Place Mats That Help Kids Learn How to Set Tables

• A child can learn how to set up a table place setting. Steven Lam/Stockbyte/Getty Images

  It is easy to teach a child that "fork" and 'left" each have four letters when placing the fork on the left side of the plate. A child may also find it simple to remember that "knife" and "spoon" have five letters that match their right side placement. A place mat with a diagram of the table setting will make it easier for the child to remember the proper position of the utensils.

Educational Place Mats

• Table setting and table manners place mats are available from kitchen supply sales, online sources and stores. Available place mats diagram the outline of the items used for place settings and are labelled with the names of each piece. The inexpensive 12-by-17 1/2-inch mats are laminated or machine stamped onto easy-clean materials.

Crafted Place Mats

• Free downloads are available for line drawings of place mats with plate, utensils, cup and napkin locations. The downloaded patterns are printed on plain paper or used as patterns to transfer to vinyl, plastic, cork-backed high-density board, cardboard or woven natural material place mats. Laminate paper place mat projects or cover them with clear contact paper for a long-lasting kid's coloring or painted art project.

Handsewn

• A crafter can use cloth to sew place setting placemats for children to use to set the table. She can use solid, print and holiday cloth to make the decorative yet functional mats. She traces a plate, silverware, cup and napkin on cloth to be cut out for the place-setting guide. She attaches each place setting symbol,cut out of cloth, to the cloth place mat with zigzag , blanket or quilt stitching.

How to Get Rid of Flying Bats in the Attic

Few flying creatures evoke the response that bats do. Misrepresented in folklore, people usually approach bats with fear. However, bats are generally timorous creatures that go out of their way to avoid contact with humans. Nevertheless, like all animals, bats need shelter. According to Defenders of Wildlife, bats prefer dark, quiet spaces where they can hide from predators and safely raise their young. This makes an attic an attractive and ideal location for roosting.

Remove Bats From the Attic

• 1

  Wait until fall to attempt bat removal. If you have a large colony making a home of your attic, this can seem like an eternity to wait. However, according to the Florida Bat Conservancy, bats raise their young from April through August. It is unethical to try to remove bats during breeding season. You may inadvertently separate mothers from their offspring as baby bats are unable to fly.

• 2

  Watch your attic at sunset and make note of where the bats exit. Bats are capable of squeezing through openings as small as ½-inch and they may use more than one crack or crevice. Observe closely for three to five evenings or until you are certain of the location of the entrance points.

• 3

  Cover all entry points with mesh wire screen. Cut large patches and secure one end while leaving the other loose, creating flaps over the openings. This will allow bats to fly out but will prevent them from flying back in.

• 4

  Wait one week, periodically checking the attic for the presence of bats. Once all the bats are gone, close the entrances with caulk or cement or stuff them with steel wool, permanently sealing the openings and preventing further colonization.

• 5

  Clean the attic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, not only does bat guano smell bad, its presence can encourage the growth of a fungus that can lead to the development of histoplasmosis -- a serious lung disease.

How to Organize Your Kitchen & Pantry in a Weekend

The kitchen and pantry are two of the most commonly visited places in the house. Both are high-traffic areas that hold loads of items, making it easy for things to get cluttered up and disorganized. Putting the kitchen and pantry in order may seem like an overwhelming task, but organization can simplify your daily activities, making things easier to find while ridding the area of unnecessary items. Additionally, an organized kitchen and pantry helps the whole house look neat and tidy.

Organizing the Kitchen and Pantry

• 1

  Clear your schedule to allow yourself unencumbered time for the task at hand. Even with interruptions, the entire project can be done in less than two days.

• 2

  Remove everything from the kitchen cupboards and pantry shelves. Place each item on the counter or in a box. This part, unfortunately, make your kitchen look like a disaster area. Fortunately, the situation is temporary.

• 3

  Go through the boxes and evaluate each item. Begin with kitchen items, throwing away anything that is broken or damaged beyond repair. Additionally, if you cannot remember the last time you used an item, appliance or gadget, place it in a box to be donated to charity. If you find duplicate items, such as can openers and ice cream scoops, determine whether it is truly necessary to have more than one. Then move on to the pantry items, checking each label and discarding any food that is out of date.

• 4

  Sort what remains, putting similar items together. For example, knives can be grouped with cutting boards and tableware can be put with serving dishes. For the pantry, place all canned goods in one pile, rice and pasta in another, cookies and crackers in another, and so on.

