to talk or keep them pinned in front of you. Speak clearly and with purpose, avoiding filler language like “umm” and “ahh”. Just a few adjustments will have you seeming much more sure of yourself. 7. Use arguments based on logic. Arguments based on logic, sometimes referred to as “logos” in the study of arguing, use examples and ideas which are rooted in simple, direct reasoning. These kinds of arguments are especially helpful when debating with someone who considers themselves smart and logical. They are also good for topics that are “serious” in nature, like politics and economics. Try to use facts, statistics, and real life examples to make logical arguments. An example argument would be: “Evidence has shown that rates of teen pregnancy have decreased as more comprehensive sex education has become mandatory in schools. You can see in this chart….” 8. Use arguments based on emotions. Arguments based on emotions, sometimes referred to as “pathos” in the study of arguing, use appeals to people’s heart and emotions. These kinds of arguments are especially helpful when debating with someone who is prone to strong emotions (showing heightened joy and easily visible sadness). They are also good for topics that are “human” in nature, like arguments about social justice, discrimination, or current events with great tolls on society (like the Israeli-Palestinian conflict). Try to draw on people’s hopes and fears. Use personal stories and try to make a personal connection with either your opponent or your audience by comparing the situation to something that is close to them. An example argument would be: “Backing out now would pose an infinitely greater danger to us than if we stayed and tried to fix the problem. Untold lives could be lost if we leave but if we stay, then we can save lives.” 9. Use arguments based on authority. Arguments based on authority, sometimes referred to as “ethos” in the study of arguing, use appeals to your authority and credibility or that of another who supports your ideas. These kinds of arguments are especially helpful when debating with someone who is not as experienced in the field or who has a particularly weak argument. They are also good for topics that are “academic” in nature, like arguments about medicine, science, or history. Try to establish your credentials and elaborate on your experience when using arguments like these. Make sure ahead of time that your opponent is not significantly more experienced than you. An example argument would be: “I’ve taught for over 30 years and I’ve seen all of these practices first hand. I know what works in the field and what doesn’t. Ideals and real life are two very different things.” 10. Do your research. The more prepared you are for a debate, the better you'll do. If you really want to guarantee a win as much as possible, do your research. When you know a topic backwards and forwards and from all angles, you'll be much better prepared to counter any argument your opponent might dream up. It's especially important to know the most common arguments for and against both sides of the issue. When you know what your opponent is likely to emphasize, you'll be able to explain why that's wrong. Avoid making websites like Wikipedia your main source of information. It's a good place to start but you should fill in your facts from sources that are experts in whatever topic you're trying to cover. For example, if you're going to debate about economics, don't quote a Wikipedia fact. Quote Alberto Alesina, one of the economics professors at Harvard and co-editor of a major academic journal on the topic. 11. Look for logical fallacies. Logical fallacies are when the line of reasoning that someone uses is wrong. Even though the conclusion might be right, the way of getting there is wrong. This can be used to shed doubt on their conclusion, making your argument look better. There are lots of different kinds of logical fallacies and you'll want to study each one individually in order to learn to recognize and counter it. By pointing out logical fallacies in your opponent's argument, you force them to either accept them and reduce the credibility of their argument, or use their precious time to try and argue that their argument isn't illogical. One of the most common examples of a logical fallacy is called "ad hominem", and is about attacking the person making the argument rather than the argument itself. This is often seen in politics. Think of it like "this guy is a jerk" vs. "there is no evidence that this plan will work". Another common logical fallacy is called "black or white". This is when an argument is presented as having only two options, with the outcome they want being presented as the best one. This ignores middle ground and other routes, which may make more sense. Think of it like when you mom says, "You can get married and have children or you can die old and alone." There's probably some wiggle room in there, right? 12. Look for weaknesses in their argument. There are lots of ways in which someone's argument can be weak. If you find those weaknesses, you can point them out, making your argument look stronger by comparison. Try: Look for places where they've not thought their course of action through to its logical conclusion. An example of this is the recent Supreme Court decision that companies can have a religion and that employees should be subject to the rules of that religion. That's maybe more acceptable if the company is traditional Christian than if it's outrageous Pastafarians, right? Another sign of a weak argument is if they skim over a crucial point and use very little evidence to back it up. This is usually an indication that there is no evidence and they're mainly drawing the conclusion that they want to draw. For example, someone arguing that guns prevent mass shootings and only using one example in favor of their argument is clearly missing how many examples go in the opposite direction. You want to lock in on that and talk about the evidence they passed over. 13. Keep the topic on track. This is when your opponent starts arguing about a subject separate from the topic you're supposed to be debating. When a debate gets off track, that can be a sign that your opponent is running out of solid reasoning and beginning to break down. Keep an argument on track and you'll be more likely to win. Ask yourself if the current argument ties directly back to the topic you're supposed to be dealing with. If it doesn't support one side or the other, the argument is off track. An example of this would be if you are arguing about whether guns prevent mass shootings and they start arguing that anyone that doesn't like guns is racist. Be forceful in turning the argument around. Call them out for changing the topic. This will point the behavior out to your audience and can make you look more confident and correct.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Good-Debater", "language": "en"}
How to Build a Vertical Garden from Soda Bottles	Here is a way to maximize your limited porch or garden space by growing vertically. You'll learn to make drip-irrigating garden towers out of recycled 2-liter soda bottles. This method works well for growing flowers, herbs, and small veggies. 1. Cut around the base of one soda bottle. Make the cut a bit below where the label ends, ideally so that a tiny bit of the bottom curve inward is preserved. This will help the bottles nest tightly together when you stack them. Discard base of bottle 2. Poke two drainage holes with scissors, on opposite sides, about three inches above the cap. How big? No bigger than the diameter of a Bic pen. 3. Fill the bottle with potting mix, compost or garden soil, pressing the soil in lightly. Leave an inch of space at the top of the bottle. 4. Tie the base for your tower onto a supporting structure, such as chain-link fencing or wire, with twine. 5. Cut the bottom off a bottle, just as you did to create the base. Remove the cap and discard. 6. Fill the bottle gently with soil, as for the base, reserving one inch of space at the top. 7. Nest the bottle firmly atop the base, and tie it on. 8. Repeat this part 1-3 times, depending on how tall you want your tower to be. 9. Cut a bottle in half about midway toward the top. This bottle will be shorter than the others, and will serve as a funnel for watering. 10. Cut the bottom off a final bottle, just as you did for the base and tower levels. This will be the watering bottle. 11. Drill a one mm hole in the cap, or pierce with a nail, and replace cap. 12. Place the funnel atop the tower, nesting it firmly in the soil of the level below. 13. Place the watering bottle atop the funnel, and (optionally) tie down. 14. Cut three lines in each soil bottle with a box cutter, as if you were drawing the top and sides of a square. (Each side of the square should be about 1.5-2 inches.) Leave the bottom of the square uncut, and instead fold down the flap. This creates a valve to hold the soil and seedling in. 15. Poke a hole, and insert a small seedling or seeds. 16. Fill the watering bottle every few days, as needed. 17. Finished.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Build-a-Vertical-Garden-from-Soda-Bottles", "language": "en"}
How to Rinse Quinoa	Quinoa is a healthy grain that you can incorporate into a variety of different dishes. There is a coating on quinoa seeds that can give it a bitter and nutty taste. By using a fine mesh strainer or a bowl, you can avoid this bitter taste by thoroughly rinsing your quinoa first. 1. Hold your fine mesh strainer under your sink's faucet. If you use a colander or another strainer with larger holes, the quinoa will fall through the holes and into your sink. You can also use a coffee filter if you don't have a strainer. 2. Add your quinoa to the strainer. Measure the amount of quinoa that you want to use and pour it into the strainer or coffee filter. Do this carefully to make sure the seeds don't overflow and go into your sink. 3. Run cold water over the quinoa until the water runs clear. Turn on the cold water from your kitchen sink and let it rinse the quinoa for about five minutes. To quicken the process, you can agitate the quinoa with your hand. You'll know the quinoa is rinsed when the water coming out of the bottom of the strainer is no longer murky. 4. Pour your quinoa into a bowl. Measure out the amount of quinoa that you want to use, then transfer it to a large bowl that can accommodate the seeds along with water. 5. Soak the quinoa in cold water for five minutes. Fill the bowl with enough cold water to cover the seeds. As the seeds sit, you should see the water begin to turn cloudy or murky. 6. Mix the quinoa around. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to mix the quinoa around in the bowl. This agitation should remove the bitter coating on the quinoa seeds. Work the whisk in a circular motion so that you mix both the water and the quinoa. 7. Pour out the water. Slowly tip your bowl while keeping your hands over the seeds to drain it. If you have a fine mesh sieve, you can use it to strain the quinoa seeds. 8. Repeat the steps until your quinoa is clean. You may have to repeat the process several times before the quinoa is fully rinsed. You'll know that it's rinsed when the water in the bowl is no longer murky.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Rinse-Quinoa", "language": "en"}
How to Waterproof Fabric	Whether you've purchased a new tent or want to protect the canvas cover on your boat, you will want to waterproof fabric to extend its luster and lifespan. This article will teach you how to waterproof fabric using wax, commercial spray, and other items. 1. Plan to waterproof your fabric on a dry, windless day. You will be working with spray-on sealers, which are sensitive to humidity. Also, if you are working outside and it is windy, you might get some dust embedded in your fabric. 2. Clean the fabric if it is dirty. If the fabric cannot be washed, and it is only dusty or lightly soiled fabrics then clean it a vacuum or a brush. If the fabric is heavily soiled, then use a specially-formulated fabric cleaner. 3. Make sure that the fabric is dry. You will be working sprays and sealers that repel water. If your fabric is in anyway damp or wet, the sprays and sealers will not stick. 4. Transfer the fabric to a well-ventilated area. Try to work outside, if you can. If you cannot work outside, then open up a window. You can also wear safety goggles and gloves if you have sensitive skin or bad allergies; the sprays and sealers you will be working with can be quite pungent. 5. Purchase a waterproofing spray and seam sealer. You can find them at an outdoor or camping supply store. If the fabric you will be waterproofing will be outside and in the sun a lot, then consider getting a spray that has UV protection as well. This will keep your fabric from fading. Waterproofing sprays and sealers will work great on nylons, canvas and leather. 6. Hold the can 6 to 8 inches (15.24 to 20.32 centimeters) away from the surface of the fabric and apply the sealer in a light, even layer. Be sure to slightly overlap each stroke. 7. Wait about for the spray to dry, then apply a second coat. Let the spray dry completely before using the fabric. Most waterproofing sprays will dry in about 4 hours, but you might want to read the directions on the can as each brand will be a little different. 8. Apply seam sealer to all of the seams. Seam sealer usually comes in a small bottle with an applicator on top. Simply roll the sealer over the seams while squeezing gently on the bottle. This will make the seams extra durable and ensure that no water gets inside. 9. Start with a clean piece of fabric. If the fabric you are working with is dirty, then wash it. For dusty or lightly soiled fabrics that cannot be washed, use a vacuum or a brush. For heavily soiled fabrics that cannot be washed, use a specially-formulated fabric cleaner. 10. Mix 1 pound (0.45 kg) of laundry detergent with 2 gallons (7.5 L) of hot water in a large container. You want the container to be large enough so that you can submerge all of your fabric in the detergent mixture. 11. Soak the fabric in the mixture until it is completely saturated. If parts of the fabric keep floating to the top, you can weigh them down with a glass jar or bottle. 12. Hang the fabric to air-dry in the sun. Do not fold it over a hanger, or the two sides will stick to each other. Instead, clip the top of the fabric piece to a hanger. If the fabric is too big for a hanger, then stretch a long piece of string between two poles or trees, and clip the fabric to that. You want the fabric to hang freely, in a single layer. 13. Combine ½ pound (0.25 kg) of alum with 2 gallons (7.5 L) of hot water in a second container. Stir the solution to help the alum powder dissolve. You can buy alum powder at a grocery store. 14. Soak the fabric in alum powder solution for at least 2 hours. Make sure that the fabric is completely submerged. If it floats to the top, then weigh it down with a glass jar or bottle. 15. Hang the fabric in the sun to air-dry completely. Once again, make sure that the fabric is hanging freely. Clip it to a hanger, or to a piece of string. 16. Understand that this may cause the fabric to darken. You will be saturating the fabric with turpentine-diluted oil. Oil in general tends to darken fabrics by a shade or two. This is something you might want to keep in mind. 17. Start with a clean piece of fabric. Wash the fabric if it is dirty. If the fabric cannot be washed, and it's only a little dirty or dusty, then clean it with a vacuum or a brush. If the fabric cannot be washed and it is heavily soiled, then clean it using a specially-formulated fabric cleaner. 18. Allow the fabric to dry completely after you clean it. You will be working with waxes, oils, and other solutions that repel water. If your fabric is in anyway damp or wet, the solutions you will be using will not stick. 19. Transfer the fabric to a well-ventilated area. Try to work outside, if you can. If you cannot work outside, then keep a window open. Turpentine can get quite pungent. 20. Mix 1 cup (237 ml) of soybean oil with 4 ounces (118 ml) of turpentine. Pour everything into a durable plastic container and stir it with a wooden paint stirrer. You will be painting the mixture onto your fabric later using a large paintbrush. If you are working on a small piece of fabric, then you can pour everything into a plastic spray bottle and spray it on. Close the bottle and shake it to mix everything together. 21. Spread the fabric out onto a flat surface. Turpentine and oil can both stain porous surfaces such as wood and concrete. If you are worried about this, you might want to protect your work surface with plastic tablecloth first. Don't use newspaper. The ink can transfer to your fabric. 22. Paint the mixture on using a wide bristle paintbrush. Dip a large paintbrush into the mixture, and wipe the excess mixture off on the rim of the bucket. Brush the mixture onto the fabric using a long, straight, even stroke. Keep brushing the mixture onto the fabric until everything is covered. Always go in the same direction. Also, try to overlap the strokes by a little; this will prevent any gaps. A wide, flat bristle brush will work the best for this. Avoid soft bristles, such as camel hair. If you are using a spray bottle, then simply spray the mixture onto the fabric. Try to overlap the patches by a little to avoid any gaps. 23. Lay the fabric flat to dry completely. This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Once again, turpentine and soybean oil can both cause stains, so it might be a good idea to cover the flat surface with a plastic tablecloth first. 24. Purchase some iron-on vinyl from a fabric store. This vinyl doesn't change the appearance of the fabric, and is great for waterproofing baby bibs and lunch bags. 25. Get out your fabric, but don't cut your fabric yet, if you are using a pattern. Once you have waterproofed the fabric, you can use it as a tablecloth, or even cut it up and sew it into a lunch bag. 26. Make sure that the fabric is clean and dry. If the fabric you are working with is dirty, then wash it, and let it dry completely. If the fabric cannot be washed, then use a vacuum or a brush. You can also use a specially-formulated fabric cleaner if the fabric is heavily soiled. 27. Lay the fabric on a flat surface. This will make the fabric easier to work with. Any ripples or folds will end up as wrinkles in the finished piece. If necessary, iron the fabric out to get it as smooth as possible. 28. Cut the vinyl so that it fits your fabric. If the vinyl is too narrow for your fabric, then you will need to cut the vinyl to the length of your fabric. You will need to cut several pieces like this, and overlap them later on. 29. Peel off the paper backing. You will notice that the paper has two sides: a shiny side and a dull side. You will also notice that the vinyl has two sides as well: a sticky side and a smooth side. 30. Set the vinyl, sticky-side-down onto the right side of the fabric. If the vinyl is not wide enough, lay two sheets of vinyl next to each other. Overlap the edges by ¼ inch (0.64 centimeter). 31. Cover the vinyl with the paper backing. Make sure that the shiny side of the paper is facing down, and that the paper is covering the vinyl entirely. You will be ironing the vinyl, and the paper will help protect it from getting melted. 32. Run an iron over the paper. Turn on your iron and set it to medium heat. Do not use a high heat setting, or you will melt the vinyl. Carefully run the iron over the paper. Do not leave it in one spot for too long, and do not use any steam. 33. Take the paper off. The heat of the iron will have melted the glue on the vinyl, and fused it to the fabric. 34. Start with a clean piece of fabric. If the fabric you are working with is dirty, then wash it and let it dry completely. This method will work best on canvas shoes and bags. 35. Purchase a bar of natural beeswax. You might want to use pure beeswax for this, without any additives. Anything else may contain harmful chemicals. 36. Heat the wax and cloths a little. You can do this by blowing them with a hairdryer or leaving them out in the hot sun for a few minutes. This will make the wax easier to apply. You do not want the clothes to be hot, and you do not want the wax to be melted. 37. Rub the beeswax across the fabric in both directions. Rub it side-to-side and up-and-down. This will help the wax get into the weave of the fabric. If you are covering a piece of clothing or a bag, use the corners of the wax to get into small seams and spaces. 38. Spread the wax out with your fingers to make it move even. Gently rub the wax into small, tight areas, such as seams, corners, and pockets. If the item you are covering has buttons, make sure to wipe the wax off. 39. Heat the item again with a hair dryer for about five minutes. This will allow the wax to melt into the fabric. You will see the fabric becoming a little darker. 40. Smooth the item again with your fingers, if necessary. If there are any pools or puddles of wax, run your fingers across the fabric in circular motions to smooth it out. This will give your piece a nice finish. 41. Set the item to cure in a warm, dry place. Leave it there for 24 hours. After this time, the waxed article will be ready to use. You may notice that the fabric is a little stiffer and darker than before. This is normal. The fabric will soften with time, but it won't get lighter again. 42. Start with a clean piece of fabric. If the fabric is dirty, you will need to wash it and let it dry completely. 43. Try to work outside or in a well-ventilated area. Linseed oil can get pungent, so the extra ventilation might help keep you from feeling lightheaded. If you are working outside, make sure that the area is free of dust and that there is no wind, or you might end up with dust particles embedded in your finished piece. If you cannot work outside, then make sure that you have a window open. 44. Stretch the fabric over an open-back frame and secure it with clips. You can use a cheap picture frame with the glass and cardboard backing taken out. Make sure that the fabric covers the entire frame. If the fabric is too big for the frame, then you will need to work on it in parts. 45. Purchase some linseed oil. You can also use jojoba oil. It is a little lighter than linseed oil, which might make it easier to work with. 46. Start applying the linseed oil onto the fabric in a thick layer. You want the fabric to be completely saturated with the oil. Don't worry if it feels like you are using too much; you will be wiping the excess off. You can apply the oil with a wide, boar bristle paintbrush or with a rag. Avoid using a brush made from camel hair. The soft bristles will be too weak to spread the oil. If the oil came in a small bottle, then consider pouring it into a large cup, 47. Wait 30 minutes before wiping any oil residue off with a clean rag. This will give the oil enough time to soak into the fabric and saturate it. After this time, you may notice some residue on the surface of the fabric. Use a clean cloth to wipe it off. 48. Let the fabric dry for 24 hours, then repeat the process. Once the fabric has dried, get out your linseed oil again, and apply more of it to the fabric. Wait 30 minutes, then wipe the excess oil off using a clean rag. You can add one or two more layers. 49. Consider painting your fabric using oil paint between layers of linseed oil. Use an oil painting paintbrush to apply the oil paint. These brushes are usually made out of stiff bristles, such as boar bristles or Taklon, which is synthetic. Apply the linseed oil with a brush instead of a rag so that you do not blur your design.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Waterproof-Fabric", "language": "en"}
How to Work Faster	If you've got a lot on your plate and want to make every hour count, working faster is the way to go. Being efficient can help you get more done without sacrificing quality. While this might seem like a lofty goal, a few simple tweaks to your routine can make you more productive. Whether it's office work, school work, or chores around the house, we've got plenty of ideas to help you work faster and get more things checked off your to-do list. 1. Make a list of everything you need to do each day. The most important step you can take toward working faster and more efficiently is to establish a plan before you start your day. Write down everything you need to accomplish for each day so you don't waste time trying to figure out what to do next. Write your daily plan down on a notepad, digital planner, or a calendar. Writing things down rather than committing them to memory will help you to remember and actually accomplish your tasks. Writing down all you plan to accomplish in a day can also help you avoid over-booking yourself and taking on more than you can handle in the time allotted. It’s good to be ambitious, but it’s also important to have a realistic daily plan that you can accomplish. 2. Create a calendar for deadlines. After you’ve mastered the daily short-term plan, you can start creating long-term plans to organize your future work and tasks. Knowing what you need to accomplish ahead of time—whether it's a big term paper at the end of the semester or an international conference trip—can help you prepare and meet your deadlines. Write down each task or project as soon as you can so you're sure to be prepared for it and accomplish it on time. Note any big deadlines or due dates and pencil in some reminders a week or so before the actual deadline. This will help you work more efficiently and get your big tasks done in easier increments. This type of advanced planning will also help you schedule leisure actives, breaks, and vacations. If you know when things are going to be due, you can more easily plan around them and make sure you have enough time to get things done as well as thoroughly enjoy your break time. 3. Give every day a theme if you have a variety of tasks to do. If you find yourself juggling a lot of different work objectives or even multiple jobs at once, focus on a single work category per day. If you’re a student, consider setting aside specific days for specific subjects: Mondays can be reserved for doing all of your science reading for the week, for example, while Tuesdays can be dedicated to math. In an office setting, allocate specific days for specific tasks: Mondays can be just for administrative tasks, for example, while Tuesdays can be focused on creative projects. 4. Set small, achievable goals. Setting small daily goals helps you stay on task, work more efficiently, and gain energy as you go through your working day. If you have long-term objectives or big projects, break them down into smaller goals that you can make progress on and tackle in a series of small steps or stages. This will help you feel like you're getting work done, which will encourage you to keep going. Getting little tasks out of the way, like grocery shopping or running errands, can help you focus on larger tasks that need to be accomplished later in the day. 5. Prioritize harder tasks. Getting the most important or difficult tasks out of the way first can give you a sense of accomplishment. It also makes you more productive so you can breeze through the easier tasks later in the day. On the other hand, if you get the menial tasks out of the way first, you might be reluctant to tackle a big project in the second half of the day. 6. Break up your workday into chunks. Plan to do certain tasks during each chunk so your day is organized.For example, the first hour of your day can be dedicated to answering emails and phone calls. Set a series of alarms to cue you to move on to other work and stay on task during the day. 7. Set a time limit for each task. In business, there’s a concept known as “Parkinson’s Law,” which states that “work expands to fill the time allotted for it.” In other words, if you leave the amount of time needed to complete a task open-ended, you will almost always take more time to complete it than if you set strict time limits. Use a stopwatch or another type of timer to keep track of how long you work on each task. Set goals for yourself and turn this into a game; you’ll work far more rapidly if you’re attempting to beat the clock. 8. Tackle unimportant tasks within 10 minutes. Following this tip alone can often give you an extra 90 minutes a day. You'll be surprised how much time is wasted on unimportant tasks like writing emails! Working this way can help you develop a work “flow,” something that behavioral psychologists have described as a feeling of accomplishment, productivity, and happiness. 9. Multitask the right way. Multitasking can be a double-edged sword: it can be a helpful strategy for getting lots of things done in a short amount of time, or it can spread your time and attention too thin, leading to poor quality work.To reap the benefits while avoiding the pitfalls of multitasking, follow these strategies: Focus on related tasks at the same time. Reduce the amount of mental energy used when switching between different tasks by bundling your multitasking activities together. For example, respond to all of your mail messages at the same time (email, voicemail, and snail-mail). Write down your workflow items. Writing down all the stuff you want to juggle will help you to not get distracted or sidetracked with all the multiple things going. Take some time at the end of your tasks to go over each item alone. This narrowing of focus can help with catching any errors and making sure you've done all you wanted while working on it in a multitasking atmosphere. 10. Set aside personal time to disconnect from work. It might sound counterintuitive, but you can actually increase your productivity by carving out some break time during your day and week.Rather than worrying about work or what you need to accomplish later, focus fully on whatever you choose to do during your "me" time. Spending the first few hours in the morning on something you care about—whether it's playing with your kids, taking the dog for a walk, or doing yoga—can help clear your mind and put you in a better mood for the rest of the day, which will help you stay focused and work faster. Set up separate personal and work or school email accounts and limit how often you check your work or school account over the weekend. Try to be mindful and take some time to really switch off from your work worries, especially on the weekends, so that when you do get back to the grind on Monday you can be refreshed and ready to work faster and more efficiently. 11. Organize your workspace. Ditch any clutter or trash laying around and file papers you no longer need to keep on hand. Prepare your desk by laying out all your study or work materials so you can just jump right in. If your space feels calming instead of hectic, you're likely to be more efficient. 12. Eliminate distractions. Put your phone on silent or store it in your bag or backpack so you're not tempted to check it. Turn off the TV or radio if they tend to steal your attention away from your work, too. Let friends, family, and even your colleagues know when you're busy and aren't able to chat. This will help keep you on task so you can be more productive. 13. Put an end to procrastination. Many of us procrastinate or put things off (especially things we don't like) which can negatively impact our productivity as well as overall work quality. Avoid doing this and just jump right in! Don't fall into the faulty misconception that "one does their best work under pressure." Psychological studies have shown this to largely be untrue! Procrastinators who wait until the last minute often get less done and produce work with more errors. Plan a celebration or treat for yourself when you complete your task on time or even early. If you have something fun to look forward to, you'll give yourself extra motivation to get your work done.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Work-Faster", "language": "en"}
How to Read and Write in 1337	LEET (1337) is a written language or cipher used in online gaming, e-mails, text messaging, tweeting, and other electronic communication. The root of the term "leet" is the word "elite"--translated as 31337--and 1337 was initially developed as an exclusionary language: a way to encode text so that messages could only be read by the initiated. The defining characteristic of 1337 is substitution of symbols and numbers for letters (for example, in the term "1337," 1=L, 3=E and 7=T), but the language has also developed to include intentional misspellings, phonetic spelling, and new words. If you want to familiarize yourself with 1337, or if you're just curious about it, this article will explain the basics of how to read and write in this ever-changing language. The license plate on the car says H4X0R2, or Hackers. 1. Keep an open mind. Like all languages, 1337 isn't static. Reading 1337 can be difficult and the language may not always appear to make sense, especially since new words, random capitalizations and alternative spellings proliferate. You can learn basic guidelines for 1337, but there are no rules, and individuals alter the language to suit their own needs. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the same can be said for any language. All languages are living and changing; 1337 is simply very alive and changing quickly. 2. Think of the symbols as shapes and not as their meanings. For example, a 5 looks a bit like an S, as does a $, so either of these symbols (among others) could be substituted for an S. When writing in 1337, you can follow guidelines such as those below, you can use the same substitutions of symbols for letters that you see other people using, or you can make up your own substitutions. 3. Combine two or more symbols and numbers to make single letters, such as \|= for F or \|3 for B. Again, you will find some frequently-used combination substitutions, but don't be afraid to be creative when you're writing, and don't be discouraged if you come across something unfamiliar when you're reading. 4. Pay attention to context. If you can't figure out the meaning of a symbol, try to guess its meaning based on the letters (symbols) around it. This is a bit like playing hangman or Wheel of Fortune: you try to figure out the missing letter or letters by looking at the surrounding letters. The same can be said of whole words. If a word doesn't make sense, you might not be translating it right, or it might be unfamiliar slang. Try to guess its meaning by looking at adjacent words or the sentence which contains the word. 5. Familiarize yourself with common phonetic replacements. In addition to symbol-for-letter replacement, 1337 can include letters which substitute for other letters, sounds or words. For instance, f = ph, cks = xx, s = z or r = are. This practice is certainly not unique to 1337--you don't have to be a 1337$p34\|<3r (leetspeaker) to figure out the phrase "i luv u." 6. Brace yourself for flagrant misspellings. Some, such as "kewl" (for "cool") are phonetic replacements, while others such as "teh" (for "the), or "ownt" and "pwned" (for "owned") have just grown into the language as an inside joke. Other variations, such as omission of vowels, are also common. "Creative" spelling is just part of 1337. 7. Learn new grammatical structures. 1337 users often deviate from standard English grammatical structures, and they have invented some grammatical devices of their own. For example, the suffix "0rz" can be added to a word to make it plural or to add emphasis, as in "r0xx0rz" for "rocks," where "r0xx" would substitute for "rocks". Another common suffix is "3d," used to indicate the past tense such that "rocked" becomes "r0xx0r3d," as is "7h47 r0xx0r3d" ("that rocked"). It has also become something of a convention to change verbs to nouns by preceding the verb with "the" or, especially, "teh." 8. Embrace acronyms. Though technically just chat-speak, the use of acronyms and abbreviations is common in 1337. There are a tremendous number of acronyms used in electronic communication, among them BTW ("by the way"), TTYL ("talk to you later"), and the ubiquitous LOL (generally meaning "laugh out loud"). Even the meaning of unfamiliar acronyms will probably become obvious if the letters are examined in context, for example ROFLBBQCOPTER ("ROFLBBQCOPTER") or ROFLB52BOMBER ("ROFLB52BOMBER"), and you can always make your own. 9. Expand your vocabulary. Though most of the "new" words in 1337 are simply misspellings of English words ("taht", for example, or "pwn"), some are actually new coinages, such as "nooblet"--this could be written, for example, as "n008137"--which denotes a "noobie," or the 'newguy' \|\\|3\/\/\|3 (newb) someone new to 1337 or something else. The best way to learn the vocabulary is to read a lot of 1337. 10. Adapt to inconsistency. Sometimes, you'll see people with 1337 "skillz," sometimes you'll see "5k1\|\|5," and sometimes "$c1llz0r3d." Sometimes all three will be the same person writing in the same passage. There is a lot of inconsistency in 1337--get used to it. 11. cApItalizE at random. Random capitalization is arguably an integral part of 1337. Some writers employ a consistent method, such as capitalizing all letters except vowels or only ending letters, but many simply capitalize letters (where they are not replaced by symbols), whenever they want. 12. Practice reading 1337 and study the chart below. The only way to really learn 1337 is to absorb it by reading and writing a lot of it. If you read through 1337 $\|o3/-\\|< \|=/-\57 3\|\\|0U9\|-\| u	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Read-and-Write-in-1337", "language": "en"}
How to Check Mineral Rights	If you think that you might have minerals on your property, then you will want to check if you still own them. Sometimes, a prior owner might sell off the mineral rights to a piece of land. If that happened, then you did not purchase the subsurface rights in the minerals when you purchased the land. To check out who owns mineral rights, you will need to perform a title search. 1. Understand fee simple title. Fee simple title is ownership of land that includes both the surface and the subsurface. It also includes the air above the property. If there are minerals below the surface of your property, then you will own the mineral rights if you own the land in “fee simple.” Fee simple title, however, can be carved up. Whoever owned the land in fee simple before you could have sold the subsurface rights to the land. This means that although you own the surface of your land, someone else could own the minerals beneath the surface. Furthermore, some minerals could have been sold while a prior owner retained others. Accordingly, when you purchased the land, you might not have been deeded all of the mineral rights. 2. Get your deed. To check if you own mineral rights, then you should start by getting a copy of your deed. If you do not already have a copy, then go to the county Recorder’s office and get a copy. Look to see if you were conveyed fee simple title to the property. If mineral rights are owned wholly or in part by someone else, then the deed should note that fact. You also should be aware that property deeds can sometimes be inaccurate. Although your property deed might state that you were conveyed “fee simple” title, the mineral rights might have been sold decades ago. For this reason, you shouldn’t trust your deed completely. Instead, you will probably have to perform a title search. 3. Hire a title company. You need to research the chain of title to find out if your deed is accurate. By performing a title search, you can check if the mineral rights were sold off at some point in the past. To find a title search company, look in your phone book’s Yellow Pages. You may also want to hire a member of the American Land Title Association, a national trade association. You can find a company by visiting the organization’s website and clicking on the “For Consumers” link at the top of the page. 4. Establish the parameters of the search. Title searchers will agree to search only so far back in time. For example, some title companies might only trace the chain of title for 40 years. You should clarify the parameters of the search because mineral rights might have been sold off 100 years ago or earlier. Check if the title company is willing to negotiate how far in the past they will search. If costs are a concern, then you might want to ask a title researcher to give you a “take-off.” A take-off comprises a list of the books and pages where the relevant deeds can be found. You can also specify that you only need a list of deeds that convey mineral rights, instead of all deeds in the chain of title. 5. Hire a lawyer. A lawyer is another option instead of a title company. Although a lawyer will probably be more expensive than a title company, you might want to establish a relationship with an attorney if you think you have minerals under your property. An experienced attorney can be beneficial. She can advise you on the law and help you lease your mineral rights should you find valuable minerals on your land. An attorney can also help you understand the details of your state law. For example, some states have created “marketable record title” laws which could extinguish a prior ownership interest in your land. If someone else owns the mineral rights under your land, then an attorney could help you use state law to get control of those rights. To find an experienced mineral rights attorney, use the referral program run by your state’s bar association. With some referral programs, you call a phone number and talk to someone who takes down your information and identifies your legal need. Then that person connects you to a lawyer who specializes in your field. Other referral programs are run on the web, which you can search by lawyer specialty. If “mineral rights” is not a specialty you can use to search, then look for attorneys who specialize in real estate, property, or land use. 6. Go to the Recorder of Deeds office. You can begin your title search by going to the office for the county where the land is located. You should call your town office if you are unsure where the Deeds office is located. 7. Ask the staff for assistance. Offices preserve their records in different ways. Some offices may store all or some deeds in an electronic format. In that situation, you can search for deeds on the computer. Other offices will still have all of their deeds bound in books. Show the staff a copy of your deed. Say that you want to search the chain of title to check for mineral rights. A staff member should be willing to show you how to search. 8. Find the deed that immediately precedes yours. To start searching the chain of title, you will begin with the land deed immediately before yours. If you bought the land from Mr. Wilson, then you will need the deed given to Mr. Wilson when he bought it from Mrs. Vigue. Read the deed carefully. Look especially for mention of minerals or subsurface rights being reserved or transferred. Read the whole deed, including any attachments or addendums. 9. Continue working backwards. After you find the deed between Mr. Wilson and Mrs. Vigue, look for the deed Mrs. Vigue received when she got the land from Mr. Udall. Continue to work backwards, creating a chain of title. You need to go as far back in time as possible. Ideally, you should search all the way back to the original land grant. You should probably get a copy of every deed in the chain of title. Deeds can sometimes be confusing to read. You don’t want to overlook something or feel rushed. By getting a copy of each deed, you can then study them in your free time or take them to a lawyer to look over. 10. Search other records if you reach a “gap.” A gap in the chain of title occurs when you find a deed where Party X transfers an interest in land to party Y, but you can’t find the source deed that gave land rights to Party X. This break in the chain of title causes a “gap.” You will have to look at other public documents to try and fill in the gap: Look at divorce records or probate files. People convey land by wills or in a divorce decree. You might have to go to the court clerk, instead of the clerk at the Recorder of Deeds, to find these records. Research tax sales. If the owner of a piece of property was delinquent on paying taxes, then the property may have been seized and sold as part of a tax sale. You can find tax sale records at the tax assessor’s office. 11. Perform a title search for mineral rights. If you find that mineral rights were severed from the fee simple estate, then you will need to move forward in time to locate the current owner of the mineral rights. Owners of mineral rights can transfer those rights to others. Accordingly, you shouldn’t assume that a person or entity that was given mineral rights in the past still holds those rights. For example, mineral rights to oil might have been sold in 1944 to a local oil company. Now you need to know who owns those rights today. The oil company might have gone out of business or might have sold the mineral rights to another business. By moving forward in your title search, you try to figure out who the mineral rights were conveyed to. You should probably enlist the help of a lawyer to find the current mineral rights owner. Finding the current owner of mineral rights is a little like finding a “needle in a haystack.” Your lawyer will probably have to search probate records and other court documents, which you may find difficult to locate.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Check-Mineral-Rights", "language": "en"}
How to Ice a Cake	Whether it's a chocolate, lemon, or carrot cake, this popular confection just isn't complete until it has been iced. A finished cake will taste good no matter how you ice it, but if you want it to look pretty, there are a few tips you should employ. Read on to learn how to ice a basic cake or a layer cake. 1. Set the cake on a platter. It's best to ice the cake on the same dish you plan to use to serve it, since after the cake has been iced it will be difficult to transport it to a different plate. 2. Allow the cake to cool completely. If you try to ice the cake before it's cool, the icing may melt, ruining the texture. Let it sit at room temperature until you don't feel warmth when you touch it with your finger. 3. Place some confectioner's sugar in a bowl. For a cake that is 9 inches (22.9 cm) in diameter, you will need a cup or so of confectioner's sugar. You can always mix up more if you need it. Do not use granulated sugar, as it is not fine enough, and will result in a grainy-textured icing. Other sugars, such as brown sugar, are also not acceptable to use in icing. 4. Boil a cup of water. Pour a teaspoon of boiling water over the sugar, and stir the water with the sugar until it reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency. If you find the icing too thick or lumpy after the first teaspoon of water has been stirred in, add another teaspoon of water. Keep stirring and adding tiny amounts of water till you get the right consistency. If you add too much water and the icing becomes runny, add more confectioner's sugar. If it's too thick, add more water. 5. Add color and flavor. If you wish to customize your icing to a certain color or flavor, add a few drops of food coloring and flavoring. Stir them in thoroughly, and continue adding color and flavor until the icing has reached the color and taste that you desire. Vanilla, almond, hazelnut, peppermint, and other flavored extracts are popular choices. These can be purchased at many grocery stores, and even large selections are offered at baking stores. Be careful not to add too much, since a little color and flavor go a long way. Add two or three drops, stir it in, and taste and look at before you decide to add more. 6. Spread the icing on the cake. Use a spoon to place some icing on the top of the cake. Spread it evenly with a butter knife, using the same motion you'd use to spread butter onto a piece of bread. Remember to spread icing on the sides of the cake, as well as the top. Create a smoother layer of icing by dipping the knife into warm water, shaking off the excess drops, and using it smooth out the icing. 7. Decorate the cake. Add sprinkles, marzipan models, plastic characters, birthday candles and so on. Baking supply stores offer endless possibilities. 8. Let it set. Put the cake in the fridge to give the icing time to completely set. After half an hour, it will be ready to eat. 9. Bake two cake layers of the same size. You may choose round or square cakes, but it's important that the dimensions be exactly the same. Allow the cakes to cool completely. 10. Turn one cake onto a platter. Since the cake will be unwieldy once it is layered and iced, it's best to use the same plate on which you plan to serve the cake. 11. Use a long serrated knife to trim off the rounded top of the cake. Hold the knife parallel to the brim of the cake and slice about ⁄4 inch (0.6 cm) off the top. Be careful to slice straight across, holding the knife level as you go. Try to create a flat, even surface. This will serve as a base for the second layer. Remove the rounded top of the cake and discard it, or save it to eat. Don't attempt to cut off the top of the cake with a small knife, as this will result in an uneven surface. 12. Cover the cake layer with filling. Spoon the filling of your choice onto the bottom layer of the cake. Use the spoon or a knife to spread it around until it covers the entire layer. Raspberry, lemon curd, cream, or chocolate are popular cake fillings. Try not to let the filling drip over the edges, since you don't want it to mix with the icing. 13. Place the second layer of the cake on top of the first. The flat side of the second layer should be down, and the rounded side should be the top of the cake. If you want the finished cake to have a flat surface instead of a domed one, repeat the process of slicing off the rounded top of the second layer with a serrated knife. Place the cut side down, so that the smooth, flat bottom of the second layer forms the top of the cake. Use a paper towel to wipe away filling that squeezes out when you add the second layer. 14. Ice the cake with a crumb coat. For a professional-looking cake, you'll be adding two layers of icing, starting with a "crumb coat" that serves as a base to catch all the crumbs, so the second layer looks clean and crumb-free. Use the recipe above or your own icing recipe to ice the cake with a butter knife. The crumb coat needn't have flavor or color, unless you'd like it to. You can use plain white icing. Be sure to ice the entire cake, including the sides. Take care not to get too much filling mixed in with the icing. It's OK if the crumb coat doesn't look perfect - the point is simply to cover the entire cake and trap in the crumbs. Allow the crumb coat to set for half an hour before continuing. 15. Ice the cake with a final layer of icing. Using the recipe above or your own icing recipe, ice the cake once more with a final pretty layer. If desired, add flavor and color to the batch of icing you use for the final layer. Decorate the cake with cut fruit, flowers, or other toppings, then allow it to set before eating. 16. Finished.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Ice-a-Cake", "language": "en"}
How to Buy a Camel	Starting to look at camels for sale? Whether you’re looking for livestock, a pet, or a pack animal for your latest adventures, buying a camel takes a bit of knowledge and prep work. We'll cover everything from how much a camel costs to how you can choose a healthy camel and care for your animal. 1. Understand the commitment and cost behind owning a camel. This is especially true if you plan to keep a camel as a pet or livestock beyond a short trip. Camels can live for 40 to 50 years. After buying and transporting your camel, expect to spend thousands of dollars on food, equipment, grooming, vaccinations, and specialized vet care each year. It costs around $2,000 USD to care for a camel annually, and initial prices for camels vary depending on your region and the camel breed. In the US, expect to spend around $10,000 for a mature gelding and up to $17,000 for a pregnant female. In Tanzania, a camel will likely cost $700 USD. In Egypt’s camel markets, prices range from around $50 USD to $380, but the animals are often poorly treated there. In the UK, specialized racing camels cost around $55,000 USD. Racing camels cost over $12,000 to care for annually. If your camel is not properly trained, you may need to spend additional time and money to train it. This will be important when it comes to grooming the camel. 2. Prepare your camel’s pasture, or buy accessories to ride your camel. If you plan to keep the camel for a pet, you will need a pasture with strong fences and a three-walled shelter. Plan on having at least two acres of land per camel, and keep the camels away from horses. It might be a good idea to keep at least two camels, since they’re herd animals. If you plan to ride the camel, you will need a saddle, a rope and peg, and blankets. You might also find a camel stick helpful too. If you plan to use the camel to carry stuff for you, you will need additional rope and sturdy sacks. Sometimes this can hurt the camel's back if you put too much weight on, so be careful. 3. Make sure that you have proper nutrition for the camel. Camels can go for a long time without drinking water, but they need food daily. Before you buy your camel, it’s a good idea to have some alfalfa hay and oat hay ready. You can also feed them corn or oats from time to time. Preparing food in advance is especially important if you plan on traveling with your camel to places where it cannot graze. Camels need 5 ounces (140 grams) of salt every day. If the camel's food does not already include salt, consider getting a salt block. Check that your camel gets 4-8mg of selenium per day in its food or via supplements. A camel will die if it does not get enough selenium. 4. Understand the effort that goes into proper camel care. Just like cats and dogs, camels need yearly vaccinations. They also need to be trained, not just for riding, but also to handle proper grooming. Camels need a West Nile virus vaccine. These can be administered by a specialized vet. If you are not willing to give your camel vaccinations, you would end up with a very sick camel. Camels need to be groomed. This will keep their thick fur clean of dust and insects. Regular brushing will allow you to catch any bites, bumps, or cuts, and to treat them before they get infected. Camels have nails instead of hooves. They will need those trimmed by a vet or farrier. They will need their toenails trimming either by the vet or a farrier. 5. Sort out any necessary paperwork. Depending on where you live, you might need special clearances, authorizations, and paperwork in order to own a camel. For example, if you live in the United Kingdom, for example, get a DWA license. You need this license to legally keep a camel in the UK. 6. Plan the journey home. Depending on where you live, this can be not only expensive for you, but stressful for the camel. In general, ground-based transportation will be less expensive and less stressful than overseas transportation. If you are using an agency to transport your camel overseas, be sure to ask if they offer any aftercare. Some agencies just drop the camel off at a predetermined location, and how you get your camel home from there is up to you. 7. Decide on the breed of camel. The breed affects the number of humps a camel has, its size, and fur. For example, the Dromedary has one hump. It tends to be taller, and a natural desert dweller. The Bactrian has two humps and a stocky build. It gets a thick woolly coat in winter, making it ideal for colder climates. 8. Buy a strong camel if you are going to use it for traveling long distances. This is especially important if the camel has to carry supplies, people, or both. A weak camel can get hurt easily, especially if it is not accustomed to bearing so much weight. Here are some things to consider: Observe the camel's knees when it sits and stands back up again. Look for any signs of shaking or trembling. This is an indicator of weak knees. A camel with weak knees will not be able to safely bear heavy loads. Watch how it walks. If the camel has a limp, this could be a sign of weakness or illness. This could spell problems later on in your journey. 9. Choose a docile, obedient camel if you plan on using it for traveling. Camels are large, strong creatures. A disobedient camel will be difficult to control by strength alone. You also don't want a camel that bites or kicks. A well-trained camel is important not just for riding, but also for grooming purposes. The camel must be able to stand still while being brushed and having its nails trimmed. 10. Watch how the camel sits and stands back up again. The movement should be smooth and fluid, especially if you plan on riding a camel. Unlike with horses, the camel must be seated in order for you to get on and off. You can't mount a camel if it is standing. If the camel sits or stands too roughly, you'll be more likely to fall off. 11. Make sure that the camel will accept a rope and peg if you plan to ride it. Camels do not wear bridles and bits like horses do. Instead, the reins are attached to their muzzles through a peg in their nose. If the camel gets fussy while wearing a nose peg, it might not be trained for riding. 12. Check the camel’s overall health. An unhealthy camel will only create problems, whether you are going to ride it or keep it as a pet. Check the camel's skin and mouth for any sores. Also, if you can, take a look under its feet. There should be no sores or open wounds. Any of these are indicators of serious medical conditions, which can be disastrous, especially if you are traveling in the desert. Even if you aren't planning on ever riding your camel, you want to get a healthy one. An unhealthy camel will require veterinary care, which can cost a lot. 13. Choose a younger camel between four and eight years old. These camels tend to be experienced enough while being strong and healthy. 14. Know where to buy a camel. You do not necessarily have to travel to the Middle East in order to buy a camel. For example, if you live in the United States, you might be able to find a camel breeder in your state. Ethiopia, India, the Gobi desert, and Australia all sell camels. Livestock markets are a great place to start looking. In India, the city of Pushkar has a huge camel festival in October and November. Some organizations will allow you to view and/or select your camel online before you physically travel to the location. 15. Be prepared when you are visiting a market in a foreign country. Sellers may recognize that you’re not a local and flock to you. Some may be honest and helpful, while others might be less so. The dishonest ones may try to use your inexperience against you and overcharge you. If you are visiting a foreign country to buy your camel, familiarize yourself with that country's culture customs, especially when it comes to business, bartering, and haggling. This will prevent you from appearing rude or disrespectful. 16. Consider bringing a local person with you. This can be a friend or someone you trust. Try to find someone who knows something about camels. This person can help manage the bartering for you, and ensure that you get a fair price. Offer to pay the person who is helping you for their time, travel, and effort. 17. Know that camel prices can vary depending on various factors. Camels will be cheaper during times when they are plentiful, and more expensive when they are scarce. Other factors that might influence the price of a camel may also include any of the following: Its age and sex Whether is it used for meat, milk, or fur Whether it is used for riding or travel How well it is trained Its parentage, especially if it comes from a breeder. 18. Name your camel, unless it already has a name. Choose a name that best matches your camel. Decide based on your fancy, the way they eat or walk, or even just the way they look.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Buy-a-Camel", "language": "en"}
How to Improve Your Skin Complexion	Having nice skin takes more than just using the right products. You also have to take good care of your skin and maintain a healthy lifestyle. If you have skin issues that can’t be managed with at-home remedies and lifestyle changes, you may wish to seek professional treatments. 1. Washing your face will help get rid of all the dirt, grit, and oil on your skin. According to dermatologist Margareth Pierre-Louis, daily face washing also prevents you from developing a mild yeast infection on your skin. Washing your face too often, however, will strip the moisture and natural oils from your skin. This will cause your skin to produce even more oil to compensate. In turn, this will lead to even more breakouts and acne. If your skin gets oily during the day, try blotting the oily spots with blotting papers. You can find them in most beauty shops. Avoid using hot water when washing your face. Hot water can be very drying. Use warm water instead, and rinse with cool water when you are done. Always wash your face and remove your makeup before going to bed. If you leave makeup on, you may clog your pores and end up with a breakout. 2. Try finding a cleanser that is also exfoliating to clear dead skin. There are different types of cleansers available, and some are meant to help certain problems, such as acne, oiliness, or dryness. When choosing a cleanser, avoid anything that is heavily perfumed or colored, as it may irritate your skin. Exfoliants will help buff away the dead skin cells, and reveal the bright skin underneath. If you have dry skin, look for something that says "hydrating" or "moisturizing." If you have oily skin, look for something that is oil-free, or is labeled "for oily skin." If you have acne or blackheads, try using something that says "deep cleaning" or “purifying.” These products will flush out the dirt inside your pores. 3. More dirt and bacteria gets into your skin when you touch your face. This is especially important for those battling acne. This will lead to more acne and breakouts. 4. This could lead to more redness, or worse: scarring. According to dermatologist Margareth Pierre-Louis, popping a pimple pushes the inflammation deeper into the skin, which can create a scar. Try using a sulfur-based pimple treatment instead. If you must pop pimples, soften your skin first with steam or a washcloth soaked in hot water. Use a sterilized pimple extractor rather than your fingers. When you’re done, gently clean the area with rubbing alcohol. 5. Toners help re-balance your skin's pH and tighten pores. Moisturizers help hydrate your skin. They are great for all skin types, including oily skin. If you have oily skin, try to use a light-weight, oil-free moisturizer. 6. Foundation can make your skin look and feel worse after you take it off. Sometimes, the way you put on your makeup will also make a difference. Also, try using a face primer before putting on foundation. Primers help fill in any pores and imperfections, and make your skin appear more smooth. If you have oily skin, use oil-free, mineral-based makeup. Stay away from cream-based foundation, and reach for the powder or liquid kind instead. Make sure the label on your foundation says “non-comedogenic” (meaning that it will not clog your pores). If you have dry skin, skip on the powder foundation, as this can make your skin look flaky. Instead, use liquid or cream-based foundation. Try to find something that is also moisturizing. 7. Dirty makeup brushes can spread bacteria onto your face. This may lead to acne, breakouts, and pimples. Clean your brushes a few times a week using soap and water or a makeup brush cleaner. 8. The sun gives you helpful vitamins, but can cause skin damage. Sunlight is not a bad thing, because it gives you Vitamin D, but too much of it can do your skin a lot of harm. Aim for about 20 to 25 minutes of sunlight a day. Too much sunlight can lead to skin cancer and wrinkles. Here are some tips on how to keep yourself safe from the sun's harmful rays: Dermatologist Margareth Pierre-Louis recommends wearing sunscreen with at least 30 SPF. Reapply every 2 hours for continued protection. Try to avoid the sun between 10am and 2pm. It is the strongest during the time. If you are going to spend a lot of time out in the sun, be sure to cover yourself with long sleeves and hats. 9. This washes away impurities and leaves your skin with a healthy glow. Water will also help hydrate your skin, and make it look more firm and youthful. If your skin looks dull and grayish, you need to drink more water. Green tea is also great for your skin. It is rich in antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. It can help your skin look clearer. Try drinking iced green tea, without any sugar added. Hot green tea may increase redness in skin. 10. Sleep gives your skin time to heal and replenish itself. Try to sleep on your back, instead of on your side or tummy. This will help prevent wrinkles, puffiness, and under-eye bags. Keep your head slightly elevated while you are sleeping in order to prevent fluid buildup in your face. 11. Foods with vitamins and antioxidants are good for your body and skin. These help your skin look clear and healthy. Here are some things you could add to your diet to improve your skin’s health: Healthy fats are found in avocado, fish, nuts, and seeds. Most of these foods also contain Vitamin E. They help hydrate your skin, and keep it youthful. Selenium is an antioxidant found in broccoli, eggs, fish, nuts, shellfish, and tomatoes. It protects your skin against cancer, sun damage, and age spots. Vitamin C is an antioxidant. It can brighten your skin and give it a healthy glow. It can also lessen blemishes. You can find it in: blackcurrants, blueberries, broccoli, guava, kiwi, oranges, papaya, strawberries, and sweet potatoes. Vitamin E is found in avocado, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils. It helps slow down aging and makes your skin healthier. Zinc helps repair damage and keeps skin feeling soft. You can find it in fish, lean red meat, poultry, nuts, seed, shellfish, and whole grains. 12. These foods may hurt your skin more than help it. These foods may lead to acne, sagging, and premature aging. When it comes to dairy, dermatologist Margareth Pierre-Louis notes that milk in particular can be connected to acne. 13. Exercising increases blood flow to your skin and keeps it healthy. It may also reduce stress. Too much stress can cause your skin to produce too much oil, which can lead to acne. Try going to the gym or enrolling in some dance or yoga classes. If you do not have the time or money, you can always go for a walk or jog around the block. 14. Stress can lead to breakouts and acne. If you can, try to set aside some time during the day or week where you relax, decompress, and de-stress. Here are some ideas on what you can do: Take a walk or exercise. This will help your mind focus on moving, rather than what is stressing you. Try meditating. Find a quiet spot, and focus on your breathing. Be aware of your surroundings, but don't focus on them. Listen to some relaxing or uplifting music. If you are musically talented, you can also try to sing or play music. Try doing some arts and crafts, such as drawing, painting, or knitting. 15. Studies have shown that smoking can lead to premature aging and wrinkles. Try a cessation product or talk to a doctor about your options. 16. Too much alcohol dehydrates your skin. This contributes to dry skin, fine lines, and wrinkles. It can also keep your body from absorbing enough vitamin A, which is crucial for skin regeneration. Alcohol dilates the blood vessels in your face, leading to redness, puffiness, and permanent spider veins. If you do drink alcohol, make sure to drink plenty of water both while you are drinking and after. 17. Shea butter soothes redness and inflammation. Shea butter is completely natural, and free of any harmful synthetic chemicals. Simply apply a thin layer of shea butter to your face, as you would any other moisturizer. Take care to avoid the sensitive areas around the eyes and mouth. Don’t use shea butter on your face if you have oily skin. It may contribute to breakouts or make your skin greasy. 18. Bananas and honey give your face a healthy glow. You will need 1 ripe banana, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of honey, and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of lemon juice. Mix everything together in a small bowl and smooth it onto your face. Let the mask sit for 15 minutes, then wash it off using cool water. 19. The yogurt helps moisturize and tone your skin. Mix 2 to 3 tablespoons (29.6 to 44.4 ml) of Greek yogurt with 1 to 2 teaspoons (5-10 ml) of honey. Apply the mixture to your face, taking care to avoid the area around the eyes. Leave it on for 20 minutes, then wash it off with warm water. You can add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten your face some more, but you will have to avoid the sun for a few hours afterward. You can also add some blueberries. They are full of antioxidants, which makes them great for treating acne. You will need to mix your face mask in a blender to get everything smooth. You can also use plain yogurt, without any honey, lemon, or blueberries. 20. Massaging oil into your skin could actually relieve acne. Start with a dry face. Your skin does not have to be clean. Mix together some of the oils from the list below, and massage a quarter-sized drop onto your face. Avoid the eyes and mouth. Keep massaging, using a smooth, circular motion, for one to two minutes. Dampen a washcloth in hot water, and press it against your face. Repeat, if necessary, with the other side of the cloth. Use the corners to dab excess oil away from the hard-to-reach parts of your face, such as the nose. You may notice some oily residue, which is normal and actually helpful. Keep in mind that it may take a few days for your skin to get used to this; your skin may get worse before it gets better. Here are some combinations to get you started: If you have oily skin, use 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 2 parts sunflower, grapeseed, or sweet almond oil. Hazelnut and sunflower oil are a great combination for acne. If you have combination skin, use 1 part castor or hazelnut oil and 3 parts sunflower or any other oil. If you have dry skin, go for pure avocado, apricot kernel oil, jojoba, or grapeseed oil. Use very little to no castor oil. Keep in mind that jojoba oil may clog pores. Avoid using coconut oil or olive oil. Both tend to clog pores, which leads to breakouts. 21. You might even have most of the ingredients in your pantry already. Simply combine oil and salt or sugar in a small bowl. Mince the fruit or vegetable of your choice, and add it in. You want to use just enough fruit or veggies to thicken the scrub, but not so much that it becomes clumpy. Massage the scrub onto a damp face for a few minutes, then rinse it off using warm water. Store any leftovers in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Here are some recipes to get you started: To make a moisturizing mask, you will need 2 parts salt, 1 part olive oil, and tomato pulp. To make a clarifying mask, you will need 2 parts sugar, 1 part safflower oil, and a peeled kiwi. To brighten your skin, you will need 2 parts sugar, 1 part almond oil, and strawberries. If you have sensitive skin, try making a soothing mask. You will need 2 parts brown sugar, 1 part avocado oil, and a peeled cucumber. 22. Filler treatments may last anywhere from six months to a couple of years. Fillers are substances that can be injected into the skin to fill in wrinkles and stimulate the production of skin-plumping collagen. Common fillers include: Radiesse, a filler made from tiny calcium beads (lasts about 18 months) Sculptra, a synthetic lactic acid (lasts about 2 years) Hyaluronic acid, a filler with shorter-term effects that last for about 6 months 23. This treats deep wrinkles, but could be painful. Laser treatments can significantly improve the appearance of wrinkles, and the effects may last for several years. Laser resurfacing comes in a couple of different forms: nonablative (which is relatively gentle and superficial) and ablative (which removes the top layers of your skin). 24. Antibiotics may relieve the underlying cause of redness. Redness on your face can have a lot of different causes, ranging from sun damage or allergies to infection. Depending on the underlying cause of the redness, you may be able to treat it with an antibiotic ointment (such as MetroGel or Sulfacet) or a medication that reduces immune reactions, like Elidel. Consult with a dermatologist to determine the cause of the redness, and come up with a treatment plan. 25. These procedures reduce redness from blood vessels in your skin. KTP laser therapy and intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments are both effective at reducing redness caused by clusters of blood vessels near the surface of the skin. They can also be used to treat discoloration caused by sun damage, hormonal changes, or injuries to the skin. You may need to do several treatments of KTP laser therapy or IPL therapy over the course of a few weeks to get the desired result. 26. Chemical peels can improve wrinkles, discoloration, and sun damage. According to dermatologist Margareth Pierre-Louis, chemical peels are different than facials and actual alter the surface of the skin. They may even work well on fine lines and scarring too. If you would like to achieve a fresher, more even skin tone, consider getting a chemical peel. Take care to protect your face from the sun after a chemical peel, as your skin’s sensitivity to the sun will be temporarily increased. Some people may experience scarring or discoloration of the skin after a chemical peel. 27. Prescriptions tackle stubborn acne when OTC options don’t work. If your acne won’t respond to over-the-counter treatments or lifestyle changes, talk to your dermatologist. They may be able to prescribe a medication that will work for you. Common medical treatments for acne include: Topical retinoid treatments. Antibiotic ointments, often used in combination with retinoids. Oral antibiotics. Hormone-based treatments, such as oral contraceptives (the pill) or anti-androgen agents. Isotretinoin. This medication is very effective, but because of the risk of severe side effects, it is only used to treat extremely severe and difficult to treat cases of acne.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Improve-Your-Skin-Complexion", "language": "en"}
How to Wear Your Hair with a Hat	Hats are a great style accessory that can make a casual outfit more fun, or add a dash of elegance to a lovely evening outfit. Try positioning a hat on top of an elegant up-do or a sleek ponytail. Add a woven hat to beach wavy hair for a fun, relaxed look. For men, go for the slicked back look or the ever safe buzz cut underneath your hat. 1. Go curly. No matter the length, curly hair looks cute and playfully feminine when it is paired with a baseball cap. Add some styling mousse to bounce up your curls, or sleep with twisted buns the night before. When you wake up, let the curls fly and throw on a cute baseball cap. This is a great option for the day before you need to wash your hair. 2. Pull it into a loose side braid. Pull your hair to the side and separate it into three equal chunks. Braid each strand, one over the other, without pulling too tight. Tie it off at the bottom. This will create a cute loose braid that you can add a baseball cap to for a classically casual look. You can try a loose braid down the back for a variation of this look. For another option, you could try a fishtail braid. This will not work for short hair. It will look best on hair that is at least armpit length. 3. Let the curls hang out for men. If you’ve got curly hair and you still want to wear a hat, have no fear! Curly hair looks cute peeking out from under a baseball cap. Use a moisturizing agent (like a gel product) to avoid flyaways. Try not to let the curly hair stick out of the hole on the back of the baseball cap – especially if you’re wearing the ball cap backwards. This might look a little sloppy. 4. Make a man bun or ponytail. For guys with longer locks, you can still find many ways to wear your hair under a baseball cap. You can pull it back into a low man bun that fits out the hole in the back of the baseball cap. Or you can pull it into a low ponytail that sticks out the bottom of the hat. You can even combine the ponytail and man bun styles into one by pulling your hair into a low ponytail at the nape of your neck, and off to one side. Then loop the hair through the hair tie one last time, but only pull it halfway through. This will create a casual loose bun that is very stylish at the moment. 5. Wear a woven hat. Woven hats – like Panama hats – are great for a summertime look. You can style your hair into beachy waves, pull it into a side braid, or straighten it out for a more casual sleek look. Try pairing the woven hat with some worn-in jeans or with a cute sundress. 6. Let your ponytail hang out of a fedora hat. For a cute casual look, you can make a messy ponytail that hides under a cute fedora. Pull your hair into a loose, low ponytail and top it off with a fedora, or another wide-brimmed hat. You can even let a few strands escape the ponytail and fall around your face. 7. Wear loose, beachy waves with an oversized sun hat. Create beachy waves by applying mousse to your hair, or by letting it air dry if you’ve got naturally curly hair. Top it off with an oversized sun hat and you’re ready for a fun summer day. You can add some frizz-easing product to manage the flyaways if you’re worried about that. If you have naturally straight hair, you can create waves by braiding your hair while it's wet and letting the braids dry before unraveling them. Alternatively, you could use a waving iron. 8. Cut it short. For men’s hairstyles, the easiest way to get away with hat hair whenever you want is to opt for a shorter buzz cut. This look works with basically any kind of hat, and you don’t have to worry about the embarrassing hat hair creases once you take the cap off. If you decide to sport this look, make sure you use conditioner or moisturizing shampoo that protects against dandruff. You don’t want to get flakey dandruff all inside your hat. This style can work for girls with short hair too. Just throw on a nice hat and you’ve got a cute, active style. 9. Straighten your hair completely. Straight hair is classic and classy. Add some anti-frizz serum to your post-washing routine, and then blow dry your hair using a round brush. Run a straightener through your hair, one section at a time, until it become straight and frizz-free. Add a cute fedora hat or a floppy hat with flowers. Try to use the blow dryer and the hair straightener on low heat. This may take longer to complete the job, but it will protect your hair in the long run. For protection against heat damage, apply a heat protectant product to the hair prior to applying any form of heat. 10. Try a cute up-do. Twirl your hair up into a bun, or twist it into a cute semi-ponytail. Focus on the details so that they’ll still be visible once the hat is on. Place the hat carefully on top of your up-do and head out for an elegant night. Try this cute rolled up-do. Start with a loose ponytail and twist the length, bringing it back across the back of your head and tucking in the ends. 11. Pull your hair into a sleek, low ponytail. Use a brush to comb your hair back into a sleek ponytail. Try doing the bottom half first, then brushing back the top half and combining it with the existing ponytail. Make sure the level of your ponytail works with the position of your hat. 12. Slick it back for men. Whether your hair is long or short, straight or curly, a slicked back look works well with most hat styles. Apply some hair gel to your hair right after washing it, and smooth it back across the top of your head and down in the back. Let your hair dry a bit and then add the hat. If you don't have any gel, pomade or mousse may also work. You can comb it back with a brush or comb for an extra sleek look. This look works well with fedora hats.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Wear-Your-Hair-with-a-Hat", "language": "en"}
How to Use the Pen Tool in Photoshop	This wikiHow teaches you how to use the Standard, Curvature, and Freeform Pen tools in Adobe Photoshop. Unlike the brush tool, the pen isn't for drawing—instead, you’ll use these tools to create precise paths that you can turn into selections. 1. Click and hold the pen icon on the toolbar. A list of available pens will appear. You can use the standard pen tool to draw any style of line or shape by creating small segments joined by anchor points. 2. Select Pen Tool. 3. Click the first point in your line. We'll start by drawing straight lines. This drops an anchor at that point. Lift your finger after dropping this anchor. 4. Click the next point in the line. This draws a straight line between the two points. This is the first segment of your line or shape. If you click a point by mistake, you can delete it by clicking it once to select it, then pressing ← Backspace or Del. 5. Click the next point in the line. Another line will appear between the new anchor and the last one you placed. Continue clicking points until you've finished your line. 6. Close the path. There are a few ways to do this: If you want to create a complete shape, click the first anchor point to close the path. If you didn't draw a shape that must be closed, press ⌘ Command (Mac) or Control (PC) as you click anywhere on the canvas that is not on the line. 7. Click and hold the mouse button to create a new (curved) line. The place you click will become the first anchor point, but this time you won't release the mouse button just yet. The steps are slightly different for curved lines, as you'll be setting the slope before actually drawing the line. 8. Drag the mouse in any direction to set the slope. Release the mouse button once you've gone about 1/3rd of the distance of the line you want to draw. You'll see a direction line, which is really just a guide. 9. Create a C or S-shaped curve. Start by holding the mouse over the place you want this line segment to end, and then choose one of the following: For a C-shaped curve, click and drag the mouse in a direction that's opposite to the direction line, and then release the mouse button to see the curve. For an S-shaped curve, click and drag the mouse in the same direction as the first direction line, then release the mouse button. 10. Keep clicking and dragging the mouse between anchors to create more curves. As with straight lines, if you drop an anchor by mistake, click it once to select it, then press ← Backspace or Del. To adjust a segment, select the Direct Selection tool by clicking and holding the black arrow tool in the toolbar, and then choosing , select the curve to bring up its anchor points, then drag them the desired locations. 11. Close the path when you're finished. You'll close the path the same as you did when you drew a straight line—by clicking the first anchor point, or by holding ⌘ Command (Mac) or Control (PC) as you click a random blank area. 12. Click and hold the pen icon on the toolbar. A list of available pens will appear. The curvature pen tool is a new tool that helps you easily create paths to draw curved lines and shapes. You'll need to be using Photoshop CC 2018 or later to use this tool. 13. Select Curvature Pen Tool. If you don't see this option and are using the latest version of Photoshop, select as your workspace at the top-right corner of Photoshop. 14. Click the first point in your line. This drops an anchor at that point. Lift your finger after dropping this anchor. 15. Click the next point in the line. This draws a straight line between the two points. The reason the line is straight is because a curve requires at least three anchor points. 16. Click the next point in the line. As soon as you click, you'll see that the line will curve, using the second anchor to set the angle. Don't worry, you'll be able to reshape the curve. 17. Continue clicking points until you've finished your line. If you click a point by mistake, you can delete it by clicking it once to select it, then pressing ← Backspace or Del. 18. Click and drag an anchor point to reshape the curve. As long as you have the curvature pen tool selected, you can click any of the points you've dropped and drag them in any direction to adjust the angle and shape of the curve. You can fine-tune the shape even more by placing additional anchor points along the line, and then clicking-and-dragging them to the desired location. 19. Press Esc to when you're finished drawing. This closes the path. You can now create additional curved lines if you wish. If you want to create a complete shape, click the first anchor point to close the path. 20. Click and hold the pen icon on the toolbar. A list of available pens will appear. If you prefer to freehand-draw your lines, this tool is for you. You can click and drag to draw any line or shape as though you were using the paintbrush tool, except you'll be drawing a path with automatically-added anchor points. The freehand pen has a "magnetic" option that's great for tracing edges. 21. Select Freeform Pen Tool. 22. Click and drag to draw with the tool. When you lift your finger from the mouse, the path will automatically close. Now that you've drawn a freeform line, you'll learn how to use the "magnetic" option for this tool. 23. Select Magnetic in the options bar at the top of the screen (optional). This is helpful if you're tracing around an object. This enables the magnetic pen option, which lets you draw a line that "snaps" to the edges of an object. This is useful when tracing or selecting a specific object on another layer. You can adjust the options for the magnetic pen by clicking the small down-arrow to the left of "Magnetic" in the options bar. 24. Click a point on the object you're tracing. This drops a "fastening" anchor to the edge. 25. Move the mouse around the object's edges to trace it. Don't hold down the mouse button, just slowly move the cursor as close to the object's edge as possible. As you move the mouse, the line will appear around the object. If the line isn't snapping to the edge of the object properly, you can periodically click around edge as you trace to drop more fastening anchors. 26. Double-click to close the path. The line you draw now appears around the selected area.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-the-Pen-Tool-in-Photoshop", "language": "en"}
How to Start a Fitness Regime After a Long Illness	Whether you’re getting back to exercise after a chronic disease flare-up or getting physical after a long illness, exercise – when done appropriately – can help your body to heal faster and feel better. It’s important to recognize your limitations and increase your activity gradually to avoid injury, but with patience and perseverance you can get back to your previous state of fitness and health. Work with your doctor, be patient, and take your specific health needs into consideration, and you’ll be able to resume or start a fitness program. 1. Consult your doctor. The best thing you can do when returning to exercise after being sick is to talk to your doctor about it. Depending on your illness there are probably specific things to work on and avoid. Know the effects of any medications you’re taking – like if you’re more likely to become dehydrated while exercising. Your doctor may refer you to a Physical Therapist or Occupational Therapist for professional help getting moving, depending on your needs. Say something to your doctor like, “Now that I’m feeling better I want to start a fitness regime. Can you help me make a safe plan?” Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following during exercise: chest pain or tightness, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, nausea or vomiting, irregular heartbeat, numbness in your arms, lightheadedness, faintness, you pass out, or start to sweat profusely (more than would be expected for your activity level). 2. Acknowledge that you’re starting over. No matter how fit you were before your illness, being sick for a while takes a toll on your body. Your muscles are weaker than before and your stamina and endurance will be lower. This is normal! Acknowledge that you’re basically starting over, like it’s your first time exercising. Prepare yourself mentally to start slow, increase your activity gradually, and be patient. Remember that you can and will get fit, it just takes time. If you start lifting heavy weights right away, there’s a chance that your weakened muscles will get a tear, sprain, or strain. You have to rebuild your cardiovascular fitness, i.e. endurance. It’s likely your heart rate will elevate more easily now that you’ve been inactive for a while. Your immune system has been fighting hard to overcome your illness, so if you overwork your body you’ll probably feel unwell the next day. Take it easy to avoid getting symptoms again. 3. Plan ahead and make goals. What do you want to be able to do again – run a marathon, go back to aerobics class, play a sport? If you make goals and write them down, you're more likely to achieve them. Keep a workout journal to help you stay motivated. Write down your main goal, and then smaller goals for one week, two weeks, and one month. For instance, if your main goal is, “Run a marathon in a year,” don’t expect to start running 10 miles this week. Increase your goals gradually, starting with something like “Week 1: Walk for 30 minutes a day” and working up to “6 months: Run 10 miles 2-3 times per week.” Start as big or as small as is safe and comfortable for you. Be realistic and specific in your goals. “Walk 30 minutes a day” is more specific and motivating than “do some walking.” Write down your accomplishments to see how far you’ve come. 4. Stay motivated by working with a group. Getting acclimated to your fitness routine after an illness can be challenging. Try working out with a friend or family member to help you stay motivated and safe. Some hospitals, clinics, and health clubs sponsor exercise programs for patients with specific conditions – ask your doctor about availability and consider joining up so you have support. 5. Stay hydrated while exercising. Drink plenty of fluids to help your body sweat and maintain a normal body temperature, so you avoid heat stress and dehydration. Take a break every 20 minutes during exercise to drink some water, even if you don’t feel thirsty. If your doctor has told you to limit fluids because of a health condition, be sure to ask them about staying hydrated during fitness activities. Some medications affect your body's ability to stay hydrated and cool, such as some to treat high blood pressure and heart problems (beta blockers, diuretics), allergy symptoms (antihistamines), anxiety (tranquilizers), and psychiatric symptoms such as delusions (antipsychotics). 6. Start your fitness regime with walking. Walking is one of the safest activities to get your muscles and joints used to being active again. Take a walk every day, and don’t worry if you start slowly – even 5 minutes is a good start. Try to increase how far you walk every day. Get an inexpensive pedometer to measure how many steps you take. The goal for healthy adults is 10,000 steps every day. From whatever is your starting point, try to increase it 500 steps more every day until you can do 10,000 steps with no pain or discomfort. 7. Listen to your body. If a 30 minute walk leaves you feeling exhausted, that’s okay! Cut it down to 15 minutes until that feels comfortable, then increase it. Everyone recovers at different speeds. Push yourself to be slightly outside your comfort zone, without being in pain or having symptoms return. If you’ve had a severe illness, even walking may seem like a challenge. The idea is to start small, even extremely small, like getting up to use the bathroom or make a meal. Then slowly and gradually increase your activity each day. 8. Begin your regime with a warm-up. Even at the best of times, do not jump into full workout mode without a warm-up. This is especially important now that you’re rebuilding strength and endurance. Start each fitness regime with at least 2-3 minutes of warm-up exercises like shoulder shrugs, toe taps, marching in place, knee lifts or leg lifts, and lifting your arms over your head. 9. Include stretching or flexibility exercises in your routine. Flexibility is an important part of overall fitness, just like strength and endurance. Start your day with 10-15 minutes of stretching. Breathe slowly and deeply while your stretch, and hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds. Try to get one of the many phone apps that lead you through various stretches, like Stretching Programs for Android or Stretching Sworkit for iPhone. When you’re ready, you can also replace one or two of your weekly workouts with an easy to moderate yoga session, which both stretches and gently strengthens muscles. 10. Increase your cardio. Once you’ve eased back into activity, start working on cardio exercises. Leave strength training for later. Do aerobic exercises like jogging, swimming, the elliptical machine, bike riding – whatever increases your heart rate and breathing rate and gets you to break a sweat. When you’re ready to work on cardio, aim to do 50% of your pre-sickness activity and go from there. For example, if you used to do a 10 mile bike ride, start with 5 miles. Pay attention to your body, and increase or decrease that distance as you need to. Once 50% feels good, increase your workout to 60% of your previous activity, then 70%, and so on. Don’t jump back to a full 100% effort as soon as 50% feels comfortable; this will probably be too intense. 11. Exercise large muscle groups for a full-body workout. Once you’ve improved your cardiovascular fitness, you can start working on strength training. To improve your overall strength and get your whole body back to being fit, exercise large muscle groups such as your thighs, back, chest, and abdomen (stomach muscles). Use resistance bands or weights to strengthen these muscles. Do sets of exercises with the heaviest weight you can use safely, even if that starts out being very light. Increase your weights weekly a little at a time. Have a professional show you the proper form for the following exercises: Squats Deadlifts Military press Bench press Barbell rows (while bent over) Pull-ups Chin Ups Dips Calf raises Plank 12. Take inventory of your body. What activities are safe and beneficial for you will depend on what illness you’ve recovered from and what your health status is. If you’re getting back to working out after an extensive knee surgery but are otherwise healthy, you’ll want to do different activities than if you’ve been bedridden for 6 months. When in doubt, ask your doctor what your limitations should be. 13. Ask about whether you have any range of motion restrictions. The range of motion of a joint is how far in what directions a joint can move, and this should sometimes be limited after surgery. For instance, after shoulder surgery your doctor or physical therapist may advise you that you need to avoid reaching overhead until you’re healed. Be sure you understand what movements are safe for you to do before you start exercising. 14. Try swimming if you have joint problems. Swimming is a non-weight bearing cardiovascular exercise – in other words, it gets your heart rate up for a good workout without putting stress on your joints. If you’re recovering from knee, hip, or shoulder surgery, swimming can be a great way to start. Swimming and aqua aerobics are also beneficial exercises if you have arthritis or problems with balance like after a stroke. For painful joints, also do isometric exercises of the surrounding muscles. Isometric exercises are those that tighten and release the muscle, which makes it stronger. For instance, if your knee is weak or painful, work to strengthen your quadriceps muscles. 15. Be active if you’ve survived cancer. The American Cancer Society recommends that those living disease-free or with stable disease exercise regularly. Numerous studies have shown that exercise not only improves wellbeing, mental health, strength, and physical wellness, it may decrease recurrence rates in some types of cancer. Make a goal to exercise for 150 minutes each week or longer, and do strength training 2 days each week. Always consult your doctor or care team before starting an exercise program. Cancer survivors have some specific needs and limitations during exercise. For instance, chlorinated pools may irritate skin if you’ve had radiation therapy, using heavy weights may be unsafe if you’ve had cancer in your bones, and you risk falling if you have numbness in your feet and use a treadmill. Making a plan with your care team is the safest way to start a fitness program. 16. Take it really slow if you’ve had a cardiac event. It’s natural to wonder whether it’s safe to exercise after having a heart attack or heart surgery. You can, and should – just start very slowly. Begin with 2 to 5 minutes of walking the first week, repeating it a few times during the day if you can. Increase that by 5 minutes each week. Set a goal to be able to do 15 to 20 minutes of light exercise per session by the fourth to sixth week of your recovery. It’s very important that you also do cardiac rehabilitation sessions, which are specifically designed for heart patients. A cardiac rehab professional will assess you and advise you on how best to advance your activity level. 17. Monitor your blood sugar if you have diabetes. Physical activity decreases your blood sugar, so if you have diabetes or are recovering from an illness that has affected your pancreas you should check your blood sugar before exercising. Some medications also affect blood sugar, especially insulin and diabetes medicine – though others have this as a side effect. Talk to your doctor about exercising if blood sugar is a concern, and always have a snack on hand while working out in case your blood sugar drops.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Fitness-Regime-After-a-Long-Illness", "language": "en"}
