Mosquito Control

Nothing takes the fun out of an evening barbecue outdoors like a bunch of bloodthirsty mosquitoes. In addition to inflicting a painful bite, mosquitoes can transmit diseases. You can keep your local mosquito population under control by limiting their habitat on your property, and avoid their annoying bites by using the right barriers and repellents.
Limit Breeding Habitat
Mosquitoes require water to breed. Adult mosquitoes lay eggs in stagnant or slow moving water, or on moist soil or leaf litter in areas likely to collect water. By eliminating these water sources, you can keep new generations of mosquitoes from taking up residence in your yard.

1. Drill holes in the bottom, not the sides, of any garbage or recycling containers stored outdoors. Holes on the sides still allow enough water to accumulate in the bottom for mosquitoes to breed.
   
2. Keep gutters clean and unclogged. Be sure your downspouts drain properly, without leaving puddles in the drainage area. You may need to reroute your downspouts or add extensions to carry water away.
   
3. Keep swimming pools cleaned and chlorinated, even when not in use. Homeowners who go on vacation without chlorinating their pools may return to a veritable mosquito hatchery.
   
4. Walk your property after a rain, and look for areas in the landscape that are not draining well. If you find puddles that remain for four or more days, regrade the area.
   
5. Ornamental ponds should be aerated to keep water moving and discourage mosquitoes from laying eggs. Alternately, stock the pond with mosquito-eating fish.
   
6. Dump anything that holds water twice per week if it has rained. Birdbaths, non-chlorinated wading pools, footbaths, garbage can lids, and pottery will all attract breeding mosquitoes. Remember to empty the saucers under your flower pots, and don't leave water in pet bowls for more than two days.
   
7. Keep your property clean of items that can hold water, including discarded aluminum cans and tires.

Limit Adult Habitat
Adult mosquitoes rest during the day, usually on tall weeds or other vegetation. Make your yard less hospitable to mosquitoes by mowing your lawn regularly, and keep weeds away from your home's foundation.
Avoid Exposure to Mosquitoes
Even when following all the precautions above to eliminate mosquito habitat, some mosquitoes will still be around to spoil your fun. You can limit exposure to the mosquitoes that remain by using effective repellents and barriers.

1. Window and door screens should be 16-18 mesh and fit snugly, without gaps around the edges. Check your screens for holes and repair or replace them as needed.
   
2. Replace your outdoor lights with yellow "bug" lights. These lights do not repel insects, but mosquitoes and other pests are less likely to find them attractive and invade your yard.
   
3. When outdoors, apply a DEET-based insect repellent according to the directions on the label. DEET will need to be reapplied in 4-6 hours.
   
4. Treat clothing, sunshades, and screen houses with a permithrin-based product, such as Permanone. Permethrin repels both mosquitoes and ticks, and will last through several washes on your clothing.
   
5. Some insecticides available commercially may be used by the homeowner for mosquito control. Check the labels for EPA-approved products registered as effective against adult and larval mosquitoes. A light spray application around building foundations, shrubs, and grasses will keep adults from resting in these areas.
   
6. Use of some other repellent products, such as citronella candles and mosquito coils, may also be effective if used in windless conditions. Some concerns about mosquito coils, which are impregnated with chemicals, and possible respiratory impacts have been raised recently, however.

What Doesn't Work for Controlling Mosquitoes
Despite what your friends tell you, some popular mosquito control methods have no significant impact on keeping mosquitoes in check. According to Wayne J. Crans, Associate Research Professor in Entomology at Rutgers University, these often-touted mosquito solutions are not worth your time or money.

1. Bug zappers. Though the satisfying sizzle you hear from this modern day insect torture device will convince you it's working, don't expect much relief from backyard mosquitoes. According to Crans, biting insects (including mosquitoes) generally make up less than 1% of the bugs zapped in these popular devices. Many beneficial insects, on the other hand, do get electrocuted.
   
2. Citrosa plants. While citronella oil does have proven mosquito-repellent properties, the genetically-modified plants sold for this purpose do not. In tests by researchers, the test subjects bitten as often while surrounded by the Citrosa plants as without them. In fact, mosquitoes were observed landing on the leaves of Citrosa plants during the study.
   