• 5

  Determine what you use most often before returning items to the shelves and cupboards. Things that are rarely used should be placed on the top shelves, while items that get used regularly should be located at eye level. Tall items, heavy appliances or items that get used, but not daily, should be placed on lower shelves.

• 6

  Remove unnecessary items if you find you're running short on shelf space. For example, paper plates, napkins and rolls of paper towels can be stored in the garage, hall closet or basement and brought into the kitchen as needed.

• 7

  Remove all food items that are in bags -- popcorn, flour, sugar, pasta -- and place them in plastic storage containers. This makes stacking them in the pantry easier, keeps the food fresher and helps to prevent insect infestation.

• 8

  Remove any unnecessary items from the counter, leaving ample space for the appliances you use every day such as the coffeemaker or those item that are too large to store beneath a counter, such as a microwave oven. Reducing the number of items permanently stored on the countertop helps give the kitchen a streamlined look, while giving you plenty of room to comfortably prepare meals.

How to Make a House a Using Box

Playhouses for children can cost from hundreds to thousands of dollars, depending on the materials and design used in the construction. One unfortunate fact of childhood is that children quickly outgrow their toys and belongings, rendering expensive toys virtually useless except as resale items. Children are just as happy playing house in a cardboard box playhouse as they are playing in one made of plastic. Make a house from a major appliance box in about an hour.

• 1

  Find a box from a large appliance, such as an oven, dishwasher, washing machine or dryer. Cut the flaps from the open end of the box with with scissors or a box cutter. Cut refrigerator boxes in half to shorten them. If you do not have a very large box, ask a local appliance retailer to save an appliance box for you to pick up.

• 2

  Place the box with the open end down. Choose a side to be the front of the playhouse.

• 3

  Measure the height of the child who will be using the playhouse and add 2 inches to this measurement. This will be the the door height. Measure the width of the child and add 5 inches to this measurement. This will be width of the door.

• 4

  Use the measurements from Step 3 to draw a rectangular door onto the center, front of the box. Start at the bottom (cut end) of the box, and use a yardstick or other straight edge as a guide.

• 5

  Move to the right side of the box. Measure and draw a rectangle or square half the height and width of the door. Repeat for the left side of the box. These are windows.

• 6

  Cut a capital I in the center of the windows, so the child can bend the flaps back like shutters and open and close the windows.

• 7

  Cut out the door along the top and right side of the door. You may completely cut out the rectangle if desired, but leaving the left side of the rectangle intact will allow the door to open and close.

• 8

  Make a door knob by measuring half-way up the right side of the door and 2 inches inside the door's edge. Poke the screw of a small knob (a cabinet- or drawer-size knob) through the cardboard of the door. Secure the nut to the knob screw on the other side of the door. You can also cut a 2-inch diameter hole through the cardboard instead of making a door knob.

• 9

  Make a mailbox by measuring and cutting a 9-inch long by 2-inch high rectangle. Place the mailbox on the front of the box at a comfortable height for the child who will use the playhouse.

• 10

  Decorate the house with acrylic or tempera paints if desired. Allow your child to particpate in the decorating process and allow him to make decorating decisions for his playhouse.

How to Display a Collection of Green Antique Kitchen Gadgets

Soft apple green appears on antique appliances and gadgets, such as ice cream shake makers, green glass jars, ice cream scoops, enamel tea pots and mixers. Display a small collection in a glass-fronted cabinet. If your collection is larger, it will most likely require more space.

• 1

  Gather all the green antiques together on a table top to inventory what you have. Go through the rest of the house to make sure parts of your collection aren't stashed in other rooms. Collections look better when grouped together instead of spread out in ones and twos.

• 2

  Obtain stands for items that need to be propped up for display, such as plates.

• 3

  Decide where you're going to display the items. You might decide to build shelves for display. If you have plant shelves already installed, those would work. A baker's rack or a china hutch will work well, too.

• 4

  Paint the display wall a soft yellow, blue or other color that goes with your decorating scheme. The contrasting color makes the green pop. If using a china hutch, paint the inside of the china hutch and the shelves.

• 5

  Place the largest item, such as a juicer or mixer, in the center of the center shelf and toward the front. Place the next two largest items to either side of the mixer about 6 inches away from the ends of the shelf and more toward the back.