How to Download, Install, and Use Code::Blocks	Code::Blocks is a great tool if you're learning to code because it compiles data in C, C++, and Fortran, and it works on Windows, MacOS, and Linux. We'll show you how to set it up, then we'll walk you through creating a basic "Hello World" C program! 1. Download the latest version of Code::Blocks from their official site. Navigate to the download page. Under the Windows section, select the "mingw-setup" variant; this is an all-in-one installer that includes all necessary tools. Select either download link to continue. 2. Select a download path. After clicking a download link, a window will appear, prompting you to select a location to save the installer file. First, choose a save location, then click "Save" to continue. 3. Launch the installer. After the download completes, start the installer. The installer will be located in the location specified when it was downloaded. 4. Run the setup. After launching the installer, the setup wizard will appear on screen. To continue, click the "Next" button. 5. Read the Software Agreement. Read the end user license agreement. After reading, click "I Agree" if you agree to the terms and want to install the software. 6. Choose your components. Make sure that "Full" installation is selected from the drop down menu at the top; this includes all necessary software components. After this is done, click "Next" to continue. 7. Choose the install path. By default, Code::Blocks will install under C:\Program Files (x86)\CodeBlocks\. If you want to use this, click "Install", otherwise, use the "Browse" button to select a custom install path before starting install. 8. Wait for the installation to complete. The installation will take several minutes to complete and will show its progress in the window. 9. Finish the installation. When prompted, do not run Code::Blocks. First, complete install wizard.This is done by clicking the "Next" button on the installer screen, then clicking "Finish" on the completion page. 10. Launch Code::Blocks. To launch the program, double click the Code::Blocks icon the installer placed on your desktop. If you do not have a desktop shortcut, the program can be found under Start--> All Programs ---> Code::Blocks --> CodeBlocks.exe 11. Complete the compiler setup. If prompted, accept GNU GCC Compiler as the default. To do this, click the entry for GNU GCC Compiler, then click "Set as Default". To continue, click "OK". 12. Set file associations. If prompted, select the option to associate Code::Blocks with C and C++ file types, then click "OK". This will allow you to open these types of files in Code::Blocks by default. 13. Create a new project. On the main page, select the link next to the folder icon. This will open a new window in which you will set up your project. 14. Choose your project type. On the "New from Template" window, select the "Files" heading on the left side of the window. Then, select the "C/C++ Source" option. Click "Go" to continue. 15. Use the Empty File Wizard. Use the wizard to create and configure your C file. To continue, click "Next". 16. Choose your file type. Select the option to create a "C" file. Once selected, click the "Next" button to continue. 17. Set the file path. Click the "..." button on the setup menu to open the explorer window to allow you to create your C file. 18. Select file name. First, browse to the location you wish to save your C file in (it is recommended that you make a separate folder for each project). Next, choose a name for your C file. Finally, click "Save" to save your file with the name and location specified. 19. Finish using the File Wizard. To confirm creation of your C file, click "Finish". 20. Enter source code. To create your "Hello World" program, copy the code below into Code::Blocks. #include <stdio.h>#include <stdlib.h>int main(){printf("Hello World.\n");return 0;} 21. Run the program. Click the "Build and Run" icon to run your program. This function compiles then runs your program in one convenient step. 22. View the program. After running, a terminal window will pop up with the message "Hello World." The process should return 0. If a different value appears, there may be an issue with your program. The execution time will vary based on the speed of your computer.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Download,-Install,-and-Use-Code::Blocks", "language": "en"}
How to Know if You Have a Baker's Cyst	A baker’s cyst (popliteal cyst) is a pocket filled with fluid that forms behind the knee. It can make you knee feel tight and painful. These cysts are very common and can be caused by anything that makes your joints swell up, including arthritis. Sometimes, these cysts don't display any symptoms and are only found when the person goes to the doctor for another reason. Knowing the symptoms can help you to identify a baker's cyst if you think you might have one. 1. Look for swelling in the area behind your knee. This swelling is caused by fluid forming in the cyst, causing the area to become inflamed. The swelling will look like a bulge at the back of the knee and is best seen when you are standing up and your leg is straightened. You can also tell if your knee is swollen by standing in front of a mirror and comparing it to your other knee. 2. Feel for any tightness behind your knee. When the fluid in the cysts accumulates, it will put pressure on the back of your knee. You might feel like your knee is about to burst, particularly when you are standing up with your legs straight--this is when the skin around your knee is fully stretched and you’ll be able to notice the feeling of tightness. 3. Monitor any stiffness you feel around your knee. Stiffness is different than tightness in that if you are stiff, you will feel like you have a hard time bending your knee.Tightness, on the other hand, will feel like your knee is a water balloon that is about to pop. Your knee might feel stiff because the cyst will cause the joint and muscles in your knee to become inflamed, making them stiff. You might also find that you feel discomfort when you have to stand for a long period of time. 4. Pay attention to any pain you feel at the back of your knee. When the cyst behind your knee fills with fluid, it will put pressure on your knee. It may also put pressure on the nerves in the area behind your knee; when nerves are pressed on, you might feel pain. If the cyst is pressing nerves you will definitely feel pain when you move your knee a lot. Most people with baker’s cysts describe the pain in two ways: Some people feel localized pain, which means they feel intense pain right where the swelling is worst. Some people feel general pain through the knee. 5. Monitor an increase in pain anytime you move your knee. While early stage baker’s cysts might cause pain when you use your knee a lot or when you move in a certain way, as the cyst gets worse you will be able to feel the pain whenever you move, regardless of how small the movement its. The pain will become more intense and may take on a burning sensation right where the cyst is located. 6. Watch for any visible fluid at the back of your knee. When too much pressure gets put on the cyst at the knee joint, the cyst can actually tear. The fluid from the cyst will drain into the surrounding area, and the cyst will actually split open so that you might be able to see liquid leaking down the back side of your knee. 7. Monitor how much you can move your knee. The longer you wait to take care of the cyst, the less you will be able to move your knee. This inability to move well is both because of the pain you will feel when you move, and the inflammation that will actually keep you from bending your knee.Signs that you should consider getting treatment for your cyst include: Being unable to fully bend your knee. Being unable to fully extend (or straighten) your knee. Feeling pain while trying to bend and extend your knee. 8. Look out for signs of enlargement. Sometimes a baker's cyst might become enlarged and actually spread down into your calf muscle. If this happens, your calf might develop a red, rash-like appearance. Your leg might also feel warm (which is known as erythema) and your lower leg could become swollen (which is called distal edema). The swelling is caused by the enlarged cyst pressing on the veins of your leg. If you are aware of other medical conditions, this enlarged cyst is similar to the condition called deep vein thrombosis. 9. Be aware that an enlarged cyst can rupture. On rare occasions, an enlarged cyst can break open, leaking fluid into your calf muscle. Signs that this has happened include severe pain, warmth, and tenderness in your calf. Your calf might also develop red or blueish spots where blood has leaked into the surrounding tissue. If you see any of these symptoms, go to a hospital immediately. 10. Understand that some health conditions can lead to the creation of baker’s cysts. Baker’s cyst is common in people who have an underlying condition that is affecting their knees. When your knee is dealing with other causes of inflammation and pain, it becomes more likely that a cyst will develop because of that inflammation. Conditions that make it more likely that you will get a baker’s cyst include: Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, gout and psoriatic arthritis. 11. Know that some knee injuries can increase your chances of developing these cysts. If you have injured parts of your knee in the past, such as sustaining a meniscus tear or straining one of your ligaments, your chances of getting a cyst increase. This is because your knee will already be slightly inflamed; this inflammation can lead to the development of a cyst. 12. Be aware that previous surgeries can predispose you to getting these cysts. If you did have a knee injury in the past, chances are that you had surgery to correct the injury. When your knee gets worked on, it can potentially become inflamed later if you stress it too much before it is fully healed. Like with arthritis, the inflammation caused by this stress can make you more prone to getting cysts.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Know-if-You-Have-a-Baker%27s-Cyst", "language": "en"}
How to Clean a Black Stove Top	Black stove tops can create a sleek, modern look for your kitchen, and show dirt and stains less than white appliances. However, cleaning a black stove top sometimes requires extra care in order to avoid making visible scratches or streaks on the surface. Clean your stove with natural, non-abrasive cleaners like vinegar and baking soda, use scrapers or scouring pads designed for stove tops, and buff the surface with a microfiber cloth after cleaning. 1. Take off any removable burner elements and soak them in hot water. Fill up your sink with hot, soapy water and put any removable burner caps or grates in it to soak while you work on the stove top. This will help remove any crusted food or grease from the burner elements, and also make it easier to clean the stove around your burners. When you’re done cleaning your stove, scrub the burner elements with a scouring pad and rinse them off before putting them back on the stove. If your burners aren’t removable or have electric components, don’t soak them. Instead, lay a warm, wet cloth over the coils, being careful not to get the electric parts wet, and wipe them down with a paper towel instead of rinsing them. 2. Clear off any loose debris with a paper towel. Wipe off anything that isn’t stuck to the surface of your stove and throw it away. You can also use a sponge for this, but a paper towel is often more effective since you can pick loose pieces up with it. 3. Spray the stove top with a 1:1 solution of vinegar and water. Fill a household spray bottle with 1 part water and 1 part distilled white vinegar. Spray the entire surface of the stove, adding a couple of extra sprays over any particularly tough stains. If you do not like the scent of vinegar, replace it with an equal amount of lemon juice, or add a few drops of an essential oil to your vinegar and water mixture. 4. Let the solution soak in for 1-3 minutes. The vinegar should cut through the grease and loosen any crusted-on food. Let it sit for at least 1 minute, or more if your stove top is very greasy or dirty. 5. Wipe the stove surface with a wet, soapy sponge. Run a dish sponge under warm water and add a few drops of dish soap. Run the wet sponge over the surface of the stove and wipe up any grease or debris. You can also use the rough side of the sponge on stains, but be careful to scrub gently. Never use steel wool when scrubbing your black stove top, as it may scratch the surface. 6. Clean up the soapy water with another wet sponge. Take a separate sponge and run it under warm water with no soap. Use this sponge to mop up the soapy water and any remaining grease or crumbs. You may need to squeeze the sponge out and rinse it a few times during the process to get the surface totally clean. 7. Dry the stove top with a microfiber cloth. To avoid creating streaks on your black stove top, use a microfiber cloth to dry and buff the surface of your stove once it’s clean. This will keep water or soap residue from drying in visible patterns. 8. Put your burner caps and grates in hot water to soak. If your burner elements soak while you work on the stove top, they will be easier to clean. Scrub the burner caps and grates with a scouring pad and rinse them off before putting them back on your clean stove. Some burners are not removable, or may have electrical components in them that shouldn’t get wet. If this is the case, lay a warm, wet cloth over the burners instead of soaking them, and wipe them down with a paper towel after scrubbing. 9. Wipe the stove off with a dry paper towel. This will remove any loose grease or debris that is not attached to the stove top. Gather up any crumbs with the paper towel and throw them away. 10. Sprinkle baking soda over the entire stove top. Use your hands or simply shake the box over the stove until the entire surface is covered in at least a light layer of baking soda. You can sprinkle a little extra on any particularly greasy or crusty areas. 11. Cover the stove with warm soapy towels for 15 minutes. The steam will help loosen up any crusted-on food and help the baking soda cut through the grease. Take a couple of kitchen towels and run them under warm water with a little bit of dish soap. Squeeze them until they are not dripping heavily, and lay them over the entire surface of the stove. 12. Use the soapy towels to wipe up the baking soda. After 15 minutes, begin to sweep the towels around the surface of the stove in an S pattern. This should gather up the baking soda as well as any loosened crust or crumbs. Use the towels to pick up the debris and throw it in the trash. 13. Wipe the stove down with a wet rag or sponge. Clean off any remaining baking soda or mess with a wet, non-soapy rag or sponge. If the rag becomes too dirty, rinse it off and squeeze it out before wiping again. 14. Buff the surface of the stove with a microfiber cloth. Black stove tops tend to show streaks after cleaning, so it’s important to dry the surface as soon as possible. Microfiber cloths are ideal for creating a smooth finish without visible streaks. 15. Remove crusted food with a wooden or plastic scraper. Using steel wool or a metal scraper can scratch and dent stove tops, which is particularly obvious on black surfaces. Use a wooden or plastic scraper or spatula to remove crusted-on stains without damaging the stove. Hold the scraper at about a 45° angle, with the bottom of the scraper angled in the direction you are scraping. 16. Apply a baking soda and vinegar solution. Make a paste of baking soda and distilled white vinegar and apply this to any problem areas. The paste should be roughly 4 parts baking soda to 1 part vinegar, but add more vinegar if necessary to make it wet enough to stick together. Let it sit for 1-2 minutes, then gently scrub the stain with a scouring pad. It should be loosened and come off easily. If you don’t have any vinegar on hand, you can substitute the same amount of hydrogen peroxide. 17. Scrub stains with a stove top scouring pad. It’s best to avoid generic scouring pads, as they can be overly abrasive and make visible scratches in black stove tops. Instead, look for scouring pads designed specifically for stove tops, which will typically say “stove top” or “stove cleaner” in the label. 18. Use a stove top cleaning fluid. Several home product brands carry cleaning fluids formulated especially for cleaning stove tops. If you have particularly tough stains on your stove, avoid harsh chemical cleaners and look for a product that is designed for stove tops.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Black-Stove-Top", "language": "en"}
How to Be a Successful Young Woman	Every young woman wants to be a success in her personal and professional lives. But the path to success can be tricky and navigating it requires that you be proactive in several aspects of your life. But with some dedication and by following some key tips, you will pave the way to personal and professional success. 1. Set goals. Before you can set yourself on the path of being successful in your personal life, it’s a good idea to set goals for yourself. By tangibly establishing what your aims are in the short, mid, and long terms, you have an easy way to remind yourself of what you’re working towards. Write your goals on paper. Having a visual cue reminds you of and reinforces your goals. For example, you could write the following: “My short term goal is to find a nice partner and finish my Master’s degree. My mid-term goal is to get engaged and find an exciting job. My long term goal is to get married and have a family while being a successful financial planner.” Update your goals as you meet them. Once or twice a year, reevaluate your goals to make sure they’re still realistic and attainable. Setting unrealistic goals will not only cause you unnecessary anxiety, but can also hamper your success and the ability to meet other goals. Consider talking to a therapist about setting personal goals or any anxiety related to them you may have. Know your list of things to do and goals will never be finished and that it’s ok. As you attain your goals and cross items off of your to-do list, you’ll also be adding new items. 2. Have confidence and believe that you will be successful. Two characteristics of a successful person is that they not only have confidence in themselves, but also that they believe in their ability to succeed. By cultivating and projecting confidence in yourself and to others, you set yourself on the path for success. Confidence comes from many sources, including knowing that you have a good education and training, good relationships, or even that you look good. If you are lacking confidence in certain areas, take proactive steps to boost it. For example, if you don’t feel confident because they your friends are more successful professionally, then work towards garnering more professional success through education or even a promotion. If your appearance leaves you feeling not confident, improve it. Something as simple as revived hair color can do wonders. It’s important to know that even if you are confident and successful, that failure is a part of the equation. Disappointment and failure are components of success. Even someone like author J.K. Rowling experienced failures before they hit it big. 3. Don’t expect perfection from yourself- or anyone else. As you strive to meet your goals, be confident and believe in your success, it’s important to not expect perfection from yourself or those around you. In fact, trying to be perfect often hampers your ability to perform well and can alienate those around you. Perfectionism doesn’t mean that you’re not trying to be your best, it means you’re reaching towards an unattainable goal. For example, if you are trying to have the “perfect” body, any minor setback may hinder you from enjoying yourself. It’s best to love yourself the way you are and work from there. Expecting perfection from others can seriously and negatively affect your relationships, even causing them to break. 4. Have meaningful personal relationships. Surrounding yourself with genuine friends and colleagues who will support you through good times and bad is essential to your success. It’s important to maintain these relationships over time to ensure your success and boost your confidence. Beyond having meaningful relationships with friends, colleagues, and families, it’s also important to have a supportive partner. A partner can instill confidence in you and will support your goals for achieving personal and professional success. Part of fostering meaningful relationships is that you reciprocate the support and love you receive. Expressing gratitude is a key feature of having meaningful relationships. It’s important to show anyone who helps you along the way how much you appreciate them. 5. Take care of yourself physically and mentally. You can’t be successful if you don’t take care of your physical and mental health. Exercise is an excellent way to relieve stress, and increase endorphins and energy. Taking a short walk twice a day will refresh your body and mind. For example, a 3 mile (4.8 km) run will give you time to work out personal or professional problems if you need to while providing your body with needed exercise to maintain your health. In a world where you are easily contacted by cell phones, email, and social media, having unplugged alone time is vital to maintaining your health by minimizing how much input you need to process on a daily basis. For example, you can turn off all electronics at 10pm so that you have an hour or two all to yourself or with your family. Another option is exercising, such as going for a walk or run, to have some time alone. 6. Watch your finances. It is difficult to have personal success if your finances are not in order. By controlling your financial profile, you can not only boost your confidence, but also afford yourself opportunities such as education that may come up. It’s important to budget. Knowing where your money is coming from and how you’re spending it will help you control your finances more effectively. Part of this equation is using credit wisely and not making impulse buys that you can’t really afford. For example, you wouldn’t want to rent an apartment that cost $1500 per month when you’re only making $2000 per month. Make sure you’re saving money routinely. If something catastrophic happens, you will need a reserve to get you through the hard times. But you may also want to save it for something special, like a big vacation, which is important to helping you recharge and, if you go with others, connecting with them. 7. Make a plan and set goals. Just as you do for your personal life, you need to set goals for your professional life. By tangibly establishing what your aims are in the short, mid, and long terms, you have an easy way to remind yourself of what you’re working towards. This will also help you formulate a plan to achieve those goals. Write down your goals on paper. It’s a good idea to have a visual reminder of your goals. For example you could write: “My short term goal is to do an internship as an editor, my mid-term goal is to get a Master’s in English, and my long-term goal is to work as the Editor-in-Chief of Vogue.” Make sure to update your goals as you meet them. Once or twice a year, reevaluate your goals to make sure they’re still realistic and attainable and set new ones as necessary. It is often useful to discuss these with a colleague or even your boss. Don’t set unrealistic goals for yourself. This will not only cause you unnecessary anxiety, but can also hamper your ability to meet other goals. For example, if you’re currently working in the mailroom, it’s highly unlikely you will be the CEO within a year. But you can work up from the mailroom to the reception area and then up from that position, for example. Talking with a senior colleague or trusted supervisor can help allay any concerns or anxiety you may have regarding your career. 8. Get as much education and training as you can. Having an education and job-related training is integral to being successful professionally. But you also want to make sure that you continue your education and training throughout your career so that you stay valuable to your workplace or are marketable if you choose to change jobs. There are many ways to get education for your job. It’s a good idea to research the requirements for your chosen profession. For example, if you want to be a university professor, you’ll need a PhD and some training for being in the classroom. If you want to be a wedding planner, on the other hand, you’ll need more on the job education and training than actual degrees. Training and the type of education that comes from practical experience is also very valuable when you’re marketing yourself professionally. For example, working as an editorial assistant at a magazine can help you get a job as an editor. Knowing that you have the right education and training is also helpful because it will build your confidence and make you more attractive to employers or potential employers. 9. Have confidence and believe that you will be successful professionally. Two characteristics of a successful person is that they not only have confidence in themselves, but also that they believe in their ability to succeed. By cultivating and projecting confidence in yourself, you set yourself on the path for success not only to yourself, but also to employers. Knowing that you have a good education and training can help boost your confidence. If you are lacking confidence in certain areas, take proactive steps to boost it. For example, if you don’t feel confident because your colleagues are often promoted over you, then work towards garnering more professional success through education or even a promotion. Talking to your boss or another colleague about how to improve your performance is also an excellent idea. It’s important to know that even if you are confident and successful, that failure is a part of the equation. Both Bill Gates and Steve Jobs experienced failures before they found success. 10. Be passionate about what you do. You can’t be truly successful unless you are passionate about your profession. If you don’t love your job, you’re less likely to go above and beyond for success. Your job will feel like chore if you don’t love it. This will make you more likely to be sloppy in your assignments and not take any initiative that would help you succeed. 11. Don’t be afraid to take risks. Changing your professional course to put yourself on the path to success requires taking some risk. However, this doesn’t mean making reckless decisions, rather that you should take a calculated risk. The idea is to take a calculated risk, not something that could ultimately hinder your goals. For example, maybe you love your current workplace, but have hit the glass ceiling. When an opportunity for a promotion at another company comes up, weigh the advantages and disadvantages of taking the job and assess how much risk the switch could have on you personally and professionally. Either way you decide, you’re taking a calculated risk. 12. Be an effective communicator. As the work place increasingly shifts towards more team-based work, greater customer contact, more diversity, and ever-higher employee expectations, the ability to effectively and positively communicate with colleagues is absolutely integral to your professional success. Being an effective communicator demands everything from being a good listener to being polite and having the ability to express your gratitude. Be a good listener to anyone associated with you professionally. The ability to listen to someone’s needs or problems will not only help cultivate your relationship with the person, but also may help your own goals down the road. Always be polite to people, even if they aren’t. The truism “you win more bees with honey than vinegar” is something you can apply to your professional life. Leaving a bad impression on colleagues or associates can have lasting consequences for you professionally. Being polite extends to when you have to deliver bad news to someone professionally. For example, if you have to fire someone, say something positive to the person, followed by the negative, and then sandwich that in without another bit of positive feedback. Express gratitude to your colleagues. The ability to recognize when someone has supported you is important to maintaining good working relationships. Not only will it make the person feel appreciated and show them that you respect their contributions, but you will gain personal capital among your colleagues. 13. Foster good working relationships. Without having positive working relationships with colleagues at all of your jobs, you cannot be successful. It’s thus important to maintain and expand your professional support system over time. Part of fostering good working relationships is networking. Having a broad network of colleagues and even professional friends on whom you can rely will serve you professionally not only in your current job, but also among former colleagues or those you may have down the road.< Having a mentor who has experience in your profession is a good idea. She can provide you valuable guidance from everything on taking risks, to dealing with colleagues, or improving your skills. Don’t expect perfection your colleagues- or yourself. This can seriously and negatively affect your working relationships, and you’re your professional success. Know that it’s also acceptable to be wrong, especially if it means maintaining a professional relationship. This shows that you’re the bigger person. 14. Take breaks- and vacations. Having time away from your job for everything from ten minutes a day to a full vacation is important to your success as well. Time away refreshes you, helps you avoid burn out, and can reset you on your path to success. Take breaks during the day. They give your brain and body a chance to relax and refresh. Schedule annual vacations to further help you refresh. While a ten-minute walk or a run will help you decompress throughout a workday, an annual vacation where you completely unplug from your job will refresh your body and mind.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Successful-Young-Woman", "language": "en"}
4 Ways to Block YouTube on a Computer, Phone, or Tablet	Do you want to prevent your child, students, or even yourself from accessing YouTube? There are many ways to block YouTube, and they're all pretty easy to do. If you're using an Apple device like an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you can block YouTube completely on all browsers using Screen Time. On Windows, you can edit a text file that blocks YouTube in Chrome, Edge, and any other browser. On an Android, you can block YouTube using the free apps BlockSite and Norton App Lock. This wikiHow article will teach you the easiest ways to block YouTube.com and the YouTube mobile app on any platform. 1. Open your iPhone or iPad's Settings. There are a few different ways you can block YouTube on your iPhone, but using Screen Time is the most straightforward way that blocks the YouTube app and YouTube in your iPhone's web browsers. Tap the Settings app icon, which is a grey box with gears on it. 2. Tap Screen Time. It's the purple icon with an hourglass in the second group of settings. If Screen Time is not enabled, tap to enable it now. Then, complete the setup process to activate Screen Time. 3. Tap Content & Privacy Restrictions. It's at the bottom of the list. Enter your PIN if prompted. 4. Enable Content & Privacy Restrictions if disabled. If the switch at the top of the menu is gray, tap it to enable the feature. 5. Tap Content Restrictions. It's in the first group of settings. 6. Block the YouTube mobile app for a child (optional). If you want to prevent a child from opening or downloading the YouTube app (or any other apps that require the user to be of a certain age) on this iPhone or iPad, you can block the app easily: Tap in the list. Select (or younger) as the age. Since YouTube has an age suggestion of 17+, it won't be possible for your child to open the app if they're under age. The app won't even appear on their screens. To undo this restriction in the future, return to this menu and select . Tap the button when you're finished. You've blocked the YouTube app, but what about YouTube in a web browser? Let's fix that. 7. Tap Web Content. It's under the "Web Content" header a bit further down the page. 8. Tap Limit Adult Websites. YouTube isn't considered an adult website, but turning this feature on allows you to add block YouTube's URL. 9. Tap Add Website under "Never Allow." Make sure you are tapping the option under "Never Allow," and not "Always Allow." 10. Add all of YouTube's URLs to your block list. Here's how: Type youtube.com and press }}. Now you'll see youtube.com in your "Never Allow" list. Tap under "Never Allow" again. Type m.youtube.com and tap . Tap again, type www.youtube.com, and then tap . 11. Open Notepad as an administrator. The most effective way to block YouTube completely in all web browsers is to add a few lines to a text file called "hosts," which you can edit in Notepad. Because the hosts file is protected, you'll have to open Notepad in a special way to edit the file: Here's how: Press to activate the search bar. Type notepad, but don't click any search results. "Notepad" and select . Click to open the app. 12. Press Ctrl+O to open a file. You can also get to the Open window by clicking > . 13. Navigate to the folder that contains your hosts file. If Windows is installed on your C drive, navigate to C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc. If your Windows installation has a different drive letter, replace with the correct letter. Don't be alarmed if the folder appears empty, as the files are hidden right now. 14. Click the drop-down menu at the bottom-right and choose All Files. This displays all of the files in the "\etc" folder. 15. Select the file called "hosts" and click Open. This opens the hosts file for editing. 16. Add a new line at the bottom of the file to block youtube.com. After the last line in the file, press to create a new line. Then, follow these steps: Type 127.0.0.1 and press the key to insert some space. Type youtube.com Press to go to the next line. 17. Add another new line to block www.youtube.com. You'll do this the same way you did when blocking youtube.com: On the first empty line, type 127.0.0.1 and press the key to insert some space. Type www.youtube.com Press . 18. Add another line to block m.youtube.com. This is YouTube's mobile address, so you'll want to block this as well. On the first empty line, type 127.0.0.1 and press the key to insert some space. Type m.youtube.com 19. Save your "hosts" file. Now you can simply press to save, or click > . 20. Flush your DNS cache so the changes will take effect. Until you do this, you'll still be able to access YouTube through any web browsers you've used the site in recently. The easiest way to do this is to restart your computer. If you don't want to restart right now, you can also flush your DNS cache by running a simple command: Press to activate the search bar. Type cmd. Right-click and select . Type ipconfig /flushdns and press . 21. Go to System Settings. To block YouTube in all browsers on a Mac, you can restrict the site in your Screen Time settings. To get to , click the Apple menu icon in the top left corner of your screen and select . 22. Click Screen Time. You should see this in the menu on the left side of the window next to an hourglass icon on a purple background. If you're using Family Sharing, click the family member that you'd like to block from seeing YouTube. 23. Click Content & Privacy. You'll see this in the menu on the left side of the screen. 24. Click Content Restrictions. This will give you more options. 25. Select Limit Adult Websites. YouTube isn't considered an "adult website," but you'll be preventing it in the next step. 26. Click Customize. You'll see this under the "Web Content" selections. 27. Click + under the "Restricted" section. Doing this will let you select YouTube as a restricted site. 28. Enter "youtube.com" and click OK. Doing this will prevent YouTube from opening in any web browser on your Mac. 29. Install BlockSite and Norton App Lock. To block both the YouTube website and the YouTube app on your Android, you will need to download two apps: BlockSite, which blocks YouTube, and an app called Norton App Lock, which can password-protect BlockSite to prevent anyone from undoing the block. Both Norton App Lock and BlockSite are available for free from the Play Store. Also, if you deleted the YouTube app, you'll need to reinstall it for now so you can block it. You can always remove it later. 30. Open BlockSite. Press the Home button to close the Play Store, then tap the BlockSite app icon, which is an orange shield with a white cancel sign on it. 31. Enable BlockSite in your Android's Accessibility settings when prompted. For BlockSite to be able to access your apps, it will need certain permissions. When prompted, follow the on-screen instructions to allow the app to control your apps. 32. Tap ＋ in BlockSite. It's in the bottom-right corner of the screen. 33. Enter YouTube's address. In the text box at the top of the page, type in youtube.com to indicate that you want to prevent your Android's built-in browsers from accessing YouTube. Unlike many content blockers, you don't have to block the mobile version of YouTube's website ("m.youtube.com") as well. 34. Tap . It's in the top-right corner of the screen. This will block YouTube in your Android's Chrome browser and any other built-in browsing app(s). If you have any third-party browsing apps installed (e.g., Firefox), you'll need to lock them with Norton App Lock to prevent your child from accessing YouTube in them since BlockSite doesn't cover these apps. 35. Tap ＋ again. This is in the bottom-right corner of the screen. 36. Tap the APP tab. It's at the top of the screen. A list of apps will open. 37. Scroll down and tap YouTube. It's in the list of apps. Doing so adds the YouTube app to the list of blocked apps on your Android. 38. Open Norton App Lock. Press the Home button, then tap the Norton Lock app icon which is a yellow-and-white circle with black icons in it. 39. Follow the on-screen instructions to give Norton App Lock the right permissions. Like BlockSite, you'll need to grant access to Norton Lock. Tap , then follow the on-screen instructions to enable access for the app. 40. Create an unlock code and tap Continue. When the Norton Lock app re-opens, draw a pattern, then repeat the pattern when asked. This is the code you'll use to unlock any apps you lock later. If you want to use a passcode instead of a pattern, tap and enter twice your preferred passcode instead. 41. Lock the apps you don't want your child to modify. Scroll down and tap each of the following apps to prevent them from being accessed without your passcode: Any web browser not covered by BlockSite (e.g., any non-Chrome or stock browser such as Firefox or UC Browser). Norton Lock will also lock Settings and the Norton Lock app by default. As long as the Play Store is also locked, this will make it impossible to access YouTube without the code.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Block-YouTube", "language": "en"}
How to Treat an Infected Nipple Piercing	Even with the best care, your nipple piercing can get infected, which causes redness, pain, and swelling. Dealing with an infection can be frustrating and scary, but your symptoms are treatable. It’s best to see your doctor if you suspect an infection, but you can use home treatments to address your symptoms. However, if your infection doesn’t start to improve within a week or gets worse, you need to see your doctor. Additionally, take care of your piercing so a reinfection doesn’t occur. 1. Wash your hands Keeping your hands clean will prevent you from accidentally introducing dirt and bacteria into the piercing. Before handling your nipple piercing, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. When you’re done, dry your hands with a clean towel or paper towel. 2. Leave in your piercing so that the discharge can drain. When you remove your piercing, your skin will start to close. This can trap discharge and pus under your skin, which can cause an abscess. This makes your infection worse and harder to treat. Leave your piercing in your nipple until your infection heals or your doctor tells you to take it out. If you’re having a bad reaction to the nipple jewelry you’ve chosen, then your doctor may recommend changing the piercing. This way, your piercing will stay open so it can drain. If your doctor recommends this, go back to your piercer to get the nipple ring changed. 3. Clean your nipple piercing Wash your hands with soap and warm water. Then, wet your nipple with warm water and gently cleanse the area with a mild, fragrance-free soap. Rinse away the soap with warm water, and follow up with a saline rinse. Finally, pat the area dry with a clean, dry towel. You can buy a saline rinse over-the-counter, or you can make one by adding 1 teaspoon (5 g) of salt to 1 cup (240 mL) of purified water. The best time to clean and care for your piercing is after a shower. 4. Use a warm compress for 15-30 minutes for inflammation and drainage. Soak a clean rag in warm water, then drape it over your nipple. Leave the compress in place for 15-30 minutes before removing it. Finally, pat your nipple dry. You can use a warm compress every 2-3 hours as you desire. After you use the rag, put it in the laundry. Use a fresh, clean rag every time you use a compress. Avoid using cotton balls for this purpose or for cleaning your piercing, since the fibers can get caught in the piercing and make the infection worse. 5. Apply a cold compress Fill an ice pack with ice and water. Cover your nipple with a towel to protect it from the cold. Then, position the ice pack on top of the towel, directly over your nipple. Hold the ice pack in place for 15-30 minutes. Check your skin every few minutes to make sure it’s not getting too cold. You can use your cold compress every 2-3 hours, as needed. If you experience any discomfort, remove the cold compress and let your skin return to room temperature. Always place a towel or a piece of clothing between the ice and your skin. Otherwise, you may accidentally damage your skin with the ice. 6. Soak your piercing in a sea salt bath for 5-15 minutes twice a day. Add purified water to a small glass, such as a shot glass. Then, add a pinch of sea salt and stir to dissolve it. Bend over and place your nipple into the shot glass. Press the rim of the glass up against your skin to create a seal. Wait 5-15 minutes for the salt treatment to work, then rinse with warm water. Do sea salt baths twice a day for about 3 days. If your infection doesn’t improve, visit your doctor for more treatment options. Only use sea salt for your salt bath. Never use table salt, which contains iodine. 7. Wear loose clothing while your nipple heals. Unfortunately, friction from tight clothing can make it take longer for your infection to heal. Additionally, tight clothes trap sweat and bacteria that can worsen your infection. To prevent these problems, wear loose shirts while your nipple piercing is healing. If you typically wear a bra, try to use a camisole instead, as bras can be very tight over your nipple piercing. If you absolutely must wear a bra, choose one that has soft, breathable cups that aren’t too binding. 8. Avoid using over-the-counter antibiotic creams. Although antibiotic creams are great for treating minor cuts, they don’t work well for a deep infection. These creams form a thin layer on top of your skin, so they seal off the wound. This means your wound can't drain, so the infection is trapped within your wound. Talk to your doctor before putting any medication on your nipple, including over-the-counter options. 9. Skip rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, which are too harsh. While you might usually treat your wounds with rubbing alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, using them on your nipple piercing can delay the healing process. These products can irritate your skin, which prevents healing and may cause new symptoms. Stick to your sea salt bath to minimize irritation. 10. Visit your doctor if symptoms don’t improve after a week of home treatment. It’s best to see your doctor as soon as you suspect an infection. However, medical care is necessary if your infection isn’t improving or starts to get worse. If you don’t get treatment, your infection can become severe. You may also start experiencing the following severe symptoms: Swelling and redness around your piercing that grows worse or increases. Increasing pain or sensitivity. A severe throbbing or burning sensation. Warm skin around the piercing. A foul smell coming from the piercing. A rash around your piercing. Yellow or green discharge. Body aches. Fatigue. Fever. 11. See your doctor immediately for a small blood cyst or abscess. A blood cyst happens when blood collects under your skin. Similarly, an abscess develops when the discharge or pus from your nipple piercing builds up under your skin instead of draining. Both a cyst and an abscess will make a hard lump under your skin. Your doctor will confirm if you have a cyst or abscess, then they’ll decide which treatment is best for you. Your doctor may recommend using a warm compress to soften the cyst or abscess to help it drain out on its own. This is more likely to happen if the cyst or abscess is small and just formed. If the cyst or abscess is large or partially hardened, your doctor may decide to drain it, which may cause discomfort. After numbing the area, your doctor will make a tiny incision over the lump so the fluids will drain. Then, they’ll likely give you an antibiotic to help the wound heal. 12. Ask your doctor if you need an antibiotic. It’s likely your doctor will recommend trying home treatments first. However, if your symptoms don’t improve, then your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection. Take your antibiotic as directed and finish the entire prescription, even if you feel better. If you stop taking your medication too early, your infection can return, and it may be stronger than before. Your doctor will likely prescribe an antibiotic cream for a minor infection. However, you may need an oral antibiotic for a severe infection. 13. Keep your hands off your piercing. Touching your piercing will transfer dirt, germs, and bacteria to the area, which can cause an infection. It’s best to avoid touching your piercing except for when you’re cleaning or caring for your piercing. When you do need to touch your piercing, wash your hands with soap and warm water for at least 30 seconds. Similarly, don’t let anyone else touch your piercing. If you do need to touch your piercing while cleaning or caring for it, always wash and dry your hands first. 14. Cleanse the piercing twice a day and after exercise. After washing your hands, wet your nipple and use a gentle, fragrance free cleanser to wash your nipple piercing. Rinse your piercing with warm water, then sanitize it with your saline rinse before patting the area dry with a towel. Be sure to wash your piercing any time you get sweaty. Sweat and bacteria can cause or worsen an infection. 15. Tell sexual partners not to lick or touch the piercing while it heals. Saliva from your partner’s mouth or bacteria from their hands can cause or worsen an infection. It’s important that they not handle the piercing in any way until it’s completely healed. While it heals, it may be best to avoid sexual contact. Say, “My piercing is still healing, so please leave it alone.” 16. Stay out of waterways, pools, hot tubs, and baths until your piercing heals. Water in swimming pools, hot tubs, baths, and waterways typically contains bacteria and germs that can infect your piercing. It’s best to stay out of the water until your piercing is completely healed. In the meantime, stick to short showers to stay clean. 17. Avoid using lotions, creams, and other products around your piercing. Personal care products can harbor bacteria, which may cause an infection. Similarly, these products often contain fragrances, which can irritate your piercing. Don’t use the following products: Body lotion or cream Body butter Sunscreen Soap or body wash with fragrances Tanning oil	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-an-Infected-Nipple-Piercing", "language": "en"}
How to Use Kinesiology Tape	Kinesiology tape is an elastic sports and fitness tape that is used for muscle, ligament, and tendon support and pain relief. This tape is lightweight, and provides support without limiting movement. Under the guidance of a medical professional, you may be able to use the tape as a form of treatment for pains and injuries between visits. In order to use kinesiology tape, you should clean your skin, prepare the tape and then apply the tape. It is also important that you properly wear and remove the tape. 1. Apply a test strip. Some people may experience an allergic reaction to kinesiology tape. As a result, you should apply a small test strip for up to 24 hours before fully applying the tape. If skin irritation like redness occurs, remove the tape immediately. 2. Remove excess hair from the skin. Small amounts of body hair should not affect the adhesion of the tape. That being said, excessive amounts of hair may make it difficult for the tape to stick to the skin. Clip excessive hair so that it is close to the body. This will also make the removal less painful. 3. Clean the skin before taping. Before you apply kinesiology tape to the skin, you need to make sure that the area is clean and free of any oils or lotions. Wash your skin with soap and water or rubbing alcohol prior to applying the tape. 4. Allow the area to completely dry. Once the skin has been cleaned, make sure that it is completely dry before applying the tape. Moisture can impact the adhesion of the tape. If you are applying kinesiology tape following exercise, make sure that your body is no longer perspiring. You can pat the skin dry using a clean towel. 5. Apply tape one hour before athletic activity. Kinesiology tape needs time to stick to the skin. As a result, you should wait at least one hour after you tape your skin before engaging in a physical activity that may cause perspiration. Similarly, you should avoid swimming and showering within the first hour of applying the tape. Kinesio tape can be helpful when you're trying to get a muscle to activate better during a certain motion, like walking, throwing, or hitting. You can also inhibit a muscle from activating if it's too tight or stop it from engaging when it shouldn't. 6. Tape the area as instructed by your physiotherapist. There are a number of different ways to apply kinesiology tape, and these typically depend on the size of the affected muscle and the results that are trying to be achieved. You should visit a medical professional, such as a physiotherapist or physical therapist, to learn the proper tension and alignment that should be used for taping your particular muscle. As a general rule: Y tape applied in the shape of a Y over the target muscle. This is used to surround the target muscle and can either inhibit or facilitate muscle stimuli. The tape should be slightly longer than the target muscle. I tape application is used for acute injuries and helps with alignment corrections. In this case, you place a single strip of tape along the target muscle in a straight line. X tape application is when the tape forms an X shape across the affected muscle. This is used when the origin and alignment of the muscle changes with movement. The tape will move with the muscle providing continued support. For example, it can be used on the rhomboids (upper back and shoulder). Fan/web tape application is used in a similar way to the X tape; however, the one end remains intact while the other end spreads out in a fan-shape across the muscle. 7. Cut the amount of tape needed. Kinesiology tape can come in a continuous roll or precut strips. If you are using a roll of kinesiology tape, unwind and cut off the amount of tape you need. Then, round the ends of the tape by cutting the corners with scissors. This will help prevent the tape from fraying and unpeeling at the ends. If you are using precut strips, tear the strips along the serrated edge. 8. Bend all joints before applying tape. If you are applying kinesiology tape to a joint, such as the knee or elbow, you should always begin with the joint in a bent position. If the tape is applied to a knee or elbow in an extended position, the tape will pull off once you begin to move. 9. Apply an anchor to the skin. Tear the backing 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) from the end of the tape to create an anchor. This part will be applied directly to the skin. It is important that you do not stretch this section of the tape. If you stretch the anchor section of tape, it may cause the tape to peel off and the application will be less effective. 10. Stretch the tape across the skin. After you have anchored the tape to the skin, you can begin to stretch the tape across the desired muscle. The amount of stretch you use will depend upon the type of treatment. For example, if you want to stimulate a muscle that is struggling to perform, you should use 15%-50% stretch. This will alleviate muscle pain and tension. Alternatively, if you want to relieve pain from a muscle that is overstimulated, you should use 15%-25% stretch. 11. Peel the backing from the tape in small segments. This can be done by holding the tape in the middle and gently tearing and pulling at the paper backing. If you peel off all of the backing at once, the tape may stick to itself and ruin the application. Avoid touching the adhesive. This can impact the stickiness of the tape and may cause the tape to peel off the skin. 12. Anchor the end of the tape to the skin. The last 2-3 inches (5-7.5 cm) of tape should be anchored to the skin without stretching the tape. Avoid sticking tape to another piece of tape. This will not hold and may cause the ends to roll up. 13. Rub the tape from the center to the ends. Once the tape has been applied to the skin, you want to activate the tape and ensure that it will not peel off the skin. Use your hands to rub the tape from the center towards the ends. This will help stick the tape to the skin. 14. Prevent clothing and equipment from rubbing the ends. Clothing or equipment that rubs the ends of the tape can cause the ends to peel. To prevent this, wear clothing styles that do not interfere with the ends of the tape. If this is not possible, you could try taping your clothing to your skin in certain areas so that they do not come in contact with the tape. For example, you could tape your sleeves back if you are wearing kinesiology tape on your shoulders. 15. Pat tape with a towel to dry. Kinesiology tape can be worn for three to five days and you will likely get the tape wet at some point during that period. To dry the tape, simply pat it dry with a clean towel. Do not rub the tape, because this may cause the ends to peel. 16. Trim peeling ends with scissors. If at some point the ends of the tape begin to peel, you can simply trim off the peeling piece using a pair of scissors. Press down the remaining ends of the tape so that more peeling does not occur. 17. Wet the tape with baby or vegetable oil for 5-10 minutes. Prior to removing the tape from your skin, you can loosen it by dampening the tape with baby oil or vegetable oil. Brush the oil onto the tape and then let it sit for 5-10 minutes. This will help to loosen the adhesive and will make the tape removal easier. 18. Remove tape in the direction of hair growth. To make tape removal less painful, peel the tape away from the skin in the same direction as your hair grows. As a general rule, this is away from the center of the body on the trunk and in a downward direction on the arms and legs. 19. Press skin at the end of the tape. Use one hand to tack the skin down near the end of the tape, then gently pull the skin away from the tape. Then, use your other hand to slowly pull up the tape. This should ease any pain associated with removing kinesiology tape. Do not rip off the tape in a quick motion. This could tear the skin and cause irritation.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Kinesiology-Tape", "language": "en"}
How to Prepare a Budget	A budget is basically a list of planned income and expenses for a given period. Most individuals prepare monthly and annual personal budgets. Budgeting is a powerful tool because it helps you to prioritize expenses and achieve your financial goals. Creating a budget gives you financial clarity and decreases stress levels because it eliminates nerve-wracking monetary surprises. 1. Identify your financial goals. Part of managing your money is not only covering your current expenses, but also paying off debt and saving for the future. If you don’t learn self-control and how to manage your money, then you will have to rely on others to manage it for you. Commission-hungry financial planners or well-meaning family members may not always have your best interest in mind or offer the best advice. Instead of relying on others, take the first step in planning a budget by setting realistic, specific goals. 2. Every financial goal you establish should be SMART. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Framed. Separate your financial goals into short-term (less than a year), medium-term (one to five years), and long-term (over five years) goals. For example, suppose you have a medium-term goal of saving a $4,500 down payment for a car you want to purchase when you graduate from college in three years. This gives you 36 months to save for the down payment. Therefore, you must save $125 per month ($4,500 / 36 months = $125 per month). This goal is specific: You are saving for the car. This goal is measurable: You know you want to save $4,500. This goal is achievable: You know you need $125 per month. This goal is relevant: You are going to need a car. This goal is time-framed: You have 36 months to save. 3. Save for a house. If plan to own a house sometime in your future, you must start saving up. The bank will not lend you money without a down payment. You can’t borrow a down payment. You have to have it in savings. You will need at least five percent of the value of the house as a down payment. In addition, it would be smart to save an additional five percent to cover additional expenses when purchasing a home, such as closing costs and renovation expenses. This means saving a total of 10 percent of the value of the home you wish to be able to purchase. For example, if you wish to be able to purchase a $200,000 home, you would need to save $20,000 ($200,000 x .10 = $20,000). 4. Buy a car In order to get a car loan at a reasonable interest rate, you need to save up a down payment for the car. Remember that any funds you borrow for purchases need to be paid back with interest. So those car ads that promise to waive your down payment aren’t doing you any favors. You will still pay that amount, plus interest, and you will likely have a higher interest rate than if you had saved up the down payment in the first place. Save up as large of a down payment on a car as possible, and consider buying a quality used car instead. 5. Build rainy-day fund Although it sounds counter-intuitive, before you start paying down your credit cards, save up an emergency fund. Most people have at least one unexpected expense every year. If you have to keep using your credit cards to cover emergencies, then you will never pay them off. Begin by saving up at least $1,000 in your emergency fund. Later, when larger, high-interest debts are out of the way, you can begin building a larger emergency fund. 6. Get out of debt One of your financial goals should be to aggressively pay off your credit cards. Once you have established your emergency fund, make a plan to pay off high-interest loans. Plan to pay more than the minimum monthly payment. Even an extra $50 per month would help. Also, plan to reduce your spending. Figure out the difference between what you need and what you want, and reduce spending until you get out of debt. 7. Pay for living expenses. Plan to cover all of your annual living expenses with cash. It can be tempting to refinance your house or get a line of credit to pay off high-interest debts or to fund a vacation. But it is smarter to avoid an endless cycle of debt. Save for these expenses in advance so that you do not have to increase your debt. Living expenses include your mortgage or rent, utilities, food, transportation, taxes, vehicle maintenance, home repairs, gifts and vacations. 8. Get insured. Disability insurance can replace a portion of your paycheck if you become injured or ill and cannot work. Life insurance will help your loved ones to cover expenses in the event of your death. It will offer them long-term security in the face of the loss of your income. Nobody likes to think about the possibility of these unpleasant events. However, responsible financial planning involves preparing for the unexpected. 9. Give back. Whether or not you have deep pockets, consider including charitable giving in your list of financial goals. Typically, people aspire to donate anywhere from three to 10 percent of their income to churches and other charities. Sometimes the recipient of charitable donations is influenced by the giver’s religious affiliations. However much you intend to donate, giving to charity requires planning. First, determine your monthly expenses and how much you want to put aside for savings. After your other finances are in order, you can determine how much you want to give to charity. You can make a monthly or annual pledge to the charity of your choice. If you need help determining an amount to give, try the Charity Navigator tool. It analyzes your income and tax bracket to calculate a reasonable amount to give. 10. List all of your sources of income. Employment is one source of income. People can have also have many other sources of income. When preparing a budget, it is necessary to consider all income in order to accurately budget expenses. Other sources of income include gifts and inheritances, child support payments, retirement plans, life insurance proceeds, compensatory damages, public assistance, scholarships, student loan disbursements and interest on savings bonds. 11. Calculate your monthly income from your hourly salary. For budgeting purposes, you need to know your net income, which is the amount you bring home after taxes have been deducted from your pay. You can use an online salary calculator such as the Salary Calculator. This will take your hourly salary, calculate your taxes and determine your net income. You can do the calculation yourself by looking at your pay stub. Suppose each week you earn $250 after taxes and you work the same number of hours each week. Multiply this amount by the number of weeks in a month to get your monthly income ($250 x 4 = $1,000). If you work a different number of hours every week and your net income is different every week, calculate your average monthly salary. For example, suppose over a three month period, you earned $850, $800 and $900. Add up the total ($850 + $800 + $900 = $2,550). Divide by 3 to get the average monthly amount ($2,750 / 3 = $850). For budgeting purposes, use $850 per month. 12. Calculate your monthly student loan disbursement. If you are living off of student loans that come in one disbursement per semester, calculate the monthly amount to work it into your monthly budget. For example, suppose the semester is 5 months long and you receive $10,000 per semester in student loans. First, subtract non-recurring fees such as books, tuition and fees. Then divide the remaining amount by 5 to get the monthly amount you can live off of. So if after one-time expense you have $5,000 remaining, you will have $1,000 per month for living expense ($5,000 / 5 = $1,000). 13. Budget with an irregular income. If you are a freelancer or do seasonal work and have a very irregular income, you may have to set up your budget differently. Begin by determining your baseline expenses, such as groceries, housing, transportation and medical. Use an online tax calculator to calculate your taxes. Add this amount to your expenses. Now you know the minimum amount you need to make each month to cover your expenses. Continue to plan for your "wants" once you've determined your "needs." Even on an irregular income, budgeting doesn't end once you've figured out how to cover your baseline expenses. When you find you have a surplus amount of money, decide how you want to spend it. Do you want to save a portion and divide up the rest between dining out and seeing a movie? Careful planning can help prevent you from blowing any additional earnings. 14. Categorize your expenses. Use a spreadsheet to track your expenses for one month. Separate your expenses into three categories: fixed needs, variable needs and wants. Fixed needs are necessary expenses that remain the same month after month. These include rent or your phone bill. Variable needs are necessary expenses that may fluctuate from month to month. These include gas for your car and food. Wants are nonessential expenses. These are things you could do without if you had to. These include take out coffee, cable and entertainment. 15. Save an emergency fund. Unexpected expenses happen to everyone. You don’t want to have to go into debt to cover repairs on your car or a medical bill. Save a little every month into a rainy day fun. Pay this fund before you purchase nonessential items. For example, if it’s a choice between saving in your emergency fund or going to the movies, opt to save until you have enough put aside. 16. Use tools to track spending. Get in the habit of recording your expenses each day. This will help you to build self-control. It will also reduce stress because you won’t be surprised by your checking account balance at the end of the month. Record all of your expenses in a notebook. Or, use an envelope system. Keep your budgeted amount for each category in a separate envelope. If you know how to use Excel and you have it installed on your computer, use one of their free budgeting templates. 17. Compare your income and expenses. In a spreadsheet or on a piece of paper, list all of your income for the month and total it up. Then list all of your expenses and total them up. Subtract how much you plan to spend from how much you will earn to calculate the balance. Use this information to create a monthly budget. If you have a surplus, which is money left over at the end of the month, then you have some options about how to use that money—that's what's called discretionary spending. If you have a deficit, which means your expenses are greater than your income, then you have some difficult decisions to make. The wisest thing to do would be to reduce expenses in this case to avoid going into debt. For example, suppose in a given month you will earn $2,000 from working and receive $250 in child support payments. Your total income for the month will be $2,250 ($2,000 + $250 = $2,250). Total up all of your expenses for the month. First list your fixed expenses. Suppose your rent is $850 and your phone is $250. Then total up your variable needs. Say you estimate $500 for groceries and $310 for gas and $200 for household utilities (such as electricity and water). Then list your expenses in your "wants" category. Suppose you'd like to get take-out coffee every morning for $3.00 per day, for a total of $90 ($3.00 x 30 days = $90), and you want to go out with friends twice per month for $75 per evening, for a total of $150 ($75 x 2 = $150). Total everything up for a grand total of $2350. Compare your income and expenses. In this case, your income of $2,250 is $100 less than your projected expenses of $2,350. You are going to have to identify ways to cut expenses to stay within budget. 18. Reduce expenses if necessary. It will be easiest to stick to a budget if you build it around how you actually spend money. However, if you need to make some changes, look at your spending to determine what could be cut. Categorizing your expenses makes it easier to determine what can be trimmed if you need to. The first place you would cut expenses would be from the “wants” categories. While you might miss them, you can still meet your needs without them. Review your expenses out of your “wants” category to find any unusually high numbers. These may be the things in which you are overindulging. For each of these items, set a reasonable monthly limit to help you stay within your budget. For example, suppose you realize that $90 per month is just too much to spend on coffee. Try setting a monthly limit on the amount you will spend on take-out coffee. So, allow yourself to buy that latte twice per week, reducing your monthly expense to $24 per month ($3.00 x 2 days x 4 weeks = $24). This will save you $66 per month ($90 - $24 = $66). Then, plan to go out with friends once instead of twice, and then just have them over for an inexpensive potluck dinner one night instead of going out. Now your entertainment expense is only $75 instead of $150, for a savings of $75 ($150 - $75 = $75). By managing these "wants," you reduce your monthly expenses by $141 ($66 + $75 = $141). This will reduce your total monthly expenses to $2,209 ($2,350 - $141 = $2,209). This is more than enough to keep your expenses within budget. If reducing your wants weren't enough, you would then look into reducing your variable needs, such as walking instead of driving to save on gas or clipping coupons to reduce grocery expenses. If you still needed to reduce expenses after that, you would look into how you can reduce your fixed expenses in the long term. For example, you may need to find less expensive housing. 19. Apply surplus money towards your financial goals. in the above example, you reduced your monthly expenses so much that you will have $41 left over at the end of the month ($2,250 - $2,209 = $41). Put some of that extra money towards your financial goals. For example, put some in savings towards a down payment on a home or car. Stash some of it away in your rainy day fund. Pay down some of your credit cards with any extra cash. If you have some money left over at the end of the month, consider how you could make it grow. Index funds, certificates of deposits (CD's) and Individual Retirement Accounts (IRA's) are simple investment strategies for beginning investors. 20. Use tools to monitor your budget. Choose from a variety of free online tools to help you balance your budget. Mint is available online and as an app. It allows you to create a budget and track your expenses. You can also sign up for alerts for unusual account charges. It gives advice for reducing expenses and saving money. You also get access to your credit score and tips for how to improve it. Budget Tracker is an online tool that allows you to keep track of all of your transactions and bank accounts from your computer. Track all of your accounts from one screen. Sync your transactions by importing them or inputting them manually. Keep track of your paychecks and other sources of income.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-a-Budget", "language": "en"}
How to Remove Nail Polish Stains from Your Finger Nails	Painting your nails a bold color can be a fun way to add a pop to any outfit. However, if you regularly use bright or dark nail polish, you may notice that some of the color stays behind when you clean your nails with nail polish remover. Fortunately, however, you may be able to lighten the stains by scrubbing them with a baking soda paste, soaking your fingers in acetone, or lightly buffing the surface of your nails with oil. 1. Mix 2 parts baking soda, 1 part olive oil, and a squeeze of lemon juice in a bowl. For instance, you might use 2 tbsp (40 g) baking soda, 1 tablespoon (15 mL) olive oil and 1 teaspoon (4.9 mL) lemon juice. Then, use a spoon to stir the ingredients together thoroughly. The baking soda will probably start to fizz when you add the lemon juice. Don't worry, that's totally normal! If you want to adjust the amount of paste you're making, just keep a ratio of 2 parts baking soda to 1 part olive oil. Unless you're making a very large batch, a few squeezes of lemon juice should still be sufficient. 2. Add a little more baking soda or oil until you have a thick paste. When you first mix together the ingredients, they may seem a little too clumpy or too runny. If the mixture is too thick, drizzle in a small amount of olive oil and stir it together to loosen it. If it's too thin, sprinkle in a small amount of baking soda to thicken it up. Continue doing this until you have a thick but spreadable paste. 3. Dip a toothbrush or nail brush in the mixture. Once you've created your paste, get an old toothbrush or a stiff nail brush. Press the bristles down into the paste so they're completely coated. A new toothbrush will work too, but make sure you don't mix it up with the toothbrush you use for your teeth! The paste is made from all natural ingredients, but nail polish residue can be toxic if ingested. If the paste won't stay on the brush, it's probably too thin. Add a little more baking soda to thicken it. 4. Scrub your nails lightly with the brush until the stain lightens. Use the brush to work the paste onto the surface of your nail, scrubbing in a circular motion. If you need to, you can wipe the paste away to check your progress. If the stain is still there, add a little more paste and continue scrubbing. Continue until you've scrubbed all of your stained nails. 5. Rinse your nails with hand soap and warm water. Once you've lightened the stain as much as you can with the paste, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water. The soap will help break up the oil in the paste, while the warm water will help dissolve the baking soda, which may leave a light residue if it has started to dry. 6. Cut 10 pieces of foil that are big enough to wrap around your fingertips. Cut or tear 10 strips of foil that are about 4 in × 3 in (10.2 cm × 7.6 cm). The pieces should be big enough to cover your entire nail, plus a little extra, since you'll have cotton on your nail as well. Since you'll be wrapping all your nails at once, it's easiest to prepare your foil ahead of time. You may also want to set out your cotton balls at this time. If you don't want to use a whole cotton ball on each nail, cut 5 cotton balls in half, instead. 7. Fill a small metal or glass bowl with oil-enriched acetone. Pour about ⁄4 cup (59 mL) of the acetone into your bowl, or enough to soak all of the cotton balls. The measurement doesn't have to be precise—if you accidentally use too much, you can just pour it back into the bottle when you're finished. Do not use a plastic bowl, as the acetone will melt it. You can find oil-enriched acetone at well-stocked beauty supply stores. However, if you can't find it, you can use regular acetone, instead. 8. Soak a cotton ball in the acetone, then press it onto your fingernail. Dip the first cotton ball in the bowl and make sure to soak it completely. Then, place the cotton ball onto one of your fingernails, making sure to cover the surface of the nail completely. It's a good idea to cover your dominant hand first. That way, you won't have to try to use your non-dominant hand after it's covered in foil. 9. Wrap your nail in one of the pieces of foil. Place the center of the foil over the cotton ball, then fold the top of the foil down over the tip of your finger. Finally, wrap the sides of the foil around your fingertip to secure it. Press and squeeze the foil around your fingertip to help keep it in place. 10. Repeat the process for all of your nails. Since you'll have to let the acetone soak in for a while, it's best to do all of your fingernails at once. Continue adding acetone-soaked cotton balls to each of your nails, and wrap each one in foil as you go. If you're concerned it will be too hard to put the foil on your other hand once your fingers are covered, you can do one hand at a time. 11. Let the acetone soak into your nails for about 10 minutes. In order to fully dissolve the stain, allow the acetone plenty of time to work. However, don't leave the acetone on longer than 10 minutes—it's a harsh chemical, and it could lead to skin irritation if you leave it on too long. While you wait, try watching TV, listening to the radio, or another fun hands-free activity so you don't get too bored! 12. Remove the foil and cotton, then wash your hands thoroughly. After the 10 minutes, take all of the wraps off of your fingers. Wash your hands with soap and warm water, but don't scrub too hard, as your skin may be sensitive from the acetone. It may take a while for the smell of the acetone to fully fade. 13. Place a drop of cuticle oil onto your nail. Cuticle oil is designed to soften the skin around your nails, but it can also help loosen nail polish stains left behind by dark or bright colors. You don't need much—one drop should be enough for each nail. If you don't have cuticle oil, try using vitamin E oil instead. 14. Buff Using the large-grit side of a buffer, lightly go over your nail in an X shape. Don't press down too hard, and only use about 6-8 strokes. Over-buffing your nails can damage them. You don't want to file down into the surface of your nail; you just want to scuff away the nail polish stain. 15. Swipe nail polish remover across your nail to remove the stain. After you've buffed your nails, the stain should be loosened. Dip a cotton ball or pad in nail polish remover, then rub it across your nail. You should see the stain lighten noticeably, and it may even go away altogether! Since buffing can damage your nail, if this doesn't work at first, consider trying another method to lighten the stain.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-Nail-Polish-Stains-from-Your-Finger-Nails", "language": "en"}
How to Survive Under Martial Law	Martial law occurs when a military assumes the responsibility of governance. The rights of citizens are usually limited during martial law, and democratic processes are eliminated in favor of authoritarian power. Though it may not be easy, there are ways to make the experience less brutal and survive until the conflict is resolved. 1. Prepare for the civil unrest. Pay attention to current events. Know when potential threats are coming to the area. You may have no warning when another country invades yours. However, you may know if a hurricane or tornado is coming your way. Websites like www.ready.gov are devoted to disaster preparedness. Stock your home with supplies. Before martial law is enacted, you may be on your own during a breakdown of civil authority. Be ready to survive at least 72 hours without help. Protect your home and business. After civil authority has broken down, people may become opportunistic. Homes and businesses may be looted. Secure your home and business in advance. Board up windows and barricade doors. Stay in your home with your own supplies until military help arrives. 2. Recognize the legitimacy of martial law. For whatever reason, martial law has been declared and you are one of the citizens functioning under it. If your country has been invaded (i.e., your area is still under the protection of your country's military) or a major natural disaster has occurred you should recognize that martial law might be best for moment. The soldiers are there to maintain order and keep you safe until civilian authority can be re-established. 3. Show respect and courtesy to authorities. They are not perfect human beings and mistakes will happen. The best thing you can do is assist and obey. Keep your head down and don't draw attention to yourself. This isn't the time for political activism if you want to survive. Keep everything you can't live without on your person. If you are being moved there may be no time to go back for your things. Have everything you need on you at all times in case you have to move immediately. Anything you might be tempted to go back for, keep on you. If there is some object too big to carry around you may have to leave it. In rare situations you may be able to hide something special until you are able to come back for it. You may want to consider burying a "time capsule" in a waterproof container to retrieve when you return. 4. Follow all directives given to you. No matter how odd or strange it is best to do as you are told. If a curfew is set, be in your quarters by then. If you are given a meal time, don't think you will be served if you show up late even if you are hungry. If certain areas are off-limits, do not go exploring beyond the boundary. Your rights are greatly limited until civil order is re-established so don't push your boundaries if you want to survive. If you are under martial law in a country that you know intends to do you harm (e.g., Jewish Germans or Japanese-Americans during World War II) you may want to consider hiding from the government instead of being a good citizen. You may want to learn military time. Some watches and phones can be adjusted to show military time automatically. In general, times are written out differently such that 9:00AM ("nine o'clock AM) becomes 0900 ("zero nine hundred) and 3:30PM ("three-thirty PM) becomes 1530 ("fifteen thirty). In other words, PM times are 12 greater than normal and times are described as if they are four-digit whole numbers without the colon with the hour always represented as two numbers (don't drop leading zeros). Hours may be referred to in "hundreds" but never "thousands". 5. Obey orders as you are instructed. Orders are usually quick and fast and without explanation. Resisting or forcing an explanation may be dangerous. Military personnel may be given orders they don't even understand. They expect you to follow orders just as they are doing. Time sensitive orders they may not have time to explain or their explanation may cause a panic. Trust that their goal is to protect you and any failure they would take personally. 6. Help others as much as you are able. The military personnel may be short staffed. Offer to help as much as you can. You will garner their respect this way. You may then learn more about what's going on and why things are happening as they are. If you find out important information that you have permission to share, spread the word. Make sure other people know what's going on and hopefully everyone will be able to survive the event. 7. Establish a survival bunker in a hidden location. This bunker should be able to keep you and your family safe for several years. The best bunkers are usually underground. Many are underground but in the sides of mountains or hills. The goals is to be able to get in and out but for no one else to be able to find you. Keep your bunker secret by never carrying your phone or GPS enabled device with you when you visit. Even when you turn your GPS off, you may still be tracked with cell phone tower signals. Don't discuss your plans with anyone outside your family and resist the temptation to "show off" on social media. 8. Stock your survival bunker with supplies. Everything you would need for several years worth of living. This will include food, water, and medicine. You can consult a survival guide or book to determine the best setup. Think about everything you and your family uses frequently over the course of a year and make sure you have everything you absolutely need. Some items such as medicines may be difficult to acquire by legitimate means. Proper storage may also be difficult. Favor solid form pills over liquids as their shelf life tends to be longer even after the expiration date. Store medicine in a cool dry place to extend potency, and remember that taking drugs after their expiration date is rarely harmful. 9. Get to your survival bunker as quickly as possible. If you are going to stay ahead of the military you will need to move fast. As soon as martial law is declared you may not have time to discuss what to do next. You may think the military isn't there yet but local law enforcement may start implementing martial law beforehand. Have everything you want or need in your survival bunker and move there as soon as humanly possible. 10. Keep a radio on hand to keep track of when martial law has ended. Most likely you will not be able to stay in your bunker forever. You will need to keep contact with the outside world. You need to know when it will be safe to emerge. Since batteries degrade, you may want to use a survival radio that incorporates a hand-crank for power. Be cautious of pro-military propaganda. Know what frequencies local militias are broadcasting on and any code words. Don't listen to just anything but wait until the militias give you the OK that civil authority has been restored. 11. Stay in your bunker until you are sure it is safe to leave. The hardest part of hiding is the isolation. However, each time you step out of the bunker may risk the fate of your whole family. Someone may see you entering or exiting your bunker. You may accidentally leave tracks or human scent near the entrance. Search dogs may then be able to find you. Stay in your bunker as long as you possibly can before emerging. If you are in your bunker for a long time, prioritize your food based on expiration date. Eat whatever might expire soon first. 12. Have a go-bag ready for the day martial law is declared. If you think martial law is going to be enacted by any military force hostile to you then you should consider being ready. Will you have a better chance resisting or submitting? Have a go-bag with all the supplies you need to make it from where you are to where you are supposed to be. Your go-bag should be light but fully stocked. Estimate how far you may ever be from your bunker to determine what you need for your bag. You should favor small and light items as you may be carrying the bag. This includes basic survival gear and food in case you have to walk or hike to your bunker. 13. Stash guns, ammo, supplies, and survival gear in a hidden bunker. This will be your family's rally point when martial law happens. Be sure to include everything you will need to wait out the storm. Your bunker should be equipped such that once you go in, you won't need to leave for supplies for months. If you have valuables you don't want to leave behind, go ahead and store them in your bunker in advance. You may not have time to go home to pack before the military rolls into town. Stocking your bunker with supplies can be difficult and cost-prohibitive. Start with a 72-hour setup for natural disaster preparedness. Then move toward a two-week day bomb shelter. Once you get the hang of it, increase to however long you think you'll need. 14. Know the rally point established by the local militia. Most likely you are not the only person or family to see what's coming. Other people are likely getting ready for the military to take over. Become part of your local militia and find out what your plans are to resist a malevolent military. You may need to be quick in attacking local supply depots and establishing an effective resistance. 15. Group up with your militia as soon as humanly possible. Once you have your own home base established with your family protected, be ready to move. Militias survive as long as there are enough people to protect strategic locations. Your militia will need all the manpower they can get. Take a few supplies and rations but leave most of it in your bunker. Your militia should have their own hidden stockpiles of supplies if they will ever be successful. Be careful not to reveal your home base or inventory of supplies to your militia. If the militia crumbles you need a safe place to fall back to. If your militia is in danger, they may see your home base as a supply depot leaving you and your family in jeopardy. 16. Establish a chain of command and follow orders. Until now a military chain of command may have been hypothetical or loosely enforced. Now its time to follow orders without question. Establish the leadership structure and who you must report to and who reports to you. Most likely there will be people in your ranks with prior military experience. Their expertise will be crucial to maintaining order. 17. Stay with your militia as you move to a safe location. If you survive and fight long enough, you may need to move to another safe location. This may be a retreat or you may be grouping up with other local militias to form a larger resistance force. You may be moving to re-establish civil authority. Regardless, if the supplies of your bunker are running out your options are limited. You will likely not be alone in this respect. You will need to move with the militia to a safe location to continue resisting the government long term.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Survive-Under-Martial-Law", "language": "en"}
