Originally landed on: A Brief Introduction of El Niño
Fisheries management is about calculating exactly how much fish can be harvested in a given fishery without killing all of the fish. If all fish are caught, none are left to reproduce and make more fish to catch later. Fisheries ecology is about making models that take into account everything about the life cycle of the fish, from early life history to diet to habitat use to reproductive patterns - then figuring out fishing seasons, fishing gear, size and catch limits, etc. that will allow everyone to do some fishing while harming the overall population the least.
The fisheries model for the Peruvian anchovy fishery was originally devised in the 1950s, before the nature of El Niño was well-known. It did not take into account the effects El Niño had on the fish, which was that the population was smaller. Fishermen therefore fished for them at the same harvest limits as normal years - which, during an El Niño year, is not a sustainable rate.
There was a strong El Niño in 1972. The fishery collapsed shortly after that.
Learn more about the basics of El Niño, La Niña, and the Southern Oscillation (ENSO for short), from both a historical and a modern scientific perspective in this introductory article.
30 May 2011
How to host a U.S. southern-style oyster roast
wild oysters
An oyster roast is a traditional outdoors party event on the southeastern U.S. coast. It's sticky and sandy and messy and hours of fun. Here's what you'll need to have one:
* freshly harvested oysters - quarter bushel per person. Keep them cool and damp before the roast.
* the burlap sacks they came in (or some large bath towels if there aren't any)
* a place to build an open fire
* a low metal table to put over the fire, to hold the oysters while they roast
* a shovel
* a hose connected to a ready supply of water
* tall wooden tables (standing height), preferably with large round holes cut into the middle, preferably laminated but covered in newspaper if not
* large plastic wastebuckets to put under the holes in the tables
* large, sturdy plastic baskets if interested in recycling the shells
* one roll of paper towels per four people
* oyster knives - one per person
* wide, shallow bowls of shrimp cocktail sauce - one or two per table
* a choice of sodas, beers, iced tea, water, or other beverages
* side dishes for people who want to attend but don't like oysters. Try a potluck.
Roasting the Oysters
Put the low metal table over the fire. Start the fire. When it's burning well, dump 2-3 bushels of oysters onto the table. Put the sacks over them and hose them down real good. Let them roast until their shells just start to open (check after the first ten minutes). Less time over the fire means gooey, juicy oysters. More time makes the flesh more firm. Hose them again as needed to keep them damp.
oysters roasting on an open fire
Set up the eating table(s) near the fire. If the table has a hole, put a wastebucket under it. If not, put two wastebuckets on opposite sides of the table - the key is to have wastebuckets within easy reach of any eater no matter where they're standing. In addition, if you plan to recycle the shells (to seed new oyster beds), have some separate baskets or buckets available to collect them. Place bowls of shrimp cocktail sauce and rolls of paper towels on each table. Spread the oyster knives around.
an oyster knife
Eating the Oysters
When oysters are done roasting, use the shovel to transfer them from the fire to the eating tables. Oysters will be steaming hot, so use caution when eating the first few. To open an oyster, insert the knife between the shells near the hinge, then twist. Be careful of sharp shell edges while doing this. Some people prefer to wear gloves while opening oysters.
pile of roasted oysters freshly shoveled onto an eating table
Oysters can be eaten plain by sucking them straight off the shell, or pulled off with the fingers and dipped in sauce first. Expect to get covered with oyster juices, bits of sand and mud. The paper towels will help. Keep the hose handy to rinse off hands when done eating.
opening and eating the oysters
After the Roast
After the party is over, if your eating tables are laminated you can simply hose them down to clean.
If you're interested in recycling the shells but don't know where to take them, check around with local environmental conservation groups, or schools with marine science programs.
basket of shells to be recycled
29 May 2011
How to pour Coke into a glass of ice without fusing all the ice cubes together
Do you hate it when you pour a can of Coke into a glass of ice, and all the ice cubes fuse together into one big lump? Here's how to stop them from doing that, and have independently floating ice cubes instead.
1. Fill your glass with ice cubes.
2. Fill the ice-cube-filled glass with cold tap water from the sink.
3. Place a clean hand over the top of the glass, then turn it upside down over the sink to let the water drain out while holding the ice in.
Note: you may wish to wash your hands before you do this step. Alternately, use a clean fork or spoon or other kitchen utensil to block the ice into the glass while draining it.
4. Turn it right side up and firmly shake the glass a couple times to check that the ice cubes are loose. Fill it with your Coke (or other soft drink). Voila - individually free-floating ice cubes!
This should also work well with other fizzy drinks you want on the rocks.
1. Fill your glass with ice cubes.
2. Fill the ice-cube-filled glass with cold tap water from the sink.
3. Place a clean hand over the top of the glass, then turn it upside down over the sink to let the water drain out while holding the ice in.
Note: you may wish to wash your hands before you do this step. Alternately, use a clean fork or spoon or other kitchen utensil to block the ice into the glass while draining it.
4. Turn it right side up and firmly shake the glass a couple times to check that the ice cubes are loose. Fill it with your Coke (or other soft drink). Voila - individually free-floating ice cubes!
This should also work well with other fizzy drinks you want on the rocks.
28 May 2011
Insects of the World: Scientific Classification
By far the largest group of living things in Kingdom Animalia, insects are wildly successful creatures in large part because they evolved flight. There are more species of flying insects now than there are anything else that flies or has every flown, combined, including birds, bats, pterosaurs, and so on.
The briefest version of their taxonomic tree looks like:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
The briefest version of their taxonomic tree looks like:
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Arthropoda
Class Insecta
- Subclass Apterygota - primitive wingless insects
- Subclass Pterygota - evolution of wings
- Infraclass Neoptera - evolution of wings that can fold flat against their backs
- Superorder Dictyoptera
- Superorder Paraneoptera
- Superorder Endopterygota - a life cycle that includes complete metamorphosis with distinct larval, pupal, and adult stages
27 May 2011
How to Make an Easy, Basic Spinach Tofu Soup
Spinach tofu soup is a standard home-cooked dish among Chinese people, not often found in restaurants. It's simple and quick to make.
Things You'll Need:
* 3 quarts pork broth.
* If you can't find/make pork broth and plan to substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, you'll also need a quarter-handful of good-quality ground pork.
* spinach: one bundle (wash well) or one grocery store salad bag. Remember that raw spinach has five times the volume of cooked.
* one package extra-firm white tofu, cut into small cubes
* one bundle mei fun (optional). This is sometimes called "bean thread" and is a long, thin, translucent white noodle.
* sliced mushrooms (optional)
* Chinese-style pickled radishes (optional). Comes in jars or cans, sold in Asian grocery stores.
* eggs: one per bowl (optional)
* 1 teaspoon corn oil
* sesame oil to taste
* black pepper to taste
spinach, tofu, and a bundle of mei fun
Step One
At the bottom of the soup pot, sauté the tofu and any mushrooms in a small amount of corn oil, until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu is slightly browned and crisped. Also brown any ground pork.
Step Two
Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add mei fun and radishes (if using any).
Step Three
When it comes to a boil again, stir in the spinach. Cook for a minute more, until all of the spinach has wilted into the liquid.
If you're including eggs, drop them whole into the soup just before the spinach is done. Stir carefully until the whites are cooked, then turn off the heat. Don't let the spinach cook too long.
Ready to Serve
When serving, add some black pepper and sesame oil to each bowl. If the soup doesn't seem salty enough, also add soy sauce.
Things You'll Need:
* 3 quarts pork broth.
* If you can't find/make pork broth and plan to substitute chicken broth or vegetable broth, you'll also need a quarter-handful of good-quality ground pork.
