Mosquito Remedy

Here's a tip that was given at a recent gardening forum.

Put some water in a white dinner plate and add a couple drops of Lemon Fresh Joy dish detergent. Set the dish on your porch, patio, or other outdoor area. Not sure what attracts them, the lemon smell, the white plate color, or what, but mosquitoes flock to it, and drop dead shortly after drinking the Lemon Fresh Joy/water mixture, and usually within about 10 feet of the plate.

Check this out---it works! May seem trivial, but it may help control mosquitoes around your home, especially in the South and elsewhere where the West Nile virus is reaching epidemic proportions in mosquitoes, birds, and humans.

Tips to consider for the Home

Setiment and deposits reduce the water heating action and result in higher bills from this appliance.

To test if PTR Valve is functional, raise and lower the "Test lever a couple of times to lift the "brass stem."

You will know if the PTR is working as water will flow out of the drainpipe.

If no, or a little, water is evidenced, then you have a defective PTR that  must be replaced at once.

For Details and Specifics about Water Heater and TPR Click to access

Depending on the age of the water heater you should also take a look at the Sacrificial Anode. The Sacrificial Anode provides rust protection of a tank For instructions and specifics about this important part...not too many people know about...Click Here

For more on Hot Water Heaters Click Here

The function of a filter on the furnace is to insure that the air entering your place of living is free of contamenants. That contamenants sucked in by the furnace fan are not recirculated back into the living area, but are collected onto the filter.

A Forced Air Furnace activity of recirculating the living area air results in Air Borne Dust...Particulate Matter being accumulated on the face of the filter. When the particulate matter becomes excessive this causes the furnace blower to work harder,and could reduce the furnace longivity, plus causing the cost of electricity to rise.

The use of a quality filter will allow the furnace to run more efficiently. Don't Skimp On The Cost Of The Filter!!!  Consider buying filters in bulk as a means of reducing the individual costs.

As each furnace manufacturer designs their product differently a number of different filter sizes exist. The size required for the furnace in your home can be acquired by looking at the existing furnace filter.

If, you have purchased a home or a Condo that has a furnace, but no filter, be sure to ask the seller for the owners handbook or manual.

If none exist the filter information may be present on the out or inside of the furnace.

Page authors note: When we purchased a forty five (45) year old house, we had to scrounge for a manual, as the manufacturer had gone out of business. Be sure to ask if Seller is in possession of a manual

It is recommended by the manufacturer that filters be replaced every three (3) months, more often if there is heavy traffic in the home.

Sink Drain odors make your home unpleasant. The following actions should eliminate the problem.

Vinegar...the household chemical with a thousand uses...will solve the odor problem AND keep the drain traps clear of gunk and goo...Hair, Soap Scum.

Page author uses old "home remedy": of Baking Soda and Vinegar.

Pour one cup of Baking Soda into sink drain, Pour one cup of Vinegar into the drain and watch the Baking Soda foam. The foaming action cleans the drain pipe and elbow of residual.

Another use of Vinegar, if you don't have any baking soda around, is to pore a cup of Vinegar into the drain, let it sit for fifteen to thirty minutes and then flush with water you have heated to the boiling stage. ( The water from the sink tap would not be hot enough to do the job)

Conversly, if you do not have Vinegar, but do have Baking Soda, a half cup of baking soda into the drain plus hot water should do the trick

For more on the thousand uses of Vinegar  Access here

Question: Is it OK to use hot tap water for tea or cooking?

Lead can leach into the water from your plumbing. "And just as sugar dissolves more easily in hot water, so does lead," Blette says. Because lead doesn't evaporate, boiling the water only increases its concentration. That makes the hot water tap an especially bad choice for preparing coffee, tea, or baby formula.

Lead is a known health hazard,  which is why the EPA limits its levels in municipal water supplies. In adults, prolonged exposure may, over time, increase the risk of kidney and heart I disease, "But the real concern is how it affects children," Blette says. "Lead I can cause developmental problems as they grow," Those problems can be mental or physical, and may include learning disabilities and attention deficit disorders.