3. Bats and/or purple martins. While both bats and the colonial purple martins will consume mosquitoes, the offending insects make up a small percentage of their natural diet. Assertions about these insectivores being effective mosquito controls grew out of misrepresented and misinterpreted data from unrelated studies. While providing habitat for bats and purple martins has its value, don't do it if only to reduce your mosquito populations.
   
4. Electronic devices that transmit sounds to mimic male mosquitoes or dragonflies do not work. Crans goes so far as to suggest "the claims made by distributors border on fraud." Enough said.

The Negative Effects of Sitting Too Long

When you sit too long it can have negative effects on your health. With today's trends towards more technology and less physical activity many of us are noticing negative changes in our bodies. We may get winded climbing the stairs. Perhaps our legs fall asleep when we watch television. Maybe your back aches when you have been on the road all day.


According to projections by the World Health Organization, they estimate that there will be 2.3 billion overweight people and 700 million obese adults worldwide by 2015. Sitting at your desk all day long and then coming home to work behind your home computer or watching your favorite shows can contribute to this negative figure.


It is estimated that an increasing number of jobs in countries with modern industries require employees to sit for prolonged periods of time. This can have a negative affect on your metabolism. After only half an hour behind your desk and your body starts to slow down. You don't metabolize fat properly and your cholesterol can go through the roof. The enzyme lipase breaks down fat so it can be stored in the muscles as fuel reserves. When we are behind our desks too long the negative effect can be that our circulations slows down and the lipase can not break down the fat. The fat keeps swimming in your blood stream until it is stored as fat or heads to your heart to clog your arteries. Recent studies have found this can be as bad for your health as smoking.


It is not all bad news. There are steps we can take to avoid the negative effects of prolonged sitting. If your work requires you to sit all day long, get up and take a short break once or twice an hour. Do a few wall push ups or some similar exercise to get the muscles moving and the blood flowing.


Check with your doctor or a personal trainer to see what sort of exercise program is right for you. Taking a long walk after work can go along way to divert the negative effects of sitting all day long. Strength training twice a week will keep our muscles fit and help us to stay trim.
Sitting all day and then coming home to sit all night can have major negative effects on our health and well being. By taking steps to reverse this process we can lose weight, lower our cholesterol, and just feel  better.

Computers and Your Eyes

The Short and Long Term Effects of Computers on Your Vision
Often people find themselves waiting in the office of an optician after experiencing trouble seeing, pain in the eyes or constant tension headaches. If you or someone you know suffers from chronic tension headaches, the culprit may be your eyes, not your head. How does this happen? Many times it results from spending too much time at a computer or too much time trying to read something in an area that is not well lit.

Most often people find they have trouble seeing the fine letters on their computer screen, which affects their work… which leads to an appointment with the eye doctor. If you spend hours on hours in front of a computer, at some time or another you will probably wonder the effect your work has on your vision. For many people routine use of computers results in various symptoms including:

• Eye Strain
• Headaches
• Blurry Vision
• Fatigue
• Dry Eye
• Tension In Head, Neck and Shoulders
• Excessive Tearing
• Sharp Pain in Eyes
• Double Vision
• Dizziness
• Nausea

While some of these symptoms may seem odd, they are all very common among computer users AND among people that try to work or read in areas that are not well lit. If for example you work in an office without windows, you may find you succumb to frequent headaches resulting from eyestrain and stress.

All of these symptoms can lead to frustration, increased irritation and an inability to complete work as efficiently as one might without proper eye care. Some studies have linked routine and extended computer use with an increased risk for glaucoma and related eye diseases.

Fortunately you do not have to let computer eyestrain prevent you from spending hours online if that is what you want to do. Let's find out what you can do to protect your eyes from strain so you can work well and recreate well while online…

Computer Eyestrain in ChildrenIt may be hard to believe but children are just as likely to develop eyestrain from frequent computer or television use as adults are. As more and more educational facilities incorporate computers in the classroom, and more children use computers to do their homework, the prevalence of visual disturbances in children is rising.