• 6

  Put a plate between the center item and the large item to the right. Place two glass items between the center item and the large item to the left. Fill in with smaller items, balancing them on either side.

• 7

  Attach gadgets such as manual can openers, whisks, cooking utensils and such to the walls using cup hooks. These items should be above the antique items displayed on the shelves.

• 8

  Put a large item on the top shelf to the right and toward the front. Place two midsized items on the same shelf to the left to balance the large item. Fill in with smaller items.

• 9

  Put a large item on the bottom shelf to the left and toward the front. Place two midsized items on that same shelf to the right. The large items on opposite sides of the top and bottom shelves balance the display.

• 10

  Imagine a large Z drawn from the right of the top shelf, to the left, then down through the center shelf at an angle, to the right of the bottom shelf and finishing on the left. The large items anchor the Z.

How to Calculate Fluorescent Lights in a Shop

All lighting loads and lighting requirements fall under the regulation of the National Electrical Code, or NEC. Article 220 section 3 and Table 220-3(b) outline specific volt-ampere lighting requirements for all occupancies. Volt-amperes is the same calculation as wattage. All lights, including fluorescents, have ratings in wattage that is specified on the fixture. The wattage rating is equal to the fixture's overall light output.

• 1

  Measure the outside of the shop building's length and width. These measurements must be the exterior measurements of the building.

• 2

  Multiply the length times the width to find the shop's overall square footage.

• 3

  Calculate the required amount of lighting, in wattage, by multiplying the overall square footage times 2 watts. As an example, a shop of 1,000 square feet will require 2,000 watts of lighting.

• 4

  Divide the individual fluorescent light fixture rating by the overall requirement found in Step 3. As another example, the typical 4-foot two-bulb fluorescent light fixture has an average wattage output of 80 watts. Divide 2,000 watts by 80 watts and the resultant number of 4-foot two-bulb fixtures is equal to 25 fixtures evenly spaced throughout the shop.

Trash to Treasure Recycling Ideas

• Not trash, but potential. Aaron Graubart/Photodisc/Getty Images

  All that glitters is not gold, because treasures do lurk in places such as salvage yards, second-hand shops or trash bins. Sometimes all you need is a fresh perspective to see how to turn a discard into a useful item. There are treasures in your own home just waiting for you to see their potential. So before you drop something in your box for Goodwill, step outside the box and see what else you can do with it.

Household Furnishings

• Salvaging large objects is a little harder than other projects because you need a truck or large vehicle to claim the raw materials. But if you have one, and some basic woodworking skills, don't pass up discarded kitchen cabinets and doors. An old kitchen cabinet can find a place in your home as a nightstand or end table. A door can be repurposed as a desktop, supported by a couple of file cabinets. Use the hole for the doorknob to pass computer cords beneath the desk. Or put two cabinets side by side, add an upholstered top, and put it under a window for quick and cozy seating with storage.

Clothing

• When your closet is bulging with clothes that you no longer wear, take a few minutes to look at them from a different viewpoint. You can felt wool sweaters to create a sturdy fabric that won't unravel, which makes them raw material for afghans, hats and handbags. Or consider unravelling them to reuse the yarn. An old pair of blue jeans can become a new skirt, or consider clipping off the legs, and making a purse. A button-down shirt can be refashioned to a skirt or a pillow cover.

Kitchenware

• From mismatched silverware and old dishes to jelly jar glasses, a kitchen seems to be a repository of unwanted stuff. So stop stuffing those souvenir coffee cups in the back of the cabinet. Make one a pen or pencil holder by the kitchen phone or a vase for herbs. Display cooking magazines library-style on an over-the-door towel rack. Put a basket on top of an old scale for new mail, or add some dried lavender or rosemary. Mount an extra baking rack on a wall and add mini clothespins for a simple bulletin board.

True Trash

• Consider your everyday trash as a supply cabinet for raw materials. With a few well-placed snips, a plastic bag becomes plarn, or plastic yarn, that you can crochet or knit into rugs or place mats. Can labels, carefully removed, are colorful additions to decoupage projects. Add some paste to newspaper for paper mâché. Even junk mail and cereal boxes can be remade into handmade books with a little imagination.

Home Monitoring Software

Home monitoring software for your computer automatically alerts you via email or cell phone if there's movement in your supposedly empty home. You can also set up cameras to record during designated times of the day.