* spinach: one bundle (wash well) or one grocery store salad bag. Remember that raw spinach has five times the volume of cooked.
* one package extra-firm white tofu, cut into small cubes
* one bundle mei fun (optional). This is sometimes called "bean thread" and is a long, thin, translucent white noodle.
* sliced mushrooms (optional)
* Chinese-style pickled radishes (optional). Comes in jars or cans, sold in Asian grocery stores.
* eggs: one per bowl (optional)
* 1 teaspoon corn oil
* sesame oil to taste
* black pepper to taste
spinach, tofu, and a bundle of mei fun
Step One
At the bottom of the soup pot, sauté the tofu and any mushrooms in a small amount of corn oil, until the mushrooms are soft and the tofu is slightly browned and crisped. Also brown any ground pork.
Step Two
Pour the broth into the pot and bring it to a boil. Add mei fun and radishes (if using any).
Step Three
When it comes to a boil again, stir in the spinach. Cook for a minute more, until all of the spinach has wilted into the liquid.
If you're including eggs, drop them whole into the soup just before the spinach is done. Stir carefully until the whites are cooked, then turn off the heat. Don't let the spinach cook too long.
Ready to Serve
When serving, add some black pepper and sesame oil to each bowl. If the soup doesn't seem salty enough, also add soy sauce.
26 May 2011
The Basics of Classical Genetics
Learn about Gregor Mendel's laws of inheritance in classical genetics from both a historical and a modern perspective.
Mendel's First Law of Inheritance: Segregation
Mendel's Second Law of Inheritance: Independent Assortment
More About Autosomal Dominant Inheritance
More About Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
Mendel's First Law of Inheritance: Segregation
Mendel's Second Law of Inheritance: Independent Assortment
More About Autosomal Dominant Inheritance
More About Autosomal Recessive Inheritance
25 May 2011
How to Make an Easy, Basic Chicken Noodle Soup
This chicken noodle soup recipe is quick and easy with a taste of marjoram and thyme. It can be made all in one pot and is ready to eat in about 20 minutes.
* 5 carrots, washed and chopped
* 5 stalks celery, washed and chopped
* 1 small onion, or half a large one, coarsely diced
* 5 pieces chicken tenders, or 2 pieces chicken breasts, chopped. These particular chicken parts have mostly meat and little gristle, and they come individually flash-frozen in big plastic bags.
* 2-3 cups egg noodles
* 1 gallon chicken broth. If canned, use a ratio of one can water to every two cans broth. I get the big, 50oz cans and use two of those (plus one can water).
* half tablespoon vegetable oil (I prefer corn oil)
* half tablespoon dried thyme
* half tablespoon dried marjoram. Marjoram is similar to oregano, except with more of a tealike taste. It goes well with thyme.
* salt and black pepper to taste
Start by browning the chicken in vegetable oil at the bottom of the soup pot. Add salt and black pepper. Stir often. When most of the chicken pieces are at least white, add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Celery, carrots, and noodles in individual bowls, waiting for the pot to boil
Add chicken broth to the pot. Stir and let it come to a boil, then add the carrots and celery. When it comes to a boil again, add the noodles.
thyme (left) and marjoram (right)
Let it cook at a slow boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are done. Add the marjoram and thyme, stir it into the soup, then turn off the heat. The soup is ready to eat, but will taste better if covered and left to cool overnight and then eaten the next day.
Alternately, to get more taste into the chicken, you can also brown the chicken and onions in a separate pan. Add the marjoram and thyme when adding the salt and pepper. Add the contents of the pan to the soup pot after the noodles are done.
Final Notes
None of the measurements have to be exact. I don't often measure anything when making this soup.
Whether you add the herbs to the chicken in a separate pan, or into the soup at the end, the important thing is to not have them boiling in the soup the whole time or they'll lose taste.
* 5 carrots, washed and chopped
* 5 stalks celery, washed and chopped
* 1 small onion, or half a large one, coarsely diced
* 5 pieces chicken tenders, or 2 pieces chicken breasts, chopped. These particular chicken parts have mostly meat and little gristle, and they come individually flash-frozen in big plastic bags.
* 2-3 cups egg noodles
* 1 gallon chicken broth. If canned, use a ratio of one can water to every two cans broth. I get the big, 50oz cans and use two of those (plus one can water).
* half tablespoon vegetable oil (I prefer corn oil)
* half tablespoon dried thyme
* half tablespoon dried marjoram. Marjoram is similar to oregano, except with more of a tealike taste. It goes well with thyme.
* salt and black pepper to taste
Start by browning the chicken in vegetable oil at the bottom of the soup pot. Add salt and black pepper. Stir often. When most of the chicken pieces are at least white, add the onions. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
Celery, carrots, and noodles in individual bowls, waiting for the pot to boil
Add chicken broth to the pot. Stir and let it come to a boil, then add the carrots and celery. When it comes to a boil again, add the noodles.
thyme (left) and marjoram (right)
Let it cook at a slow boil for 10-15 minutes, or until the noodles are done. Add the marjoram and thyme, stir it into the soup, then turn off the heat. The soup is ready to eat, but will taste better if covered and left to cool overnight and then eaten the next day.
Alternately, to get more taste into the chicken, you can also brown the chicken and onions in a separate pan. Add the marjoram and thyme when adding the salt and pepper. Add the contents of the pan to the soup pot after the noodles are done.
Final Notes
None of the measurements have to be exact. I don't often measure anything when making this soup.
Whether you add the herbs to the chicken in a separate pan, or into the soup at the end, the important thing is to not have them boiling in the soup the whole time or they'll lose taste.
24 May 2011
The Basics About Rocks
The Earth has three main types of rocks: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic. Igneous rocks form out of molten magma, then undergo weathering, which disintegrates them to form sediments and soil. Sediments can become cemented back together to form sedimentary rocks. Igneous or sedimentary rocks can also undergo additional heating or high pressure, which partially melts them and transforms them into metamorphic rocks. Finally, all rocks can melt completely back into molten magma.
Types of Igneous Rocks
How Igneous Rocks Form: Bowen's Reaction Series
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
What Soil is Made Of and How It Forms
Types of Igneous Rocks
How Igneous Rocks Form: Bowen's Reaction Series
Mechanical Weathering
Chemical Weathering
What Soil is Made Of and How It Forms
23 May 2011
How to Make Instant Ramen Noodles More Interesting Than Just Adding Hot Water
Back when I was an inept college student cook, I was quite an instant ramen connoisseur. I dabbled in all sorts of different brands and flavors from various Asian countries. Some of them came with dehydrated veggies and meats and fancy sauces - the larger the number of packets of stuff included, the better tasting (and more expensive) it was. Finally, in the name of frugality, I settled for buying cheap no-frills ramen and adding my own veggies and meats. This article presents some of the things I came up with.
common grocery store brands of instant ramen
Frozen Veggies
Frozen vegetables are an easy addition to any pot of instant ramen noodles. They come in a wide variety in the frozen food section of any grocery store. Corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, green beans, onions, all of these come pre-chopped for added convenience - and because they're frozen, they keep for a long time. Pour out just the amount you need, tie the rest of the bag closed with a twist tie, and put it back in the freezer until next time. Buy the economy-sized packs to save money in the long run. If you have time, you can also chop up your own veggies (such as celery or mushrooms) and freeze them in a single layer in a heavy-duty plastic bag, then break off pieces as you need them.