How to Get Rid of Your Belly	Carrying too much belly fat is a big problem for many people nowadays, especially once they hit middle age. Aside from being unsightly, belly fat is the most dangerous type of body fat to carry, as it indicates a higher level of visceral fat around the internal organs. Therefore, in order to lead a healthy lifestyle and feel happy in your body, it's necessary to take serious action to eliminate body fat. 1. Control your calorie intake. If you want to lose weight, you'll have to restrict your calorie intake - simple as that. Luckily, the belly is one of the first places to trim down once you start losing weight, so it is easier to shift than stubborn bum, thigh or arm fat. One pound of fat equals 3,500 calories. In other words, in order to lose one pound of fat per week, you will need to cut 3,500 calories from your weekly diet. You can lose 1 lb. per week by cutting 500 calories per day. For instance, reduce your calorie intake by 250 per day and burn 250 calories each day through exercise. Don't lie to yourself about your calorie intake. Keep track of every bite that passes your lips in a food diary or online calorie tracker. Eating a healthy diet and reducing your calories accounts for 80% of weight loss, so don't fool yourself into thinking that you can eat whatever you like as long as you exercise. A healthy goal is to lose between 1 and 2 pounds per week - any more than that is considered crash dieting and the weight loss will be nearly impossible to maintain. Depending on how overweight you are to begin with, women should eat between 1,500 and 2,000 calories per day in order to safely lose weight, while men should eat between 2,000 and 2,500. 2. Eat more fiber. Eating more soluble fiber is essential for healthy weight loss. It helps to cut down on visceral fat, which is the potentially dangerous fat stored around vital organs such as the heart, lungs and liver. People who store fat in their bellies are more likely to have a higher percentage of visceral fat than those who don't. Breakfast is one of the easiest meals to incorporate more fiber into. Switch to eating high fiber cereals or oatmeal. Eat whole grain breads and bake muffins with wheat bran. Leave the skin on fruits and vegetables (such as apples, carrots and potatoes) as much as possible, as the skin contains the most fiber (in addition to the most vitamins and nutrients). Introduce more split peas, beans (black, kidney, pinto), and nuts (almonds, peanuts) into your diet, as these foods are all high in fiber. 3. Cut out sugar. Sugar is the enemy when it comes to fighting belly fat, as it's full of empty calories which provide no nutritional benefit whatsoever. When too much sugar is consumed, the body cannot burn it, so it's gets converted into fat and stored in places such as the belly, butt, thighs, and breasts. Naturally-occurring sugars, such as those found in fruit, are okay (in moderation), so it's really the added sugars you need to watch out for. These sugars are found in most packaged and processed foods, such as ready-to-eat cereals, candy, breads, and sodas. Watch out for many low- or non-fat products, which are actually very high in sugar. This is the case for many yogurts, cheeses, and sauces. Make sure to read the labels on any products you buy and look out for ingredients such as maltose, dextrose, ribose, xylose, lactose and sucrose - as these are all just misleading names for sugar. Stay away from anything that contains high fructose corn syrup - this is an artificial sweetener which is just as fattening (if not more fattening) than actual sugar. 4. Eat more vegetables. Remember that losing weight doesn't mean you need to starve yourself - you can eat as much fruit and veg as you like. In fact, at mealtimes the majority of your plate should be filled with vegetables. Any protein you eat should be about the size of a deck of cards, while servings of carbohydrates should fit inside your palm. The rest of your plate should be filled with vegetables. Visually, filling your plate with vegetables will help to trick your brain into believing you're eating a large amount of food, which can help you to feel less deprived and prevent you from filling your plate with more rice, potatoes or meat instead. 5. Eat more healthy fats. Surprisingly, eating more fat can actually help you to lose weight - but only if you eat the right kind and the right portions. All fat has 9 calories per gram so when you're trying to cut calories/lose weight, fat adds up quickly. Foods containing monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) are healthier than saturated fats. To consume more MUFAs, try to use more olive oil when you cook, eat more avocados, and choose small portions of nuts like walnuts and pine nuts as a snack. You should also eat more oily fish, which is an excellent source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Try cooking salmon, mackerel, trout, herring, and tuna. Stay away from trans-fats, such as those found in margarine and most processed foods, as these are bad fats which will prevent weight loss. 6. Drink more water. Drinking water is very important when attempting to lose belly fat. Water flushes out the system, eliminating toxins and leaving you less bloated as a result. Water helps to regulate your metabolic rate, helping you to burn fat more efficiently. Drinking water helps to suppress your appetite, making you less likely to overeat at mealtimes. If you're ever tempted to eat something unhealthy, try drinking a glass of water instead! It's normally recommended that you drink eight 8-oz. glasses of water per day, though you may need more if you're doing lots of exercise, sweating a lot, or if it’s very hot outside. Instead of drinking coffee, try to kickstart your day with a cup of warm water and lemon. You can also increase your hydration levels by drinking more green tea, which contains antioxidants known as catechins. 7. Focus on cardio exercise. Rather than doing a ton of crunches and push-ups, cardiovascular exercise is the best thing you can do to burn calories and eliminate belly fat. However, rather than slogging at a steady pace on the treadmill, you should try to do interval training. Interval training involves integrating short bursts of high-intensity exercise into your daily workout. Try sprinting for 30 second intervals throughout your run, or set the elliptical, treadmill or exercise to interval mode in the gym. To trim belly fat, aim to do 30 minutes of high intensity cardio exercise at least four times per week. 8. Introduce more activity to your daily life. Aside from the time you spend working out in the gym, it's a good idea to incorporate more activity into your everyday life - this way you can burn more calories without too much effort. Make some simple changes, such as taking the stairs or biking to work a couple of days a week. If you work a desk job, consider switching to a standing desk. Simply by standing instead of sitting for a couple of hours a day you will burn more calories. Take this as an opportunity to do some spring cleaning, to paint the house or fix up the garden - having a project to work on will help you to increase your activity levels without even realizing it! Also try to do active things purely for enjoyment - play soccer with your kids after school, take up a dance class, or spend a fun day at the beach. 9. Do strength training. It's an excellent idea to incorporate some strength training into your weekly workouts. Strength training includes things like squats, deadlifts, bicep curls and leg presses. Although these exercises don't burn as many calories as cardio, they will benefit you in the long run. They will help you to build strength and muscle, which speeds up your metabolism and helps you to burn fat more easily, even at rest. Exercises like squats and deadlifts will also help you to build muscle around your core and keep your waistline trim. However, it's very important to have the correct form while performing these exercises, so if you've never done them before consider attending a class or enlisting the help of a personal trainer. Core work with weighted objects is an effective way to burn fat, and medicine balls or kettlebells work well for these kinds of exercises. 10. Don't spend too much time on crunches or sit-ups. Many people falsely believe that doing hundreds of crunches will help to eliminate belly fat and give you tight, toned abs. However, it is impossible to "spot reduce" fat in this way, so any muscle you build will be hidden under the existing fat and possibly bulk you up even further. Therefore, it is a good idea to put the crunches and sit-ups on hold until you have lost your existing belly fat. Then, once you have lost the weight, you can work on toning your midsection. Instead of crunches and sit-ups, consider doing exercises that engage multiple muscle groups (not just your core) and which simultaneously work the cardiovascular system. Plank exercises are excellent for this. 11. Get enough sleep. Although it may be surprising, getting enough sleep is actually hugely important when it comes to getting rid of belly fat. When you're tired, your body produces more ghrelin, which is a hunger-inducing hormone that stimulates cravings for sugar and fatty foods. In addition, lack of sleep messes with the production of other hormones, potentially leading to increased cortisol levels and insulin-sensitivity - both of which have been linked to belly fat. Therefore, you should try to get at least 7 or 8 hours of good quality sleep a night. If you're having difficulty, try to cut down on caffeine and avoid watching TV or working on your laptop before bed - read a book or have a relaxing bath instead. 12. Reduce stress. Studies have shown that increased levels of cortisol (a hormone caused by stress) are linked with high levels of belly fat. In addition, it is much easier to make poor food choices when you are stressed out, especially if you are extremely busy or tend to comfort eat. Therefore, it is important to reduce your stress levels in order to combat belly fat. Exercise can benefit hugely when it comes to stress reduction (and fat reduction), as can adequate sleep. You should also take some time for yourself to do things you enjoy. Read a book, go see a movie, or just spend more time with friends and family. Activities like meditation and yoga have also been found hugely beneficial in reducing stress. 13. Limit alcohol consumption. Heavy or regular drinking is not conducive to a flat tummy. This is true for several reasons: Alcoholic drinks ( beer and cocktails in particular) are high in calories. Therefore, simply by grabbing a couple of drinks after work you could be significantly increasing your total calorie intake. Drinking alcohol puts excess pressure on your liver, which has to work overtime just to clear the toxins from your system. This takes energy away from other important bodily processes such as burning fat and building muscle. You don't need to give up alcohol altogether, but try to limit your drinking to a Friday or Saturday night, and never binge drink. It’s recommended that women consume 1 drink or less per day, and men consume 2 drinks or less per day. One drink is equal to 5 oz beer, 12 oz wine, or 1.5 oz liquor. 14. Remember why it's important to lose belly fat. If you're finding it hard to stay motivated, try to remind yourself of why losing belly fat is important for your health. People with high levels of belly fat are more likely to have increased levels of visceral fat, which is the fat that forms around important internal organs, like the heart, liver and lungs. Although visceral fat is not all bad (as it protects the organs), too much of it can produce harmful, toxic substances within the body and lead to an increased risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, fatty liver disease, and certain cancers. Therefore, you shouldn't just lose belly fat in order to look better - you should do it because it is important for your overall health. In order to achieve minimal visceral fat, you should aim to have a waist measurement of less than 35 inches (88.9 cm) if you're a woman and less that 40 inches (101.6 cm) if you're a man. 15. Weigh yourself at the same time each day. If you're in the habit of constantly weighing yourself, it can be disheartening when you don't see any progress. However, weight can fluctuate quite a bit from day to day and even from hour to hour, depending on what you ate and when you had your last bowel movement. Therefore, it's important to standardize your weigh-in procedures in order to get a more accurate indication of your progress. Weigh yourself at the same time everyday - most people prefer to do it in the morning, before breakfast, as this is when your weight should be at it's lowest point. Some professionals recommend weighing yourself each day to stay aware of your weight. 16. Measure your progress. In addition to weighing yourself, it's a good idea to take measurements in order to track your progress. Sometimes, even if you haven't lost any pounds, you may have lost inches. Calculate your waist-to-hip ratio by measuring your waist (the thinnest part around your navel) and your hips (the widest part around your hip bone). Divide your waist measurement by your hip measurement in order to get your waist-to-hip ratio. A healthy waist-to-hip ratio for women is 0.8 or lower, while for men is is 0.9 or lower. 17. Take pictures. Another good way of tracking your progress is to take pictures of yourself. This can help you to get a more visual indication of your progress, thus helping you to stay motivated. Take pictures of yourself at the beginning of your weight loss journey, and at several milestones throughout. Take a picture from the front, from the back and from the side - having someone else take the pictures might be helpful. Take the pictures in your underwear, or in tight-fitting clothes, so you can really see your body shape. Stand up straight and gesture your posture, but don't try to suck your belly in as this is giving a false impression. Let it all hang out. Compare each photo you take with the original - you will be amazed with your progress. 18. Lose weight with a friend. Staying motivated to lose weight can be very difficult, especially when everyone around you seems to eat whatever they like and sits in front of the TV instead of going to the gym in the evenings. If you can, enlist a friend or family member to go on your weight loss journey with you. A slight competitive spirit might be just what you need to get yourself in gear. Organize to go to the gym, or even go on walks together. Do your weekly weigh-ins together too - that way you will have someone to hold you accountable if you haven't hit your weight-loss goal!	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Your-Belly", "language": "en"}
How to Check a Car Battery	You go to start your car only to discover that the engine won't start and the headlights won't turn on. That's a sign that it's time to check the battery. Not sure how? Don't worry—this article will walk you through how to check your car battery step by step with either a voltmeter or a power probe. If you don't have either of those things, we'll also show you how to check the battery by cranking the engine. 1. Turn your ignition off. 2. Remove the battery's positive terminal cover. Check and clean the battery terminals. 3. Connect your voltmeter's positive lead to the positive terminal on your battery. The positive lead on a voltmeter is usually red. 4. Attach the negative voltmeter lead to the negative battery terminal. 5. Check the voltmeter. If your battery is in good condition, the voltage should be between 12.4 and 12.7 volts. A reading lower than 12.4 volts means that your battery needs to be charged. If the reading is lower than 12.2 volts, "trickle charge" the battery, which is a slow charge. And then re-check. If the reading is over 12.9 volts, you have excessive voltage. Turn on the high beams to remove excessive voltage surface charge. Over voltage may be an indication the alternator is over charging the battery. While you have the voltmeter handy, you may also want to do load testing. 6. Remove the battery's positive terminal cover. 7. Connect your Power Probe's positive lead to the positive terminal on your battery. The positive lead on a voltmeter is usually red. 8. Attach the Power Probe's negative lead to the negative battery terminal. 9. Connect the tip of the probe to the positive battery terminal. Check the probe for voltage reading. 10. Check the Power Probe reading. If your battery is in good condition, the voltage should be between 12.4 and 12.7 volts. 11. "Crank" the engine by turning the ignition until the starter engages and hold for 2 seconds Have an assistant crank the engine while you check battery voltage drop. 12. At the time of the crank, check the reading of the Power Probe. It should not go below 9.6 volts. A battery with a volt reading less than 9.6 volts means the battery is sulfated and not holding/accepting the charge. Alternatively, you can get the battery tested at an auto parts store or a repair shop. They usually test your battery at no charge. Home diagnosis is rather difficult and not very accurate.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Check-a-Car-Battery", "language": "en"}
How to Make Raisins	Raisins are a delicious natural snack that can be eaten on their own or added to a variety of recipes, such as oatmeal raisin cookies. In addition to being so versatile, they’re also easy to make! By simply drying grapes in the sun, in an oven, or in a dehydrator, you can easily make your own raisins in no time! 1. Remove the larger stems from your grapes and wash them thoroughly. You don’t need to remove all the grapes from the stems, but you should definitely cut off the larger stems. Rinse the grapes under running water to wash them. You can also use an all-natural produce wash to wash your grapes, although simple water should suffice in most cases. 2. Spread the grapes out evenly on a baking tray and cover them. Use a wooden, wicker, bamboo, or plastic tray that is slatted, so air can circulate around the fruit. Spread the grapes so that they aren’t touching one another on the tray. Use a kitchen towel to cover the grapes. You can also use a pillowcase to cover your grapes if you’d rather not use a kitchen towel. Your cover should also be effective at keeping insects away from your grapes as they dry. Make sure that whatever you use to cover the grapes won’t get blown away in the wind. If your cover is relatively light, you may need to weigh it down on its corners. 3. Place the tray outside in the sun during warm, dry weather. Put the tray in a location where it will get lots of sunlight during the day. Only put them out during warm, dry weather; the warmer and dryer the climate, the easier your grapes will dry out. If you put your tray out in overcast, cool, or particularly humid weather, the grapes will take longer to dry out (and may not even completely dry out). Aim to put your tray outside when the forecast is sunny, humidity is not too high, and the temperature is at least 75 °F (24 °C). If your area gets foggy or dewy at night, take the tray inside at the end of the day and place it outside again the next morning. 4. Allow the grapes to sit outside for 3-4 days, rotating them occasionally. The grapes may take up to 96 hours to become sufficiently dry, depending on various weather conditions and how hydrated they were to start. However, they should be left outside for at least 3 days. Go out and rotate the grapes twice each day to make sure both sides of the grapes are exposed to the sun. After 3 days, feel free to conduct a taste test on 1 or 2 of the grapes to see if they’re sufficiently dry. If they’re to your liking, go ahead and bring them inside. If they’re not quite dry enough, leave them out for another day. You can leave grapes out in the sun for up to 5 days, though you shouldn’t need to leave them out any longer than this. 5. Take the dried raisins inside and store them in an airtight container. Once the grapes have dried to the point of becoming raisins, take the tray inside and place the raisins in an airtight container. Store the container in a cool place or refrigerate. Suggested storage containers for air-dried raisins include mylar bags, tupperware, and glass canning jars with an oxygen absorber. 6. Preheat your oven to 225 °F (107 °C). Set your oven temperature to 225 °F (107 °C) and allow it to preheat for about 15 minutes. Do not put your grapes in the oven before it’s preheated, as this will affect their quality. This temperature will allow you to bake grapes into raisins in around 4 hours. If you’d rather make raisins more slowly, you can opt instead to set your oven to 150 °F (66 °C) and bake your grapes for around 36 hours. Making raisins more slowly takes much longer, but also reduces your risk of overcooking or overdrying your grapes. 7. Wash your grapes and remove the stems. Run your grapes under running water to wash them. Use scissors or your fingers to remove any large stems from the grapes. Throw out any grapes that are spoiled. All-natural produce wash can also be used to wash your grapes. 8. Grease 2 baking sheets with oil and spread the grapes on them. Use a small amount of vegetable or canola oil to very lightly grease 2 rimmed baking sheets. Then, evenly spread your grapes out onto the sheets. Avoid having the grapes touch each other as much as possible. You can also use parchment paper if you’d rather not place the grapes on oil. While you should spread your grapes out on the trays in a way that gives them space between each other, your raisins won’t be ruined if the grapes are touching each other. 9. Bake your grapes in the oven for 4 hours or until they’re shriveled. You want your raisins to be mostly dried but still slightly plump. Check in several times during the baking process to avoid any mishaps. Feel free to remove the grapes after less than 4 hours if they’re sufficiently dried before then. How long your grapes should cook for will vary based on their size and how dry you like your raisins. Larger grapes will take longer to dry out than smaller grapes. 10. Remove the raisins from the oven and allow them to cool. Once the raisins are sufficiently dried, carefully remove them from the oven and allow them to cool for at least 30 minutes. If any raisins are stuck to the baking sheet, use a thin metal spatula to free them. 11. Store your raisins in a sealed container and refrigerate them. Once the raisins are completely cooled, transfer them to a sealable airtight container for storage. Place the container in the refrigerator to keep the raisins fresh. Your raisins should keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. 12. Wash your grapes and remove the seeds, if necessary. Use cool running water to remove any dirt or debris from your grapes before you place them in the dehydrator. If your grapes have seeds, cut the grapes in half and remove the seeds before proceeding. If your grapes are seedless, there’s no need to cut them open. You can also wash your grapes with an all-natural produce wash. 13. Spread the grapes out on the dehydrator trays. You don’t have to take great pains to evenly spread the grapes; it will be ok if they’re slightly touching each other. However, don’t overload the dehydrator with too many grapes, as this will negatively impact the drying process. Be sure to closely follow the instructions for use with your dehydrator to know how best to avoid overloading it. 14. Set the temperature on your dehydrator to 135 °F (57 °C). This is the temperature that is most commonly used to dehydrate grapes. If your dehydrator has a “fruit” setting, you may also use this setting. Your machine may have a recommended temperature to use when dehydrating grapes. If so, set your dehydrator to this temperature. If it doesn’t include a recommended temperature, set it to 135 °F (57 °C). 15. Allow your grapes to dehydrate for at least 24 hours. Most grapes require at least 24 hours to fully dehydrate, although some may take even longer to sufficiently dry. Check in on your grapes every 2 hours or so and taste test them; if they dry to your likeness in less than 24 hours, feel free to take them out of the dehydrator. If your grapes are very small, they will likely need less than 24 hours to become raisins. Be more diligent about checking in on your grapes if they’re very small and make sure you don’t overcook them. Avoid dehydrating your grapes for more than 48 hours. 16. Remove the grapes from the dehydrator and store them. After the grapes have been sufficiently dehydrated, remove them from the dehydrator and allow them to completely cool. Then, place them in an airtight container, such as a plastic bag or glass jar, and store. Raisins made this way and stored in an airtight container can be stored in a cool, dry place (e.g., a pantry) for several months.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Raisins", "language": "en"}
How to Use Clip in Hair Extensions	Hair extensions are a great way to give your hair extra length, volume, or both. If they are made from real hair, you can dye them to match your own hair color, give them highlights, or even heat style them. There is a trick to applying them, however; if you don't do it right, the results could look unnatural. Your starting hair length and texture will also make a difference in how you apply them. 1. Buy a pack of clip-in extensions that match your hair color. If you can’t find the right color, you can dye them using hair dye (if they are made from real hair). You can also buy them in a lighter shade for an ombre effect. It would be even better if the extensions matched your hair texture (curly or straight). Don't worry if you can't find the right ones; you can curl or straighten them later. 2. Separate the wefts into groups based on how many clips they have. Most packs of extensions will come with 7 wefts, or strings of hair. Each weft will have 2, 3, or 4 clips sewn into it. Separate your wefts into groups based on how many clips are sewn in. Some groups may only have a single weft, while another group may have up to 4 wefts. Knowing how many clips are on each weft is important. Where you place the weft depends on how many clips are sewn into it. 3. Brush the extensions using a clean hairbrush. Gently brush the hair starting from the ends. Never drag a brush straight down through the wefts without detangling it first. If the hair is particularly knotted, detangle it first using a wide-toothed comb, then brush it. 4. Straighten or curl the extensions If the extensions are made from real hair, apply a heat protectant product then use a curling iron or a hair straightener on them, just like you would on your own hair. If they are made from synthetic fibers, read the package to ensure that they are heat-resistant, or you risk melting the fibers. Alternatively, you can straighten or curl your hair to match the extensions instead. A trick for styling the extensions is to pull your own hair back into a ponytail then clip the extensions in one at a time to the side of your head and curl or straighten them. Alternatively, you can clip the extensions to a skirt hanger to make it easier to style them. 5. Wash, dry, and brush your hair. Even though these extensions are only temporary, your hair should be clean, dry, and free of any knots or tangles. Wash your hair as you normally would, then allow it to air dry or use a hairdryer. Brush your hair until it is smooth and free of knots. 6. Section off the hair just below your ears. Slide the handle of a rat-tail comb through your hair, just below your ears. Pull everything above the comb up into a bun. Check the horizontal part that you made in the mirror to ensure that it is even. Any strands of hair interrupting it may snag on the comb and feel uncomfortable. Ideally, the part should be level with the bottom of your ears. It would be a good idea to brush the loose hair below the comb once again to ensure that it is smooth. 7. Insert a 3-clip weft into your hair, just below the part. Find a weft that has 3 clips sewn into it. Snap open the comb-like clips on your weft. Position the weft right over the horizontal part and slide the combs into your hair, as close to the roots as possible, and snap them shut. Start with the middle clip first, then do the sides. Don't clip in the extensions too close to your hairline. Keep them 1 inch (2.5 cm) from your hairline for a natural look. 8. Repeat the process for mid-ear level. Let down another section of hair. Use your rat-tail comb to create a horizontal part that is level with the middle of your ears. Gather everything above the part into a bun, just like before. Insert a 4-clip weft into the roots just below the part. Again, insert the middle clips first, then do the sides. Some packs will have a short 4-clip weft and a long 4-clip weft. Use the shorter 4-clip weft here. 9. Repeat the process above your ears using a longer weft. Let down another section of hair. Use the rat-tail comb to create a part that's level with the tips of your ears. Insert the longest weft into the roots just below the part, starting with the middle clips and finishing with the outer. Use a 5-clip weft or a longer 4-clip weft for this. If you don't have either of these clips, skip this step. 10. Insert a 3-clip weft 2 inches (5.1 cm) below your crown. Undo your bun and measure down 2 inches (5.1 cm) from the back of your crown. Create a horizontal part with your rat-tail comb and bun the rest of your hair, just like before. Insert the final 3-clip weft into the roots, then let down your hair. If you have whorls, deep splits, or other cowlicks in your crown area, check this weft after inserting it to ensure it isn't visible due to a cowlick. 11. Insert a 2-clip weft 2 inches (5.1 cm) above each ear. Use the handle of your rat-tail comb to create a horizontal part 2 inches (5.1 cm) above your left ear. Instead of putting your hair in a bun like before, brush it over to the opposite side and secure it with a clip. Insert the 2-clip weft into that part, 1 inch (2.5 cm) from the hairline. Repeat this step for the right ear. 12. Add the remaining 1-clip wefts wherever you think you need more hair. Typically, you'll need to add them right above the 2-clip wefts, 2 on each side. If you part your hair to the side, however, you may wish to use more clips on the thicker side of the part. If you use them on the thinner side, the wefts may show. 13. Remove the extensions at the end of the day before going to bed. Starting from the top-left side of your head, pat your hair where you inserted the wefts. Once you feel the wefts, slide your fingers into your hair and snap open all of the combs on that weft. Gently pull the weft out, then move onto the next. Work your way from top-to-bottom. You will have to feel your way around for this step. Never go to bed while wearing clip-in extensions, or you may end up pulling out your hair. 14. Trim and layer your extensions if you have short hair. This may seem counterintuitive, especially if you are trying to make your hair look longer, but it will look more natural. If you clip in the extensions without blending them into your own hair, the difference in length will be obvious. Trim the extensions after you insert them into your hair. It would be a good idea to have a trained stylist do it for you. 15. Go a shade lighter if you have short hair and want an ombre effect. In most cases, you will want to match the extensions to your hair color. If you desire an ombre effect, consider going 1 to 2 shades lighter. If the ends of your hair are already lighter, you could match the extensions to them instead. You can use this step for longer hair as well. 16. Pay attention to the thickness of the wefts if you have thick hair. If you get extensions that aren't thick enough, the ends of your hair will look too thin compared to the rest of your hair. This will look unnatural and make it obvious that you are wearing extensions. 17. Tease your roots before adding the extensions to add volume. This will give the wefts something to grip onto and prevent them from sliding off. It will also help give your hair a little extra volume. Tease each section just before adding the extension. To tease your hair, pull a thin section of hair away from your head, then run a comb under it in short strokes, starting from the middle and ending at the roots. 18. Don't be afraid to leave some wefts out if you have thin hair. This will often be the case if you bought thick hair extensions. If you use all of the extensions, the difference in volume between your hair and the extensions may be obvious. You may also create too much bulk, which could lead to visible wefts. Consider buying extensions designed for thin hair. They will give you length and volume while looking natural. 19. Make sure that the wefts are not visible. You may have to adjust the positioning of the extensions. If you don't have enough hair covering them, the wefts may be visible. It would be a good idea to give your head a shake, and check for any wefts that are peeking through when your hair moves. The best places to position your extensions is anywhere below eyebrow level. This ensures that you have enough hair covering them. 20. Style your extensions if desired. Curling your hair and the extensions will help give your hair even more volume. Whether you curl the extensions before or after you add them to your hair is up to you. Go with whatever is most comfortable for you. If your extensions are synthetic, check the package to see whether or not they are heat-resistant. If they are not heat-resistant, don't curl them.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-Clip-in-Hair-Extensions", "language": "en"}
How to Control and Steer a Horse Using Your Seat and Legs	Your seat and legs are incredibly important tools to use when riding your horse. By aligning your body correctly and learning how to adjust the pressure and movement of your seat and legs, you will be able to control and steer your horse without relying on the reins as much. With enough practice using your seat and legs, you will be able to clearly communicate with your signals, helping both you and your horse to have a better relationship and more fun during rides! 1. Create a straight line through your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel. Mount your horse and relax into the saddle. Imagine a line running from your ear down to your heel on both sides. Try to keep this alignment secure as you ride, as this keeps your weight over your horse’s center of gravity. To initially find this alignment, stand up in the stirrups and find the position where you can easily balance. Then gently lower yourself down onto your horse’s back. Your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel should be relatively in line and you may need to make only a few small adjustments. Losing this alignment can send your horse confusing signals as you are riding. If your legs slide forward, your weight will fall onto your horse’s back which is difficult for it to carry. Contrastingly, if your legs are too far back, you will tip forward. 2. Hold your lower legs gently against your horse’s sides. Let your lower legs hang down from your knees. Wrap your lower legs softly around the sides of your horse. This causes your knees to open slightly and prevents you from gripping the saddle at the knee, which can cause you to be unbalanced. 3. Adjust your feet so that the stirrups are along the ball of each foot. Gently push your heel below your toe and let your toes slightly point outward. Carry your weight evenly in each foot. 4. Relax your back to keep it straight. A relaxed, yet straight back is one of the most important aspects of having a correct riding posture. Avoid concentrating too much on having a straight back, as this often causes overcompensation which can make your back arch uncomfortably. If you feel nervous or tense during your ride, it’s common to perch in the saddle and for your back to arch without even realizing it. This tells your horse to tense up and to prepare for flight, which in turn makes both you and your horse tenser. Try to relax as much as possible, so that your position remains correct and your back stays straight. This will help you and your horse to communicate. 5. Follow your horse’s motion with your body. Move with your horse during your ride. Relax your body and feel how it moves as your horse moves. You will feel lifts and rolls through your hands, hips, seat, and legs. Feeling flexible and comfortable with your horse’s natural movement means that you will be able to understand how to use your seat and legs well to communicate with your horse. 6. Squeeze your legs gently inwards to ask your horse to walk on. Position your weight evenly over the saddle and look straight ahead at where you want your horse to move towards. Gently pulse with your lower legs as your horse moves forward to maintain the motion. It can be helpful to lighten your seat as you ask your horse to walk on. Imagine that you are growing slightly taller towards the sky, rather than tensing up or gripping with your knees. When you are asking your horse to walk, imagine that you are holding a ball between your calves. Try to simply hold the ball in place, rather than compress it. This is the right amount of pressure to apply as you squeeze and pulse with your legs. 7. Open your body towards the direction that you want to go. Turn your head, shoulders, and hips toward the right or the left. If you want to move toward the right, apply gentle pressure with your left leg and let your horse move into your right leg. Contrastingly, if you want to move toward the left, apply gentle pressure with your right leg and let your horse move into your left leg. A helpful way to think about turning is that your horse will move off or turn away from the pressure. As your horse begins to turn, follow the motion and let the weight in your seat shift slightly to the outside. Feel your hands, seat, and legs open towards the inside. 8. Return to your normal, aligned position to stop turning. Once your horse has turned enough to the right or the left, stop using your turning aids. Position your weight evenly in your seat, look straight ahead, and gently pulse with each leg to ask your horse to walk on again. 9. Tense your body when you are ready to stop. Become less flexible and more still to stop following the motion. Slow down the speed at which your hands follow the bobbing motion of your horse’s head. Reduce the flexibility in your hips and seat to stop following the motion. This indicates to your horse that you are going to ask to slow down or stop. Tighten your stomach muscles to reduce the movement in your hips and seat. 10. Sink your weight into your seat bones. Relax in the saddle, keep your weight distributed evenly, and make sure that your back is relaxed. Take a deep breath and as you exhale, sink your weight down as you stop following your horse’s movements. 11. Stop pulsing with your legs. Your legs help to maintain the rhythm and speed of your horse. Stop applying pressure with your legs and let your calves relax and remain still. Your horse will come to a halt. 12. Pulse your legs gently at an increased rhythm to speed up. Keep your body aligned and gently apply more pressure with your lower legs. Lighten your seat slightly by sitting taller. 13. Move your body to follow the same rhythm. Immediately after using your legs, relax your body and become more flexible to your horse's motion to signal an increase in pace. Let your hips and seat be flexible and follow the faster swinging motion. Allow your hands to move with the increased bobbing motion of your horse's head. If you don’t signal your horse using both slight leg pressure and letting your body move forward in the same rhythm, this will be confusing and your horse may not understand what you are asking. 14. Follow your horse’s motion with your elbows. Once you have started giving the correct signals with your legs, hips, and seat, let your arms relax. Allow your elbows and hands to follow the increased speed. This helps your body to be open to the new movement. 15. Slow your aids to slow down the pace of your horse. Consistent signals with your seat and legs will communicate to your horse to maintain the same pace. Pulse your legs gently at a slower rhythm and let your hips and seat follow your horse at a slower pace. Once your horse has slowed to your desired speed, use your legs and seat to maintain the movement again. While you are asking your horse to slow down, reduce the slight swinging motion of your hips and gently slow your arm motion. Using your legs and seat in this way helps to reduce the speed of your horse regardless of if it is moving at a walk, trot, or canter.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Control-and-Steer-a-Horse-Using-Your-Seat-and-Legs", "language": "en"}
How to Deep Clean Your Ears	In most cases, the best way for you to keep the insides of your ears clean is to leave them alone. A little earwax is in fact a good thing! But if you do have excessive wax buildup, there are some generally safe methods for cleaning, like removing wax from outside of your ears and introducing a safe liquid into your ear, that you can try at home. Otherwise, seek the help of a doctor. 1. Make sure that you don't have an infection. Cleaning your ears while you have an infection can be very painful and is not a good idea. Consider an infection if you are having symptoms such as earaches, smelly discharge, or ringing in your ears. If you suspect that you have an infection, visit with your doctor before trying any method to clean your ear yourself. 2. Leave your ear canal alone. For the majority of people, this is really all you need to do. Don’t pour or stick anything into your ear, and don’t try to scrape anything out. The human ear is designed to be self-cleaning, and earwax flows outward to facilitate this process. So, in almost all cases, there is no reason to go digging around in there. Earwax lubricates, hydrates, and offers some protection to the delicate components of the ear canal. It also possesses antibacterial properties, and naturally carries nasty stuff out of your ear canal. The ear canal's skin and hair help direct wax out of the ear. Additionally, chewing and other jaw motions help push wax outward. 3. Put down the cotton swabs. Cotton swabs (e.g., Q-Tips) are great for cleaning a million different little things — except for your ears. Using a cotton swab (or a rolled up napkin corner, etc.) to clean your ears will probably just push earwax down further toward your eardrum. Even worse, because of the thin skin and sensitive components inside your ear, you can easily cause punctures or other damage. Most cases of impacted earwax are caused by ill-advised cleaning methods that push wax down against the eardrum. 4. Clean the outside of your ear. If you want to get rid of ear wax, wait until it emerges from your ear canal. Then, wipe it and the rest of your ear with a soft, moist cloth or cotton ball. You can even use those cotton swabs — that you’ve stopped sticking into your ear — to get to all the nooks and crannies on the outer part of your ear. Basically, only worry about cleaning the parts of your ear you can see in the mirror. 5. Recognize signs of impaction. Cerumen (earwax) impaction almost always happens due to human habits, like regularly sticking foreign objects — including cotton swabs, hearing aids, earbuds, earplugs, or a stethoscope — into your ears. If you develop an earwax impaction, you’ll probably use terms like “clogged,” “full” or “plugged up” to describe the feeling in your ear. Wax buildup on the eardrum can also cause muffled hearing or even progressive hearing loss. Other common symptoms of impaction include earaches; ringing in the ears (tinnitus); ear canal itchiness; discharge that may smell foul; and coughing spells. 6. See your doctor for impaction removal. In most cases, your doctor will use some combination of irrigation and manual extraction to remove impacted earwax. Any pain should be minimal, and you will probably feel the difference (and possibly notice improved hearing) almost immediately. Many of the symptoms of cerumen impaction can also indicate ear infections or other serious conditions that your doctor can diagnose and treat. 7. Skip the earwax candles. Earwax candles are little more than hollow paper tubes lined with wax. Supposedly, when one end is lit and the other is placed in your ear, the candle will draw out earwax via a vacuum effect. If this all sounds a bit far-fetched to you, rest assured that science agrees with you. Plainly stated, there is no reliable evidence that these candles work in the least, and ample evidence that they can cause burns, fires, and punctured eardrums. 8. Choose a liquid that’s safe to put in your ear. If you want to try to loosen and drain out excess earwax yourself by introducing a liquid, pick a safe option like salt water, baby oil, or (especially) mineral oil. Commercial earwax cleaning solutions are also available for purchase. Other DIY methods you can find online may carry unnecessary risks. Pouring hydrogen peroxide in your ear, for instance, can damage the skin in your ear. Ask your doctor about using a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution. This can be a great option for loosening and draining excess earwax if your doctor advises that it's safe for you to try. 9. Warm any liquid to be used in the ear to body temperature first. Whether you are using mineral oil or another option, warm the liquid to body temperature before introducing it into your ear. Liquids that are too cool can disrupt the workings of your inner ear, potentially leading to loss of balance, dizziness, and nausea. Liquids that are too hot can cause irritation or even burns. 10. Dribble a small amount of loosening liquid in your ear to soften the wax. Add just a few drops of body-temperature mineral oil (or other safe liquid) into your ear canal, using either a medicine dropper or a moistened cotton ball. Lie on your side, with the gunked-up ear facing up. Instead of trying to force or flush out excess earwax on or near your eardrum, you might be able to soften it up and encourage it to flow out. The process should be painless and can even be relaxing. 11. Wait, roll over, and repeat in the other ear if needed. Remain in position for ten to twenty minutes, or even a bit longer if desired. Then, roll over onto a clean towel and allow the liquid and the loosened wax to drain out. 12. Use abundant caution. If you have a stubborn plug of earwax that can’t be coaxed out with mineral oil, you can try flushing it out at home. This is often how doctors do the job, but they have specialized tools and training. Don’t squirt excessive amounts of liquid into your ear, or with excess pressure, or you may damage your eardrum. 13. Draw clean water or salted water into a bulb syringe. This is the type of gadget used to clean out a baby’s nose. Make sure the liquid is at body temperature. Squeeze the bulb, place the tip down into the liquid, and loosen your squeeze; the liquid will draw up into the bulb. 14. Trickle the liquid into your ear. Place the bulb just inside the rim of your ear canal but never any further into the ear. Hold your head upright, but slightly tilted to that side so the liquid can drain out. Stop immediately if you feel pain. See your doctor instead. You may want to try to soften and loosen the earwax with mineral oil before attempting this method.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Deep-Clean-Your-Ears", "language": "en"}
How to Hide Your Profile on Facebook	Does having a public Facebook profile make you feel too exposed? If you want to make your Facebook profile less visible, there are several privacy options you can adjust to lock down your information. We'll show you how to make your Facebook profile more private by hiding posts, removing yourself from search, and temporarily deactivating your account. 1. Deactivate your page if you want to hide it for a while. Deactivate your Facebook page if you aren't planning on using Facebook for a while. Deactivation isn't permanent, and your page will be restored when you log in next time. Your profile will be completely hidden while your page is deactivated. While your page is deactivated, you won't be able to view anyone else's Facebook content that is not set to "Public." 2. Click the arrow button in the upper-right corner of page and select "Settings." This will open your Settings screen. 3. Click the "Security" option. This will open your account security options. 4. Click "Edit" next to "Deactivate Your Account." This will expand the section. 5. Click the "Deactivate your account" link and follow the prompts. This will hide your account and sign you out of Facebook. Your account will remain hidden until you sign in again. Your name will be removed from most things that you've shared, but not all messages. You will not lose any data. 6. Sign in again to restore your account. If you no longer want to have your account private, you can log back in with your regular Facebook credentials. This will restore all of your account data and make it visible again. 7. Open the Facebook mobile app. You can deactivate your account through the mobile app. Your profile will be hidden and your account deactivated until you log in again. 8. Tap the Menu (☰) button. You'll find this in the upper-right corner (Android), or in the lower-right corner (iOS). 9. Select "Account Settings." This will open the Settings menu for your account. 10. Tap "Security." This will display your account security settings. 11. Scroll to the bottom of the menu and tap "Deactivate." This will start the deactivation process. 12. Enter your password. You'll be prompted to enter your password before you can proceed. 13. Tap the "Deactivate" button to confirm. Scroll through the form to find the "Deactivate" button at the bottom of the screen. You can choose to let Facebook know why you're deactivating your account, but this is optional. 14. Sign back in if you want to restore your account. You'll be able to restore your account at any time by logging in with your email and password. 15. Log into Facebook. In order to adjust your privacy settings, you'll need to log into the Facebook website. 16. Click the arrow in the upper-right corner of the Facebook page. The arrow looks like ▼. 17. Select "Settings." This will open your Facebook settings. 18. Click the "Privacy" option in the left menu. This will display your account privacy settings. 19. Hide your posts and tags. You can hide your posts so that no one else besides you can see them, or limit them to a small set of close friends. Click "Edit" next to This will allow you to change the audience for who can view what you post. Select "Only Me" to make all of your posts private. This will prevent anyone from reading any posts you create from appearing to anyone other than yourself. You can choose different groups, such as Close Friends or any custom lists, but be aware that anyone that can view your posts can share your posts with their friends. Click the "Limit Past Posts" link. This tool will automatically change your old posts to Friends Only. This will limit who can see what you've posted in the past. If you want to change the audience to "Only Me," you'll need to find each individual post and change the audience manually. 20. Block people from posting on your timeline. You can turn posting for your timeline off so that no one else can post anything to it. This will allow you to use your timeline just for yourself, or completely lock it down and turn it off. Click the "Timeline and Tagging" option in the left menu. This will open your Timeline settings. Click "Edit" next to This will let you change who can post content to your personal timeline. Select "Only Me" to make your timeline completely private. This will prevent anyone from posting on your timeline. Combined with the previous steps for hiding your posts, your timeline will be completely private. Click "Edit" next to This will change who can see content that other people post on your timeline. Select This will prevent anyone from seeing any content posted on your timeline. 21. Hide your profile from search. Each entry in your profile, such as your employment, age, location, and more, has a separate privacy control. You'll need to make sure all of these things are set to "Only Me" if you don't want them to appear to others: Click the Facebook button in the upper-left corner. Select "Edit Profile" at the top of the menu on the left. Click the "Edit" button next to each entry in your profile. Click the "Audience" drop-down menu and select "Only Me" to hide that piece of profile information. Click "Save Changes," then move on to the next one. 22. Open the Facebook app. You can adjust all of your privacy settings directly in the Facebook mobile app. 23. Tap the Menu (☰) button. You'll find this in the upper-right corner (Android), or in the lower-right corner (iOS). 24. Select "Account Settings." This will open the Settings menu for your account. On iPhone, you'll need to select "Settings" and then "Account Settings." 25. Tap "Privacy." This will open your privacy settings. 26. Hide your posts and tags. You can prevent your timeline posts from appearing to anyone else, essentially turning your timeline into a private blog. Tap "Who can see your future posts?" Select "Only Me" to hide future posts from anyone but yourself. Return to the Privacy menu and select "Limit the audience for posts you've shared with friends of friends or Public?" Tap "Limit Old Posts" and then confirm to hide all of your past posts. 27. Block people from posting on your timeline. You can lock down your timeline so that no one else can post to it or see other posts. Return to the "Account Settings" menu and select "Timeline and tagging." Tap "Who can post on your timeline?" and then select "Only Me." Select "Who can see what others post on your timeline?" and then select "Only Me." 28. Hide content on your profile. Each item on your profile has an individual privacy setting. You'll need to change each one to "Only Me" to hide them from viewing by anyone. Return to the main Facebook screen and open your profile page. Tap "Add Details About You." Tap the Pencil (Edit) button next to each entry. Tap the Audience menu at the bottom of the entry and select "Only Me."	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Hide-Your-Profile-on-Facebook", "language": "en"}
How to Tell The Difference Between Porcelain and Ceramic Tiles	Before you buy tile for a tiling project, you should be able to identify porcelain and ceramic tiles. Both are made from a mixture of clays and other materials, then kiln-fired. Both porcelain and ceramic tile are in the category of “ceramic tile.” Ceramic tiles are divided into two groups: non-porcelain tiles (or ceramic) and porcelain tiles. In general terms, porcelain tiles are a higher quality and more resistant to damage, since they’re fired in a kiln at higher temperatures and made of less porous materials. 1. Inspect the tiles’ finish to see how smooth it is. You can do this either by visually inspecting the tiles’ top surfaces or by running your fingers over the top of the tiles. Porcelain tiles have a fine-grained finish that is smoother than the finish on ceramic tiles. So, if the finish is slightly bumpy or coarse when you touch it, you’re dealing with non-porcelain (ceramic) tile. If the tiles are already glazed, flip them over and look at the unglazed underside. 2. Look for chips in the glaze to identify ceramic tile. Look closely at the glaze: if it’s chipped, you will be able to see the tile’s white or tan base. This is a sure sign that the tile is ceramic. Porcelain tiles are sometimes, but not always, glazed. Most high-quality porcelain tiles will have a consistent color that goes through the top, body, and bottom of the tile. Ceramic tiles, on the other hand, are nearly always glazed. Glazed porcelain tiles are much harder and are more resistant to wear and damage than non-porcelain ceramic tiles. 3. Examine the sides of the tile for a white, tan, or red color. While porcelain tiles can be colored, ceramic tiles will always have a white, tan, or red color, with a colored glaze on top. So, if you see that the sides (and base) of the tile are any other color other than white, tan, or red, you can be sure that you’re dealing with a porcelain tile. Some cheap, low-quality porcelain tiles may not have the color mixed through the body of the tile. Avoid purchasing these tiles. 4. Compare the costs of the two tile types. In nearly every scenario, porcelain tiles are more expensive than ceramic tiles: they take more time to produce, are more versatile, and tend to last longer. If you’re looking at two types of tiles in a hardware or home-supply store, non-porcelain (ceramic) tiles will be a little cheaper. As a broad rule of thumb, porcelain tile usually costs approximately 60% more than ceramic tile. 5. Note the location in which the tiles have been installed. Ceramic and porcelain tiles are each better suited to distinct locations in a home. Porcelain is often installed in laundry rooms, bathroom floors, bathroom walls, shower stalls, and around bathtubs. Porcelain tile is more durable than ceramic because of its hardness, and porcelain is also more resistant to moisture. Ceramic tile, on the other hand, is most often installed as flooring in high-traffic areas such as an entry way or a heavily-used hallway. 6. See if the tiles are stained or discolored. If so, they’re almost certainly ceramic. Porcelain tiles are very dense and have been designed to be impervious to stains. So, most staining substances (e.g., red wine) can be wiped off of them easily. Ceramic, on the other hand, is light, porous, and can absorb staining materials relatively easily. Stains on ceramic tiles could also come from foot traffic (dirt, mud, snow, etc.) if the tiles are located in an entryway. 7. Inspect the faces of the tiles for uniform size and shape. The “face” of the tile is the top portion which faces upward or outward on installed tiles. Porcelain tiles have sharply-formed faces which are all exactly uniform in size. Due to their durability, porcelain tiles can be “rectified,” or cut to highly specific dimensions for complete uniformity. This also allows the porcelain tiles to be grouted together with only small gaps between tiles. If there is any discrepancy between the size of the tiles, you’re dealing with ceramic tile.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Tell-The-Difference-Between-Porcelain-and-Ceramic-Tiles", "language": "en"}
How to Use DMSO	Dimethyl sulfoxide, or DMSO, is a colorless liquid byproduct of the wood industry that has typically been used as a commercial solvent. More recently, however, people have begun to use DMSO for symptomatic relief of a number of medical maladies, from pain and swelling to arthritis and sciatica. Consult your doctor before using DMSO, as it has only been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating interstitial cystitis. 1. Find out if you are a good candidate for DMSO treatment. Talk to your doctor to find out if DMSO can help relieve the symptoms of your interstitial cystitis. If so, schedule an appointment to receive the treatment from your doctor. 2. Allow your doctor to insert a catheter. Over the course of several weeks, your doctor will flush liquid DMSO through a catheter into your bladder. The liquid is absorbed into the bladder lining and can reduce pain. Another benefit of DMSO is that it can increase the absorption of other medications, including steroids. Some people experience pain or discomfort when the catheter is inserted. If you are concerned about this pain, speak to your doctor about receiving pain medication or the possibility of inserting DMSO through a syringe, rather than a catheter. 3. Expect some relief from your symptoms. DMSO can reduce inflammation and pain and help relax the bladder and pelvis muscles. It may even break down scar tissue, which can increase your bladder capacity. Relief may be immediate, or it may take several treatments until you begin to feel relief from your symptoms. 4. Choose a low concentration of pharmaceutical-grade DMSO. Because topical use of DMSO is not regulated by the FDA, it's available in a wide range of concentrations. Choose a low concentration, like 25%, to be safe. Always choose pharmaceutical-grade, rather than industrial-grade, DMSO. Speak to your doctor before beginning topical DMSO treatments. 5. Wash your hands. It's crucial that you thoroughly scrub your hands before using them to apply DMSO in order to remove any skin products or lotions that could negatively interact with DMSO. Use soap and warm water, and be sure to clean under your nails as well. Dry your hands when finished. 6. Clean the area to be treated. The skin that you intend to put DMSO on needs to be thoroughly cleaned as well. Wash the area with warm water and soap, then pat it dry. This removes other substances from your skin that could react poorly with DMSO. 7. Test your sensitivity to DMSO. Before applying DMSO for the first time, you should test your sensitivity to it by applying a small amount of a low-concentration DMSO solution to a small area of skin. If your skin becomes itchy, red, or irritated, or if you develop a rash, stop using the product immediately. If you do have a reaction, it should appear within the first few minutes after applying DMSO. 8. Apply DMSO directly to the skin two to three times per day. You can use your hands, a cotton ball, or a clean paintbrush to apply DMSO to your skin. For pain relief, dab the DMSO onto an area larger than the pained area, such as several inches above and below your knee to treat knee pain. You can rub it in or allow it to soak in on its own. DMSO may dissolve other substances, so don't allow it to touch your clothing or other materials in its liquid form. Avoid applying DMSO to irritated areas, open wounds, or broken skin. 9. Avoid contact with toxic substances for three hours. Because DMSO opens up your pores, refrain from being around toxic substances, like lower velocity hydrocarbons and pesticides, for at least three hours after applying DMSO to ensure they are not absorbed into your skin. 10. Consult your doctor before you begin using DMSO. Schedule a visit with your doctor to discuss the benefits and detriments of using this product. Discuss the effect DMSO may have on other supplements or medications you are taking, as it may increase the effectiveness of certain medications, including blood thinners, sedatives, and steroids. Ask your doctor for concentration and dosage recommendations as well. Be sure to let your doctor know of any other medical conditions you have, including diabetes, asthma, and liver or kidney problems, as DMSO may worsen these conditions. 11. Look for adverse reactions. Side effects of DMSO may include an odor of garlic, skin irritation, and upset stomach. More serious reactions include itching or burning at the application site, headache, and severe allergic reactions. If you have an adverse reaction, stop using DMSO and contact your doctor. In the case of a severe allergic reaction, obtain emergency medical attention. 12. Avoid taking DMSO by mouth or through injection. Taking DMSO orally can cause dizziness, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, drowsiness, and decreased appetite. Until the safety of taking DMSO by mouth or through injection has been established, only apply it topically or through a catheter with your doctor's approval and under their supervision.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-DMSO", "language": "en"}
How to Remove a Hot Sauce Stain	If you love the spicy thrill of putting hot sauce on everything, chances are you've had to deal with a spill or two. The oils and red pigment from the chili peppers in hot sauce can turn a small splatter into a stubborn stain, but don't give up hope! Whether you need to clean hot sauce from your clothing, carpet, or countertops, these solutions might just do the trick. 1. Scrape off any excess hot sauce as soon as possible. Try using a spoon, butter knife, credit card, or even a paper towel to rub away as much of the hot sauce as you can. The stain will be easiest to treat if you get to it right away, but even if it dries before you notice it, start treating it as soon as you're able to. The more hot sauce that's present, the more likely the stain will be to spread once you start trying to clean it, which is why scraping off the excess is important. 2. Coat large, fresh stains with baking powder, then rinse with cool water. To absorb some of the oil from the stain, sprinkle a generous layer of baking powder over the entire surface of the stain. Leave it in place for at least 15 minutes, then turn the garment inside-out and rinse the back of the stain with cold running water. While this isn't likely to take the stain out of the garment, it can make it easier to clean, since it helps remove some of the oil. You can also use cornstarch if you don't have any baking powder on hand. Rinsing the stain from the back will help flush the oil out of the fabric without spreading the stain. 3. Rub liquid laundry detergent out of the stain and let it sit for 3-5 minutes. Pour a small amount of liquid laundry detergent onto the garment, then gently rub the detergent onto the surface of the stain. Wait for about 3-5 minutes, then turn the garment inside-out and rinse the spot under cold running water. When you're finished, launder the garment as usual. Do not use bar soap or powder detergent. You'll likely have to scrub to get these to cover the spot, which could set the stain deeper into the fabric. This is especially useful for cleaning a stain that's dried, although it will work on fresh hot sauce stains, as well. 4. Clean the spot with rubbing alcohol for a quick fix. If you want to lighten a hot sauce stain quickly, blot the area with rubbing alcohol and clean paper towels. Continue blotting until most of the stain is gone. Your garment should dry quickly once you're finished! You can also use hand sanitizer or white vinegar if you don't have rubbing alcohol available. Just make sure the hand sanitizer is clear and fragrance-free so it won't stain your clothes. 5. Wash the garment as usual once you lighten the stain. No matter which stain removal method you use, once you get the majority of the hot sauce out of the garment, run the clothing through your washing machine on a cool cycle. Examine the garment closely once you finish washing it. If the hot sauce is completely gone, put the clothing in the dryer or hang it up to dry. If there's still a faint stain, continue treating the garment until it's gone. Washing the garment in cool water will prevent the stain from setting into the fabric if it isn't completely gone. If you prefer, you can hand wash the garment instead. Drying the clothing can set in the stain, which is why it's important to check before you put it in the dryer. 6. Blot up or scrape off any excess hot sauce. If you spilled hot sauce in your carpet or splattered it on your couch, try to remove as much of the stain as you can. To do that, blot the area with a clean, dry cloth if the stain is fresh, or scrape off any dried hot sauce with a butter knife, spoon, or paper towel. This will help keep the stain from getting larger when you add your cleaner. 7. Mix 2 cups (470 mL) of water and 1 US tbsp (15 mL) of liquid soap. In a small bowl or shallow container, mix cool, clean water with a small amount of liquid dish soap. Then, stir the mixture gently with a spoon or your hand so it's thoroughly combined. If you use warm water, the stain could set deeper into the fabric. 8. Dampen a white cloth with the mixture and wring out the excess. Take a clean, white cloth and dip it in the soapy water you just mixed up. Then, wring out the cloth until it stops dripping. In general, when you're cleaning carpet or upholstery, it's best to use as little water as possible to avoid spreading the stain or leaving water spots. Using a white cloth will ensure that you don't transfer any dye from the towel to the upholstery. 9. Dab the stain with the wet cloth from the outside in. Blot the outside edges of the stain first, working in toward the center. Continue patting the stain, switching to a clean portion of the cloth as needed until the spot is gone. You can also dip the cloth in the soapy water and wring it out again if it starts to dry out. To keep up with what side of the cloth you've already used, try folding it into quarters before you start. Work on the first side, then flip the cloth over and use the second side once that's dirty. Then, turn the last fold inside-out and you'll have 2 clean sections of the cloth to work with. 10. Blot the area with cold water and a clean cloth to remove the soap. Once you've gotten the stain out of the carpet or upholstery, pour out your soapy water and replace it with clean, cold water. Dip a clean, white cloth in the cold water and wring it out, then blot away any soapy residue that's left behind. Over time, the soap will lead to a large dirty-looking stain if you don't remove it. 11. Dry the area with a clean cloth. After you blot up the soap, take a clean, dry towel and pat the area dry, absorbing as much of the water as possible. If any dampness remains, let the spot air dry overnight. The cloth you use to dry the area should be white as well. Colored towels may leave behind residual dye that could stain your carpet or upholstery. 12. Soak plastic containers in rubbing alcohol to remove hot sauce stains. If the stains are on the inside of a container, fill the container with enough rubbing alcohol to completely cover the stained area. If the stain is on the outside, fill a larger container with the rubbing alcohol, then submerge the smaller container in the alcohol. Let it sit overnight, then rinse thoroughly with cold water. You can also use hand sanitizer, bleach that's diluted 1:10 with water, or white vinegar. 13. Cover small plastic items with lemon juice and put them in the sun. To bleach hot sauce stains off of dishes, toys, or other small items, rub lemon juice over the stain. Then, put it outside on a sunny day for 1-2 hours. The stain should be noticeably lighter, and it may even disappear entirely. Lemon juice alone may lighten the stain, although it's more effective in combination with the sunlight. 14. Apply baking soda paste to remove hot sauce from countertops. If you spilled hot sauce on your counter and it stained, try mixing baking soda with just enough water to make a thick, grainy paste. Spread the paste over the entire surface of the stain and let it sit for at least 30 minutes, although for stubborn stains, you may want to leave the paste on overnight. Then, rinse the area with cool water. You can also try using the baking soda paste as a scrub to clean hot sauce stains. A paste made of denture tablets or effervescent antacids may be effective, as well. 15. Use table salt to scrub stains from smooth surfaces. Pour salt over the surface of the stain. Then, take a damp cloth and rub it into the salt in a circular motion. The abrasiveness of the salt scrub should help work the stain out of the surface. For instance, you can use this to scrub countertops, tabletops, or dishes with stubborn hot sauce stains. Because this scrub is abrasive, avoid using it on any surface that would be easily scratched, like marble or lacquered surfaces.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Remove-a-Hot-Sauce-Stain", "language": "en"}
How to Be Better in Fire Emblem 7	Fire Emblem 7, also known as Fire Emblem: The Blazing Blade or just Fire Emblem, is the first game in the series to be released outside of Japan. The main characters are Lyndis, Hector, and Eliwood. 1. Check where the enemy units can go. New players will commonly run into the mistake of not properly checking enemy range. Knowing the movement range of your enemies will help you decide how to position your units. This way, you can be prepared for incoming attacks. 2. Keep a staff user close by your units. Staves aren't only for healing, they can also do other things. Always read the descriptions of staves or any weapon in general. And always use them in order to increase a unit's staff rank. A quick and easy way to raise staff rank is by spamming Barrier staves -- they can be used on units with full health and they give a decent amount of weapon experience (or wexp for short). 3. Use Ninian/Nils. Ninian and Nils are a special type of unit that can allow another unit who has taken an action to be controlled again. This opens up a lot of opportunities for strategies and can allow for maps to be beaten significantly faster. Exclusive to this game are rings. Ninian and Nils instead of refreshing a unit's turn can instead use these rings in order to boost a particular stat for a bit. These are very useful in a pinch, as they can mean the difference between a unit dying or surviving. 4. Make use of promoted units! Contrary to what some players say, EXP isn't that limited of a resource. It is okay to use these stronger units to kill some enemies as your unpromoted units can always get stronger. While they don't gain levels as fast, their bases stats make up for this. It'll be some time before your other units can have similar stats to pre-promotes. 5. Don't need to worry too much about your XP distribution unless it's a ranked run. While it's true that units get less XP as their level gets higher, don't micromanage exp like it's a limited resource. FE 7 has been beaten by many people in 0% growths(i.e units had no growths and relied totally on their base stats). Enemies in this game aren't much stronger than your army -- sometimes they are weaker. Due to the RNG factor of gaining stats upon leveling up via growth rates, the same unit on different playthroughs can have very different stats. Which is why sticking with units who have strong base stats over high growth rates is generally better. This applies to many late-game units. Sure, they might not have 80% in strength, but they might not need it if their strength stat is already high. Don't only disregard a unit just because their growth rates are low. 6. Don't feel pressured to wait until level 20 to promote all of your units. The promotion bonuses are nice to have earlier and will make the coming battles significantly easier to handle. Some units even gain an additional weapon type to use. 7. Select weapons according to need, some weapons have special effects that can be beneficial in different situations. Slim weapons are useful for units with very low con, however most characters have high enough con to use iron weapons without penalty. Iron weapons do less damage than steel and silver weapons. However, they are also more accurate, lighter, cheaper, and more durable. Sometimes using iron weapons may be more favorable than using their stronger steel/silver counterparts. Some weapons give more weapon experience than others. Most weapons grant only 1 wexp, but many of the higher tier weapons can give more. While these weapons give higher wexp, they could also weigh down units if their con and/or speed isn't high enough. Compare weapon weight to constitution and speed. 8. Watch out for the weapon and magic triangle: While its effect on hit rate and damage is not enormous, In many cases, having a better chance to hit and just a bit more damage makes the difference. For example: If facing multiple units of the same weapon types, Brigands, for example, units with a weapon triangle advantage and high avoid such as Guy, Raven or Lyn can be placed on defensive terrain and hold them off. It can make a huge difference. 9. Don't forget about weapon effectiveness. Some weapons deal 2x effective damage against certain unit types, doubling the weapons strength. For example, all bows deal effective damage against fliers, so make sure to keep your fliers out of range from enemy archers. Be sure to use this to your advantage if you're having trouble with a certain tougher enemy. 10. Use healing items when necessary. These can come in handy if there isn't a healer nearby. But they should never be your main way of healing after gaining staff users! They also uses up that unit's turn (unless the unit is mounted, in that case the unit can move their remaining tiles) so be careful! 11. Do your maths. Don't attack a boss with someone if they'll be killed by them during enemy phase! Con is also a very important stat as it determines whether or not a unit will receive a speed penalty from a weapon. If a unit's con is equal to or higher than a weapon's weight, no speed will be deducted. However, if a unit's con is lesser, a unit will lose speed equivalent to the difference of the weapon's con and their total speed. If a unit's speed is high enough, the speed penalty won't affect their ability to double attack. You don't always have to attack or use an item, sometimes it's better to select wait so the unit can attack on enemy phase and in turn lose less health. 12. Use support conversations. The handy conversations will up the supported unit's stats in battle by a small or large amount depending on the support level. Sure, they do boost a unit's hit and avoid and sometimes damage. But the bonuses are bonuses for a reason -- they're small. Like WTA, it is a nice bonus to have that may balance the odds in your favor, but they aren't necessary to complete the game. 13. Use terrain to your advantage. Remember that terrain can increase your avoid rate, defense, and can even heal health each turn. A lot of bosses are on some defensive terrain of some sort. Remember to check for terrain and use it, as well as remembering to factor it into your calculations. 14. Use the arena with caution. It is a useful, albeit risky, way of leveling up and earning money. It's not a bad idea to have some units use it before finishing off the chapter.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-Better-in-Fire-Emblem-7", "language": "en"}
How to Play Flashlight Tag	Playing tag has always been about outrunning whoever is 'it.' But now, you can add a fun twist, making the game more about stealth and tact, by using flashlights to transform the game. Depending on how many people want to play flashlight tag, you can play as individuals or as a team. Either way, you'll have a lot of fun! 1. Find a spot outdoors that isn't well-lit. Make sure that there are a lot of hiding spots and that it's a safe place to run around. Although flashlight tag is typically played outside, you can also play inside with the lights off! Just be sure to clear away anything that someone could trip on during the game. When playing outside, you don't have to play when it is completely dark. If you need to be home by a certain time or if you get scared at night, you can play at dusk or in a better lit area (such as a park). You can also play with silly string during the day instead of a flashlight. 2. Gather a group of people and bring a flashlight. You only need three people to play this game, but the more people you can get to play, the better! Ask some of your neighborhood friends to play on a weekend. This game is also fun to play when you have a party or sleepover. Flashlight tag can also be played with your family. If you have brothers or sisters, ask them if they would like to play. If you are an only child, ask your parents or grandparents. If your parents hesitate to let you play outside when it's dark, ask if one of them would play or at least come with you. Your friends' parents might also feel better knowing an adult is there. Bring some extra batteries with you, in case the batteries in your flashlight quit working in the middle of the game. 3. Choose who is 'it.' This person will have the flashlight and will be responsible for "tagging" people. If more than one person wants to be 'it,' you can draw straws, pick numbers out of a hat, or flip a coin. 4. Hide! Have the person who is 'it' count to a set number (such as 100), while everyone else hides. The person who is 'it' should close their eyes or wear a blindfold during this time. Good hiding places can be found through nature. You could, for example, hide behind a tree or a bush. You could also crouch below a large rock or hill. If you're playing in someone's backyard, make use of the structures. Hide underneath a slide. Hide under the table in the playhouse. 5. Seek! After counting to the specified number, the person who is 'it' can then start to look for people. As with regular tag, once you are tagged, you are out. However, to tag someone in flashlight tag, the person who is 'it' must tag people with the beam of the flashlight and call their names. In regular tag, if you can run faster than the 'it' person, you can evade them for a while. But with flashlight tag, the 'it' person can tag you with the light from a distance. Thus, while you are hiding, scope out your location and look for other places you could dart behind. To avoid being tagged with the beam from the flashlight, you'll need to put something between yourself and the 'it' person. 6. Play until everyone is 'out.' When you are tagged, you must go to “jail,” a specified location where all the people who are 'out' must wait until everyone else has been tagged by the person who is 'it.' Once you are 'out,' you can no longer participate in the game, but watching and cheering from the sidelines is also fun! Alternately, instead of playing until everyone has been tagged, you can also play with a rotating 'it' person. In this case, once someone is tagged, they become the new 'it' person and the person who tagged them hands over the flashlight. With a rotating 'it' person, you will need to hide not only from the current 'it' person but from everyone playing the game. Be sure that none of your friends see where you hide! 7. Restart the game. The first person tagged and sent to “jail” in the last round will be the 'it' person for the second round. If you are playing with a rotating 'it' person instead of a “jail,” you don't need to restart the game, because it is never over! 8. Find a spot outdoors that isn't well-lit. Make sure there are a lot of hiding spots and that it is a safe place to run around. If a friend has a large backyard, you could play flashlight tag in an area away from street lights or porch lights. If you know a playground will be open after dark, consider playing there. You can also play indoors with the lights off. This works best in a big, open room, like a furnished basement without too much furniture. Be careful playing around heavy furniture or household items that could break. 9. Gather a group of people and some flashlights. Team flashlight tag is best played with a lot of people. If you have ten or more people who want to play, team flashlight might be more fun than playing with only one 'it' person. With team flashlight, half of the people playing are 'it' at the same time, so be sure to have enough flashlights for half of your friends. Be sure to have extra batteries handy so that if someone's flashlight stops working mid-game, they can replace their batteries quickly. You may also want to set a rule to employ if batteries do run out. For instance, if someone's batteries do run out, they would have 30 seconds or one minute to “pause” and replace their batteries before rejoining the game. During this “pause,” they could not be tagged 'out.' 10. Pick teams. Be sure to split the group into two even halves, with approximately the same number of people on each team. 11. Determine a location for the “jail.” The size of your “jail” will depend on how many people you have on each team. Your “jail” should be large enough for everyone from one team to fit comfortably. You can outline the “jail” with sidewalk chalk if you don't have a clearly defined area to use as the “jail.” Be as specific about the parameters of the “jail” as possible, since people can be tagged out of “jail” by another member of their team. 12. Choose one team to be 'it.' The easiest way to decide which team is 'it' would be to flip a coin. You could also choose a representative from each team to play rock-paper-scissors. Once a person goes to “jail,” they can be tagged back into the game by one of their team members. Thus, the 'it' team will need to guard the “jail.” Choose one or two people to act as guards during the game. 13. Hide! Allow one minute for the team who is not 'it' to run and hide. During this time, the 'it' team must remain in “jail” with their eyes closed. After the minute is up, the 'it' team can leave jail and begin tagging members of the other team. 14. Tag members of the other team until no one else is left. To tag someone, a person should sneak up on a member of the other team and shine the flashlight on them. This person is then out and must go to “jail.” Make sure to quickly shine the light on the person you want to tag and then turn it off immediately. Otherwise, another person hiding in the area might see you and run away. During this time, members of the not-'it' team should try to rescue the team members in “jail.” You can do so by tagging their hand, at which point they are back in the game. 15. Continue until all of the members of the not-'it' team are in “jail.” A game of team flash light ends when everyone from the not-'it' team is caught and put in jail. However, if a game is taking too long, you can always agree that, after a certain point, the 'it'-team loses. For example, give the 'it'-team an hour to locate all the players before they lose. After a complete team has been tagged 'out,' you can restart a new round. The not-'it' team from the last round will now be the 'it' team. 16. Keep the field of play away from the campfire and tents. If you're playing flashlight tag while camping, make sure to keep the field of play safe. Do not play too close to the campfire and tents. You do not want to risk getting burnt by the fire, or accidentally knocking down a tent late at night. 17. Use dim flashlights and avoid laser pointers. You should play flashlight tag with somewhat dim flashlights. You do not want to be shining bright lights into other player's eyes, as this can cause eye irritation. Never use laser pointers to play flashlight tag. Laser pointers can be extremely harmful to eyesight and even cause temporary blindness. This puts players at risk for falling and getting hurt. 18. Keep your playing area small. If you're playing flashlight tag, try to keep the play area small. For one, this can make the game more fun. If you're playing in an open area, like the woods, it can be nearly impossible to find everyone with unlimited access to hiding spots. Also, playing in a small area is good for safety. You do not want any players getting lost. 19. Keep track of all players, if you're the adult. If you're an adult supervising a game of flashlight tag, make sure you keep track of all the players. You do not want any kids to get lost or injured during a game. Do a quick role call before and after a game of flashlight tag to make sure everyone's accounted for.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Flashlight-Tag", "language": "en"}
How to Cook Pasta in an Instant Pot	Everybody loves pasta, but nobody loves having to use half the pots and pans in the kitchen to get it ready. With an Instant Pot, all you need is a single piece of cookware and about 10 minutes. Just throw your pasta and sauce of choice into the Instant Pot, along with 3½-4 cups (0.83-0.95 l) of water. Secure the lid and set the manual timer to 4-8 minutes. Once the pot beeps, release the pressure valve and give everything a good stir. You’ll have dinner on the table in less time than it takes to boil a pot of water! 1. Pour the uncooked pasta into your Instant Pot. With an Instant Pot, there’s no need to do a lot of measuring—just open a 12-16 ounce (340-453 g) box of your favorite pasta and dump the whole thing in. You can use any kind of pasta in your Instant Pot, but thicker types with uniform shapes such as penne, ziti, and macaroni tend to produce the best results. Thinner varieties of pasta like spaghetti and angel hair may be prone to clumping. Because of how fast food cooks in the Instant Pot, it will generally be easiest to prepare all of your pasta at once and refrigerate what you don’t use. 2. Add your sauce of choice. Open a 24-ounce (0.7 l) jar of sauce and spread it out evenly over the top of the pasta. You can use as much or as little sauce as you like to suit your personal taste. Keep in mind that the sauce will provide some of the moisture necessary to cook your pasta, so be ready to adjust the amount of water you use accordingly. If you’ve chosen a thinner sauce, you may not need to include quite as much water. With rich sauces like vodka and alfredo, plan on using the normal amount. 3. Shake in seasonings to taste. At this point, you can drop in a pinch of salt, garlic, oregano, basil, or any other herbs and spices you think will make your dinner even more scrumptious. Choose seasonings that complement the flavors of the dish you’re preparing. If you’re not sure exactly how much seasoning to use, start with a conservative amount (around ½ teaspoon or so) of each and add more later as needed. 4. Pour in enough water to cover your ingredients. In most cases, 3½-4 (0.83-0.95 l) cups will be just the right amount for roughly 1 pound (450 g) of pasta. The important thing is that the pasta be covered entirely. If there’s not enough moisture in the pot, there’s a chance it could come out undercooked. A good rule of thumb is to use about 1 cup (240 ml) of water for every 4 ounces (113 g) of pasta. You can always drain the excess moisture later if the pasta ends up being a little too wet. 5. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Place the lid on the pot, then turn it clockwise until it locks securely. Double check that the small round pressure release valve on the lid of the cooker is completely closed before you proceed. Make sure your Instant Pot is plugged into the nearest wall outlet. You won't get very far with dinner if it's not! The pressure release valve is responsible for trapping or venting heat, depending on its position. If it’s open, your pasta won’t be able to cook properly. 6. Select the "Pressure Cook" mode. Make sure the Instant Pot’s pressure setting is programmed to “High.” This will help ensure that your pasta comes out with just the right texture. The Instant Pot uses a combination of heat and pressure to cook food items in far less time than it takes to prepare them using conventional cookware. 7. Set the timer for 4-8 minutes. Manually select your preferred cook time by pressing the "+" button repeatedly until you see the desired number of minutes on the display. It will take a couple minutes for the Instant Pot to heat up. Once it reaches the necessary pressure, a timer will appear on and begin counting down. If you’re preparing a simple pasta-and-sauce dish, 4-5 minutes ought to be plenty of time to heat everything evenly. For heavier dishes with lots of ingredients like meats and veggies, you may need closer to 8 minutes. 8. Let the pasta to cook for the specified time. Finish putting the other components of your meal together, or take this opportunity to kick your feet up for a well-deserved break. You won’t have to wait long—by the time you’re done setting the table, dinner will be ready! Avoid tampering with either the lid or pressure valve while the Instant Pot is working its magic. The Instant Pot will shut itself off automatically when it’s done cooking. You’ll know when this happens because it will beep. 9. Release the pressure valve. Locate the circular valve stem on the top of the lid and use the edge of your finger to slowly turn it counterclockwise until it stops moving. This will allow the steam that has built up inside the pot to escape. Be sure to stay a safe distance away from the valve while it’s open. If you’re apprehensive about handling the valve, place a potholder or folded towel over it to protect your hand from the heat. 10. Remove the lid from the Instant Pot. To unlock the cooker, take hold of the handle and turn the lid counterclockwise. Lift it away carefully—the contents will be very hot. Set the lid aside on a flat heat-resistant surface. The handle of the lid is made from a thick plastic material, which means it's safe to grab without a potholder. 11. Drain any excess liquid. If you accidentally added a little too much water, your pasta may look a little soupy around the edges. Transfer the contents of the Instant Pot to a large serving bowl and tilt it gently over the sink to allow the liquid to run out. Another option is to scoop the cooked pasta out of the Instant Pot with a slotted spoon. That way, the unwanted liquid will stay behind in the pot. A little extra moisture shouldn’t affect the flavor or texture of the dish. Play around with slightly different measurements until you get them just right. Don’t forget to write down your preferred proportions so your favorite dishes will turn out more consistent in the future. 12. Stir the pasta thoroughly. Mix the layered ingredients together until they’re evenly distributed. Stir from the bottom to loosen ingredients that might have become stuck, and use the edge of your spoon to break up any remaining clumps of pasta. If the pasta itself looks undercooked or overly thick, give it 1-2 minutes of extra cook time. A good stir will also help incorporate trace amounts of liquid sitting at the bottom of the pot. 13. Enjoy your pasta while it's hot. Sprinkle on some freshly-grated parmesan cheese and slice a loaf of crusty garlic bread to round out the meal. For a lighter touch, try pairing your pasta creations with a mixed green salad or vegetable medley. You'll be able to put together any number of satisfying side dishes with the time you save! Store any leftovers you have in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for 3 to 5 days.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Pasta-in-an-Instant-Pot", "language": "en"}
How to Look After Your Sick Guinea Pig	Your guinea pig requires daily, diligent care to stay healthy. If they start to exhibit any symptoms of illness, such as a lack of appetite, wheezing, sneezing, crusty eyes, a hunched posture, hair loss, a rough or puffed up coat, diarrhea, blood in their urine, or a loss of balance, you should take them to the vet right away. A sick guinea pig can go downhill very quickly if they are not treated by a vet. 1. Let the vet examine your guinea pig as soon as they become ill. Once guinea pigs get sick, they can go downhill fast. If you notice any signs of illness in your guinea pig, bring them to the vet right away. 2. Discuss your guinea pig’s symptoms with the vet. Guinea pigs often contract an illness due to improper care, an improper diet, or interaction with another guinea pig who has an infectious disease. You should talk to the vet about your pig’s symptoms and your care procedures for your pig, as it can help them to determine the cause of their illness. Guinea pigs are susceptible to the following illnesses or issues: Digestive disorders caused by bacteria, viruses, or a parasite. The symptoms of a digestive disorder include diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, a lack of energy and a lack of appetite. Dental issues, such as slobbering. This is caused by a misalignment of your guinea pig’s teeth, which then make it difficult for your guinea pig to swallow or chew. This can result in excessive slobbering or drooling. They may also experience weight loss, bleeding from the mouth, or abscesses in their mouth. Nutritional disorders, such as a vitamin C deficiency. Like other small mammals, guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C and must eat vitamin C in their diet. If your guinea pig has a vitamin C deficiency, they may display an inability to walk around, a limp, or low energy. An adverse reaction to antibiotics. Guinea pigs are highly sensitive to certain antibiotics and penicillin-based drugs such as amoxicillin are toxic to guinea pigs. If your guinea pig has an adverse reaction to antibiotics, they may display symptoms like diarrhea, a lack of appetite, dehydration, or a drop in body temperature. Sometimes, antibiotic poisoning is fatal to guinea pigs. 3. Receive treatment and care instructions from the vet. The vet should examine your guinea pig, noting their symptoms, and prescribe medication for their illness. The vet may also suggest certain home care tactics you can try to make your guinea pig more comfortable and help them recover. Make sure your vet does not prescribe any oral penicillin-based drugs, including penicillin, ampicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin, vancomycin, erythromycin, tylosin, tetracycline, and chlortetracycline for your guinea pig, as they can harm your guinea pig. The vet should prescribe antibiotics that will be gentle on your guinea pig’s system, and will not have a toxic effect on your pig. 4. Use a syringe to give your pig liquid medication. Liquid medication may be prescribed for a respiratory bacterial disease or for a digestive disorder. If the vet prescribes liquid oral medication for your guinea pig’s illness, you will need to use a 1cc syringe with no needle to give your pig the medication. Shake the medication before you put it into the syringe in the correct measured amount according to the prescription. Prop your pig in your lap with their back pressed into your ribcage. Hold them with your left hand around their stomach and use your forefinger and thumb to grip their head and jaws, just below their eyes. Keep your grip around their head firm and secure so they cannot move their head around. Use your right hand to stick the syringe into the side of their mouth, behind their front teeth. Move it down toward their back teeth until they begin to grind on the syringe. Slowly depress the contents of the syringe into their mouth. Stop doing this if your pig stops chewing, as a chewing motion indicates that they are swallowing the medication. Wiggle the syringe until they starts chewing again and all the medication has been swallowed. 5. Give your pig pills with a hemostat. Your guinea pig may need to be given vitamin C pills if they has a vitamin C deficiency. A hemostat is a scissor-handled clamp that is used for compressing bleeding blood vessels. You can find them at medical supply stores or online. The shape and size of the hemostat is good for dosing your guinea pig with pills, as it can fit down into your pig’s molars. Hold your guinea pig in the same way you would hold her to give them oral medication with a syringe. Use the hemostat to insert the pill down to their molars. Make sure that they make a chewing motion as this is an indication that they have swallowed the medication. 6. Administer subcutaneous fluids with a butterfly catheter. Subcutaneous fluids are often prescribed only if your guinea pig cannot take oral medication or liquid medication via their mouth. The vet can show you how to insert a butterfly catheter into your guinea pig. You will need to use a catheter to give your guinea pig subcutaneous fluids as a form of medication. 7. Place your guinea pig on a table facing away from you to give them eye drops. If your guinea pig develops eye issues, the vet may prescribe eye drops. You can administer eye drops by placing your guinea pig on a table, facing away from you. Then, hold the bottle dropper above and behind their head. Hold open her eye with one hand as you apply the drop from above her. This will ensure they cannot see the dropper clearly and get spooked as you try to give them the medication. 8. Place your guinea pig on flat, folded towels. While guinea pigs often live in loose bedding in their cage, placing your pet on flat, folded towels can help you to keep track of their urine and stool production. It may also be easier for them to lay down and walk around if they isn’t feeling well. 9. Keep your guinea pig warm with thermal wraps. Your guinea pig may feel chilled due to their illness. You can use these wraps to relieve sore muscles. The thermal wraps will heat up when exposed to air and stay warm for up to eight hours at a time. Make sure the thermal wrap is not too warm for your guinea pig or too tight on them. You can also wrap a water bottle in a towel and place it at one end of their cage for warmth. Guinea pigs with respiratory issues and digestive disorders should be kept clean, warm, and well rested during their recovery. 10. Monitor your guinea pig’s reaction to medication. You should note if your guinea pig’s symptoms get worse while on the prescribed medication, especially if they are on antibiotics. Many antibiotics can cause diarrhea and upset the balance of bacteria in your pig’s intestines. If you note any symptoms of a negative reaction to antibiotics in your pig, you should take them to the vet right away. The vet will likely stop the antibiotic treatment and prescribe another medication. 11. Hand feed your guinea pig if they do not have an appetite. If your guinea pig has an illness that causes them to lose their appetite, you will need to use hand feeding to try to get them to eat. Many ill guinea pigs will also stop urinating or eliminating due to malnourishment. It is essential that your guinea pig consumes food and water to help them recover. Adult guinea pigs should consume about 6 grams of dry feed/100 grams of body weight and 10 to 40 ml water per 100 grams of body weight. You should try to hand feed your guinea pig plain food pellets softened in water with minced parsley, vegetables, and carrots. You can also combine pet slurry with wheat grass juice or natural cranberry juice to make it more appetizing. To hand feed your pig, make sure they are standing upright on a flat surface or flat on their stomach. Do not rest them on their back as this can be a choking hazard. You can also place your pet in a little pouch or wrapped in a towel. It may help to position your pig facing away from you. Put food in your hand and place it in front of your pig. Feed them slowly so they have time to chew and swallow. 12. Weigh your guinea pig once a day. You should monitor your guinea pig’s weight by using a kitchen scale to weigh your pig one or twice a day. This will help you to determine if the hand feeding is working effectively and if your guinea pig is starting to gain healthy weight, despite their illness. You can also use a chart to write down your pet’s weight each day and determine if their weight is improving. 13. Bring your guinea pig to the vet if they are not showing signs of improvement. If your guinea pig’s symptoms do not improve despite medication and home care, you should bring them to the vet for further treatment.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Look-After-Your-Sick-Guinea-Pig", "language": "en"}
