Making your own household cleaners

From Consumer Reports:

Homemade household cleaners: best recipes 1/11

With some simple, reliable recipes and clean, empty containers, you can make your own less-toxic cleaners right at home using familiar household ingredients. The following is a list of basic ingredients, along with their common cleaning uses.

Basic cleaning ingredients

Baking soda (bicarbonate of soda). This mild alkali powder can be used for a variety of household cleaning purposes, such as removing stains from tile, glass, oven doors, and china; cleaning the inside of refrigerators; helping to absorb odors; and removing baked-on food from pans. It also acts as a stain remover for fruit juices and other mild acids.

Borax. A powder or crystalline salt sold in most grocery stores, borax is a water softener and sanitizer. It makes an excellent freshener when added to laundry and is an all-around deodorizer.

Castile soap. A mild soap available in liquid or bar form that can be used for general-purpose cleaning. It was once made from olive oil, but now may include other vegetable oils as well.

Cream of tartar (potassium bitartrate). This common baking ingredient is a mild acid that can be used as a sink and bathtub stain remover. It can also be used to remove spots from aluminum cookware.

Hydrogen peroxide. A mild alternative to chlorine bleach that can be used for stain removal and mild bleaching and killing germs. Available in drug stores and supermarkets.

Lemon juice. This familiar ingredient can be used to lighten stains and cut grease. It can also be used to remove tarnish can be used on brass, copper, bronze and aluminum (not to be used on silver).

Washing soda (carbonate of soda). A stronger alternative to baking soda, washing soda can be used as a water softener in conjunction with laundry detergents (gloves are recommended as it may irritate skin; not to be used with silks, woolens or vinyl).

White vinegar. Good for a variety of household cleaning tasks, vinegar may be used to help kill germs and deodorize, remove some carpet stains, and clean coffeemakers, chrome, cookware, and countertops. It can also be used to unclog drains. Note that while white vinegar has a slight scent while wet, when dry, it leaves no odor. However, don’t use it on acetate fabrics, such as in some tablecloths, because it can dissolve the fibers.

Homemade recipes

You can make your own cleaners from the ingredients listed above. The recipes below are adapted from Recipes for Safer Cleaners, published by the nonprofit group, Healthy Child Healthy World. (Please note that Consumer Reports has not tested these recipes.)

Kitchen:

•Countertops. For a "soft scrub," mix baking soda and liquid soap until you get a consistency you like. The amounts don’t have to be perfect. Make only as much as you need, as it dries up quickly.

•Ovens. To clean extra-greasy ovens, mix together 1 cup baking soda and 1/4 cup of washing soda, then add enough water to make a paste; apply the paste to oven surfaces and let soak overnight. The next morning, lift off soda mixture and grime; rinse surfaces well (gloves are recommended as washing soda may irritate skin).

•Microwave ovens. These can be cleaned with a paste made from 3 to 4 tablespoons of baking soda mixed with water. Scrub on with a sponge and rinse.

•Cutting boards. Sanitize them by spraying with vinegar and then with 3 percent hydrogen peroxide. Keep the liquids in separate spray bottles and use them one at a time. It doesn’t matter which one you use first, but both together are much more effective than either one alone.

Bathrooms:

•Tub and tile cleaner. Mix 1 2/3 cup baking soda, 1/2 cup liquid soap, and 1/2 cup water. Then, as the last step, add 2 tablespoons vinegar (if you add the vinegar too early it will react with the baking soda). Immediately apply, wipe, and scrub.

•A good all-purpose sanitizer. 2 teaspoons borax, 4 tablespoons vinegar, and 3 to 4 cups hot water in a spray bottle. For extra cleaning power, add 1/4 teaspoon liquid soap to the mixture.

•Toilet bowl. Pour 1 cup of borax into the toilet before going to bed. In the morning, scrub and flush. For an extra-strength cleaner, add 1/4 cup vinegar to the borax.

•Drains. Prevent clogged drains by using hair and food traps. To de-grease and sweeten sink and tub drains, pour 1/2 cup of baking soda down drain, followed by 1 cup vinegar; let bubble for 15 minutes; rinse with hot water. You might have to repeat the procedure more than once or leave the baking soda and vinegar to “cook” overnight.

Livingroom:

•General dusting. Best done with a damp cloth: Dry dusting simply stirs up dust and moves it around.

