Article: Hold a household magnet near the brass piece, and see if it is magnetically attracted to the brass. If the magnet doesn't magnetically cling to the object, it's brass. If the magnet does magnetically cling to the object, it's likely that the "brass" piece is really a piece of iron or steel, covered with a brass coating. Some brass objects are not meant to be bright, and therefore, any efforts to clean the piece might actually diminish its worth. If you are unsure of what your next steps should be in cleaning a brass piece, talk to a brass expert and discuss your cleaning options. Sometimes patina (the turquoise coloring that forms on brass and copper) can add a unique look to a piece of brass, and should be left alone. Patina is used to evaluate many aspects of a piece of brass. For example, patina can be used to determine the age of a piece of brass, its current condition, and its potential value. Any removal or alteration of patina on a brass piece can significantly affect its worth. On modern brass pieces, an outer coating of lacquer serves as a layer of protection against oxidation. But, older, antique pieces of brass typically don't have a lacquered coating. You can assess if a brass piece is lacquered by looking at its surface: it will have a clear finish covering the entire piece. Brass covered with lacquer will usually only tarnish if there is a crack in the lacquer coating. Lacquered brass is fairly easy to clean; all you really need is some soapy water. However, you might want to consider removing the lacquering if tarnish has formed underneath the lacquer finish. If you are still having trouble figuring out if your brass piece has a lacquered finish, remember that lacquered brass usually has more of a yellow shading.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Determine if the piece you want to clean is actually brass. Determine if the piece you want to clean should be cleaned. Determine if the brass piece is lacquered.

Problem: Article: Long black coats are versatile because they can be casual or formal. Pair yours with ripped blue or black skinny jeans, a fitted graphic T-shirt, and your favorite sneakers. Plain white sneakers are a popular classic with this look, but you can experiment with vintage, black and white, or skate style sneakers to individualize the style. If you're looking to stay both comfortable and warm this winter, wear baggy black trousers rolled at the ankles with a cozy V-neck shirt under any color oversized maxi coat. Grey is a popular coat color for this look, but you can try navy or even a patterned coat. Sunglasses pull off the chic casual style of this look. Go with plain black glasses of any shape that you like. Try this look with either white sneakers or laced ankle boots. Floor-length coats take the classic long coat a few steps further; you can pull off a very cute, elegant casual look by pairing one with flared denim jeans. Wear this with an oversized knit sweater and dressy boots to complete the look. Add large sunglasses and a scarf to this look for extra flare. Long camel coats have an automatically sophisticated feel to them and are popular in the fall. Pair yours with black skinny jeans and a wide oversized scarf to look ready to hit the books. Complete this look with crisp white low-cut sneakers, a sweater, and pair of glasses. Take the seriousness out of a long coat by adding a slouchy beanie on your head. Wear jeans or sweatpants, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a pair of ankle boots or sneakers to finish off this casual style. To achieve an 80s punk-inspired look, wear black skinny jeans and a button-down shirt with combat style boots under a mid-calf coat. To really finish off this look, add a few 1 inch (2.5cm) band pins, or badges, to the lapels of your coat. Wear a pair of black sunglasses with this look to give it an extra rock-star vibe. Long coats aren't just for fall and winter; you can pair lighter long jackets with a variety of spring looks as well. Try a pale blue, pink, or white long coat with light blue cropped jeans or shorts. Add a colorful fitted T-shirt and sandals to complete the look. Instead of denim, wear a short spring sundress and casual sandals under your light long coat for cute but informal effect.
Summary: Wear a black coat with ripped jeans and sneakers for a go-anywhere look. Pair baggy trousers with an oversized maxi coat and sunglasses for comfort. Wear a floor length coat with flared denim as an elegant-casual crossover. Try a long camel coat with a scarf for an intellectual touch. Add a beanie to any long coat for a fun casual look. Make an extra-long coat punk with colorful lace-up ankle boots. Pair a pale maxi coat with cropped denim and a white T-shirt in the spring.

If you are actually innocent of the crime you're being accused of, the best way to prove your innocence is to establish an alibi. If you were with someone else at the time the crime was being committed, they can vouch for your innocence. If you stand accused of cheating on a test and you know you were actually at the nurse when the test was occurring, have the nurse call your parents and explain. If someone else knows who committed the crime, convince that person to come forward and exonerate you. When most people commit crimes, they have a motive or reason for doing so. Proving that you had no reason to want to commit this offense is a useful way to prove your innocence. If you're accused of stealing money from your parent's wallet, point to all the money you just made baby-sitting as a reason why you wouldn't need to steal. If you know that your brother really wants a new video game, but he doesn't have the money, point to that as a possible motivation for committing the crime. If you know someone else has a clearer motivation for committing the crime, suggest them as a possible suspect. The only real way to exonerate yourself fully is to catch the person who actually committed the crime. Depending on the crime and person who committed it, this may be impossible to do, but you owe it to yourself to try. Set up a trap to catch the criminal. If you're accused of stealing food from the pantry, set up a hidden video camera above the pantry to see if you can catch the person in the act. If you think you know who did it, stage a conversation with that person and try to trick them into confessing. Record them on your smart phone and use the recording to prove your innocence. Remind your parents that under American law, you are innocent until proven guilty.
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One-sentence summary --
Establish an alibi. Establish your lack of motivation. Catch the culprit.