To use vegetables, start by boiling plain water - a little more than what the ramen's packaging suggests. Add the vegetables when it's boiling and let it come to a boil again before adding the ramen noodles and the seasoning packet(s) that came in the package. If there is a packet of dried vegetables, add those in at the same time as the noodles so they have time to rehydrate. Then let it cook for three more minutes until the noodles are soft. Add any remaining packets of stuff, stir, serve, and eat.
ramen with spinach and sliced mushrooms
Pre-Cooked Meats
A variety of easy, already-cooked meats go well with instant ramen. Hot dogs sliced into small pieces are cheapest of those - one hot dog goes a long way to provide flavor for otherwise-bland noodles. Also good are thick-sliced plain ham, boiled chicken, boiled turkey from the grocery deli; these can be chopped into smaller pieces, or in some cases may come already packaged that way for salads (but that makes them more expensive). Leftover meats from a previous meal may also work well.
In all cases, because the meats are already cooked, it won't need any longer cooking time than the ramen noodles themselves. Put them into the pot of boiling water at the same time as any frozen vegetables, or all at once with the noodles.
ramen with sliced hot dogs, corn, and peas
Eggs
Try adding an egg. Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it vigorously with a fork until yolk and white are completely mixed together. When the ramen noodles are almost done cooking, slowly dribble the egg into the pot while stirring as fast as possible. This will create small, thin strands of egg like the kind found in egg drop soup.
ramen with broccoli and beaten eggs
It is also possible (though more complicated) to cook an egg into ramen noodles with a microwave. Start by beating the egg with a fork as before, in the microwave-safe container. Add about a quarter inch of water to the container, mix well, cover, and microwave on high for a minute or so. If it's still more gooey than solid and filmy, stir well and do it again. Be sure to scrape the cooked parts away from the edges and put those in the middle. After the second time, add the noodles and the rest of the water (enough to cover the noodles), cover, and cook on high for two minutes. Turn the mass of noodles over, break them up if they've softened enough, and add any vegetables. Microwave for another two minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through. Leave it alone in the microwave, covered, for a few more minutes, until the noodles are fully softened and ready to eat.
ramen with broccoli and a poached egg
Alternately, you can poach it. Just drop the whole egg into the pot near the end, then carefully stir the whites away from the yolk so they cook through. Take it off the heat when the yolk is to your liking (less time if you like it runny, more time if you want it solid).
Plain Couscous Instead of Ramen
A lot of these will also work well with plain couscous - which would eliminate the high fat content of ramen if that's of concern. Cook the couscous in some broth instead of water, and add other things as desired.
Final Note
As a general rule, the more seasoned the ramen already is, the less other things you need to add. Be careful that the various meat additions won't clash with what's already there.
common grocery store brands of instant ramen
Frozen Veggies
Frozen vegetables are an easy addition to any pot of instant ramen noodles. They come in a wide variety in the frozen food section of any grocery store. Corn, peas, carrots, broccoli, green beans, onions, all of these come pre-chopped for added convenience - and because they're frozen, they keep for a long time. Pour out just the amount you need, tie the rest of the bag closed with a twist tie, and put it back in the freezer until next time. Buy the economy-sized packs to save money in the long run. If you have time, you can also chop up your own veggies (such as celery or mushrooms) and freeze them in a single layer in a heavy-duty plastic bag, then break off pieces as you need them.
To use vegetables, start by boiling plain water - a little more than what the ramen's packaging suggests. Add the vegetables when it's boiling and let it come to a boil again before adding the ramen noodles and the seasoning packet(s) that came in the package. If there is a packet of dried vegetables, add those in at the same time as the noodles so they have time to rehydrate. Then let it cook for three more minutes until the noodles are soft. Add any remaining packets of stuff, stir, serve, and eat.
ramen with spinach and sliced mushrooms
Pre-Cooked Meats
A variety of easy, already-cooked meats go well with instant ramen. Hot dogs sliced into small pieces are cheapest of those - one hot dog goes a long way to provide flavor for otherwise-bland noodles. Also good are thick-sliced plain ham, boiled chicken, boiled turkey from the grocery deli; these can be chopped into smaller pieces, or in some cases may come already packaged that way for salads (but that makes them more expensive). Leftover meats from a previous meal may also work well.
In all cases, because the meats are already cooked, it won't need any longer cooking time than the ramen noodles themselves. Put them into the pot of boiling water at the same time as any frozen vegetables, or all at once with the noodles.
ramen with sliced hot dogs, corn, and peas
Eggs
Try adding an egg. Break the egg into a small bowl and beat it vigorously with a fork until yolk and white are completely mixed together. When the ramen noodles are almost done cooking, slowly dribble the egg into the pot while stirring as fast as possible. This will create small, thin strands of egg like the kind found in egg drop soup.
ramen with broccoli and beaten eggs
It is also possible (though more complicated) to cook an egg into ramen noodles with a microwave. Start by beating the egg with a fork as before, in the microwave-safe container. Add about a quarter inch of water to the container, mix well, cover, and microwave on high for a minute or so. If it's still more gooey than solid and filmy, stir well and do it again. Be sure to scrape the cooked parts away from the edges and put those in the middle. After the second time, add the noodles and the rest of the water (enough to cover the noodles), cover, and cook on high for two minutes. Turn the mass of noodles over, break them up if they've softened enough, and add any vegetables. Microwave for another two minutes, or until the vegetables are heated through. Leave it alone in the microwave, covered, for a few more minutes, until the noodles are fully softened and ready to eat.
ramen with broccoli and a poached egg
Alternately, you can poach it. Just drop the whole egg into the pot near the end, then carefully stir the whites away from the yolk so they cook through. Take it off the heat when the yolk is to your liking (less time if you like it runny, more time if you want it solid).
Plain Couscous Instead of Ramen
A lot of these will also work well with plain couscous - which would eliminate the high fat content of ramen if that's of concern. Cook the couscous in some broth instead of water, and add other things as desired.
Final Note
As a general rule, the more seasoned the ramen already is, the less other things you need to add. Be careful that the various meat additions won't clash with what's already there.
22 May 2011
Dragon Cave: Review and Guides
Dragon Cave is a free online virtual pet game where you post dragon eggs and hatchlings on blogs, forums, and other online venues. You can collect hundreds of different dragon varieties, create elaborate family trees, and get in on all kinds of creative activities about your dragons.
A Full Review of the Game
The Basics of Raising Dragon Eggs and Hatchlings
How to Trade Dragons to Friends
A Full Review of the Game
The Basics of Raising Dragon Eggs and Hatchlings
How to Trade Dragons to Friends
21 May 2011
How to make rubber band slingshot darts from scrap paper
This is an easy no-budget toy that will guarantee a stern scolding if played with in a classroom or business meeting. :)
You'll Need:
scrap pieces of paper
rubber bands
paper cups to be used as targets or goals (optional)
All sorts of games can be devised with a set of darts, rubber bands, and paper cups. You could shoot to knock down cups or get darts into cups, or between two cups as goalposts. Be creative. :)
You'll Need:
| Step One To make a dart, fold or roll a strip of paper repeatedly until it's a quarter inch (half a centimeter) wide and two inches (5 cm) long. Bend it in half to form a U shape. Repeat with more paper until you have lots of them. | paper dart with U.S. nickel for scale: |
Step Two Take a rubber band and hold it taut between your thumb and index finger. You might try several sizes and thicknesses until you find the best one for your tastes. Some will be too stiff, some will be too springy, some will be too short or too long for the distance between your fingers. Rubber bands also come in a variety of different colors if you have any favorites. | rubber band in position around thumb and finger:  |
Step Three Wrap the dart around the rubber band with the U-bend pointed away from you. Pull back on its sides with your other hand. Aim at your target. Release to shoot. | how to shoot the dart from the rubber band:  |
All sorts of games can be devised with a set of darts, rubber bands, and paper cups. You could shoot to knock down cups or get darts into cups, or between two cups as goalposts. Be creative. :)
20 May 2011
How to execute a Terran tank push in Starcraft
In Starcraft (the first one), a Terran tank push is an effective offensive tactic against a wide variety of opponent strategies. This article explains how to execute one.