As a precaution, run hot and cold kitchen taps for a minute or two first thing in the morning to flush out any lead released overnight. Do the same thing after a vacation or weekend away. Or add a good quality water filter that attaches to the tap. These filters reduce lead levels to near zero . as well a£ screen out most other contaminants,( KELLY GARRETT)

Ground Fault Interrupters  They Could Save Your Life !!!

To anyone who has been jolted many times by touching the wrong wire, the inventor of the GFCI Recepticle should br cannonized.

This life saving appliance presence should be mandated to be installed in every home in the world, including homes built years ago.

If your shaving, using a wash cloth to clean yourself and you inadvertently touch the electric plug or lie an electric shaver onto a wet spot or cloth on the sink, instead of being shocked...possibly to death...the GFI will instantly trip and cut of any electical flow to the outlet in use.

But, being a man made device, plus wear and tare, it is good practice to "test "the recepticle on a monthly basis.

If using the" test " button does not cause the GFI to trip the circuit breaker,... which cuts off the electrical flow...the GFI must be replaced at once.

(*) Page authors Note: Have recently been informed that GFI power sockets have been added to Garages. Checking results in data that a gargage...due to rain and or snow can have a wet floor, that using power tools in the garage can be dangerous due to the wet condition.

Ever locked the keys in the car?

Received this from an old friend who is not prone to sending stuff that he considers questionable...on the end he and his lady swear that it works.
Can't hurt to know about it in an emergency

If you lock your keys in the car and the spare keys are home just call someone on your cell phone who has another "remote key set".
Hold your cell phone about a foot from your car door and have the other person at your home or wherever press the unlock button, holding it near the phone on their end.
Your car will unlock.

Saves someone from having to drive your keys to you. Distance is no object. You could be hundreds of miles away and if you can reach someone who has the other "remote" for your car you can unlock the doors (or the trunk!)
From e-mail sender: Jane & I just tried and it worked.

Five (5) THINGS TO KNOW About Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs (CFL)

You can cut a chunk out of your electrical bill in seconds by replacing energy wasting incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent ones.

To find out what's new with CFLs, we turned to Robert Kramer, an electrical engineer and director of the Energy Efficiency and Reliability Center at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond, Ind.

1  Color and size. Some people are put off by the cool white color associated with CFLs. But CFLs now put out a wider spectrum of light and newer coatings make them available in a range of colors. There also are more sizes and shapes.

2  Flicker. Older CFLs started out dim and took quite a while to reach full light output; newer ones are up to full power almost instantly. And because the technology of screw-in CFLs is different than that of older fluorescent tubes, they don't start to flicker as they age.

3  Cost. CFLs cost more than incandescents, but because they last so long and use less power they make up for it in the long run. Over its life, a CFL will cost you a third or less to buy and run than an incandescent.

4  Learning curve.It is important to follow the package instructions on CFLs, says John Drengenberg, consumer affairs manager and electrical engineer with Northbrook-based Underwriters Laboratories. If the package says not to use the bulb with a dimmer or in an enclosed fixture, don't, because CFLs have complex electronics in their bases that can be damaged by excessive heat buildup.

5  Temperature.Because compact fluorescents use more energy for light and waste less of it as heat, they are a good choice for areas you want to keep cool, in the kitchen, for instance, or in a reading lamp right by a chair in the summer.
Page Authors NOTE
*Recent study...newspaper columns...CAUTIONS, that if you are in close proximity of a CFL bulb that has broken, that you immediately leave the area...That you "Do Not"pick up the broken parts with your hands AND that you are to insure that chldren be told not to touch the pieces and not to be near where the bulb has broken.

Beware,Yellow Jackets

Yellow Jackets are more troublesome than Bumblebees or Honeybees because they are interested in the same food and beverages as we are.

They feed on flower nectar as well as most other sweet, syrupy liquids found at outdoor gatherings.

Unlike bees, Yellow Jackets will sting repeatedly, often without much provocation.

Later in fall, they can become increasingly aggressive as they compete for the dwindling supply of food and search out protected places to spend the winter, either in underground burrows or in side walls.

Spraying insecticides in the air is not a recommended preventative. Avoid wearing floral perfumes, yellow, pink or lime green clothing and keep all foods tightly covered.