Webcam

• Home monitoring software uses your PC's or laptop's webcam to keep an eye on your house. You can set up a motion detector to trigger the webcam. As long as you have an Internet connection, you can log on and monitor your in-home surveillance system from wherever you are.

Uses

• Home monitoring software is often used to watch over nannies or to keep an eye on children when they're in a different room. It can also help you check up on elderly people living in your home or watch the pets while you're on vacation. Home monitoring software can also monitor offices.

Availability

• Home monitoring software for your computer is extremely simple to install. Some websites let you simply download and install the software right to your computer, rather than buying a physical copy. Research the different features of different home monitoring software before choosing the one best-suited to your needs.

How to Reduce Fossil Fuel Emissions

The United States is one of the top global consumers of fossil fuels. Fossil fuels like coal, oil and natural gas are fuels that are formed naturally in the earth from the remains of plants or animals. Reducing fossil fuel emissions will reduce the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere ,which will decrease the deterioration of the ozone layer and help to reduce global warming. By making a few simple changes in your home and lifestyle, you can do your part in reducing fossil fuel emissions and helping the environment.

• 1

  Take the bus. Leave your car at home and choose public transportation whenever possible. Using public transportation reduces your car´s consumption of gasoline and therefore reduces fossil fuel emissions. Save money by calling your local public transportation department and asking about a bus pass. Many cities offer special fare discounts for people who frequently use public transportation.

• 2

  Start carpooling. Suggest starting a carpool group at your school or office. Carpooling is an environmentally friendly alternative if you do not wish to take public transportation.

• 3

  Ride a bicycle. Riding a bicycle to and from work is good exercise and environmentally friendly because it uses no fossil fuels.

• 4

  Reduce your consumption of water. Water treatment plants require the use of fossil fuels to purify water and make it safe for consumption. Installing low-flow shower heads, faucets and toilet pumps are easy ways to reduce the level of water consumption in your home. Take shorter showers, water your lawn at night and fix leaky faucets to decrease the amount of water your household uses.

• 5

  Buy energy-efficient light bulbs. Using less electricity means you burn less fossil fuels and reduce emissions. Replace the light bulbs in your home with long-lasting, energy-efficient ones.

• 6

  Use less electricity. Generating electricity requires burning fossil fuels. Unplug all appliances when not in use. Unplug your cell phone and other battery chargers after the batteries are fully charged to avoid using excess amounts of electricity.

• 7

  Recycle. Call your local recycling center and ask about participating in a recycling program. Recycling materials reduces the need to mine for raw materials, which greatly reduces fossil fuel emissions.

• 8

  Buy energy-efficient appliances like dishwashers and washing machines; look for appliances marked with the Energy Star label. This is another way to use less electricity in your home.

USDA Hay Testing

The United States Department of Agriculture, or USDA, provides grading and testing standards for hay. These standards are used to determine the quality of hay and its cash value.

Method

• Hay is tested by coring the bale. This means that a probe is drilled into the center of a bale to remove a sample.

Properties

• The hay is graded on its percentage of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and relative feed value (RFV).

Grades

• An analysis of the hay's quality determines its grade.There are four possible grades: supreme, premium, good, fair and low. The USDA offers a specific definition for each grade.

Market

• The USDA currently tests hay, and reports hay prices in 25 states. Farmers who sell hay in other states also use USDA prices and standards as a guide.

History

• The USDA first established hay standards in 1940. The standards were dropped from use until 1985, when a new set of standards were compiled. The standards of the 1980s relied purely on visual characteristics to determine hay quality. It was not until 1998 that the standards were rewritten to consider nutritional value rather than aesthetics.

Time-Saving Organization Ideas

• Organization begins at home with a strict regimen and schedule that you must follow. Jeffrey Coolidge/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Organization is key to utilizing your time in the most efficient manner possible. It's not really possible to determine exactly how much of your day you waste due to leading a disorganized life, but you can bet it probably adds up to several years over the course of a lifetime. Gain back that precious time, and provide yourself with more leisure time by organizing your lifestyle to keep from the most useless wastes of time.

Lost Keys Means Lost Time

• Pick a spot in your house where you will place your keys as soon as you enter the house. Make a habit of placing your keys and wallet in one and only one location so that you never again have to speed on the road to make up for time lost looking for keys.

