Problem: Article: Smoke bombs can be made with a simple concoction of potassium nitrate and sugar. By mixing these ingredients and melting them together, you create a flammable product that produces whirls of smoke when you light it on fire. You'll also need a cast iron skillet and some baking soda. Adding 1 tablespoon (15mL) of baking soda will make the smoke burn a little bit longer. For safety gear, get a pair of latex gloves, goggles, and a filter mask to protect yourself from the smoke. Use an old cast iron skillet that you don't plan on cooking with in the future. The potassium nitrate mixture may ruin it. You can get potassium nitrate, also called saltpeter, at your local garden store or online. It's important to wear your safety gear. Contact with potassium nitrate can cause eye and skin irritation. Breathing it in can irritate your nose and cause sneezing and coughing. Before you make your potassium nitrate mixture, you'll need to prepare your cardboard tube. Put 2 pieces of tape on top of the hole so it's completely covered. Then secure those two pieces with a longer tape strip around the base. This will ensure that the smoke bomb mixture won't leak out when you pour it in the tube. Measure out 3 tablespoons (44mL) of potassium nitrate and 2 tablespoons (30mL) of sugar. Pour it in your cast iron skillet and mix it together with a spoon until they are completely combined. While the mixture is heating up, stir it constantly until it's completely melted. As the sugar caramelizes, it should take on a brown or black color and form a thick, gooey texture like melted caramel. Do not overcook the mixture and take care not to set it on fire. If it starts to smoke in the pan, turn the heat down immediately. This step is optional, but you can add a spoonful of baking soda before you take it off the heat. The baking soda will moderate the reaction, making the smoke bomb burn a little bit slower. Turn off the heat on the stove and use a spoon to get as much of the mixture as you can into the tube. Work quickly because the mixture is going to harden. To make it easier to pour, you can use a funnel. Or you can place the mixture in a small plastic bag, cut off one corner, and squeeze it into the tube. When you're pouring the mixture in the cardboard tube, make sure to pack it tightly. If it's not, the smoke won't burn smoothly when you light the smoke bomb. Visco is a type of fuse typically used for consumer fireworks. Cut at least 3 inches (7.6cm) of the fuse and then stick one end into the middle of the tube through the mixture. Make sure at least 1in (2.5cm) of the fuse is sticking out of the mixture so you have enough room to light it. Let your mixture sit in a well-ventilated area so that it can cool down. It might take an hour or so to completely solidify. Put your finished smoke bomb in an outdoor area clear of buildings, trees, other people, and pets. You should never light a smoke bomb indoors. Potassium nitrate smoke bombs burn very violently. So make sure you place it in a clear, open area away from anything that can catch fire. Use a lighter to light the end of the fuse. Move away quickly as soon as the fuse is lit to avoid smoke inhalation or injury. Your smoke bomb will produce a large cloud of dark smoke.
Summary: Gather your supplies and put on your safety gear. Cover one end of the toilet paper tube with duct tape. Combine potassium nitrate and white sugar in a cast iron skillet. Heat the pan on the stove over medium-low heat for 15 minutes. Add one spoonful of baking soda if you want the bomb to burn slowly. Pour the mixture into the cardboard tube. Insert a visco fuse into the tube while the mixture is still soft. Let the mixture cool and harden. Place the bomb outside in an open area. Light the fuse and enjoy your smoke bomb.

Problem: Article: Cats are always learning how to communicate with us. The more that you communicate with your cat, the faster he or she will learn. Use a slightly raised tone of voice to indicate friendliness and a lowered tone of voice to indicate displeasure or aggression. Using repetition will help your cat learn to anticipate consistent activities. You may want to repeat a word such as sleep or bed each time you go to bed. Eventually, your cat will begin to associate the repetitive word sound with your actions and may even get to the bedroom before you. Cats can be trained to understand words, but they will instinctively understand nonverbal cues. Creating a warm environment with clear expectations and few surprises can help strengthen your initial bond with a new cat. If you blink slowly when making eye contact with your cat, she will usually respond by coming over to be stroked. This is seen as a very non-threatening gesture. Try not to stare directly into a cat's eyes. It tells her that you're unfriendly or aggressive. If your cat wants to go somewhere such as next to you on the couch, but he seems unsure, pat the space and use a soft, reassuring voice to invite him to join you. Be consistent in your intent and expression. A common blunder many pet owners make is to say "no" but pet the cat at the same time. This is very confusing to the cat. So for example, if you want your cat to go away, a firm "later" and a gentle push, without showing affection, will let the cat know that her presence is not desired at this time. Most cats will try two to three times to invade a person's space, often from different directions. When saying "Later", be patient. Never yell at or physically discipline a cat. This only frightens and angers the cat, and is counterproductive. Instead, to show displeasure, you can add a hard edge to your voice. The cat will pick up on that and sense unhappiness. Being consistent with the wording, tone, and other accompanying signals while giving your cat training commands will help both of you agree on and understand clear expectations. Develop a commanding tone to use with your cat when he or she is doing something that you consider to be wrong. Use a voice that comes naturally to you and can be replicated easily, but that is also distinct from your everyday talking voice. If you use this voice sparingly but seriously, your cat will learn to associate the voice with the idea that she is displeasing you. Make a quick and sharp hiss or spit sound as a "no" command. This is similar to the sound made as a correction or warning in "cat language" and using it can communicate your intent more clearly to your cat. With patience, cats can be trained to respond to commands, much the same as for dogs. You can even teach your cat to shake your hand.
Summary:
Talk back to your cat. Use nonverbal communication cues. Deliver commands to your cat.