How to Get Power of Attorney in Texas	The Texas Power of Attorney Act, which is contained in Chapter 7 of the Texas Probate Code, allows a resident to transfer financial and health care decision-making powers to another individual. Powers of attorney are very useful for anyone to have in place, no matter what one's age might be. The reality is that events can occur suddenly that make an individual unable to make certain decisions on their own. A power of attorney allows another person, who has been chosen in advance by the individual, to make those decisions for them. 1. Decide what type of power of attorney is right for you. There are different types of powers of attorney that you may want to execute, depending on your situation. Some cover only financial issues, whereas others address health care issues. These powers of attorney can either become effective immediately, or on a future date, when you are unable to make decisions on your own behalf, due to disability, illness, or injury. The state of Texas has established a Statutory Durable Power of Attorney law that allows you to choose the type of power of attorney that best accomplishes your goals. 2. Consider a Statutory Durable Power of Attorney. A Statutory Durable Power of Attorney or financial power of attorney typically allows your agent to make all financial decisions on your behalf. This gives your agent the power to enter into transactions and make decisions about your bank accounts, real estate, investment accounts, loans, and other debts. The power of the agent to make these decisions continues until a durable power of attorney is revoked or destroyed. A durable power of attorney can give you a certain measure of privacy. If you don't want your affairs to be publicly known, you can designate an agent to handle business and financial matters on your behalf. This is often the case with wealthy people or those individuals who own many assets. The current statutory durable power of attorney form allows you to specifically pick out which powers you want your agent to have. Only the powers you choose will be authorized by the power of attorney form. A typical power of attorney goes into effect immediately. However, a “springing” power of attorney only goes into effect when you become incapacitated and unable to make your own decisions, or on a particular date that you designate. 3. Determine if a special power of attorney is sufficient. A special power of attorney gives your agent authority only to handle a specified business transaction or set of transactions. For instance, you might grant a special power of attorney to your agent to simply sign a particular contract on your behalf. It also may contain specific dates in which the power of attorney is to be in effect. Once those dates have expired or the specified transaction is complete, a special power of attorney document is no longer valid. 4. Decide if a healthcare or medical power of attorney is necessary. A healthcare or medical power of attorney gives your agent the right to make medical decisions on your behalf. These decisions might include choosing the facility to treat you, authorizing surgeries and medical procedures, and allowing treatment as recommended by medical professionals. A medical power of attorney only goes into effect when you are incapacitated due to your medical condition and unable to make decisions about your medical care on your own. A healthcare or medical power of attorney is often accompanied by an advance directive, which is sometimes referred to as “A Directive to Physicians and Family or Surrogates.” This document allows you to make certain end-of-life decisions, such as matters related to resuscitation and life support. 5. Find someone you trust. It is difficult to choose just anyone to act for you as your agent. With respect to your finances, you want to make sure that the person you choose is someone is responsible and disciplined enough to handle all matters related to your financial affairs. Likewise, with respect to healthcare decisions, you need to choose a person who is aware of your wishes concerning your healthcare and who will make the appropriate decisions based on those wishes if you are unable to do so. Many people choose a trusted family member or friend to handle their affairs. Some people choose a long-time lawyer or trusted advisor to become their power of attorney. 6. Designate an adult to be your agent. A power of attorney is not legally valid if it attempts to designate a minor, or a person who is under the age of 18, as your agent. Similarly, you cannot execute a valid power of attorney if you are not an adult over the age of 18. 7. Choose a neutral person. All too often, individuals fall victim to schemes in which their friends or family members, or sometimes even virtual strangers, persuade them to execute powers of attorney in their favor. Avoid choosing anyone to be your agent who stands to financially gain from making decisions on your behalf. 8. Discuss all important matters with your power of attorney. You are appointing an agent to make decisions for you so that your express wishes are carried out, despite your inability to make those decisions. If your agent doesn't know how you feel or what you want with respect to a certain issue, the likelihood of your wishes being carried out is slim. If you are executing a statutory durable power of attorney, you should be sure and make your wishes known to your agent about how you want your business matters to be handled. Do not simply take for granted that your agent knows what sort of decisions you would make in certain situations. If you are executing a healthcare or medical power of attorney, specifically talk to your agent about your views on different types of life-sustaining medical treatments. Explain how you feel about these issues and tell them what decisions you would like made on your behalf. 9. Obtain the proper forms. After you have chosen which types of powers that you want to grant your agent whom you wish to be your agent, you will need to ensure that you are executing the proper forms. Different legal forms and documents are available to fit different situations. The most recent versions of these Texas forms are available online at http://texasprobate.com/consumer-forms/disability-planning-forms/. You can get these forms online or have an attorney prepare them. The benefit to having an attorney prepare the forms is that the attorney can evaluate your situation and make sure that you are executing the proper forms based on your situation. Avoid forms that are commonly for sale at office supply stores like Staples or Home Depot. Texas, like many other states, has specific requirements for powers of attorney to be valid. These forms may not be specific to the state of Texas and therefore may not comply with Texas law. 10. Fill out your forms. You will need to fill out your power of attorney forms completely. It is advised that you have your agent, or the person whom you are granting the powers, present when you decide to fill it out. You also can have your attorney draft the forms for you. If using the statutory form, you will need to affirmatively initial each of the individual powers that you wish your agent to have. Here is the other information that you will need to provide on the forms: Your full name and address The full name and address of the person whom you are designating as your agent The full name and address of the person whom you are designating as your successor agent, or as your second choice to be your agent if the first person whom you chose is unable or unavailable to serve as your agent There is space on the form to specifically describe any additional or more specific powers that you want your agent to have, aside from the powers listed that you have already chosen and initialed. The medical power of attorney form also asks for phone numbers for you, your agent, and your successor agent. There is space on the medical power of attorney form where you can list any limitations that you want to place on your agent in terms of limiting their authority. 11. Sign your forms in front of a notary public. In Texas, all power of attorney forms need to be notarized. This can be done by going to the nearest bank branch. The bank will usually notarize forms for free if you have an account with them. If you do not have an account with the bank, they may charge you a small fee for notary services. For instance, Bank of America charges $8.50 to notarize documents. Your lawyer's office also is likely to have a notary on staff. The current Texas medical power of attorney forms also require that two witnesses be present when you sign the forms. The witnesses also must give their contact information and sign the forms. The current Texas statutory durable power of attorney forms do not provide for witnesses other than a notary public. Your agent is not required to sign any power of attorney forms. 12. Notify your agent that you have signed a power of attorney. If your chosen agent is not present when you sign your power of attorney forms, you will need to notify them that you have signed a power of attorney granting them permission to take certain actions on your behalf. This gives the agent notice of their ability to make decisions for you in specific situations. 13. Keep the original forms in a safe place. In Texas, you do not have to submit the power of attorney forms to any agency for it to be valid. You just have to keep an original or copies with you at all times in case you may need it in the future. You might want to keep the original document in a safe at home or in a safe deposit box at a bank. If a lawyer drafts a power of attorney for you, they will automatically keep the original documents on file in their office. 14. Distribute copies of the forms as needed. If necessary, your agent should be able to provide a copy of the form to anyone who requests it. Most agencies or offices will need to see a copy of the power of attorney in order to let your agent operate or make decisions on your behalf. The person whom you have chosen to be your power of attorney should have multiple copies of the forms. You may wish to provide a copy of your power of attorney to offices where your agent may have to do business or make decisions on your behalf. For a healthcare power of attorney, you would want your doctor's office and your local hospital to have copies. For a durable power of attorney concerning business transactions, you would want your bank and investment advisor to have copies. Place a copy of your power of attorneys on file with your lawyer, particularly if they have written a will, trust, or other estate-planning document for you. You generally should also make sure that your spouse and/or adult children have copies of your powers of attorney. If you don't have any such close family members, you might give a copy to a trusted friend or relative. In some cases, you may need to place the original power of attorney on file with your county court. 15. Revoke your power of attorney if needed. You always have the right to revoke your powers of attorney if you no longer wish your powers of attorney to be in effect. You do not have to give or even have a reason to revoke these documents. There are five different ways that a power of attorney can be become invalid. Destroy the original powers of attorney and all copies. Execute new powers of attorney as you wish and give a copy of the documents to all relevant parties, thereby replacing the existing powers of attorney. Sign a document that revokes the existing powers of attorney and deliver a copy to all relevant parties who might have had a copy of the existing powers of attorney. This includes the person whom you had previously named as your agent. If another person obtains guardianship over you due to your incapacity, the existing power of attorney will be superseded and no longer in effect. Your power of attorney automatically is revoked upon your death.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Power-of-Attorney-in-Texas", "language": "en"}
How to Start a Fashion Company	Starting a fashion business may seem like a glamorous career choice. You may think its all about beautiful models, fun parties, and a chance to showcase your talent to the world. But starting a fashion company is more often a life of hard work, long hours, and a lot of blood, sweat, and tears. To create a successful fashion company, you need to work hard and create a unique style that will take your company to the top. 1. Be aware the fashion world is competitive and unforgiving. Starting any type of business requires patience, endurance, and dedication. But setting up a fashion company is all the more challenging because fashion is a very competitive industry. Almost everyone wants to be a fashion designer these days. But the industry is difficult to break into and quick to turn its attention to the next big thing. Your roles as a designer and owner will also require a lot of multi-tasking and time management. You will be expected to start up the business and manage your raw materials and fabrics. You will also need to come up with a business plan, find a manufacturer, and maintain your customers and suppliers. 2. Do research on your favorite brands and companies. Read articles and interviews with the owners of your favorite brands and companies. Visit the flagship stores of a company or brand that could serve as a model for your company. Building your brand, distributing your product, and maintaining your sales are all important to the success of your company. So research these aspects before you jump in. You may also want to enroll in a basic business course or fashion merchandising course at your local college or online. 3. Assess your skills as a business owner. Unless you are super human, you will not be able to fulfill all the roles required to be a business owner on your own. Do a self assessment of your skills to determine where your strengths and weaknesses lie. From there, you can figure out if a business partner or an accountant might be worth the investment to help your business succeed. Make a list of skills you feel confident you have and skills you may need help with, or may need someone else to do for you. This could be a skill as simple as “design” and as detailed as “financial management”. Just because you have a design degree does not mean you have all the skills to run a fashion company. The design process in a business is different from the design process in school. Running a fashion company means developing a creative process that works for you and works for your business. So this means you may need to bring in other individuals to help you develop and grow your company. 4. Think about the contacts you have in the fashion industry. Part of the industry is who you know. Don’t be afraid to seek out a mentor, a benefactor, or a peer who can help you develop your business. Reach out to a more experienced mentor to get advice about how to begin your business. An internship at a large fashion company you admire can help you realize how to use your skill set to be successful as a business owner. Many smart designers find a business partner they can trust. Look for a partner who brings business skills and connections to the table. This could be a spouse or partner, a family member, or a close friend. A business partner is a person you can lean on in difficult times and will allow you to focus on the creative aspects of your business. Another key contact is a PR person, or Public Relations guru. They will help you promote and grow your company.Find a PR person who believes in your company and will provide their services to you for a discounted fee. You will also need other professionals. Such as accountants, lawyers, stylists, photographers, graphic designers, production managers, and interns. Ask yourself if you already have a set of contacts you can use to fill these roles, at least in the early stages of the business. If you don’t have these contacts, you will need to network at fashion events and meet people that can help you start your business. 5. Treat your company like a business. Like any business, you need to think like an entrepreneur from the very beginning. This means putting together a business plan that lays out short-term and long-term goals. You will also need to act like a professional to everyone involved, from your business partner to your stylist. Be honest about your skills and limits as a business owner. This will help you to build solid working relationships with manufacturers, buyers, and investors. Let your passion for design fuel your fashion company. Don’t be limited by a lack of money or contacts. Take the story of British designer Christopher Kane. Early in his career, Kane borrowed £300 from his Grandmother to buy fabric for his collection at Central St. Martins, a top design school in London. There was a wealthy student in Kane’s year who spent a large amount of money on his collection. But Kane has gone on to become successful, while the other wealthy student has not. So Kane’s passion and drive are what made him succeed, not access to money. 6. Think about how your company fits in the current market. Its important to focus on a style and brand for your company that is different than what is already available in the market. One unique item, like Diane von Furstenberg’s wrap dress or Converse High Tops, can make or break a fashion company. Ask yourself why people will buy your product over some else’s product. Is it the design, the price, the value, or the brand they are buying into? For example, maybe you’d like to start a fashion company that designs socks. So you ask yourself, what makes your sock designs so unique in a market flooded with other sock designs? It could be the socks have a cool design. Or they are a great price for the quality of the socks. Or they feature illustrations from another established brand that you are collaborating with. 7. Consider your target market. Who are you designing for? And why? This seems like a basic question. But the more specific and clear your answer is, the better you can create and market your product to your target market. Think about if your product is for men or women, adults or children, a younger market or an older market. You can also consider your target market from a psychological perspective. Get in the mind of your customer and understand how your product or design will fit into their lifestyle. Will they wear your designs for a specific occasion or event? What will make them buy your design? Understand their psychology, emotional needs, and relationship with clothing. Think about how your design makes their lives better. 8. Create a prototype. Do this by first sketching out your designs on paper or on an iPad. If you aren’t great at sketching, ask a friend with illustration skills to sketch out your designs for you. From the sketch, create a prototype to show potential buyers. You can outsource the creation of the prototype, but this can be expensive. If you are design oriented, you may be able to create your own prototype garment or product. 9. Create a business plan. One of the main purposes of a business plan is to secure funding for your company, through a bank loan or an investor. The other purpose of a business plan is to document your vision and objectives for the company. Think of the business plan as a roadmap for how the company is going to evolve and grow to achieve its vision. It contains the budget and projections for your business, as well as finances and ways to grow your funding. The business plan is a living document that may adjust or change based on how your company develops over time. 10. Secure investors and partners in the company. How you fund your company will affect the level of debt you will need to pay down once your company gets off the ground. There are two types of funding: Money from equity investors. Also called venture capitalists or “angel investors”. These investors provide cash to invest in your company. They also share ownership of the company with you. They are investing in the hopes your business will grow and turn a profit. Investors can offer you resources and expertise to improve your business. But if you disagree with your investor on an aspect of the business, then you may have issues with the investor, and with your cash flow. So look for an investor who is aligned with your strategy and who has the industry experience to help your business grow. Money via a bank loan. This type of funding doesn’t come with any investors to answer to. But you will need to pay back the money you have borrowed, plus interest. So the cash flow of your business will need to account for monthly payments on your loan and interest. If you miss any payments, you may end up getting angry calls from the bank. Taking on too much debt can drive your business to bankruptcy. So its important to account for your debts and pay them off before the profits are used elsewhere in your company. 11. Look for other sources of funding. Family and friends who believe in you are options for funding. Many organizations off grants, sponsorships, and awards to nurture new design talent. Another way to raise funds for your company is to start a Kickstarter fund to promote your product and crowd source your funding. 12. Source your materials. Create relationships with fabric companies and supply companies. Look for materials that fit your needs but won’t break your budget. Depending on how many products or items you are planning to produce, you may need fabric in bulk. Or you may need to take your prototype to a manufacturer. 13. Find a manufacturer or producer. New companies often struggle with production. You will likely be ordering in small quantities at first, which will leave you in a poor bargaining position with manufacturers. They may ask you for a deposit before you receive payment from a retailer. Factor in an upfront deposit to the manufacturer in your business plan. You don’t want to delay production and deliver late to your retailers, as this could damage your working relationship with them. 14. Seek out distributors. These could be online shops or local shops in your area. Look for sellers who appeal to your type of buyer. Don’t be afraid to send samples out of your product to peak the interest of distributors. But be smart about going after distributors that you think will fit with the style and brand of your fashion line or product. If you plan to sell your work online on sites like etsy, keep in mind it may be difficult to stand out among the thousands of products available on that site. But it's a good way to ease into the online selling world. Once your fashion company becomes more established, consider creating your own website for your company. Doing this will allow you to maximize your profits and give you direct access to your customers. 15. Use social media to your advantage. Think about how your clothing line or product fits with social media. If you’re promoting your high end sock line for women, for example, you may not use Facebook to promote your brand. Instead, you may use Instagram or Pinterest. These social media sites can show off the beauty and design of your socks. These sites also target a certain market that you may be trying to reach. Instagram is a great platform for small brands to show off their products. It’s visual and allows you to continually promote your brand. But it's a hard place to drive sales right now, as it currently does not allow live links in image captions. Choose your social media platforms carefully. Update the company accounts on these sites often and post regularly. Respond to customer comments or re posts. These platforms are all about creating a conversation, after all. So listen to your followers and gather important feedback from them. 16. Evolve your clothing line or product every season. Just like the change from spring to summer, your fashion company should produce new products every season. Whether it's a new collection or a few small tweaks to an existing collection, its important to continue evolving your company’s brand and style. 17. Listen to your customers. Its important to listen to what your target market wants from your clothing line or product. Don’t be afraid to depart from your original ideas and designs, based on customer feedback. Get customer input before making major changes. If you modify your brand, do it slowly, over time so you don’t freak out your customers. Ultimately, listen to your design instincts as well as customer feedback. While you should never ignore your customers’ needs or wants, its important to always be true to your design aesthetic and personal approach to fashion.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Fashion-Company", "language": "en"}
How to Heal Acne Fast and Naturally	If you're suffering from acne, you're not alone. Acne is a common skin condition that happens when oil and dead skin cells clog the skin’s pores. It normally occurs on your face, chest, back, shoulders, and neck. Acne can be caused by many things: heredity, hormones, and oil production. There are several things you can do to heal your acne fast and naturally. Learn good skin care techniques, improve your diet, and try herbal medications. However, it's best to see your doctor or a dermatologist if your acne won't go away or is widespread. 1. Determine what kind of acne you have. There are different treatments for acne depending on how severe your condition is. Most cases of acne are moderate, but severe acne with deep nodules or cysts may cause swelling and scarring. This acne needs immediate medical attention. Common types of acne include: Whiteheads (closed comedones): occur when dirt or excess oil (sebum) is trapped below the skin's surface, forming a firm white bump. Blackheads (open comedones): occur when pores open up, causing the dirt and sebum to rise to the surface of the skin. The blackish color comes from oxidization when the air reacts with melanin, a pigment in sebum. Pimples (or pustules): acne lesions that form when the excess dirt and oils stay trapped under the skin, causing inflammation, irritation, swelling and redness often with pus. Pus is a thick, yellowish liquid made of leukocytes (white blood cells) and dead bacteria, usually in response to an inflammation or infection of body tissue. Nodules: hard, large and inflamed pimples that occur deep in the skin. Cysts: pus-filled, painful pimples that form deep in the skin and can often cause scarring. 2. Quit smoking Smoking can cause a condition called smoker’s acne, in which the body does not make an inflammatory response to heal the skin as quickly as it would with normal acne. Smokers are also four times more likely to get moderate acne after adolescence, particularly women between the ages of 25-50. Cigarette smoke may also cause skin irritation for people with sensitive skin. Smoking is known to cause other skin conditions like wrinkles and premature skin aging. It does this by creating free radicals, impairing collagen production, and degrading skin proteins. 3. Avoid touching your face Dirt and bacteria on your hands can clog your pores and make acne worse if you constantly touch your face. If your skin feels irritated from acne, use a gentle, oil-free daily facial wipe to remove excess dirt and calm your skin. Do not squeeze or pop your blemishes or you may risk developing scars. Squeezing a pimple might even spread the bacteria further. 4. Choose the right cleanser. Use a mild non-soap cleanser, free from sodium laureth sulfate. Sodium laureth sulfate is a detergent and foaming agent that can cause irritation. Many non-soap cleansers are free from harsh chemicals, use natural ingredients, and are available at most drug stores. Harsh soaps and scrubbing can irritate your skin and make acne worse. 5. Wash regularly Wash your skin using your fingertips, once in the morning and once at night. Remember to thoroughly rinse your skin with lukewarm water after washing it. Limit washing to twice a day and after you sweat. Sweating can irritate your skin. Wash your skin as soon as possible after sweating. 6. Use the right skin care products Apply an oil-free moisturizer if your skin is dry or itchy. An astringent is only recommended when you have oily skin and even then the astringent should only be applied to oily spots. If you want to use an exfoliating product, ask your dermatologist about the best treatment for your skin type. People with non-inflammatory acne, like whiteheads and blackheads that do not cause redness, can use mild exfoliating products that are available at most drug stores. People with dry, sensitive skin should limit exfoliating to once or twice per week, while people with oily, thicker skin can exfoliate once every day. 7. Eat a healthy diet Avoid meat that contains hormones and similar substances which could throw your hormones out of balance, causing acne. Instead, eat plenty of fiber, fresh vegetables and fruits. Foods rich in vitamin A, C, E, and zinc can help reduce the severity of acne through the nutrients’ anti-inflammatory properties. Some good sources of these vitamins include: Sweet red peppers Kale Spinach Amaranth Leaves Turnip Greens Sweet Potato (Yams) Pumpkin Butternut Squash Mangoes Grapefruit Cantaloupe 8. Take zinc. Studies show that oral zinc therapy can help heal acne. Zinc is an essential trace mineral with antioxidant properties. This helps protect cells in the body from damage caused by bacteria and viruses. It’s common to have slightly low levels of zinc, but taking a multivitamin and eating a healthy diet should give you all the zinc you need. While you can take supplements, the best dietary sources of zinc are: Oysters, shrimp, crab, and shellfish Red meats Poultry Cheese Beans Sunflower seeds Pumpkin Tofu Miso Mushrooms Cooked greens. Easily absorbed zinc: zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, zinc acetate, zinc glycerate, and zinc monomethionine. If zinc sulfate causes stomach irritation, you can try another form, such as zinc citrate. 9. Take more vitamin A. According to studies, you might have low levels of vitamin A if you have severe acne. Vitamin A is an anti-inflammatory substance that balances your hormones and might help reduce oil production. You can increase your vitamin A intake by eating a healthy diet and avoiding unhealthy fats like margarine, hydrogenated oils, and processed food. Vitamin A is found mostly in carrots, green leafy vegetables, and yellow or orange fruits. If you take a supplement, the recommended daily dose is 10,000 to 25,000 IU (international units). High doses of Vitamin A can have toxic side-effects, including birth defects, so watch how much you're getting. 10. Get more Vitamin C. Vitamin C can improve the rate of healing. It does this in part by helping to make collagen, an important protein used to repair skin tissue, cartilage, blood vessels and heal wounds. You can take 2 to 3 doses of Vitamin C for a total of 500 mg a day. You can also add vitamin C-rich foods to your daily diet. Good natural sources of vitamin C are: Sweet red or green peppers Citrus fruit such as oranges, pomelo, grapefruit, limes or non-concentrated citrus juices. Spinach, broccoli and brussel sprouts Strawberries and raspberries Tomatoes 11. Drink green tea Drinking green tea is not directly linked with preventing acne. But, it contains many antioxidants that show anti-aging effects and protect the skin. These can help your skin look fresher and younger. To make green tea, steep 2-3 g of green tea leaves in one cup of warm water (80-85°C) for 3–5 minutes. Green tea can be taken two to three times daily. Green tea may also have anti-inflammatory effects that reduce the risk of cancer. Some research shows that green tea is especially useful in protecting skin from harmful UV radiation. 12. Use tea tree oil Tea tree oil is often used topically for conditions like acne, wounds, infections and skin lesions. To treat your acne, use a tea tree oil that's at a dilution of 5–15 percent. Apply 2-3 drops to a cotton ball and dab it over your acne. Never take tea tree oil orally. You should also avoid exposing it to open air for a long time. Oxidized tea tree oil may trigger allergies more than fresh tea tree oil. 13. Use jojoba oil Apply 5-6 drops of jojoba oil on a cotton ball and dab over your acne. Jojoba oil is an extract from the seed of the jojoba tree. It is similar to the natural oil (sebum) that your skin produces, but it won't clog your pores or cause excess oil. Jojoba oil will keep your skin moisturized. It doesn't usually cause irritation, but speak with your dermatologist before using if you have sensitive skin. 14. Use juniper oil. Juniper oil is a natural antiseptic astringent. You can use it as a facial cleanser and toner to clear blocked pores and treat acne, dermatitis and eczema. Apply 1-2 drops of the oil with a cotton ball after washing your face. Avoid using too much juniper oil, or it can cause irritation and make the skin worse. 15. Apply aloe vera gel. Daily apply aloe vera gel liberally over your skin. You can find it at most drug stores. Aloe vera is a succulent plant with antibacterial properties that are effective in treating acne and reducing inflammation. It prevents bacteria from infecting acne wounds and speeds up the healing process. Some people may be allergic to aloe. If a rash develops, stop using it and speak with your healthcare provider. 16. Use sea salt. Look for a sea salt lotion or cream with less than 1% sodium chloride. Apply it up to six times a day for 5 minutes each time. Studies show sea salt may have anti-inflammatory, anti-aging and protective properties against harmful ultraviolet radiation. You can also use sea salt as a facial mask to reduce stress. Look for sea salt or sea salt products at most pharmacies and stores. People with mild to moderate acne may safely use sea salt products. People with dry, sensitive skin or moderate to severe acne should talk with a dermatologist before starting any salt treatments, since it could possibly cause dryness and irritation. 17. Visit your doctor if your acne doesn’t go away with home treatment. After a few weeks of treating your acne at home, you should start to see improvement. However, certain kinds of acne don’t go away with home treatments alone. If this is the case for you, talk to your doctor to find a solution that may work. At your appointment, tell your doctor about the treatments you’ve already tried. You may see an improvement in your acne in as little as a week, particularly if you’re only treating a few pimples. However, home treatments usually take 4-8 weeks to be effective. 18. See a dermatologist for persistent or widespread acne. Your dermatologist will determine the underlying cause behind your acne so you can get the right kind of treatment. For instance, your acne may be caused by your hormones, inflammation, or bacteria that’s trapped deep inside your skin. If this is the case for you, your dermatologist may recommend using a stronger topical cream, taking oral medications, or trying a skin procedure.Your dermatologist can provide treatments that aren’t available over-the-counter, so you’ll likely see better results. 19. Ask your doctor about prescription medications to treat acne. Your doctor will help you find the right cream or oral medication to treat your acne. You can use creams to treat acne just below the surface level. Alternatively, you can take a pill to treat your acne from the inside. Which option will work best for you will depend on what’s causing your acne. For a topical treatment, you can use a prescription topical cream that contains prescription-strength benzoyl peroxide, a retinoid, an antibiotic, and possibly salicylic acid. If bacteria or inflammation may be causing your acne, your doctor may prescribe an antibiotic to treat your symptoms from the inside. If nothing else works for you, you can take an oral treatment called isotretinoin as a last resort. It’s best to only use this medication if your acne seriously interferes with your life, as it carries side effects. 20. Try hormone therapy if your acne is hormonal. High levels of the hormone androgen, especially in women, may lead to excessive sebum production that causes acne. Sebum also contains fatty acids that encourage acne-causing bacteria. You can take hormonal birth control to help balance out your hormones and help treat your acne. Hormone changes are a normal part of life, especially during puberty, pregnancy, and your period, as well as when you change medications. The best way to determine if your acne is caused by hormonal changes is to speak with a dermatologist. 21. Consider a chemical peel to remove the outer layers of your skin. Your dermatologist can do this simple procedure in their office. It will remove the outer layers of your skin to help treat your acne and improve the look of your skin. It also helps reduce acne scarring from previous breakouts.Your dermatologist will give you instructions on how to care for your skin before and after the procedure. You likely won’t be able to wear makeup immediately after your procedure, and you’ll need to stay out of the sun while your skin heals. 22. Ask your dermatologist if light therapy is right for you. Laser and phototherapy are popular alternative options to treat acne. Light therapy uses light to treat inflamed acne lesions, severe nodular acne, and cystic acne. It can kill the bacteria that causes acne and help clear your skin. Studies show that light therapy is an effective treatment for many people. Speak with your healthcare provider to see if it’s appropriate for your individual needs. 23. Talk to your doctor about removing your acne if it won’t go away. In some cases, your doctor can help speed up the the healing process by draining your acne, freezing it with cryotherapy, or injecting it with a medication. This can help clear your skin faster and may prevent scarring. However, it’s not right for everyone.Your doctor will likely only recommend 1 of these procedures if nothing else is helping your acne. 24. Seek emergency care for signs of an allergic reaction to acne products. Both over-the-counter and prescription acne products commonly cause minor redness, irritation, and itching. While it’s normal to notice these minor changes in your skin, you could have other side effects if you’re allergic to a product. Watch for the following symptoms, which might mean you’re having a reaction: Swelling in your eyes, lips, tongue, or face Difficulty breathing Tightness in your throat Feeling faint	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Heal-Acne-Fast-and-Naturally", "language": "en"}
How to Deal With Narcissistic Personality Disorder	A person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) often initially comes across as charming and outgoing, exuding self-confidence. However, the magnetic personality is cast aside and replaced by a self-absorbed individual. NPD is one of the most difficult diagnoses for professionals to treat successfully. If the individual with NPD is a family member, a supervisor at work, or someone for whom you care deeply, you might prefer to explore ways to survive close proximity. 1. Determine if it’s worth dealing with this person. This person probably has very little interest in listening to you and has a lack of interest in what your needs are. Narcissists think they know more than others. Therefore, they see their decisions as the only logical answers to problems. Narcissists will expect that you will defer to their decisions. There will probably be power struggles or severe control issues in your relationship. Someone with NPD tends to seem uninvested in relationships and tends to react strongly to any perceived criticism. They probably have a history of severing relationships over trivial causes. If you are determined to maintain the relationship, how do you survive, and remain emotionally intact? Consider avoiding a relationship with a toxic person. If they show a pattern of disregard for you and/or others, it's probably best to walk away or limit contact. 2. Avoid confrontation. You won’t convince a person with NPD that they are wrong. Pick your battles and don’t waste effort in tackling an issue that centers on the person’s behaviors, as they are unlikely to change. If your spouse monopolized the conversation at last night’s family reunion and embarrassed you by telling tall tales, chalk it up as water under the bridge. Take a preventative approach before the next gathering, perhaps by arranging for them to sit next to a quiet family member who will greatly enjoy listening to someone else’s exploits. If the issue involves a decision you’ve made, such as not riding in the car with your brother driving if he drinks at the party tonight, state it simply and directly. Feel free to then walk away without trying to justify your decision. That is the behavior you will get from a narcissistic personality so they will understand it—and possibly accept it—better than any emotional plea. 3. Establish goal-oriented interaction. People with NPD like to achieve things and then brag about their achievements. Set goals to meet your needs that provide a source of pride for your narcissist. If you cringe when thinking about asking your narcissistic husband to spring-clean the patio and backyard, suggest that he should host the season’s first barbecue. Narcissists see themselves as social leaders, so this type of event provides the audience he craves. Ask his opinion on what needs to be done then offer to ready the house and refreshments for the gathering. Appeal to his muscle in getting the outside ready. Ironically, you might accomplish even more than the spring cleaning you originally visualized by suggesting an outdoor project (i.e., building a pond, raised garden bed, or outdoor fountain). This would provide him with a bragging point during the party. 4. Learn what is important to the person. Remember that someone with NPD probably won’t understand or respect your emotional statements or gestures. They may actually reject them in a manner that feels callous and hurtful to you. Instead, study your subject and learn what is important to them. Then offer them a pragmatic gift of your time or wallet that their perception will translate as a genuine statement of affection. 5. Suggest talk therapy. The only effective way to treat this disorder head-on is through talk therapy. Psychotherapy can make inroads in reshaping how persons with NPD perceive themselves and their place in the world. Then they can develop more accurate views of their actual abilities. This can assist them to eventually accept themselves and incorporate opinions of others into their thought processes. However, because people with NPD see themselves as fairly flawless, they tend not to recognize any need to seek counseling or make changes in their behaviors. Psychotherapy can assist in helping narcissistic people learn to relate to others so that they have more rewarding personal and professional relationships. Convincing a person with Narcissistic Personality Disorder to see a therapist, participate in therapy, and remain in the process until real change occurs, is extremely difficult. If someone with NPD seeks mental health help, it is generally to address depression or suicidal tendencies. This person will likely be resistant to any discussions of personality overhaul or behavioral modification. There are no drugs to treat Narcissistic Personality Disorder, although treatment may include prescriptions to control symptoms or resultant problems such as depression. 6. Consider the person’s childhood. Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) is typically found in males, beginning in adolescence or early adulthood. Experts have not pinpointed causes but speculation includes certain types of parenting: Extremely critical parenting: Parenting that is extremely critical can lead to a growing need for the child to seek adoration. Gushing parenting: On the other end of the spectrum, parenting that is gushing can give a child an unhealthy sense of entitlement or perfection. It appears most likely that parenting that combines extreme elements of both coldness and admiration often produces a narcissist. 7. Identify if the person thinks they can do no wrong. A narcissistic personality may first appear to have a strong sense of self-esteem, confidence, and ability. In time, this will be revealed to be steeped in self-belief that they can do no wrong and that they have greater value than those around them. 8. Consider if the person thinks they are the center of the universe. The narcissist will feel that the world revolves around them, and they will do what is takes to keep it that way., This might include monopolizing conversations. 9. Consider if the person is easily angered or verbally abusive. When a narcissist doesn’t receive the special treatment to which they feel entitled, they might become angry or verbally abusive. Differentiate from antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) by noting whether the person has incidents with the law. Someone with NPD may become verbally aggressive, but they typically don't become violent or engage in illegal activity, and they usually have good impulse control. 10. Identify if a person is arrogant or boastful. Persons with Narcissistic Personality Disorder will be seen by most as arrogant, boastful, and self-centered. They tend to look down on their inferiors (basically, everyone else), and may tear others down in order to build themselves up. They will manipulate others to get what they want. 11. Identify a person’s lack of emotional empathy. There are two major types of empathy: cognitive empathy (the ability to understand someone's emotions) and emotional empathy (the sharing of someone's emotions). Someone with NPD doesn't share in others' emotions and has no desire to learn to do so. Contrast this with autism, in which a person typically cares but struggles to understand. Unlike someone with NPD, autistics may spontaneously help others and get upset (sometimes to the point of needing to withdraw) when seeing someone in distress. Differentiate between the conditions by noticing how the person responds if you explicitly tell them that they hurt someone's feelings; an autistic person will typically become distressed and concerned, while someone with NPD is unlikely to care. 12. Notice if a person overreacts to criticism. They will not try to meet the needs of others. In fact, they may react in anger to any request for such, as it may be perceived as a criticism. It once was thought that the exaggerated sense of self-worth in NPD was in compensation for an actual lack of self-esteem. Experts now believe that narcissists are self-delusional in that they actually believe in their own grandiosity. They feel entitled to adoration from others, despite any evidence of achievement. Therefore, people with NPD may overreact, possibly even becoming aggressive, when they feel attacked by even the slightest of criticisms. Distinguish NPD from borderline personality disorder (BPD) by seeing whether they take criticism to heart. Someone with NPD may get angry, while someone with BPD may also panic and fall into a downward spiral of low self-esteem. 13. Consider if the person has unrealistic expectations. The person with NPD will have exaggerated beliefs of self-importance, superiority, achievement, and ability; manipulative behaviors as well as expectations of obedience, admiration, and entitlement; and preoccupation with “fantasies about success, power, brilliance, beauty or the perfect mate.” People with NPD often demand that the highest quality possible (“the best”) be expended or produced on their behalf. 14. Recognize if the person takes advantage of others. People with Narcissistic Personality Disorder often tend to manipulate or exploit situations and people in their lives in order to get ahead or get away with their behavior. If they can find a way to get what they want, they'll usually do whatever needs to be done. For example, say you're indecisive and tend to lack self-confidence. If you and the narcissist got into an argument about something they did wrong to you and you call them out on it a few days later, they may deny and dismiss it by saying "Don't be silly; that's not how it happened," knowing that it'll make you doubt your own point of view. 15. Look at the person’s relationships. It is almost always difficult to work or live with someone with Narcissistic Personality Disorder. People with NPD tend to have problems in their personal relationships as well as at work and/or school. Some may note a real or perceived flaw in their perfection that leads to depression or moodiness. Suicidal thoughts complicate matters further. 16. Notice if there is drug or alcohol abuse. When life does not run smoothly, someone with NPD may have issues with drugs or alcohol. Examine how much the person is drinking alcohol or if they are abusing drugs. 17. Make the important distinction between a malignant narcissist and someone who is trying to be a good person. While having NPD makes it more challenging to be a good person, people with NPD aren't doomed to be evil. People with NPD may choose to try to treat others with decency and respect, though their distorted viewpoints may make this difficult for them. The person must make this choice for themselves. You can't change them, and it's not your responsibility. Don't waste time trying to "fix" someone who doesn't see anything wrong with their behavior. Notice if the person is willing to reflect on their behavior, apologize when needed, show concern for others' emotions, and work on treating other people well. They can work on learning to behave better. Take verbal abuse seriously. Nobody deserves to put up with that, so distance yourself if the person mistreats you. 18. Seek emotional support elsewhere. Accept right now that your emotional needs will not be met by this person. Find a trusted friend or other confidante (a relative, counselor, or priest, for instance) who will provide a listening ear and understanding for those times you need to talk about your frustrations. Have a network of friends to fill the other emotional gaps left in your life. If your wife has NPD, she may not share in your enthusiasm when you get a commendation at work because it doesn’t concern her personally. She may even receive this commendation negatively if she doesn’t get regular atta-girls at her job. Be prepared for a ho-hum response from her. Post a happy note on your social media or call a couple friends who will give you the high-fives you deserve. 19. Educate yourself to improve your quality of life. Every individual is unique, so educate yourself about Narcissistic Personality Disorder but also do your best to learn how your specific person with NPD processes his world. The better you understand that lens, the more you can adapt your approach to him so that you get the results you seek more often than otherwise. Learn to anticipate how they will react given particular circumstances, then set up the scenario to obtain the results you want. Examine how they see you in their world, then try to fit that mold as comfortably as you can. Don’t bend so much that you break, but manipulate the setting so there’s a happy medium. Remember to employ the grandmotherly maxim given to brides: He’ll do anything you want if you make him think it was his own idea. The better you know and understand your person with NPD, the more likely you can reach beyond the wall separating you to show that you truly care, which will benefit you both. 20. Don’t forego making emotional gestures. You may find that a person with NPD responds well to the non-emotional favors you learn to do. This doesn’t mean, however, that you have to forego making emotional gestures from your own heart. In fact, they may appreciate being able to show off to co-workers that you put a love-note in their lunch box. Keep in mind, however, that you probably won’t get any expression of appreciation at home that night. Your expression of caring will meet your own need of giving love without pain as long as you don’t expect them to react emotionally or to reciprocate your gesture. 21. Seek advice from other resources. You’ve put yourself on the right track by starting to educate yourself about Narcissistic Personality Disorder. There are numerous support groups, books, and other resources with practical advice to help you survive this challenging relationship. 22. Share ideas with other people. Don’t forget that you aren’t the only person impacted by the narcissistic personality in your life. Share ideas with this person’s friends and co-workers who are trying to maintain a relationship with them. 23. Monitor any children the person has. If there are children living with this person, make sure they are safe with this parent. Narcissistic parents can often be verbally or emotionally abusive. Take note if the children are lacking certain social skills because of their parent's behaviors.Consider ways you can compensate or re-teach certain social skills so the children don’t become adults with similar behaviors.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Deal-With-Narcissistic-Personality-Disorder", "language": "en"}
How to Make Your Own Garden Table	Everybody needs a garden table, especially for those wonderful days of spring and summer. Whether you are a woodworker, enjoy working on DIY projects, or you just want to save money, this article is for you. Here are detailed instructions on how to make your own garden table. You can always buy a garden table, but nothing beats the pride and enjoyment in your own work. 1. Note the measurements of the table, listed here. Check the sketch (image above) to get the basic idea as well. Height = 76,5 cm (30,1 inches) Length = 186 cm (70,9 inches) Width = 92 cm (36,2 inches). 2. Gather all the tools and materials. For this project, you'll need the items listed below in "Things You'll Need". 3. Make all the cuts to the planks as follows: 2 pieces 82 cm (32,3 inches) long of 2,5 x 10 cm (1×4 inches) plank 4 pieces 177 cm (69,7 inches) long of 2,5 x 10 cm (1×4 inches) plank 2 pieces 168 cm (66,1 inches) long of 2,5 x 10 cm (1×4 inches) plank 17 pieces 92 cm (36,2 inches) long of 2,5 x 10 cm (1×4 inches) plank 4 pieces 74 cm (29,1 inches) long of 5 x 10 cm (2×4 inches) plank 4. Start sanding. Use a sander to smooth all the previously cut pieces. 5. Start with the assembly of the table as shown in the picture above. Use a clamp when assembling every piece and make sure that all the joints are at 90 degree angles. 6. Drill a hole one or two sizes smaller than the screw. Then put the screw through that hole. That ensures the screw will get where you wanted it to go. Do not try to put the screw in if you haven't drilled the hole first. 7. After the frame is completed, you need to put two 168 cm (66.1 inches) planks on the left and the right side of the frame, as shown in the picture above. The planks enhance the stability of the legs and add to the visual appearance of the table. 8. Choose the plate planks. Now it's time to put the plate of the table on the frame. For the plate of the table you will use 92 cm (36.2 inches) planks. 9. Attach the planks. Every plank must be screwed down on four places; that means on every plank of the frame. This is important because it is very hard to acquire completely dry wood and if you don’t tighten it down, it will bend and your table will be ruined. On the picture you can see how to assemble the plate on the frame. Leave 1 cm (1/3 of an inch) space between every plank on the plate, for visual appearance. 10. Use the appropriate planks for the legs. For the legs you will use 74 cm (29.1 inches) planks. 11. Attach the legs with 7 cm (3 inch) wood screws. Put three screws on every leg, so that they form a perfect triangle. 12. Paint your table in the colour of your choice. Make sure that the chosen paint protects the wood against the elements and always put on at least two coats of paint. A sealant layer is also recommended for longer wear and making the table spill-proof.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Your-Own-Garden-Table", "language": "en"}
How to Present Yourself As an Educated Person	Often when you think of an “educated” person, you'll think about what test scores they received, what school they attended, or what job they hold. In the real world, and in real conversations, this information is not readily available. People tend to make judgments on how educated they believe someone is by their interactions with them. By being aware of the way you are speaking, the way you are behaving, and how you appear, you can present yourself as a confident, educated individual. 1. Increase your vocabulary. The way in which you speak and words you choose communicate a lot to others in each conversation you have. The vocabulary you use is not only a sign of intelligence in conversation but is also a major component in the measurement of your Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and education level on intelligence and achievement tests. Increasing your vocabulary will help you to improve that perception as well as: Avoid repetition. Express yourself succinctly. Increase your creativity. Illustrate your knowledge. 2. Correct your grammar. There are few ways in which you could do more harm to the perception of your education than to use incorrect grammar, incorrect phrases, or “crutch words” such as “like” or “um.” When you are speaking you'll appear more educated if you enunciate, use proper grammar, complete sentences, and correct phrasing. Some of the more common mistakes include: "Yeah" instead of "Yes" ”For all intensive purposes” instead of “for all intents and purposes” "I could care less" instead of "I couldn't care less" ”Irregardless” instead of “regardless” Should, could, or would “of” instead of should, could, or would “have” 3. Use slang sparingly. It may be difficult to remain conversational in your speech, but you should try to limit your use of slang words or attempt not to use them at all. Be particularly careful of any slang words that may offend someone, including the use of curse words. While the use of curse words does not necessarily indicate someone is uneducated, it does impact the social perception of intelligence, particularly in conversations where you do not know the other people well. 4. Stay humble. No one is capable of knowing everything, and those who are more educated understand that, and rarely claim to be as intelligent as they really are. Be modest and avoid the temptation to “prove” how smart you are. It will often come off to others as boastful and will lower their opinion of you. 5. Be silent. Sometimes, in an effort to sound educated or smart, someone can appear to be "trying too hard." If you have a habit of always trying to interject on every conversation and add your thoughts, try and step back a bit. A key to speaking intelligently includes knowing when to be quiet. Staying silent has the potential to show more intelligence, especially if the alternative is saying something you think is smart. This will also help if you feel you are in a conversation of opposing opinions where the other person is attempting to get you into an argument. Being quiet shows you are not interested in verbal fights or arguments, but rather more educated discussion. 6. Educate yourself. The easiest way to present yourself as an educated person is to, in fact, be educated. Knowledge truly is power in this instance, so try to know at least a little bit about many different topics, if you can. It may take some time to develop your knowledge, and you may not be proficient in everything. Some ways to educate yourself include: Learning a foreign language, or select words in other languages. Try learning how to say “please,” “thank-you,” and “you're welcome” in several different languages. They are easy to slip into conversation. Keep up on news and current events. Follow your favorite news station, paper, or online news aggregate site. Knowing what is currently going on in the world will help you to appear “worldly” and knowledgeable. Research areas of interest. If you'd like to be perceived as intelligent or educated to a particular group of people, research what is of interest to that group. Better yet would be to research areas that you are interested in. 7. Be honest. A misconception of being educated is that an educated person “knows everything” when in reality, educated individuals are always questioning and always learning. In your effort to be perceived as more intelligent, try not to build a false image of yourself or pretend to be something you are not. You will be viewed as more intelligent if you ask questions and are interested in learning new things. If someone asks you a question that you do not know the answer to, it is perfectly acceptable to say, “I don't know, but I would be really interested to find out what the answer is, that's a great question!” If someone else is speaking, you can always add, “That's fascinating! I have to admit I haven't had a great deal of experience with that, can you tell me more about...” 8. Listen carefully. You do not always have to be the one speaking in order to be viewed as educated. It can be conveyed in how you act, as well. Make an effort to listen attentively. This will help you to completely understand what the other person is saying before offering your view or asking questions to further the conversation. A good rule, especially in a conversation with multiple people is to be listening twice as often as you are speaking. A great way to convey your attention (and according to one study, your intelligence) is to make eye contact with the speaker. When offering your view, always leave it open for further intellectual discussion with phrases such as, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but..." or "Do you agree?" When asking questions, try and use words or phrases that show your knowledge of the topic. If someone is speaking about a school or university and you'd like to know if they went there, ask "Is that your alma mater?" or "Did you attend their graduate program for your masters or your doctorate?" 9. Act courteous. Remembering your manners will show respect for others and give you the appearance of being socially educated in the proper ways of conversation. Acting courteous to others will also illustrate the confidence you have in yourself and help you show that to others. Exhibiting confidence through your personality, style, and charisma, is viewed as the trait of a smarter individual.Being courteous includes: Greeting others politely, with a smile. Taking the care to be prompt and on time. Not interrupting others while they are speaking. Saying "hello," "please," "thank you," "sorry," and "excuse me." 10. Limit negative emotions. Try and keep a divide between your emotional reactions, especially strong, negative ones, and your conversation. It is good to be excited and passionate in what you are talking about as it is viewed as an important factor in appearing smart. Getting easily angry, exhibiting outbursts, or becoming combative; however, are not regarded as qualities of the educated individual. Staying in a positive, calm demeanor, shows that you are above having simple arguments and instead prefer intellectual discussion. 11. Surround yourself with intelligent people. Not only are you more likely to be perceived as educated and intelligent, you are more likely to actually become more intelligent due to the probability that you will have more intellectual discussions and be more challenged. Being around educated individuals will help increase your intellectual stimulation, help further your knowledge base, and help further your own education. 12. Be neat in appearance. Impressions are important to conveying a great deal of information including intellect and education. Particularly affecting the perception of education is the amount of exposed skin others can see. The more modest and formal your appearance the more others will focus on what you are saying and thinking, rather than what you are wearing. Wear modest and formal clothes that fit well. If possible, invest in a good tailor, as having clothing tailored to your body makes your clothes look more expensive and elevates your status. Make sure your clothing is ironed and stain-free. Keep your hair neat. Have good hygiene. Remove facial jewelry. Keep your shoes, fingernails, and teeth clean. 13. Remove bad habits. Watch out for bad habits or nervous habits such as nail biting, hair twirling, or chewing on pens. You want to communicate confidence in yourself, your education, and your intelligence. While these habits don't necessarily show a lack of education, they will cause you to be perceived as anxious, nervous, or uncomfortable. If you feel the urge of a bad habit coming on, try to actively refocus your mind on the other person or the conversation. 14. Cultivate cultural habits. There is a cultural component among the educated, that includes music, art, theatre, and cultural experiences. Taking part in these activities will increase your exposure to various topics, spark your creativity, and provide you with conversational material which illustrates your education. Some cultured areas to consider include: Attending theatre performances or the opera. Listening to classical music. Visiting museums and art galleries. Reading books, journals, and the newspaper. 15. Use your middle initial. While this may seem like an odd factor, using your middle initial in your name is largely regarded as an indication of intelligence and education. This appears to be due to the fact that the use of a middle initial often occurs in formal and academic contexts. At events, have your middle initial included on your name tag, or if you like the way it sounds, include it in your introduction, especially if it makes you feel more like the intelligent, educated person that you are! On the other hand, you should be perceptive of what is culturally acceptable. For example, middle initials are rarely used in the UK, and are far more common American English contexts. Therefore, using the middle initial during introductions in the UK may violate the 'stay humble' principle above.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Present-Yourself-As-an-Educated-Person", "language": "en"}
How to Keep Gnats Away from Your Face	Gnats are an annoying, unwanted aspect of nature. However, if you want to enjoy the great outdoors, you’ll have to find a way to deal with them during the spring and summer. Do this by wearing a hat, putting on sunglasses, or using a natural gnat repellant. By taking preventative measures, you can enjoy your picnic or hike without these pesky insects. Use one or several of these suggestions to keep the gnats out of your face. 1. Wear a hat to keep the gnats out of your eyes, nose, and mouth. While this may not get rid of all of them, gnats often flock to the highest point on your body, so they may fly toward the hat instead of your mouth or nose. Choose a hat with a wide brim, baseball cap, or hat with a tall top. All of these work great to keep the gnats out of your face. This is a good idea if you are hanging out by the pool or enjoying a stroll through the park. When wearing a hat, you may want to use another option as well to keep gnats away. 2. Opt for a hat with mosquito netting so the gnats can’t get to your face. These are hats that have a mosquito net lining around the brim. The net covers your face and neck, preventing any gnats from getting inside. Consider using a mosquito net hat while hiking in the woods, fishing in the creek, or doing yard work around your home. You can find hats with mosquito netting at most outdoor supply stores or online. 3. Put on sunglasses or safety goggles to keep gnats out of your eyes. An easy way to protect your eyes from gnats is to keep them covered with a pair of glasses. This way, you won’t have to swat the gnats out of your eyes while swimming, hiking, or relaxing. Regular eyeglasses also work well to block gnats. 4. Dab a bit of oil over your skin so the gnats don’t fly toward you. You can use nearly any type of cooking oil to keep gnats away. Choose olive oil, coconut oil, or vegetable oil for instance. Then, soak a cotton ball in the oil, and dab it over your forehead, behind your ears, and down your neck. The oil masks your scent from the gnats so they are less likely to notice you. Dab your arms and legs for extra protection. In addition to oil, cooking spray also works well for this. 5. Try using an essential oil bug spray to keep the gnats at bay. Essential oils such as lemongrass, lavender, tea tree, eucalyptus, and peppermint work great to keep gnats out of your face. To make your own spray, fill a 4 oz (118 mL) glass spray bottle about halfway with distilled water, 1 oz (30 mL) of witch hazel, and 50-75 drops of any essential oil combination you'd like. Shake the mixture before spraying it over your arms and torso. If you do not dilute the essential oil, you can get burned if your skin is in the sun. Purchase 100% pure essential oils for best results. 6. Apply a bit of vanilla extract to your face to keep them away. In addition to oil, you can use vanilla as an insect repellent since gnats naturally shy away from vanilla extract. Pour 1 tbsp (15 mL) or so onto a cotton ball, and dab it over your forehead, behind your ears, and on your neck. Natural vanilla extract works the best, but imitation vanilla extract can also work well. 7. Sprinkle herbs or spices around your area to deter the gnats. Shake 1-3 tbsps of cayenne pepper, garlic, pepper, salt, or cinnamon around your space. You may need more or less, depending on how large of an area you are using. Do this if you are relaxing on your patio or enjoying a backyard BBQ, for instance. Aim to have a light, even sprinkling of the spices on the ground around you. 8. Set vinegar and soap in a dish nearby so the gnats fly to it instead. Gnats are attracted to the smell of both vinegar and soap. If you leave some nearby, they will gravitate towards that instead of your face. Choose any sort of vinegar you’d like, and pour 1-2 tbsps (15-30 mL) into a small dish. Next, add 3-5 drops of soap, and set the dish on a table or on the ground nearby. The gnats get trapped in the liquid and cannot escape. Use dish soap, hand soap, or bar soap. If using bar soap, simply cut off a small piece or 2 and put it in the vinegar. 9. Plan your outdoor activities on overcast, breezy days when possible. Before you go outside or plan your next adventure, look up the weather forecast online. Go outside on days when there’s cloud cover and mild temperatures so you can enjoy the outdoors without worrying about gnats. Gnats are less likely to invade your space on cloudy, windy days since they prefer warm, humid environments. For example, choose to have your dirtbike trip, picnic, or backpacking trek on a cool, overcast day. 10. Avoid wearing fruity-smelling body products. Gnats love sweet-smelling lotions, creams, perfumes, body sprays, and deodorants. To keep them out of your face, try not to use these products when going outside. Choose products with no scent instead, or go without the product entirely. This way, the gnats don’t bug you while you take a walk or lounge in a hammock, for instance. 11. Use insect repellent if all else fails. If you try some other options and are still plagued by gnats, spray a bit of insect repellant around your body before you head for the trail. Hold the can 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) away from you, and spray it over your arms, legs, and torso. However, keep in mind that insect repellents are made from harsh chemicals that can be harmful for humans, animals, and plants, so use this sparingly. Opt for the bug spray if none of the other methods work to keep the gnats at bay. This is a good idea if you are camping deep in the woods near a stagnant stream and there’s a ton of gnats nearby.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Gnats-Away-from-Your-Face", "language": "en"}
How to Prune Blackberries	Blackberries are perennial plants with root systems that last from year to year, but the plant's stems, formally called “canes”, are biennial, only lasting two years before being replaced by fresh growth. When pruning your blackberries, you'll need to treat first-year canes, called "primocanes," differently than second-year canes, called "floricanes." Light pruning should be done in the summer, but heavy pruning should wait until the dormant season. 1. Prune part of the stem. When planting a blackberry vine as a rooted cutting, prune off two-thirds to three-fourths of the handle or stem, leaving only a short crown behind. Doing so stimulates the buds at the crown of the cutting, encouraging them to grow more vigorously. The "crown" of the cutting refers to the portion of the cutting that extends just above ground once the cutting is planted. Cutting off most of the stem also removes any potentially damaged or diseased tissue that may have been on the stem. Do this pruning after you have already planted the cutting in the ground. If you are planting a seedling, bush, or vine with well-established erect canes, do not prune them back. 2. Cut back the canes during the first winter. First year growth is usually poor, so late during the first winter, you should cut back the canes back until they are roughly 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10 cm) high. This encourages the plant to develop sturdier canes that can support more fruit. If you are satisfied with your first year growth, however, pruning back the canes so dramatically may not be necessary. Blackberries producing satisfactory growth in their first year can be pruned according to standard annual requirements. 3. Remove floricanes after the harvest. As soon as you harvest the berries from one floricanes, you should remove the entire cane from the plant by cutting it off at its base, near the main stem of the plant. Floricanes are usually second-year canes and are the canes responsible for producing the majority of the plant's fruit. They are spent after producing fruit, which is why you should remove them. Only remove the canes that bore fruit that year. You should be able to see visible fruit stalks on the canes even after the berries have been removed. 4. Head the primocanes. Once each primocane has exceeded its desired height by roughly 4 inches (10 cm), you should it back down to its desired height. Primocanes are new or "first year" canes. They usually start as green shoots but should mature by fall, changing into woody brown canes. Primocanes of vigorous, erect blackberries should be headed down so that they are 48 to 60 inches (122 to 152 cm) above ground. Less vigorous erect blackberries should be headed to a height between 36 and 48 inches (91 and 122 cm), and semi-erect blackberries should be headed down until they are roughly 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) above the top trellis wire. Heading causes the cane to stiffen. Once a cane stiffens, it will be able to support the weight of fruit and foliage better, making it less likely to break. Heading also encourages lateral buds in the primocanes to develop into lateral branches. The lateral branches are also the plant's fruiting branches. As such, the plant can produce more fruit when it has more lateral branches. 5. Make space. You should periodically clean out canes if the plant gets too crowded. Doing so increases the amount of light received by the plant and the airflow between plants. As a result, the blackberries grow better and are less prone to disease. If there are multiple blackberry plants in a row, maintain a row width of 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 cm) at the base of the rows by cutting back low base canes once they threaten to crowd each other out. Remove weak primocanes when you cut off dying floricanes after your floricane harvest. During active growth, primocanes are considered weak when they exhibit poor foliage growth, appear damaged, or show signs of disease. 6. Trim root suckers. You can allow root suckers to develop into rows up to 12 inches (30 cm) wide. Once they grow beyond this point, though, you should trim them back down to a width of 12 inches (30 cm) or less. Root suckers grow out of the crown or base of the plant. They aren't very practical since they do not develop fruit, and once they grow too long, they start stealing too much crucial energy from the rest of the plant. 7. Wait until late winter. Heavy dormant pruning should be performed once the plants are well into dormancy and just before they return to a state of active growth. Late winter and early spring are best. Harsh winters can injure the tips of canes and laterals. You should wait until most of the winter passes so that you can take care of these damages spots while doing the rest of your pruning. Doing the majority of your heavy pruning during the dormant season decreases the occurrence of wounds that can invite diseases like cane blight. 8. Prune back all the primocanes. Shorten all of the primocanes on your plant by about one-third their current height. By cutting back the canes, you encourage lateral fruiting shoots on the lower portion of these canes to branch out in the spring. As a result, the plant spends less energy on growing outward and more energy on its fruit producing branches. 9. Thin out the lower primocanes. For upright blackberries, thin out the new primocanes produced from root buds and crown buds so that there are only six or eight canes per linear foot (30 cm) of row. If you are working with a type of blackberry plant that does not produce root buds and only produces crown buds, simply remove weak canes measuring less than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) in diameter at the base. Then, thin out the remaining new primocanes until there are only five or six per hill. 10. Cut back lateral branches. Most lateral branches should be trimmed back to a length of 12 to 18 inches (30 to 45 cm). Cutting these branches back will encourage larger fruit to form since you are essentially forcing the plant to spend its energy in a more concentrated space. Leave the lateral canes a bit longer on vigorous canes and a bit shorter on slower canes. If you notice winter damage on a lateral cane, cut it back far enough to remove this damage, even if doing so will shorten the branch more than usual. Completely remove lateral branches from the lowest 18 inches (45 cm) on vigorous canes and lateral branches from the lowest 12 inches (30 cm) on weaker canes. Doing so improves air circulation, thereby minimizing the risk of disease and making harvest easier later on. 11. Remove damaged canes and dead canes. Any weak or damaged canes that have not already been removed by this point should be pruned, as well. Weak canes include any cane with a diameter less than 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) at its base. Canes that rub or intertwine with one another should also be removed. Damaged canes, diseased canes, or dead canes should be cut off, as well, to prevent the possible spread of disease or insects.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Prune-Blackberries", "language": "en"}
How to Play Peekaboo	When you're a baby, playing is work! Games like peekaboo not only make your baby laugh, but help the baby learn about the world and its senses. By playing, babies gain self-awareness and critical social skills. The more you play, the more your baby will learn and grow! 1. Make sure your baby is comfortable. You’ll never get your baby to sit still for a game of peekaboo if it’s hungry, tired or wet. Feed your baby before you play and make sure it takes a nap. Change its diaper if you need to. Peekaboo can be overwhelming for a baby that is already agitated. You’re baby is likely to get upset during peekaboo if all its needs are not met prior. 2. Get your baby’s attention. For your baby to get the maximum benefit from a game of peekaboo, you’ll need it to make eye contact with you. You can get your baby’s attention by making a few strange sounds with your mouth or making funny faces. Try sticking out your tongue or making a distracting sound. Everything’s new to a baby, so if it hears you make a sound that it’s not used to or sees you make a face it hasn't seen before, it will be transfixed by you. Make sure not to make sounds that are too loud or faces that are too scary. You don’t want to scare your baby. Making eye contact with your baby helps it to develop social skills and prepares it to connect with people in the world. 3. Hide your face. Cover your face with your hands or drape a towel or cloth over your face. Remember that to the baby, you’re not just hiding, you’re gone. At this stage of development, babies haven’t developed an understanding of object permanence. Object permanence means that an object (you) is still there even when the baby can’t see it. For this reason, the first few games of peekaboo can be a bit shocking to the baby. You can ease your baby’s mind by talking to it while you’re hiding. You can say something like “Where’d mommy go? Where is she?” You can also hide yourself behind a piece of paper, a book or anything else that you have around. 4. Reveal your face. Uncover your face and let out an excited “peekaboo!” Try showing your baby a variety of faces to see what it likes. For example, your baby might like a big smile or sticking your tongue out while scary faces or yelling "peekaboo" loudly might scare it. Make sure not to hide behind your hands for too long or your baby might become distressed, wondering whether or not you’re going to return. Watch for signs that your baby may be overwhelmed. Peekaboo can be mind-blowing for a baby. If it turns its head to side or makes a face like it’s about to cry, you may want to wait a while before playing again. 5. Play peekaboo with a toy. If your baby is between 4 and 6 months old, it's starting to develop object permanence. This means you can try hiding one of their favorite toys and letting them find it. When the baby finds the toy, remember to say something like "You found it!" For example, take one of the baby's stacking rings and hide it under a blanket. Let the baby try to pull the blanket up or away to reveal the ring. Reward the baby with lots of verbal praise when it does this. 6. Repeat the game. Babies learn through repetition. Play peekaboo as much as you can. At first, your baby will be completely surprised that you reappear after you hide in your hands. After a while, your baby will start to suspect that you will reappear. They’ll be delighted when you prove them right. The baby learns to deduce that because you always reappear when you hide your face, you’ll probably do the same thing this time. While the baby doesn’t yet understand that you’re there the whole time, it forms a hypothesis that you will reappear. The baby is introduced to analytical thinking. 7. Draw pictures of people with various expressions on sturdy pieces of cardboard. These will be your peekaboo faces. Make your pictures with happy faces, sad faces,grumpy faces and and any other expression you can think of. At this point in your baby’s development, it’s starting to differentiate between identities. The baby is gaining a sense of identity and learning to compare its own identity to others. Seeing faces with different emotions will introduce your baby to social cues so he’ll be able to better understand how people feel. 8. Cut a few rectangular pieces of cloth. Make sure the pieces of cloth are long enough to completely cover the faces that you have drawn. Glue the pieces of cloth above the faces on the cardboard. There should be a flap of cloth that can be lifted to reveal the face. Give the glue a little bit of time to dry before showing it to your baby. 9. Have your baby lift the flap. Choose one of your cards and show it to your baby. Have your baby lift the flap to reveal the face. When it does, say, “peekaboo!” Your baby will be excited to see what new faces are on different cards. Your baby is beginning to understand the concept of object permanence. Creating an interactive game of peekaboo encourages the baby to explore its surroundings for hidden surprises. The baby is learning to do research to find answers. It deduces that to see the funny picture, it will have to do the work of lifting the flap. You may have to show the baby how to lift the flap a few times before it understands what to do. 10. Keep playing the game. Your baby will likely want to play the game over and over again. Your baby will be excited to lift the flap and discover the face underneath every time. Searching for the picture and finding it will give your baby a sense of accomplishment. They’ll feel like they solved the riddle and were rewarded with the picture. Pop-up books are popular with children for the same reason peekaboo is. You can make new cards periodically to keep the game fresh. 11. Encourage your baby to play. As your baby gets older, it will become more interactive with peekaboo. Try covering your baby's face with a light cloth or towel and say, "Where's baby?" Pull the blanket away and say, "Boo!" Keep doing this until your baby begins to tug away the blanket in anticipation. At first, your baby may just wiggle or squirm under the cloth. Eventually, it will begin pulling away the blanket and may even say, "Boo!" 12. Hide. Have your toddler close his eyes and count to ten while you find a place in the room to hide. If your toddler can’t count all the way to ten, you can just yell that you’re ready when it’s time for them to look for you. Make sure to hide close by. Toddlers are at the stage in their development where they want to explore and socialize but they can experience separation anxiety if you’re too far away. They need you to be their “home base”. 13. Have the toddler search for you. Your toddler is learning to explore their surroundings on foot. The freedom of being able to walk around is new to your toddler. Playing a simple game of peekaboo may not excite them as much as being able to personally search for you. Your games of peekaboo should become more interactive as the child grows. The child should be able to experiment with the new skills they learn as they mature. Hide and seek is an evolution of peekaboo that allows the child to use their new-found mobility. 14. Say “You found me!” When the toddler finds you, reward them by excitedly telling them they found you. Congratulating your toddler for finding you serves as positive reinforcement for them. It teaches them to get excited about searching out answers. As they grow, they’ll look forward to solving more complex puzzles. You want your toddlers to take pride in finding you so that they’ll take pride in meeting other challenges later on in life. 15. Encourage your toddler to play hide and seek with other toddlers. You toddler is at a place in their development where they’re starting to seek out social interaction. Teach them to play with other kids at an early age so that they grow up well adjusted socially. Set up play dates with other families with toddlers. Make sure to stay close by to keep an eye on the toddlers.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Play-Peekaboo", "language": "en"}
How to Decide If You Should Get Married	Getting married is one of the biggest life decisions a person makes. You should not go into a marriage unless you are certain that you have chosen the right partner. Marriage should be between two people that share similar values and life goals. The more work you do on the front end, the more successful your marriage will be. 1. Determine if you and your partner will have children. You may already know if your partner would like to have children. If one partner wants children and the other does not, it is probably not a good idea to get married. In addition to discussing how many children you would like to have, you should talk about all the other issues that come with children. How will you discipline your children? At what point in the marriage will you begin having children? Is adoption or in vitro fertilization an option? How will you split the child-rearing responsibilities (e.g. feeding, changing diapers, homework, etc.) Would you be interested in having a nanny? 2. Discuss your finances. It is important that you talk about money before you get married. Not only do you need to know your partner's current financial situation, you need to know their attitude towards money and their future goals. If you and your partner are not on the same page, you need to develop a plan to get on the same page. The following questions can help you have the discussion: Do you have any credit card debt? Do you have student loan debt? Have you ever filed for bankruptcy? Are you a co-signer on anyone else's debt? Will you put all of our money in a joint account? Will you have separate accounts? Who will be managing the money? Will one partner manage or will you sit down and do it together? What is your current income? What are your saving habits? Have you been planning for retirement? 3. Talk about your sex life. Sex is an important part of marriage. Whether you have sex prior to marriage or not, sexual expectations for your marriage should be discussed. How often would you like to have sex (e.g. daily, weekly, etc.) What will you do when one partner wants to have sex and the other one does not? How will you keep the spark going in the long term? Both you and your partner need to be truthful during this conversation. A premarital counselor can help you discuss sex if you and your partner are not able to have the conversation on your own. What will you do if one person's sex drive greatly increases or decreases? 4. Get to know your partner's family. You can find out many things about your partner by spending time with their family. Both positive and negative patterns tend to repeat themselves. Once you get married, your partner's family becomes your family as well. For example, if your partner's family yells during arguments, your partner may be a yeller as well. If your partner's family never ate dinner together, but family dinners are important to you, your partner may not understand why you want to eat together all the time. Patterns can be broken or worked on, but it will be easier if you know what you are getting yourself into. 5. Talk about the importance of religion in your lives. Religion is deeply personal. You and your partner may practice the same religion, different religions, or no religion at all. You should know the role of religion in your partner's life. If you and your partner practice the same religion, there may not be too much to discuss. However, if you practice different religions or one of you is more devout than the other, you may need to have more conversations. Discuss which religious holidays you will observe and how you will observe them. Do you expect to go to church together every Sunday? Do you plan to raise your children in this religion? If you and your partner practice different faiths, consider meeting with an interfaith counselor to work through any issues you may have. 6. Determine if you have the same core values. We often hear the opposites attract, but the most successful marriages happen between people who are similar. This is not to say that you and your partner must have the same interests, hobbies, and personality, but you should have a similar outlook on things such as money, work, children, religion, and sex. If you and your partner do not have the same core values, you may have a more difficult marriage and argue more. For example, if one partner is a saver and the other is a free spender, the free spender may go out and make a major purchase without telling the other person. The argument then happens about the purchase, but the issue stems from having different attitudes towards money. 7. Identify how you and your partner fight. Conflict is a part of a healthy relationship. You and your partner will not always be on the same page. The way you work through your conflicts indicates the health of your relationship. If you and your partner do not fight fair, you are more likely to have trouble down the road. Yelling, insulting the other person, criticizing the other person, and being aggressive are all destructive fighting behaviors that are not good for your relationship. Active listening, calmly discussing the problem at hand, and being more positive throughout the argument are constructive ways to fight with your partner. For example, if you have a disagreement about the dishes piling up, an unfair fight might include calling the other person lazy or useless and bringing up something that is not related to the dirty dishes. Instead the argument may be focused on creating some sort of cleaning schedule or finding out if one partner is feeling overwhelmed by other duties and commitments inside and outside of the home. 8. Think about how reliable your partner has been. Knowing that you can rely on your partner during the ups and downs of life is a good sign that the person is marriage material. You should be able to cope with your partner as life changes. How has your partner supported you through a tough time (e.g. death in the family, medical issue, work or school stress)? Is your partner receptive to your help? Do you know how to support and encourage your partner and vice versa? If your relationship has not been tested in this way, use your knowledge of your partner to imagine how the two of you would handle a tragedy. 9. Consider how well you and your partner communicate. Effective communication is a vital for any successful relationship. You should feel comfortable expressing your wants, needs, and emotions to your partner. Your partner should listen to you and respect your view points. You and your partner should be able to laugh together as well as have those uncomfortable conversations. If you are afraid or nervous to talk to your partner about certain topics, you may not have the type of open communication that is needed. No topic should be off limits. You and your partner should not keep secrets from each other. You do not want to enter into a marriage being dishonest. 10. Determine if the timing is right. Marriage is best if both individuals feel the timing is right. Both partners should feel ready and desire to get married because they have chosen to do so. Factors such as an unplanned pregnancy, family pressure, or peer pressure may make you want to hurry up and get married. However, these are not good reasons to get married. Timing is everything. You can marry the right person at the wrong time. It is better to wait than to rush into a marriage. 11. Consider why you want to get married. You should never be pushed or pressured into getting married before you are ready. Ask yourself why you want to marry this person. Are all of your friends married and you feel like you are behind? Have you been with your partner for a long time and feel like marriage is the next step? Do your parents and family members keep asking you when you are going to tie the knot? Write down all of the reasons that you want to get married right now. You may decide that you are ready to get married or that you do not want to get married. You may also decide that you want to marry your partner, but not right now. You should get married because you believe that you have found the right partner, that the timing is right, you are ready to take your vows seriously, and marrying your partner is in line with your personal goals. If you find that the majority of your reasons for getting married are due to external factors or a difficult life situation, marriage may not be the best choice for you. 12. Marry your best friend. Married people are typically happier and more satisfied in life. If you are best friends with your partner, marriage will have an even greater impact on how satisfied you are with your life. Friendship is the foundation of a good marriage. Are you and your partner truly friends? A good friend is supportive, loyal, dependable, and accepts you for the person you are. You can be yourself around the person without fear of judgement. 13. Wait until you are at least 20 years old. If you are a teenager and considering marriage, it is best to wait until you are older to get married. The older you are, the more life experience and wisdom you have. This knowledge can help you have a better marriage. If you get married before you are 20 years old, you greatly decrease your chances of staying married for a long time. If you are a woman, waiting until you are at least 25 years old when you get married decreases your chances of getting divorced or separated during the first 10 years of marriage. 14. Deal with issues before you get married. The same issues that you and your partner have before marriage will continue once you get married. Marriage is not a problem fixer. Both you and your partner should write down the strengths and weaknesses of your relationship and then discuss the ways you can work on those weaknesses together. If there are issues that cannot be worked out, it is best to postpone any marriage plans. Premarital counseling is a great resource that can help prepare you for marriage. This type of therapy helps you assess your relationship and address any concerns.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Decide-If-You-Should-Get-Married", "language": "en"}