Family Bathroom Schedule

• Create a family bathroom schedule for high-traffic periods of the day like morning and night. Give each person in the household a certain time and time period in which to bathe, shave, brush teeth and get ready to either face the world or face the bed. Arrange this schedule according to need based on things like the time needed to get to where you're going as well as time spent on bathroom issues. Give the family member who is notorious for taking forever in the bathroom the final slot unless she can prove she will speed things up.

Next Day Preparation

• Instead of just sitting there on the sofa watching your favorite television shows, kill two birds with one stone. Enjoy your leisurely entertainment in the bedroom while you lay out your attire for the next day. Investing in a coffee maker programmed to greet you in the morning with a hot cup of coffee can shave time off your morning rush as well.

Work Files

• Rearrange your work files in a way that makes them more efficient. Look over the contents of your filing cabinet and think of the first noun that comes to mind when you are looking for something. Instead of wasting time trying to remember whether you filed papers under D for dog, A for animals or W for wills, go directly to Stupidest Customer Requests. Formal filing titles like Research Resources can often lose their meaning, but a file labeled Best Books and Web Sites About Buying Foreclosure Property tells you exactly what the contents are likely to be.

Grocery Shopping

• How many times have you come back from the grocery store only to remember that you forgot to get that one thing you really went to buy in the first place? Cut down on unnecessary trips to the supermarket by placing a chalkboard or dry erase board right next to both the pantry and refrigerator. Each time you use something that you need to replace, write it down. Copy the list and take it with you to store, but only after you have first eaten a small snack. This will make you less likely to waste even more time buying things on hunger impulse. Arrange to buy your groceries for the entire week on Sunday morning when the supermarkets are less crowded due to churchgoing and recovering from Saturday night partying.

Lightbulbs That Conserve Energy

• Energy-efficient light bulbs can cut the electricity bill and benefit the environment. Shana Novak/Digital Vision/Getty Images

  Energy conservation is an increasingly common criterion for selecting household goods, from major appliances like washers and dryers all the way down to light bulbs. Using products that consume less energy can mean significant savings on electricity bills as well as decreased demand for fossil fuels to supply that electricity. The U.S. Government's Energy Star program provides helpful guidelines for choosing light bulbs that are energy efficient.

Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs

• Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFLs) are the primary energy-saving light bulb, earning the government's Energy Star rating in 1999. Within the broad category of CFLs, there are various product designs that suit the needs of most household and commercial lighting projects.

Types & Shapes of CFLs

• A-Shape CFL bulbs are designed to resemble this traditional incandescent bulb. light bulb image by Photosani from Fotolia.com

  Spiral: the most commonly seen CFL, it looks like a tightly coiled spiral

  A-Shape: a spiral bulb covered by glass shaped to look more like a traditional incandescent lamp

  Globe: a spiral shaped bulb covered by spherical glass that can be used for decorative purposes

  Tubed: the original design of CFL bulbs, resembles old TV tubes

  Candle: more decorative and generally smaller, tube or spiral shaped bulb covered by glass resembling a candle flame that can be used in small light fixtures or flameless candles

  Reflector: smaller indoor and larger outdoor bulbs that are encased with reflective metal at the stem end to provide directional light (also commonly known as flood lights)

Benefits of CFLs

• By reducing wattage, CFLs use roughly 3/4 less energy than traditional incandescent light bulbs. They are also designed to last up to 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs. Thus, purchasing a CFL bulb will save you money on your energy bill by drawing less power, and save you money by reducing the replacement frequency of your bulbs. CFLs also produce less heat than a standard bulb, which allows for easier handling and can help save on home cooling costs. Most manufacturers estimate cost savings over the lifetime of a CFL bulb at between $30 and $40.

  Energy-saving light bulbs can work with a dimmer switch, and come in the same light colors (i.e. bright white, soft white) as standard bulbs.

How CFLs Work

• The characteristic spiral tubes of an energy-saving bulb contain gas activated by an electric current to produce light. Specialist Light Bulb image by tmarven from Fotolia.com

  Unlike a traditional incandescent bulb that burns a filament, giving off light and heat, CFLs utilize a gas that's inert until electricity activates it. The gas produces invisible ultraviolet rays that shine through the white glass tubes to create visible light. Very little energy is wasted as heat as a result.

  CFLs draw less wattage from the power source to provide the same amount of light as a traditional bulb. For instance, a 9W compact fluorescent bulb yields the same amount of light as a standard 40W bulb, but draws 31 fewer watts.