•Furniture polish. Mix olive oil and vinegar in a one-to-one ratio and polish with a soft cloth. Or look in a health-food store for food-grade linseed oil, often called omega-3 or flaxseed oil, rather than the type found in hardware stores to finish furniture. Linseed oil sold for furniture use often contains dangerous petroleum distillates to speed evaporation.

•Windows. Put 3 tablespoons vinegar per 1 quart water in a spray bottle. Some recommend using half vinegar and half water. For extra-dirty windows try this: 1/2 teaspoon liquid soap, 3 tablespoons vinegar, and 2 cups of water. Shake well. The best way to get streak-free windows--use newspaper instead of paper towels to wipe them.

Metal polish:

•Brass, copper, bronze and aluminum. To remove tarnish, rub metal with sliced lemons. For tough jobs, sprinkle baking soda on the lemon, then rub.

•Sterling silver. Put a sheet of aluminum foil into a plastic or glass bowl. Sprinkle the foil with salt and baking soda, then fill the bowl with warm water. Soak your silver in the bowl, and the tarnish will migrate to the aluminum foil. Rinse and dry the silver, then buff it with a soft cloth.

Air freshener:

•A simple recipe of 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon vinegar (or lemon juice), and 2 cups hot water in a spray bottle can be sprayed in the air to remove odors.

Floors and carpets:

•Linoleum. For extra grease-cutting, try this formula: 1/4 cup washing soda with 1 tablespoon of liquid soap, 1/4 cup vinegar, and 2 gallons hot water. Put the washing soda in the bucket first and add the liquid ingredients; that way the soda won’t splash out. Caution: Do not use this formula on waxed floors.

•Sanitize floors. Add 2 gallons of hot water to 1/2 cup of borax. Put the borax in the bucket first, then add water slowly to avoid splashing.

•Wood floors. Add 1 cup of vinegar per pail of hot water.

•Carpeting and rugs. To soak up and eliminate odors, sprinkle baking soda over the surface of the carpet and let it stand for 15 to 30 minutes before vacuuming.

Laundry:

•Laundry brightener. Add 1/2 cup of strained lemon juice during the rinse cycle.

•Fabric rinse. Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar during the washing machine’s rinse cycle to remove detergent completely from clothes, eliminating that scratchy feel. (Note: This will not leave your clothes smelling like vinegar.)

•Detergent booster. To reduce the amount of laundry detergent you need to use (especially if you have hard water), add baking soda or washing soda. These minerals soften the water, which increases the detergent’s power. For liquid detergent, add 1/2 cup of soda at the beginning of the wash. For powdered detergent, add 1/2 cup of soda during the rinse cycle.

•Bleach. Use hydrogen peroxide instead of chlorine bleach.

•Dry cleaning. Many delicate "dry clean only" items can be washed at home by hand. In general, it’s best to use cool water and a mild liquid soap. Squeeze or wring gently and lay flat to dry.

Mold:

•Use a stiff brush, a non-ammonia detergent, and hot water to scrub mold off nonporous surfaces. Use a stiff-bristle toothbrush to get between tiles. You can also use a paste of baking soda and water. Don’t rinse. And remember to wear gloves and a protective mask, since mold spores can be inhaled.

Toxic household chemicals

From Consumer Reports:

Avoid harmful ingredients whenever possible. Certain chemicals found in cleaning products can pose health and/or environmental risks. To minimize these risks and to choose the best cleaners for your household, avoid the ingredients listed below. ( Note: this is not an exhaustive list and additional ingredients may be added as they come to light.)

• Nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEs). When they’re released into the environment, these chemicals can break down into toxic substances that can act as hormone disrupters, potentially threatening the reproductive capacity of fish, birds, and mammals.Found in many cleaning products, especially detergents, stain removers, citrus cleaners, and disinfectants.
  
• Antibacterials. Some antibacterial ingredients may cause skin and eye irritation, and certain types, such as triclosan, now found widely in the environment, may cause environmental harm by contributing to the emergence of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Some studies have also suggested that triclosan could form dioxin, a carcinogen, in the presence of sunlight, and chloroform, a probable human carcinogen, in the presence of chlorinated water. What’s more, there’s a growing consensus that antibacterial household cleaners won’t keep you any safer from infectious illnesses than regular types. These findings may stem in part from the fact that most infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria. In fact, experts say, it’s not the type of cleaner that matters in combating germs, but the frequency and thoroughness of cleaning; plain soap and hot water are generally enough to do the job. Found in a variety of household cleaners; many products that carry the “antibacterial” label are actually disinfectants (see disinfectants below).
  