Step One
Start by sieging the tanks just outside the area you're attacking. Put the marines or goliaths in front of them - their purpose is to guard the tanks against close assaults (melee) and air. Chances are excellent that your opponent will hear the tanks as they siege, and will send some troops over. Be careful not to let the marines and goliaths wander off after the enemy if they retreat - put them on hold so that they stay next to the tanks.
Step Two
Once you've successfully killed the first wave of enemy troops, move half of the tanks in front of the marines and goliaths, and siege them there. Move the marines and goliaths in front of the forward tanks, and put them on hold again. You want to be careful not to let anything get too far in front of the rear tanks, as they will take damage from them.
Step Three
If you have a science vessel, move it up front; the attack range of a tank is actually greater than its visual range, so any air unit you can move forward of them will work - but a science vessel is best because it's a detector. If you don't have a science vessel yet, you can also have the SCV build a turret directly in front of the attack force. Otherwise, keep the scanner handy in case of invisible units like lurkers or dark templars.
Step Four
Lather, rinse, repeat. As enemy buildings get destroyed, keep moving the back two tanks to the front, the marines and goliaths in front to defend them, and the science vessel forward (or keep building more turrets). Keep the tanks, goliaths, and science vessel repaired by the SCV. In this way you can slowly but inexorably cut a wide swath of destruction through entire camps.
Step One
Start by sieging the tanks just outside the area you're attacking. Put the marines or goliaths in front of them - their purpose is to guard the tanks against close assaults (melee) and air. Chances are excellent that your opponent will hear the tanks as they siege, and will send some troops over. Be careful not to let the marines and goliaths wander off after the enemy if they retreat - put them on hold so that they stay next to the tanks.
Step Two
Once you've successfully killed the first wave of enemy troops, move half of the tanks in front of the marines and goliaths, and siege them there. Move the marines and goliaths in front of the forward tanks, and put them on hold again. You want to be careful not to let anything get too far in front of the rear tanks, as they will take damage from them.
Step Three
If you have a science vessel, move it up front; the attack range of a tank is actually greater than its visual range, so any air unit you can move forward of them will work - but a science vessel is best because it's a detector. If you don't have a science vessel yet, you can also have the SCV build a turret directly in front of the attack force. Otherwise, keep the scanner handy in case of invisible units like lurkers or dark templars.
Step Four
Lather, rinse, repeat. As enemy buildings get destroyed, keep moving the back two tanks to the front, the marines and goliaths in front to defend them, and the science vessel forward (or keep building more turrets). Keep the tanks, goliaths, and science vessel repaired by the SCV. In this way you can slowly but inexorably cut a wide swath of destruction through entire camps.
19 May 2011
The Bloons Tower Defense Games
A Brief History and Overview of the Bloons Tower Defense Games
A Strategy Guide to Bloons Tower Defense 1
A Strategy Guide to Bloons Tower Defense 4:
Map 1 (Beginner)
Map 3 (First Intermediate)
Map 4 (Second Intermediate)
Map 5 (Third Intermediate)
I have grand plans to write strategy guides to the other four BTD 4 maps as well, and eventually all the maps in BTD 4 Expansion, BTD 3, and BTD 2. This page will update with the links as it happens. :)
A Strategy Guide to Bloons Tower Defense 1
A Strategy Guide to Bloons Tower Defense 4:
Map 1 (Beginner)
Map 3 (First Intermediate)
Map 4 (Second Intermediate)
Map 5 (Third Intermediate)
I have grand plans to write strategy guides to the other four BTD 4 maps as well, and eventually all the maps in BTD 4 Expansion, BTD 3, and BTD 2. This page will update with the links as it happens. :)
18 May 2011
How to Really Drive On a Highway (in the U.S.)
You've no doubt heard many times that you should drive no faster than the speed limit, leave ample room between your car and the car in front of you, and always drive in the far right lane. The people who say such things have obviously never driven on the highways before. Here's how it works in actual real-life traffic conditions.
About Speed Limits
Every road has a natural speed at which cars naturally want to drive. This speed seldom has any relation to the posted speed limit, and is usually higher. The other cars on the road will have a predictable range of speeds, with approximately 10 mph difference between the slowest and fastest. You should drive within this speed range if you want to avoid being a road hazard to everyone else.
If you're worried about police, just pay careful attention to how fast everyone else is driving. If all other cars on the road have suddenly, inexplicably slowed down, it means there's a police car ahead. Slow down along with everyone else to avoid becoming a target.
Following Room
The official rule of thumb is to have four seconds between you and the car in front of you. That is, there should be a four second gap between the time the car in front of you passes a stationary object (road sign, bridge, etc.), and the time you pass it.
On most actual highways, however, this means you're driving too slowly, and is an open invitation for everyone else on the road to cut you off. Why? A four-second gap is very large, which means everyone will be cutting in front of you. If you attempt to maintain a four-second gap after someone has cut in, you have to slow down. Soon you're moving far slower than everyone else - which makes you a road hazard via getting in the way of natural traffic flow.
Don't bother trying to maintain an officially proper gap. Give yourself enough room if you need to hit the brakes suddenly, but otherwise try to maintain the same bumper distances as other cars around you. If you pay careful attention to the brake lights of the cars in front of you in your own lane, and watch the cars in the lanes to either side, you will have plenty of warning before someone does something unexpected. Cars have body language, even when they aren't using their turn signals. Reading car body language is a learnable skill.
Defining Highway Lanes
A few definitions before we continue. Where I say "cruising lane" below, you may have heard it as "slow lane" or "driving lane." Also, when I talk about number of lanes, what I mean is the number that are going in the same direction. A two-lane is two lanes going one way and two more lanes going the other - usually referred to as a four-lane highway. But when you're actually driving on it, you don't care about those other lanes - the only ones that matter are the ones going your way.
The Slow Lane
If the highway has more than two lanes, the far right lane is never the cruising lane. If it's a three lane or five lane highway, you want to slow-cruise in the middle. On a four lane highway it's the second from the right. On a six lane or greater, third from the right. That's where you want to drive if you're on the slow end of the speed range, and you don't want to pass anyone, ever.
Lanes in General
Now let me expand on the above.
There are four basic types of lanes on any given highway. There's always one for entrances and exits. One for slow drivers. One for fast drivers. One for fast passing. On highways with less than four lanes, some lanes will be more than one type. On highways with more than four lanes, there will be multiple lanes for the same basic purpose.
The Far Right Lane
The rightmost lane has several purposes. It's for people who are entering the highway and merging in, preparing to exit the highway, driving much slower than everyone else (speed limit drivers tend to be here), or driving much faster than everyone else because they're executing a complex right passing maneuver because someone in the far left lane is being slow and oblivious.
Entrances and exits are the main thing, however. On any highway with three or more lanes, you want to reserve the rightmost lane for that purpose. On a two-lane, observant drivers will move over to the left lane as they approach entrance ramps if they see a car coming in. On a highway with five or more, the two rightmost might both be entrance and exit lanes.
Different Speeds in Different Lanes
As a general rule of thumb, slow driving occurs in the right lanes, faster driving occurs in the left lanes. The average cruising speed goes up as you move left. When traffic is heavy, this will include the leftmost lane - which is otherwise mainly for passing. On many highways with four or more lanes, big trucks aren't allowed in the leftmost lane at all.
Notable Exceptions
Then there are the occasional left exits and entrances. And the mountains with steep grades and runaway truck ramps - which can be left or right. If in doubt about where you should drive, try to stay in the middle.