Cumin As a Mosquito Repellent

Mosquitoes carry certain diseases, so it isn't surprising that people want ways to repel the insects. Natural remedies are best for those wary of the chemicals found in mass-produced repellents, but cumin isn't the best choice.

Considerations

• Cumin as a repellent for mosquitoes is an urban legend, according to the Snopes website. No research exists to back up the claims that cumin will repel mosquitoes.

Warning

• If you use cumin in an attempt to ward off mosquitoes, keep in mind that it probably won't be effective. Use a product specifically designed to repel mosquitoes.

Alternatives

• Alternative natural mosquito repellents include lemon, basil, fenugreek seeds, lime and cinnamon. These are used as herbal remedies for malaria, which is transmitted by mosquitoes. The belief is that the spices and juices change the scent your body gives off and the taste of your blood. Mosquitoes are repelled by the scent and if the bugs do bite, they quickly move on because of the taste.

Citronella as a Mosquito Repellent

Citronella grass is indigenous to South America. The oil derived from the plant is called geraniol and is the active ingredient in many natural mosquito repellent products.

Types

• Citronella is used in mosquito repellent sprays and lotions. While it is nontoxic, a few people experience a mild skin rash with frequent use. Citronella is also used to scent candles, outdoor lanterns and tiki torches. The characteristic strong, citrus smell repels mosquitoes.

Benefits

• Citronella oil is plant-based and nontoxic. DEET is a poisonous mosquito repellent and pesticide. While DEET is the most effective ingredient in sprays and lotions, many do not want to use the toxic product. Citronella-based lotions and sprays do not work as well as or kill mosquitoes like DEET, but citronella does repel mosquitoes.

Effects

• The strong scent of citronella confuses insects such as mosquitoes and fleas. The citronella aroma masks the odor of humans and animals so that the bugs cannot find targets to bite.

What Foods Kill Parasites?

• Some medicinal, antiparasitic foods may already be in your pantry. Yagi Studio/Photodisc/Getty Images

  Intestinal parasites often go unnoticed, but sometimes they become a problem, with resulting digestive problems, gas and other health issues. Foods can be a powerful ally to guard the body from new parasites and to get rid of existing infections. You may need to combine some foods and herbs to get the full effect. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that alternative treatments may be helpful, in addition to conventional treatments, but your healthcare provider may need to perform certain tests to find out what types of organisms are invading your body.

Honey & Papaya Seed

• Papaya seeds are also high in fiber so eating them daily may benefit your overall health. papaya image by Silvia Bogdanski from Fotolia.com

  The University of Maryland Medical Center says that honey with papaya seeds can clear parasites from stool. The amount needed is not known, so experiment with this remedy to see how it works for you. Try eating fresh papaya seeds with 2 tbsp. of raw honey each day; increase the dosage if you don't get results within the first few days. Monitor your stool to find out if your body is expelling parasites. You may need to continue eating antiparasitic foods for a while before you see significant results. These foods help rid the body of parasites, but some people with severe infections may need to continue this remedy for several months to get the full effect.

Garlic

• Eat raw chopped garlic -- cooking alters its medicinal effect. garlic image by Norbert Tuske from Fotolia.com

  The University of Maryland Medical Center also lists garlic as an antiparasitic food. In addition, chemist David Mirelman at the Weizmann Institute for Science in Rehovot says that crushed and cut garlic has antiparasitic powers. This may be due to the enzymes that are activated when garlic is chopped. More research is being done, but garlic shows promising results. Add raw garlic to salads and other foods or chop it up and add it to a raw carrot juice.

  In addition, The University of Michigan Health System shows that garlic is effective at killing roundworms, hookworms and pinworms. The amounts needed are unknown, so experiment with garlic in varying amounts to find out how effective this food is for you.

Clove, Wormwood & Black Walnut Hull

• Combining cloves, wormwood and black Walnut hulls can help rid the body of parasites. Cloves kill parasite eggs, while wormwood and black walnut hull kill the adult larva and other stages, according to Dr. Hulda Clark, author of "The Cure for All Diseases." Herbs are classified as foods, but many herbs may interact with prescription medications, so discuss this with your doctor. Herbs and other foods may take longer to work compared to powerful prescription antiparasitic drugs. However, herbs and foods are typically much gentler than pharmaceuticals.