• Ammonia. Poisonous when swallowed, extremely irritating to respiratory passages when inhaled; can burn skin on contact. (Note: Never mix ammonia-containing products with chlorine bleach. That produces a poisonous gas.) Found in floor, bathroom, tile, and glass cleaners.
  
• Butyl cellosolve (also known as butyl glycol, ethylene glycol, monobutyl).Poisonous when swallowed and a lung tissue irritant. Found in glass cleaners and all-purpose cleaners.
  
• Chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite). Extremely irritating to the lungs and eyes. (Note: Never mix chlorine bleach products with ammonia. That produces a poisonous gas.) Sold by itself and found in a variety of household cleaners.
  
• d-limonene. Can irritate the skin. Found in air fresheners.
  
• Diethanolamine (DEA) & triethanolamine (TEA). These ingredients can produce carcinogenic compounds, which can penetrate the skin when combined with nitrosomes, an often-undisclosed preservative or contaminant. Some products are labeled "DEA-free" or "TEA-free", which are considered to be somewhat meaningful labels by CU. Found in sudsing products, including detergents and cleaners.
  
• Disinfectants. This is a catchall term for a variety of active ingredients, including chlorine bleach, alcohol, quaternary compounds, and pine oil and ethyl alcohol. They are regulated by the EPA as pesticides and all have some health effects. Most can also cause problems in waterways by killing helpful bacteria. Found in a variety of household cleaners; many products that carry the “antibacterial” label are also disinfectants.
  
• Fragrances. May cause water eyes and respiratory tract irriation. Some products are labeled "fragrance free", which CU does not consider to be a meaningful label. Found in a variety of cleaners and air fresheners.
  
• Hydrochloric acid. Can severely burn skin, irritate eyes and respiratory tract. Found in toilet bowl cleaners.
  
• Naptha. Can cause headaches, nausea, and central-nervous-system symptoms with overexposure. Found in furniture and floor polish and glass cleaners.
  
• Petroleum-based ingredients. Many ingredients are derived from petroleum, including some of those above such as APEs and naptha, and they’re commonly found in many cleaning products as surfactants. Other toxic ingredients derived from petroleum, including formaldehyde, can also be present at trace levels in cleaning products. Found in a variety of household cleaners.
  
• Phosphates. Can reach waterways and contribute to the overgrowth of algae and aquatic weeds, which can kill off fish populations and other aquatic life. Some products are labeled "phosphate-free", which is considered to be a somewhat meaningful label by CU. Found in automatic dishwasher detergents and some laundry detergents.
  
• Sodium hydroxide (lye). Corrosive and extremely irritating to eyes, nose, and throat and can burn those tissues on contact. Found in drain, metal, and oven cleaners.
  
• Sulfuric acid. Can severely damage eyes, lungs, and skin. Found in drain cleaners.

Inspecting a room for bedbugs

The best way to handle bedbug problems is not to have bedbugs in the first place. This means taking precautions when checking into the hotel room.

When you enter a room, put your luggage on a cold surface, such as the bathroom sink. Do not put it on the bed. Then start inspecting for little brown insects (size of apple seeds) and black or brown speckling, which are their  droppings in the following area:

• The bed. Remove the bed sheets and the blankets to examine the upper and lower seams of the mattress at the two corners by the pillow area and along the seam that runs along the headboard. Pay special attention to the corners. Also lift up the mattress to see any bugs. Bedbugs like heat and carbon dioxide, so they're more likely be found in these areas.  
• In the headboard. Run a plastic card (say, your room key) along cracks behind the headboards. Fresh blood splatters means you just killed bedbugs. 
• The luggage stand. Where people put their bags is a notorious hotspot.  

When you get back home, put all your clothes straight to the laundry. Keep your luggage in a black pastic bag in the car. The heat of the sun would kill them. 

Losing weight with little effort

Image from dexknows Weddings. 