About Speed Limits
Every road has a natural speed at which cars naturally want to drive. This speed seldom has any relation to the posted speed limit, and is usually higher. The other cars on the road will have a predictable range of speeds, with approximately 10 mph difference between the slowest and fastest. You should drive within this speed range if you want to avoid being a road hazard to everyone else.
If you're worried about police, just pay careful attention to how fast everyone else is driving. If all other cars on the road have suddenly, inexplicably slowed down, it means there's a police car ahead. Slow down along with everyone else to avoid becoming a target.
Following Room
The official rule of thumb is to have four seconds between you and the car in front of you. That is, there should be a four second gap between the time the car in front of you passes a stationary object (road sign, bridge, etc.), and the time you pass it.
On most actual highways, however, this means you're driving too slowly, and is an open invitation for everyone else on the road to cut you off. Why? A four-second gap is very large, which means everyone will be cutting in front of you. If you attempt to maintain a four-second gap after someone has cut in, you have to slow down. Soon you're moving far slower than everyone else - which makes you a road hazard via getting in the way of natural traffic flow.
Don't bother trying to maintain an officially proper gap. Give yourself enough room if you need to hit the brakes suddenly, but otherwise try to maintain the same bumper distances as other cars around you. If you pay careful attention to the brake lights of the cars in front of you in your own lane, and watch the cars in the lanes to either side, you will have plenty of warning before someone does something unexpected. Cars have body language, even when they aren't using their turn signals. Reading car body language is a learnable skill.
Defining Highway Lanes
A few definitions before we continue. Where I say "cruising lane" below, you may have heard it as "slow lane" or "driving lane." Also, when I talk about number of lanes, what I mean is the number that are going in the same direction. A two-lane is two lanes going one way and two more lanes going the other - usually referred to as a four-lane highway. But when you're actually driving on it, you don't care about those other lanes - the only ones that matter are the ones going your way.
The Slow Lane
If the highway has more than two lanes, the far right lane is never the cruising lane. If it's a three lane or five lane highway, you want to slow-cruise in the middle. On a four lane highway it's the second from the right. On a six lane or greater, third from the right. That's where you want to drive if you're on the slow end of the speed range, and you don't want to pass anyone, ever.
Lanes in General
Now let me expand on the above.
There are four basic types of lanes on any given highway. There's always one for entrances and exits. One for slow drivers. One for fast drivers. One for fast passing. On highways with less than four lanes, some lanes will be more than one type. On highways with more than four lanes, there will be multiple lanes for the same basic purpose.
The Far Right Lane
The rightmost lane has several purposes. It's for people who are entering the highway and merging in, preparing to exit the highway, driving much slower than everyone else (speed limit drivers tend to be here), or driving much faster than everyone else because they're executing a complex right passing maneuver because someone in the far left lane is being slow and oblivious.
Entrances and exits are the main thing, however. On any highway with three or more lanes, you want to reserve the rightmost lane for that purpose. On a two-lane, observant drivers will move over to the left lane as they approach entrance ramps if they see a car coming in. On a highway with five or more, the two rightmost might both be entrance and exit lanes.
Different Speeds in Different Lanes
As a general rule of thumb, slow driving occurs in the right lanes, faster driving occurs in the left lanes. The average cruising speed goes up as you move left. When traffic is heavy, this will include the leftmost lane - which is otherwise mainly for passing. On many highways with four or more lanes, big trucks aren't allowed in the leftmost lane at all.
Notable Exceptions
Then there are the occasional left exits and entrances. And the mountains with steep grades and runaway truck ramps - which can be left or right. If in doubt about where you should drive, try to stay in the middle.
17 May 2011
How to Make Origami Balls Out of One Piece of Paper
Most children know how to fold a paper airplane, but not many can fold an inflatable paper ball. These are just as fun and sure to wow the other kids.
Want to know how to make one of these yourself? Click through here for step-by-step origami ball instructions with photos of each step.
 |  |
Want to know how to make one of these yourself? Click through here for step-by-step origami ball instructions with photos of each step.
The Little Dipper in the Night Sky
What is the Little Dipper? Where in the night sky is it located? And how do you find it while you're standing out there in the dark? If you're in the northern hemisphere, you can find out here!
(If you're in the southern hemisphere, you're out of luck, sorry.)
(If you're in the southern hemisphere, you're out of luck, sorry.)
16 May 2011
How to Make an Easy, Basic Lasagna
Lasagna is an excellent dish for sharing with others. It makes a good impression, yet is also very easy to make, even for beginning cooks. This recipe makes use of jarred sauce for simplicity, but homemade tomato sauce will work just as well (probably better). Exact measurements of the vegetables are unnecessary - just put in as little or as much as you like.
You'll Need:
* lasagna noodles - double the number of pieces needed to cover the bottom of your pan (typically 4 to 8 total)
* mozzarella cheese - sliced or shredded
* ricotta or cottage cheese
* one big jar spaghetti sauce (I prefer Ragu)
* 1-2 lb ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, etc.)
* mushrooms, sliced (canned works fine)
* onions, chopped
* green peppers, chopped
* garlic, minced
* spinach (frozen works fine)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Start the lasagna noodles boiling. They do not need to be fully cooked - just enough to be floppy - so 5 minutes should be plenty of time.
While the noodles are boiling, crumble and brown the ground meat in a large saucepan. Add the onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until those are softened, then add the garlic. Stir everything together.
By now the lasagna noodles should be soft enough to stop boiling. Turn the heat off but leave them in the water until it's time to assemble everything. Otherwise they'll stick to each other.
Add spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture. You want a generous amount of sauce mixed in - the lasagna noodles will be using the liquid to finish cooking later - but not so much that the meat mixture is drowning in it. Stir as it warms so it heats evenly. When it starts to bubble, stir in the ricotta or cottage cheese, then the spinach. When the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat.
Drain the lasagna noodles in a colander. Line the bottom of your pan with two or three pieces (depending on the size of your pan). The noodles at the bottom of the pan will cook more than the ones in the middle, so if some of your noodles are less well-boiled than others, you want to put those in the bottom layer.
Spoon half of the meat sauce on top and spread it evenly over the noodles, until there's enough to cover them at least half an inch deep.
Cover the meat sauce with mozzarella. This layer of cheese will be what binds the whole lasagna together, so make sure there's a lot. I find that mozzarella slices work well to make sure the layer is thick and even - better than shredded. Since this is the middle layer, appearances aren't important. Just make sure the entire surface is covered with cheese, and you don't see any of the sauce underneath.
Add another layer of lasagna noodles above the mozzarella. Spoon the rest of the meat sauce on top of the second layer of noodles, spread evenly, then sprinkle more mozzarella on top of the sauce. If you care what the finished lasagna will look like, you'll want to use shredded here. Unless you're careful about making sure slices overlap, they will look very obviously like slices.
Put the lasagna in the oven for 20 minutes. This will melt the cheese and allow the noodles to finish cooking.
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes outside of the oven to cool. Otherwise it might explode when you cut into it.
Share and enjoy. :)
You'll Need:
* lasagna noodles - double the number of pieces needed to cover the bottom of your pan (typically 4 to 8 total)
* mozzarella cheese - sliced or shredded
* ricotta or cottage cheese
* one big jar spaghetti sauce (I prefer Ragu)
* 1-2 lb ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, etc.)
* mushrooms, sliced (canned works fine)
* onions, chopped
* green peppers, chopped
* garlic, minced
* spinach (frozen works fine)
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Start the lasagna noodles boiling. They do not need to be fully cooked - just enough to be floppy - so 5 minutes should be plenty of time.
While the noodles are boiling, crumble and brown the ground meat in a large saucepan. Add the onions, green peppers, and mushrooms. Cook until those are softened, then add the garlic. Stir everything together.