Soda cans are a favorite hiding place for yellow jackets; consider pouring soda into a cup and look closely before drinking.

Bounce (Anti Static )

The US Postal service sent out a message to all letter carriers to put a sheet of Bounce in their uniform pockets to keep yellow jackets away. The yellow jackets just veer around you.

It will chase ants away when you lay a sheet near them.

It also repels mice. Spread them around foundation areas, or in trailers, cars that are sitting and it keeps mice from entering your vehicle.

It takes the odor out of books and photo albums that don't get opened too often.

Repels mosquitoes. Tie a sheet of Bounce through a belt loop when outdoors during mosquito season.

Eliminates static electricity from your television (or computer) screen. Since Bounce is designed to help eliminate static cling, wipe your television screen with a used sheet of Bounce to keep dust from resettling.

Dissolve soap scum from shower doors. Clean with a sheet of Bounce.

Freshen the air in your home. Place an individual sheet of Bounce in a drawer or hang in the closet.

Put Bounce sheet in vacuum cleaner.

Prevent thread from tangling. Run a threaded needle through sheet of Bounce before beginning to sew.

Prevent musty suitcases. Place an individual sheet of Bounce inside empty luggage before storing.

Freshen the air in your car. Place a sheet of Bounce under the front seat.

Clean baked on foods from a cooking pan. Put a sheet in a pan, fill with water, let sit overnight, and sponge clean. The antistatic agent apparently weakens the bond between the food.

Eliminate odors in wastebaskets.. Place a sheet of Bounce at the bottom of the wastebasket.

Collect cat hair. Rubbing the area with a sheet of Bounce will magnetically attract all the loose hairs.

Eliminate static electricity from Venetian blinds. Wipe the blinds with a sheet of Bounce to prevent dust from resettling.

Wipe up sawdust from drilling or sand papering. A used sheet of Bounce will collect sawdust like a tack cloth.

Eliminate odors in dirty laundry. Place an individual sheet of Bounce at the bottom of a laundry bag or hamper.

Deodorize shoes or sneakers. Place a sheet of Bounce in your shoes or sneakers overnight.

Golfers put a Bounce sheet in their back pocket to keep the bees away.

Put a Bounce sheet in your sleeping bag and tent before folding and storing them. Keeps them smelling fresh.

Page author verified via a visit to Google's site.@ mountainsurvival.com/bounce.html

(*)Wood Burning(*) Fireplace Safety Tips

You can safely enjoy your fireplace by following some simple rules regarding fireplace safety.

.Proper maintenance of a chimney reduces the buildup of creosote, a black tarry substance that can block passageways or ignite. Begin with carefully selecting the kind of wood you will burn. The harder the wood, the smaller the creosote release into the chimney.

. Maintaining proper flue temperatures is also a part of good chimney maintenance. Burn an open fire until good flue temperatures are achieved, then make sure the fire burns hot enough to maintain those temperatures.

. Chimneys should be thoroughly cleaned at least once a year. Remember, soot and creosote buildup in the chimney can cause flue fires.

. As part of the chimney cleaning process and following any chimney fire, the flue should be carefully inspected inside and out.

For more fireplace safety tips, visit the web site at http://home.comcast.net/www.mountprospect.org.">Click to access  or call the Fire Prevention Bureau at  1-847-818-5253.

Christimas Tree Safety

To eliminate a potential fire hazard (*)during the (*) holiday season, the Mount Prospect Fire Department recommends that you use an artificial Christmas tree. If you elect not to use an artificial tree, (*)and purchase a fresh cut tree be sure to check for freshness, remember:

•  A fresh tree is green.
•  The trunk of a fresh tree is sticky with resin.
•  When you bring your tree home, place the trunk in a bucket of water to maintain freshness until you are ready to bring it into the house.
•  Place tree carefully away from fireplaces, radiators or other heat sources.
See that it is out of the way of traffic and does not block doorways. •  When decorating, make sure all electrical light cords are not frayed or split. Test lights before putting them on the tree.
•  Never(*)Never, put lit candles on your tree.