If you were not born a fidgeter, maintaining and losing weight takes a bit more effort, but it need not be a herculean effort. Here are a few changes you can make that are manageable and don't require superhuman will power (which is not sustainable):

• Exercise. It's easier to exercise than control what you eat. 
• Don't have liquid calories. Those pile up fast with very little work. No more soda and juice. Water with a squeeze of lime, sprig of mint, and slices of cucumber are tasty, too. Or how about tea?
• Slow down on that eating. Savor the flavor and texture. Play a game, try to identify distinct flavors. Give your brain a chance to register that you are full. If you cram food in your face, you'll end up eating more. 
• Be realistic. Don't aim to lose a lot of pounds in a short period of time. You'd want to be able to maintain it, too. 
• Keep track. Being mindful of what you eat and what you weight keeps you accountable. 
• Motivate yourself. Have something tangible in mind, like hanging up that pants next to the refrigerator. 
• Get rid of junk food in your house. You don't need them. 
• Graze all day. Have fruits handy to keep yourself from reaching out for junk. 
• Get support. Doing things alone make things unnecessarily hard. 
• Beware of saboteurs. You know, those people who belittle your effort or try to get you to eat more.  
• Use small plates or vessels. Watch that portion size! That plate you are looking at could have multiple servings. Three ounces of meat is the size of your palm or a deck of cards. A 4-inch pancake is a CD.
• Get plenty of sleep. Sleep deprivation increases the hunger hormone and decreases the hormone that makes you feel full.  

Presenting with slides

Your presentation starts the moment the audience is aware of your presence. The clock starts when you stand up to take the podium, not when you have everything ready and tells the audience you are ready. There is no time-out.

Your appearance
What this means is that your appearance matters a lot. Dress appropriately (however the audience defines that). Wear a friendly expression. There is no such thing as a neutral expression. Your "blank" face will be interpreted as "arrogant," "confident," "business-like," "nervous," or "cocky." So take away that ambiguity from your audience and consciously project confidence with undertones of muted cheerfulness.

Your stance
Once you get up, be mindful of your stance. Stand with your back straight and shoulder back, but not too stiffly. Distribute your weight equally on both feet. Don't lean forward while bending your knee, because you seem like you are crouching. It is an aggressive position. Don't slouch or fidget either.

Keep eye contact with various members of the audience. Do not look at just one person or two, but spread your attention to the room. Take care to jump to all quadrants of the room, and not just to one side.

Your movements
As for your arms, you don't need to pin them on the side, but don't gesticulate wildly either. If you keep them at a neutral stance, somewhat close to the side of your body, any movement you make will seem large. The arc of moving the hands from the side to the front of you will be wider, thus conveysing a lot more drama into whatever you are saying. Your gestures are tools for emphasis, so don't let them fly willy nilly, distracting your audience.

Walking on the stage communicates powerful messages, so don't do it idly or as a means to expend excess energy. Use it sparingly and intentionally. You can use it to emphasize a point or to introduce a transition in thought, for examples.

Your delivery
Your audience take their cue from your energy. If you are excited about your subject, they can't help but be thrilled either. But make sure that your energy matches the subject and the audience. Acting like you just drank 10 cups of coffee when talking about umbrella insurance is incongruent to your topic.

Pauses are OK. Don't be afraid of them. It's a way for giving your audience a chance to intellectually breathe—to process what your are telling them and store them in their brains. If you don't pause, it would seem like you are in a rush or even nervous; also, you leave your audience exhausted as you run a three-legged course for an hour (or however long your session is).

Your rapport
Engage the audience. It's now passe to act like the grand poobah and holder of all knowledge who lectures to weak-minded minions. Instead, treat the presentation like a conversation, where it just happens to be that you are the only one talking.

Ask questions, interact with them, and engage their minds.

Your presentation tools
Your computer, slides, and other tools are meant to aid your presentation. They are not your crutches that you need to lean on to move forward.

To pull this off, you should know your content well. Very well. Know every slide down to its font and pixels, well, okay, maybe not to that obsessive level, but well enough that you never have to look back or at the computer to need to know what's next. And the only way to get there is by hours of practice.

If you need to look at your computer to move forward, you are tethered. Even when you don't pause as you look down, you break the eye contact with your audience (which you should sustain, but not with the same person or small number of persons, because that would be creepy). This have the following consequences: your energy level (perceived) drops and so does your credibility ("What gives?! Why doesn't she know her stuff?!")

It's OK to look from time to time, by know your material enough that you don't have to do this frequently.