Computer-related eye strain is so common in children in fact it has its own name: Vision Syndrome or CVSC (computer vision syndrome in children). If your child spends more than one hour each day on the computer, the chances are high they may suffer from CVSC. What can you do to help?

Often children need to spend less time at a computer or in front of a television to reduce the odds they will suffer from computer eyestrain. To help improve the odds your child will avoid spending long hours in front of a computer, put a family computer in a central and highly visible location, and be sure to monitor your child's time at the computer. You can even set a timer so your child knows exactly when their time at the computer is up.

Because studies show more than 20 percent of children need corrective eyewear as early as the first grade, it is critical you take care to prevent computer eyestrain from affecting your child's vision. Remember some changes may become permanent if not addressed early on. Now that you know a bit more about children's eye strain an computers, let's learn more about the many ways you can prevent eyestrain and related visual disturbances whether a child or an adult.

Reducing Eye Symptoms at Work and PlayFortunately there are many steps you can take to improve your eye health while using a computer. Wearing prescription lenses specifically designed for computer users easily relieves many symptoms including eyestrain.

There are many other tools that can help relive eye strain and headaches that do not involve the use of prescription lenses. These include:

• Anti-glare screens that can reduce eye strain.
• Taking frequent breaks to help rest the eyes.
• Participating in eye exercises to help strengthen your eyes and reduce blurry vision.
• Taking a multi vitamin and mineral supplement to ensure your eyes get the nutrients they need.
• Increasing the font size of your computer screen to reduce eye strain.
• Using a larger monitor so you can see the print on your computer screen better. This is very helpful especially if you must read long documents or spend hours entering data or editing on a computer.

Many people working at computers have to consistently focus their vision near rather than far. These may contribute to problems including suppressed vision, increased tendency toward nearsightedness or reduced efficiency when reading online. It is important that computer users recognize that many factors can impact their eye health while using a computer, including lighting conditions and the length of time they work or play at a computer.

Hold your breath

Try holding your breath. After a minute you will have used up most of the oxygen stored in your body and carbon dioxide will build up, triggering senses in your diaphragm to start breathing. You will experience an overwhelming urge to gulp some air, something which you will not be able to resist.

On average, people can hold their breath for one minute, maybe two. The world record, however, is 11 minutes 35 seconds, set on June 8, 2009 by Stéphane Mifsud. In that time, even if you held your breath for a minute, you would have had to breathe 170 times because you breath 23,000 times a day!

Stéphane Mifsud‘s amazing feat is the Static apnea record as established by the International Association for the Development of Free Diving. Inhalation of pure oxygen before the diving attempt is not allowed, which the Guinness World Record association does allow. They report the record for holding breath at 20 minutes 10 seconds, set on April 1, 2010 by Stig Severinsen.

Hot or Cold Shower?

A daily shower has numerous health benefits. The temperature of water with which you bathe affects you enormously. Weather you prefer warm or hot water for a bath, giving a rinse with cool water at the end of the bath is recommended. This closes the pores preventing dirt from entering and protects your skin. Warm water is good because it opens pores and helps in cleansing appropriately.

However, a cold shower has numerous advantages. Cold water is known to increase the metabolism of the body. When cold water comes into contact with the skin, it contracts immediately. Blood goes inside, but later rushes to fill the empty area. Hence it helps in increasing blood circulation.

A cold bath rejuvenates the body and reduces the stress level. It could soothe sunburnt or irritated skin. It also prevents the harm caused by sunrays to permeate to deeper layers of the skin.  Cold water bath normalizes your breathing and is good for your hair too. It minimizes frizz in your hair and prevents it from tearing or breaking. It also tends to give luster or shine to the hair. However, heart or blood pessure patients should avoid cold water showers. Also if you are above forty five years of age, refrain from using cold water for a bath.