How to help your drought damaged garden

By Beth Botts...Tribune staff reporter...Published September 25, 2005

Now that cooler fall temperatures have arrived, it's tempting to relax about our gardens and plants.  But this is one year when we can't afford to relax. Trees and other plants are badly stressed from the worst drought in decades,(2005) and it's not over. Deep down, the ground is still deadly dry.

So homeowners must remain vigilant to keep plants alive even as they appear to start shutting down for the winter.  Trees, especially, already may have sustained damage that could kill them in a year or even three.  Good care now could improve their odds.

There's no guarantee that the drought won't continue next year: A drought that began in the East in the spring of 1999 went on, with a few deceiving interruptions, until fall of 2002, killing plants all the way. "Mother Nature always wins," says Carlo Balistrieri, curator of the rock garden at the New York Botanical Garden, recalling that drought. "There's only so much you can do."

But we can do something. This fall, when we continue to help out our thirsty plants (see accompanying story), is a good time to think about making our gardens more drought resistant.

Letting go

Reassess your plantings. Are there some specimens that, this summer, proved just too thirsty to bother with? Or did some give up and die? Marginally hardy plants, coddled in protected microclimates, are the first to go, says Lee Randhava, plant information specialist at the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe.

Maybe they should be replaced with stouter native plants, such as echinacea or gaillardia, adapted by millennia of natural selection to have deep roots and other mechanisms that help them survive extreme Midwestern weather swings. Nowadays, there are new cultivars in many sizes and forms and longer bloom times.

Or consider ornamental grasses: David Salman, president and chief horticulturist of High Country Gardens, a Santa Fe, N.M., nursery specializing in drought tolerant plants, loves little bluestem grass.

Other plants that resist drought have silver or hairy leaves, such as lamb's ears, artemesia, lavenders, licorice plant or dusty miller, Randhava says. Russian sage was a tough survivor everywhere this summer.

It might help to move some plants around. Clustering plants with similar needs is less work and uses less water. "You have an oasis, where you grow the most water demanding plants, which is near the house where you can enjoy them and water them easily," says Panayoti Kelaidis, director of outreach for the Denver Botanic Garden. Drought tolerant plants such as sedums, rudbeckia and grasses can go farther from the house, in an occasional watering zone.

Consider drip irrigation systems or soaker hoses, which keep water on the root zone and off leaves, where it can encourage disease.

As you take apart this summer's containers, rethink. Did you plant so many this year that watering them was a heavy chore? Maybe next year choose only your favorite pots (larger ones will dry out more slowly) and position them in groups to make watering easier.

Containers close to the house can be easier to care for than sweeping swathes of thirsty impatiens or begonias. Perhaps a few large pots within reach can satisfy that love for color.

Consider potting up less needy plants such as portulaca or sedum. Use water-holding polymer crystals such as Soil Moist in the potting mix next year. And check out self watering containers, available in catalogs, that have a reservoir of water available to plants' roots.

On the alert

The drought went deep into the soil, damaging the roots that feed and store water for trees. So this fall, watch your trees for signs of stress: A branch that died and turned brown in July or August, early color change, leaves dropping too soon as the tree makes a last ditch effort to avoid losing water through their pores.

At The Morton Arboretum in Lisle, a 50 foot mature hackberry started shedding leaves in August. "That tree's been there since 1930," said Kris Bachtell, director of collections and grounds. "It's just so darn dry. It's amazing." But don't assume a stressed tree is dead and quit watering. It might make it (or not).

Be alert next spring..  Even trees that seem OK now may have sustained hidden damage. Do a tree's branches fail to leaf out all the way in April? Do branch ends flop or flag? Does the canopy seem thin? That may happen because so many roots were killed by this year's drought that the tree can't take up enough water and didn't store enough energy to support as many leaves next year. "The tree pulls in a bit," said Edith Makra, community trees advocate at the arboretum.

Weakened trees may be more vulnerable next year to disease and to insects such as borers, says Bachtell. If you see what looks like trouble, call in a professional. "The really scary news is that you have to watch those plants not only in 2006, but in 2007 and 2008," Randhava says.  "Damage from this drought will be showing up three years down the line."