How to Reduce a Fever Without Medication	If you are running a fever (or if your child is), you naturally you want to reduce it as quickly as possible. Fevers do serve a purpose, though: higher body temperature is believed to stimulate the immune system and kill off infectious agents. So, there is some good reason to allow a fever to proceed normally, at least for a while. You do, however, want to control the fever so that you or your child can be as comfortable as possible while the immune system does its job. Fortunately, home remedies can help. 1. Take a warm or lukewarm bath. Start off by drawing a warm bath. Have the person suffering from the fever get in and relax while the warm temperature of the water slowly drops. Because the temperature of the water drops slowly, the person cools down slowly as well. You don't want the water too cool because you don't want to drop the body temperature too fast. 2. Do a wet sock treatment. This method works best overnight. Take a pair of pure cotton socks long enough to cover the ankles and thoroughly wet the socks in cold running water. Wring out all excess water and put the socks on. Cover these cotton socks with pure wool socks to supply insulation. The person wearing the socks should rest in bed for the rest of the night. They should be covered with a blanket as well. Most kids will be pretty cooperative because they should begin to feel cooler within a few minutes. This treatment is a traditional naturopathic approach. The theory is that the cold feet stimulate an increase in circulation and an increased response from the immune system. The result is that the body expends heat and ends up drying the socks and cooling the body. This treatment can relieve chest congestion as well. 3. Use a wet towel treatment. Take one or two hand towels and fold lengthwise. Soak the towels in either very cold or ice water. Wring out the excess water and wrap the towel around the head, around the neck, around the ankles or around the wrists. Don’t use the towels over more than two areas-- that is, use the towel around the head and the ankles or around the neck and wrists. Otherwise, you may cool down TOO much. The cool or cold towels draw heat out of the body and can lower the body temperature. Repeat when the towel is dry or not cool enough anymore to give relief. This can be repeated as often as needed. 4. Cut back on eating. The old adage, "feed a cold, starve a fever" actually has some truth to it, according to recent scientific studies. You don’t want to waste the body’s energy for digestion when that energy should be used to control the infection that's causing the fever. 5. Snack on healthy fruits. Choose fruits such as berries, watermelon, oranges and cantaloupe. These are rich in Vitamin C, which can help fight infections and lower fever. They'll also help keep you hydrated. Avoid heavy, fatty or oily foods like barbecued or fried foods. Avoid spicy foods like chicken wings, pepperoni, or sausages too. 6. Eat some soup. While you can have chicken broth on its own, you could also eat chicken soup with rice and some vegetables. Studies have shown that chicken soup may actually have medicinal properties. It will also help keep you hydrated. Make sure you include a good and easily digested source of protein such as scrambled eggs or chicken (add a few pieces of meat to your chicken broth). 7. Drink plenty of water. Fever can lead to dehydration which can make the sufferer feel worse. Avoid dehydration by drinking plenty of water or an oral rehydration solution like CeraLyte, Pedialyte. Call your physician before you do and ask your doctor's advice. Be prepared with a list of symptoms and about how much you or your child has been eating, drinking and how high the fever has been. Also keep track of how often you have to change diapers or, for an older children, how often they have to urinate. If you are breast feeding your baby, keep that going as much as possible. You're adding food, water, and comfort. Kids (and you) might enjoy frozen popsicles as a way to stay hydrated. Just try to avoid too much sugar. Look for all-natural fruit popsicles, frozen Italian ices, frozen yogurt, or sherbet. Just don't forget to keep drinking water too! 8. Drink an herbal tea fever reducer. You can either buy these teas or make them yourself. Simply add a teaspoon of dried herb for every cup of water. Steep the herb in boiled water for 5 minutes and flavor as desired with lemon and honey. Avoid adding milk, since dairy products tend to increase congestion. For small children, reduce the herbs to ½ a teaspoon and make sure the tea has cooled down! Don't use teas with infants, except with the advice of a physician. Try an herbal tea made from the following herbs: Holy Basil (Sweet basil will work-- just not quite so well) White willow bark Peppermint or spearmint Calendula Hyssop Raspberry leaf Ginger Oregano Thyme 9. Know when to call your doctor. Body temperature can vary throughout the day, but a normal temperature is considered 98.6F or 37C. The recommendation in infants less than 4 months old is that if they have a rectal temperature of 100.4F (38C) or more, call your physician for advice. For children of any age, if their rectal temperature is 104F(40C) or more, call your physician for advice. Any child 6 months or older with a fever of 103F(39.4C) should also be seen. If your child has any fever along with any of the following symptoms, call your doctor (or emergency services) as soon as possible: looks sick or has no appetite fussiness drowsiness obvious signs of infection (pus, discharge, streaky rashes) seizure sore throat, a rash, a headache, a stiff neck, an earache other rarer signs to watch and immediately seek medical attention for: high-pitched cries or sounds like a seal barking difficulty breathing or has a bluish tinge around the mouth, fingers or toes swelling on the top of the baby’s head (the soft spot called the fontanelle) Limpness or lack of movement 10. Watch for signs of mild dehydration. Call your physician for advice even if you are just seeing the signs of mild dehydration, especially in babies. These can become serious dehydration pretty quickly. Symptoms of mild dehydration include: Dry, sticky mouth or crustiness around the lips/eyes in a baby More sleepiness, fussiness or tiredness than usual Thirst (Look for a “lip smacking” behavior or pursing of the lips to tell if infants are thirsty.) Decreased urine output Dry diapers (They should need to be changed because of wet diapers at least every three hours. If the diaper is dry after 3 hours, that may mean some dehydration. Keep pushing fluids and check after another hour. If the diaper is still dry, call your physician.) Dark urine Few or no tears when crying Dry skin (Gently pinch the back of the baby’s hand, just pinching the loose skin. Well-hydrated babies have skin that bounces right back.) Constipation Feeling dizzy or lightheaded 11. Recognize severe dehydration. If you see any of these, call emergency services and your physician right away. Severe dehydration symptoms include: Extreme thirst, fussiness, or sleepiness in infants and children (In adults, this is seen as irritability and confusion) Very dry mouth, skin, and mucous membranes or crustiness around the mouth and eyes No tears when crying Dry skin that doesn't "bounce back" when gently pinched into a fold Decreased urination with darker than normal urine Sunken eyes (This may appear as darker circles under the eyes.) In infants, gently check for a sunken fontanel, the soft spot on the top of a baby's head. Rapid heartbeat and/or rapid breathing Fever 12. Look for febrile seizures in infants. A febrile seizure is a convulsion that can happen in babies with a fever. They are scary, but usually over very quickly and do not cause any brain damage or major harm. Febrile seizures usually happen in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years. They may re-occur, but are rare after the age of 5. If your child has a febrile seizure: Make sure there are no sharp edges, steps or anything nearby that could hurt the child. Do not hold or try to restrain the baby. Place the child or baby on their side or stomach. If the seizure lasts longer than 10 minutes, call emergency services and have the child examined (especially if they have a stiff neck, are vomiting or seem listless or lethargic).	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Reduce-a-Fever-Without-Medication", "language": "en"}
How to Make Pomade	Pomade is a hair styling solution that is typically wax or oil-based and gives your hair a sleek, shiny appearance that doesn’t dry. Although there are many pricey pomades on the market, it’s easy and quite inexpensive to make a homemade pomade using natural ingredients like beeswax, coconut oil and shea butter, which are all great for the health and strength of your hair. Create a heavy hold beeswax hair pomade that is great for styles that need some structure, a moderate shea-butter based pomade that is good for everyday looks, or a creamy hair pomade that is nourishing and highly effective on curly, natural hair. 1. Prepare a double boiler. To create beeswax hair pomade, you first need to melt the beeswax so that it can easily mix with the other ingredients. Begin by placing a double boiler on the stovetop over medium low heat with about one inch (2.54 cm) of water in the bottom pot. If you don’t have a double boiler, you can make a makeshift double boiler by placing a small pot on the stove, pouring an inch (2.54 cm) of water inside, then placing a heat safe bowl on top of the pot of water. Use a bowl that is wide enough so that it can sit on the top of the pot rather than inside the pot. 2. Place the beeswax inside the top of the double boiler. Place the 20 tablespoons (98.57 ml) of beeswax inside the top pot of the double boiler (or in the bowl if you are using a makeshift double boiler). 3. Melt the beeswax in the double boiler. After you place the beeswax in the double boiler, you should see that it starts to soften and melt. Stir the beeswax around using a wooden spoon until it is completely melted. 4. Add the coconut oil and essential oils. Once the beeswax has completely melted, add in the 20 teaspoons (98.57 ml) of pure coconut oil as well as 20 drops of your favorite scented essential oil. 5. Stir the mixture until it’s fully melted. Use the wooden spoon to keep mixing the pomade mixture while it heats. Stop mixing when all the ingredients are fully melted and the mixture is homogenous. 6. Pour the mixture in a container. Once you have finished making the pomade, pour it into a small, clean container with a lid, making sure to scrape down the sides of the double boiler to get all of the pomade. 7. Let the pomade cool for at least three hours. Once you have poured the pomade into the container, leave the pomade to cool for at least three hours before you use it. Letting the pomade sit will help it to solidify to the right consistency to use on your hair. 8. Add water to the bottom of a double boiler. To begin making this medium hold hair pomade, place a double boiler on the stovetop over medium heat. Place one inch (2.54 cm) of water in the bottom of the double boiler and place the top pan back on the double boiler. If you don’t have a double boiler, place a pot on the stovetop and add an inch (2.54 cm) of water to the bottom. Then place another pot or a heatproof bowl sitting on top of the bottom pot. 9. Add the shea butter and beeswax pastilles to the double boiler. Place the 3 tablespoons (44.36 ml) of shea butter and 2 tablespoons (29.57 ml) of beeswax pastilles into the top pan of the double boiler and mix them with a large spoon until they are melted. 10. Combine jojoba oil and arrowroot powder in a bowl. In a separate bowl, add the jojoba oil, arrowroot powder and the vitamin E if you are using it. Stir them together until all the ingredients are mixed together. Vitamin E promotes hair growth and also helps to strengthen hair. You can find liquid Vitamin E at some health food stores. Arrowroot is a thickening agent. It can be bought in health food stores or some major supermarkets. You can also substitute cornstarch for arrowroot powder if you have trouble finding it. 11. Combine the shea butter and jojoba oil mixtures. Take the double boiler off the heat and pour the jojoba oil mixture into the top of the double boiler with the shea butter mixture. 12. Add the essential oil and mix. Add in 10 drops of the essential oil of your choice, then mix the pomade ingredients together with a whisk or hand mixer for two or three minutes until the texture of the pomade is thick. You don’t need to use essential oils, but they can add a nice scent to your pomade. 13. Pour the pomade into a container. Once you add the essential oils, scoop or pour the pomade into a jar or tin with a top, being sure to scrape out the boiler to get out all the pomade. The pomade should be ready to use as soon as it cools. 14. Add all ingredients together. To make a creamy hair pomade, add the shea butter, aloe vera, coconut oil, glycerin and the essential oil or oils of your choice to a large mixing bowl. You can choose whichever essential oil has your favorite scent. 15. Mix the ingredients to make a cream. Once you have added all the ingredients to the mixing bowl, mix them together with a large spoon. Keep mixing until all the ingredients are combined into a cream. 16. Place the cream in a jar or tin. After you finish mixing the ingredients into a cream, scoop all the ingredients into a tin with a top. Then use the pomade to style and smooth your hair!	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Pomade", "language": "en"}
How to Identify a Miniature Pinscher	Identifying a particular type of dog breed can be tricky. You have to know what to look for and be able to pick out features and personality traits specific to that breed. Miniature Pinschers are no different. To help you identify them, look for physical attributes, like their size, the shape of the dog’s body, color of their coat, and markings on their coat. In addition, noticing the personality traits that set them apart from other dogs, like their confidence, curiosity, and fearlessness, can help you identify a Miniature Pinscher. 1. Notice its size. Miniature Pinschers are a small, compact toy breed. On average, a Min Pin ranges in height between 10 and 12 ½ inches. The average weight of this breed is between 8 and 11 pounds. Miniature Pinschers look like small Dobermans, even though they're different breeds. 2. Look at its overall build. When you’re trying to identify a Miniature Pinscher, look first at the dog’s overall build. Miniature Pinschers are well-balanced, sturdy, and compact. Their bodies are muscular, well-defined, and their extremities are proportional to the rest of their bodies. Look for the following characteristics to identify a Min Pin: The neck is slightly arched and curved and blends into its body at the shoulders. The skin on the neck is taut, with no loose skin hanging in the area. Their bodies have a slight wedge shape with a well-developed chest. Their ribs are rounded, rather than flat. Their bellies are moderately tucked, forming a slight curve from under the rib cage back to the hind quarters of the dog. This breed’s tail is docked and stands erect. The tail is set high on the hindquarters of the dog. 3. Study its head. The shape and features of a dog’s head can also give clues to its breed. Study the dog’s head shape, eyes, and ears to help you make a determination. A Miniature Pinscher’s head is narrow and its foreface is not exceptionally prominent. Miniature pinschers’ eyes are slightly oval and dark—usually dark brown, but they may even be black. They are clear, bright, and have a rim around the outside of the eye. This rim is also dark brown or black. This breed’s ears may be either cropped or uncropped. They are set high on the dog’s head and stand straight up from the base of the ear to the tip. 4. Look at its legs and feet. Studying the forequarters and hindquarters can also give you clues as to whether a dog is a Miniature Pinscher. This breed exhibits straight, parallel lines on its legs. When viewed straight on, the Miniature Pinscher’s front legs are straight and the elbows at the top of its front legs are held close to the dog’s body. Its feet are small and round, similar to those of a cat. It has arched, closely-knit toes and deep pads on the bottoms of its feet. Viewed from the rear, the Min Pin’s hind legs are straight and parallel. When viewed from the side, the dog’s hind legs angle back, with the back paws sticking further out than the rest of its body. 5. Notice its gait. Min Pins have a distinctive high-stepping gait when they walk or run. This gate is similar to that of a horse pulling a cart or carriage. 6. Look for personality traits. This breed is small in stature, but exhibits tons of personality. Miniature Pinschers are confident, fearless, alert, and energetic. They make great watchdogs and will not hesitate to take off after anything that peaks their curiosity. 7. Look at its coat. Min Pins have a short, shiny, smooth coat. Their hair is straight, laying flat along their bodies. This breeds coat stays naturally well-groomed and neat. 8. Identify rust-colored markings. Although the Min Pin’s coat is solid, it can have rust-colored markings. These markings are well-defined and do not bleed into the prominent coat color. Markings can be found on the cheeks, lips, lower jaw, throat, bottom of the front legs, inside of the hind legs, and the lower portion of the heels and feet. They may also have twin markings above the eyes or on the chest. 9. Notice its coloring. Miniature Pinschers’ coats are solid in color and consist of one of the following color combinations: solid red or stag red (dark red with black hairs intermingling), black and rust, or chocolate and rust.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Identify-a-Miniature-Pinscher", "language": "en"}
How to Eat Well and Stay Healthy the Mediterranean Way	The Mediterranean diet is a style of eating that may help you lose weight and improve your health. It's based on the diet typically eaten in countries and regions bordering the Mediterranean sea. It emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes while featuring smaller proportions of meat, poultry, dairy and sweets. Many studies have shown that the Mediterranean diet can help you lose weight and reduce your risk of heart disease, cancer, Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Adopting a Mediterranean style diet and lifestyle may help you eat better and stay healthy. 1. Eat mostly plant-based foods. One of the main components of the Mediterranean diet is eating mostly-plant based foods. These types of foods should make up the majority of your diet. Plant-based foods include a wide variety of foods — some that are high in protein, fiber and many vitamins and minerals. Eat mostly: fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and lentils. You should include one or more of these food groups at each meal and snack. Nuts and seeds are especially prevalent in the Mediterranean diet. They contain a significant amount of protein, minerals and heart-healthy fats. Include 1–2 tablespoons (14.8–29.6 ml) per serving. Another prevalent plant-based food in the Mediterranean diet are citrus fruits. Lemons, limes, oranges and grapefruits provide high amounts of Vitamin C, which has been shown to be a powerful antioxidant. 2. Replace butter with heart-healthy oils. Another trademark characteristic of the Mediterranean diet is using a lot of olive oil. It's used both for cooking and for dressing different foods. Butter is a less nutritious choice compared to olive oil because it's very high in saturated fat. Some studies have linked higher amounts of saturated fat to heart disease. Olive oil on the other hand is considered a superior and more nutritious type of fat. It's very high in monounsaturated fats which have been associated with decreased risk of heart disease. Even though olive oil is a healthier choice of fat, it's still a fat and should be measured when you're using it. One serving is one teaspoon and you should limit your servings to two to three per day. 3. Limit red meat. Red meat consumption is higher in the US compared to many other countries. The Mediterranean diet typically includes red meat only occasionally — maybe once or twice a month. Red meat has been associated with a variety of negative health effects when eaten in large quantities (like heart disease and diabetes). Recently, a study showed that high quantities of red meat are associated with a shortened life span. Substituting other protein sources (like tofu, beans, nuts or eggs) has been associated with decreased risk of heart disease and diabetes. 4. Include low-fat dairy products. Another great source of protein found in the Mediterranean diet is from dairy products. Add in a serving or two of these during the day. Low-fat dairy contains a great deal of protein, but these foods also contain high amounts of calcium, vitamin D and potassium. Dairy products can include: yogurt, cheeses, milk or cottage cheese. Measure out the correct serving of dairy foods. Indulge in 1/2 cup of yogurt, 1 oz of cheese or 6 oz of low-fat milk. 5. Eat seafood at least two times a week. In addition to consuming many different sources of plant-based proteins, the Mediterranean diet also emphasizes the consumption of fish and shellfish. Most Mediterranean-style diets recommend eating fish or shellfish at a minimum of twice per week. Include a 3-4 oz serving of fish or shellfish at dinner. Many fish and shellfish are higher in omega-3 fats. This particular type of fat has been associated with decreased risk of heart disease, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Most seafood is a great choice, and fish like salmon, tuna, mackerel and sardines are particularly high in heart-healthy fats. 6. Cook with herbs and spices instead of salt. Salt enhances the flavor of your foods, but using more herbs and spices like the Mediterranean diet does still adds a lot of flavor to your foods without the added sodium. Salt increases the risk of hypertension, which may lead to cardiovascular disease or stroke. Herbs do not have any negative effects and are beneficial in the diet. Try: Basil: This herb is very high in essential oils and phenolic compounds that have anti-inflammatory properties and may improve chronic inflammation such as arthritis. It is also high in beta-carotene, lutein, and vitamin A, which do an exceptional job of protecting the body from free radicals. Marjoram: This plant has been used for a wide variety of ailments including colds, relieving menopause symptoms, stomach cramps and gas. Oregano: This herb has been associated with decreasing respiratory tract disorders, GI disorders, PMS symptoms and urinary tract infections. It is also rich in iron, dietary fiber, calcium, manganese, vitamin c, A, and omega-3 fatty acids. Parsley: This popular herb has been thought to help prevent cancer, diabetes, and improve bone health. It also contains high amounts of Vitamin A, K and C. Sage: This herb may reduce cognitive ailments like Alzheimer’s and dementia in addition to possibly lowering blood glucose and cholesterol levels. Thyme: This herb may be effective against fungal infection, particularly those around your toenails. It also may help to reduce acne, high blood pressure and certain types of cancer. Mint: This plant may aid digestion, relieve seasonal allergies, prevent the common cold, and can help prevent bacteria growth in your mouth. Rosemary: This herb may boost your immune system and can aid digestion. It has anti-inflammatory properties that can reduce the severity of asthma attacks and stimulates the flow of blood to your brain, which may improve cognitive issues. Garlic: This spice has been implicated in numerous health benefits like: decreased risk of heart disease and hardening of the arteries, decreasing high cholesterol, decreasing your risk for a heart attack and decreased risk of high blood pressure. 7. Indulge in a glass of wine. Consuming wine in moderation may reduce your chances of developing cardiovascular diseases in addition to improving your HDL (the "good" cholesterol) and protecting your coronary arteries. Many research studies have shown that consuming wine in the right quantities — one glass (5 oz) or less daily — has its benefits. Wine helps to dilate arteries and enhance the flow of blood in your body. Phenols in wine also help to reduce bad cholesterol. Try drinking one 5-ounce glass of wine per day if you drink alcohol. 8. Eat smaller portions. The portions typically served in the United States are much larger than necessary. When eaten, these large portions can contribute to excess calorie intake, weight gain and obesity. The Mediterranean diet features smaller portions. These smaller portions can help keep calories low and lead to weight loss or weight maintenance. Measure portions of all foods. You can use a food scale or measuring cups to stay on track. Guesstimating or "eye-balling" portions generally leads to larger portions than necessary. Protein foods should be 3-4 oz per portion, vegetables should be 1 cup or 2 cups of leafy greens, fruit should be 1/2 cup and grains should also be a 1/2 cup per serving. 9. Exercise regularly. People in the countries bordering the Mediterranean are much more active than people in the US. Their increased activity level is partially why their lifestyle is considered very healthy. Physical activity has been associated with many health benefits including: increasing high density lipoprotein (HDL or the "good" cholesterol) levels, decreasing triglyceride levels, decreasing your risk of diabetes and high blood pressure, improving arthritis-related pain, and the reduction of some cancers. Try to do moderate-intensity aerobic exercise at least five times a week for 30 minutes during each session. This will help you meet the minimum guideline in the US of 150 minutes of physical activity weekly. Take up walking, running, biking, swimming, and hiking to get aerobic exercise. In addition, incorporate two to three days of 20 minutes of strength training each week. You should also try yoga or pilates that will help to build up your strength and flexibility. 10. Walk and move more throughout the day. People that live in Mediterranean participate in more lifestyle activity compared to people in the US. Being more active throughout the day has been shown to have similar benefits to aerobic activity. Lifestyle activity are those exercises that you incorporate into your daily routine. For example, taking the stairs or mopping the floor are considered lifestyle activities. People in the Mediterranean tend to have more lifestyle activity in their days. For example, they walk to and from destinations or ride their bikes instead of driving. Being active is a key part of their daily routines. Think about your day, work schedule and overall week. Where can you fit in more movement or more steps? Can you ride your bike to work? Can you walk to the pharmacy or grocery store? Can you take the stairs instead of the elevator? Try to add in more steps in your day. 11. Eat mindfully. Another aspect of a Mediterranean diet and lifestyle is that they typically eat more mindfully compared to the rushed lifestyles of the US. Eating mindfully can help you eat less, enjoy your food more and may even help you lose weight. Mindful eating is a style of eating. It's a way of eating that helps you become more aware of the types of foods you're eating, how much you're eating and how fast you're eating. To eat more mindfully, try to: take 20 minutes to eat your meal, remove distractions from your eating area (like TVs or cell phones), take smaller bites, chew more thoroughly and tune into your body's sense of satiation of fullness. 12. Manage stress. It can be difficult to manage chronic, lifestyle stress; however, studies have shown that people who live in the countries bordering the Mediterranean are better at stress management and have lower incidence of heart disease. Try to manage stress as best as you can. Try: listening to music, taking a walk, meditating, doing yoga or talking to a friend or family member. If stress is too difficult to manage or you're unsure on how to start managing stress, consider seeing a life coach or therapist for additional help.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Eat-Well-and-Stay-Healthy-the-Mediterranean-Way", "language": "en"}
How to Clean a Dryer Drum	Your dryer may be used primarily for drying clean clothing, but an unseen pen, crayon or some dirty clothes dried between washings can leave your dryer drum coated in various materials that can come off on clean clothes. Keep your dryer in good shape by cleaning the drum regularly to remove any of these stains. 1. Unplug the dryer. Before you start, you should unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. If you have a gas dryer, you will also want to shut off the gas. 2. Clean your lint trap with every use and your dryer as a whole once a year. You've probably noticed that lint gets everywhere. There seems to be a cloud of it anytime you open your dryer or fiddle with the trap. Of course, this means that lint works its way into all the cracks and crevices of your machine and you'll want to be sure to clean it at least once a year to prevent problems. A dryer blocked up with lint can dry inefficiently and even cause fires. The lint trap should, of course, be cleaned out after every use. This is very important because if you don't, new lint won't have anywhere to go, creating a mess and increasing the amount of time needed to dry a load of clothes. 3. Clean the lint trap with a vacuum. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean out behind the lint trap every few weeks to every few months, depending on how much lint your items create and how well your trap catches the lint. Pull out the lint trap and vacuum the tube that is on the other side. You might also want to vacuum out the exhaust tubes, although these are often difficult to reach or inaccessible. 4. Wipe down the moisture sensor. The moisture sensor, which is on most modern machines, tells your dryer when the clothes are dry. If it's covered in lint it won't work correctly, which can lead to your dryer turning off before everything is dry. Wipe the bar down with rubbing alcohol to clean it and keep your dryer running correctly. These are usually found near the lint trap or at the back of the machine. They will look like two long, silver strips of metal and are usually surrounded by or mounted on plastic. If you don't clean these often, you might need to scrub with something a little more substantial, like a Magic Eraser. 5. Open the panel surrounding the drum. Much like you can lift the top of your stove to clean below the heating elements, you can open up your dryer if you're brave and clean the lint that builds up around the drum. Different dryers open in different ways, so check the user manual for your model or look it up online. Generally, either the top or front panel will come off (or both). Look for screws around the lint filter, since this is usually the spot to start. With the screws undone, the panel can be removed, though there is sometimes a catch you will have to get around by pulling forward (for a top panel) or using a screwdriver at the gap (for a front panel). With the panel removed and the drum exposed, remove lint and lost items by hand or with a vacuum. 6. Put it back together. Once you're done, snap the panels back into place and then replace the screws. 7. Unplug the dryer. Before you start, you should unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. 8. Scrape off any large remaining crayon. Using a spatula or an old credit card, scrape any large pieces of crayon that may be left off of the dryer drum. 9. Spray a rag with WD-40. Get an old rag and spray it with WD-40. You should be very sure not to spray the drum itself with the WD-40, just the rag. 10. Wipe down the affected area. Use the rag to wipe at the spots covered in crayon. Try not to cover any more area with the WD-40 than you have to. This should allow you to remove all of the crayon without too much difficulty. Switch which part of the rag you wipe with frequently to keep from spreading the crayon any more. 11. Clean the inside with soap and water. Once you've removed all of the crayon, or at least as much as you can, you'll want to mix up a bucket with soapy water and use a sponge or washcloth to clean the WD-40 out of the drum. Pay extra attention to the spots with the WD-40. 12. Run a cycle with old towels. With the dryer rinsed out, run a load of old towels through a cycle in the dryer to remove any crayon which might still remain. 13. Warm the dryer. Start by running the dryer for 10 minutes. This will soften the lipstick and make it easier to remove. You can alternatively use a hairdryer to heat up the specific spot which is being affected. This may be easier and more efficient to do. 14. Wipe off as much as you can. With the drum hot, wipe the lipstick with a soft, dry cloth. Switch which part of the cloth you wipe with frequently, to keep from spreading the lipstick any more. You can also try using a makeup wipe to remove the lipstick. 15. Clean out the remaining product with rubbing alcohol. Unplug the dryer and then soak a cotton ball with rubbing alcohol. Use this to wipe off the remaining lipstick. When you've removed as much of it as you can, rinse with a wet rag or paper towels. 16. Run a cycle with old towels. With the dryer rinsed out, run a load of old towels through a cycle in the dryer to remove any product which might still remain. 17. Warm the dryer. Start by running the dryer for 10 minutes. This can help loosen the ink and make it easier to remove. You can alternatively use a hairdryer to heat up the specific spot which is being affected. This may be easier and more efficient to do. 18. Unplug the dryer. Unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. Be sure to go quickly so that the drum is still warm when you're cleaning it. 19. Apply isopropyl alcohol to a rag. Buy some isopropyl alcohol from your local drugstore and apply the alcohol to a white, clean rag. You'll want to be sure that you get plenty of ventilation while you're working with the isopropyl alcohol. 20. Wipe off the ink. Work quickly to wipe off the ink using the alcohol soaked rag. Change rags frequently to keep from spreading the ink even more. 21. Rinse the drum. Once you've removed as much of the product as you can, mix a bucket with soapy water. Use this water and a clean cloth to wipe down the inside of the drum. 22. Run a cycle with old towels. With the dryer rinsed out, run a load of old towels through a cycle in the dryer to remove any ink which might still remain. 23. Unplug the dryer. Before you start, you should unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. 24. Start by scrubbing with bleach water and a mild abrasive. Make a paste with baking soda and a few drops of water. Then, spray the inside of the drum with bleach water or a bleach cleaning product like Clorox. With a scrubbing sponge, put the paste onto the area you want to scrub and start scrubbing. When you're done, rinse with a wet rag. This should help remove some of the dye. Make bleach water by mixing 1-2 cups of bleach with 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water. You'll want to wear kitchen gloves while you do this, as the bleach and baking soda can be very harsh on your skin. 25. Soak towels in bleach water. Now to remove the rest of the dye. Soak some old towels or a large number of rags in more of the bleach water that you mixed previously. Just get them thoroughly soaked, they should not need to be in the water for more than 5 minutes. 26. Wring out the towels. Wring the towels out, to remove excess water. 27. Run the towels through the dryer. Run the towels through the fluff cycle on the dryer for about 30 minutes. 28. Repeat as needed. This should have removed most if not all of the dye. However, if more remains, you can repeat the towel process a few times to see if any more can be removed. 29. Rinse the drum. Once you've removed as much of the product as you can, mix a bucket with soapy water. Use this water and a clean cloth to wipe down the inside of the drum. 30. Run a cycle with old towels. With the dryer rinsed out, run a load of old towels through a cycle in the dryer to remove any ink which might still remain. 31. Unplug the dryer. Before you start, you should unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. 32. Harden the gum with ice. Use an ice pack to harden the gum. Hold the ice pack directly on the gum. You may need to move the pack slightly to hit different parts of the gum. 33. Scrape off the bulk of the gum with a scraper. Using a credit card or plastic windshield wiper, scrape off as much of the gum as you can. 34. Remove remaining chunks with a razor carefully. If there are any more pieces which are stubborn, you can remove these with a straight razor, like you would use to remove paint from glass. Be extremely careful when you do this. You should not move the razor toward your body and you should try to keep your fingers out of the way. Make small movements and use minimal force. You can try to soften the gum by blowing it with an air dryer and then scrape it off of the drum. 35. Rub the drum down with a commercial cleaning product. Gum tends to be notoriously difficult to remove. If you still can't get it off, use a commercial product like Goo Gone, which is designed to remove gum. 36. Rinse with soap and water. With all of the gum removed, you can wipe down the inside of the drum with soap and water to remove any remaining sugar stickiness. 37. Unplug the dryer. Before you start, you should unplug the dryer to prevent accidents. The plug is usually located behind the machine. Test it to be sure that you have unplugged it correctly. 38. Start by using a plastic windshield scraper. Using a plastic windshield wiper, scrape off as much of the plastic or nylon as you can. 39. Remove remaining chunks with a razor carefully. Use a straight razor to get underneath the plastic or nylon. Scrape the chunks off of the drum, breaking it into multiple pieces if necessary. Don't move the razor toward your body or fingers.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Dryer-Drum", "language": "en"}
How to Diagnose Whipworms in Dogs	Whipworms (trichuris vulpis) are a common parasite that invades the intestines of dogs. It causes severe irritation of the lining of the gut wall, which results in bloody diarrhea. Over time this leads to poor coat condition, weight loss, and general poor health. If you have a dog, be sure you understand this infection, how to spot it, and how it's treated. 1. Keep an eye out for bouts of diarrhea. Whipworm infection should be suspected for any dog that suffers regular episodes of diarrhea, especially watery, bloody diarrhea. The diarrhea is caused by the whipworms attaching to the intestine wall and If the bloody diarrhea persists the dog is liable to become anemic, and signs of this include a lack of energy, and pale gums. 2. Look for signs of general poor health. This includes pale gums and a lack of energy, due to the anemia caused by the whipworms. In addition, the dog's coat can become dull and the dog can lose weight, due to a lack of nutrition cause by an inability to digest its food normally. 3. Take your dog to its veterinarian. Any dog with persistent diarrhea, but especially bloody diarrhea, should see a vet. Call your veterinary office and tell them about the symptoms. They will tell you if you should bring your dog in right away and will give you an appointment to get your dog checked out. If you notice the problem during a time when your veterinary office is closed, you will need to gauge your dog's health and make a decision whether you need to take it to an emergency veterinary hospital. Your veterinary office may have a number you can call to get advice during an emergency. 4. Bring a sample of your dog's feces with you to the veterinary office. If your dog has a history of bloody diarrhea, weight loss, anemia, and poor coat, then the vet will suggest a fecal flotation test. This involves submitting a sample of feces to the lab where they suspend the feces in special saline solution. Eggs float to the top where they can be captured and smeared onto a microscope slide for identification. The pathologist looks at the smear and identifies the characteristic lemon shaped egg of trichuris. 5. Don't assume your dog is not infected if tests come back negative. The test for whipworms can come up with a false negative, yet it is currently the only diagnostic test. One problem of diagnosis is that signs of illness can become apparent before the adult worms start to shed eggs. This means that fecal sample tests can be falsely negative if the adult worms are present but they aren't yet at a stage in their life cycle where they produce eggs. It takes around 11 weeks from a dog being infected with whipworm eggs, for those eggs to hatch and produce adults that produce eggs. However, prior to this the worms are developing in the bowel and damaging the bowel wall, producing symptoms. In addition, another complication is that the female adult worms don't shed eggs all the time, but intermittently. Thus, even if you have reproductively-mature female worms present there is an element of luck as to whether they are shedding eggs at the time the sample is taken. 6. Follow your veterinarian's suggestions for treatment. Because false negative results are common on a fecal flotation test, it is acceptable to try a 'diagnosis by treatment'. This means treating the dog with an anthelmintic medicine that is effective against whipworm, and if the symptoms resolve then the case is proven. Not all anthelmintics kill whipworm, so double check the product you use to make sure trichuris is within its spectrum of activity. These are mostly prescription products supplied by your vet, 7. Give preventative treatments regularly. Because of the high risk of infection from eggs in the environment, it's important to keep your dog protected. Give regular repeat treatments every 3-4 months. The good news is that many, but not all, heartworm preventatives are also effective against whipworm. The drugs effective against trichuris include fenbendazole (Panacur), Milbemycin (Interceptor, Milbemax, Sentinel), imidacloprid / moxidectin (Advantage), and Febantel / pyrantel / praziquantel (Drontal Plus) 8. Clean up dog feces in your yard or in areas that your dog frequents. It's important to practice good hygiene in your home and yard in order to limit your dog's exposure to this infection. It's particularly important to remove the feces of other dogs in areas that your dog frequents. The infection is easily passed from dog to dog through the ingestion of infected feces. 9. Avoid reinfection. Just because your dog has had an infection, and has been treated for it, doesn't mean the dog can't be easily reinfected. Part of the difficulty of dealing with whipworm infections is that the eggs are particularly hardy and can survive in the environment (even in concrete runs) for up to 5 years, making reinfection common. In order to limit this, clean your home and yard top to bottom after your dog has been diagnosed. Remove all feces from your yard. Wash all linens and wash down all solid outdoor areas with bleach water.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Diagnose-Whipworms-in-Dogs", "language": "en"}
How to Keep Clay Moist	Water-based ceramic clay and air-dry clay will dry out completely if you expose them to air for too long. Keep your clay moist in order to prevent it from becoming hard and unmalleable. There’s really not much to it—all you need is some water and a few easy-to-find supplies like plastic bags. Whether you’re working with clay at home or using it during an art class, you’ll be glad you took the extra steps to keep your clay from drying out when you finish a beautiful sculpting project! Note that there is no need to keep oil-based clay moist as it will not harden. 1. Keep a small dish of water and a clean sponge near your work area. Fill a small bowl or container with water and set it somewhere reachable from your workstation. Place a clean sponge next to or in the dish. Alternatively, you could keep a small spray bottle filled with water near your work area. As long as you keep it hydrated and store it properly, your clay will stay moist and workable indefinitely. 2. Wet the clay periodically while you’re working with it using the sponge. Dip the sponge in the water and wring out the excess moisture, so it’s not dripping. Pat it all over the clay you’re working with whenever it starts to feel dry to keep it nice and malleable. If you used a spray bottle instead of a sponge and a dish of water, just lightly spritz the clay all over instead. You can also do this if you get your work in progress out from storage and it feels a bit dry. However, as long as you store your project properly, that shouldn’t be a problem. 3. Wrap damp paper towels around your piece when you’re not working on it. Moisten as many paper towels as you think you need to cover your piece. Use just enough water to dampen them without getting them so wet that they fall apart. Wrap the paper towels carefully around your work in progress, making sure to cover all the surfaces of the clay. You can do this either to keep a piece you’re working on moist if you’re taking a quick break or when you’re getting ready to put an unfinished sculpture away for the day into your overnight storage spot. As an alternative to using wet paper towels, you can wrap clay projects in a damp cloth or a damp piece of burlap. 4. Place the piece in a sealed plastic bag to keep it moist between work sessions. Carefully slide your wet-paper-towel-wrapped work in progress into a sealable plastic bag large enough to hold it, such as a zip-top plastic freezer bag or sandwich bag. Gently squeeze out as much air from the bag as possible and seal the top of the bag tightly. This traps all the moisture from the paper towel inside the bag with the clay to preserve the moisture content of the clay, so it’s nice and moldable the next time you work on it. If you can’t fit your piece in a plastic bag, you could also wrap plastic cling wrap tightly around it as an alternative. 5. Store your project in a dark, cool place. Place the bag with your clay piece in it somewhere away from light sources, ideally where it’s slightly cooler than room temperature. Inside a storage cabinet or in a dark, sealed container are 2 examples of good storage locations. Don’t ever store your clay projects in a freezer or somewhere else with freezing temperatures, or the water content of the clay can cause it to freeze over, leading to flaking and fracturing. Be extra careful to keep clay out of direct sunlight, which can quickly cause it to dry out and crack. Basements and cellars are other good spots to keep clay pieces that you’re working on in between your creative sessions. Consider purchasing a specialized clay storage cabinet to store your projects in and keep them moist between work sessions if you’re going to be working with clay a lot. You can purchase these from art and ceramic supply sellers. 6. Spritz blocks of clay with a spray bottle of water. Fill a spray bottle with clean, cool water. Lightly spray the water all over the surfaces of clay blocks before you put them in storage. This helps compensate for moisture the clay loses while you have it out in the open. 7. Seal smaller blocks of clay inside plastic bags. Choose a plastic bag larger than the block of clay and place it on a flat surface with the opening towards you. Set the clay on top of the bag near the opening, then flip the top layer of the bag over the block as you roll the clay toward the bottom of the bag. Continue to roll the clay up tightly in the bag, away from you, like you’re wrapping a burrito. Tuck the rolled clay into the bag when you get to the bottom edge. You can do this with any kind of plastic bag. For example, you can fit fairly large blocks of clay inside kitchen trash bags or even thick yard waste bags. 8. Put big blocks of clay in a garbage bag inside a lidded bin. Set a large garbage bag inside a plastic trash bin or another type of lidded bin. Place a block of clay inside the trash bag and close up the top of the bag, if possible, then put the lid tightly on the bin. You can just keep really big blocks of clay in storage this way and cut smaller chunks off the block whenever you need some clay for a project. That way, you’re not exposing the whole clay block to the air for long when you just need a little bit. 9. Keep your clay in a dark, cool area away from extreme cold and sunlight. Store your blocks of clay somewhere like a storage cabinet, a basement, or a cellar. Anywhere dark and where it’s slightly cooler than room temperature works great. If you’re storing a large block of clay inside a covered plastic bin, just make sure to store the bin away from direct sunlight and other heat sources. Don’t leave clay in a freezer or anywhere else with freezing temperatures or it will freeze over, flake, and fracture. There are also specialized clay storage cabinets available that help control humidity. If you’re going to be working with clay a lot, consider purchasing one of these for storing your projects between work sessions. You can buy these from sellers of art and ceramic supplies. 10. Revive dry clay Soak a towel with water and wrap it around the clay in storage for a few days until it becomes moist again. Use a wire cutter to cut smaller blocks from the dry clay and soak them in water in a sealed plastic bag until they soften up, as an alternative. You can also try poking holes in dried-out blocks of clay and pouring water into them to restore the inner water content and bring the clay back to life.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Keep-Clay-Moist", "language": "en"}
How to Get Rid of a Rash from Nair	Depilatory creams like Nair are a popular method of hair removal, as they are easy to use, can remove hair from awkward spots you can't get with your razor, and the results last longer than shaving. Hair removal creams rely on chemicals to break down your hair, and unfortunately those same chemicals can irritate your skin and cause a rash (dermatitis). Read on to find out what to do if your skin reacts to the hair removal cream and how to prevent future outbreaks. 1. Wipe off the cream as soon as you notice a reaction. A little tingling is normal, but if your skin starts to burn, get the cream off your skin immediately. Some companies include a spatula to help scrape off the product; use the spatula or a soft cloth to wipe the cream off your skin. Don't scrub your skin or use anything rough or abrasive (like a shower loofah or exfoliating glove) to remove the cream. You don't want to scratch yourself or irritate your skin further. 2. Run cold water over the area for 10 minutes. You probably want to hop in the shower to do this so you can have a steady stream of water flowing over the rash. Make sure you are rinsing off any cream that may still be on your body, including the residue. Do not use soap, body wash or any other product to cleanse the area as you rinse your body. Gently pat your skin dry after rinsing. 3. Seek emergency treatment if you feel dizzy, experience severe burning or numbness, or have open or weeping spots around your hair follicle. You may have a chemical burn and need professional treatment. If the rash is on your face, around your eyes, or genitals, contact your physician for assistance. 4. Use moisturizing cream on the rash. A moisturizing lotion may be made up mostly of water and, with repeated use, can actually strip the natural oils from the skin, causing further irritation. Look for a cream or ointment that is not labeled as a solution or lotion and contains natural oils. Aloe vera will also soothe and hydrate the skin affected by the rash. You can use an aloe vera gel or use it straight from the plant itself. Make sure the product is unscented, as the additional ingredients can irritate your rash. 5. Apply a hydrocortisone cream to reduce swelling, reduce redness, and itching. Hydrocortisone is a mild corticosteroid and can make you much more comfortable as your rash heals. It should only be used in the short-term unless longer use is prescribed by a doctor. Stop using the cream if you experience further irritation or redness or develop acne where you applied the hydrocortisone. Laying a damp cotton cloth over the applied hydrocortisone can help your skin absorb it faster. 6. Take an antihistamine to control itchiness. You can get over-the-counter antihistamines in drowsy or non-drowsy formulas. Your body will have released histamines to protect you from infection, but these may also cause you to itch (they're the same things that cause your nose to run when you have an allergic reaction). The antihistamine will suppress the side-effects of the histamine, leaving you itch-free. If the itching is keeping you awake at night, try an antihistamine that makes you sleepy (it probably won't be labeled as such, but it won't have "non-drowsy" on the box). Because antihistamines can make you tired (sometimes even the non-drowsy antihistamines can have this side-effect), don't take any before driving or doing anything else that requires you to be very alert. 7. See a doctor if the rash doesn't disappear after a few days or respond to treatment. If you begin developing other side effects, like hives or a fever, or your current symptoms get worse, contact your doctor immediately. 8. Don't touch or scratch the affected area. This can damage and further irritate the skin and can lead to an infection. You may even have some depilatory cream still under your nails. Wear loose clothes that won't rub or chafe the rash and possibly cause a friction burn. When using a cloth to wash the Nair off, don't rub too hard or scrub and try not to wipe the same area too many times. 9. Use soap with care when you shower. Depending on the type of soap and severity of the rash, you could make the rash worse by using soap when you shower. Pick a mild, fragrance-free cleaner or a gentle non-abrasive soap such as Cetaphil and use as little soap as possible. Do not use deodorant soaps. You might also try an oatmeal bath, which can give some relief. You can add ground oatmeal directly to warm bath water or make a sachet. 10. Don't shave or reapply cream for 72 hours after using a depilatory cream. You should wait 24 hours before applying deodorant, perfumes, makeup, or tanning lotions to the area where you've used the cream. These products can cause you to develop a rash or possibly a chemical burn. Wait 24 hours before going swimming or sunbathing. 11. Use baby wipes instead of toilet paper. Choose unscented baby wipes that contain aloe in place of toilet paper if the rash is on your bikini area.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-a-Rash-from-Nair", "language": "en"}
How to Do a Scorpion in Cheerleading	A scorpion is a cheerleading flexibility skill where you stand on one foot while pulling the other foot back and upward behind you with both hands. While it takes a lot of practice to master this skill, you can do it if you’re dedicated. Prepare your body by stretching to improve your flexibility and balance. Once you get the hang of it, you can show off your scorpion move either alone on the ground or during a cheerleading stunt. As a flyer, you can perform the scorpion by balancing in the air as your teammates hold you up. 1. Warm up with a 10-minute aerobic routine. It is recommended to complete your choice of aerobic exercise before starting your stretching routine. This will help to loosen your muscles and stretch further. You can complete any exercises that you’re most comfortable with. Try a slow jog, skipping, lunges, or side jumps. If you want, you can do a combination of all 4. Make sure you exercise for at least 10 minutes. Keep in mind that this is just a warm-up to loosen your muscles and prevent injury. You don’t need to push yourself to exhaustion. 2. Stretch your arms, shoulders, and chest for 10 minutes daily. It is important to stretch your upper body on a daily basis until your body is flexible and loose. Start with wide arm circles to loosen up your shoulder joints. Then complete a series of stretches that will stretch your upper body. It’s important to stretch your arms before you attempt the scorpion because a part of the move involves bending your arms back to reach your foot. Aim to hold each stretch for at least 25 seconds. Some popular arm stretches include the following: Modified dragonfly arms: Bring one of your arms across your body toward your collarbone. Keeping it straight, pull it with your free arm and stretch it for 10 seconds. Repeat this motion with your other arm. Triceps stretch: Reach your arm over your head towards your back so that your hand touches the opposite shoulder blade. Use your other arm to pull your elbow and get a nice stretch. Chest stretch: Keep your arms straight while you bring them behind your back with your palms together. Slowly raise them up as much as you can to do a good chest stretch. 3. Master various splits to increase flexibility in your legs. Mastering various split positions will help you to prepare for a scorpion because it requires you to completely lift your leg. Complete a front split by bringing one leg in front of your body and slowly lowering your body with your other leg stretched behind you. Perform a straddle split by standing in an upright position and slowly pushing your feet outward until your bottom is touching the ground. Make sure your knees are facing the ceiling and your toes are pointed. For an extra stretch during the straddle split, do side reaches by bending your torso and touching your arms to your toes. Performing a split can be tricky, especially if you’re a beginner. Don’t push yourself too hard and risk injury to your groin muscles. 4. Do backbend holds to practice arching your back. Doing backbend holds help you to arch your back, which is an important feature of the scorpion move. To complete a backbend, stand up straight with your legs shoulder-length apart. Raise your arms above your head and slowly bend backward as you push your thighs forward. Lock your arms in place as you bend back and plant them firmly on the ground. Arch your back while you’re in this position so that you’re head is completely upside down and you’re looking between your arms. Make sure to hold this pose for at least 10 seconds. You can add some variation to your backbends by completing a straight leg bridge and moving your legs as close to your head as possible. 5. Stand up straight and lift your leg up behind you. Start with your arms at your sides and look straight ahead. Bend the knee of the leg that you will use as your back leg. Typically, your standing leg will be your dominant leg, so if you’re right-handed, your right leg will be the one holding you up and your left leg will be the one you lift. Make sure that you're standing on a comfortable surface that isn't too hard. A hard floor will hurt your feet and may make the move more difficult. If you're doing a scorpion for the first time, you should try this move with a spotter, which should ideally be either one of your teammates or your coach. 6. Grab the outer side of your back foot with the hand from that same side. If your back leg is your left leg, grab it with your left hand. You can do this by twisting your hand and arm outwards and then behind you so that the back of your hand is facing your thigh. Make sure your palm is facing the inside of your foot. Your back should be slightly flexed backward, and your standing leg should be straight and firmly locked so you don’t buckle. For better balance, keep your free hand at your side or on your hip. You can also temporarily hold on to the wall. 7. Push your back foot up towards the ceiling. Do not use your hand to pull your leg up. Instead, just try your best to use your leg strength to push it up on its own. The only thing your hand should do at this point is guide the direction of your leg and keep it in position. 8. Push your leg higher with your arm as you turn your elbow outward. Push your leg as high as it can go while firmly gripping it with your arm. Once your foot is about as high as your ear, turn your elbow outward so that it is pointing forward, in front of your head. Remember to keep your standing leg locked as you do this, or you will buckle. Always push your leg up, not back. Pushing your leg up will make it easier for you to grab it with your other hand. If you push your leg back too much, it will be hard to reach it with your other hand. 9. Grab your back leg with your other hand. As you’re continuing to push your leg higher, start lifting your other hand to get ready to grab your back leg. Reach as far back behind you as you can with your other hand and grab the raised leg behind you. If you're having trouble reaching the leg, you can start by grabbing the wrist of the hand that's holding your foot, then work your way back to your leg. 10. Use a stunt strap to improve your flexibility and posture. A stunt strap is a long durable strap that can be used to assist with various cheerleading moves. Using a stunt strap is a great tool if you’re having trouble mastering the scorpion. To use the strap, wrap the loop around your foot, then apply the above steps to bring your leg back and up. Hold the other end of the strap with both hands and bring them up over your head until the move is complete. 11. Recruit 3 experienced cheerleaders to help you with this stunt. To perform a scorpion in the air as a flyer, you’ll need at least 3 other people to assist you. Two of your helpers, called ‘bases,’ will stand on either side of you to lift you up and hold your leg, while the third person stands behind you as your spotter. Make sure to trust your spotter. It’s an important cheer position, and if you fall they will catch you. Your safety is a priority. You and your helpers should be experienced with cheerleading lifts and stunts before attempting this move in the air. 12. Have your two bases hold your foot to prepare for the lift. With your bases standing on either side of you, lift up your dominant leg so it bends at the knee. This will be your standing leg during the stunt. The bases will hold the bottom of your foot with one hand, and your ankle with their other hand. Your spotter should stand behind you and hold your waist for extra support. Place your hands on your bases’ shoulders to keep balance. 13. Sink down and push up with your knees and arms to lift yourself in the air. As the flyer, it is your job to assist with pushing yourself up. Bend at your knees, sink down, then carefully push yourself up. You can also use your arms to push yourself up from your bases’ shoulders. Your bases will grab your foot and push their arms up to move you up and offer support and balance while you’re in the air. 14. Lock your legs and keep your body tight. While you’re being pushed up, make sure you lock your legs so they are straight. They should not be bent at all. Your upper body should be straight and tight as well. If you bend forward or back at all, you risk falling over. Make sure your helpers are holding both the bottom of your feet and ankles as well in order to help you keep balance throughout the stunt. 15. Bring your free leg back to complete the scorpion move. Once stabilized in the air, you can begin to perform your stunt. Use your arm to bring your free leg back and up to do the scorpion.You need to continue to keep your leg locked in order to stay balanced while doing the move.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Scorpion-in-Cheerleading", "language": "en"}
How to Sit the Canter Properly	Cantering is a fun riding gait that comes after the trot. If you're a beginner, you may find sitting the canter somewhat difficult. It can feel awkward at first to position your body in a way that allows you to move with the rhythm of your horse. If you want to sit the canter, start by positioning your body correctly before signaling. Then, keep your hips and legs loose so you can follow the movement of your horse with your body. If you're struggling to sit the canter, check to see if there are any issues, like stirrup length, making cantering difficult for you. 1. Get your horse moving in a working trot. Before you can move into the canter, you want to get your horse into a working trot. The trot is a bouncy gait, slightly faster than walking. You can squeeze your legs when the horse is walking to signal him to trot. Allow your horse to get into a nice, rhythmic trot as you circle your riding arena. Keep trotting for several minutes to warm up your horse and prepare for the canter transition. 2. Sit back. You'll need to sit back slightly during the canter. In preparation to signal, shift your weight backwards in the saddle. You do not want to shift too far back, as this can cause you to lose to control. Shift your weight from your pelvis to your seat bones. You should never hunch forward when you signal for the canter. Make sure you can feel your seat bones resting against the back curve of your saddle as well as the horse's back. If you cannot feel your seat bones on the saddle, you've shifted back too far. 3. Signal for the canter at the right time. You want to signal for the canter at a time when it's easy for the horse to transition. Signal for your horse to canter just before you reach a corner or when you're rounding the corner of a circle. 4. Signal your horse to canter. To signal your horse to canter, squeeze with the leg facing the inside of your riding arena. Move the leg facing outside of the arena slightly behind the horse's girth and squeeze to signal. 5. Hold your body in a neutral position. When you're cantering, you'll want to hold your body in a neutral position. This allows you to best follow your horse's lead. The same neutral position you would hold during the halt should be maintained during the canter. You should be sitting up straight enough that your ear, shoulder, hip, and heel align. They should form a vertical line that is perpendicular to the ground. Keep your back straight, but do not arch your lower back. Remember, your shoulders should line up with your ear, so resist the urge to move your shoulders back, causing your back to arch. 6. Move your hips with the rhythm of the canter. When cantering, you want to move with the horse. The canter is a three-beat gait, and you'll want to let your hips follow the rocking of your horse's back. During the canter, the horse's inside hip and outside hip move up and down in quick succession. The horse's hind feet will then push off the ground, causing both hips to rise. Allow your body to shift along with the horse's shifting hips. You will have to tilt, shift, and then rise your hips slightly while keeping your buttocks in the saddle. This will not happen overnight. It will take a lot of practice, as well as you getting used to your horse's particular rhythm, before you can sit the canter without trouble. Your core muscles will also build over time as you practice the canter. Strong core muscles help you maintain a neutral position, allowing your hips to move more freely. 7. Follow the horse's head with your reins. You should also move your arms back and forth slightly in the rhythm of the horse's head, which also moves during the canter. If you struggle to move the reins, you may want to loosen the reins slightly before you canter. This gives your horse enough neck room to move his head without tension. 8. Keep your legs loose and relaxed. During the canter, many people feel an inclination to grip with their legs. However, this actually makes it harder to maintain your balance. Strive to let your legs hang loosely at your side, lightly wrapping around the horse. Squeezing your legs can confuse the horse and cause you difficulty during the canter. Not hollowing or arching your back can help prevent your legs from swinging excessively during the canter, which can also happen if you're gripping too tightly. 9. Make sure you're not gripping too hard with your knees. You may find yourself bouncing a lot in the saddle when cantering, a problem caused by gripping too tightly with the knees. If you're a young rider, you may feel inclined to grip with your knees for balance. This actually makes balance harder to maintain. You want to instead stretch your leg downward during the canter, allowing it to lie somewhat loosely at the horse's side. Stretch your calf muscles and shift your weight into your heels. This should cause your knees to lock less, allowing you to more efficiently sit the canter. 10. Check the lengths of your stirrups. If your stirrups are too long, this can make it very difficult to sit the canter. You may have tightened your stirrups before riding, thinking shorter stirrups would give you more control. The opposite is the case. Remove your legs from the stirrups for a moment. If they're the right length, they should bump against your ankle bone if you're riding with English stirrups. When riding with Western stirrups, your stirrups should be long enough that you can easily tip your toe forward and get your foot in the stirrup, while bending your leg slightly. 11. Return to the trot or the walk if you grasp the reins during the canter. You do not want to canter before you're ready. If you find yourself gripping the reins tight before cantering, this is a sign of tension. This will make it difficult for your horse to control the motions of his head enough to canter properly, and will also make it hard for you to balance in the saddle. If you can't canter without gripping the reins, return to walk for a few minutes before trying again. If you can't seem to stay calm while sitting the canter, you may want to wait a few weeks and then try to canter again. 12. Consider riding without stirrups periodically. Many young riders have issues gripping with the legs during the canter. If this is an issue you have, try riding at a walk or trot without your legs in the stirrups. This will help you improve your seat and balance during the canter. Make sure you only do so under the supervision of an instructor, especially if you are a young rider.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Sit-the-Canter-Properly", "language": "en"}
How to Grow Mushrooms Indoors	Growing mushrooms at home is a task that any gardener interested in growing their own food should attempt. Mushrooms are a healthy addition to any diet, as they are low in calories and fat, high in fiber, and contain high amounts of potassium and selenium. Mushrooms are best grown indoors where the temperature and light conditions can be more readily managed. Learning how to grow mushrooms indoors is a matter of managing their growing conditions carefully. 1. Decide what type of mushroom you want to grow. The three types of mushrooms that are easiest to grow at home are oyster, white button, and Shiitake. The method for growing each mushroom is similar, but the ideal growing substrate differs. Oyster mushrooms grow best in straw or coffee grounds (described later); Shiitakes grow best on hardwood sawdust; button mushrooms grow best in composted manure. These different substrates reflect the different nutritional needs of each species; however, each of these three species can be grown readily enough in sawdust or straw. Make sure that if you use sawdust it is from untreated wood. Choosing a type of mushroom to grow is a matter of taste. You should grow the type you most want to eat. 2. Purchase mushroom spawn. Mushroom spawn is sawdust permeated with mushroom mycelia — essentially the root structure of the fungus. It is used much like plant seedlings to facilitate growth. You can purchase high-quality mushroom spawn from several online retailers, some gardening supply stores, or some specialty organic living stores. Make sure to buy spawn rather than spores. Some retailers will also sell spores, which are more akin to the seeds of plants (rather than seedlings). Growing mushrooms from spores takes more time and practice, and is best suited for a seasoned mushroom grower. 3. Sterilize the growing substrate. If you are growing mushrooms in straw or sawdust, it will be necessary to sterilize these growing mediums before inoculating with the spawn. This is done to kill off any micro-organisms that could compete with the mycelia. To sterilize the substrate, place it in a microwave-safe bowl and add enough water to make the straw or sawdust damp. Place the bowl in the microwave and heat on high for two minutes, or until the water has boiled off. This kills off any microorganisms, leaving the substrate safe to receive the mushroom mycelia. You may need to work in batches in order to sterilize all of the straw or sawdust. 4. Heat the substrate so that the mycelia will spread. The mycelia in your mushroom spawn need to spread into the substrate thoroughly before producing mushrooms. A warm temperature encourages this growth. After choosing the substrate best suited to your mushroom species, place a few handfuls of it into a baking pan. A shallow pan with a large surface area will provide the most room for your mushrooms to grow. Mix the spawn into the substrate with a sterilized utensil. Place the baking pan on a heating pad set to 70°F (21°C). This is the ideal temperature to encourage growth. You can also try simply placing the pan in a warm area of your home. Leave the setup in a dark environment, such as a cabinet, for about three weeks. This will allow the mushroom mycelia to permeate the substrate. 5. Place the substrate into the proper environment. After two weeks, check the substrate to see if it has been fully colonized — the substrate should be entirely covered with what looks like white fuzz. This may take between two to four weeks. If the substrate is colonized, you can move the pan into an environment that is dark and cool (about 55°F or 13°C). A basement usually works well for this, but a cabinet or drawer in an unheated room will work in winter. If you notice any dark spots of green or brown (like what you might see on moldy bread), remove these areas from your substrate and throw them out. Cover the substrate with a handful of potting soil and spray the entire mixture with enough water to dampen it thoroughly. You can place a damp towel over the pan to prevent moisture loss if desired. Consider placing a low heat lamp near the pan. This simulates the sun, which can help the mushrooms orient themselves and grow "up," making them easier to harvest. The mix should be kept moist and cool as the mushrooms grow. Check it periodically and spray it with water as necessary. The mushrooms will prefer a cooler environment, but the key is just not to let them get too hot. If the environment is below 70°F (21°C), then your mushrooms should grow fine. 6. Harvest your mushrooms when they are fully grown. In about three weeks, you should see small mushrooms appearing. Continue to keep their environment moist, cool, and dark to encourage their growth. When the mushroom caps separate fully from their stems, they are ready to harvest. You can pluck the mushrooms out with your fingers or use a sharp knife to cut the mushrooms at the base of the stem. It is best to rinse the mushrooms before cooking or eating. You can store harvested mushrooms in a paper bag in the refrigerator for up to a week. 7. Obtain coffee grounds. Growing mushrooms from coffee grounds is a fun project which helps to use up coffee grounds that would otherwise go to waste. Coffee grounds are a fantastic growing medium for mushrooms (oyster mushrooms in particular) as they are already sterilized thanks to the coffee brewing process and are full of nutrients. For 500 g (17.6 oz) of mushroom spawn, you will need 2.5 kg (88 oz) of fresh coffee grounds. The best way to get this amount of fresh coffee grounds (brewed that day) is to go to a cafe and ask nicely. They're usually more than happy to give it away. 8. Find a container for the mushrooms. The best thing to use is a filter patch grow bag, which can usually be purchased along with the mushroom spawn. Otherwise you can use a large, sealable freezer bag or a sterilized milk carton or ice cream tub, with four small holes poked into the sides. 9. Transfer the spawn into the container. Wash your hands thoroughly with anti-bacterial soap, then mix the mushroom spawn into the coffee grounds, breaking them up with your hands to ensure that they are evenly distributed. Place the inoculated coffee grinds into the plastic bag or container and seal tightly. 10. Put the mushrooms in the right environment. Place the bag or container in a warm, dark location, somewhere between 64 and 77°F (18 to 25°C), like in an airing cupboard or under the sink. Leave it here for two to four weeks or until it turns entirely white — this due to the mycelia colonizing the coffee grinds. Again, cut out any dark spots of green or brown that develop on the colonizing substrate, as this can make you sick. 11. Relocate the mushrooms. Once the bag or container's contents have turned completely white, move it to a bright area (but not into direct sunlight) and cut a 2" by 2" hole at the top. Mist the contents of the container with water twice daily to prevent it from drying out — the mushrooms won't grow in too-dry conditions. 12. Harvest the mushrooms. Over the next five to seven days, tiny mushrooms will begin to sprout. Continue to mist them with water and they should double in size each day. When the cups of the mushrooms have started to turn slightly upwards, they are ready to harvest. When the mushrooms have stopped sprouting, plant the coffee grinds outdoors under bark mulch or compost and new mushrooms may develop, depending on the weather. You can pull the mushrooms out by hand or use a knife or scissors to cut the mushroom at the base. 13. Grow mushrooms from a kit. For first-time growers, growing mushrooms from a ready-made kit can be a fun, easy option for producing your own mushrooms. These kits usually consist of plastic bags filled with sterilized, inoculated straw or soil. All you need to do keep the bag in the correct conditions and in seven to 10 days you'll have homegrown mushrooms. Kits will usually cost between $20 and $30 and can be used to grow most of the common mushroom varieties such as white button, crimini, portobello, lion's mane, shiitake, and oyster mushrooms. To begin the growing process, simply open the bag and place it in a bright location, out of direct sunlight — such as a shady windowsill. The kit can be kept at room temperature, but it will need to be misted with water daily to keep humidity high. Some kits will provide plastic tents to cover the bag and maintain humidity levels. The mushrooms will start to sprout after seven to ten days, but you can expect to see two or three flushes of growth over a three month period. The great thing about these kits is that after they have finished producing mushrooms, you can bury them outdoors under bark mulch or in your compost pile. Then, depending on weather conditions, mushrooms may start to pop up in that spot. 14. Grow mushrooms on a log. Another interesting way to grow certain species of mushrooms — such as Reishi, Maitake, Lion's Mane, Shiitake, Pearl and Phoenix Oyster — is from a log. This is done by inoculating hardwood logs with birch plugs that have been fully colonized by mushroom mycelium. These plugs are available online and from specialist mushroom spore suppliers. The first thing you need to do is find an appropriate log for mushroom growing. The logs should be cut from non-aromatic hardwood trees, such as maple, poplar, oak and elm. They should be 3 or 4 feet (0.9 or 1.2 m) in length and no more than 14" in diameter. The logs should be cut at least two weeks before plugging, to allow the tree's naturally-formed anti-fungal properties to degrade. To colonize a 3 to 4 foot (0.9 to 1.2 m) log, you will need approximately 50 plugs. To insert the plugs, use a 5/16" drill bit to make 2" deep holes in a diamond pattern over the entire log. The holes should be spaced about 4" apart. Place the birch plugs into the holes and tap with a hammer to insert fully. If you plan on leaving the logs outdoors you may need to seal the holes with cheese wax or beeswax to protect the plugs from insects and harsh weather. If you plan on keeping the log indoors, in a garage or basement, this usually isn't necessary. Over time, the mushroom mycelium will spread from the birch plugs throughout the log, until the entire piece of wood has been colonized. Once fully colonized, mushrooms will begin to sprout from cracks in the log. This typically takes between 9 to 12 months, but depending on temperature and humidity conditions, the mushrooms should return year after year.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Mushrooms-Indoors", "language": "en"}
How to Drink Sambuca	Sambuca is an Italian anise-flavored liqueur that is usually colorless, but can sometimes be deep blue (referred to as black sambuca) or bright red in color. The common, colorless variety is referred to as “white sambuca.” Sambuca is a digestif, meaning it’s traditionally served at the end of a meal to aid in the digestive process. However, this is not the only way to enjoy sambuca. In fact, the liqueur can be combined with a variety of spirits and other ingredients to create delicious cocktails. 1. Mix sambuca, whiskey, and bitters to make a Sambuca Sazerac. Pour ice into a mixing glass and add 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of overproof bourbon whiskey and 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of sambuca. Then add 4 dashes of bitters and stir the ingredients together. Finally, use a strainer to strain the cocktail into a small rocks glass with ice. Add 2 twists of lemon peel to the top of the drink for a zesty garnish. You can use other forms of whiskey besides bourbon for this drink, though you should make sure that the drink you use has a relatively high proof so that its flavor isn’t totally masked by that of the sambuca. 2. Use cinnamon liqueur, sambuca, and vodka to make a spicy cocktail. Fill a mixing glass with ice and pour 0.75 fluid ounces (22 mL) of cinnamon liqueur, 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of vodka, and 0.5 fluid ounces (15 mL) of sambuca into the glass. Stir the ingredients together and then use a strainer to strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail glass. This drink is sometimes referred to as a “10 Below cocktail.” You can garnish this drink with a preserved, sweetened cherry, such as a maraschino cherry. 3. Add sparkling wine to sambuca, lemon juice, and simple syrup. Place ice inside a cocktail shaker and add 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of sambuca, 0.5 fluid ounces (15 mL) of lemon juice, and 0.25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) of simple syrup. Shake the ingredients together and then use a strainer to strain them into a champagne flute. Finally, add a long, skinny lemon peel to the cocktail and then top the whole thing off with 4 fluid ounces (120 mL) of sparkling wine. Make sure you add the lemon peel before you add the sparkling wine, as pouring in the wine without the lemon peel already in the cocktail will cause it to bubble up too fast. You can also add a brandied cherry to the drink as a final garnish. You may see this drink referred to as a “Sambuca 75,” as it’s a variation of an established cocktail known as the “French 75.” 4. Start a meal with a drink made from sambuca, gin, and orange bitters. Simply pour 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of gin, 1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of sambuca, and 3-5 dashes of orange bitters into a mixing glass with ice. Stir the ingredients together, then use a strainer to strain them into a chilled cocktail glass. Sambuca is typically drunk at the end of a meal. However, this aperitivo cocktail is best served just before a meal to stimulate the appetite. 5. Make a Sambuca Summer out of sambuca, tequila, lime juice, and agave syrup. Put ice in a cocktail shaker and add 0.75 fluid ounces (22 mL) of sambuca, 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of tequila, 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) of lime juice, and 0.25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) of agave syrup. Shake the ingredients together, then use a strainer to strain them into a tall glass filled with ice. Finally, add 0.5 fluid ounces (15 mL) of soda water to complete the cocktail. For an added fruity flavor, you can also add 2 dashes of orange bitters to the cocktail shaker before you shake the ingredients together. Use lime wedges to garnish the drink when you serve it. 6. Try a simple flaming shot with sambuca and coffee beans. Put 3 coffee beans in the bottom of a shot glass and pour 1.5 fluid ounces (44 mL) of sambuca over them. Use a long-reach lighter to light the sambuca on fire, then wait until the flame is low and blue and cover the shot glass with your hand to extinguish it. When the fire is extinguished, take the shot. Be very careful when lighting the sambuca. Make sure you are completely sober and use a long-reach lighter for maximum safety. In some parts of Italy, this drink is known as Sambuca, ghiaccio e mosche, meaning “Sambuca, ice and flies.” 7. Cool off with a cocktail made from sambuca and pomegranate juice. Pour 1.75 fluid ounces (52 mL) of pomegranate sambuca and 3 fluid ounces (89 mL) of pomegranate juice into a cocktail shaker and shake them together with ice. Then, fill a Collins glass with ice and use a strainer to strain the sambuca and juice into the glass. Fill the glass the rest of the way with club soda and enjoy. This drink is sometimes called a "Breezer Cocktail." Use lemon slices to garnish this drink. For a less fruity flavor, you can also use white sambuca instead of pomegranate sambuca. 8. Mix black sambuca and lemonade for a sweet Dark Night cocktail. Pour 1.75 fluid ounces (52 mL) of black sambuca into a highball glass filled with ice. Then, fill the remainder of the glass with lemonade and serve. This drink is best garnished with a lemon slice. Some recipes call for Luxardo Sambuca Passione Nera to be used in this cocktail, although any black sambuca will do. 9. Combine apple sambuca and ginger ale for a flavorful and fruity cocktail. Fill a highball glass with ice and pour 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of spiced apple sambuca into the glass. Then, pour ginger ale into the glass until it’s filled. Serve the drink with a lime wedge as a garnish. Part of this drink’s appeal is its characteristic green color. Consider using Luxardo Spiced Apple sambuca to guarantee your drink has a pleasing hue. You may see this drink referred to as a Ginger Spice cocktail. 10. Make a Minx cocktail out of sambuca, cranberry juice, and lemonade. Take a highball glass and fill it with ice. Then, pour 2 fluid ounces (59 mL) of cranberry sambuca, 3 fluid ounces (89 mL) of cranberry juice, and 3 fluid ounces (89 mL) of lemonade into the glass. Gently stir the ingredients together for a few seconds and serve. Use lime slices to garnish this drink. If this cocktail is too sweet for you, try making it with white sambuca instead of cranberry sambuca.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Drink-Sambuca", "language": "en"}