There are a few disadvantages of bathing with hot water too. It might give shock to the nerves. It is capable of increasing dullness and inducing lethargy. It strips the body and face of its natural oils. It could also weaken digestion. It could make the skin scaly, rough or itchy. Thus it could cause the skin to become loose or sag, thereby aggravating wrinkles. Some experts suggest that ideally the water should be neither too hot not cold. The temperature of your bath water should be approximately two degrees greater than the body temperature.

30 ways to save your gas

1. Avoid prolonged warming up of engine, even on cold mornings - 30 to 45 seconds is plenty of time.
2. Be sure the automatic choke is disengaged after engine warm up...chokes often get stuck, resulting in bad gas/air mixture.
3. Don't start and stop engine needlessly. Idling your engine for one minute consumes the gas amount equivalent to when you start the engine.
4. Avoid "reving" the engine, especially just before you switch the engine off; this wastes fuel needlessly and washes oil down from the inside cylinder walls, owing to loss of oil pressure.
5. Eliminate jack-rabbit starts. Accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don't push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.

HOW TO BUY GASOLINE

6. Buy gasoline during coolest time of day - early morning or late evening is best. During these times gasoline is densest. Keep in mind - gas pumps measure volumes of gasoline, not densities of fuel concentration. You are charged according to "volume of measurement".
7. Choose type and brand of gasoline carefully. Certain brands provide you with greater economy because of better quality. Use the brands which "seem" most beneficial.
8. Avoid filling gas tank to top. Overfilling results in sloshing over and out of tank. Never fill gas tank past the first "click" of fuel nozzle, if nozzle is automatic.

HOW TO DRIVE ECONOMICALLY

9. Exceeding 40 mph forces your auto to overcome tremendous wind resistance.
10. Never exceed legal speed limit. Primarily they are set for your traveling safety, however better gas efficiency also occurs. Traveling at 55 mph give you up to 21% better mileage when compared to former legal speed limits of 65 mph and 70 mph.




11. Traveling at fast rates in low gears can consume up to 45% more fuel than is needed.
12. Manual shift driven cars allow you to change to highest gear as soon as possible, thereby letting you save gas if you "nurse it along". However, if you cause the engine to "bog down", premature wearing of engine parts occurs.
13. Keep windows closed when traveling at highway speeds. Open windows cause air drag, reducing your mileage by 10%.
14. Drive steadily. Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly.
15.Think ahead when approaching hills. If you accelerate, do it before you reach the hill, not while you're on it.

GENERAL ADVICE

16. Do not rest left foot on floor board pedals while driving. The slightest pressure puts "mechanical drag" on components, wearing them down prematurely. This "dragging" also demands additional fuel usage.
17. Avoid rough roads whenever possible, because dirt or gravel rob you of up to 30% of your gas mileage.
18. Use alternate roads when safer, shorter, straighter. Compare traveling distance differences - remember that corners, curves and lane jumping requires extra gas. The shortest distance between two points is always straight.
19. Stoplights are usually timed for your motoring advantage. By traveling steadily at the legal speed limit you boost your chances of having the "green light" all the way.
20. Automatic transmissions should be allowed to cool down when your car is idling at a standstill, e.g. railroad crossings, long traffic lights, etc. Place gear into neutral position. This reduces transmission strain and allows transmission to cool.
21. Park car so that you can later begin to travel in forward gear; avoid reverse gear maneuvers to save gas.
22. Regular tune-ups ensure best economy; check owner's manual for recommended maintenance intervals. Special attention should be given to maintaining clean air filters... diminished air flow increases gas waste.
23. Inspect suspension and chassis parts for occasional misalignment. Bent wheels, axles, bad shocks, broken springs, etc. create engine drag and are unsafe at high traveling speeds.
24. Remove snow tires during good weather seasons; traveling on deep tire tread really robs fuel!
25. Inflate all tires to maximum limit. Each tire should be periodically spun, balanced and checked for out-of-round. When shopping for new tires, get large diameter tires for rear wheels. Radial designs are the recognized fuel-savers; check manufacturer's specifications for maximum tire pressures.
26. Remove vinyl tops - they cause air drag. Rough surfaces disturb otherwise smooth air flow around a car's body. Bear in mind when buying new cars that a fancy sun roof helps disturb smooth air flow (and mileage).
27. Auto air conditioners can reduce fuel economy by 10% to 20%. Heater fan, power windows and seats increase engine load; the more load on your engine, the less miles per gallon.
28. Remove excess weight from trunk or inside of car - extra tires, back seats, unnecessary heavy parts. Extra weight reduces mileage, especially when driving up inclines.
29. Car pools reduce travel monotony and gas expense - all riders chip in to help you buy. Conversation helps to keep the driver alert. Pooling also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater "steady speed" economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.
30. During cold weather watch for icicles frozen to car frame. Up to 100 lbs. can be quickly accumulated! Unremoved snow and ice cause tremendous wind resistance. Warm water thrown on (or hosed on) will eliminate it fast.