By now the lasagna noodles should be soft enough to stop boiling. Turn the heat off but leave them in the water until it's time to assemble everything. Otherwise they'll stick to each other.
Add spaghetti sauce to the meat mixture. You want a generous amount of sauce mixed in - the lasagna noodles will be using the liquid to finish cooking later - but not so much that the meat mixture is drowning in it. Stir as it warms so it heats evenly. When it starts to bubble, stir in the ricotta or cottage cheese, then the spinach. When the spinach has wilted, turn off the heat.
Drain the lasagna noodles in a colander. Line the bottom of your pan with two or three pieces (depending on the size of your pan). The noodles at the bottom of the pan will cook more than the ones in the middle, so if some of your noodles are less well-boiled than others, you want to put those in the bottom layer.
Spoon half of the meat sauce on top and spread it evenly over the noodles, until there's enough to cover them at least half an inch deep.
Cover the meat sauce with mozzarella. This layer of cheese will be what binds the whole lasagna together, so make sure there's a lot. I find that mozzarella slices work well to make sure the layer is thick and even - better than shredded. Since this is the middle layer, appearances aren't important. Just make sure the entire surface is covered with cheese, and you don't see any of the sauce underneath.
Add another layer of lasagna noodles above the mozzarella. Spoon the rest of the meat sauce on top of the second layer of noodles, spread evenly, then sprinkle more mozzarella on top of the sauce. If you care what the finished lasagna will look like, you'll want to use shredded here. Unless you're careful about making sure slices overlap, they will look very obviously like slices.
Put the lasagna in the oven for 20 minutes. This will melt the cheese and allow the noodles to finish cooking.
Let it sit for 10-15 minutes outside of the oven to cool. Otherwise it might explode when you cut into it.
Share and enjoy. :)
15 May 2011
Competition in Ecology
Competition within an ecosystem happens whenever resources are limited. Non-divisible resources lead to interference competition, which usually results in competitive exclusion. Exploitative competition tends to happen over divisible resources, leading to niche segregation - which can be symmetrical or asymmetrical. Invasion from outside the ecosystem, predation, disturbances, and changing conditions are mediating factors on competition. This article explains what all that means.
14 May 2011
How to Remove Sticky Oil Residue From Nonstick Pans
So you've pan-fried something in oil in your non-stick pan. But then you didn't have time to clean the pan right away. Now it has a super-sticky mess all over it, and it doesn't come off by scrubbing with soap. What can you do?
Luckily, all is not lost! You don't have to throw it away and get a new pan. Here's a simple way to get the sticky oil residue out of the pan, using water and a bit of vinegar.
Step One
Put the pan on the largest burner on the stove. Fill it with water, all the way to the top. Add a teaspoon of vinegar. Turn the heat on high and bring it to a boil.
Step Two
Let it boil for about five minutes. The bubbles will clean off the oil residue in the bottom of the pan. The vinegar helps spread the bubbles more evenly in the pan, including to the walls.
If there was a lot of oil residue, you will probably see some foam form on the water surface.
Step Three
Turn off the heat and discard the water. Be careful not to let any foam stick back to the wall of the pan - try to pour it out.
At this point the bottom of the pan should be completely clean.
Immediately wipe the walls of the pan with a paper towel. You want to do this before the pan cools and the oil residue hardens back up. If you're fast, you should be able to remove it all.
Step Four
If it's a large pan and you didn't get all of the oil residue off the walls the first time, just do it again. Wipe firmly. The key is to remove it before the pan cools.
Luckily, all is not lost! You don't have to throw it away and get a new pan. Here's a simple way to get the sticky oil residue out of the pan, using water and a bit of vinegar.
Step One
Put the pan on the largest burner on the stove. Fill it with water, all the way to the top. Add a teaspoon of vinegar. Turn the heat on high and bring it to a boil.
Step Two
Let it boil for about five minutes. The bubbles will clean off the oil residue in the bottom of the pan. The vinegar helps spread the bubbles more evenly in the pan, including to the walls.
If there was a lot of oil residue, you will probably see some foam form on the water surface.
Step Three
Turn off the heat and discard the water. Be careful not to let any foam stick back to the wall of the pan - try to pour it out.
At this point the bottom of the pan should be completely clean.
Immediately wipe the walls of the pan with a paper towel. You want to do this before the pan cools and the oil residue hardens back up. If you're fast, you should be able to remove it all.
Step Four
If it's a large pan and you didn't get all of the oil residue off the walls the first time, just do it again. Wipe firmly. The key is to remove it before the pan cools.
09 May 2011
How to Kill Animals on Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom?
That's a good question. In my Palace Menagerie article, I talk about keeping animals alive - but there are also times when you want to kill the animals that attack your populace, such as the giant salamanders, gobi bears, tigers, and alligators.
So how do you kill dangerous animals? Only military troops are effective. For any city that needs animal control, even if none of your mission goals are about attacking or defending from rival cities, make at least one fort. Then, once you have some troops, just plant their flag near where the animals spawn.
Hunters of game meat will shoot at animals attacking them, but they don't always win.
A related question that has landed recently on my Palace Menagerie article is:
How to keep animals out of your city in Emperor?
Another excellent question. Try residential walls (Aesthetics menu). These work to keep out salamanders quite well, though they won't deter enraged bears.
Originally landed on: The Proper Care and Feeding of a Palace Menagerie in Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
So how do you kill dangerous animals? Only military troops are effective. For any city that needs animal control, even if none of your mission goals are about attacking or defending from rival cities, make at least one fort. Then, once you have some troops, just plant their flag near where the animals spawn.
Hunters of game meat will shoot at animals attacking them, but they don't always win.
A related question that has landed recently on my Palace Menagerie article is:
How to keep animals out of your city in Emperor?
Another excellent question. Try residential walls (Aesthetics menu). These work to keep out salamanders quite well, though they won't deter enraged bears.
Originally landed on: The Proper Care and Feeding of a Palace Menagerie in Emperor: Rise of the Middle Kingdom
08 May 2011
How to Use a Beach Seine Net to Catch Small Fish
A seine net is a vertical net with floats at the top and weights at the bottom, which is used to surround all fish in an area. Beach seines are small, deployed by hand, and designed for use from near a shore. In contrast to cast nets, which are useful for capturing schools of small fish that you can already see from the surface and are a popular way to catch bait for fishing, a beach seine net will capture all fish within its bounds, schooling or otherwise, whether you can see them or not. This makes them more useful for science education purposes.
While you can use a beach seine net for bait fishing, you do have to get into the water. Cast nets take a bit more skill to deploy but the advantage is you stay dry on land, and each deployment is faster.
Regardless of purposes, check into fishing permits before you start to make sure whatever you're doing is legal.
Things You'll Need
A beach seine net
Two people, one of whom will be up to waist deep in the water. The wader should wear good close-toed shoes or dive boots or other similar footwear, in case of sharp items underwater.
Some small dip nets
A bucket to hold captured fish live
If this is for educational purposes, fish identification guides. Any fish not intended for a permanent collection can be released afterward.
Step One
Pick a relatively cleared part of the shoreline to deploy the net. A small beach or sandbar works best.
While one person stands on shore at one end of the area, holding one end of the net, the other person wades straight out with the other end, as far as the net will go. Make sure that the net's weights are touching the bottom so that nothing can escape from underneath.
Step Two
Once the beach seine net is properly stretched out, the wader walks slowly parallel to the shore until they reach the other end of the area of interest, then walks back in to shore. The net should make a roughly U-shape in the water.