How Can I Recover the Combination to My Master Lock?

Master Lock is one of the most trusted and oldest names in lock security. The locks come with a combination containing three digits that will open the lock. However, if you do misplace or forget the combination, you will not be able to open the Master Lock. Luckily, the company offers a service that will allow you to recover the combination if you have the lock's serial number.

• 1

  Print out the Lost Combination Form at the Master Lock website. Fill out the information on the form, including the lock's serial number, which is located on the back of the lock. Sign the form in front of a notary public and have him notarize the form.

• 2

  Make a photocopy of the back of the lock. Make sure the serial number is legible. Also, hand write the serial number on the photocopy of the lock.

• 3

  Mail the signed form and the photocopied back of the lock to:

  Master Lock Warehouse

  1600 W. La Quinta Road

  Suite/WHSE # 1

  Nogales, AZ 85621

• 4

  Wait four to six weeks for the company to respond to your lost combination request with the combination of your Master Lock.

What Causes Light Pink Spotting?

• Light pink spotting has a variety of causes. Digital Vision./Digital Vision/Getty Images

  The term "light pink spotting" refers to trace amounts of blood that are released from a woman's reproductive organs, often coinciding with ovulation, pregnancy or menstruation. Light pink spotting is rarely found in the panties; often the amount is so light that it is seen on the tissue a woman wipes with after using the bathroom. Spotting of this nature usually lasts one to a few days; if it continues, it typically changes into a heavier, reddish flow.

Pregnancy (Implantation)

• One cause of light pink spotting is implantation, an early sign of conception. Implantation occurs between one to two weeks after a woman's egg has been fertilized by a man's sperm, when the fertilized egg implants itself into the blood and nutrient-rich lining of the uterine wall. According to Baby-Med.com, approximately 20 percent to 30 percent of women experience this phenomenon; a small amount of blood released from the uterine wall as a result of implantation makes its way through the cervix and out of the vagina, to appear as dark brown or light pink spotting.

Ovulation

• Light pink spotting due to ovulation can occur approximately two weeks after a woman's last menstrual period. The ovarian follicle ruptures when the egg is released, causing a hole that allows the egg to make its way into one of the fallopian tubes. When the rupture occurs, a small amount of blood may escape through the vagina, but typically only lasts a few hours. Another cause of ovulation spotting may be hormone related. During ovulation, the female body increases its output of estrogen, which causes the uterine lining to shed slightly. According to Beyond-Fertility.com, slight spotting during ovulation is a sign of fertility.

Menstruation

• In the very beginning of a menstrual period, when a woman's body is beginning to release the unfertilized egg, the blood flow can show up as light pink or brown spotting. It is easy to confuse the beginning of a period with implantation bleeding. Only time can tell the two apart. Implantation spotting rarely lasts longer than a day, while premenstrual spotting will evolve into the heavier flow of a period.

Infection

• A rarer cause of light pink spotting is infection of the vagina, uterus, fallopian tubes, cervix or ovaries. Infections of this nature are typically caused by STDs (sexually transmitted diseases). If you are experiencing light pink spotting, and you have ruled out pregnancy, ovulation or menstruation as possible causes, you should see your physician.

Other Causes

• Other causes of light pink spotting include the following: cervical, vaginal, uterine or ovarian cancer, PID (pelvic inflammatory disease), uterine fibroid tumors, birth control, stress and sexual abuse.

How Much Ground Flaxseed Is Good for Daily Intake?

The flax plant produces flaxseed, which is sometimes ground for use as a dietary supplement. Flaxseed's health benefits stem from essential fatty acids and lignans, which are chemicals that have an estrogenlike effect on the body.

Considerations

• Before taking flaxseed, consult a nutritionist or other qualified health care professional. While flaxseed is generally safe, you should not take it if you are pregnant or undergoing hormone replacement therapy. It may also interfere with oral contraceptives, medication that thins blood and medication for diabetics. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises that you take flaxseed at least an hour before or two hours after taking other medications or supplements, since flaxseed can interfere with the body's ability to properly absorb them. It can also cause nausea, diarrhea, bloating, gas and other digestive problems.

Daily Intake

• The information presented here is not intended as advice and should not replace guidance from a licensed professional. The University of Maryland Medical Center says that adults can ingest between 2 and 4 tbsp. of ground flaxseed a day, in either one single dose or two to three doses of a tablespoon.