Refrigerator

In the kitchen of nearly every home in America there is a refrigerator. Every 15 min­utes or so you hear the motor turn on, and it magically keeps things cold. Without refrigeration, we'd be throwing out our leftovers instead of saving them for another meal.

The refrigerator is one of those miracles of modern living that totally changes life. Prior to refrigeration, the only way to preserve meat was to salt it, and iced beverages in the summer were a real luxury. The basic idea behind a refrigerator is very simple: It uses the evaporation of a liquid to absorb heat.

The Purpose of Refrigeration

The fundamental reason for having a refrigerator is to keep food cold. Cold temperatures help food stay fresh longer. The basic idea behind refrigeration is to slow down the activity of bacteria (which all food contains) so that it takes longer for the bacteria to spoil the food.

For example, bacteria will spoil milk in two or three hours if the milk is left out on the kitchen counter at room temperature. However, by reducing the temperature of the milk, it will stay fresh for a week or two -- the cold temperature inside the refrigerator decreases the activity of the bacteria that much. By freezing the milk you can stop the bacteria altogether, and the milk can last for months (until effects like freezer burn begin to spoil the milk in non-bacterial ways).'

Understanding Refrigeration

To understand what is happening inside your refrigerator, it is helpful to understand refrigerants a little better. Here are two experiments that help you see what is happening.
The second experiment is extremely interesting if you think about it in the following way: Imagine some creature that is able to live happily in an oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This creature thinks 400 F is just great -- the perfect temperature (just like humans think that 70 F is just great). If the creature is hanging out in an oven at 400 F, and there is a cup of water in the oven boiling away at 212 F, how is the creature going to feel about that water? It is going to think that the boiling water is REALLY cold. After all, the boiling water is 188 degrees colder than the 400 F that this creature thinks is comfortable. That's a big temperature difference!
(This is exactly what is happening when we humans deal with liquid nitrogen. We feel comfortable at 70 F. Liquid nitrogen boils at -320 F. So if you had a pot of liquid nitrogen sitting on the kitchen table, its temperature would be -320 F, and it would be boiling away -- to you, of course, it would feel incredibly cold.)

Sleeping... :)

Why do we need sleep?

The average kid has a busy day. There's school, taking care of your pets, running around with friends, going to sports practice or other activities, and doing your homework. Phew! It's tiring just writing it all down. By the end of the day, your body needs a break. Sleep allows your body to rest for the next day.

Everything that's alive needs sleep to survive. Even your dog or cat curls up for naps. Animals sleep for the same reason you do — to give your body a tiny vacation

Your Brain Needs Zzzzzs

Not only is sleep necessary for your body, it's important for your brain, too. Though no one is exactly sure what work the brain does when you're asleep, some scientists think that the brain sorts through and stores information, replaces chemicals, and solves problems while you snooze.

Most kids between 5 and 12 get about 9.5 hours a night, but experts agree that most need 10 or 11 hours each night. Sleep is an individual thing and some kids need more than others.

When your body doesn't have enough hours to rest, you may feel tired or cranky, or you may be unable to think clearly. You might have a hard time following directions, or you might have an argument with a friend over something really stupid. A school assignment that's normally easy may feel impossible, or you may feel clumsy playing your favorite sport or instrument.