Step Three
Once the wader is back ashore, both people slowly drag the beach seine net out of the water a little at a time, making sure the weights drag on the bottom. All the fish will be forced up on shore where they can be captured individually with dip nets.
Seine Nets vs. Gill Nets
Gill nets are another type of vertical net with floats at the top and weights at the bottom. The difference between a seine net and a gill net is the size of the netting mesh and how they catch the fish. The hole size of a gill net is large enough for a fish to fit its head through, but not all the way. Gill nets rely on mid-sized, strong swimming fish to swim into the net without seeing it and get caught by their gills. The design of a seine net is to actively catch the fish, while gill nets fish passively (you set it up and wait a while, then see what got stuck in it). Another difference is where you set the net - beach seine nets are deployed from shore, while gill nets are usually set up out a ways, with a boat. (Or, if it's a larger seine net like a purse seine, you generally drive the boat around in a circle.)
Gill nets are illegal in a lot of places for the vast majority of uses (inhumane, bird and turtle bycatch, etc). Check the local fisheries regulations before using them.
While you can use a beach seine net for bait fishing, you do have to get into the water. Cast nets take a bit more skill to deploy but the advantage is you stay dry on land, and each deployment is faster.
Regardless of purposes, check into fishing permits before you start to make sure whatever you're doing is legal.
Things You'll Need
Step One
Pick a relatively cleared part of the shoreline to deploy the net. A small beach or sandbar works best.
While one person stands on shore at one end of the area, holding one end of the net, the other person wades straight out with the other end, as far as the net will go. Make sure that the net's weights are touching the bottom so that nothing can escape from underneath.
Step Two
Once the beach seine net is properly stretched out, the wader walks slowly parallel to the shore until they reach the other end of the area of interest, then walks back in to shore. The net should make a roughly U-shape in the water.
Step Three
Once the wader is back ashore, both people slowly drag the beach seine net out of the water a little at a time, making sure the weights drag on the bottom. All the fish will be forced up on shore where they can be captured individually with dip nets.
Seine Nets vs. Gill Nets
Gill nets are another type of vertical net with floats at the top and weights at the bottom. The difference between a seine net and a gill net is the size of the netting mesh and how they catch the fish. The hole size of a gill net is large enough for a fish to fit its head through, but not all the way. Gill nets rely on mid-sized, strong swimming fish to swim into the net without seeing it and get caught by their gills. The design of a seine net is to actively catch the fish, while gill nets fish passively (you set it up and wait a while, then see what got stuck in it). Another difference is where you set the net - beach seine nets are deployed from shore, while gill nets are usually set up out a ways, with a boat. (Or, if it's a larger seine net like a purse seine, you generally drive the boat around in a circle.)
Gill nets are illegal in a lot of places for the vast majority of uses (inhumane, bird and turtle bycatch, etc). Check the local fisheries regulations before using them.
How to Remove and Avoid Buildup of Earwax
Ear blocked up by excessive wax? Here are some ways to clean them out at home, without an expensive trip to the doctor. Once they're unblocked, a small amount of regular cleaning can help keep them cleared.
The Water Squirt Method
A common method often practiced by doctors is to shoot warm water into the ear canal at high speed and volume. They have enormous blunt-nosed syringes for this purpose. After two or three shots, the wax slug will pop out of the ear with a sudden loud gurgle.
You can remove earwax at home with high-volume water guns, which do the same thing at much lower cost. Smaller water guns, rubber bulbs, etc. may also do the trick if you're patient enough to stay in the shower squirting for a while. Use some soap to help the earwax along. Make sure the water is not too warm or too cold before you shoot it into your ear - which is probably more sensitive than your outside skin.
You may also want to try softening the wax with some mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide before you start.
Ear Candling
Ear candling is a traditional, non-intrusive way to clean the ears of excessive wax. The candle is a hollow tube of beeswax. One end is inserted into the ear, with no gaps between the end of the candle and the inside of the ear. The other end is lit like a candle. The flame creates smoke and gentle warmth inside the ear, melting the earwax. There might be a crackling sound. The melted wax is drawn upward, out of the ear and into the base of the candle, where it cools, reforming into solid wax along the inside walls. After the candling, you can dissect the base of the candle to find out how much was removed. The earwax can be easily distinguished from the candle's wax by its dark brown color.
When done correctly, ear candling works well. Massage therapists are sometimes taught the proper use of beeswax ear candles as part of their professional training. The recommendation is to candle the ears once or twice a year.
However, beware of ear candling scams. Done improperly with bad candles, it can cause more harm than good. Find someone who knows what they're doing to candle your ears.
Earwax Buildup Prevention
Once you've cleared earwax from your ears via any of the above methods, rinse your ears regularly with soap and water. This will help keep the wax from building up to the point of blockage. Also, soap makes the wax crumbly so that it falls out easier (like it should, naturally) - instead of turning into the kind of hard resinous mass (earwax impaction) that eventually requires outside intervention.
Don't be worried about flushing your ears with water. The skin inside the ear canal is the same kind of skin as everywhere else, and can (and should) be cleaned the same way. Also, a healthy eardrum can stand up just fine to quite a bit of water pressure.
Final Caution
Don't put solid objects into your ears. Cotton swabs in particular used to be a popular way to clean out the ear canals. However, all that does is push most of the earwax to the back and pack it in tighter, not get rid of it. That never ends well. Leave the cotton swabs in the hands of medical professionals with bright lights.
The Water Squirt Method
A common method often practiced by doctors is to shoot warm water into the ear canal at high speed and volume. They have enormous blunt-nosed syringes for this purpose. After two or three shots, the wax slug will pop out of the ear with a sudden loud gurgle.
You can remove earwax at home with high-volume water guns, which do the same thing at much lower cost. Smaller water guns, rubber bulbs, etc. may also do the trick if you're patient enough to stay in the shower squirting for a while. Use some soap to help the earwax along. Make sure the water is not too warm or too cold before you shoot it into your ear - which is probably more sensitive than your outside skin.
You may also want to try softening the wax with some mineral oil or hydrogen peroxide before you start.
Ear Candling
Ear candling is a traditional, non-intrusive way to clean the ears of excessive wax. The candle is a hollow tube of beeswax. One end is inserted into the ear, with no gaps between the end of the candle and the inside of the ear. The other end is lit like a candle. The flame creates smoke and gentle warmth inside the ear, melting the earwax. There might be a crackling sound. The melted wax is drawn upward, out of the ear and into the base of the candle, where it cools, reforming into solid wax along the inside walls. After the candling, you can dissect the base of the candle to find out how much was removed. The earwax can be easily distinguished from the candle's wax by its dark brown color.
When done correctly, ear candling works well. Massage therapists are sometimes taught the proper use of beeswax ear candles as part of their professional training. The recommendation is to candle the ears once or twice a year.
However, beware of ear candling scams. Done improperly with bad candles, it can cause more harm than good. Find someone who knows what they're doing to candle your ears.
| Commercial Chemical Ear Drops You can also dissolve earwax with chemicals. Commercial ear drops like Debrox will turn the wax into a dark brown ooze, giving your ears the appearance of having the runs. Depending on how much wax was in there at the time, it could go on for days. If you buy a package of ear drops, just follow the directions they provide. For Debrox, you add 6 drops into the ear and keep your head tilted for 10-15 minutes. You'll hear a lot of fizzing, and it may tickle. Then let the drops run out of the ear into a tissue, and tilt your head the other way for the other ear. |
Earwax Buildup Prevention
Once you've cleared earwax from your ears via any of the above methods, rinse your ears regularly with soap and water. This will help keep the wax from building up to the point of blockage. Also, soap makes the wax crumbly so that it falls out easier (like it should, naturally) - instead of turning into the kind of hard resinous mass (earwax impaction) that eventually requires outside intervention.