Especially at risk from drought are shallow rooted trees and shrubs that evolved for moist soils, such as hydrangeas and river birch; trees that put a lot of energy into spring seed production, such as red maples; and trees planted less than five years ago, because they lose the majority of their roots in transplanting, according to Doris Taylor, plant information specialist at the arboretum. "We're going to have high mortality this winter," said Jim DeHorn, who runs the TreeKeepers volunteer program for Openlands Project. "Of course, we won't know until April."

If you lost trees or shrubs, consider replacing them with plant species that have survived here for thousands of years, such as oaks, honey locust, Kentucky coffee trees and hickory.

And don't let fall rains make you complacent. "This is a huge, huge thing that happened to us, this drought," says Randhava. We have to get lots of soaking rain, and blizzards of snow to make up for this year's drought.

1.  Water trees first. Soak them long and slow so moisture sinks deep into the soil, encouraging roots to grow down to find it. Let a hose or sprinkler just dribble for hours, and move it around the tree's root zone every hour or so until the whole area is soaked. Do this once a week, giving the topsoil time between waterings to air out and offer oxygen to plants' roots. Water all trees -- not just young ones, not just the ones in your yard. Wouldn't your life be a little poorer if the trees in the parkway died?

2.  Next: perennial beds and lawns. As with trees, the watering should be long, slow, deep and just once a week or so. Brief hand sprinklings moisten only the top inch or so, says Lee Randhava, plant information specialist for the Chicago Botanic Garden in Glencoe. That invites delicate feeder roots to stay at the soil surface where cold weather will kill them.

3.  Split 'em up. Early fall is a good time to divide spring or early summer blooming perennials, and as you do, you may be amazed to feel how dry the soil is below the top few inches.

You need to get moisture way down, where plants can regrow deep roots and store up energy for winter. The bulbs you plant this fall need a water supply to form the roots they need to push out their blooms next spring. And in a nice cold winter, water in the soil freezes to form protective ice around dormant plants' root zones.

4.  Keep weeding. Remove spent annuals. Remember that anything growing in your garden is competing for water with the plants you prize. Deadhead, even if you normally don't; turning those spent blooms to seeds takes scarce energy. Get rid of scorched leaves; water still is evaporating from the green parts.

5.  Cover it up. A good organic mulch is the single-most effective drought fighter, after water. In a layer 2 or 3 inches deep over planting beds and the root zones of trees, mulch holds moisture in the soil and insulates plant roots from harmful temperature swings, in addition to adding nutrients as it decays.

Most years, conventional advice is to wait to apply mulch in fall until the ground freezes. But this year, go ahead and spread mulch (and compost, if you've got it) now. Water first, so there is moisture for the mulch to hold in. An excellent mulch soon will be easily accessible: Shredded fallen leaves (not whole) will do nicely.

6.  Let shrubs grow. Resist the temptation to prune shrubs until winter comes and they are thoroughly dormant; January or February would be the best time. Pruning now would push them to try and put on tender, vulnerable new growth, for which they don't have energy and which would dry out quickly or fall to winter kill.

Right now, shrubs need everything they've got to store up water against the winter's drying winds. Evergreens, in particular, may be extra vulnerable to winter kill this year, so make sure they have been watered well all fall, says Doris Taylor, plant information specialist at The Morton Arboretum in Lisle.

7.  Resist fertilizing. You don't want to encourage growth when plants are in survival mode. Wait to apply a slow release lawn fertilizer until late in the year, when plants are dormant, so nutrients will be available for spring growth -- assuming we get spring rain.
Beth Botts... ebotts@tribune.com

Energy Saving Tips

Additional Tips on Energy Savings, For tips, Saving Energy and money.

Panel gives tips to parents about Internet safety.

By Matt Paolelli...Daily Herald Correspondent...Posted Saturday, September 02, 2006

For parents of middle school and high school students, it’s an all too familiar scene.

Your child comes home from school and parks it in front of the computer for a few hours, trading instant messages with friends, updating a personal profile on MySpace.com and posting digital photos to an online Web log.

But an age old question now applies to cyberspace: Do you know where your children are?