How to Sell an RV on Craigslist	If you’re ready to part with your cherished RV, there are a number of easy things to consider to attract a buyer and get the price that you want for it. Craigslist provides a helpful medium for advertising any item for sale to a wide audience. You will want to set your price and prepare your vehicle for sale, create your Craigslist ad, and complete some final sale steps in order to successfully sell your RV online. 1. Compare your RV to other similar ones being sold. Setting your price is one of the most important parts of selling an RV. Doing a preliminary online search of your RV’s make, model, and year can give you a starting idea of around how much your RV is worth. Look on Craigslist and other websites like AutoTrader to find out current prices for your particular RV. Setting a price that’s too high may make it hard to sell your RV because buyers will know it’s not worth that much. Setting the price too low will get your RV off your hands quickly, but you’ll lose out on money that you could’ve made from it. 2. Use a price estimator for help with setting your price. For more help in figuring out how much your RV is worth, use an estimator guide on websites like Nadaguides.com, Kelly Blue Book, and Autotrader.com. You can browse by types of RV on these sites, including motorhomes, camping trailers, and truck trailers. Search your RV manufacturer and model type on a price estimator website to find out the suggested list, low retail, and average retail prices of your RV. 3. Factor in the mileage and any damage when setting your price. High mileage or broken parts on your RV will lower its overall value. Use the price estimators as a starting point for determining the value of your RV and subtract any decrease in the overall average retail price because of high mileage or repairs. For every $5000 you’ve done in repairs due to accidents, expect your overall value to go down $2500. Some of the price estimators online factor in mileage when giving you a value on your RV. Note that if it has more than 100,000 miles on it, that may be a red-flag for potential buyers and can make your RV harder to sell. 4. Make any necessary repairs if you want to get more money. If your RV has any problems that you can fix yourself or that would be inexpensive for you to have fixed, it’s worth it to get this done so that your buyers don’t have reason to hesitate once they come look at your RV. Being able to say that your RV runs well and is mostly free of problems will help you get the amount of money you want for it. 5. Clean the inside of your RV. A clean vehicle means a well-maintained vehicle to most buyers. Many people are immediately turned off by looking at a vehicle that looks dirty or needs simple cosmetic repairs. Empty your RV of all your personal belongings, unless you plan to include any of them in the sale, and do an overall cleaning of surfaces with cleaning solution and rags. Vacuum or sweep out the floor of your RV and wash your windows with glass cleaner and paper towels. 6. Wash your RV’s exterior. Take your RV to a manual car-wash with high overhead to spray it down with soapy water and give it a good rinse. Wash the window exteriors with glass cleaner. Remove any bumper stickers or other personal touches you’ve added to the outside. 7. Take pictures in the morning, evening, or a cloudy day. During these times, the sun is low and provides a warm glow that’s free from harsh shadows and glare. Find a good background for your RV’s photos; you don’t want distracting clutter or extra cars in the background to take away from the focus of your RV. 8. Move to different angles and experiment with your camera settings. As you move around to get different angles of your RV, you may actually have to move it to get better background and lighting. Provide 4 exterior pictures of your RV - 1 of each side, the front, and the back. Take lots of different pictures, especially if it’s bright outside and hard to get a good look at the digital screen while you’re photographing. 9. Take pictures of various interior features in your RV. Take close pictures of any cupboards, kitchen equipment, the bathroom, or other special features to show buyers a detailed look at your RV before they come see it in person. Take at least 5 interior pictures. If there is anything that makes your RV feel homey and fun, photograph that too! Make sure all of the lights are on and the shades are up so there's as much light as possible before taking your picture. 10. Go to the Craigslist main page and click on the closest city to you. You may be automatically taken to your nearest city’s Craigslist page if you’ve ever searched the site before, or if your computer browser knows your exact location. If not, you’ll need to find your nearest city under the main page at www.craigslist.org. If your city doesn’t automatically pop up under the list of cities, try searching by state first and then finding your closest city. 11. Click on “rvs+camp” under the “for sale” category. You will see an option to “post” in the upper right corner of the screen. Click on “post.” Next click “for sale by owner” under the “what type of posting is this?” options, and click Continue. Under "choose a category," pick “rvs - by owner” and click Continue, unless the site automatically redirects you to the next page. 12. Fill in the posting title and all other small boxes under posting details. In the creation of your ad, you will need to come up with a posting title, which normally includes the make, model, year, and color of the vehicle you’re selling. Then you fill in the price box and your specific location. Fill in as many other details as you can, including the year, make and model, sizing dimensions, condition, cylinders, drive, fuel, paint color, title status, and transmission. 13. Explain why you’re selling in the posting body. Your posting body is where you actually do the selling part of your ad. This is where you get people interested. Imagine you are talking to someone face to face about why you’re selling, making your RV sound appealing to them while being realistic about why you’re personally not able to keep it. Say, “I really wish I could keep this but…” and complete the sentence about why you need to sell it. 14. Define your accepted forms of payment in the posting body. You will want to say that you will accept cash or money orders at the time of the sale. Explain this in your posting body in your ad. It’s not a good idea to accept personal checks in a craigslist car transaction, since you most likely don’t know the buyer personally and their check could bounce. 15. Be honest about your RV’s highlights and problems in the posting body. Make buying your RV sound like the best choice the buyer could ever make. Explain all the details about why you loved having it. At the same time, don’t be evasive about major problems that your RV has. If a prospective buyer decides to do a formal history report check, they will find out about any problems with your RV. If you weren’t honest about problems in your ad, they may feel you misrepresented your RV and may no longer be interested. Possible problems could include cosmetic damage, problems in the motor or operating system, or the timing belt needing to be replaced soon. 16. Provide your contact information. You will need to provide a way for prospective buyers to contact you. Some people are comfortable listing their phone numbers on a Craigslist ad, others are not. Craigslist has an anonymous email option that gets routed to your personal email if you feel uncomfortable providing any type of direct contact information online. Click Continue after finishing the main posting part of your ad. 17. Upload pictures of your RV. Most people want to see pictures of a vehicle right away when they’re browsing online. You will attract more buyers by providing pictures. Click on the “Add pictures” option after you’ve finished the main posting, and upload your pictures from there. 18. Follow all Craigslist directions for posting and maintaining your ad. You will need to preview your ad before it’s posted, and check your email to confirm posting the ad. Craigslist will provide you with directions over email on how to finish posting your ad, how to repost, and how to take it down when you’re ready to. 19. Answer prospective buyers promptly. When someone really wants to buy something, they could be immediately discouraged if you delay responding to their calls or emails. It may make them feel as if selling your RV isn’t a priority to you, or that you’ve already sold it, and they will stop wasting their time trying to contact you. Your potential buyer will initially make contact via email. Respond to them within a few hours, or the next morning if they email you at night. Once you've answered preliminary questions and the person is still interested, share your phone number for faster contact. 20. Be polite when answering questions. Listen carefully to your prospective buyer to determine what they’re most looking for in an RV. If they ask questions, it may be about things that you didn’t address in your ad. Or, they may be looking at many ads at once and got yours mixed up with another. Answer their questions professionally and accurately, because many people will not want to continue trying to buy something from someone who is rude or who doesn’t know very well what they are selling. 21. Offer to let prospective buyers test drive your RV. When a prospective buyer wants to come see your RV, schedule a time that works for you that will provide them with enough time to look as long as they want. Don’t have other plans you that will cut your meeting with them short. Offer to let them test drive your RV, and provide them with directions on where to go on their test drive if they ask. 22. Negotiate the price. Your buyer may offer you a price that's lower than your listed price. Be open to hearing why they are offering a lower amount. If it's because they found legitimate problems with your RV that you weren't clear about in the ad, take into consideration that other buyers may notice the same things. On the other hand, if their reasons seem shaky or it's because they simply can't afford your price, remain firm and politely say that you think your price is fair. Highlight the reasons that you set the price at what you did. 23. Make arrangements for the sale transaction. If your buyer is seriously interested and makes an offer that you like, arrange to meet them at a time that works for both of you a notary office if that is required in your state, or if you feel more comfortable handling the sale that way. If you are able and willing to just sign the title over to them, be sure that you have their cash or certified money order on hand before giving them the signed title. 24. Have a clean title and other necessary documents available at closing. You want to be sure the title on your RV is clean before the final sale. If you bought the RV used and are unsure about its title history, you can check the title by searching the VIN number on your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles website. If you still owe money on your RV, you will need to have documents prepared by an escrow company or lawyer in order to process your sale.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Sell-an-RV-on-Craigslist", "language": "en"}
How to Do a Deadlift	The deadlift is an excellent compound exercise that targets the quads, hamstrings, gluteal muscles, lower back, traps, and forearms--not to mention it will make you feel like a beast when you do it. However, if not done properly, serious injury such as a herniated disc can occur. Follow these steps for the proper way to deadlift and turn into a modern day Hercules. 1. Prepare the barbell. Place the barbell on the ground in front of you and add plates according to your strength and fitness level. If it is your first time performing the deadlift, start lighter. It is always easy to add weight later. You want to perfect your form before you test your physical limits. Secure the plates tightly onto the barbell with clips to keep them from slipping around. Beginners usually start lifting just the barbell, since a typical barbell weighs between 25 and 45 pounds on its own. In this case, you'll want to prop the bar up so it's as high on your shins as it would be if it had plates (approximately 6-8 inches). Otherwise, you'll be bending too far down to pull the barbell right off the floor and could injure yourself. When you prop the barbell, be carefully that it can't easily roll off. 2. Set your stance. Step up to the bar so that your feet are approximately shoulder width apart, your toes are pointing forward or slightly outward, and the barbell is at the midpoint of your foot (as if it's dividing the front and the back of your feet in half). 3. Sit back. Pretend there's a short stool behind you; bend your knees and hips and sit back as if you were going to sit on that stool, while you reach down to grab onto the barbell (hands shoulder-width apart). Actively push your knees out; don't let them collapse in. Keep your back straight so your spine is in a neutral position parallel to the floor. Hinge forward from your hips instead of bending from the waist. Bend your knees and hips just enough to reach and grab onto the bar. This is the starting position for the deadlift. Your shins should be pretty vertical and touching the bar. This is a hard position to stay in. As you figure out your form and check all these criteria, sometimes you'll straighten your legs and allow your back to curve to take a little break from this position. If you watch people deadlift, you'll see them do this between deadlifts. Just make sure you get back into this position before you actually lift. 4. Check your grip. Grasp the barbell with your hands slightly more than shoulder width apart, just outside of your legs. Keep your arms straight. Your palms should face your body, and be equally far from the ends of the barbell. It's not uncommon for people to use a mixed grip as they move onto heavier weights, as it affords a stronger grip, but it's generally better to keep things simple as a beginner. For Olympic lifting, some people use the hook grip, which is more secure but is painful at first. It is similar to the overhand grip, except that instead of the thumb over the remaining fingers, it is hooked underneath them. The underhand grip alone is not recommended because it can lead to the rupture of bicep muscle and connecting tendons, especially in people who do not have full flexibility in the elbow joint. 5. Set your starting position. "Setting" here means creating tension in your body while you're in the starting position so you use your muscles when you pull the bar up. It's a bit like clenching your body; you don't want to be like a wet noodle at all because then you might pull a muscle or hurt a joint. Always make sure your back is completely flat and straight. Keep your head, shoulders, and back in alignment. If there is any kind of bend in your back, you need to do some flexibility work before deadlifting. If you have someone record you in starting position, you'll be able to see whether your back is straight or not. Your hips should be above your knees and your shoulders should be above the hips while slightly over the bar. Engage your core and keep your weight heavy in your heels. Make sure you are looking at the ground in front of you (about 45 degrees) to avoid strain on your neck when performing the lifting portion of the deadlift. 6. Stand up and bring the bar up with you. Raise your hips and shoulders at the same rate while maintaining a flat back. Keep your abs tight during the whole lift. Begin the movement by lifting the slack out of the bar. This is done by pulling the bar slightly up until you feel resistance. If you are using metal plates, you will hear a slight clanging noise. This engages all of the muscles prior to committing to the lift. Next, lift the weight while pushing through the middle of your foot, straightening your knees while pulling your shoulders and head back, and pushing your hips forward after the bar has reached just below the knee. The bar should drag along your shins on the way up--that's why a lot of people who deadlift wear pants or knee-high socks, and if they don't, they often have bruises or scrapes to show for it. Come to a standing position with upright posture and your shoulders pulled back (don't let your shoulders cave forward, think of always pinching your shoulders back together and sticking your chest up and out). Don't bend backwards at all, just stand up straight. Engage (squeeze) your hamstrings and glutes to pull the bar up. Avoid locking your knees. 7. Lower the bar. Keeping your back straight, return the bar to the starting position in a controlled manner. Push your butt out as if you are going to sit down in a chair. Do not arch your back or curl your tailbone under. Release the weight after it is on the ground. 8. Place two dumbbells on either side of your body. The dumbbells should be slightly in front of your feet. Make sure that the weight of your dumbbells is appropriate for your strength. 9. Position yourself properly. Your feet should be spread slightly wider than your shoulders. Point your toes forward. You could also point them slightly outward; the result will be the same. 10. Squat down and grasp the dumbbells. You should squat with a flat, neutral back. Make sure that your shoulders are pulled away from your ears. Keep your head in line with your spine, though if it more comfortable you can tilt your chin up slightly. Make sure that your gaze remains straight ahead (if your eyes wander, so will your head, which will in turn shift your spine.) Make sure that your chest is lifted. Make sure that your heels stay firmly on the floor, and that your shoulders are slightly in front of the balls of your feet. 11. Keep your core strong while you stand up. Your abs help stabilize your spine when you begin to lift the dumbbells. Straighten your knees and then your hips before coming to a fully upright position. Your elbows should be straight and the dumbbells should rest by your sides against your thighs. Your hips and shoulders should rise up and straighten at the same time. You should try to keep the dumbbells as close to your body as possible while you straighten up. 12. Hinge at the knees to lower the dumbbells back down. Your hips should move backwards and down as you begin to squat back down to the ground. Try to avoid bending your knees so that they are far ahead of your toes. Keep your back straight and avoid curling your tailbone in or arching your back. Make sure to keep your abs strong and engaged while you lower back down. Keep your shoulders back and lowered while you do this lift and squat.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Do-a-Deadlift", "language": "en"}
How to Execute the Major Kicks in Taekwondo	In Korean, "tae" means "to kick" or "smash with the feet”. It should be no surprise then that if you want to become a Taekwondo master, you'll need to master your kicks. There are five basic kicks in Taekwondo: the front kick, the side kick, the hooking kick, the back kick, and the roundhouse kick. If you can manage these five kicks, you'll have a great foundation to explore other advanced kicks. While your choice of kick will depend on where your target is, every kick in Taekwondo requires a degree of precision and a fluidity of motion only attained through constant practice and attention to your entire body. 1. Position your body properly to execute a front kick (Ap-Chagi). The target of a front kick is — not surprisingly — in front of you. Your target should be a “leg-length” away from your body for your kick to be effective. In some cases, you might jump a little forward or backward to make sure that your kick lands. If this is the case, you'll also want to make sure that you have sufficient room around you to complete your front kick. 2. Lift your knee towards your target. Which leg you choose to perform the kick with will depend on a number of factors. If your opponent's weak side is on the left, you'll want to kick with your left leg. If you are performing several kicks in a row, you might want to vary which leg you use to keep your sparring partner off guard. In any case, you'll want to make sure that your thigh is pointed directly towards your target in order to line up your kick. 3. Rotate your standing foot. One of the keys to a strong front kick is establishing a strong base. If you don't rotate your standing foot, you'll topple or waver from side to side, making your attack less precise. Turn your foot to compensate for this. 4. Use your hips. Your taekwondo front kick depends on the momentum of your hips as much as the strength of your leg. When you rotate your standing foot, make sure that you are also pushing forward with the side of your hip that aligns with which leg is kicking. For example, if you are performing a front kick with your right foot, when you adjust your left standing foot, push the right side of your pelvis forward. This added momentum will carry through your entire leg, making your kick that much more powerful. 5. Extend your leg. Now that you've set a great foundation, it's time to make contact. Extend your leg straight out. Make contact with your target. Front kicks can be used for lower, core, and upper body targets. This means that you'll need to have the flexibility to kick higher up in the air. 6. Hit your target with the ball of your foot. This is key. Since the ball or heel of your foot is the hardest part of your foot, it is where you should make contact. If you kick with your toes, you're likely to break them. 7. Position yourself appropriately to perform the side kick (Yop Chagi). As the name indicates you need to be positioned in a way so that your target is to the side of you. A side kick is not appropriate if your target is located in any other place. Before carrying out this kick, place your body in the correct position. 8. Plant your standing foot. If you draw an imaginary line from your opponent to yourself, your foot should run perpendicularly. The key to this kick is a solid base. You must be able to balance your body as you perform the Yop Chagi. Most Taekwondo masters rotate their foot into this position as they are kicking. Doing so allows you to execute the kick quickly. 9. Lift the knee of the kicking foot first. Bend your knee so that it raises towards your torso. This motion gives you the ability to extend your leg farther, faster. It will add much needed force to your kick. 10. Deliver a kick stretching the foot straight toward the target. While you extend your leg out, your hips should open up as well, which will add some momentum to your kick. 11. Hit the target with your heel and the outer edge of your foot. Unlike the front kick, you use more of your foot for a side kick. Like a front kick, you want to avoid making contact with your toes to avoid injury. 12. Position yourself properly to perform the hooking kick (Huryeo). This kick begins just like the side kick. Make sure that your target is to the side of your body. It is important to have a fixed position to target for this kick even though it uses a more circular movement than the side kick. 13. Lift the knee of the kicking foot by bending in front. This is the same as the side kick. By bringing your knee up and to your torso, you are packing more strength behind your kick. This is the same as a side kick. 14. Extend your leg while moving it forward. Be sure to maintain your balance in this phase or you'll fall over and your kick will fail. Whereas the sidekick extends straight to the target at this point, the hook kick moves forward (in the direction of your toes). You need to do this in order to pull back in the next step, thus making the hooking motion. 15. Bring your foot back. Complete the hooking motion. This is a great place to reevaluate your target. If your opponent has moved since you initiated the kick, now you can lower, raise, or shift your kick. 16. Deliver a kick with the heel or the sole of the foot. Depending on the position of your opponent during this phase, you'll want to hit with a safe part of your foot. The heel is the best, but the sole of your foot works too. Do not kick with your toes or the top of your foot. 17. Position yourself appropriately in order to perform the back kick (Dwi or Dwi chagi). In order to get in the correct position, you'll need to have your back to your opponent. If your sparring partner has gotten behind you, this is an ideal move or if you want to surprise him, you can shift your back to him. You don't want your target to be directly behind your back. You'll need to extend your leg to its fullest length for this kick. So make sure that you can do this with both legs. 18. Bring your knee up to your chest. As with every kick, this is to give you more room to extend, thus adding momentum to your kick. This should be done quickly so as to not alert your target as to your intentions. 19. Extend your leg backwards. Drive your heel forward to your target. Back kicks don't work for targets higher in the air. Our bodies simply don't bend this way, so extend your leg to the middle or lower section of your opponent. 20. Use your toes to balance yourself. If done correctly, your weight will shift naturally to your toes. In which case, make sure that you are prepared for this. You don't want to tumble over. 21. Hit with the heel of your foot. This will be the first part of your foot to make contact anyways since you are kicking behind you. As always, avoid hitting the target with any other part of your foot. 22. Position yourself for the roundhouse kick (Dollyo Chagi). This is one of the fundamental kicks that is extremely effective. Sometimes it's called a turning kick or an angle kick. Make sure your target is lined up with the side of your body. 23. Rotate on the ball of your foot. Most instructors will tell you to turn your standing foot inwards towards your core when beginning your round house kick. The power of the roundhouse kick comes from the rotation movement. This occurs on the ball of your foot. It takes great balance. Practice this spin several times before attempting your first round house kick. 24. Bend the knee of the kicking foot while you begin to turn. This movement will be very quick and will give your kick a little more power. As soon as you've pulled your leg in, you'll release it. 25. Extend your leg out straight. The angle at which you extend your leg will be determined by the height of your target. This will be done in the middle of your spin. 26. Make contact with the instep or ball of your foot. Be sure not to make contact with your toes. Doing so will hurt you more than your opponent. Do not use your heel to make contact.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Execute-the-Major-Kicks-in-Taekwondo", "language": "en"}
How to Cut Stair Stringers	Stair stringers are the backbone of any set of stairs. They support the treads and provide the structural support of the stairway. In order to cut your stair stringers perfectly, you need to take the time to measure and lay them out correctly. Once you have established the rise and run of your stairs and have drawn them out on your wood, you simply need to cut along your lines with precision and care. 1. Measure out Your total rise is the height from one story to the next that the stairs will connect. The total rise should be set in most cases, so you simply need to measure the height. This distance should be from the top of the finished floor below and the finished floor at the top. If the floor is unfinished when you are calculating your stringers, you need to take that into account. 2. Determine how tall you want each step to be. The height of each step can vary a bit but there are general standards. It is standard to have your riser be about 7 inches (18 cm) tall, so use this measurement unless you have specific parameters that prevent it, such as limited headroom. This measurement is sometimes called the individual rise of the stairs. 3. Divide For this calculation you are simply figuring out how many stairs it will take to get the height you need. Use a calculator or do the arithmetic by hand, as it is generally pretty simple. For example, if you want 7 inches (18 cm) tall stairs and your overall rise needs to be 56 inches (140 cm), then 56/7=8. You will need 8 stairs. The number of treads you have (individual runs) will automatically be one less than the number of risers. 4. Determine how much run each stair will need. Your total run is the horizontal distance between the top and the bottom of the stairs. How far the stairs stick out can vary depending on your needs, but keep in mind that stairs should usually be at an angle of about 40 degrees. In general, the run of each stair should be about 10 inches (25 cm) in order for people’s feet to fit comfortably as they walk up them. There are many stair calculators that you can use online to figure out stair measurements. You simply need to input your rise and the angle you want for your stairs and they will calculate the other measurements you need, including your run. 5. Calculate how long the stringer needs to be. Once you have the overall rise and run of the stairs, you can calculate how long the stringer needs to be. You can either use an online stair calculator, a hypotenuse calculator, or you can do the math yourself. To calculate the length yourself, you will need to use the Pythagorean theorem, which is a + b = c. So, for example, if the rise needs to be 60 inches (150 cm) and the run needs to be 84 inches (210 cm), then you would calculate 60 + 84 = c, with “c” being the length of 99 inches (250 cm). 6. Double check your measurements before you start marking your cuts. Ensure your math and calculations are correct so that you don’t waste your time and materials cutting risers that don’t fit. It’s better to take a few minutes to double check yourself than to waste a whole lot of time redoing your work. 7. Start laying out the first stair. Place a framing square near the end of a 2 x 12 (38 x 286 mm) board, leaving a few inches at the end before the end of the square. Use the individual rise and run figures marked on the outside scales of the square that matches your desired measurements. These figures should touch the upper edge of your board. The short end of the square (tongue) should be on the rise measurement. The long end of the square (body) should be on the run measurement. The board should be at least 12 inches (30.48cm) longer than the planned length of the stringer, just to give yourself some play. 8. Mark the outline along the square's outer edges. Move the square down to extend the run line to the lower board edge, if necessary. This is the outline of your top stair. 9. Lay out the rest of the stairs. Slide the framing square along the board so your scale run figure touches the end of your first marked run line. Double check that your rise and run figures are lines up with the top edge of the board and then mark your second stair. Continue down the board, making sure to line up the scale's rise and run figure at the top edge. Mark the new outline and repeat until you have marked 1 extra pair of runs and rises. 10. Mark the bottom of the stringer. In order to make the first step the same height as the others, you need to subtract the depth of the thread from the rise, so the finished stair is still 7 inches (18 cm). Simply make another mark to the right of the run line that is parallel and equal to the thickness of the thread. This marks the stringer bottom. 11. Prepare to use a circular saw safely. Put on your personal protective equipment, including safety glasses. It's also important to use general safety precautions when using a circular saw. These include keeping your body parts away from the blade while the tool is running and being sure that the cord is out of the path of the tool as it's running. You should also clamp down your stringer board, so that it doesn’t move while you cut it. 12. Cut down the lines you marked on the stringer with a circular saw. Start the saw running before it makes contact with the wood. Then slowly work the saw in from the outer edge of the mark towards where it ends, where the rise and run meet. Leave about .5 inches (1.3 cm) of the line uncut, which you will finish with a hand saw. 13. Finish your cuts with a handsaw. Cutting beyond where the rise and run lines meet can severely weaken your structure. Instead of accidentally going too far with the circular saw, choose to finish your cuts with a handsaw so that you can be exact. 14. Trim the bottom and top of the stringer. Cut the top of the stringer along the first rise line. Then trim the bottom run line, which was marked so that it is shorter than the others by an amount equal to the thread thickness of your stairs. 15. Use the first finished stringer as a template. Use this one as a stringer template for all of your other stringers so they all match exactly. In most cases, you will need only 1 or 2 more stringers, although a very wide stairway could require more.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Cut-Stair-Stringers", "language": "en"}
How to Be a Responsible Teen	Being a teenager can be hard at times—between parental expectations, school work, and relationships with your friends, you might feel like you have the weight of the world on your shoulders. Instead of seeing these as stressors, consider all the opportunities you have! As a teen, you have lots of experiences and choices that let you prove how responsible you are. 1. Take care of your things and clean up after yourself. If your parents are still picking up after you or cleaning your room, they probably don't think you can handle other obligations like having a job or looking after a car. Prove that you can look after your things by organizing your room and keeping it tidy. Your parents will probably be impressed and grateful that you're caring for your belongings. Don't forget that showing responsibility also means respecting other people's things. If you've got siblings, always ask before you want to borrow something and take really good care of it if you do. 2. Contribute without being asked to demonstrate responsibility. If your parents have to nag you to do chores, they might think you're not ready for more independence. To earn their respect, find ways to help out without being asked. You might not think they'll notice, but over time, they'll realize that you're contributing. You can also ask them for things you can do that will show you're responsible. For example, if you know the trash always has to go to the curb on Tuesdays, move it out there the night before without being told. Try to do things that will help your parents and family out. 3. Make an effort to study and turn in your homework. Yes, homework can be a hassle, but doing it will help you stay on track in class. Going to your classes and learning the material is one of the best ways to prove you're responsible—after all, good grades show that you're attending class, staying engaged, doing homework, and taking exams. This might seem like a lot of pressure, but remember that your teachers and counselors want you to succeed! If you're struggling with schoolwork, reach out to your teacher or counselor for help. You might need to work on your time management skills to fit in studying time with extracurricular activities and a part-time job, for instance. 4. You'll earn skills, experience, and money while proving responsibility. Your first job is a huge milestone! It shows that you can manage your time, take on work responsibilities, and that you're challenging yourself. During the school year, try not to work more than 10-15 hours a week so you still have time for homework or extracurriculars. You may want to work more during the summer if you're saving up or just have more time. Getting a job in high school also gives you valuable work experience. You can put this on a resume and learn about what kind of jobs you like. 5. These are risky activities that show poor judgment and can lead to addiction. You'll prove that you're a really responsible teen if you turn down drugs and alcohol. Unfortunately, you might find yourself in a situation where someone's really pushing it on you. If you can't avoid the person, here are a few ways you can turn them down: Let them know you're the designated driver and that you need to be sober. Explain that you don't use drugs or alcohol because you're on a sports team or have to work later, for instance. Bring your own non-alcoholic drink and let them know you're fine. Tell them your parents will be checking on you when you get home. Be clear that you don't use drugs or alcohol. 6. Keep yourself safe and don't put yourself in risky situations. You might have rules that you're expected to follow—a curfew, rules about when you're allowed to drive, or places you can go with friends, for instance. Your parents probably have these rules to keep you safe! Keep your personal safety in mind when you're going places or meeting up with friends and don't let your guard down when you're online—be cautious about sharing personal information and change your profile settings to private. It's almost impossible to remove something from the internet, so think twice before you post something and never share things that could compromise or embarrass you. 7. Consider the consequences before you do or say something you might regret. It's really easy to respond quickly at the moment and say or do something you regret, especially if you're arguing with friends or your family. If you start getting angry, take a few seconds to think about why you're upset and ways you could react. Consider the consequences of each reaction before you decide. For example, if your parent tells you that you can't go over to a friend's house, you might finish chores and then ask again instead of throwing a fit or getting into an argument with them. It's okay to be upset! However, if you don't think can react without getting angry and saying something you regret, give yourself some space to process things. Then, once you've cooled off, go back and talk with the person. 8. When you're a teenager, it can feel hard to talk, but make it a priority. You don't have to be best friends, but it's important to let them know what's going on in your life and how you're doing. Your parents will appreciate you letting them be involved in your life. If you get in the habit of just checking in with your parents about everyday things, it will be easier to have more serious conversations later on. Don't forget to ask about how things are going with your parents and take the time to listen. This shows them that you're considerate and growing up. 9. Have a talk if you think you deserve more independence. It can be hard for parents to step back and give their teenagers more freedom, but if you feel like you deserve more privileges, sit down with them to talk about it. Be respectful and tell them what responsible things you've done to earn more freedom. For example, you might say, "I've raised my grades in two of my classes and I worked all summer. I think I'm responsible enough to have a later curfew. What do you think?" Don't demand more privileges or freedoms just because it's what your friends have. Remember, you've got to show your parents that you've earned their respect. 10. Bathe and wash your hair regularly so you're clean and smell nice. When you go through puberty, you might notice your hair becomes oilier, your skin is prone to breakouts, and your sweat has a stronger odor. This just means that you should wash your face daily, shower or bathe frequently, and wash your hair often. It's probably a good idea to start using deodorant which can keep you smelling fresh throughout the day, especially if you exercise. If you have acne, you may want to start a simple skincare regimen to manage oil and treat blemishes. Wash your skin twice a day with an oil-free cleanser and keep it moisturized. Pick up a few acne spot treatments that contain benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid to treat annoying pimples. Wear clean clothes and to show you're really responsible, wash your dirty clothes. 11. Make your own doctor and dentist appointments to get regular care. Show your parents that you're growing up and taking steps to look after yourself. To show you're responsible, talk with your parents about scheduling your own doctor and dentist appointments. If you need to get a ride from your parent, check the appointment with them before you book so you know they can drive you. Health care can be confusing! If you have questions about medical care or insurance, ask your parent to help clear things up. This shows your guardian that you're serious about managing your health.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-a-Responsible-Teen", "language": "en"}
How to Use a Food Processor	Food processors can be used to blend soups, salsa, dips, and sauces. Additionally, they can save time by quickly chopping, slicing, or shredding a variety of vegetables, fruits, and hard cheeses. First, assemble the food processor and attach the blade. There are a variety of different blade attachments that can be used to chop, slice, or grate food. Next, add your recipe ingredients and screw the lid onto the processor. Blend or pulse the food until it's as smooth or chunky as you like it. 1. Assemble the food processor. Every brand of food processor is different. However, most models are assembled in a similar fashion. First, secure the plastic bowl to the electric base. Next, slide the blade into place. Wiggle the bowl slightly to be sure that everything is tightened into place. Always keep the processor unplugged when assembling it or changing the blades. 2. Add your recipe ingredients. Some recipes ask you to blend everything at once instead of adding ingredients one at a time. If so, you can add all the ingredients to the processor before closing the lid and turning it on. If you're adding liquids, make sure you don't pass the “fill” line on the side of the plastic bowl. Any hot ingredients should be cooled to room temperature before adding them to the food processor. Chop large ingredients into smaller chunks to help them blend more easily. 3. Process your food. First, secure the lid onto the food processor. Most food processors won't run until the lid is firmly in place. Next, begin processing your food. Most food processors have a “pulse” button and a “run” button. These buttons can be used to chop, blend, or liquefy food. The “run” button blends things continuously. This button is usually used to create mayo, blend ingredients into a smooth soup, or create chunk-free sauces. The “pulse” button is usually used to chop food. The processor will only run when you're holding the button down. Press the button in one second intervals until the food is chopped the way you like it. If your processor has more than two buttons, refer to your manufacturer manual for usage tips. 4. Add any additional ingredients. Some recipes ask you to add certain ingredients slowly throughout the blending process. If your food processor has a tube on the lid, you can add the ingredients while the processor is running. Use the plastic or metal tamper to press food into the processor. If your food processor doesn't have a tube, turn off the processor and remove the lid to add any additional ingredients. 5. Clean your processor. Once you've completed your recipe, pour it into a serving dish. Next, move the plastic parts and blades into your sink and wash them with soap and water. Use a damp cloth to wipe down the electric part, removing any smears of food or liquid. Let the parts dry before reassembling the food processor. Never submerge the electric section in water, especially when it's plugged in. It will ruin the food processor and potentially electrocute you. Never handle the sharp part of the processing blades. 6. Insert the S-shaped blade. The S-shaped blade is the standard food processing blade that every model comes with. This blade can be used to chop fruits and vegetables, puree soups and sauces, and grind dry ingredients into a powder. If a recipe doesn't specify a blade attachment, use this blade. 7. Choose the slicing disk. The slicing disk is an attachment that sits near the lid of the food processor. This attachment is usually connected to the blade mount with a long, plastic, detachable stem. The slicing disk is used to slice fruits and vegetables into thin, circular pieces. For example: Slice peeled potatoes into thin disks for scalloped potatoes or potato chips. Slice a variety of vegetables such as zucchini, sweet potatoes, and carrots into thin slices for veggie chips. Use the disk to slice raw Brussel sprouts. Add them to a fresh salad for a healthy crunch. 8. Use the grater attachment. Like the slicing disk, the grater attachment sits near the lid of the food processor. Some models of food processors combine the grating and slicing attachment. If so, you will have to flip the slicing disk over to use the grating feature. This attachment can be used to grate large amounts of food at once. For example: Instead of grating a block of cheese by hand, use your food processor to quickly grate the entire thing. Grate a variety of cabbage, beets, and carrots for your favorite coleslaw recipe. Quickly shred a few potatoes for a batch of latkes or hash browns. 9. Knead dough with the dough blade. Some higher end food processors come with a dough blade attachment. This attachment is usually placed on the blade mount in the same position as the S-shaped blade. This blade can be used to knead: Pizza dough Pasta dough Pie dough Bread dough 10. Make banana Nutella “ice cream.” First, freeze a bunch of bananas overnight. Next, peel the bananas and place them in your food processor. Blend them until the mixture is smooth. Add a large dollop of Nutella. Blend the Nutella into the frozen banana and serve it immediately. For a stronger Nutella flavor, add several dollops of Nutella. Top your scoops of banana Nutella “ice cream” with whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and cherries. 11. Blend chickpeas into hummus. Hummus is a creamy bean dip that has roots in Mediterranean cuisine. First, add your hummus ingredients into your food processor and run it until the mixture is smooth. Next, transfer the hummus into a serving bowl. Serve the hummus with a variety of chopped vegetables, pita bread, crackers, and olives. If you don't have a favorite hummus recipe, consider using: 2 cups (80 grams) of drained canned or cooked chickpeas 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons of tahini 1 1/2 tablespoons of lemon juice 1 clove of garlic 1 teaspoon of salt 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper 12. Create a nut butter. Fresh, all-natural nut butters can be easily made in your food processor. First, add a few handfuls of your favorite raw or toasted nut. Next, run the blender until the nuts are chopped into a fine powder. Add a few tablespoons of an unflavored oil, such as safflower oil. Blend the mixture for another 8-10 minutes to create a smooth, creamy nut butter. You can use peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds, cashews, hazelnuts, walnuts, pecans, macadamia nuts, or pistachios. Once your nut butter is ready, transfer it to a jar and keep it refrigerated. 13. Make your favorite salsa recipe. Save time chopping vegetables by using your food processor instead. For a smooth salsa, add all the ingredients at once and run the blender until the mixture is puréed. For chunky salsa, pulse the ingredients until the salsa looks the way you like it. Use onions, jalapenos, and tomatoes to make a chunky pico de gallo salsa. Add dried or canned chipotle peppers to your favorite salsa recipe for a smoky, spicy kick. Blend salsa vegetables and cheese together to make a creamy salsa and queso dip.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Use-a-Food-Processor", "language": "en"}
How to Increase Your General Knowledge	General knowledge is valued information regarding the social interests of a society, culture, civilization, community, or nation gathered from a range of various media platforms. This knowledge is not specialized information on a specific topic; rather, it is knowledge about every aspect of human life –current affairs, fashion, family, health, and the arts and sciences. Although it takes time and effort to gain general knowledge, many human characteristic traits and skills such as intelligence, problem-solving, confidence, and open mindedness are judged by the amount of general knowledge one has obtained. Moreover, general knowledge helps with personal growth, good citizenship, and a stronger society. 1. Read a book. Reading is the foundation for gaining any type of general knowledge. There are no specific requirements on what books to read or on what subjects since the acquisition of general knowledge incorporates a wide-range of topics. The most important quality of reading is to make it a daily and routine part of your day. Get a membership at the local public library. Memberships are often free or inexpensive, giving you access to thousands of books with friendly return dates. Go to a yard or garage sale. You can stock up on cheap books on a range of topics that you might not otherwise spend money on. Purchase an e-reader to download reasonably priced books and articles from a variety of websites. This will give you instant gratification and more knowledge. 2. Subscribe to a newspaper. Newspapers are great sources of local, regional, national, and worldly news. Some are better than others, but newspapers offer reasonably updated information on politics, sports, fashion, food, and a diversity of other interests. Try to make reading the newspaper one of your morning habits. A newspaper can be delivered to your doorstep before you even wake up, giving you few excuses to use it as a valuable resource in your pursuit of knowledge. Most newspaper publishers offer online subscriptions at a lower cost. If you prefer to receive your information digitally, then you should consider one of the many newspapers available to you at a click of a button. If you work for a company, they usually subscribe to the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, or the Washington Post. Take advantage of this freebie and gain knowledge while at work. 3. Browse through a magazine. Go to a bookstore and you will find several rows of unending magazines lined up for your perusal. Magazines are everywhere and cover every topic. Although you might not want to subscribe to a magazine service like Publisher’s Clearing House, there are numerous other options available. Pick up a magazine at the local grocery store while your family shops for food. Nobody ever got escorted out of a supermarket for standing in front of the magazine rack for thirty minutes. When you are at a doctor, dentist, or automobile appointment, take advantage of all the popular magazines available to you in their waiting rooms. Usually they have Time, Newsweek, and some entertainment magazines for you to read while you wait. 4. Sit down and peruse a journal. Journals typically provide academic research that are longer than magazine articles and use extensive citations. A journal contains very specific information about one particular discipline. Compared to books, newspapers, and magazines, journals are more difficult to access and are more expensive, but provide more detailed and proven information. If you prefer the academic nature of a journal, then join a society that you are interested in like history, biology, or sociology. These societies fund journals and send them to members who are interested in the same fields of knowledge. Go to a university library where you can access hundreds of different journal titles on nearly any academic topic. 5. Socialize with friends, colleagues, and professionals. The more people you come into contact with, the higher possibility to engage in intelligent and informative conversations where you can gain additional knowledge. Since people enjoy informative yet casual conversations on interesting topics, we tend to retain this knowledge better. Cultivate friendships with intelligent, educated, and experienced people. These friendships will produce stimulating conversations on a variety of topics exposing you to new ideas, perspectives, and understandings. Try to meet up for coffee or tea once a week and discuss anything new you learned or talk about current affairs. 6. Purchase audiobooks. Although audiobooks are no substitution for reading, they do permit the listener to gain access to a wealth of general knowledge while performing other tasks like commuting to work or exercising. Audiobooks will also help to increase your vocabulary, a different way to process information, and the ability to achieve a higher level of understanding. Audiobooks often include commentary by the author, providing you with additional insight to how ideas formed for the book or reasoning behind certain scenes. This information will not only expand your general knowledge on the content of the book but also the writing process and author’s thoughts. You can buy, rent, or borrow audiobooks from a host of places. Instead of listening to music everywhere you go, try to substitute a good audiobook from time to time in your daily commute or exercise time. 7. Attend a seminar or conference. Listening to professionals conducting the seminar or conference will provide you the general knowledge presented a topic. This is important because the presenter is speaking professionally about the methods, approaches, and experiences they encountered while formulating an analysis that took several years to conduct and yield results. Although you attend a seminar or conference to listen to professional individuals, make sure you take notes. Listening will help you grasp the information while writing it down will help you to retain it. Listen for the main ideas of the presentation. All the details are fascinating, but for the sake of general knowledge, it is more important to understand the larger concepts and ideas being presented. 8. Join a book club or social group. Try to expand your experiences and friendships with people who are interested in doing the same thing. Discussing books, current events, history, or politics with others will force you to rely on your general knowledge and to synthesize new information. You can locate these clubs and organizations in many places such as online, the classified section of the newspaper, or through friends and family members. Joining new clubs and organizations allows you to meet and widen your circle of acquaintances, which will give you more opportunities to learn from people different from yourself. People tend to read and write about things they enjoy. Joining a book club, for instance, encourages you to engage in something you normally wouldn’t, like reading a book that is outside of your interests. 9. Watch television. By now, television is one of the most widely used sources to gain general knowledge. Although there is plenty of questionable viewing content on television, there is still plenty of newsworthy and entertaining programming available as a rich resource for information. Try to stay diverse in watching television by watching news programs such as CNN, public broadcasting (PBS), game shows (Jeopardy), and educational programming (National Geographic) with documentaries, films based on facts, and instructional programming (Food Network) to expand your general knowledge. Watching television is largely a passive exercise that does not require a lot of thinking. So, try to limit the number of hours sitting in front of the television. 10. Utilize search engines. Search engines like Google, Yahoo, and Bing enable you to find any answer to any question within seconds. Routinely use these internet sites to discover current news, trends, and topics of interests. Many of these search engines are one-stop shops for information. Not only can you search for current affairs with up-to-date information, you can also find out about entertainment, fashion, sports, and what is popularly trending on the internet. 11. Sign up for news alerts. Several news outlets that post updated information regularly often have a special notification system that you can subscribe to. Anytime news appears under a category that interests you, the alert will notify you on an electronic device like a cell phone, keeping you updated with current information. Some of the more popular news alert sites are Google and Fox News, along with BBC and AP News. 12. Play online games or programs that challenge your knowledge. Choose a game or program that involves learning new information, rules, or strategies. There are many online sites that offer crossword puzzles, trivia, and other games that will test your general knowledge. There are several websites that provide quizzes on general knowledge, current events, and history. Try taking one of these quizzes on a daily basis to test your general knowledge. 13. Register for an online class. Nowadays with the free flow of information, you can join a full-fledged university class online with little or no cost to you. Several top universities like MIT, Harvard, and Stanford provide top-of-the line courses in everything from philosophy to politics in MOOC (Massive Open Online Course) platforms. There are currently more than ten million people taking online MOOC classes. By joining, you will be able to communicate with people from all over the world. Taking a MOOC course will give you updated information on various specializations and the possibility of discovering new interests. MOOC’s provide an opportunity for you learn alongside a group of diverse professions and professionals for every corner of the globe. 14. Decide on a general education program. Nearly all universities and colleges offer a general education program or classes outside of an area of expertise that cover a broad range of topics and approaches. The material taught in general education courses focuses on interdisciplinary information so that you can gain knowledge and apply it to real life situations. If you decide to attend university, make sure you take classes in a variety of subjects to broaden your general knowledge. Taking a diversity of classes has shown to make an impact in job interviews, collaborating with colleagues, and contributing to a community. 15. Join clubs, organizations, and honoraries. College campuses offer many opportunities to join one or several different clubs in whatever you are interested in. Surrounding yourself with people of different backgrounds, ethnicities, and interests will only help you to gain more general knowledge. Extracurricular activities enhance and refresh your mind and body which, in turn, will increase your ability to immerse yourself with new knowledge. Search for other ways to expand your general knowledge by looking out for service projects, event planning, or writing a newsletter. These activities will help you to stay up to date on relevant information. 16. Interact with faculty and staff. Faculty knows how people learn, or at least they know more than most. It is not uncommon to find students in faculty offices during meeting hours to discuss lecture, assignments, or just about anything else. Make yourself one of those students who visit faculty during office hours. You will learn more than you ever imagined. Check your syllabus. That is where professors post their office hours for that semester. Or, you can usually find a schedule posted to their door or at the department assistant’s office. If you cannot meet during the assigned hours, call or email your professor to make an appointment during a different time.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Increase-Your-General-Knowledge", "language": "en"}
How to Start a Book Group	Book groups are a great way to share a love of good stories with others. Your group can be about any type of literature and can be made up of both friends and strangers. To start a group, you’ll need to find members by advertising your group through word-of-mouth, flyers, or online postings. Set up a time and meeting place that works well for everyone who wants to come. The key to a successful group is to have fun and share in a productive discussion. 1. Decide on what type of book you’ll read. Your book club can have a specialized focus, such as science fiction novels or poetry. Your group can also stay broad and feature a variety of groups. This is your group, so pick genres you enjoy reading. That way, you’ll be able to find members who share your interests. You don’t need to pick any specific books to read right now, but that may help you form a goal about what you want the group to be. 2. List special traits you want in group members. Most book groups are fairly diverse and stay open to strangers. If you want something different, that’s okay too. You may only want your friends, or you may want to start a women’s group. Think of these before you start forming the group. 3. Invite people you know to your group. The easiest way to start a group is to invite your friends. If you know any friends or family members that would work well in your group, ask them. Make sure they are interested in the kinds of books you want to read. A group of all friends can become very chatty, which can take away time from book discussion. 4. Ask strangers to come to your group. Reach out to people you see around town. People reading books in libraries or coffee shops may be interested in joining your group. You can look at their books and see what they’re interested in. While inviting strangers can seem difficult, they often make book groups better by bringing in new perspectives. 5. Tell everyone to recommend the group to others. Friends, family, and coworkers may not be right for your group, but they may know someone who is. People who decide to join your group may bring someone they know. Even strangers may have a recommendation for you. Generate group interest by word-of-mouth and you’ll find members you wouldn’t have reached otherwise. Say, “If you know anyone who would be interested in the group, let them know about it.” 6. Post advertisements around town. Print off some flyers from the group. These can be made at home or at a copy shop. Include a brief description of the group’s focus. Tell prospective members what type of book the group will focus on. Include your contact information. Post the flyers around town on community bulletin boards at schools, libraries, coffee shops, community centers, and other busy areas. If you have any special conditions for joining, such as gender or age, note that too. 7. Advertise your group online. Online is a good place for you to connect and keep in touch with anyone interested in your group. Create a group on Facebook or BigTent. Share the group on social media to generate interest. You may also post an advertisement in the community section of Craigslist or similar sites. 8. Find a location for your first meeting. Quiet, public places work well for a first meeting. Look into reserving space at a community center, library, church, or cafe. Work with the group members you’ve recruited to find a location. A good location is easy for everyone in the group to reach. Usually you’ll want to meet near where you placed your flyers. You can have the meeting in your home, but this may be awkward for people you don’t know well. Remember to contact public venues in advance and reserve space for your group. 9. Work together to come up with a good meeting time. Try to get as many of your group members to show up as possible. Think of a day you’re available and coordinate with your group members and the venue you chose. Everyone has different schedules, so you’ll need to stay open. Usually the weekends are ideal times, since many people are free from work or school. The ideal group size is about eight to 16 members. You need enough people to start a discussion, but too many people can make the group too busy. 10. Invite everyone weeks in advance. People will forget about the meeting, so give them a few reminders. If you can, collect contact information from interested members before you hold the first meeting. Call or email them an invitation two weeks in advance. A day or two before the meeting, send them another quick reminder. Your reminder can be a quick message saying, “Looking forward to meeting everyone Saturday!” 11. Get acquainted with everyone. You don’t have to discuss a book on the first day. Instead, it’s helpful to spend time getting to know your new group members. Have them introduce themselves and talk about their favorite books. Relax with icebreaker games, such as by placing questions in a hat and having people pick out questions to answer. Incorporating some book-based games is helpful. For example, you can have people extend the end of novels or guess who said a quote. 12. Come up with a group name. Come up with a unique name for your group. A good one makes your group feel official and helps members feel like they belong. Let all the members suggest names. 13. Plan out when your next meeting will be. Now is a perfect time to get some feedback on the group. Find out when everyone is available. Ask them if the time and location works well for them. Also discuss how often you want to meet. If you need to move the group to a new setting, such as someone’s house, make sure all the other members agree to it. As your group goes on, you can keep things fresh by alternating meeting areas. Everyone in the group can take turns hosting at their home, for example. Give people who normally live further away an opportunity to drive less. Stick to the schedule during future meetings. When everyone knows what to expect, they can get what they want out of the group. 14. Set up a reading schedule. If you haven’t picked out a first book yet, discuss this with your group. Come up with a perfect starter book, then figure out how much the members need to read for the next meeting. The right length depends on the book’s difficulty and when you’ll be meeting next. If your group meets a lot, you can limit the reading to a few chapters. Look ahead to make sure these chapters are easy to complete and are compelling enough to discuss. Ideas for books can come from group members, bestseller lists, or recommendations from other book clubs. Reassure the group members that they’re welcome even when they don’t finish the reading. They can still be part of the group and may still have something to contribute. Don’t be afraid to adapt the schedule as you go. Sometimes, you may need more discussion time on a previous reading. Consult your group members to come up with a plan. 15. Decide who will guide the next meeting. Many groups let the person who suggested the book lead the first discussion. As group leader, you’ll likely do this yourself at first. When you move on to new books, you can try taking turns. Don’t force anyone to lead but do try to spread the responsibility around to other group members. The leader should bring in a few questions or discussion topics. Starter questions don’t have to be complex. A simple one is, “So what did you think of the book?” 16. Establish a discussion schedule. Some groups are more socialization than discussion. Most groups benefit from having both. Remember what you want out of the group and make it known. You can set the tone by working with your group members to set up the schedule. You can limit socialization time to an hour, for example, before following up with book discussion. 17. Ask about refreshments. Food and drinks make everything better. If you’re meeting at a restaurant or cafe, you probably won’t need to bring anything. You may decide that everyone should bring a dish from home. You may also end up providing a light snack. Figure out what your group should have and who should bring it. It can be useful to have everyone bring a dish so one person isn’t stuck preparing all the food. You may also alternate who brings what by creating a schedule. 18. Write down notes on the book. As you read the book, jot down the parts that stand out to you. Mark important quotations, character developments, or other details. Include page numbers so everyone can find these parts again. Bring in your notes and use them to have a great group discussion. 19. Come up with questions. Asking people what they thought of the book is an acceptable starting question. Use your notes to come up with deeper questions or search online for discussion ideas. Write out a list of non-specific book questions in case discussion starts to stall Examples of non-specific questions include: "What was the book’s message?" "Who did you identify with?" "How did the characters change?" "Why did the author choose this title?" 20. Keep things moving when the discussion dies down. As the group leader, it’s your job to keep people engaged. Pay attention to when people seem unenthusiastic or don’t have much to say about a topic. Keeping up the energy level is important to making your group a success. People won’t come back if they feel bored. For example, ask the group about the book’s theme. If discussion is slow, say, “I thought what that character did embodied the theme” or “I really liked how the author expressed the theme by saying this.” Explain what the character did or what the author wrote. 21. Ask group members for questions. Open the floor up to the other members. Is there something about the book they want to ask? Get them involved and have them share their takes on the reading. An interesting discussion can happen because of a question you never thought of. Ask them “What did you think of this part?” or “Did anything confuse you about the reading?”	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Book-Group", "language": "en"}
How to Analyze an Article	Learning to analyze and think critically is a valuable skill. Not only will it help with schoolwork, but it will also allow you to judge the validity of news articles and conduct thoughtful research for the rest of your life. A good analysis requires a summary, annotation, and examination of an article and its writer. 1. Read the article once without writing anything down. The first reading should be used to learn concepts and gain a general grasp of the content. 2. Look up any terms or words that you are unclear about. If your article is technical, you should ensure you understand all the concepts before you begin to analyze. 3. Write a short three to four sentence summary of the article. If you are unable to do so, you may need to reread it for content. 4. Consider explaining the article aloud if that is easier than writing. If you can explain the outline and content of the article in non-technical language, you are ready to move on. 5. Make a photocopy of the article. You can also print out a copy. Unless you are very familiar with a note taking program like Evernote, you should do it by hand. Ensure you have page numbers, so that you can cite the article correctly in your analysis. 6. Read the article a second time to underscore thematic concepts. You will want to read more slowly and mark in the margins as you go. 7. Highlight the thesis of the article. This should be the main argument that the writer is making or trying to prove. Your analysis will refer back to this thesis frequently as you decide how successful the author was in convincing their audience. 8. Underline concepts that recur frequently throughout the article. Underline supporting points and make notes about them in the margins as you go along. If you are reading a scientific paper, look for methods, evidence, and results. This is the accepted structure of most scientific papers. 9. Make notes of any concepts that are not fully proven or explained. These annotations will save you time during the writing process. 10. Write the summary or abstract of the article. If you are writing an analysis essay, this can serve as your introduction. 11. Provide some cursory research about the writer of the article. Their qualifications will prove whether their opinions are part of an area of expertise. In historical articles, this will also establish whether the author is a primary or secondary source. State whether you believe the author could be guilty of a bias. In media-related articles, you should state whether the author was able to stay somewhat objective as they relayed news to the audience. 12. Establish the audience of the article. Decide if you believe the author catered well to the audience. For example, if the audience is the general public, but the author uses very technical terms, it may not be a convincing article. 13. Decide the purpose of the article. This may also be the thesis, or what the author is trying to prove. The author may propose questions and answer them later. 14. Answer how successfully the author proves the thesis. State examples, such as in-text citations, to outline particularly successful or failed arguments. Move through the article establishing how meaningful and cohesive their arguments were. Refer back to your annotations to find quotations or questions about the validity of an argument. 15. Compare the article to other articles on the same subject. If you have been asked to read more than one article, you can analyze one article in light of another. State which argument was more convincing and why. 16. Write any questions that were left unanswered. Decide if the author could have improved their article by providing more evidence or in-depth research on a topic. 17. Explain why the article matters to the reader and to the world in general. At this point, you should consider stating your opinion about the topic. Some classes ask for the reader's opinions, while others demand a very scientific critique. 18. Create a Works Cited page if you used citations in your article. Ask your teacher what style you should be using, such as MLA, Chicago, or APA.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Analyze-an-Article", "language": "en"}
How to Put a Picture in a Locket	Transferring a photo to a locket can be a little tricky, as the shape of the photo needs to match the locket hole. However, there are some smart solutions that are simple to implement, such as making a tracing paper template, photocopying the locket or transferring the locket shape by ink. Choose the method that works best for the type of locket you have, and soon you'll be pasting your photo in place with ease. 1. Open the locket. Lay it flat with the open side facing you. 2. Place a piece of tracing paper or regular paper over the photo recess. The inside of the locket should have a slight recess meant to hold the photo in place. Lay a piece of tracing paper over the locket so you can see the recessed part through the paper. If you don't have tracing paper, you can use tissue paper or any thin paper you can see through. Some lockets have a recess on both sides, so it can hold two photos, while others just have it on one side. 3. Use a pencil to trace around the recess. Lightly trace around the circular or ovular area where the photo will sit. Try not to crease the paper, since this will affect the size and shape of your tracing. 4. Cut out the tissue paper template. Now you have a template the exact size your photo will need to be to fit neatly into the locket. 5. Place the template over your chosen image. Position it so that the face or image you want to store in your locket is contained within the borders of the template. Use a pencil to lightly trace around the template onto the photo. 6. Cut out the photo to the same size as the template. Use a scissors or a craft knife to neatly cut the photo to the exact size of your template. 7. Glue the photo into the locket recess. Place a dab of glue on the back of the photo. Gently insert it into the locket. Press it lightly to ensure it stays in place. 8. Allow the glue dry before closing the locket. Once dried, the locket is ready to wear. 9. Take the locket with you to a copy center. If you work in a place that has a copy machine, you're in luck. Otherwise take it to a store where you can make a copy using a machine. This method is best used for a locket that lies flat when it is open. If your locket's hinge won't allow it to lie flat, you won't be able to make a good copy. If you have a scanner and printer at home, that will work just as well. 10. Open the locket and set it on the copy surface. Make sure it is lying flat on the surface. The inside of the locket should be facing down. 11. Make a copy. Be sure the copy machine settings are such that the copy is true to size (100 percent), rather than coming out smaller or larger than the actual locket. If you're using a scanner, scan the locket, open the image file on your computer, then print out the image. Make sure your scanner and printer settings allow you to print an image of the locket that's true to size (100 percent). 12. Cut out the shape of the photo recess. You should be able to see a faint outline of the photo recess inside the locket. Use a scissors or craft knife to carefully cut it out. You'll use this template to cut your photo down to the right size. 13. Place the template over your chosen image. Position it so that the face or image you want to store in your locket is contained within the borders of the template. Use a pencil to lightly trace around the template onto the photo. 14. Cut out the photo to the same size as the template. Use a scissors or a craft knife to neatly cut the photo to the exact size of your template. 15. Glue the photo into the locket recess. Place a dab of glue on the back of the photo. Gently insert it into the locket. Press it lightly to ensure it stays in place. 16. Allow the glue dry before closing the locket. Once dried, the locket is ready to wear. 17. Obtain either an ink pad or simple craft paint. A water soluble, washable ink or paint is best, since you'll be stamping your locket directly into it. If using craft paint, to spread it very thinly on a paper plate. Don't use this method if your locket is very valuable. Since you'll be getting ink or paint directly on the locket, there's a possibility that it could get damaged. You may want to test the ink or paint in an inconspicuous spot, like the inside of the locket. Put a dab in the center of the locket and see if it easily wipes off with a damp cloth. If not, use another method. 18. Open your locket and find the photo recess. This is the side of the locket with a slightly raised border. 19. Dip it into the ink or paint. Try not to get too much ink or paint on the locket; you only need enough to create a print of the photo recess. 20. Stamp your locket on a piece of paper. Place it carefully on the paper and lightly press down. When you lift the locket, an imprint of the inside edge should be on the paper. If this is not the case, repeat using more ink or paint. 21. Immediately wipe the ink or paint off the locket. It is best to do this quickly, before the substance dries. Use a paper towel dipped in warm water to wipe it away, then dry it with a towel. 22. Place the template over your chosen image. Position it so that the face or image you want to store in your locket is contained within the borders of the template. Use a pencil to lightly trace around the template onto the photo. 23. Cut out the photo to the same size as the template. Use a scissors or a craft knife to neatly cut the photo to the exact size of your template. 24. Glue the photo into the locket recess. Place a dab of glue on the back of the photo. Gently insert it into the locket. Press it lightly to ensure it stays in place. 25. Allow the glue dry before closing the locket. Once dried, the locket is ready to wear.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Put-a-Picture-in-a-Locket", "language": "en"}
How to Write a Response Paper	For a response paper, you must read a text, understand the point of the text, and determine what your own response to that point is. The response paper is more analytical than argumentative. Moreover, even though you need to write about your personal response, that response must be credible and not emotional. Keep reading to learn more about how to go about writing a response paper. 1. Take thorough notes. Highlighting the text as you read it is not sufficient. You need to take notes on the material, and those notes need to be in your own words. Highlighting draws your attention to words and passages you found significant in the text you read, but it does not allow you to record your initial thoughts regarding those passages. Take notes on a separate piece of paper. Include paraphrases and quotes taken from the passage as well as your own thoughts about the information you write down. 2. Develop your understanding of the reading by asking questions. Before you can build your own subjective opinion of the work, you need to understand the work for what it is. A response paper requires you to focus on your own interpretation of the text, but if you want to form a solid opinion, you need to have a basic understanding of the text itself. Questions worth asking include: What is the main issue that the author or creator is attempting to address? What stance does the author take on this issue? What is the author's main claim or point? Are there any assumptions the author makes in forming his or her claim? Are these assumptions valid or biased? What sort of evidence does the author offer in support of his or her point? What points of the argument are strong? What points of the argument are weak? What are some possible counterarguments to the claims or arguments made by the author? What, if anything, makes the main issue or author's main claim important? 3. Consider the work within a larger body of works, when appropriate. This step is not always needed, but if you are studying a work within a broader context of works—the works of the author, the works of contemporaries in the same field who address the same topic, and so on—comparing the object of your response to those other works can broaden your understanding of the work and how effective it is. Questions worth asking include: How does this work relate to others within a collection of works on the same topic, or with regards to another work on a similar topic written by a different author? Do the authors of comparable works agree or disagree? Do the authors of comparable works address the same part of the same issue or different aspects of it? Do they view the matter being discussed in a similar or different way? Does the author who wrote the piece you're responding to have past works that address the same topic? How has that author's views become stronger or weaker in comparison to past works? Does the information from one text strengthen or weaken the text you're responding to, and if so, how? 4. Do not drag your feet. The best time to start prewriting for your response paper is immediately after you finish reading the text so that the ideas are still fresh in your mind. If you cannot do any prewriting immediately after, at least do some as soon after as possible. Even if you think your ideas would benefit from simmering for a little while before performing a thorough analysis, you should still take the time to write down your initial reaction while it is fresh. In many ways, your initial reaction is the most honest. You can talk yourself into another reaction as time passes, and that other reaction may seem more “intellectual,” but your initial response was your true reaction to the text and should be kept in mind. 5. Ask yourself about your own reaction. A response paper is centered around your personal, subjective reaction to the text. You may have a general sense about how the text made you feel, but you need to analyze your own feelings regarding the work well enough to understand the underlying thoughts responsible for that feeling. Questions worth asking yourself include: How does the text relate to you personally, whether in the past, present, or future? How does the text relate to the human experience as a whole? Does the text agree or disagree with your worldview and sense of ethics? Did the text help you to learn about the topic or understand an opposing view? Were your opinions or previous assumptions challenged or confirmed? Does the text directly address topics that you care about or consider important? Was the text enjoyable or admirable for its genre? In other words, if the text was fictional, was it enjoyable as entertainment or art? If it was historical, was it admirable from the perspective of a historian? If it was philosophical, was it adequately logical? What is your overall reaction? Would you recommend the work to another person? As you progress through these questions, write your answers down. In addition to writing down your answers and reactions, also provide evidence from the text to support these answers. Evidence can be in the form of direct quotations and paraphrasing. 6. Determine which reactions are the strongest. While it is true that a response paper is personal and that there is no single “right” response to have, you must do more than simply state what your opinion about a work is. Your opinion must be supported with evidence from the text. Sort through your reactions and thoughts and home in on those that have the most textual support. There are multiple brainstorming techniques you can use to help you determine which ideas are strongest. Among these techniques, consider: Re-examining your notes Recording new ideas as they come Using pro/con analysis Raising questions about your reactions and using your notes from the text to answer them Comparing your reactions directly to your notes and determining which topics have the most overlap 7. Choose an area of focus or organizing argument. A response paper is not a traditional thesis essay, but you still need to choose an area or argument to focus the majority of the paper around. Depending on the requirements of the assignment, you may need to come up with one organizing argument or multiple arguments to discuss. Even when you have multiple points to bring up, however, they should still be somewhat connected to each other. A key difference between a traditional thesis and an organizing argument is that a thesis usually exists to prove a point, fact, or thought. An organizing argument demands that the writer analyze the reading in an ongoing manner. 8. Write your introduction. You should use your introduction to identify the major themes or ideas of the work and to state your reaction or reactions to these themes. For a four to five page paper, your introduction can extend to one or two paragraphs. For a shorter paper, though, restrict it to a short paragraph made up of three to five sentences. Introduce the work by describing how the work to which you are responding fits in within the broader topic it addresses. You could also introduce the work by explaining your own beliefs or assumptions about the topic the work agrees with before explaining how the work challenges or supports your beliefs. 9. Summarize the work. Your response paper should not focus on a summary of the work. There is some debate as to the proper length a summary should be for this type of paper, but as a general rule, the summary should only span half of the body paragraphs if not less. For a four to five page paper, this section should only take up about two to three paragraphs. Describe the content of the work and present the author's main arguments, especially as they affect your response. The summary should be somewhat analytical in nature instead of a strict retelling. As you present the details of the author's work and argument, you should use an analytical tone and discuss how well the author managed to get those points across. 10. Present and discuss your organizing argument. This is the point at which you must explain how you react, on an intellectual level, to the work you are responding to. You can include separate paragraphs explaining where you agree and where you disagree, or you can focus on agreement or disagreement alone, and write out as many paragraphs as needed to cover your response. Note that this response format is best to use when you are focusing on a single major theme or argument in a work. It does not work as well if you are discussing multiple ideas presented by a work. Back up your analysis with quotes and paraphrases. Make sure that each example is properly cited. If you took the time to find textual evidence to support your responses during the prewriting stage, this portion of your paper should be fairly easy. All you really need to do is arrange your argument in a coherent manner and write in the details of the support you have already gathered. 11. Write your conclusion. At this point, you need to restate your stance to the reader and briefly defend the significance of your stance. Even for a four to five page paper, you only need one standard paragraph to accomplish this. For a shorter paper, make this paragraph only three to five sentences long. State how this work has a broader effect on you and to the genre or community in which it is a part. 12. Write an introduction. Create a short paragraph that introduces the major themes and ideas you plan to respond to. Also state or briefly indicate your reaction to these themes. Your introduction can span one to two paragraphs for a four to five page paper, but for a short one to two page paper, keep the introduction down to a single short paragraph. You can either introduce the work by describing how it fits into the topic it addresses as a whole or by explaining how it impacts your own beliefs on the topic. By the end of the introduction, you should have mentioned your "thesis" or organizing argument. 13. Summarize and agree or disagree with one point. In the mixed response format, you should bring up one issue at a time and respond to each issue as it comes up. Your summary of the theme and how the text represents it should not take up more than one-third of the paragraph, and your response to it should fill up the rest. Note that this mixed response format is a better option when you have many loosely connected themes or ideas you want to react to instead of a single overarching one. This method allows you to weave your summary and analysis together more naturally and more cohesively. As you bring up a point or example from the text, address your own interpretation of that point directly following your mention of it. 14. Summarize and agree or disagree with a second point, and so on. When using this format, you should aim to have at least three points to summarize and respond to in single-paragraph form. Continue on as you did with your first point. As you summarize a point or argument from the original text, immediately follow it with your own intellectual response to the argument. 15. Wrap things up with a conclusion. Restate your stance or reactions to the text in a short paragraph. If desired or appropriate, explain why the matter is important overall. For a four to five page paper, your conclusion should be a standard size paragraph. For a shorter paper, keep this paragraph down to about three sentences. When appropriate, explain how the work has a widespread effect on the genre or community it fits into.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Write-a-Response-Paper", "language": "en"}
How to Clean a Sink Drain	A dirty sink drain can smell terrible and be unsanitary to use. If you want to maintain a good smelling and bacteria free drain, it's important that you keep the sink drain clean. Cleaning a sink drain can be much harder than cleaning a sink basin because it's difficult to reach with a traditional sponge. Luckily, there are methods that you can use to clean a regular sink drain or a garbage disposal drain using all-natural ingredients like lemon and vinegar. 1. Remove your drain cover. Remove any covers that are on top of your drain. If you have a pop-up drain stopper, turn the cover counter-clockwise to remove it from the drain. Eliminate any excess food that's left over from washing dishes or hair that's built up near the top of the drain. Empty out of the sink before you start cleaning the drain. 2. Flush your drain with boiling water. Boil a pot of water in a kettle and pour it down your drain before you get started. This initial flush will remove any smaller particles that have built up in the drain. 3. Pour 1/2 cup (110.40 g) of baking soda down the drain. Measure a 1/2 cup (110.40 g) of baking soda in a measuring cup. Slowly pour the powder down the drain. 4. Pour a 1/2 cup (118.29 ml) of white vinegar down the drain. Pour the vinegar on top of the baking soda to create the chemical reaction that should clean and sanitize your drain. The baking soda will start to fizz. 5. Allow the mixture in your drain to fizz for 10 minutes. Let the mixture to sit for 10 minutes, and the solution will work its way down your drain to remove potential clogs or buildup. 6. Flush your sink one last time with boiling water. Boil another pot of water and pour it down the sink to wash the remaining baking soda and vinegar in your sink. If you still smell the vinegar odor from the sink, you can flush it again with another pot of boiling water. 7. Cut a lemon into slices. Cut a piece of lemon into individual slices that are small enough to fit into each section of an icecube tray. 8. Put the slices into an icecube tray and top them with vinegar. Fill the ice cube tray with vinegar. The vinegar will help deodorize and sanitize your garbage disposal drain. It will also clean out crevices in your garbage disposal sink. 9. Allow the ice cubes to harden. Leave the tray in the freezer overnight and allow all of the ice cubes to harden. 10. Place the ice cubes in your garbage disposal. Break the ice cubes out of the tray and dump them into your garbage disposal drain. 11. Turn on your garbage disposal until you break up all the ice. Run cold water over the ice cubes and turn on your garbage disposal. The blades should break up the ice, and the citrus and vinegar should freshen up the smell and clean your drain. Once you're done, run cold water to rinse out the drain. Cold water hardens oils and grease so that the garbage disposal blade can break them up. 12. Keep grease, coffee grounds, and hair out of your drain. A common reason that drains become clogged is that you're putting the wrong things down them. Avoid putting food, hair, coffee grounds, or grease down your sink drain because it can cause clogs. If you need to dispose of oil, collect it in a glass jar after cooking and throw it away in the garbage. If you are shaving over the sink, you can line the basin with paper towels or grocery bags to catch the hair before it goes down your drain. 13. Rinse your drain with boiling water after you wash your dishes. If you do a deep cleaning of your sink basin or wash dishes in your sink, pour boiling water down the drain afterward. Doing this can prevent odors from forming in your drain. 14. Use a mesh screen or drain cover. Using a drain cover will prevent things from going the drain it which will allow you to clean it less frequently. If you don't have a drain cover, you can also get a mesh screen as an alternative. 15. Regularly pour bleach down the drain. Once or twice a week, pour bleach down the drain and let it sit overnight. This will help prevent bacteria buildup and odors inside of your drain. If you don't like the smell of bleach, you can sprinkle baking soda down the drain after you clean your dishes to absorb the foul scent.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Clean-a-Sink-Drain", "language": "en"}