One more reason to get enough sleep: If you don't, you may not grow as well. That's right, researchers believe too little sleep can affect growth and your immune system — which keeps you from getting sick.

The Stages of Sleep

As you're drifting off to sleep, it doesn't seem like much is happening . . . the room is getting fuzzy and your eyelids feel heavier and heavier. But what happens next? A lot!

Your brain swings into action, telling your body how to sleep. As you slowly fall asleep, you begin to enter the five different stages of sleep:

Stage 1

In this stage, your brain gives the signal to your muscles to relax. It also tells your heart to beat a little slower, and your body temperature drops a bit.

Stage 2

After a little while, you enter stage 2, which is a light sleep. You can still be woken up easily during this stage. For example, if your sister pokes you or you hear a car horn outside, you'll probably wake up.

Stage 3

When you're in this stage, you're in a deeper sleep, also called slow-wave sleep. Your brain sends a message to your blood pressure to get lower. Your body isn't sensitive to the temperature of the air around you, which means that you won't notice if it's a little hot or cold in your room. It's much harder to be awakened when you're in this stage, but some people may sleepwalk or talk in their sleep at this point.

Stage 4

This is the deepest sleep yet and is also considered slow-wave sleep. It's very hard to wake up from this stage of sleep, and if you do wake up, you're sure to be out of it and confused for at least a few minutes. Like they do in stage 3, some people may sleepwalk or talk in their sleep when going from stage 4 to a lighter stage of sleep.

R.E.M.

R.E.M. stands for rapid eye movement. Even though the muscles in the rest of your body are totally relaxed, your eyes move back and forth very quickly beneath your eyelids. The R.E.M. stage is when your heart beats faster and your breathing is less regular. This is also the stage when people dream!
While you're asleep, you repeat stages 2, 3, 4, and R.E.M. about every 90 minutes until you wake up in the morning. For most kids, that's about four or five times a night. Who said sleep was boring?

Dream a Little Dream

You're walking down the street and you pass a monkey in a green hat eating a donut. Suddenly you're in school — but why does your teacher have such big teeth? And how come you're wearing polka-dot pants?
No, this isn't a scene from a scary movie — it's a dream!
People dream during R.E.M. sleep, the period that follows the deepest stage of sleep. Everybody has dreams, although some people have a tough time remembering them. When you wake up can affect whether you can remember your dreams. If you wake up during R.E.M. sleep, you might remember everything about your dream. If you wake up during another stage of sleep, you might not remember a thing.
No one knows for sure why people dream. Some scientists think that dreams are your brain's way of making sense of what happened during the day. Others think that dreams allow your brain to sort through the events of the day, storing the important stuff and getting rid of the junk. Some scientists say that dreams are a clue to what you're worried about or thinking about.

How to Catch Your ZZZs

For most kids, sleeping comes pretty naturally. Here are some tips to help you catch all the ZZZs you need:

• Try to go to bed at the same time every night; this helps your body get into a routine.
• Follow a bedtime routine that is calming, such as taking a warm bath or reading.
• Limit foods and drinks that contain caffeine. These include some sodas and other drinks, like ice tea.
• Don't have a TV in your room. Research shows that kids who have one in their rooms sleep less. If you have a TV, turn it off when it's time to sleep.
• Don't watch scary TV shows or movies close to bedtime because these can sometimes make it hard to fall asleep.
• Don't exercise just before going to bed. Do exercise earlier in the day — it helps a person sleep better.
• Use your bed just for sleeping — not doing homework, reading, playing games, or talking on the phone. That way, you'll train your body to associate your bed with sleep.

If you have a hard time falling asleep for more than one or two nights or have worries that are keeping you from sleeping, tell your mom or dad. They can help you solve your sleep problems. In fact, just talking about it with them could help you relax just enough (yawn) that you'll be ready to sleep. ZzzzzzzzZ

Announcement

As you can see, I didn't update my blogger as much as it sould be. I'm starting to do my blog now and I will continue updating a cool data . Anyone having free time can visit my blog anytime!
I will frequently update my blog from now.
thank you :)