A panel discussion in Northbrook this week tried to help parents find an answer by addressing Internet safety on blogs and social networking sites. It was sponsored by state Sen. Susan Garrett, a Lake Forest Democrat, and state Rep. Elaine Nekritz, a Northbrook Democrat.

The discussion offered tips for safe Web surfing, as well as a debate about the role of schools in policing the online behavior of students.

“My deeply held belief is that we can’t look to our legislature and we can’t look to our police officers and our schools to completely protect our kids from the dangers on the Internet,” said panelist Jill Weininger, a West Northfield Elementary District 31 parent of a fourth grader and a seventh-grader. “Ultimately, it is a parent responsibility.”

(*)

What Parents Can Do

To avoid problems with sexual predators or offensive online content, parents can take simple actions to make the Internet a safer place for their children, said Mike Sullivan, deputy bureau chief of the High Tech Crimes Bureau of the Illinois attorney general’s office.

“The fact is, most parents haven’t got a clue how their kids use the computer,” he said. “If you look over and you notice the screen goes down,"Becomes blank" that’s a clue. Go over and tell Junior to bring it back up.”

If the computer is in your child’s room or the basement, move it to a more visible location.

“The best thing to do is sit down with your kid and let them show you how they surf,” he said. This is especially helpful for social networking sites such as MySpace, where children often casually post private information that make them easy targets, Sullivan said.

“When sexual predators look at a site, they look at it as a shopping market,”  he said.  Removing your ZIP code, last name, date of birth and other personal information  from online profiles also reduces the risk of identity theft.

Sullivan’s biggest tip for parents is to remain calm, no matter what they discover their child has been doing online.

“Don’t overreact no matter what your child tells you,” he said. “Sometimes the kids get out there, they do things you’re just not ready for and when they come and tell you, you really have to sit on your emotions because if they think they’re going to get punished, they will hide things from you.”

MySpace and other sites also have the potential to get kids in trouble at school, especially if photos are posted of students engaging in illegal activities such as underage drinking. But a national debate rages over the schools’ power to punish students for these online activities.

Schools can legally only suspend them from participating in extracurricular activities, said Melinda Selbee, legal counsel for the Illinois Association of School Districts.

“School officials are not the Internet police,”  she said. If the online activity has repercussions in the classroom, schools can take further disciplinary action. All student discipline policies in the state are required to address bullying, which includes use of the Internet to threaten another student.

“We’ve gone from schoolyard bullying to cyber bullying,” Selbee said. “Threats are not constitutionally protected, and school officials will be able to discipline for those actual threats.”

However, Ed Yohnka, communications director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois, said schools should not have the power to punish students for their free speech online. Yohnka cited a Pittsburgh case in which a student was suspended from attending class after posting a parody about his school’s principal on his personal Web site.

“What was at stake there was not a threat to the school. It was an embarrassment to the administration,” he said. “We begin to see this kind of creeping notion of the school and public officials in the school taking over and encroaching on that role of the parent.”

But panelists agreed that Internet safety and conduct must first come from the home.

“As parents, we have to know what our kids are ready for and help to gradually bring that into their world with our value system and our lens,” Weininger said. “We can’t expect the school to know the value system for every single child.”

Benefits of 3% Peroxide

This was written by Becky Ransey of Indiana...Page author received a copy in e-mail from a friend.

"I would like to tell you of the benefits of that plain little old bottle of 3% peroxide you can get for under $1.00 at any drug store. My husband has been in the medical field for over 36 years, and most doctors don't tell you about peroxide, or they would lose thousands of dollars."

1.  Take one capful (the little white cap that comes with the bottle) and hold in your mouth for 10minutes daily, then spit it out. (I do it when I bathe)
      No more canker sores and your teeth will be whiter without expensive pastes. Use it instead ofmouthwash. (Small print says mouth wash and gargle right on the bottle)

2.  Let your toothbrushes soak in a cup of "Peroxide" to keep them free of germs.

3.  Clean your counters, table tops with peroxide to kill germs and leave a fresh smell. Simply put alittle on your dishrag when you wipe, or spray it on the counters.