How to Treat Gastritis Naturally	Pain and discomfort from gastritis can make it hard for you to get through your day, so you likely want fast relief. Gastritis is inflammation of your stomach lining, and it’s often caused by an H.pylori bacterial infection. However, you might also experience gastritis due to overuse of pain relievers, heavy alcohol consumption, or excess stress. You may have gastritis if you experience a gnawing, burning pain in your upper abdomen, along with nausea, vomiting, and a feeling of fullness. See your doctor if you experience these symptoms and they don't go away with home treatment. 1. Drink green tea to possibly lower H.pylori bacteria. While there’s no guarantee it will work, green tea may reduce the amount of H.pylori bacteria in your body so you can start to heal. Consume a cup of green tea daily while you’re experiencing gastritis symptoms. Then, continue to drink green tea once a week to help keep the bacteria under control. 2. Sip on a glass of cranberry juice to help suppress H.pylori bacteria. Like with green tea, cranberry juice may lower your H.pylori bacteria, though there’s no guarantee it will work for you. Choose 100% pure, unsweetened cranberry juice. Drink an 8 fl oz (240 mL) glass of juice daily until your symptoms improve. Then, enjoy a glass once a week to keep H.pylori bacteria from growing. Read the label on your juice to make sure it’s not mixed with other juices. Many cranberry juices are actually a blend of cranberry and other fruit juices, like grape or apple juice. 3. Consume ginger tea daily to help relieve your gastritis symptoms. Ginger is a common natural treatment for stomach discomfort, and it may help relieve gastritis symptoms. Ginger may also be effective against H.pylori. For an easy option, use bagged ginger tea to brew a mug of tea. If you want to make your own tea, chop up a piece of ginger, boil the pieces in 1 cup (240 mL) of water for 5-10 minutes, strain out the ginger, and let the tea cool until it’s comfortable to drink. Keep drinking ginger tea daily until your symptoms go away. 4. Take garlic extract to potentially lower H.pylori levels. Garlic extract may help lower your levels of H.pylori bacteria so you can recover from gastritis. Choose garlic extract supplements that are third-party verified. Then, take them daily as directed on the label until your symptoms improve. You can purchase garlic extract as a liquid or pill at a local drug store, health food store, or online. Check with your doctor before you take any supplements, including garlic. 5. Take probiotics to improve your digestive system. Probiotics are beneficial bacteria that help your body digest food and keep bad bacteria in check. Because they combat bad bacteria, probiotics may help control H.pylori bacteria that can cause your gastritis. Consume foods that contain probiotics every day. As another option, take a probiotic supplement. Foods that contain probiotics include yogurt with live active cultures, pickles, sauerkraut, kombucha, miso, tempeh, kimchi, kefir, and sourdough bread. Always check with your doctor before taking a supplement to make sure it's safe for you. 6. Chew DGL extract 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. Deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) is licorice with the chemical glycyrrhizin removed, as glycyrrhizin can cause side effects. DGL extract may protect your stomach lining from damage, which can help relieve your gastritis symptoms. Follow the directions on the bottle to use your supplement correctly. Typically, you'll chew 1-3 pills at a time either before or after a meal. Always check with your doctor before using a supplement. You can find DGL at a health food store, drug store, or online. 7. Use lemongrass, lemon verbena, or peppermint essential oil to fight H.pylori. Don’t ingest essential oils because they can be toxic. Instead, dilute your essential oil with a carrier oil by adding 2-3 drops of essential oil to 6 to 8 fl oz (180 to 240 mL) of almond oil, coconut oil, or jojoba oil. Then, massage it onto your stomach. As another option, put your chosen scent into an essential oil diffuser and breathe in the scent. If you like to take baths, you can add 4-5 drops of essential oil to your bath water. Make sure you use 100% pure, therapeutic grade essential oils. 8. Consume an antacid to neutralize your stomach acid. Excess stomach acid in your stomach can worsen or contribute to your gastritis symptoms. Fortunately, over-the-counter antacids can neutralize the acid in your stomach to relieve your pain. Read and follow the directions on your antacid so you’re using it correctly. Check with your doctor before using over-the-counter treatments, including antacids. You might experience side effects like diarrhea or constipation while taking antacids. 9. Try an acid blocker to lower stomach acid production so you can heal. Acid blockers, also called histamine (H-2) blockers, can reduce how much acid your stomach makes, which can allow your stomach lining to heal. Purchase an over-the-counter acid blocker from your local drug store or online. Read the label and follow the dosing instructions. You can purchase acid blockers under the names famotidine (Pepcid), ranitidine (Zantac, Tritec), cimetidine (Tagamet HB), and nizatidine (Axid AR). It’s best to check with your doctor before you take over-the-counter acid blockers. 10. Use a proton pump inhibitor to reduce acid and encourage healing. Proton pump inhibitors reduce the amount of acid your body produces and help your stomach lining heal. Buy an over-the-counter proton pump inhibitor and read the instructions on the label. Take the medication exactly as directed to help you heal. Look for proton pump inhibitors under the product names omeprazole (Prilosec), esomeprazole (Nexium), lansoprazole (Prevacid), dexlansoprazole (Dexilant), pantoprazole (Protonix), and rabeprazole (Aciphex). Check with your doctor before taking a proton pump inhibitor. Long-term use of proton pump inhibitors can increase your risk of fracturing your hip, wrists, or spine. Ask your doctor if taking a calcium supplement may help you minimize this risk. 11. Eat 6 small meals more frequently so you don’t get stuffed. Consuming a lot of food at once can worsen your gastritis symptoms because your stomach will be fuller. Cut the size of your meals in half but eat 6 times a day so you’re meeting your nutritional needs. To help you portion your meals, use a dessert plate and small cereal bowls instead of regular dishes. This might help you reduce your gastritis symptoms. For instance, you might eat 6 fluid ounces (180 mL) of yogurt for breakfast, carrots and hummus as a mid-morning meal, a side salad and tuna fish for lunch, string cheese and apple slices for a mid-afternoon snack, a bowl of soup for dinner, and 2 slices of toast with peanut butter as an evening snack. As an example, you might eat at 7:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m., 3:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m., and 8:00 p.m. If your symptoms don’t start improving, try reducing the size of your meals again to see if that helps. You might still be eating big meals. 12. Chew your food until it's totally liquefied. Swallowing big bites of food makes it harder on your digestive system, which might contribute to your gastritis symptoms. Instead, chew your food for longer so it's completely turned to mush. This may help your stomach digest it more easily so you're less likely to experience symptoms.Don't eat in a rush. Take your time to chew each individual bite. 13. Cut your trigger foods out of your diet. While there’s no special diet for gastritis, certain foods may worsen your symptoms. Identify which foods seem to trigger stomach pain, burning, nausea, and feelings of fullness. Then, eliminate these foods from your diet to potentially help your symptoms improve. The following foods are common triggers for gastritis symptoms: Spicy foods Acidic foods and beverages Fried foods Fatty foods Alcohol 14. Try an elimination diet to see if you have a food allergy. In some cases, a food allergy may be causing your gastritis. Removing the allergen from your diet may help your stomach lining heal. To find out if you may have a food allergy, remove common food allergens from your diet for at least 2-4 weeks. If your symptoms go away, add each food back one at a time to see if your symptoms return. Stop eating any foods that make your gastritis symptoms return. Common food allergens include gluten, dairy, eggs, citrus fruits, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, corn, and shellfish. Remove these foods from your diet to see if your symptoms go away. 15. Limit or eliminate your alcohol consumption. Alcohol can trigger gastritis, especially if you drink often. Abstain from alcohol until your symptoms go away completely. Then, limit how often you drink alcohol so you don’t trigger your symptoms to return. Generally, women of all ages and men 65 and older should stick to 1 serving of alcohol a day, while men under the age of 65 can drink up to 2 servings of alcohol daily. 16. Use acetaminophen (Tylenol) for pain relief instead of NSAIDs. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin may cause gastritis, so it’s best to avoid them while you’re recovering from your symptoms. Instead, take acetaminophen (Tylenol), as it’s gentler on your stomach. Just check with your doctor first to make sure over-the-counter pain relievers are right for you. 17. Manage your stress levels to help prevent flare-ups. Although stress is a normal part of life, too much stress can have a negative impact on your health. Incorporate stress relievers into your daily schedule to help manage your stress. You might try the following stress relievers: Go for a nature walk. Take a warm bath. Engage in a hobby. Talk to a friend. Write in a journal. Color in an adult coloring book. Do yoga. Meditate for 15-30 minutes. Play with your pet. 18. Stop smoking You probably know that smoking is bad for your health, but quitting can be very difficult. Unfortunately, cigarette smoke is an irritant that can inflame your stomach lining, which can trigger gastritis. Talk to your doctor about using quitting aids to stop smoking. Additionally, consider joining a support group to help you quit. You might be able to use quitting aids like gum, lozenges, patches, or prescription medication to help you quit. 19. Visit your doctor if you have gastritis for a week or longer. You may be able to treat your gastritis naturally. However, it’s best to get medical treatment if your symptoms aren’t improving. See your doctor if you have the following symptoms every day for at least a week: Pain or burning in your upper abdomen Nausea Vomiting Fullness in your upper abdomen after you eat 20. Take your antibiotic as directed if your doctor prescribes one. You may need an antibiotic to treat gastritis caused by H.pylori bacteria. Talk to your doctor to find out if you need an antibiotic. Then, take your antibiotic exactly as directed to treat your infection. Don’t stop taking your medication early, even if you start feeling better. Take all of your medication because your infection could come back stronger if you discontinue your antibiotic early. 21. Ask your doctor if NSAIDs or medication may be triggering your symptoms. NSAIDs like ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), and aspirin can irritate your stomach lining and cause gastritis. Additionally, certain medications may aggravate your stomach lining. Consult your doctor if your symptoms start after you take NSAIDs or if you’re worried your gastritis may be a side effect of a medication you’re taking. They may advise you to take a different over-the-counter pain reliever or might adjust your medication. Don’t stop taking a prescribed medication without your doctor’s approval. Your doctor gave you the medication for a reason, and you don’t want to accidentally compromise your health. 22. Get emergency medical care if you vomit up blood or have black stools. Try not to worry, but vomiting up blood or having black stools could be a sign of a more serious condition. Visit an emergency room or see your doctor for a same day appointment to find out what’s causing your symptoms. Then, follow your doctor’s treatment advice so you can start to recover. These are serious symptoms, so don’t wait to go to the doctor. You may have a serious medical condition.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Treat-Gastritis-Naturally", "language": "en"}
How to Sew Sleeves	Sewing sleeves onto a body piece may seem like a difficult process, but it is much easier than you might think. There are 2 basic methods for attaching sleeves: sewing sleeves flat and sewing set-in sleeves. If your garment is still in pieces, then sewing your sleeves flat may be your best option. If your garment’s body piece and sleeves are already sewn up, then you would need to use the set-in sleeves option. After you finish sewing your sleeves, don’t forget to hem the ends! 1. Sew the shoulder seams closed. The shoulder seams on your body piece need to be closed before you can sew a sleeve into place. Line up the correct sides of your body pieces so that the shoulder seams are even with each other. Then, pin the edges to secure them and sew along each of the pinned areas. Use your sewing machine to sew a straight stitch about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the raw edges of the fabric. Do not sew past the shoulder areas. Avoid sewing along the neckline or along the armhole openings. Otherwise, your garment will not function properly. 2. Leave the sides of your garment’s body piece open. These are the areas that run down the sides of your abdomen on the body piece. Leaving the sides open is necessary for the flat sewing method, so do not sew these areas yet. 3. Identify the center of your sleeve. Before pinning and sewing your sleeve to the body piece, it is helpful to identify the central point of the shoulder. This will help to ensure an even fit between your sleeve and shoulder point. Fold your sleeve in half lengthwise and use a piece of chalk to mark the center point (the folded area) of the sleeve at the shoulder. 4. Match up the edges of the armhole opening and sleeve. Open up your body piece so that the 2 pieces are spread out and the correct sides of the fabric pieces are facing up. Then, take 1 of your sleeves and turn it so that the correct side of the fabric is facing down towards the body piece. Line up the edges of the shoulder part of your sleeve with the shoulder of your body piece. 5. Pin the sleeve to the armhole opening. Pin along the edges of the sleeve’s shoulder area and armhole opening to secure them together. Make sure that the correct side of the sleeve’s fabric is facing the correct side of the body piece’s fabric. To ensure that the sleeve will be evenly distributed on the armhole opening, start pinning from the center of the shoulder. Identify the central point of your shoulder piece and pin this point to the shoulder seam on your body piece. Then, pin the rest of the sleeve to the armhole opening one side at a time. 6. Sew along the edges. After you have pinned the sleeve in place, take your pieces to the sewing machine and use your sewing machine to sew a straight stitch along the raw edges of the piece. Sew about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the raw edges of the fabric. Remove the pins as you go. Cut the excess threads after you finish sewing. 7. Repeat the identifying the center point, matching, pinning, and sewing steps for the other sleeve. It is necessary to sew both sleeves onto the garment before you sew up either of the sides. Otherwise, you will not be able to open up the garment all the way and lay it out flat. Repeat the last 4 steps for your next sleeve before moving on to the last 2 steps. 8. Turn the garment inside out and line up the edges. When the sleeve pieces are both attached, take the whole garment and turn it inside out. The seams you just sewed should all be visible. Then, line up the edges of the body piece and the edges of the sleeves so that they are even. 9. Pin the edges of the sides of the body piece and the bottom of the sleeves. Place pins along the sides of the body piece and along the bottom of both of the sleeves to secure them together. Having these pins in place will make it easier to keep the fabric lined up as you sew. 10. Sew along the bottom edges of the sleeve and along the sides of the shirt body. Use your sewing machine to sew a straight stitch along the bottom edges of the sleeves and the sides of the shirt body. Sew about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the raw edges of the fabric. Remove the pins as you sew. Cut the excess threads when you are finished. 11. Turn the body piece inside-out and slip the right-side-out sleeve in wrist-first. If your body piece is already intact and your sleeves are sewn up along the bottom edges as well, then you can attach the sleeves by matching up the seams of your sleeves and armhole openings. Turn the body piece inside out and leave the sleeves right-side out. Slip one of the sleeves through one of the armhole openings wrist first. Keep sliding the sleeve into the opening until the edges of the armhole opening and the shoulder area of the sleeve are aligned. 12. Pin the sleeve to your armhole opening. Identify the seam on the bottom edge of your sleeve and on the bottom edge of the armhole opening. Place a pin to secure the seams together. Then, pin around the rest of the sleeve and armhole opening to connect them. Make sure to distribute the fabric evenly and pin the fabric together so that the raw edges are facing each other. You may also pin the center point of the shoulder to the shoulder seam on the armhole opening for increased accuracy. Make sure that the correct sides of the fabric are facing each other and the raw edges are lined up. 13. Sew along the edges. When you have finished pinning your sleeve into place, use your sewing machine to sew a straight stitch around the edges of the sleeve and armhole opening to secure the pieces together. Sew about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the raw edges of the fabric. Remove the pins as you sew. Cut the excess threads when you are finished sewing. 14. Repeat the process for the other sleeve. After you finish attaching 1 sleeve using this process, you will still need to attach the other sleeve. Repeat the steps to attach the other sleeve to your body piece. 15. Fold over the edges of the sleeve. After your sleeves are attached, you may want to hem the ends of the sleeves. To do this, start by folding over the fabric at the ends of the sleeves into the sleeves by 0.5 inches (1.3 cm). Do this all the way around the sleeves to create the hem. 16. Fold the sleeve over to avoid a raw-edge hem. Make sure to fold the fabric into the sleeve so that the raw edges will be hidden. Remember that the raw edges are the cut edges of your fabric, and you usually would not want these to be visible. Double check to make sure your folded over fabric measures 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) as you pin it in place. 17. Pin the hem in place. Secure the fold you have made in each of the sleeves by placing pins through the fabric. Place a few pins around the edges of the sleeve to keep the ends folded. 18. Sew a straight stitch around the edges of the sleeve. To make the hem permanent, sew a straight stitch around the edges of the folded sleeve ends. Sew about halfway down the fold, or 0.25 inches (0.64 cm) from the folded edge of your sleeves. Remove the pins as you sew. Cut the excess threads when you finish sewing. 19. Repeat the process. After you finish hemming the first sleeve, you will need to sew the other one. Repeat this process for the other sleeve when you are finished with the first one.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Sew-Sleeves", "language": "en"}
How to Change Your Name on Gmail	This wikiHow teaches you how to change the name that displays when you send an email from Gmail. You can do this on both the desktop version of Gmail and the Gmail mobile app, though Google only permits you to change your name a maximum of three times every 90 days. You cannot change your email address. 1. Open Gmail. Go to https://www.gmail.com/ in your computer's web browser. This will open your Gmail inbox if you're logged in. If you aren't logged into Gmail, enter your email address and password when prompted. 2. Click the gear-shaped icon . It's in the top-right side of the Gmail inbox. A drop-down menu will appear. 3. Click Settings. This option is in the drop-down menu. Doing so opens the Settings page. 4. Click Accounts and Import. You'll find this tab at the top of the page. 5. Click edit info. It's across from the "Send mail as" section of the settings page. A pop-up menu will open. 6. Check the box next to the blank text field. This is the second box from the top. 7. Type in your preferred name. In the blank text field, type in the name you want to use. 8. Click Save Changes. It's at the bottom of the window. Doing so saves your name change and closes the window. 9. Open Gmail. Tap the Gmail app icon, which resembles a red "M" on a white background, to do so. If you're not logged into Gmail, you'll need to enter your email address and password when prompted. 10. Tap ☰. It's in the top-left corner of the screen. A pop-out menu will appear. 11. Scroll down and tap Settings. You'll find this option near the bottom of the pop-out menu. 12. Select your account. Tap the email address of the account for which you want to change the name. 13. Tap Manage your Google Account. It's near the top of the menu. On Android, tap . 14. Tap Personal info & privacy. You'll find this option near the top of the page. On Android, tap at the top of the screen. 15. Tap your current name. It's in the "Name" text box near the top of the page. 16. Enter your Google Account password. When prompted, type in the password for your email address, then tap . 17. Tap the "Edit" icon. It's a pencil-shaped icon to the right of your name. Doing so prompts a pop-up menu to appear. 18. Enter your new name. Type your preferred name into the "First" and/or "Last" text boxes. 19. Tap DONE. It's at the bottom of the pop-up window. 20. Tap CONFIRM when prompted. This will confirm that you both want to change your name and are aware that you can only change your name twice more in the next 90 days.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Change-Your-Name-on-Gmail", "language": "en"}
How to Grow Soybeans	Soybeans are an edible legume that are very nutritious, as they are high in protein, calcium, fiber, iron, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals. Soybeans are also very versatile, as they can be cooked, fermented, dried, and turned into products like milk, flour, tofu, and more. Soy is a huge crop for many commercial farmers, but it can also be grown in your own backyard as long as you get a good three to five months of warm weather. 1. Select the right type of seeds. There are thousands of different types of soybeans. If you want to eat your soybeans, make sure you have an edible, green variety. If you want to make soy milk or flour, find a yellow-seeded variety. If you are planning on drying the soybeans, get a black-seeded variety. 2. Pick the right soil. Choosing the right soil for your soy plants has many advantages, including that there will be fewer weeds, less erosion, and the right balance of nutrients and pH in the soil. This will produce healthier plants with better yields. The best type of soil for soybeans is well-draining loam that isn't packed too tightly. If you're working with soil that has a high clay content, you can make it more suitable for growing soy by mixing it with peat moss, sand, or mulch. 3. Plant at the right time. Soybean plants will generally produce the highest yields when the beans are planted in May, but the soil temperature is something you have to take into consideration as well. The ideal time to plan soybeans is two to three weeks after the last frost, when the soil warms to about 60 F (15.5 C) and the air to about 70 F (21 C). 4. Prepare the seedbed. Soy plants need a good balance of nutrients in the soil to grow properly. If there are too many or too few nutrients, the plants won’t grow properly. Therefore, it’s important to add a fertilizer to the soil if the area hasn’t been enriched in recent years. For soil that hasn’t been enriched recently, add aged manure or compost to the soil to add more nutrients to the seedbed before planting. 5. Inoculate the seed. One particular nutrient that soy plants require a lot of is nitrogen. The best way to ensure that they get what they need is to inoculate the beans with Bradyrhizobium japonicum, which is a nitrogen-fixing soil bacterium. To inoculate the beans, place the beans in a bucket and sprinkle them with the bacterium. Use a spade or small shovel to mix the beans and coat each one. Keep the seeds out of direct sunlight and plant them within 24 hours of inoculation. You can purchase Bradyrhizobium japonicum through catalogues, online, research institutions and/or in some gardening and farm supply stores. 6. Plant the seeds. Sow the soybeans 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) deep into the soil, and space the beans about 3 inches (7.6 cm) apart. Plant the beans in rows that are about 30 inches (76 cm) apart. Water the beans once they’ve been planted, but only until the soil is moist. Do not overwater newly planted beans, otherwise they may crack. 7. Keep rabbits away. Rabbits love soybean shoots, and will devastate your crop if you don’t protect the growing plants. To protect your crop from rabbits, put a fence around the perimeter of your garden. You can make a simple fence by driving a few stakes into the ground around the garden and attaching chicken wire to them. You can also purchase premade panels of garden fencing. Another method is to plant metal rings throughout the garden bed and cover them with horticultural fleece. 8. Thin out the soybean crops. Once the crops have sprouted a few inches, you should remove weaker plants to let the stronger plants flourish. To this, cut the weak seedlings at ground level; do not disturb their roots. The remaining plants should be spaced about 4-6 inches (10-15 cm) apart. 9. Weed the area regularly. Soybeans do not like to compete with weeds, and will quickly be choked out if there are lots of weeds growing in the same garden. Weed the garden bed often and pull out weeds with a spade or by hand. Once the plants establish themselves and get larger, you don’t have to worry about weeding so much, because the soy plants will choke out the weeds on their own. 10. Water. Soybeans typically only need additional water during three stages: when they are first growing and before they erupt from the soil, when they are developing pods, and when they're flowering. During these periods, make sure to water the plants frequently enough to keep the soil moist. 11. Harvest the pods. Soybeans start to mature in September, and are ready for harvest when the pods are green and the seeds become plump and fully grown. Be sure to harvest the beans before the pods turn yellow. To harvest, simply pick the entire pod off the plant. When the seeds are ready, the pods will be between two and three inches (five to eight cm) long. 12. Blanch and shock the pods. Fill a large pot with water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Fill another large pot halfway with water and fill the rest with ice. When the water comes to a boil, put the full pods into the water and boil them for five minutes. Then, remove them from the hot water with a slotted spoon and plunge them into the ice bath for five minutes. Once the pods have cooled, remove them from the cold water and place them on a clean towel. It’s important to blanch and shock the beans because you cannot properly digest raw soybeans. Blanching also makes it much easier to remove the beans from the pods. 13. Remove the beans from the pods. Take a cooled pod in your hands and gently pinch both ends. As you squeeze, the seams of the pod will open and the beans will pop out. Place the beans in a bowl and repeat until you’ve removed all the beans. Be careful when you're squeezing the pod, because the beans will shoot out! Compost the hulls. Soybean hulls contain a lot of nutrients, and you can reclaim them by composting the hulls and putting the nutrients back into the soil. 14. Use and store the beans. Once the soybeans have cooled, you can eat them immediately, use them in your favorite recipes, or store them for later use. The soybeans will keep in the fridge for about a week, or for storage up to a year, you can process them through: Freezing Canning Drying	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Soybeans", "language": "en"}
How to Avoid Sharks	Believe it or not, sharks are some of nature’s most misunderstood creatures. Though sharks are such efficient, deadly predators that they have remained nearly unchanged for hundreds of millions of years, shark attacks on humans kill only a few people a year — statistically, you're much more likely to be struck by lightning or to simply drown swimming at the beach. However, by using caution and common sense preventative techniques, it's possible to reduce your risk of a shark attack even further. Learn these simple tips today for a lifetime of safe swimming! 1. Obey all posted warnings at the beach. The single best thing you can do to avoid ever seeing a shark is to simply pay attention to any and all safety information at the beach. Heed any posted signs and listen to the instructions of authority figures like lifeguards, beach patrol personnel, and park rangers. If certain activities like diving, kayaking, surfing, and so on are prevented in the water, don't do them. These rules exist to keep you safe. Sometimes, authorities make the decision that the easiest way to protect beachgoers is to keep them out of the water entirely. Though it can be disappointing to go to the beach and learn that it's been closed, don't try to disobey these rules. Their goal is not to ruin your good time, but to save lives. Follow the news and online sources for shark sightings, and avoid locations where a shark has been recently spotted. 2. Avoid swimming at dawn, dusk, or night. Most sharks hunt at these times and are naturally more active and aggressive when hunting. Stay out of the water at these times to avoid encountering a shark when it is likely to be hungry and actively searching for food. In addition, you are at a big disadvantage in the water when it's dark out. Since you have close to zero visibility, you are unable to see any sharks that you do come across. On the other hand, since sharks' other senses are more powerful than ours, they can navigate very well in the dark. 3. Avoid swimming in cloudy or murky water. Just as lack of visibility during dawn, dusk, and nighttime can make you extra-vulnerable to shark attacks, so too can water conditions that limit your visibility. As noted above, sharks have powerful senses besides their vision that can lead them to prey even when it's hard for them to see. Since humans lack these senses, we're much more likely to be taken by surprise by sharks in low-visibility water. Give yourself the best possible chance to see danger coming by swimming only in clear, non-turbulent water. 4. Stay away from shark food sources. Sharks are more likely to be where easy sources of food are. To keep your chances of encountering a shark at a minimum, stay far away from these places. Areas with commercial fishing activity can be especially dangerous since fishermen sometimes use pieces of chopped up fish as bait, which can inadvertently attract sharks. In general, flocks of diving sea birds are a good indicator that there is food in the water. You'll also want to stay away from anywhere that nutrients, effluent, or waste products are discharged into the water (like, for instance, a sewage outlet that pours directly into the sea.) Not only is this likely to be a little healthier, but also safer, as the sharks are more likely to hang around such areas of water looking for food. If you are fishing, don't dump dead fish or fish pieces into the water. These make easy pickings for shark, which can detect blood at concentrations of as little as one part per million. 5. Stay near to the shore. Sharks that are big enough to pose a threat to humans generally stay in deeper waters off the coast. By staying in relatively shallow water and away from the "dropoff" area at the deep end of most beaches, you decrease the likelihood that you'll encounter a shark. Should you come across one, you'll still be able to get to safety on the shore easier. In addition, you'll want to avoid the areas between sand bars — sharks can sometimes make their way into these narrow channels. Obviously, it can be hard to stay out of deeper water if you're doing activities like surfing or kayaking. In these cases, be sure to take all of the other precautions in this article to stay safe. Avoid places like river and harbor mouths, where smaller, river fish get washed into the ocean and are targeted by sharks. 6. Never swim alone. When hunting, sharks are more likely to single out lone, isolated individuals for attacks than they are to go after a large group. While sharks are unlikely to go after humans in general, swimming in a group can improve your chances even further. Don't let yourself drift away from the people you're swimming with — stay a few paddle's reach away from each other at all times. This general rule isn't just a smart idea for deterring shark attacks — it's also a very important beach safety rule in general. Any swimmer, no matter how strong, may be vulnerable to drowning if he or she encounters unexpected currents or conditions. Swimming in groups (with at least one person on the shore at all times watching the swimmers) can save lives. 7. Avoid making yourself look like shark prey. As noted above, sharks don't naturally hunt for humans as a food source, opting instead for local fish and other underwater wildlife. However, in rare cases, sharks may mistake human swimmers for animals that they naturally prey on, like fish, seals, and sea lions. Luckily, by being careful about what you wear, it's possible to avoid this confusion. See below: Sharks are thought to be attracted to some colors more than others. Bright colors seem to attract tropical sharks. Yellow is particularly attractive (some divers even call it "yum yum yellow"). It is thought that wearing mainly darker colors that don't contrast greatly with the underwater surroundings can help prevent shark attacks. This is true for fins as well. Don't wear shiny objects. Before swimming, take off any jewelry, watches, chains, gear, etc. that is metallic, shiny, reflective or glowing. It is thought that these can attract sharks by resembling the shiny scales of a fish. If possible, avoid surfboards. It is thought that sharks can confuse their streamlined shapes for a large fish or seal. 8. Keep your bodily fluids away from sharks. Sharks have very strong senses of smell (though not as strong as movies and TV may have made you believe.) Some sharks have such a powerful nose that they can detect a single drop of certain chemicals in an Olympic swimming pool. For this reason, you will want to avoid swimming in the open water when you are likely to "leak" any bodily fluids that the shark may be able to detect. See below: Stay out of the water if you have an open wound, especially one that is actively bleeding. Menstruating women should use caution. Don’t urinate, defecate, or vomit in the ocean. Stay out of the water if you are likely to need to do these things (for instance, if you are sick.) 9. Avoid excessive splashing or thrashing. While hunting, sharks are on the lookout for weak or wounded prey — the easier they are to catch, the better. To a shark, a human who is wildly splashing around in the water can look a little like a wounded animal. For this reason, especially when you're in deeper waters, you'll want to avoid frequent, animated splashing on the surface. If you're under the water, try to avoid violent, struggling movements as well, even if you're joking — this can also make you look like you're in distress. 10. Stay calm. Remember: shark attacks on humans are rare, so simply seeing a shark does not necessarily mean that it has targeted you. Chance meetings with sharks that are on the hunt for other food or simply swimming from point A to point B are perfectly possible. Don't react tensely or frantically to the sight of a shark unless you have to — as mentioned above, making wild movements and large splashes can attract its attention and make it think that you are a wounded animal. Instead, stay calm and focus on your immediate goal: getting out of the water quickly, quietly, and smoothly. Resist your natural instinct to make a mad dash to safety unless the shark is aggressively following you. If you are fishing in a small boat when you notice a shark, let any fish on the line go and move away. If you are diving at significant depths, surfacing quickly can be dangerous and should be used as a last resort. Instead, release any fish or bait you have with you and move laterally away from the shark. Exit the water at a reasonable pace once you are away from it. 11. Look for telltale warning signs of aggression. As you make your exit from the water, try to keep an eye on the shark if possible. Watch its body language — aggressive sharks tend to act noticeably different from non-aggressive ones. If you see the following signs, move more quickly as you try to get out of the water and get ready to defend yourself if necessary. Movements that indicate a shark might be ready to attack include: Making quick, sharp turns while swimming. "Hunching" or arching the back. Circling, especially if the circles get tighter Charging Lowering the dorsal fin (the one on the back) Rubbing the belly against the sea floor Showing other sudden or erratic movements. 12. If an attack seems likely, adopt a defensive position. In the very unlikely event that you are attacked by a shark, you will almost always fare better if the shark is not able to take you by surprise. If you see the signs of aggression listed above, keep your eyes on the shark and make an effort to use even, steady movements as you continue making an exit from the water. If you have anything you can use to defend yourself, grab hold of it. If you can, put your back to a reef, wall or another object to limit the shark's angles of attack. Most importantly, get ready to fight back. If you are near other people, it's also crucial to call out to them for several reasons. Not only will this notify them of the danger and give them a chance to themselves — it can also help you. Statistically, there are few cases of rescuers being attacked when helping someone else get away from a shark. It's thought that suddenly encountering a second person in the water can spook a shark enough to make it run away. 13. If attacked, fight! Playing dead once a shark makes a decision to attack will do you no favors. This can make the shark think that you're defeated, which is what it wants, and may encourage more bites. On the other hand, if you make yourself appear strong and dangerous, the shark may go off to find easier prey. Remember: sharks aren't usually used to prey that puts up a serious fight — the majority would be much happier chasing an easy fish than a human who's willing to punch, kick, and gouge. Try to strike the shark's eyes and gills with whatever you have. These areas are the most vulnerable, pain-sensitive parts of a shark. Punch and claw at them repeatedly until the shark lets you go. Contrary to popular myth, the nose is not as good of a target as the eyes and gills. It's less sensitive to pain and is also right next to the mouth, which is the last thing you want to stick your hand into. If you're diving, use any tools you have, like a diving knife or even a spare tank to hit the shark. The goal is to convince the shark that attacking you is more trouble than it is worth. Giving up will just make the shark's job easier. 14. Get out of the water and assess your situation. As soon as you can after a shark attack, get out of the water and stay out, even if you don't think you have any injuries. The adrenaline pumping through your body may make it difficult to judge how hurt you are at first. Getting out of the water (and staying out) doesn't just keep you out of the shark's reach, but also gives you a chance to determine what to do next with a reasonably level head. Get medical attention for any injuries immediately, even if they don't seem serious. This is extra important if you are bleeding — since it is more difficult for your body to stop bleeding underwater, you may already have lost a significant amount of blood. Don't get back in the water even if the shark seems to have left and you have no injuries. The only reason to get back in the water (provided you are uninjured) is to save them from a shark attack — as mentioned above, some sharks may flee when dealing with a group of people, rather than just one. 15. Don’t ever bother or harass sharks. This advice should go without saying. Almost any animal that is taunted, harassed, or chased will eventually defend itself. Sharks are no exception, though their deadly predatory capabilities make the consequences for mistakes much higher than with most animals. If you do see a shark, exit the water and leave it alone. do anything to provoke a shark, even if you think you are in a safe location, like on a boat. Accidents can still happen.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Sharks", "language": "en"}
How to Prepare for Economic Collapse	An economic collapse means a breakdown of the national economy. It would be characterized by a long-term downturn in economic activity, increased poverty and a disruption of the social order, including protests, riots and possibly violence. In some cases, this collapse would be akin to a deep recession, with society still functioning basically as normal (just with more poverty). However, it could be much worse. You should prepare for the worst, but adjust your actions to the actual severity of the collapse. You can prepare for an economic collapse by preparing financially, stocking up on the essentials, and monitoring the economic indicators. 1. Start an emergency fund. If you are living paycheck to paycheck and you lose your job during an economic collapse, you are at risk for losing your home and living in poverty. It won’t be easy to find another job and replace your income. Your goal should be to save up enough to cover six months of expenses in your emergency fund. If you are trying to get out of debt, save up an emergency fund of $1,000 and then apply all of your extra income to your debt. Once your debt is paid off, you can divert more money into your emergency fund. Keep your emergency fund separate from your checking account so that you are not tempted to use the money. Put it in a low-risk, interest-bearing account such as a savings account, money market account or certificate of deposit (CD). On the other hand, a complete economic collapse would leave you unable to access your bank account, because of the crash of the financial system. Additionally, your money may become useless or extremely devalued. Consider stocking other commodities that you could barter with in an economic collapse, like alcohol, precious metals (gold and silver), and fuel. 2. Have cash on hand. Depending on where you have it, money in your emergency fund might be hard to liquidate. Bonds, for example, must be sold, and other investments like CD’s might charge fees for early withdrawal. Also, if you have a savings account with an online bank instead of a brick-and-mortar institution, it might take several days to withdraw your money. It’s important to have cash that you can access easily, either from a savings account or a cash box in your home. This can tide you over in an emergency until you can access money in your emergency fund. 3. Generate an additional source of income. Start a home business as a second source of income. If you lose your job because of an economic collapse, it might be difficult or even impossible to find another job. Having an alternative source of income can help you to keep your home and avoid poverty. Choose your business idea based on skills that you have and things that you enjoy doing. In addition, think about how likely it will be that people will require these services in an economic collapse; people may need basic necessities like clean water or food more than they need an interior decorator. Provide services to people in their homes, such as house cleaning, home organization, meal preparation, or interior decorating. Sell goods you produce, such as baked goods, custom clothing or jewelry. 4. Get out of debt. In a financial collapse, many people are going to lose their jobs and their homes. To prepare for this possibility, you should make a plan to get out of debt as quickly as possible. This way, if you do lose your job, you don’t have to worry about finding a way to pay these bills. The worst kind of debt to have is credit card debt. Because of the high interest rates that many people have, carrying a balance on a credit card can cost you a great deal of money. Create a budget in order to track your income and expenses. Make a plan to have a surplus of money left over at the end of the month to apply towards your debt. This means reducing your expenses and possibly finding additional work to supplement your income. Organize your debt so you can make a plan to pay it off. You can choose from a few different methods for planning how to pay off your debt. Whichever method you choose, it is important to stick with it. One method is to order your debts from smallest to biggest, regardless of the interest rate, and pay off the smallest debts first. This helps you build momentum. Another method is laddering, which means paying off the debt with the highest interest rates first. This makes the most sense mathematically because it reduces the amount of interest expense you pay in the long-term. That said, in a true economic collapse, your creditors would likely have other things to worry about than just finding you and recovering your debts. Additionally, currency may be greatly devalued or completely useless, meaning that the amount stated on your debt balance would be equally depressed or meaningless. 5. Store emergency water. In the event of an economic collapse, it is possible that your power and water supply might be interrupted, or that you will not be able to pay for these things. You will need a supply of clean water for drinking, cooking and hygiene. You can purchase bottles of water or store water in your own containers. If you run out of water, you can take steps to sanitize contaminated water. Store at least one gallon of water per person for a minimum of three days or for up to two weeks. Don’t forget to include pets in this equation. If you are storing water in your own containers, wash them first with dish soap and water and sanitize them with a solution of 1 teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach to a quart of water. To make water safe, you can boil it and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel or coffee filter 6. Stockpile food. The kind of food you store up for an emergency is different from the groceries you purchase each week. You need to get food that is non-perishable, does not have to be refrigerated and will provide you with the nutrition you need to survive. It may be very different from the food you are used to eating, but you will be glad you have it if you ever need it. Purchase food that does not have to be refrigerated or frozen so you don’t have to worry about power outages. These foods include canned goods, peanut butter and beef or turkey jerky. Include foods highly nutritious foods that are easy to store, such as dried foods, nuts, beans, canned meat and vegetables and powdered milk. For comfort foods, avoid snack foods that will quickly expire. Instead, stock up on spaghetti and spaghetti sauce, soups, sugar and honey for canning and baking, dried fruit, coffee and tea and hard candy. If necessary, stock pile baby food and formula. Don’t forget to include pet food if you have pets. Keep a manual can opener with your stockpile. 7. Start a garden. A garden allows you to continually have fresh, nutritious food to supplement your emergency food supply. Also, in an economic crisis the cost of living might skyrocket. Having a garden will help you to save money on your grocery bills. It will also allow you to be self-sufficient should a food shortage result from the financial collapse. If you don’t have a lot of space, consider starting a container garden. If you don’t have good soil, purchase humus soil or top soil. Add peat moss, composted manure and plant fertilizers. Choose vegetables and herbs that are easy to grow, including beans and peas, carrots, greens like lettuce, cabbage, spinach and kale, potatoes and sweet potatoes, squash, tomatoes, broccoli, berries and melons. 8. Create an emergency kit. This is a collection of household items you might need in an emergency. In the event of an economic collapse, you may not be able to shop for these supplies, so it’s important to have them on hand. Keep your supplies in a container that’s easy to carry in case you have to evacuate for some reason. Include an extra set of car keys, blankets, matches, a multi-use tool, maps of the area, a flashlight, a battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, extra batteries, matches and a cell phone and chargers. Have some household liquid bleach on hand for disinfecting. Make copies of all important documents, such as proof of address, deed/lease to home, passports, birth certificates and insurance policies. Have a list of family and emergency contact numbers. Include baby supplies such as baby food, formula, diapers and bottles. Remember pet supplies like food, collars, leashes and food bowls. 9. Gather first aid and medical supplies. You can purchase a first aid kit or put one together yourself. Either way, make sure it has all of the necessary supplies. Include personal items such as medications for yourself and members of your family. Check the kit regularly to make sure nobody has used any of the supplies. Also, check the expiration dates and replace expired items. Keep a first aid manual with your first aid kit. Include dressings and bandages, such as adhesive bandages in various sizes, sterile gauze pads and a gauze roll, adhesive tape, elastic bandages and sterile cotton balls. Add equipment and other supplies, like latex or non-latex gloves, instant cold packs, a thermometer, safety pins to fasten splints or bandages, tweezers, scissors and hand sanitizer. Have medicines for cuts and injuries, such as antiseptic solution like hydrogen peroxide, antibiotic ointment, calamine lotion for stings or poison ivy, hydrocortisone cream for itching and an eyewash solution. Include contact lens solution if necessary. Other medicines to have include pain and fever medicines like aspirin, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, antihistamines for allergies, decongestants for colds, anti-nausea medicine, anti-diarrhea medicine, antacids and laxatives. 10. Preserve meat and fish. In an economic collapse, food stores could become dangerously low. If you are going to stock up on meat and fish ahead of time, you will need to know how to cure it. This will allow it stay fresh and edible much longer. Also, it can be stored at room temperature. This will be helpful in the event of a power outage. 11. Salt cure meat. Salt curing means using salt to kill the microbes that would spoil it. For every 100 pounds of meat, you need 8 pounds of salt, 2 ounces of saltpeter and 3 pounds of sugar. Apply the cure mixture directly to the meat. For bacon, allow the meat to cure for 7 days per inch of thickness. For ham, leave the mixture on for a day and a half per pound. After curing, rub off the salt under running water and allow it to dry. If the outdoor temperature is expected to rise above 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you will need to allow the meat to cure in a meat locker. If the outdoor temperature is below freezing, allow an extra day for curing. 12. Smoke cure meat. Wood smoking meat not only adds flavor, but it also protects your meat from pests and spoilage. Cold smoking smokes the meat without cooking it. Hang the meat in a smoke house, light the fire and allow the meat to smoke for 10 to 20 hours. You can purchase a ready-made smoke house or plans to build your own. Use aromatic woods to add flavor, such as hickory, mesquite, apple, cherry, pear or cranberry-apple. Woods to avoid include all conifers, crape myrtle, hackberry, sycamore and holly. 13. Jerky meat. To make meat jerky, you can use a store-bought dehydrator. However, if you do not have one of those, you can do it in your oven by cooking it at a low temperature for several hours. Choose an inexpensive cut of meat, such as brisket. Trim the fat and slice thin strips against the grain. Season the meat with salt and pepper, and if desired, marinate it overnight with diluted barbecue sauce. Arrange the slices on a cooking grate, and put them in the oven at 170 degrees Fahrenheit for two to six hours. Line your oven with foil for easy cleanup. Prop the oven door open with a wooden spoon to allow air to circulate. Partially freeze meat before slicing to make it easier to slice. 14. Can fruits and vegetables. Canning involves heating food in a glass jar to remove the air and prevent spoilage. Choose from two methods to can food: water bath and pressure canning. The method you choose depends on the kind of food you want to can. Water bath canning is for jams, jellies and for acidic foods such as tomatoes, berries or cucumbers in vinegar. For main meal foods such as meat, beans and other vegetables, use pressure canning. To ensure safety, always use tried and true recipes. 15. Can with the water bath method. Gather a deep pot with a lid, a rack that fits into the pot, glass preserving jars, lids and bands and a jar lifter. Check the jars and lids for nicks and scratches which would prevent proper canning and allow spoilage to occur. Heat the jars in a pot of boiling water or in the dishwasher. Prepare your recipe and fill the hot jars with the food. Place the lids on the jars and immerse them in boiling water. Make sure the water covers the jars by 1 to 2 inches. Leave them in the water for the amount of time stated in the recipe. Remove the jars with a jar lifter and allow them to sit for 12 to 24 hours. The lids should not flex up and down when pressed. If they do flex or if you can easily remove the lid, then the jar did not seal properly. 16. Can with pressure canning. You will need a store-bought pressure canner. As with water bath canning, check the jars for nicks and scratches, and heat them in boiling water or the dishwasher. Prepare the food according to your recipe and fill hot jars with the food. Place the jars in the canner and lock it in place. Vent the steam according to the manufacturer’s directions. Process the jars at the recommended pounds pressure stated in your recipe. Adjust for altitude. When done, remove the jars, allow them to sit for 12 to 24 hours and check the seals. 17. Choose your shelter type. A standalone shelter is a separate building that is designed to withstand natural disasters or man-made weapons or attacks. An internal shelter is a room within your home that has been designed to protect you from the elements or other hazards. In an economic collapse, power systems may fail and looters and scavengers may threaten your home. Take precautions to protect yourself. 18. Create two sources of electricity. One source could be solar. Hook it up to your home and then run the system discretely underground. The second source might be an underground generator. You will use this in the event of a total loss of power. Keep your energy sources hidden underground to protect them. 19. Choose the size of your shelter. The size of your shelter depends on how many people you need to protect and the size of your food stockpile. An adult needs 10 cups of water and 1,200 calories per day. In addition, each adult needs 10 cubic feet of natural atmosphere to have enough air to breathe, so you will need an air system that lets in and filters fresh air. If you are planning to stay in the shelter long-term, invest now in making it large and comfortable enough for everyone. If it is only going to be a short-term living space, you don’t have to make it as comfortable. 20. Keep the location of your shelter secret. Protect yourself from others who were not prepared and may want to take what you have. Don’t let your neighbors see you creating a shelter. You can choose a remote location, but it may be difficult to access it later. If you choose to make a safe room in your home, create a secret entrance from within your house. This way others will not be alerted to your shelter. 21. Purchase self-defense tools. Self-defense tools are generally non-lethal. They are used to fend off an attack by rendering the attacker ineffective. You can use everyday objects, such as baseball bats or keys. But these may not be as effective as tools designed for your protection. Mace and pepper spray can be sprayed into an attacker’s face to give you time to get away. Hand-held stun guns deliver a large electrical shock to stun the attacker. Taser devices shoot two small probes a distance of up to 15 feet that transmit an electrical charge to the attacker. Sonic alarms create a loud noise to let others know that you are in trouble. 22. Set up an alarm system in your home. Wireless security systems are easy and inexpensive to install and maintain. Home alert alarm systems notify you if an intruder is approaching your home. Hidden cameras allow you to see internal and exterior areas in your home where an intruder may be present. Phone dialing alarms can be installed inside or outside your home and allow you to contact authorities with the push of a button. Child monitoring alarms notify you if your child goes beyond a certain perimeter of your home. 23. Purchase weapons. Weapons can be used for either self-defense or for hunting. A crossbow is easy to shoot and aim. It’s also quiet, so it doesn’t alert people or animals to your presence. A long-range rifle allows you to hunt game from a distance. A machete can clear brush or fend off a dangerous animal. A slingshot is good for hunting small animals. Have pistols on hand and teach others to shoot, reload, shoot from cover and work as a team for protection. If you plan to have lethal weapons, be sure to train everyone who has access to them in the proper use of these weapons. Stockpile appropriate ammunition and arrows for your weapons. 24. Gather necessary tools. Having the right tools on hand can make the difference between surviving and not surviving during any kind of disaster. You not only want to be able to protect your home, but you also need to be able to build anything you might need. Have a bolt-cutter on hand to cut through fences and wire. Picks, shovels, axes, chain saws and bow saws allow you dig and gather and cut wood. Rope and paracords are essential for assembling simple and complex survival systems. Tarps are necessary as ground covers or for weather-proofing. Stock pile nails and plywood for building and repairs. Keep large trash bags for waste disposal. Have gasoline for fuel or a fire starter. Get a propane stove for cooking. Have a fishing rod for catching fish. 25. Make sure everyone is aware of the situation. In order to prepare for economic collapse, you will have to make sure that your whole family is on board with your preparations. This means informing them in honest terms what is about to happen and telling them what they should be doing. Make sure everyone takes the situation seriously. Otherwise, they will not be mentally prepared in the event that economic collapse actually occurs. 26. Check that each family member is individually prepared. Inform each other family member of the steps you have taken to prepare your finances, essential supplies, food, and shelter. Instruct them on doing the same. Make sure each family member has also packed a bag of essentials that they can grab if they are forced to leave the house without notice. This bag should contain enough survival essentials to last between 72 hours and a week. 27. Train family members in survival skills. Your immediate family members should be aware of how to handle weapons safely, perform basic first aid, hunt or grow food, and maintain your shelter. If they don't already have these skills, take the time to instruct them thoroughly. You never know when you might have to depend on them. 28. Work with another family or group. In addition to your immediate family, consider including other family members, neighbors, or a community group (like a church group) in your preparations. Make sure that these are people who are reliable and will put in work for the benefit of the group. You will be safer and work more efficiently if you can increase the size of your group. 29. Monitor the financial markets. Calm markets tend to go up. But if the market gets choppy, meaning prices swing up and down considerably, it will likely decline. Don’t be fooled if he market soars for one day. Big ups and downs in the markets are a red flag signaling an overall decline. 30. Keep an eye on global 10 year bond yields. Global bonds are bonds that are issued in several countries at once by governments or large multi-national companies. When 10 year global bond yields drop, it is in indicator that investors are withdrawing their money to put it in safer investments. This happened before the financial crisis that happened in 2008. A significant drop in 10 year global bond yields means that investors think a financial crisis is coming. 31. Pay attention to oil prices. The fluctuation of oil prices has a macroeconomic impact. When oil prices increase, the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) goes up too. The GDP is a quantitative measure of the nation’s total activity. If it is increasing, then the value of goods and services is also going up. If periods of high oil prices signal good times for the world economy, then the opposite is also true. If oil prices are on the decline, expect the GDP and the financial markets to also decline. 32. Understand the relationship between inflation and economic growth. Economic growth tends to lead to inflation. As demand increases, prices are driven up and unemployment falls. As unemployment falls, wages increase. As wages increase, people spend more, which leads to inflation of prices. Conversely, when economic activity slows down, so does inflation. Therefore, if the price of goods and services slows dramatically, it could signal a major downturn in the economy. 33. Monitor the price of commercial commodities. Commercial commodities are goods exchanged during commerce, such as gold, lumber, beef or natural gas. Changes in the prices of commodities affect the United States economy and the value of the U.S. dollar. An increase in commodity prices is correlated with an increase in inflation. Increased inflation correlates with economic growth. However, if commodity prices drop, inflation slows, which indicates economic decline.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Prepare-for-Economic-Collapse", "language": "en"}
How to Become a Politician	If you're looking to truly make a difference in the world, becoming a politician may be your calling. In office, you could instigate change! How amazing would that feeling be? The path won't be easy -- and it definitely won't be short -- but it would be so worth it. You ready to make an impact? 1. Go to college. While really anyone can be a politician (depending on your definition of politician, of course), the ones that make a true dent in society and can call it a career have been to college. They likely studied economics, business, political science, or international relations. Though any degree is better than none! Many go on to law or business school. This isn't a hard-and-fast requirement, but it's definitely not a bad idea. If you want to be a big dog, it's wise, that's for certain. In the US Congress, 68 are currently either lawyers or businessmen. Just for the record. Back in the day, military experience was pretty common. It's definitely not a bad idea -- we're all pro people who support their country. But it is becoming less common and if you don't feel the pressure to fit the presidential mold, there's no shame in keeping your office job. 2. Volunteer. With volunteer experience on your resume, it's hard for someone to look at you and say, "That's not a trustworthy, good person." That would require a person who doesn't like puppies. To get votes, you need to show that you support good causes, you've put in the time, and you care about your community. The easiest way to do that? Volunteering. You could start by volunteering for a local campaign, but it's also a good idea to foster your interests outside the political arena, too. Join a non-profit, help the homeless, get involved with an organization you would support if you were in a position of power. Show the world just how well-rounded (and moral) you are. 3. Affiliate yourself with a political party. Running on the Jane/John party won't get you much attention (well, good attention at least). If you're serious about this politics thing, you need to affiliate yourself with a well-established political party. That way you'll get backing, you'll meet like-minded friends and cohorts, and in some cases, people will look at your label and assume you're good to go. Or don't. Whichever. That's what the Independent party is for. However, do note that running with this party and getting elected to office is like running up a hill blind with a Skip-Bo on your ankle, carrying a screaming monkey on your back. People like labels and they really like labels they think they understand. "Independent" isn't one of them, sadly. 4. Pay your dues on someone else's campaign. If you're blessed enough to know what you want to do at a young age, then a good way to make headway into this field is to work on someone else's campaign. It may be grunt work, but you'll get a sneak peek into what it's like and get a leg up on the whole networking thing. Which is super important, by the way. You may be knocking on doors, you may be stuffing pamphlets into boxes or putting stamps on envelopes, but you'll be doing something. It will give you an appreciation for these roles when you're at the top -- and a relatability people will admire, too. 5. Get active in your community. If no one knows you from Joe, it'll be hard for people to trust you with, well, anything. So get active locally! Be that one that everyone knows. The one that's involved in everything. You have a reputation to develop! A good place to start? Community meetings. Get on local school boards, city assemblies, and the like and make some noise. Be active. Starting at the bottom is the only way you'll work your way up. So go to your area's party headquarters, ask some questions, and grab a seat. 6. Have a flexible career. So while most big cheese politicians are businessmen or lawyers, the local and state ones are a different story. Your city's representatives could be grocery store owners, teachers, factory supervisors, anything. Since politics won't start paying you for probably another decade or two, get a career and get a flexible one -- unless you have ten years of money lying around. The flexible part here is important because there will be times when politics takes over. You have to take an afternoon off for a meeting, you have to take a week off for a convention, or you have to take six months off for your campaign. The more flexibility you have, the less you'll be sweating your finances in the long run. 7. Get passionate about something. Very few people become a politician simply on the idea that it looks like fun. While they may want to "change the world," they have a general idea of what needs changed. So before you throw your name in the ring, find something you want to get behind. Find something to motivate you. Get passionate. Do the conditions of your city's road irritate you to no end? Do you want to save the local hospital from being moved to a different area? Do you wish there were more allocated green space in your neighborhood? Great! You don't have to have the next best thing since the two-party system. All you need is a driving force for your platform and your reason to campaign. 8. Start local. While you could go from student body president to running for the President of the United States...you'd really just be asking for a hard time. If you want to go about it and be successful, you'll start small. In the US, you have a few options: School board City Council City mayor County supervisor 9. Check your bank balance. Okay, you've decided you want to run for office. Maybe it's mayor, maybe it's county supervisor, heck, maybe it's even state legislator. The bigger it is, the more money you're gonna need. Do you have some padding in there in case things go awry? What if your campaign comes up short and you have to foot some of the bill? What if you lose the election and your job isn't there when you get back? Will there be food on the table? Campaigns are expensive. Way more expensive than you realize before going into your first one. There's travel expenses, paying your team, marketing expenses, and schmoozing expenses, just to get the list started. Ideally these won't come from your pocket. Ideally. 10. Develop your campaign. Now for the fun stuff! You know, sort of. At least the adrenaline-packed stuff. You'll need to assemble a team of people you trust to run it for you, but you need to develop it. How do you want to go about getting the word out there? How big should your team even be? What issues will you be pushing? How will you handle your opponents? Three words: Start. Raising. Funds. Start raising funds now. Hit up everyone you know for donations (you've been nice to them because you knew this was coming, right?). Even if you met them once and they're not even your Facebook friend, hit 'em up. No shame! 11. Lean on your (rich) friends. This is one of those times when belonging to one of those posh country clubs will really come in handy. You'll need the cash flow to keep on flowing and those $10 semi-annual donations from Aunt Marge aren't cutting it. You'd need thousands of those. So whether you were sipping on Pinot Grigio with the Gateses or serving it, know where your bread is buttered. The unfortunate truth, really. This is why having been a name for a while is especially helpful. The right people might notice you and have decided that you show political promise. That's why it's a good idea to get involved with one of the major parties -- it's a solid platform for grabbing attention. 12. Get state-wide. Once you've dominated your local pond, you'll probably look for some bigger fish to fry. So go state-wide! Be a legislator -- get involved in the Congress or the Senate. You've proven you have the chops, so might as well make some money with it! This is a lot of the same, just on a bigger level. And with a bigger level comes more scrutiny. And more money. Generally, more of everything. Definitely more time. And because of the "more time" thing, make sure you talk this over with your family and those who you're close with. Your life will not be the same and you will not be as accessible. You may be on the road quite a bit and you may be very stressed because of it. But hopefully it'll be worth it! 13. Soldier on. If you are successful, and if you do end up getting elected, for starters, congratulations! It's gonna be stressful and it's gonna make your hair turn gray prematurely, but you'll be making a difference! And if you're not successful, don't be dissuaded. If this is something you're truly passionate about, your time will come.You gotta keep your head up and not take this personally. It's a fierce world out there and you wouldn't have it any other way. If it were easy, it wouldn't mean as much. So keep calm and carry on. There's always next cycle! 14. Be a fantastic public speaker If there's just one skill you have, it should be public speaking. Your face, your voice, you is gonna be in the limelight at least until the election is over. People are going to be watching you and analyzing your every move. If you can convince them with your winning smile, calm demeanor, and persuasiveness that you're qualified for the job, it'll be smooth sailing. The most obvious examples are Barack Obama and JFK. When Barack steps up to the podium, his charisma just oozes out of him. His public speaking skills got him to where he is today. And then there's the famous JFK/Nixon debate, where JFK was so calm, cool, and collected that he made the nervous, twitchy Nixon look like a joke. So brush up! 15. Have the wardrobe. So while JFK schooled Nixon because of his charisma, it didn't hurt that he was 100x better looking and more put together. If you're gonna be in the public eye, you gotta look the part. That means ties, suits, and that wonderful pair of I'm-just-like-you khakis. And the shoes! Don't forget the shoes. You'll generally need two looks: the nice, fancy suit for your more formal functions and then the rolled-up Oxford and khakis when you're talking in the town hall. This goes for men and women, though a women's suit could either be a skirt or pants. 16. Solidify your views. If you expect people to vote for you, you gotta have your views and your views down pat. None of this wishy-washy flip-flopping -- or you'll be called on it faster than you can say "John Edwards." Hopefully you figured these out pre-campaign (though in the realm of politics, changes of heart aren't exactly uncommon). You'll probably be encouraged to align your views with the majority. There is no book that says you have to do this. Your team may want you to, but you don't have to do a damn thing. It can get you votes, but what's gonna happen when bill-passing time rolls around? Hope the Catholic guilt doesn't get to you? 17. Be comfortable with the media and their antics. Once you're a politician, you're basically signing off on your privacy. You're the closest thing to a movie star there is. Your image will be plastered everywhere from buses to the Daily Show. And it won't always be nice. So while it's gonna be hard handling the constant photo ops and always faking a smile, it's gonna be harder handling the criticism. Can you take it? The association between politicians and scandals is so ridiculous it's almost funny. If you're running for office, expect to have to face that everything from your dishonorable discharge in the military to that appealed DUI charge to a speeding ticket from 27 years ago. If it's the slightest bit juicy, it could come back to haunt you. 18. Get tough. This is not a career for the faint of heart. It's gonna involve late nights, name calling, begging, brown-nosing, and lots and lots of putting up with the trivial. There will be times when you'll feel on top of the world and there will be times when you'll feel like it's on top of you. You gotta have a thick skin and an impermeable sense of confidence. You ready? This could be tough on your loved ones, too. Bristol Palin, anyone? So while this may be your dream, make sure you're looking out for them, too. You'll need them when it feels like the weight of the world is on your shoulders.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-Politician", "language": "en"}
How to Dye a Nylon Jacket	Nylon is a dyeable synthetic material, so dyeing a nylon jacket is a fairly straightforward procedure. Once you gather your materials, all you need to do is prepare the dye bath and soak the jacket in it until the material picks up the new color. Although the procedure is simple, preparing properly and taking appropriate precautions can help your dyeing experience go smoothly. 1. Check the jacket material. The tag or label on your jacket should state the materials it is made from and their relative proportions. A jacket that is 100% nylon should be relatively easy to dye, but if it is made from a synthetic blend that includes other materials (such as polyester or acetate, for example), then it may be more difficult to get the dye to stay.] Even if the jacket is made of a nylon blend, it will usually accept the dye if at least 60 percent of the jacket is made of nylon. Nylon blends are still dyeable as long as the other materials will also accept dye; examples include cotton, linen, silk, wool, ramie, and rayon. Some nylon is treated or coated for durability or stain/water resistance; this can prevent the material from accepting dye, so check the jacket label for this information, as well. 2. Consider the jacket's color. Even if your jacket is made of easily dyeable materials, its original color will significantly impact your coloring options. You should be able to dye a white or light grey jacket without much trouble, but if the jacket is another color then you might have some difficulty, especially if that color is already dark or intense. A white or off-white jacket will be easiest to dye, but you might also be able to dye over a light pastel color like a baby blue, soft pink, or buttercup yellow. Be aware, however, that the current color will alter the final appearance of the dye. If you do attempt to dye a jacket that is already colored, make sure your dye is bright or dark in order to cover up the old color. 3. Choose the right dye. Most standard chemical dyes can dye nylon, but you should make sure the one you choose will do this before you buy it. Most dyes will include information on the packaging about compatible materials; if you don't find this, check the manufacturer website. Standard Rit dye works on both natural and synthetic fibers, but some brands have separate formulas for each type of material. Always read the manufacturer’s instructions to verify that the procedure is doable for your particular jacket. If the manufacturer's instructions differ from those described here, follow the manufacturer. Many (though not all) fabric dyes come in powder form and must be mixed with water for dyeing. 4. Protect your workspace. Dyeing is a very messy process and may stain certain surfaces. Protect the entire work area you plan to use by covering it with newspaper, plastic sheets, or some other drape or material that will not soak through if it becomes wet. Keep clean paper towels, a household surface cleaner, and a source of clean water nearby. If any dye splashes where it shouldn't, you can use these to clean it off before it sets in. Make sure to also protect your own clothing and skin by wearing rubber gloves, an apron or coveralls, and safety goggles. Even with all this protective gear, it is best to wear clothes you won't mind getting stained. 5. Remove jacket accessories. Anything that can be easily removed from your jacket and that you do not want to dye should be taken off prior to dyeing. For example, if your jacket has a zip-out liner that you don't need to color, take it out. The same goes for detachable hoods, zipper pulls, etc. This will help ensure that you don't use up any of the dye on parts of your jacket that won't be seen or which you want to remain their original color. If any removable parts of your jacket are black, take these off whether or not you wish to dye them -- dye will not show up on black nylon, anyway. Check your jacket pockets for any items that may have mistakenly be left inside. You don't want to end up with the melted remains of a cough drop or lip balm coating the inside of your pocket! 6. Soak your jacket. Immediately before you plan to dye it, completely submerge your jacket in warm water. This is recommended because wet fibers will absorb dye more evenly and thoroughly, resulting in a more professional-looking color job. Use a large bucket or deep sink for this task. Smooth out any wrinkles in the jacket material once you remove it from the water. This will help ensure that the dye evenly coats all surfaces of the jacket once you begin the dyeing process. 7. Heat a large pot of water. Fill a large, stainless steel pot with enough water to completely submerge the jacket. Place it on a stovetop over medium heat and bring it to a simmer or very low boil. There must be plenty of room in the pot for the jacket to move around underneath the water. Otherwise, the nylon may absorb the dye unevenly. You will need roughly 3 gallons of water for each package of dye you intend to use (but see the dye package for instructions). Using less water will create a stronger color; using more water will dilute the color. Ideally, you should use a pot large enough to be roughly three-quarters full once you have added the desired amount of water. 8. Dissolve the dye separately. Fill a separate container with about 2 cups of hot water (or whatever amount is recommended by the dye manufacturer). Stir one packet of powdered dye into the water until the powder is completely dissolved. For liquid dye, you should still mix it, stirring until it is well-blended with the water. You should not put powdered or liquid dye directly onto the jacket material unless you are going for an "artistic" look with uneven coloring. 9. Mix in the dye. Pour the pre-dissolved dye into the pot of simmering water. Take a few moments to stir the concentrated dye into the water, allowing it to disperse evenly. This creates the "dye bath," and it is an important step for creating the most even coloring possible. If you do not have a pot big enough to hold the appropriate amount of water plus your jacket, you can pour the simmering water into a plastic bucket or tub before mixing in your dissolved dye. Do not use fiberglass or porcelain sinks or tubs for this, as they may stain. For best results, the dye bath should be kept warm (about 140 degrees Fahrenheit) during the dyeing process, so consider this fact when deciding whether to use a stovetop pot versus a separate container. 10. Add vinegar to the dye bath. Add 1 cup of distilled white vinegar per 3 gallons of dye bath. This helps the dye cling to the nylon fibers in the jacket and will produce a more intense result. If you don't have any vinegar, you can still dye your jacket. However, you may end up with a tint that isn't as deep as you could have otherwise achieved. 11. Submerge the jacket in the dye bath. Slowly and carefully lower the jacket into the simmering dye bath, pressing it down into the water until the entire thing is submerged and covered by dye. Let the jacket "cook" in the dye bath for up to one hour, stirring or agitating the jacket constantly. Don't just put the jacket in the pot and trust that it will sink itself; any air trapped under the jacket will make it float and result in uneven coloring. Use a large spoon or disposable chopsticks to press the jacket down into the dye bath. This will prevent you from getting burned by the hot water and will keep your hands from getting stained. Once the material is soaked thoroughly, the jacket should stay submerged beneath the dye bath surface. Keep stirring it around in the dye bath to ensure that all surfaces are evenly coated. Your jacket color will turn out brighter (or darker, depending on the color of dye) if you leave it in the dye bath longer. Note that the color will always look darker after soaking than it will when the process is completely finished. 12. Remove the jacket from the dye bath. Turn off the stove, then use two spoons or gloved hands to carefully lift the jacket out of the dye bath and into a stainless steel sink. Be sure to hold an old towel or plastic sheet underneath the jacket as you move it out of the pot to keep the dye bath water from dripping on the floor or countertop. It might be a good idea to take the pot to your laundry room sink and drop the jacket into that one instead of the one in your kitchen, especially if your kitchen sink is porcelain or fiberglass. If you don't have a sink or wash basin that can be used for this, take the entire pot (with the jacket still in it) outside and hold it over the ground before removing the jacket. 13. Rinse with hot water. Rinse the jacket under hot, running water, dropping its temperature gradually. This serves to get rid of excess dye. If you do not have a sink in your home you can do this in, a garden hose outside will suffice; however, you won't be able to use hot water. Rinse the jacket until the water running off of it is clear. Once the water runs clear, briefly rinse the jacket with very cold water; this helps to set the dye into the nylon fibers. Even though the excess dye should now be removed from your jacket, you should hold an old towel under the jacket while transporting it to ensure no tinted water drips on your floor. 14. Clean up the area. Carefully dump the dye bath down the drain of your laundry sink. It is best to avoid pouring all that dye down your kitchen or bathroom sink, especially if they are made of stainable materials (such as porcelain). Dispose of any towels or plastic sheets that got dye on them during the process (or set them aside for separate cleaning). If you don't have a laundry room sink, you can pour the dye bath into the floor drain of a cellar or basement. If you must pour the dye bath down a bathroom toilet or tub drain, you will need to then immediately clean the area with a bleach-based cleaner. If the dye dries, it'll likely create a permanent stain. If you dump your dye bath outside, make sure you flush the ground with plenty of clean water to dissipate the dye; don't do this on cement or gravel, as the dye will stain it, too! 15. Wash your jacket. Place the newly dyed jacket in your washing machine and wash it by itself with a normal amount detergent and cold water. This helps to further remove any excess dye and prepare your jacket to be worn without staining the clothing it touches. Be advised that unless your washing machine has a stainless steel drum, this process could permanently stain the inside of your machine. If you are concerned about this, hand-wash your jacket instead. After this first washing, you should be able to wear it. However, your jacket should still be washed on its own in cold water for the next two or three washes because some residual dye could still bleed off in the water. Always check your jacket tag before washing it and follow the manufacturer's care instructions. If your jacket is "hand-wash only," do not put it in the washing machine. 16. Dry the jacket. Toss the jacket into a dryer and tumble dry on low heat. Once the jacket is completely dry, it should be ready to wear. In order to further prevent potential dye bleed-off, dry the jacket by itself. Hang dry your jacket instead of machine drying it if the care tag says to do so. If you hang the jacket to dry, place an old towel beneath it to catch any dye that might drip off. 17. Replace detachable accessories. If you removed anything from your jacket before dyeing it (such as a hood, zipper pulls, or a jacket liner), you may now put those items back onto your jacket. At this point, there should be minimal risk of staining these accessory items by letting them touch and rub against the dyed jacket. If you are concerned that contact between your dyed jacket and an un-dyed accessory item could cause some coloring to rub off where it shouldn't, wait until you've washed the jacket a few times before replacing these items. 18. Swap out buttons and zippers if needed. If you don't like the match-up between your jacket's new color and the color of its buttons and zippers (which will not dye), you can swap out many of these objects to match the new color scheme. For example: Unstitch or carefully cut out the old zipper, then sew in a new zipper that measures the same length as the old one. Cut the thread holding any old buttons in place. Grab new buttons that match your newly dyed jacket and sew these buttons in the same places the old buttons were.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Dye-a-Nylon-Jacket", "language": "en"}
How to Get Into Yale	Yale University, a private university located in New Haven, Connecticut, was founded in 1701 and is an elite Ivy League school. Its total enrollment is generally less than 12,000 students. Yale receives many more applicants than the school is able to accept each year; it accepts just 6.3% of these applicants. This means the admissions process is very selective. You don't only need to make honor roll and show academic excellence, but you need to find something that makes you stand out from the crowd in order to be accepted. 1. Take AP or college prep courses if they are available. Challenge yourself with difficult college prep curriculum in high school. Because Yale is an Ivy League school, admissions officers look for students who have proven they can survive a heavy course load. Achieving high grades in easy courses will likely not be enough to get you into Yale, so load up on advanced placement and college prep courses to prove you stand out among your peers. If your high school offers unusual or unique courses not found in most high schools, take them. For example, if your high school offers an exotic language such as Japanese or Mandarin in addition to Spanish, French and German, choose Japanese or Mandarin. This will help you stand out. Don’t take “easy” or “blow off” electives. Getting a 4.0 in easy elective classes will not help you gain admission to Yale. So ditch the dodgeball class and take something a little more challenging. 2. Get good grades The first thing Yale will look at is your academic performance throughout your high school tenure. Maintaining a consistently high grade point average throughout high school is a critical step in applying for Yale. As an elite Ivy League school, Yale will examine your grade history from all four years of high school whereas less exclusive schools tend to weigh your performance in your junior and senior year more heavily. However, you should make sure that your senior course load reflects a rigorous program of study. Do not indulge in "senioritis." 3. Enroll in SAT or ACT prep courses. There are a number of programs and courses designed to help you prepare for the SAT and ACT. These courses can help you devise methods for studying and taking the exams that will help you achieve the highest score you possibly can. These courses or programs generally provide techniques designed to help you maximize your score on the ACT or SAT, like how to increase the speed with which you work through individual questions or how to eliminate clearly wrong choices when you don’t know the answer. Community centers and public schools sometimes offer these classes for free or at a reduced rate, so check in your area to see what options are available to you. SAT Subject Tests are recommended but not required for admissions to Yale. However, these tests are a great way to showcase your knowledge in a specific area and can help distinguish you from the rest of the pack. 4. Schedule your exam dates carefully. Be sure to pay close attention to the dates when you can take the ACT or SAT in your area and compare those dates to Yale's yearly application deadlines. This will help you plan out a schedule that maximizes your chances of scoring highly on a standardized test before you have to apply to Yale. The application deadline for Single-Choice Early Action applications -- where you agree to accept an offer of admission if it is made -- is November 1. The regular application deadline is January 1. If you are applying for regular admission, Yale recommends you take the SAT or ACT no later than December. 5. Consider taking the SAT or ACT multiple times. If you are worried about your score, consider taking the SAT or ACT more than once. Your score on these exams is a major component of your application package. However, Yale does suggest that you not retake the test if your score is already in the ballpark, since your time will be better spent strengthening other elements of your application. Yale does not have standardized test score cutoffs. However, the most recently enrolled freshman class had SAT scores ranging between 2130-2400 and ACT scores ranging between 32-36. Yale does not participate in “Score Choice” reporting on the SAT and ACT general exams. This means that you must submit all of your SAT and ACT general exams scores to Yale. On the SAT subject test, Yale does allow “Score Choice” reporting, meaning you can choose which scores you want to submit to the university on the SAT subjects test. While you can take these tests multiple times, there is little evidence to support the idea that your score will rise drastically after the second or third time you take the exams. Save yourself the time, money and headache by focusing on exam preparation in the beginning rather than trying to maximize the number of times you take the test. 6. Join an athletic team at your school. The Ivy League schools do not give out athletic scholarships to students. Still, engaging in athletics will help you to show Yale that you are more than just a bookworm. Playing high school sports while maintaining high grades demonstrates that you are a well-rounded individual who can balance multiple responsibilities. Also, if you excel in a sport in which Yale participates and your high school grades are above average, it is possible that Yale will “bend” some of the more stringent academic standards for admission to get desirable student-athletes to attend the school. While Yale is not known for its athletics program, the university has had some success in men's diving and swimming, golf, hockey and women's fencing. 7. Engage in student politics at your school. Getting involved in student government in your high school is a great way to show Yale that you are engaged in your academic environment and are ready to take on leadership roles within that environment. So run for class president, vice-president or treasurer. 8. Find a club or group at your school. While joining clubs and group activities in school are great extracurricular activities on a college application, nothing is more impressive than a young student taking the initiative to found a group or spearhead a student project. Identify areas where your school is lacking extracurricular activities and lobby your school’s administration to allow you to begin a new group. When taking this step, be sure you identify other students that will participate and a faculty member who can oversee the group. This will make “pitching” the idea to your school’s administration much easier. 9. Engage in activities that help your community. Get involved in community service, charity, and public outreach programs. Yale is looking for intelligent individuals who will use their intelligence and ambition to improve their community and those around them. Helping to improve your community during high school will demonstrate that you are exactly the type of outward-thinking person Yale wants at their school. 10. Build a strong record of employment. Working a part-time job during your high school tenure will demonstrate your work ethic and personal drive to the admissions board at Yale. Working at a local restaurant, carwash or retail store will prove that you can juggle multiple responsibilities while excelling in many areas. Just make sure your job does not impact your grades and does not cut into much needed study time. Also, don’t get fired, as being terminated from a position of employment will not improve your chances of admission. 11. Visit Yale’s admissions website. Prior to applying, carefully and closely read over Yale’s admissions guidelines and application requirements. You will want to know what you need before you begin to put the application together. 12. Identify your status to the school. Be sure that you mention anyone in your family who has attended Yale in the past. It is well known that Yale gives preference to “legacy” students; in the past, they have admitted that about 20-25% of legacy applicants are admitted, compared to the around 6-7% of overall applicants. Also, inform the school if you are a racial, ethnic, religious minority or a first generation college student somewhere in your application package. Yale has diversity quotas that they try to achieve and may give preference to those who have broken the mold to become the first person in their family to attend a four year university. 13. Draft stellar essays. Test scores, high school grade point averages and letters of recommendation will reflect what others think of you and your performance to the Yale admissions office. The application essay is your chance to represent yourself to the university. Personal essays are a major component of Yale’s admissions package and are often the element of an individual’s application that will set them apart. A strong application essay should address the following questions: Who are you? What experiences have shaped your life and your outlook to date? What have you achieved during your time in high school? What do you hope to achieve in the future? How can attending Yale help you achieve future goals? What can you bring to Yale to enhance, improve or benefit the student community? Remember, all strong essays contain a clear and creative introduction that will “hook” the reader, a well-organized body that provides concrete examples as reinforcement for the claims in your introduction, and a poignant and meaningful conclusion that ties the rest of your essay together concisely. Always proofread your essay, looking for grammatical, syntactical, and typographical errors. Also, have someone else, such as a parent or respected teacher, read your essay and provide feedback before submitting. A fresh pair of eyes can do wonders for improving the clarity of your writing. The questions that are to be addressed in Yale’s two application essays change from year to year, so be sure to read and consider the questions they are asking you carefully before attempting to draft your application essays. You can’t fit your life story into brief essays and Yale knows this, so don’t try to squeeze everything into your essays. Stay focused on a particular theme and treat that theme comprehensively. 14. Stay within the word count. The Common Application Essay must be between 250-650 words, and the Yale Writing Supplement essay must be 500 words or less. You will not be able to submit your application if your essays exceed the word count. 15. Complete the Common Application and Yale Supplement. You can fill out both online by visiting the Common Application website. Pay the current application fee with a credit card or electronic check. You can also download and mail these forms to Yale, but an overwhelming majority of applicants submit them online. The mailing address for Yale is: Office of Undergraduate Admissions, Yale University, PO Box 208235, New Haven, Connecticut, 06520-8234 Include a check or money order payable to Yale University. 16. Acquire letters of recommendation. Ask two of your high school teachers to write a personalized letter of recommendation for you. Teachers can submit the letters online using a link you provide them from the Common Application website. Yale strongly recommends that you ask your 11th and 12th grade teachers for recommendations, since those teachers have taught you most recently and in more rigorous courses. You should have a resume, C.V., or list of accomplishments prepared for your teachers so that they can make specific references to things you've done or accomplished in the letter of recommendation. Yale is looking for recommendations that highlight your performance in class, as well as your energy, motivation, relationship with your classmates, intellectual curiosity and impact on your classroom environment. These recommendations are confidential and you, as the student, should not have access to them. As such, be sure to select two teachers who know you well, think highly of your performance in the classroom and can outline your particular achievements. If you can, it is a good idea to ask for recommendations from teachers of different subjects. If you have significant accomplishments in another field, such as music or research, you can solicit an additional letter of recommendation from a person who is very familiar with your accomplishments and can speak about them in detail. However, Yale recommends that you only do this if it will substantially add to your application. It should be labeled as a "Supplementary" letter of recommendation. 17. Seek assistance from your guidance counselor. Ask your high school guidance counselor to submit a letter of recommendation on your behalf and your official high school transcript. The recommendation should help Yale understand the difficulty of your classes in high school, as well as general information about your background, including any leadership roles you have assumed during your years in high school. 18. Submit your SAT or ACT scores. Submit these scores through the Common Application website. Visit the Standardized Testing page on the Yale website to determine if the program you are applying for requires any other tests. You can also submit your scores by indicating that you want your scores to be sent to Yale. Do this by entering Yale’s school code in the correct section of the ACT or SAT exam. For the ACT, Yale’s school code is “0618”. For the SAT, Yale’s code is “3987”. Looking at Yale’s standardized testing website can be useful before you take these exams as well. The website outlines how Yale views your performance on these tests and identifies the general criteria for performance on these tests. 19. Submit a mid-year report. Ask your high school guidance counselor to submit a mid-year report though the Common Application website as soon as your first semester senior grades are available. Yale wants to ensure that applicants are maintain a high level of academic success throughout their senior year. 20. Monitor your application. Wait up to 3 weeks after you submitted your application for an email from Yale. This email will have instructions for setting up your “Eli” account. The email will be sent to the address you included on your application. You can use your Eli account to track which documents Yale has received and will allow you to check on the status of your application. If you applied for Single-Choice Early Action admission, you will receive notification in mid-December. If you have applied for regular admission, you will be notified by April 1. You may be offered an admissions interview. If you are offered one, you should accept. However, not being offered an interview does not mean you will not be admitted.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Into-Yale", "language": "en"}