Don't be worried about flushing your ears with water. The skin inside the ear canal is the same kind of skin as everywhere else, and can (and should) be cleaned the same way. Also, a healthy eardrum can stand up just fine to quite a bit of water pressure.
Final Caution
Don't put solid objects into your ears. Cotton swabs in particular used to be a popular way to clean out the ear canals. However, all that does is push most of the earwax to the back and pack it in tighter, not get rid of it. That never ends well. Leave the cotton swabs in the hands of medical professionals with bright lights.
How to get your car key into the ignition in a Saturn when it's stuck
Have a Saturn? Car key won't go into the ignition? You're not alone! Before you take it into the shop and start spending hundreds on diagnostics and replacement parts (some of which may be completely fictitious and made up by the dealership!), here are a couple things to try first, and also a way to help prevent the problem. If your car is like mine, you won't need to do anything more complicated or expensive.
Basically, near as I figure it, the problem arises during hot summer days when heat expansion in the steering column causes the ignition to go slightly out of alignment. To fix it, all you need to do is bang on it from underneath. Just use the base of your palm and administer a couple good whacks upward. The key should slide in easily after that.
There's also an easy way to keep it aligned afterward. When you've reached your destination and turned off the car, pull the key out of the ignition and then immediately slide it back in again. It may take a bit of jiggling to get it in the second time, but it should still go in. After that, when you next return to your car, the key should go in fine.
If the car key will go into the ignition but won't turn, it may have locked. This is a "feature" of all cars, not just Saturns. To unlock, put your foot on the brake, then turn the steering wheel while gently pressing the key in the direction you want it to go. If it doesn't work one way, turn the steering wheel the other way.
The above is how I solved the problem in my own Saturn. If none of those work for you, and/or if you have an additional solution, please let me know in the comments.
How to Choose Between Phillips Sonicare and Braun Oral B Electric Toothbrushes: A Comparison Review
For many people, electric toothbrushes are better than manual toothbrushes for cleaning teeth. But which should you buy? This article compares Braun's Oral B and Philips' Sonicare - two of the top brands - with each other. Specifically, it compares the Oral B 8900 DLX with OxyJet Irrigator to the Sonicare RS980 with UV Sanitizer.
Braun's Oral B with Oxyjet Irrigator
The Oral B 8900 DLX with OxyJet Irrigator comes with a toothbrush that has a circular brush head. The bristles vibrate with both a side-to-side motion and an in-and-out motion, and have two speed settings.
The OxyJet squirts water between teeth and at the gumline to aerate the gums and dislodge debris between the teeth that are out of reach of brushes. It has a whole dial of different spray intensities (from 1 for gentle to 5 for robust), and can either stream or spray the water. It can also squirt mouthwash instead of water. It will keep the spaces between the teeth cleaner for longer, but is not a substitute for flossing.
The white box behind the OxyJet water tank and handles has storage areas for the brush and jet heads.
Sonicare with UV Sanitizer
 View of inside of UV box. Brushes mount on the pegs at bottom, UV comes from the silver cage thing in the middle. |
The toothbrush of the Sonicare with UV Sanitizer has a brush head shaped like manual toothbrushes. Its bristles vibrate side-to-side, and have three settings - two different speeds and a "massage" pattern of motion.
The UV Sanitizer is a box with UV light that kills plaque-building microbes on the brush heads, preventing them from accumulating as the brush head gets older.
Comparing for Teeth Cleanliness
My measure of overall teeth cleanliness is based on how much plaque has accumulated by the following morning. Comparing just the brushes by themselves, the Sonicare cleans teeth slightly better than the Oral B. However, the Oral B brush combined with the OxyJet works better than the Sonicare. On the other hand, the Sonicare's UV Sanitizer does keep the brush heads cleaner for longer, while Oral B brush heads become less effective as they get older. (Both are still much better than a manual toothbrush.)
Comparing for Learning Curve
Although the Sonicare toothbrush with UV Sanitizer does clean better than the Oral B toothbrush without the OxyJet, especially when the brush heads have been in use for a while, there is a steeper learning curve involved. It took me longer to figure out how to use the Sonicare toothbrush effectively - angle to hold the brush, in what order to clean the teeth, etc. It actually came with an educational DVD to explain the best way to use it. The Oral B toothbrush is very straightforward by comparison, and will clean teeth equally well using a wide variety of approaches.
Comparing the Built-In Timers
Both electric toothbrush brands have a 30-second timer to indicate how long you should spend on each quarter of your mouth (upper left, upper right, bottom left, bottom right). After two minutes (four 30-second intervals), the Sonicare automatically shuts off. The Oral B does not; it provides a signal that 2 minutes have elapsed but will stay on. The Sonicare can be annoying if you routinely take longer than 2 minutes to brush all of your teeth.
Comparing the Brush Heads
The Oral B toothbrush head attaches to the handle with a noticeable click. It is also easier to remove from the handle afterward. The Sonicare has no obvious indication that the brush head is fully mounted, and there is no convenient place to brace a finger for removing it from the handle without disturbing the bristles.
Comparing for Mess
To keep toothpaste from flying off of the bristles the moment you turn on an Oral B brush, just jam the toothpaste into the bristles fairly deeply. I apply a small amount before I start, then add more toothpaste after the first half of my mouth - when I've finished the top teeth and before moving to the bottom. The Oral B ends up using far less toothpaste than a manual brush.
The Sonicare, on the other hand, will fling toothpaste everywhere no matter where on the bristles you put it. You have to be careful to keep your mouth as closed as possible, as it will throw toothpaste surprisingly high into the air (based on where the spots land on the mirror). Even of the toothpaste that stays in your mouth, a lot of it never ends up cleaning any teeth but will land in big drops on teeth you aren't working on and on your tongue. I add toothpaste six times - upper outside left, upper outside right, upper inside left, upper inside right, lower outside left, lower outside right. (By that point there's enough toothpaste fallen on the lower teeth that I don't need more for lower inside left and right.) The end result is a lot of stopping and restarting, and more overall toothpaste use.
Additionally, especially if your mouth is small, the Sonicare toothbrush works best if you use a large brush head for the outside of the teeth and a smaller one for the inside. Oral B is more flexible in that you can brush everything effectively with just one small brush head. Normally when I'm using the Sonicare, I just do the best I can with one brush, because it's too much effort to change in the middle and have to clean two brushes afterward instead of only one. (Yes, I'm lazy.)
Comparing for Sound
The sound of the Oral B toothbrush is a high whining buzz. The sound of the OxyJet is more like a vibrating screech - and can be quite loud. The Sonicare toothbrush produces a lower-pitched, more pleasant hum.
Comparing for Battery Life
The charge lasts longer on the Sonicare toothbrush than the Oral B, and there is a battery life indicator on the front that the Oral B doesn't have. The Oral B bristle speed just gradually becomes slower and slower as the battery runs down. The Sonicare bristles continue to vibrate at the same speed right up until the very end.
The Oral B battery and charging system is less robust in general; sometimes you have to fiddle with the dock to get it to charge. It also dies permanently a lot faster than the Sonicare battery - I've had mine replaced twice now and the third one has also died since. This surprises me somewhat, because Braun is a German company and they usually do good engineering work.
Comparing Accessories
Both toothbrushes came with an assortment of other features and attachments. The Sonicare has a number of sophisticated programming options (different speeds and patterns for different people, for example), as well as a travel charger and carrying case. The Oral B came with some of every type of brush head they have, including a polisher and tongue cleaner. I've not tried most of these.
I hope this electric toothbrush review helps you choose the best electric toothbrush for you. May you have awesomely healthy gums and teeth throughout your life. :)
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