4.  After rinsing off your wooden cutting board, pour peroxide on it to kill salmonella and otherbacteria.

5.  I had fungus on my feet for years - until I sprayed a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water on them(especially the toes) every night and let dry.

6.  Soak any infections or cuts in 3% peroxide for five to ten minutes several times a day. Myhusband has seen gangrene that would not heal with any medicine, but was healed by soaking inperoxide.

7.  Fill a spray bottle with a 50/50 mixture of peroxide and water and keep it in every bathroom todisinfect without harming your septic system like bleach or most other disinfectants will.

8.  Tilt your head back and spray into nostrils with your 50/50 mixture whenever you have a cold, orplugged sinuses. It will bubble and help to kill the bacteria. Hold for a few minutes then blowyour nose into a tissue.

9.  If you have a terrible toothache and cannot get to a dentist right away, put a capful of 3%peroxide into your mouth and hold it for ten minutes several times a day. The pain will lessengreatly.

10.  And of course, if you like a natural look to your hair, spray the 50/50 solution on your wet hairafter a shower and comb it through. You will not have the peroxide burnt blonde hair like the hairdye packages, but more natural highlights if your hair is a light brown, faddish, or dirty blonde. Italso lightens gradually so it's not a drastic change.

11.  Put half a bottle of peroxide in your bath to help rid boils, fungus, or other skin infections.

12.  You can also add a cup of peroxide instead of bleach to a load of whites in your laundry to whitenthem. If there is blood on clothing, pour directly on the soiled spot. Let it sit for a minute, then rubit and rinse with cold water. Repeat if necessary.

13.  I use peroxide to clean my mirrors with, and there is no smearing which is why I love it so muchfor this.

I could go on and on. It is a little brown bottle no home should be without! With prices of most necessities rising, I'm glad there's a way to save tons of money in such a simple, healthy manner.

Selling Old Cell phones

By DIANA RANSOM...February 4, 2007

Your has been cellphones may still have some resale value.

Web sites such as CellForCash.com, SellYourOldCellPhone.com, GreenPhone.com and CashOldPhone.com will generally pay between $2 and $200 for functioning phones that you are no longer using, depending on the make and model. These sites refurbish and repackage phones to be sold in markets such as India and Latin America.

Check around, as purchase prices will vary. For example, CashOldPhone.com offers to pay $48 for a Nokia 6102 camera phone while CellForCash.com offers just $13 for the same phone. Some sites, including CellForCash.com, offer to match competitors' prices.

You can generally sell phones that are up to four years old. However, "the 'sweet spot' for value is between one and two years," says Seth Heine, president of RIPMobile.com.

Most sites issue check payments, but RIPMobile.com gives gift certificates to retailers including CircuitCity.com and Starbucks. Sprint Nextel customers using the company's sprintbuyback.com get credits on their accounts.

On the Web sites, you can typically print out a postage-paid shipping label or request a postage paid box. Drop your phone in the mail and wait about 30 days for your payment.

Each site requires phones to power up, make a test call and have functioning features. Payments may be reduced for operational but cosmetically damaged phones.

Make sure the service on the phone you send has been canceled and also delete your personal information. For instructions on how to erase your phone's memory, go to Click to access link...and click on "Phone Data Eraser."

To erase all data that's in/on your cell phoneGo to this link

Write to Diana Ransom at diana.ransom@wsj.com">

Five Tips For a Healthier Baby

Do you know someone who is pregnant or plans to be - a friend, daughter or granddaughter? Then do your part to help her deliver a healthy baby by passing along this advice from the March of Dimes.

The March of Dimes recommends that all pregnant women follow these five key steps:

1. Get early and regular prenatal care. It reduces your risk of having a low birthweightbaby.

2. Eat nutritious foods. Make sure that you and your baby get all the protein andnutrients you need through a varied diet.

3. Don't smoke! Women who smoke increase their chances of having a miscarriage or alow birthweight baby.

4. Don't take drugs. Taking drugs, except those approved by a doctor who knowsyou're pregnant, can cause severe disabilities - or even result in the death of yourbaby.