How to Train Border Collies	Border collies are often ranked as one of the smartest dog breeds. That means that they love to learn, and in fact, need to learn to stay happy and active. You can train your border collie in a number of commands over time, as she is smart enough to learn a wide variety. 1. Break the trick down. For instance, the command "stay" can be broken into a number of steps. The first step is to teach your dog to sit and not get up until you tell her to. Then, you can move on to staying for a short time. Next, move on to staying for a longer period. One trick you might want to teach your border collie is "down," since border collies like to herd anything they animal or person they can find. By teaching them this trick, you'll be able to control their behavior better when they start to herd, especially if you pair it with other commands such as "drop." 2. Keep commands consistent. That is, always use the same word for the same behavior. Switching between "sit" and "sit down" can confuse your dog. Pick one, and stick to it. Border collies are also smart enough to learn whistle commands. 3. Say the command once. Border collies will pick up on the command quickly, so just say it once and teach the behavior. If you say it multiple times, she may expect you to say it multiple times every time you give the command. 4. Use a treat to encourage the behavior you want. For instance, if you want to teach a dog to sit, hold the treat an inch in front of her nose. Slowly move the treat above her head. This movement encourages her to sit. Don't forget to use the command in conjunction with the action. Once the dog sits, praise her and give her the retreat. 5. Fade out the treats. Once the dog starts learning the trick, you can still guide the dog but take away the treat. Reward him with praise and petting. Instead of fading out the treats completely, you can use intermittent reinforcement. That is, only reward the dog with a treat at random times. That way, she will still do what you want with the hope of getting a treat, but she won't expect one every time. Border collies are smart enough to understand this process. 6. Keep repeating the practice. Over time, keep repeating the command so that your dog will slowly learn what you want her to do. 7. Limit your training periods to short intervals. Most dogs get bored easily, and it can be especially true with border collies, given their high intelligence. Don't let a training session go beyond 15 minutes. 8. Change up your tricks. That is, don't try to teach the same trick for the whole 15 minutes. You can do as few as 5 repetitions trying to teach one trick or up to 15. Switch to another task after that. 9. End happy. That is, end with a trick your dog knows how to do. That way, you can praise her up and down, and she'll be willing to try learning tricks with you again sometime. 10. Understand your border collie's instincts. Border collies are herding dogs, but they are also chasing dogs. Therefore, games and sports like catching discs are perfect for border collies. In fact, disc catching and throwing is not just a backyard sport, as you can compete with your dogs in local and national competitions. 11. Provide food in the disc. If your border collie associates the disc with food, he'll think it's okay to hold it in its mouth. Try providing dinner in the disc for several nights in a row. 12. Tease him with the disc. Shake the disc back and forth in play. Your border collie will likely latch on to it and want to play. 13. Tell him to drop it. First let him play with the disc, saying "good boy!" Then tell him to "drop it." Try to pull it back from him. Don't let him play tug-of-war. If he doesn't want to give it up, just stop talking and praising. In fact, ignore him completely. Because he wants your attention, he'll likely drop it. Praise when he does. Continue working on the "drop it" cue. 14. Start with rolling. Your pup will naturally chase after the disc if you roll it away from you. Ask him to come back, and tell him to "drop it." He'll soon catch on that this game is fun, and he'll play along. 15. Throw the disc. When throwing, toss it away from your border collie. He will chase it down or even catch it in the air. You don't want to toss it directly at your border collie, as you could hit him and it takes some of the fun out of chasing it down. Let him play with it if he catches it, but go grab it yourself if he doesn't, as your teaching him to catch it and playing with the disc is a reward. 16. Call him back to you. Once your border collie catches the disc, call him back to you, and tell him to drop it for you. 17. Train in various styles. For instance, one event in disc events for dogs is throwing and catching at various distances. You'll need to practice your throws, and you'll need to teach your dog to catch at these various distances. Generally, in these events, you gradually increase your distance in a timed period. 18. Start young. As soon as you have your border collie in your house, you can start training it. Your puppy is absorbing information whether you are actively trying to train him or not, so you might as well start teaching good habits young. 19. Keep your puppy in a confined space. You can use a crate or a leash. You can also try a small room. That way, you can keep an eye on the puppy, and if he starts to go the bathroom, you can take him outside. Also, dogs don't like going to the bathroom in the same place they sleep, so your puppy is less likely to go in a relatively small space. When picking out a crate, check to see if it is large enough. Your dog should be able to stand up in it and turn around. Stop using the crate for a time if the dog decides to go the bathroom in it, as that defeats the purpose. He may not be ready for house training, or he may have other issues you need to solve, such as taking him out more often. 20. Take your puppy out often. Your 2-month-old puppy can hold it for about 2 hours, while a 3-month-old can hold it for about 3 hours, and so on. However, when you are trying to house train your puppy, make sure to take it out at least every 1 to 2 hours to go to the bathroom. Some experts recommend waiting until 3 months to start training your puppy, when he has more control over his bladder. The best way is use a leash and lead your puppy to the same spot in the yard every time. One of the benefits of using the same spot is your puppy will smell her scent there and want to go in the same place. Also, begin using a verbal cue, such as "potty time" each time, so your dog learns to associate those words with going to the bathroom. If your dog doesn't go to the bathroom when you take him outside, put him back in the confined space, and try again in 30 minutes. 21. Reward the behavior you want. In this case, directly after the puppy finishes going to the bathroom (while you are still outside), praise the puppy and offer her a treat. 22. Take the puppy outside if she starts going to the bathroom. Start by making a noise to startle the pup a bit and get her to stop going. Then, take out to her spot in the yard. If she keeps going there, follow with a reward. 23. Keep on a schedule. Of course, you need to take your puppy out on schedule. However, you also need to feed him on schedule, as that will lead to more consistent bathroom times. You'll need to feed your dog about 4 times a day, so spread the feeding times out evenly over the day. 24. Be consistent. If you're not consistent with providing and taking away rewards, your dog will be confused about what you want. 25. Don't try negative reinforcement. For instance, pushing the dog's face in an accident or getting angry will only make the situation worse. Your dog may learn to be afraid of you, rather than what you want--to go to the bathroom outside. Give as little attention as possible to the problem when he has an accident because even negative attention is attention to a dog. 26. Be patient. It can take up to half a year to fully house train your dog. You may get frustrated at all the accidents, but you will be rewarded in the end with a dog who knows when to go to the bathroom. 27. Allow your puppy more range. If your dog seems to have potty training down, you can give him more freedom to roam around the house. However, you should still try to keep him out of areas that you really don't want him to use the bathroom in. 28. Watch for the stance. If your border collie lowers her head and front legs, as well as her tail, she is getting into her herding stance. This stance is part of her natural instinct for herding. If you see her drop into this stance, it's because she wants to herd whatever it is she's concentrating on, from cats to cars. 29. Give your border collie plenty of exercise. Border collies need a great deal of stimulation, so be sure to give your dog plenty of exercise to keep her happy. 30. Learn the difference between your border collie's growls. A border collie usually has two types of growls, one serious and one play. You need to learn the difference so you don't upset your dog when she's being serious. Listen for play growls when she's playing tug-of-war, and learn to differentiate the sound from her more serious growl. Learning these two growls will also help if you choose to train your border collie on sheep, as you'll be able to tell when she is growling at the sheep in earnest. 31. Let your dog follow her instincts. Your border collie was bred to help out shepherds by herding animals. That means that she wants a job to do. If you can give her a space to herd, that's great. If you don't have room for other animals, you may consider recreational herding, which is a form of dog sport. Other "jobs" you can give your border collie involve providing her with a digging hole (out of the way) or allowing her to "herd" cats under your direction. Use her bad behaviors, such as digging holes in the yard or chasing cats, and turn them into something controlled.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Train-Border-Collies", "language": "en"}
How to Prevent Skin on Custard	It's relatively easy to prevent skin on custard, but it's a step that's sometimes missed. The basic principle for preventing skin on custard is the same as preventing skin on any flan, sauce, or pudding: cling wrap. Follow the steps below to learn more. 1. Use whatever recipe you have chosen. Follow the directions exactly. At some point in whatever custard recipe you are using, you will be asked to cook the custard. 2. Stir the custard continuously as you are cooking the ingredients. If the custard is allowed to set, a skin will form. Keep the custard stirred well with a wire whisk to prevent a skin from forming. 3. Remove anything from your custard mixture that resembles a skin. You can do this with a strainer or a slatted spoon. You may notice a thin skin as you are cooking or when you are ready to pour. 4. Pour the custard into the prepared custard dish or dishes. If you are adding the custard to other ingredients in a special custard recipe, follow the directions of the recipe for when to pour the custard. 5. Place a piece of cling wrap or waxed paper over the custard in the prepared dish or individual dishes. The wrap should be bigger than the size of the dish. 6. Use your hands to lightly press the cling wrap or waxed paper. It should be actually touching the top of the custard. It is important that the wrap or paper be placed directly on the surface of the custard mixture, not just above it. 7. Refrigerate the custard in an airtight container. Leave the cling wrap or waxed paper in place until the custard is served. 8. Remove the cling wrap or waxed paper carefully before serving or adding the custard to the rest of the custard recipe you are preparing. There should be no skin on the custard. 9. Sprinkle a little sugar on the top of a sweet custard if you are going to serve the custard cold. The sugar will work toward keeping the skin away. 10. Enjoy your custard!	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Prevent-Skin-on-Custard", "language": "en"}
How to Apply Putty on Walls	While there are many products, including joint compound and spackle, that can be used to patch or smooth out different types of walls, wall putty is particularly useful on plaster or concrete walls. Wall putty can fill in small cracks and holes, and adding a couple thin layers over the wall will improve its appearance and help paint adhere better. Just make sure you prepare the wall and mix the putty properly, apply it in thin coats, and let it dry thoroughly before proceeding. 1. Put on gloves, eye protection, and a breathing mask. While you’re cleaning and preparing the wall, you’ll create dust particles that can irritate your eyes and lungs. To be safe, keep your mask and eyewear on when applying the putty as well. Additionally, the mixed wall putty may be a skin irritant, so it’s best to wear gloves when applying it. Keep your protection on while you apply primer or paint as well, as even modern products can still release irritating fumes. 2. Tape over or cover elements you want to protect. Use painter’s tape to mask over any items you can’t move but don’t want to cover in putty, such as door or window trim. If there is a finished floor below the wall, cover it with plastic sheeting or drop cloths. Taking a little time now to cover things up is much better than trying to remove wayward putty later. 3. Scrape off or sand down chips, flakes, and bumps. If you’re working with a new wall, you shouldn’t need to do much scraping or sanding. However, with older walls, use a paint scraper and/or coarse sandpaper (40-60 grit) to remove loose chips and flaking paint, primer or plaster. Use the sandpaper to also smooth out any bumps before proceeding. If there are smaller cracks or holes in the wall—no more than about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide or deep—use a screwdriver blade to scrape out any loose material. Cracks or holes larger than this cannot be properly filled with wall putty and must be repaired using other methods. 4. Use a dry brush over the entire wall. Brush the wall thoroughly to remove any remaining chips or flakes, as well as dirt and dust. Any clean, sturdy whisk brush will do the job well. Keep your protective mask and eyewear on, because you’ll kick up dust while brushing. 5. Wipe and moisten the wall with a clean sponge and water. Dip the sponge into your bucket of clean water, wring it out a little, and wipe over a section of the wall. Repeat the process until you’ve wiped the entire wall. The wall is now ready for putty. Don’t worry if the wall is still damp when you start applying putty—this will only help it to adhere. You can also use a clean rag instead of a sponge. 6. Add water, then the putty powder, to a bucket in a 2:1 ratio. Read the mixing instructions on your putty package to get the appropriate ratio for your product. Put the water in your bucket first, then add the correct amount of dry putty mix. Only mix an amount of putty that you can use within 2 hours, because it will become too hard to work with after that. If you’re not sure, err on the side of mixing less now and making an additional batch later. Help keep the putty moist while working by draping a damp towel over the top of the bucket. Dry-mix putty is cement-based and great for indoor or outdoor applications on plaster and concrete walls. Pre-mixed wall putty is acrylic-based and recommended only for interior use, particularly for repairs on painted walls. 7. Stir it until it is thoroughly mixed and smooth. The fasted and easiest way to mix the putty is to use a stirrer attachment on a power drill, set at a low mixing speed. However, you can also use a stirring stick or similar manual implement. In any case, make sure the dry mix is thoroughly incorporated and that there are no lumps. The putty should have a thick consistency, but not seem dry. If you pick up a scoop on a putty knife and hold it sideways, the putty should slide off in large globs. If necessary, alter the consistency by adding either more water or dry mix. 8. Apply putty to small cracks and holes with a small putty knife. Scoop up some putty onto the blade of a small—roughly 3–4 in (7.6–10.2 cm) wide—putty knife and press the putty into each small crack or hole. Then scrape the blade over the area horizontally and vertically to remove excess putty. Use putty to fill cracks and holes that are no more than about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) wide or deep. 9. Let the putty dry, then sand and wipe it. Give the putty at least 4-6 hours to dry, or even 12-24 hours in humid conditions. Then smooth it out by sanding over it lightly with fine sandpaper (300-400 grit), and wipe away any dust with a clean and slightly damp cloth. If the putty still looks or feels damp at all, wait longer before sanding it. Usually putty turns a lighter color when it's dry. 10. Apply primer to the repairs or the whole wall. Use a paintbrush to cover the patched areas with a coat of a primer that is suited to the conditions. For instance, if you’re working with an exterior concrete wall, use a primer made for that application. You may also want to cover the entire wall with a coat of primer. If you plan to apply putty to the whole wall now that you’ve made repairs, check the packaging to see if the putty manufacturer recommends priming a bare wall before applying the product. Even if you’re not going to add putty to the whole wall, you may want to prime the entire area before repainting it. This will help the patched areas to blend in better, and will also aid in paint adhesion. 11. Scoop up some putty with a small trowel and add it to a large trowel. Wall putty is usually applied with two flat-bladed trowels—essentially, larger putty knives—with one in each hand. The smaller trowel should have a blade that’s around 6–8 in (15–20 cm) wide, the larger one about 12–14 in (30–36 cm) wide. Use the small trowel to add a glob of putty to the large trowel. Spread out the glob of putty along the blade of the large trowel so that it reaches nearly from end to end. 12. Press the trowel blade to the wall at an angle and scrape it straight up. With the putty loaded onto the large trowel, touch its blade to the bottom of the wall at about a 30 degree angle. Maintain this angle and scrape the blade straight up the wall while maintaining contact with it. Leave behind an even coat of putty that’s about 0.125 in (0.32 cm) thick. Go from the bottom to the top of the wall in one motion. If you can’t reach all the way up, go as high as you comfortably can and use a ladder to do the higher part of the wall later. Don’t expect to master this maneuver right away. Your putty might go on too thick, or it may be to thin and have missing patches on the wall. If there’s too much putty on the wall, scrape it all off and try again, this time applying more pressure to the blade. If there’s not enough, go over the area again with lighter pressure on the blade. 13. Reposition the putty on your blade, or add more. Once you’ve applied a vertical stripe of putty on the wall, check the larger trowel blade. If it still has a sizable glob of putty on it, just use the small trowel to spread it out a bit if needed. Or, if you need more putty on the large blade, pick up some more with the small trowel. With practice, you’ll be able to scrape the blades of your trowels quickly in order to add, remove, and reposition putty on them as needed. 14. Keep scraping from bottom to top until you’ve covered the wall. Move to the right or left of the vertical strip of putty you just applied, and place your trowel at the bottom of the wall again. Overlap the previous stripe of putty with about one-fourth of the width of your trowel blade (e.g., 3 in (7.6 cm) for a 12 in (30 cm) wide blade). Apply a new stripe of putty in the same manner as the first one. Just keep adding putty to your trowel as needed and repeating these stripes until the entire wall is covered. If you have some tighter spaces to cover, switch to using the small trowel to apply the putty to the wall. 15. Allow the putty to dry for 16-24 hours. Wall putty needs to dry thoroughly between coats, so it’s best to leave it for a day before adding more putty (or doing anything else to the wall, like sanding or priming). In drier conditions, the putty may be dry in 16 hours, while it will take up to 24 hours in more humid conditions. To check for dryness, touch the putty with your fingers to feel for dampness, and look for darker areas that indicate remaining moisture. 16. Apply the second coat either horizontally or vertically. There are differing opinions on the best way to add the second coat of putty. Some people prefer to apply it vertically again, just like the first time. Others apply it horizontally, in the belief that it results in a smoother overall surface and less sanding work afterward. In either case, you’ll mix the putty, load it onto the trowels, and add it to the wall in the same thickness as the first coat. Horizontal application is really no different than vertical application, technique-wise. Keep the trowel blade at about a 30 degree angle and maintain contact straight across the wall. The second coat, like the first, should be no more than roughly 0.125 in (0.32 cm) thick. 17. Sand and wipe down the putty after it dries for 16-24 hours. Once the second coat is fully applied and has dried thoroughly, go over the entire wall with fine sandpaper (300-400 grit). When you’re finished, wipe off any remaining dust with a damp cloth or sponge. If you left some higher spots with your putty coats, sand these down with a coarse sandpaper (40-60 grit), then smooth them out with the fine sandpaper. 18. Prime the whole wall, then add 2 coats of paint. Now that your wall putty job is finished, protect it with a coat of primer suited to the conditions (e.g., a primer made for exterior concrete walls). Add it to the wall with a paint roller and/or brushes, and let it dry as per the manufacturer instructions. Then, add 2 coats of paint in the same manner, allowing each coat to dry for the recommended time before proceeding. Even if you primed the whole wall before adding the putty, prime it again after applying the putty. This will add some protection to the putty and make the paint adhere much better.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Apply-Putty-on-Walls", "language": "en"}
How to Make Leather Gloves	Leather gloves can be expensive, but if you're good at sewing, you can save a little money by making your own. By drafting your own pattern, you can even make sure that your new gloves will be tailor-fit to your hands. 1. Trace your hand onto paper. Lay your non-dominant hand flat on top of a piece of paper, keeping your fingers closed. Your thumb should extend out at its natural angle. Draw around your entire hand, working from one side of the wrist to the other. Your hand should be in the middle of the paper with your index finger and thumb pointed toward the center. Once you have this basic outline, you also need to draw a dot at the base of each finger. To do this, open each pair of fingers (one pair at a time) and draw a small dot in between them, centering it at the base. Slip a ruler in between your fingers. Draw a straight line from the dot to the tops of your fingers. Remove the ruler and make sure that all of the lines are parallel with each other. Add an extra 2 inches (5 cm) of length to all sides of the pattern. Sketch the line so that it slopes out slightly near the wrist along the outside of your hand, or the side opposite your thumb. You should have an accurate outline of your hand at this point. Do not cut it out yet, however. 2. Make the trank pattern. Fold the paper in half along the outer edge of your index finger. Cut around the outline, cutting out two layers at once and keeping the fold intact. Note that the thumb portion of your outline will be lost at this point. Once you cut out the outline, cut down finger slits you sketched out earlier. The slits on the front of your pattern should be 1/4 inch (6 mm) shorter than the corresponding slits along the back of the pattern. 3. Create the thumb hole. Open the trank pattern and mark the locations of your thumb joint. You'll need to draw and cut out an oval for the thumb hole in the center of the trank. Mark the thumb base, web, and thumb knuckle with dots. Make a fourth dot directly across from the knuckle dot. Draw an oval that connects all four of these dots together. Sketch an inverted triangle along the top of this oval. It should be no longer or shorter than the center of the oval. Cut out the remainder of the oval, leaving the top triangular portion intact. 4. Design a pattern for the thumb. Fold a piece of paper in half and put the inside of your thumb along the fold. The fold should run parallel to the side of your index finger and wrist. Draw around the outside of your thumb. Once you have this sketch, open up the paper and draw a mirror image on the other side of the fold. Cut out the thumb piece and hold it against the thumb hole in your trank pattern. The two should roughly join together. If not, remake your thumb pattern, adjusting the size to better match the thumb hole in the trank. 5. Make the fourchette pattern. The fourchettes are lengthwise pieces that fit in between the fingers of your gloves. Fold a piece of paper and put it in between your index and middle finger on your non-dominant hand. The fold should rest directly on top of the webbing in between your fingers. Trace around your index finger, adding a little extra length to the top to match the length of the middle finger. Cut the pattern out. Repeat this process two more times, sketching out fourchettes to go in between your middle and ring fingers and in between your ring and pinky fingers. 6. Look for the right kind of leather. The easiest leather to work with when making gloves will be thin leather with a smooth, even grain. Grain leather is made from the external side of the hide, and it offers the greatest amount of durability and dexterity. Thin leather will create more comfortable gloves than thick leather, which could end up feeling bulky. 7. Test the stretch. Tug the leather and observe how stretchy the material is. If it bounces back after you stretch it, no further preparations are needed. If it sags a little or seems too stretchy, you will need to help stiffen and control this stretchiness. Stretchiness is good, but if you do not take measures to control it, the gloves can easily become saggy and worn out after you wear them a few times. 8. Moisten and stretch the leather. Get the leather wet, then stretch it out with the grain until it will stretch out no further. Let it dry. Once dry, wet it again and stretch the leather out across the grain. Do not stretch it out completely this time, though. Let it dry again. 9. Cut out your pieces. Pin your patterns to the prepared leather and use sharp scissors to cut them out, matching the pattern line for line. This means cutting out the thumb hole and finger spaces, as well. Make sure that the grain line runs parallel with the fingers. Leather has the greatest amount of stretch across this grain, and you will need to make use of that stretchiness to help the leather move with the the knuckles as you bend your fingers. Leather should not fray, so you do not need to hem the edges or apply any anti-fraying adhesives. Cut each piece out twice so that you will have enough pieces to make two identical gloves. Since the front and back of these gloves will be identical, you do not need to worry about inverting the pattern for your opposite hand. 10. Sew down the side of the thumb. Fold the thumb piece down its center and stitch along the top and side, joining them together. Stop just short of the bottom curve. If you want to hide your stitching, make sure that the right sides of all pieces face each other as you stitch and turn the pieces right-side out once they are stitched together. Alternatively, you can keep all of your stitching on the outside of the gloves, allowing it to remain visible. In that case, keep all of the pieces right-side out as you stitch them together. Hidden and visible stitches are both an option with leather, so this is merely a personal style choice on your part. 11. Pin and sew the thumb on. Insert the open bottom of your thumb piece into the thumb hole of your trank piece. Pin the edges of the thumb to the edges of the hole, then sew around the entire joined edge. Make sure that the thumb points upward as you insert it into the thumb hole. The thumb piece edge and thumb hole should match pretty evenly. You can bend the edge of the thumb hole inward so that the right sides of the hold edge and thumb piece face each other, or you can pin/sew the right side of the thumb edge along the wrong side of the hole edge. Either option will work, so again, this is merely a matter of style preference. 12. Insert the first fourchette piece in between your first fingers. You will need to connect it to the palm and back sides of your trank pattern. Pin and sew in place. Attach the fourchette to the palm side of your pattern first. Once the piece has been sewn onto the palm side of the trank, attach it to the back side of the trank. Sew from the tip of the index finger and down along the palm side slit, then back up to the tip of the middle finger. When joining the fourchette to the back trank, start from the tip of the middle finger and move down the slit, then back up to the tip of the index finger. 13. Repeat this procedure with the other two fourchettes. Once the fourchette between your index and middle fingers has been sewn on, move onto the fourchettes between your middle and ring fingers and between your ring and pinky fingers. The sewing method for these other two fourchettes is exactly the same as the sewing method for the first. Sew the middle/ring fourchette on next. Once it's on, sew the ring/pinky fourchette on. Work as you did before, sewing each fourchette onto the palm side of your trank first before doubling back over the back side of the glove. 14. Sew down the side of your glove. If necessary, pin down the glove so that the outer edges of both sides meet each other. Sew down both sides of the gloves and close up any gaps that still remain around the finger area. The only opening left by the end of this step should be the wrist opening. This, of course, remains open. If you want to hide your side seams, make sure that the right sides of your glove pieces face each other as you finish up the sewing. Turn the glove right-side out when the sewing is finished. If you want the seams to show, keep the wrong sides facing in as you sew. When you complete this step, you should have one finished glove. 15. Repeat with the second glove. Follow the same exact sewing steps with your remaining pieces to make a second glove that matches the first. Sew the thumb piece together, then sew the thumb piece into the thumb hole of the trank. Stitch all the fourchettes in place, working with the index/middle combination first, followed by the middle/ring combination, and concluded with the ring/pinky combination. Note that the palm side of this glove will be the opposite of the palm side for your first glove. Stitch along the sides and open finger gaps to complete the glove, leaving only the wrist open. 16. Try on your gloves. At this point, your gloves are finished and ready to wear.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-Leather-Gloves", "language": "en"}
How to Donate a Car to the Salvation Army	Do you have an old car sitting around in your driveway or backyard that you haven't driven in years? Even one that doesn’t run? Or do you have a new car you don’t need anymore? Instead of letting it rot away in your driveway, do some good by donating your car to the Salvation Army. There is no cost to you for donating. The SA will use the car to help people in your community, and you can receive a tax deduction for the donation. 1. Read the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) “Donor’s Guide to Vehicle Donation.” If you plan to claim a tax deduction for donating your car, make sure to read this publication ahead of time. It explains all of the IRS regulations regarding the donation of cars and other vehicles, and how to claim a deduction, if applicable. You can find this form by searching its title on the IRS website. You may also want to talk to a tax advisor beforehand about your plans to make a vehicle donation. 2. Visit the Salvation Army donation website. Specific information on how to donate a car will vary depending upon your location and the Salvation Army center you will be working with. By visiting the SA donation website, you can enter your ZIP code and find this information. You can also call the Salvation Army at 1-800-SA-TRUCK (1-800-728-7825) to arrange a car donation. In the US, the SA is divided into four regions, one each for the central, eastern, southern, and western states. Each region provides distinct information for tax purposes. If your car is subject to a loan, it will most likely have to be settled before the vehicle can be donated. Contact the SA for details. 3. Enter information related to your car. You can begin the process of donating your car online through the Salvation Army donation website, or over the phone. You will need to enter information about your car, including: The car vehicle identification number (VIN). This can usually be found at the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side, and in a few other locations (check your car’s owner’s manual for details). The car’s manufacturer and model name, year of production, and color The current license plate number The address on the car's registration 4. Specify when you want the car to be picked up. The Salvation Army is happy to come and pick the car up from you, saving you time and trouble. You can select a preferred time (morning, afternoon, evening, or anytime) for the pickup when entering your information on the SA donation website, or over the phone. If you have any special notes about the pickup (for example, “beware of dog,” or “garage is in the backyard”), you will have the opportunity to give these as well. 5. Provide your name and home phone number. This information is used by the Salvation Army to verify that you want to donate your car and to contact you if any more information is needed or if problems arise. The SA will contact you within 3 business days regarding the pickup. 6. Clean out your car. Wash it, vacuum the inside, and make sure to remove any personal items from the car so that it is ready to be picked up. It's not mandatory, but if you're donating it already, why not do some extra good and make it look nice? 7. Have the Salvation Army pick up your car. The SA will visit your home at the scheduled time to pick up the car. You will turn over the keys and signed the title, and SA workers will answer any questions you may have. 8. Receive your tax-deductible receipt when the car is picked up. When the Salvation Army comes to pick up your car, they will provide you with a receipt that you can use when filing your taxes in order to receive a deduction. Additional information to be used when filing your taxes will be mailed to you by the SA once your vehicle is sold. Make sure to record the car’s odometer reading when the SA comes to pick it up. You will need this later to claim your deduction. 9. Read and understand IRS regulations regarding vehicle donations. The IRS monitors vehicle donations to make sure that donors get the right tax benefit, and to prevent fraud. Regulations regarding vehicle donations may change from year to year. You can find the most up-to-date information on the IRS website. You can reread the regulations concerning vehicle donations in the IRS publication “Donor’s Guide to Vehicle Donation.” The Salvation Army has also published a legal memorandum on tax exemptions. Currently, you can only itemize deductions (such as for donating a vehicle) on Schedule A of IRS Form 1040. If you have questions or would like assistance in getting a deduction for donating your vehicle, contact a tax advisor. 10. Determine the sale price of your car. The tax benefit you receive will be based on the amount the Salvation Army sells your car for. Operable vehicles are auctioned each month using the SA’s online car auction, which usually leads to high sale prices. Within 30 days, the SA will mail you information regarding the sale for you to use for tax purposes. If your vehicle is not operable, the SA will pick it up and mail you information regarding its salvage price within 30 days. Generally, the IRS will only allow a deduction of the price the car is actually sold for by the Salvation Army. In rare cases, you may be able to deduct the fair market value of the car (for example, if the SA makes repairs or other improvements to the vehicle before selling it). 11. Obtain IRS form 1098-C. This form is used to claim your deduction. You can obtain form 1098-C from the IRS website, a tax advisor, or an automated tax preparation software program. There will be four copies of form 1098-C: one copy will go to the IRS, one to you, one to your records, and one to the donee (the Salvation Army, in this case). Detailed instructions are included with form 1098-C. Read them and make sure you completely understand them. If you have questions, contact a tax advisor or preparer. 12. Complete form 1098-C and include it with your tax return. If you use automated tax preparation software or a third-party tax preparer, then the form will be submitted for you. If you prepare and send your own tax forms, make sure to include the completed form 1098-C with your return for the year you donate the car. In order to complete form 1098-C, you will need information including: Your name, address, and tax ID number The make, model, year, VIN, and odometer reading of the car you donated The date of the sale (this information will be mailed to you by the Salvation Army) The amount the car was sold for (this information will be mailed to you by the Salvation Army) A statement on how the car was used for charity (for example, selling it to raise funds for a rehabilitation program). The Salvation Army will provide you information about this, but you can contact them if you have questions.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Donate-a-Car-to-the-Salvation-Army", "language": "en"}
How to Protect Your Hearing at Concerts	Concerts are fun to attend and give you a chance to see some of your favorite bands up close. However, standing in front of a loud band or blaring speakers—regardless of the musical genre—can cause permanent damage to your hearing. This effect will only become worse if you attend concerts frequently. In order to protect yourself from permanent hearing damage, plan to wear earplugs to every concert you attend, and stand relatively far from speakers and amps. You should also not expose yourself to loud volumes or high decibel levels after concerts, and visit your doctor if you’re concerned about suffering hearing loss. 1. Wear foam or silicone earplugs. Foam and silicone earplugs are the most common means of hearing protection at concerts, and an effective method to block harmful levels of sound from your ears. Foam or silicone earplugs can protect you from serious hearing damage, and serve to block out harmful levels of sound. You can compress foam earplugs before you put them into your ears, and then they will expand to fill your ear canal. You can shape silicone earplugs to conform to the shape of your ears. If you’re at a concert without earplugs, never improvise by stuffing tissues or wadded cotton balls into your ears. Not only will these materials fail at blocking sound, but they may cause physical damage to your ears if you shove the tissue or cotton in too deeply. You can purchase earplugs at a grocery store, drugstore, or in larger stores, like Walmart or Target. 2. Consider purchasing custom earplugs. If you attend concerts frequently or would like earplugs that offer more protection than everyday foam earplugs, consider being measured for a pair of custom earplugs. These are designed to fit the dimensions of your ears and are made of a higher-quality material that blocks a higher number of decibels. Another benefit of custom earplugs is that they will not simply mute all levels of sound (like foam earplugs will), but they’ll effectively filter the music so that you can still hear well and not feel like you’re listening to the concert from underwater. There are multiple businesses that create and sell custom earplugs. You can start looking for one of these companies with an online search: check out companies such as Radians, Ear Peace, and Decibulls. 3. Stand away from the speakers. Regardless of the type of earplugs you’re wearing, you’ll be at a greater risk of hearing loss if you stand right in front of the speakers and amplifiers, or right in front of the loud band. As a general rule, the back of the room will be quieter than the front. If you’re able to choose your own location at the concert, opt for a setting as far as possible from speakers and amps. Always sit at least 10 feet (3 meters) away from any speakers. If you’re at a concert with assigned seating, consider purchasing seats farther away from the stage. As an additional benefit, these seats will likely be less expensive. 4. Moderate the number of concerts that you attend. Even if you wear earplugs at every concert, you only increase the risk of hearing damage with every concert that you attend. Try to limit the number of concerts that you attend, and consider decreasing the number if you attend concerts frequently. If you attend over 12 shows a year, try cutting the number back to 5 or 6. Drinking alcohol at concerts presents a further risk to your ears. Intoxicated individuals may not feel the painful effects of hearing damage, or may dull your sensitivity to the ringing in your ears. For this reason, avoid intoxication at concerts. If you want to drink, do so moderately, and be sensitive to pain and ringing in your ears. 5. Give your ears time to recover after a concert. If you’ve attended a loud concert, your ears have doubtless been exposed to loud sounds for an extended period of time. Even if you wore foam or custom earplugs at the concert, it will help your ears recover to give them a “hearing detox.” This is a period of time during which you avoid all loud noises to give your ears time to recover from the concert. Give your ears about 16 hours without any exposure to loud sounds after every concert. When on a “hearing detox,” avoid listening to loud music—whether at live shows or through your headphones—and avoid loud construction zones, heavy traffic, and seeing movies in the theater. It may seem surprising that movies can damage your hearing, but many action films reach peak volume above 100 dB. 6. Protect your ears if you work at a concert venue. If you’re employed by an amphitheater, sports arena, jazz or rock club, or other type of concert venue, you will frequently be exposed to potentially harmful levels of sound. Plan to purchase yourself a high-quality pair of custom earplugs as soon as possible; considering using a pair of earplugs similar to those that professional musicians use. Check out—online or in-person—the HealthDoc HiFi earplugs or LiveMusic HiFi earplugs. You may also decide to purchase a pair of over-the-ear hearing protectors to wear even when your earplugs are in. Avoid using foam earplugs, as these will provide inadequate protection to someone who works in a music venue. 7. Be aware of the signs of hearing loss. If you’ve ever been to a loud concert and afterwards (when in the quiet of your car driving home or in your bedroom that night) still heard a ringing sound in your ears, you’ve experienced hearing damage. This phenomena is called “tinnitus.” After the first several times you experience tinnitus, the ringing sound goes away after a while. However, tinnitus can develop into a permanent condition, which can diminish your hearing permanently. Having a full feeling in your ears may also be a sign of hearing loss. This may feel similar to the pressure feeling you get when you are flying on an airplane. Ear discomfort after exposure to loud sounds, such as a concert can be another sign of hearing loss. This discomfort or painful sensation can include an aching deep inside your ears. 8. Take hearing protection seriously. Your ears are sensitive, delicate instruments that can be damaged when exposed to sound volumes higher than 85 decibels (dB) for long periods of time. The volume at most concerts registers between 100 and 140 dB, meaning that your hearing is at risk at nearly every show you attend. If you don’t take measures to protect your hearing, you risk causing permanent damage to your eardrums or to the fine hairs in your inner ear. 9. Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about hearing loss. Hearing loss is a serious issue, and its effects are irreversible. If you attend concerts frequently or are worried about your own hearing, talk to your doctor. Also tell your doctor if you notice hearing-related symptoms, including some sounds sounding louder or quieter than they usually do, you have to keep turning the TV and radio up, or if people’s voices sound slurred or indistinct. Your general-care doctor may refer you to an audiologist (ear specialist) if the doctor fears that you’ve already suffered from hearing damage. If you’re referred, set up this appointment immediately.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Protect-Your-Hearing-at-Concerts", "language": "en"}
How to Become a School Principal	Becoming a school principal can lead to a long and satisfying career, whether you have a love for teaching, find pleasure in administrative work, or want to impact the lives of others through education. There are many different steps and processes involved with becoming a principal, which often come with many options and pathways. Learning as much about what requirements you’ll need before you begin the process will help you make the most informed decisions possible while you’re on your way to becoming a school principal. 1. Check your state’s degree and qualification requirements. Each state has varying requirements for school principals, from Masters in Science and Education degrees to school administrator certifications. Check with your state’s board of education to find out the exact qualifications and degree you’ll need to become a principal. Reading books written by other educators will also help you understand the degrees, qualifications, and skills necessary to become a principal. 2. Earn a bachelor’s degree. Earning a bachelor’s degree is a general requirement no matter which state you wish to become a principal in. However, it is not always necessary to hold a bachelor’s degree in education in order to gain teaching experience and receive a teaching certification. There are many ways to earn a bachelor’s degree, from online to on campus. Find out which method you prefer and study hard! Although not always necessary, majoring in education will inform you of the many requirements, certifications, degrees, and pathways you will be able to pursue after graduation in order to become a principal. 3. Receive your teaching certificate or credentials. Receiving your teaching certificate, once you’ve earned a bachelor’s degree, is a requirement that will allow you teach at any level. Each state’s board of education has different requirements and specializations that are often fulfilled with a teaching certification, like choosing a specific subject or grade level. Consulting state specific teaching certification guides will help you determine which certification licenses and requirements you’ll need and in which state you’ll need them. Most teaching certifications require you to take a praxis test with the option of subject-specific testing. It is not always necessary to specify the exact subject or grade you would like to teach. However, the more specific you can be the easier it will be to narrow down the relevant qualification and certification requirements. Receiving a National Board Certification is an advanced certification that supplements your state teaching certificate or credentials. 4. Gain teaching experience before applying to graduate school. Teaching before a master’s program is a great way to gain hands-on experience and be exposed to the general practices, issues, and concerns of other teachers and students. Apply for teaching positions by contacting your state’s board of education or inquire about open positions with schools directly. Teaching in your specialized subject or age group will introduce you to some of the necessary skills of becoming a principal, like communication, leadership, and motivation. Teaching will also allow you to gain interpersonal experience by interacting with other teachers and administrators on a daily basis. 5. Earn a master’s degree. Almost all principal positions, whether at a public school or private school, elementary or high school, require a master’s degree in education leadership or education administration. A master’s degree in education generally expands on teaching curricula while also focusing on school law and finance, educational theory, and psychology. Many master’s degrees in education require around 1-5 years of teaching experience. The number of years depends on a number of factors, such as the graduate program’s requirements and the school district you’d like to work in. A master’s degree will also introduce you to the various administrative responsibilities of being a principal, such as dealing with superintendents and school boards, organizing and hiring staff, and occasional student discipline. 6. Teach as many ages, areas, and subjects as possible. The more teaching you are able to experience the more context and information you will have with regards to administration. Although it can be important, and sometimes necessary, to specify your areas, ages, or subjects of interest, the broader the experience you can get teaching the more experience you will have communicating with varying age groups, parents, and administrators. 7. Demonstrate your leadership skills. It’s not always possible to gain experience in an administration role without completing a handful of requirements. However, there are many ways to exercise and demonstrate your communication, interpersonal, leadership, and critical-thinking skills by getting involved with your school and community. Volunteer for committees, activities, or planning groups at your school to extend your administrative skills. Help organize fundraisers, blood drives, and school dances. 8. Choose an age group or specific type of educational institution. Although the required certifications for principals can look similar in different pathways, the roles of active principals often require many different skill sets. From elementary to high school, public to private, deciding on which type of institution you would like to apply to will narrow down the necessary information you will need for letters of recommendation, cover letters, and interviews. Consult a past professor or administrative supervisor if you have a particularly diverse background, teaching many different ages and subjects, to see what you might be best suited for. Consider your long-term goals and what initial administrative jobs may help you realize those goals. 9. Research your district’s principal qualifications. Each district, like each state, has varying requirements for their potential principals. Consulting the state’s board of education as well as the district’s board of education will help you determine the particular requirements of the open position. Many districts have job boards posted online where you can view posted vacancies, application requirements, and recommendations for applicants. Many districts also require principals to pass an exam or complete training. Consult the school board in the district in which you are applying if you are unsure what your district requires. 10. Look for advancement opportunities. Many administrative positions come with the possibility of advancement. Applying for an assistant or vice principal position may often lead to a head principal position, and potentially even a position as superintendent. Consult your district’s school board as well as the particular school you are applying to in order to determine what opportunities there are for advancement. 11. Secure letters of recommendation. Letters of recommendation, like with most other job applications, go a long way to help securing you a place as a school administrator. Contacting previous administrators or principals from schools in which you taught, as well as other professors from schools in which you were a student, will help you prove your potential and experience. Consulting past administrators or professors may also provide you with useful information about applications, districts, or states to consider. Be sure to leave at least a few weeks for others to write your letters of recommendation before submitting them. 12. Write a specific cover letter. It’s time to write a cover letter once you have determined which school and for which administrative role you are applying. Be sure to address either the hiring school board or hiring administrator directly while clearly expressing your past experiences and future goals which make you a qualified candidate. Try to incorporate specific hands-on experiences, like teaching a particular age group, organizing school-wide events, or specific graduate coursework. 13. Prepare for an interview. The interview may be the last process before you are hired on as a school administrator or principal. Be sure to review your application materials, as well as the specifics required for the role you have applied to, before the interview. Research the concerns and statistics of the school district you are applying to and state the ways that you might help find a solution.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Become-a-School-Principal", "language": "en"}
How to Make a Model of a Heart	Every heart is made of two pumps: the right receives blood and pumps it to your lungs, while the left receives blood from the lungs and pumps it into the bloodstream. If you want to make a heart model and see this process in action, it's pretty easy! Whether you want to get hands-on with some playdough or get a bit more complicated using a Styrofoam cup or pop bottle model, you'll have fun and learn at the same time. 1. Create the heart using red playdough. Start by rolling a small red ball about 1 to 1.5 inches (2.5 to 3.8 cm) wide and thick. Now, lay a finger vertically down the middle and press down gently to create a small indent. Press down firmly on the top to create another more prominent indent as if it were an apple. Finally, press firmly against the bottom-right of the apple shape to create a small, less prominent indent. Leave the left side of the top indent (the right ventricle) slightly taller than the right side (the left ventricle). Remember that the left side is actually the right ventricle and vice versa. If you get confused, imagine the heart inside your body! 2. Attach a small tube of red playdough to the top of the right ventricle. Roll a cylindrical piece of red playdough about 2 inches (5.1 cm) long to act as the aorta. Once you're done, attach it to the top of the left bulge (right ventricle). Create a curve in the tube about 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) from the heart that runs down over the right bulge (left ventricle) and tails off to the right. Use a playdough knife to make a small incision into the end of the cylindrical piece to represent the center tubing of the aorta. 3. Connect a ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) tube vertically to the bottom of the heart. Right now, the top tube is the aorta extending from the top of the heart. Now, make a smaller tube piece about ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) long and connect it to the bottom of the heart—this is the bottom of the aorta. Make sure the small tube runs directly across from the top tube, as if both of them make one single piece running through the heart. 4. Attach 3 small ⁄4 inch (0.64 cm) tubes to the aorta. Roll 3 small tubes to represent the arteries that extend from the aorta. Now, connect them to the top piece of the aorta. Create 3 small holes in the tips of the tubes using the tip of your playdough knife or a toothpick. These represent the circular inner tubing of the arteries. 5. Run a tube of blue playdough right across the aorta. Roll a tube of blue playdough about 1.5 inches (3.8 cm) long—slightly smaller than the aorta tube. This is your heart's left vein. Now, connect one end to the base of the aorta extending from the top of the heart. Run it to the right horizontally over the portion of the aorta that extends to the right. If it's easier, break the blue tube into 2 pieces and attach them individually. Start by running one from the bottom of the aorta up to the center of the heart, and the other extending from this point to the right over the remaining section of the aorta. 6. Attach another tube of blue playdough vertically to the left of the heart. This is the heart's right vein. Start by rolling a tube of blue playdough about 3 inches (7.6 cm) long. Now, attach it to the back-left of the heart (the right ventricle) so that only the top and bottom of the tube are visible. Wrap the top of the tube over the heart and toward you. Create a small hole in the top tip of the tube using a playdough knife or toothpick. This represents the center tubing of the vein. 7. Add an artery to the top of each blue vein. Roll 2 small tubes of blue playdough for each artery. Now, attach them to the top about ⁄2 inch (1.3 cm) from their tips. Create a small hole in each tip of the artery using your knife. 8. Fill 1 Styrofoam cup with water. The cup acts as the heart and the water is the blood. The size of the cup isn't too important, as long as it can hold at least 1 cup (240 mL) of water. If you have something larger, go for it! You can use a beaker instead of a cup for similar results. Add a few drops of red food coloring for a nice effect! 9. Cut the neck of a large balloon off with scissors. Purchase some large balloons that are 11 to 12 inches (28 to 30 cm) in size when inflated. Take one and cut the neck at the region where it starts to widen into the body. Afterward, set the neck aside for later. Keep broken or uninflated balloons away from children under 8 years of age. 10. Stretch the balloon over the cup's opening. Afterward, pull it down over the cup as tightly as possible. When you're finished, the surface of the balloon should be as flat as possible. Discard any broken balloons as soon as possible. 11. Poke 2 holes into the balloon's surface with a wooden skewer. Gently press down on the surface of the balloon with the sharp end of the skewer to create the holes. Try to make them roughly the size of your straws' diameter or slightly smaller. Be sure to create each hole on opposite edges of the balloon about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart. Purchase wooden skewers from big-box stores and home hardware stores. 12. Insert the long part of your 2 straws into the holes. Gently insert each one to avoid ripping the balloon. Be sure that the straws fit snugly into the holes so that no air escapes. If the holes are too big and air escapes, remove the balloon and repeat the last 3 steps. 13. Wrap the uncut part of the balloon neck onto a straw. Cover the tip of one of the straws with the neck so that no air can escape. After wrapping it around the straw, tape it to the straw to hold it in place. Use Scotch tape for the best results. 14. Pump the heart into a sink by pressing onto the balloon. Start by aiming the open straw into a sink, which will act as the body. Gently press one of your fingers down onto the center of the balloon, which acts as the heart. Each time you press down, the water—acting as the blood—from the cup is pumped through the straws and into the sink. The cut part of the balloon acts as a valve that stops the blood from moving back down the straw into the previous chamber. 15. Remove the balloon neck from the straw and press down on the balloon. After pumping the heart without a valve, nothing keeps the blood from moving down the straw. This prevents the blood from moving through the heart and into the body! Remember that the balloon neck is your heart's valve. This example shows how 1 chamber of your heart works with its valve. But inside your body, there are 4 chambers and 4 valves! 16. Drill 2 holes into a bottle cap with an ⁄32 inch (0.87 cm) drill bit. Standard straws usually have a diameter of about 0.36 inches (0.91 cm), which is roughly the size of a ⁄32 inch (0.87 cm) drill bit. Attach the drill bit to your electric drill and create 2 holes in one of the caps about equal distance apart. To create the holes, place the cap onto a flat surface with the top facing upward. Now, aim the drill into the center of the cap and apply downward pressure while squeezing the drill's trigger. Each hole should be big enough for your straws to slide through. Never use an electric drill without the help of an adult! 17. Drill 1 hole into another bottle cap with a ⁄16 inch (0.95 cm) drill bit. The hole in the second cap should be smaller than the first 2 holes. Again, attach your bit and drill down into the cap while applying firm pressure. Always place the bottle caps onto a flat surface while drilling. 18. Mix 1 litre (0.26 US gal) of water and food coloring in your pitcher to create blood. Add a few drops of food coloring into a pitcher of water. Don't worry about using an exact amount of food coloring—as long as you have something that looks bloody! Stir the food coloring into the pitcher using a straw. 19. Connect 2 straws and bend them to create two 90 degree angles. Pinch 1 straw at the end of the tip to make it smaller and insert it into the tip of the other straw. Adjust the bendable portion of the straws so each one is 90 degrees. Tape the straws together at the point where they connect. Keep the long portions of the straws parallel and facing downward. Repeat the above process with the remaining 2 straws. 20. Fill 2 of your pop bottles about 80 percent full with water. Carefully pour your red water into each of your bottles. Don't worry about filling them exact—just try to leave about 1/3 of each empty. Remove the labels from your pop bottles if you haven't already. 21. Align your 3 bottles in front of you and insert the final straw. Place your 2 bottles with blood in front of you in a straight horizontal line. Now, place the empty bottle to the right of them. Place your bottles on a clean, flat surface. 22. Slide 2 straws through 2 caps and attach them to the bottles with water. Start by sliding the long end of a straw through the bottle with 1 hole in it. Now, take the other long end and slide it through the cap with 2 holes. Attach the cap with 1 hole to the left bottle and the second cap with 2 holes to the middle bottle. Afterward, fasten the caps. Leave the third bottle empty. Carefully slide the long ends of the straws into each pop bottle before you attach the caps and take care not to bend them. 23. Attach the final 2 connected straws to the middle and right bottles. Insert one end of the final straw into the remaining hole on the middle bottle's cap. Now, insert the remaining end into the empty bottle with no cap. Seal any open space between the holes and the straws with clay. 24. Label each bottle with masking tape. Attach a piece of tape to each bottle horizontally and label each one with a permanent marker. Mark the left bottle as the atrium of the heart, the second as the ventricle, and the third as the lungs (or body). Your fingers act as the heart's valves. You can skip this step if you'd like, but it helps to better understand the function of each part of the model. 25. Squeeze the middle bottle and pinch the first straw connector. Pinch the left straw connector that runs between the left bottle (heart) and the middle bottle (ventricle). Now, squeeze the ventricle and watch the blood flow into the body! Afterward, let go of the left straw connector and pinch the right straw connector between the ventricle and the body while keeping the ventricle squeezed. Now, watch the blood move from the heart to the ventricle! Repeat this process to pump blood from the heart into the ventricle, and then distribute it into the body! When the blood in the heart is low, remove some from the body and distribute it back to the heart. Now, you can start the process over.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Make-a-Model-of-a-Heart", "language": "en"}
How to Be an NFL Coach	Becoming an NFL coach takes a lot of talent and ambition, plus quite a bit of luck. Start by gaining experience while you're in high school, and work on an undergraduate degree in a related field. Work up the ranks by applying to be a graduate assistant coach or apply for smaller coaching positions at the collegiate level. You can use your experience to move up the college coaching ladder, and hopefully, one day, to land a position in the NFL. 1. Play football in high school. Start out playing football early, beginning in junior high or high school if you can. If you can't, volunteer to help out as a manager for the team. Most teams take on volunteers. All you have to do is ask. For instance, you could say to the coach, "Hi, coach. I know I didn't make the team, but I'd still like to help out. Is there a spot open for a volunteer?" 2. Begin working on a specialty in high school. Most coaches have a specialty. Whether you want to work on the offense or the defense, you'll find there are a range of coaching positions. You may want to develop a specialty based on a position you play, for instance, as you'll have first-hand knowledge. To develop a specialty, play or manage in one area if you can. Educate yourself on that specialty by reading up on it and taking related courses. 3. Work on a football-related bachelor's degree. Most coaches have a bachelor's degree of some kind. Pick a degree in a related field, such as kinesiology, exercise and sports medicine, nutrition and fitness, physiology, or physical education. A coaching degree is rarer, but you can use a college search engine to find schools that offer it. 4. Play college football. If possible, play for a college football team while you're an undergraduate. Most college coaches are looking for college-level experience in their graduate assistant coaches, and playing experience at the collegiate level can only help with other coaching positions. If you don't make the team, consider volunteering as a team manager to gain experience. Let your coaches know that you'd like to eventually be considered for a graduate assistant position, if that's your goal. 5. Apply to be an NFL intern. The NFL offers summer internships and positions in a junior rotational program. The summer internships last 8-9 weeks, while the junior rotational program lasts 6 to 9 months for each rotation. Both offer you a chance to work behind the scenes at the NFL. While these internships aren't coaching related necessarily, you'll gain invaluable insight into the NFL, which can benefit you in gaining a coaching job later. For both programs, you'll apply in your senior year. You'll need at least a 3.0 GPA for the summer program and at least a 3.2 for the rotational program. Apply on the NFL's website 6. Consider a graduate degree in a related field. While a graduate degree in coaching or a related field isn't required, it can give you an edge. Plus, it gives you an opportunity to apply to be a graduate assistant coach, which can help you get your foot in the door for a coaching position. 7. Apply to be a graduate assistant coach. If you're getting a master's degree at a university with a football program, you can be 1 of the 2 allowed graduate assistant coaches. You'll usually get free tuition out of the deal, but you'll have to put in as many as 100 hours per week. You'll only be able to hold this position for 2 to 3 seasons at most. Check on college websites for their job listings, as well as the job boards for the NCAA and NAIA. Don't be afraid to reach out to a program you love, and ask if they have a position for you. Typically, you'll apply for a graduate position before you enroll in the school, so you know for sure you have a job there. 8. Read and learn from the best. As you're working towards being a coach, read books and listen to talks from the best. Try memoirs and how-to books from former coaches, such as Bill Wash's Finding the Winning Edge. Try to figure out what made them successful coaches, so you can apply the information when you start coaching. To find talks, check out YouTube videos by winning coaches. Attend any lectures offered by coaches in your area. 9. Examine what makes the other coaches good. As you work with other coaches, pay attention to how they lead. Look at how they treat the players, how they build strategies, and how they build team camaraderie. Learning from how others coach is a great way to pick up technique. Build good relationships with coaches. That way, when you see them do something you don't understand, you can ask them later why they made that decision. Learning their thought process will help you develop your own coaching strategies. 10. Go to coaching clinics. Coaching clinics can help you be a better coach. Both Glazier Clinics and the clinics put on by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) are highly respected. Plus, attending these clinics gives you a chance to network with others in the field. For instance, you can go to the AFCA's annual convention, which provides educational opportunities. The convention is usually in January. Membership dues range from $60 USD to $200 USD as of 2018, which includes the cost of the convention. You can also just pay for the convention, which ranges from $15 to $60 USD, plus travel. You don't need to be coaching currently to attend. Glazier Clinics, which are hosted across the United States and online, run $119 for a single year season pass, as of 2018. 11. Find jobs on a website devoted to college coaching positions. While you can find coaching jobs through typical avenues, you'll have an easier time using search engines specifically for college coaching jobs. For instance, Football Scoop has all levels of football coaching jobs, while both the NAIA and the NCAA have advertisement boards for college-level coaches. 12. Apply for less-prestigious coaching positions at first. You likely won't be able to land the high-powered coaching jobs right away. Start with smaller programs, such as programs in the NAIA, the NCAA DIII, or the National Junior College Athletic Association. If you start in these positions, you can build up a reputation as a solid coach and work your way up to tougher college programs. 13. Prepare to talk strategy at the interview. Once you land an interview, you have to be ready to do it well. Like any interview, you have to be ready to talk about what you'll bring to the job, which in football means strategy and coaching skills. Be ready to talk about you see the team moving forward and how you'll handle individual members of the team. It will be your job to inspire your team. Show your interviewers how you'll do that. Check out footage of the team ahead of time, so you can discuss what the team is doing well and where the team can do better. 14. Stay connected with past coaches. As you gain new jobs, maintain contact with those you've worked with in the past. Send out periodic emails, or call them to see how they're doing. They may know of job openings for you, so let them know when you're looking. Plus, if you stay in touch, you'll have good references for future jobs. 15. Apply your strategy to win games As you begin to coach, apply what you've learned in school and from other coaches to your own coaching strategy. When you make mistakes, analyze the situation to see what went wrong. Learn from those mistakes, and help your team do better the next time. For instance, analyzing film from other teams can be helpful, and you may have noticed coaches doing this in your past. Watch videos of a team to see how they play, and use that information to figure out what the biggest threats are. Adjust your team's play to help win the game. Alternatively, maybe you've noticed that your team is literally dropping the ball too much, which is what cost you a recent game. Focus on drills that encourage your team to hold on to the ball. 16. Continue to take coaching clinics. Be ready to keep learning, as there's always something new on the horizon. However, you don't have to take the same clinics over and over. Try higher-caliber clinics just for NCAA coaches, such as the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy, which nominates NCAA coaches to take the clinic each year. 17. Coach in another professional league. Gain as much experience as you can at the professional level, such as working in the Canadian Football League. This league is a professional league. However, it's considered a stepping stone to the NFL, so it's easier to land a job in the CFL after working on a successful college program. 18. Apply for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship for minorities. With this fellowship, you'll be hired for off-season training camps as an opportunity to observe and gain experience. The NFL recommends that each team hire 4 coaches each off-season. Use the application found at https://apps.nfl.net/pdsurvey/pd/billwalsh.aspx. The goal of this fellowship is to encourage and assist more minority coaches in obtaining NFL coaching positions. 19. Find coaching jobs in the NFL. Pay close attention to sports news to see which coaches are being fired or are leaving positions, which will help you know what positions are open. Websites like Football Scoop also have information on NFL job openings. Also, ask your contacts if they know of any open positions. Let people know you want to move up to the NFL. If you're coaching in a high-profile college position, NFL CEOs and managers are more likely to give you a chance. Let any contacts you have know that you'd like to move up to pro ball if possible. 20. Evaluate the team ahead of time. The managers, coaches, and CEOs are going to want you to be able to talk about the different players. They'll want to know what you think works and what doesn't work, so you'll need to be able to evaluate the team members individually. You'll need to spend hours looking at video of how the team plays so you can discuss them intelligently. An agent can help you evaluate players if you don't have the time. 21. Hire an agent. An agent is legal representation that helps you negotiate the best deal when you're interviewing and negotiating a contract. Bring your agent to the interview. It's standard practice, so the team management will be expecting it. Pick one based on recommendations from friends and colleagues. 22. Prepare yourself for an extensive interview. Most interviews will be at least 3 hours, but if things are going well, your interview may last well over 5 hours. They want to get to know you as a person, to get inside your head and figure out how you're going to coach. Be ready to talk about your strategies, such as how you plan to coach individuals and what you bring to the table in your specialty. Often, these long interviews are reserved for head coaches, and the head coach will decide who they want to work under them.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Be-an-NFL-Coach", "language": "en"}
How to Speak on Any Topic	Whether you’re addressing a large crowd or a single person, speaking on any given topic takes confidence, focus, and clarity. The trick to speaking on the spot is structure. If you have a clear layout, you can make remarks on virtually any subject. To speak in public effectively, try to relax, use concise language, and make strong eye contact. Since making impromptu remarks requires improvisation, prepare indirectly by making a daily effort to broaden your knowledge. 1. Ask for a moment to organize your thoughts. In formal speech and debate, you’re allowed a limited amount of time to plan impromptu remarks on an assigned topic. If someone asks you to speak on the spot, tell them you’d like a few minutes to think of what to say and to jot down some notes. You shouldn’t try to write out your remarks in full. Just jot down a few key words to help you remember your main points. 2. Begin a short speech with a headline statement. If you’re just speaking for 5 minutes or less, introduce your topic with a concise, attention-grabbing summary statement. If you'd like, you can make a joke to break the ice first, but make it quick and ensure it is relevant to the topic. Since your time is limited, you should get to the point sooner rather than later. Suppose you’re asked to talk about a work project at a company meeting. You might start with a joke to introduce the problem the project addresses: “As a member of the design team, I want to personally thank all engineers present for not staging an all out mutiny due to the ongoing specification problems.” After breaking the ice, get straight to the point: “We understand your frustrations, and we’ve established new software solutions and pricing protocols to prevent future miscommunications.” Avoid making jokes like, “Three guys walked into a bar…” Instead, stick with funny or absurd comments that relate to your own personal experience, but keep it brief. 3. Start with a story if you’re making a longer speech. If you’re speaking for 15 or 20 minutes, you have time to grab the audience’s attention with a story related to the topic. The story’s resolution might introduce the problem or topic, or you could start the story in your introduction and conclude it at the end of your speech. For instance, if your assigned topic is how dogs improve quality of life, you could open with a story about rescuing your pooch. 4. Map out your structure and use it as a guide. List your main points early in your remarks so your audience clearly understands the direction you’re taking them. Additionally, mapping out your structure will help you stay on track for the rest of your speech. If you’re presenting a school project, you might say, “Despite their friendship and philosophical commonalities, Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre held contrasting ethical views. I’ll start by discussing their similarities, then I’ll explain their quarrel over whether political justice warrants violence.” For this example, you could spend 1 to 2 minutes on the philosophers’ similarities, a minute or so on each of their ethical stances, and another minute clarifying the differences between their perspectives. 5. Restate your main points at the end of your remarks. After you’ve delivered the body of your remarks, remind your audience of the path you’ve lead them. Commit this formula to memory: “Tell them what you’re going to tell them, tell them, then tell them what you’ve told them.” You can adapt this structure for any topic, so keep it in mind any time you’re asked to make off the cuff remarks. 6. Breathe deeply Feeling nervous is completely normal, and most people experience some degree of anxiety about public speaking. Control your breathing, think positive thoughts, and visualize yourself successfully delivering your speech. If you know you’re speaking in advance, practicing your speech can help ease your nerves. If you’re speaking on the spot and practicing isn’t an option, focus your thoughts on your remarks’ structure. Concentrate on your headline or argument, list your main points, and try not to let your nerves distract you. 7. Adapt your message to your audience. Your speech should always be tailored for your audience, whether you’re speaking in front of a large crowd or to 1 or 2 people. Think about your audience’s age group, interests, attitudes, knowledge of the subject, and expectations. Don’t just tell them what they want to hear, but present your message is a way that suits your listeners. For instance, if you’re speaking to professionals well-versed in your field, you don’t need to explain basic terms. However, if your audience is less experienced, you’ll need to limit technical language and define any necessary jargon. 8. Use nonverbal cues, but try not to make nervous gestures. Body language can help you emphasize important points, but it’s most effective when used in moderation. Try to be strategic, and avoid nervously tapping or fidgeting. For example, if you’re listing your main points, you could count with your fingers to distinguish each point. If you’re drawing a comparison, you could use your hands to indicate “on one hand, this,” and “on the other hand, that.” 9. Keep your language simple. Try not to use complex sentence structures and complicated words. It’s harder to understand dense, jargon-packed language verbally, so make your remarks concise and conversational. For instance, instead of, "We've developed new software for processing custom orders that will enhance interdepartmental communications, leading to a more efficient, streamlined manufacturing process," you could just say, "We'll be switching to a more user-friendly program that should prevent future miscommunications." Conversational doesn’t necessarily mean casual. If your remarks need to be professional or academic, you can still keep your tone formal by avoiding slang, sentence fragments, and contractions. "The team identified 10 new frog species," is both concise and academic. "The team found a lot of new kinds of frogs," is informal. 10. Make eye contact, but don’t stare. Instead of looking down, look up and out toward your audience. Look at a point for 5 or 10 seconds, then shift your gaze. Staring at a point for too long and shifting your gaze every second are both awkward, so try to keep a natural tempo. If making direct eye contact makes you nervous, look at points just above the audience. It’ll look like you’re making eye contact, but you won't actually be locking eyes with anyone. 11. Focus on developing a clear structure if you’re making a speech. If you master a basic logical structure, speaking on any topic will just be a matter of filling in the blanks. Lay out your map in the introduction, get to the meat of your speech in the body, and restate your claims in the conclusion. At the start of your remarks, state your argument or headline, then list your evidence or examples 1 by 1: “This is the case because of x, y, and z.” Explain each example in the main body of your speech. For brief remarks, you might only have 30 seconds to a minute for each example. For a longer speech, you might be able to spend a few minutes on each one. Conclude by restating (using different wording) your argument and evidence: “As x, y, and z show, this is the case.” 12. Develop a repertoire of stories, quotations, and facts. Being prepared to speak about any topic on the spot requires imagination and indirect planning. Set aside time every day to read, watch documentaries, or listen to informative podcasts. When you have an interesting experience or see a quote or fact, memorize it so you have a repertoire of material for an impromptu speech or conversation. Read books, magazines, and newspapers. Watch documentaries about topics such as nature and technology, and listen to podcasts like Radiolab, StarTalk, and 99% Invisible. To broaden your knowledge, read, watch, and listen to informative content on a range of subjects. If you’re involved in a particular field or occupation, stay up to date on your discipline and think of topics you might be asked to discuss. 13. Keep up with current events. From politics to pop culture, staying up to date on current events is one of the best ways to hone your conversational skills. If you’re informed about what’s going on in the world, you’ll be able to start a conversation with just about anyone. Read newspapers, and pay attention to local, national, and international news. Research a topic if it’s confusing or you want to learn more. For instance, if you’re interested in a 500-word story, look online for long-form articles that delve into the details. Try to keep up with a range of topics, such as politics, international affairs, business, and entertainment. Remember to fact check news stories, look for reputable news sources, and try to find sources from multiple perspectives.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Speak-on-Any-Topic", "language": "en"}
How to Read Braille	Braille is a method of reading through touch, rather than by sight. While it is mainly used by those with impaired vision, sighted people can also learn to read Braille. You may think of Braille as a language. However, it's actually more like a code. There are Braille codes for nearly every language, as well as different types of Braille for specialized disciplines such as music, math, and computing. 1. Seek out Braille instructional materials. Whether you are blind or sighted, there are numerous resources available for free that will help you learn the Braille code and start reading by touch. Search for nonprofit organizations dedicated to assisting people who are blind. Schools for the blind also have resources available to the general public. The Hadley Institute for the Visually Impaired offers distance-learning courses for reading Braille. These courses are free for the visually impaired. You can also purchase Braille blocks and toys online to help with learning letters. These materials can be especially helpful for young children. 2. Memorize the numbers for the 6 dots in a Braille cell. A standard Braille cell is made up of 6 dots arranged in 2 columns of 3 dots each. All of the dots are equal distance apart. The top left dot is numbered "1," the dot below it is "2," and the bottom dot in the first column is "3." The dots in the second column are numbered "4," "5," and "6" from top to bottom. Each Braille letter or symbol has a unique combination of dots and blank spaces. Braille printed for the sighted may have "shadow dots" in the empty spaces, to help people see the positions of the dots more easily. Braille for the blind won't have shadow dots. To read Braille through touch, you need reasonably good finger sensitivity. Most adults have enough finger sensitivity to read Braille. If your finger sensitivity has been impacted by an injury or health condition, you may want to use "jumbo dot" Braille. 3. Start with the first 10 letters of the alphabet. In the Braille code, the first 10 letters of the alphabet form the basis of all the other letters. These letters only use the top 4 dots in each cell. Thinking about the numbering of the dots in relation to the letter's place in the alphabet may help you learn them easier. The letter a has dot 1 only. This makes intuitive sense because a is the first letter of the alphabet. Likewise, the letter b has dot 1 and dot 2, for the second letter of the alphabet. The letter c has dot 1 and dot 4. The letter d has dots 1, 4, and 5. The letter e has dots 1 and 5. The letter f has dots 1, 2, and 4. The letter g has dots 1, 2, 4, and 5 – all 4 top dots are full. the letter h has dots 1, 2, and 5. You can think of g as adding dot 3 to letter f, and then h as taking away dot 4 from letter g. Unlike the previous 8 letters, the letters i and j do not have dot 1. The letter i has dots 2 and 4. The letter j has dots 2, 4, and 5. 4. Add dot 3 to form the letters k through t. The Braille code follows a distinct pattern. The next 10 letters of the alphabet are formed by repeating the same dots as the first 10 letters, then adding dot 3 to each to form the new letter. For example, the letter k has 2 dots: the dot 1 from the letter a plus dot 3. Note that the letter l, with dots 1, 2, and 3, basically looks like the lower-case letter it represents. 5. Add dot 6 to form u, v, x, y, and z. For the remaining letters (except w), take the k through o and add dot 6. Leave the letter w out completely, as it doesn't fit the pattern all the other letters do. The letter u has dot 1 and 3 from letter k, plus dot 6. The letter v has dots 1, 2, and 3 from letter l, plus dot 6. Since you're skipping w for now, the next letter is x, which has dots 1, 3, and 4 from letter m, plus dot 6. The letter y has dots 1, 3, 4, and 5 from letter n, plus dot 6. The letter z has dots 1, 3, and 5 from letter o, plus dot 6. 6. Learn the letter w separately. The letter w is the only letter that doesn't fit the pattern. This is because the Braille code was invented by Frenchman Louis Braille in 1860. At the time, there was no w in the French alphabet, so Braille didn't include it in his code. A w has dot 2 on the left side, and dots 4, 5, and 6 on the right side. 7. Capitalize words preceded by a cell with a single dot 6. Braille doesn't have a separate code for capital letters. Rather, a cell with only dot 6 in front of a word indicates that the first letter in that word is capitalized. If 2 cells with only dot 6 appear before a word, it indicates that the whole word is written in all-caps. 8. Drop down the first 10 letters for common punctuation marks. The Braille code for the first 10 letters of the alphabet is also used to create the most common punctuation marks you'll find in literary writing. The same code is simply dropped down to the lower part of the cell. A Braille comma has dot 2. You can also think of this as a letter a dropped down one line. A Braille semicolon has dots 2 and 3. This is the letter b dropped down one line. A Braille colon has dots 2 and 5. A Braille period has dots 2, 5, and 6. The Braille period is also used as a decimal point. If there are 3 Braille periods together, they represent an ellipsis. An exclamation mark has dots 2,3, and 5, while a question mark has dots 2, 3, and 6. Quotation marks have 2 cells. The first represents whether they are single or double, and the second whether they are opening or closing. For single quotation marks, the first cell has dot 6. For double quotation marks, the first cell has dots 3 and 4. Opening quotation marks have dots 2, 3, and 6 (note that this is identical to a question mark). Closing quotation marks have dots 3, 5, and 6. 9. Recognize when the first 10 letters are used as numbers. The Braille code for the first 10 letters of the alphabet also symbolizes numerals that may occur in sentences of text. If they're meant this way, they will be preceded by a special number sign (dots 3, 4, 5, and 6). The letter a is the number 1, all the way through the letter i, which is the number 9. The letter j is used for the number 0. There will only be 1 number sign, regardless of the length of the number. Commas and periods (for decimal points) are used in Braille numbers just as they are for numbers written in English. The mathematical comma has dot 6, rather than dot 2 as in the literary comma. In the Nemeth code, used for math texts and in non-fiction writing, the codes for the first 10 letters of the alphabet are dropped down to the lower part of the Braille cell. 10. Look for the punctuation symbol with Nemeth code numerals. Nemeth code numerals and common punctuation symbols are the same. If a punctuation mark follows a mathematical expression, the punctuation symbol typically precedes the punctuation mark. This symbol tells you to read that symbol as a punctuation mark and not as another numeral. The punctuation symbol has dots 4, 5, and 6. It typically precedes punctuation marks such as colons, periods, quotation marks, question marks, exclamation marks, commas, and semicolons. 11. Identify single-cell contractions. For some of the most common contractions, a single letter or dot combination is used in place of an entire word. The purpose of these contractions is to save space and make reading easier. A full cell (all 6 dots) means for. If all dots are present except dot 5, you have the word and. Dots 2, 3, 4, and 6 together represent the word the. 12. Read a separate single letter as a whole word. There are many commonly used words that are represented with a single letter of the alphabet. Usually that letter is the first letter of the word, although there are some exceptions. For example, the Braille code for the letter z can be used to symbolize the word as. The letter b is used for the word but, and the letter c is used for the word can. Some of these abbreviations are also used in text-speak. For example, the letter v represents the word very. 13. Learn letter combinations that are grouped into 1 cell. Many common letter combinations are contracted into 1 cell to save space and avoid repetition. These include common endings, such as -ed and -ing, as well as consonant blends such as ch and sh. A chart, such as the one at https://www.teachingvisuallyimpaired.com/uploads/1/4/1/2/14122361/ueb_braille_chart.pdf, can help you memorize these contractions so that you can read more smoothly. 14. Progress to short-form words. Not only does Braille use contractions, there are many words that are shortened even further. Some of these short-form words are more intuitive and easy to comprehend than others. Using a chart can help you memorize the ones you believe you need to know. Just add a few more each week as you continue to study. For example, the Braille code for the letters b and l is used to represent the word blind. Some short-form words use a contraction along with another letter. For example, the contraction for be (dots 2 and 3) plus the letter c (dots 1 and 4) represents the word because.	en.wikihow.com	{"url": "https://www.wikihow.com/Read-Braille", "language": "en"}