Benefits

• Flaxseed's essential fatty acids contribute to heart health by potentially lowering blood pressure, increasing levels of good cholesterol, making blood platelets less sticky and reducing inflammation. Flaxseed may also provide relief from symptoms of menopause, protect bone health and decrease the chances of developing osteoporosis, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.

How to Recycle UV-Coated Paper

UV coating is a clear liquid that is spread over paper then dried by UV light to give the paper durability and a high-gloss shine. However, the UV coating also makes the paper more difficult to recycle. According to the North Carolina Department of Environment, not every recycling center has the capacity to recycle UV-coated paper. In unequipped facilities, when UV-coated paper is pulped with regular paper, the entire batch must be thrown out and cannot be processed any further. To avoid this, make sure the facility can handle UV-coated paper before putting it in the bin.

• 1

  Contact your Municipal Curbside Recycling Program to find out if the recycling center that your paper is taken to accepts UV-coated paper. If it does, simply place the UV-coated paper in the recycling bin with your other recyclable paper products. If your city does not have a curbside recycling program or UV-coated paper is not accepted, proceed to Step 2.

• 2

  Call your State Department of Environmental Quality/Department of Environmental Protection (DEQ/DEP) to discover the closest facility that recycles UV-coated paper.

• 3

  Call the recycling centers near you. Websites such as Recycling Centers.org and Earth 911.com make it easy to search for local facilities by using your ZIP code or address. Call the facilities listed to discover if they can handle UV-coated paper.

• 4

  Deliver the UV-coated paper to the appropriate facility or arrange to have it picked up (some recycling centers offer this option for a fee).

Coleman Powermate Generator Specifications

• Powermate began as a division of Coleman, but has been its own company for over a decade. When determining what size backup generator you need, first determine what you expect to be powering. If you are using your generator as an emergency backup only, you can likely use a smaller generator. For camping or other uses, you may find that a larger generator is what you need.

ProForce 5000 Watt Backup Generator

• The ProForce 5000 generator creates a running wattage of 5000 watts and can generate a maximum of 6250 watts. It has a 12 horsepower gas-powered engine and uses an automatic oil notification system that shuts the generator down if the oil levels get too low. The generator has a 6 gallon fuel tank with a gauge to show you how much gas remains. This generator has four 120 volt outlets and one 120/240 volt combination outlet. The ProForce 5000 can run for 10 hours at 50 percent of its load capacity. The unit measures 33 inches wide, 21 inches tall and 24 inches deep. It weighs 184 pounds.

ProForce 6000 Watt Backup Generator

• The ProForce 6000 is very similar to the ProForce 5000 in many respects, but it has a maximum wattage of 7500 watts. This generator also has a 12 horsepower gas engine with the low oil alert system. The gas tank holds 6 gallons of fuel and can run for 10 hours at 50 percent of its load capacity. The ProForce 6000 also has 4 120 volt outlets and 1 120/240 volt outlet. Like ProForce 5000, this generator measures 33 inches wide, 21 inches tall and 24 inches deep. It also weighs 184 pounds.

ProForce 7000 Watt Backup Generator

• The ProForce 7000 generator runs at 7000 watts with a maximum wattage of 8750 watts. The generator runs on a 389 CC Honda GX series gasoline engine. It has the standard low oil alarm system and holds eight gallons of gasoline in its fuel tank. This generator has 10-inch wheels and a handle that folds down when the generator is in use. You can run the generator at 50 percent of its capacity for 10 hours on one tank of gasoline. The ProForce 7000 has four 120 volt outlets and one 120/240 twistlock outlet. The generator measures 31.3 inches wide, 20.9 inches wide and 24.3 inches deep while weighing in at 198 pounds.

ProForce 8000 Watt Backup Generator

• The ProForce 8000 runs at 8000 watts with a maximum wattage of 10,000 watts. The generator runs on a 15 horsepower Kohler gasoline engine. The eight gallon fuel tank can run for nine hours at 50 percent of its capacity. The generator has the standard low oil alarm setup to shut down the generator if the oil levels get too low. It has four 120 volt outlets and one 120/240 volt twistlock outlet. Unlike the other generators, this model ships with two quarts of oil and an extra battery. The unit measures 31.38 inches wide, 20.88 inches wide and 29.5 inches deep. It weighs 249 pounds.