5. Don't drink. Hard liquor, wine and beer can all cause birth defects.

For current information about programs and services, March of Dimes news, and important health information, visit anytime at marchofdimes.com

How to Breeze Through Airport Screening

Holiday travel has always been tough, but the tighter security rules in recent years have made it even harder to navigate the airport obstacle course.

The rule changes can be challenging for frequent fliers to follow, much less the occasional travelers who come out in force over the holidays.

Here are steps you can take to get through security and to your gate faster and with fewer hassles.

 Know the rules  on those liquids, aerosols and gels in your carry-on bags.
This is the big change from last year; you can't just throw your toiletries into your carry-on "and go.
Each container should be three ounces or smaller, and all containers must be placed into one quart size, zip top, clear plastic bag.
When you go through the security line, you will have to take that plastic bag out of your carry on luggage for separate inspection.
Items for health purposes and for small children can be exceptions to this rule.
More than three ounces of prescription medications are allowed, as are larger quantities of breast milk or baby formula if you are traveling with a small child. These still need to be presented for separate inspection at the security checkpoint.

The Transportation Security Administration has a Web site for more information on this part of your packing: tsa.gov/311.

 Dress for travel  with the security screening in mind. Expect that you will have to take off your jacket and shoes in the security line for separate inspection.
If you're wearing anything else bulky, such as a big sweatshirt, you might be asked to take that off, too. Also, don't wear anything that contains a lot of metal, and try to keep items such as coins and keys out of your pockets because they could set off the metal detector.

 Don't wrap gifts;  or, if you do, know that there is a chance the TSA will unwrap them in order to inspect the items inside. This applies to both carry-on and checked baggage. (Another option: ship those nicely wrapped gifts.)

 Mind your possesions  when they are on the conveyor belt. There have been numerous cases of items getting mixed up, travelers forgetting items, and even theft.
If you get selected for secondary screening, make sure the screeners bring your belongings with you to minimize the risk your possessions will be misplaced.

 Check ahead  to see what the wait time is for your airport's security lines. The TSA maintains a site, waittime.tsa.dhs.gov/index.html, that has historical data based on the airport, day and time.

Some individual airports have current wait times on their Web sites. Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson not only posts the security line wait times at atlanta airport.com, but also allows travelers to sign up to receive emails or text messages about wait times in advance of their flight times.
By Joanna L. Ossinger...© Wall Street Journal... insert in Daily Herald

Four (4) tips to choose the right tires

Check the tread on your tires in several spots about every 3,000 miles Think of tires as part of your car's basic safety equipment. "Tires are the contact with the road, determining how fast you stop and start," says Bob Toth of Goodyear's auto tires division. "They have to transmit grip, traction, cornering performance, braking and ride comfort on any surface." Pay attention to the following points:

Where you live and what you drive matter. Tires appropriate for the rain-slick roads of Seattle are different from the ones you need for scorching Phoenix. Small commuter cars, high-performance sports cars and trucks carrying heavy loads require altogether different tires. Regardless of climate or vehicle type, your tires should meet or exceed the load-bearing capacity range recommended by your carmaker, says Greg L'Hommedieu of Les Schwab Tire Center in Kirkland, Wash.

Get the right size tire for your car. That information can be found on the placard located on the inside of the driver's side door, in your owner's manual or on the sidewall of your current tires. Tire dealers also should have it.

Buy new tires as soon as you need them. Because a given model's estimated longevity varies, check the tread every 3,000 miles, Toth says. Stick a penny in several different spots (Lincoln's head should be upside down). If the tread is so worn that the top of Honest Abe's noggin is visible, you need to buy new tires. Replacing tires before they are bald not only will improve your stopping distance and keep you safe, but it also can help ensure you get the best mileage possible.

Shop around for a good tire at a good price. For many people, all-season tires are the best value, L'Hommedieu says. "They aren't going to be the cheapest, but they offer the safest option with the most mileage and the lowest cost per mile. Most of the time, the quality of the tire will be relative to the price you pay. Premium choices will have more raw material and state-of-the-art design that will give you maximum wear, safety and traction." Spend some time researching what is available and appropriate at tire company websites or on independent sites like tirerack.com or cars.com.
--Lisa Jaffe Hubbell ...USA Weelend..May 15, 2009 issue
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