When you are moving from slide to slide, do not look back. If you need to look back, do not talk and turn at the same time. You want to create a solid break between "communication" and transitional actions. The best way to handle this is to end at a natural break point, click, look, turn back, then talk again. You do these series of actions sequentially, not simultaneously. And when you turn, don't even move your pivot foot. It should be an uncomfortable (though, not awkward) position for you that would make you want to pivot back.

Your mistakes
If you had practiced like you should, you would not be flustered when your tools fail you. They're just your aid. You (your body language and facial expressions) and what you have to say should be the main points that will carry the presentation forward.

When you fumble, move on. Don't dwell on it. Olympic athletes fall, too, and all the audience pull for them to get back and run or perform like nothing happened. You could crack a joke or not, but move on. Don't be flustered and move on. For the record, I tripped in a job interview once. I got hired anyway. The content of my message was compelling, and no one remembered my lack of grace. Plus, I now have one more funny stories to add to my arsenal of anecdotes.

Deliver a Presentation like Steve Jobs

An article by Carmine Gallo, communication skills coach for the world's most admired brands
Business Week, January 25, 2008

When Apple CEO Steve Jobs kicked off this year's Macworld Conference & Expo, he once again raised the bar on presentation skills.While most presenters simply convey information, Jobs inspires. Below are 10 elements used in Jobs’ presentations, which you can combine to dazzle your own audience.

1. Set the theme. "There is something in the air today." With those words, Jobs opened Macworld. By doing so, he set the theme for his presentation (BusinessWeek.com, 1/15/08) and hinted at the key product announcement—the ultrathin MacBook Air laptop. Every presentation needs a theme, but you don't have to deliver it at the start. Last year, Jobs delivered the theme about 20 minutes into his presentation: "Today Apple reinvents the phone." Once you identify your theme, make sure you deliver it several times throughout your presentation.

2. Demonstrate enthusiasm. Jobs shows his passion for computer design. During his presentation he used words like "extraordinary," "amazing," and "cool."  Most speakers have room to add some flair to their presentations. Remember, your audience wants to be wowed, not put to sleep. Next time you're crafting or delivering a presentation, think about injecting your own personality into it. If you think a particular feature of your product is "awesome," say it. Most speakers get into presentation mode and feel as though they have to strip the talk of any fun. If you are not enthusiastic about your own products or services, how do you expect your audience to be?

3. Provide an outline. Jobs outlined the presentation by saying, "There are four things I want to talk about today. So let's get started…" Jobs followed his outline by verbally opening and closing each of the four sections and making clear transitions in between. For example, after revealing several new iPhone features, he said, "The iPhone is not standing still. We keep making it better and better and better. That was the second thing I wanted to talk about today. No. 3 is about iTunes." Make lists and provide your audience with guideposts along the way.

4. Make numbers meaningful. When Jobs announced that Apple had sold 4 million iPhones to date, he didn't simply leave the number out of context. Instead, he put it in perspective by adding, "That's 20,000 iPhones every day, on average." Jobs went on to say, "What does that mean to the overall market?" Jobs detailed the breakdown of the U.S smartphone market and Apple's share of it to demonstrate just how impressive the number actually is. Jobs also pointed out that Apple's market share equals the share of its top three competitors combined. Numbers don't mean much unless they are placed in context. Connect the dots for your listeners.

5. Try for an unforgettable moment. This is the moment in your presentation that everyone will be talking about. Every Steve Jobs presentation builds up to one big scene. In this year's Macworld keynote, it was the announcement of MacBook Air.
To demonstrate just how thin it is, Jobs said it would fit in an envelope. Jobs drew cheers by opening a manila interoffice envelope and holding the laptop for everyone to see. What is the one memorable moment of your presentation? Identify it ahead of time and build up to it.

6. Create visual slides. While most speakers fill their slides with data, text, and charts, Jobs does the opposite. There is very little text on a Steve Jobs slide. Most of the slides simply show one image. For example, his phrase "The first thing I want to talk to you about today…" was accompanied by a slide with the numeral 1. That's it. Just the number. When Jobs discussed a specific product like the iPhone, the audience saw a slide with an image of the product. When text was introduced, it was often revealed as short sentences (three or four words) to the right of the image. Sometimes, there were no images at all on the slide but a sentence that Jobs had delivered such as "There is something in the air." There is a trend in public speaking to paint a picture for audiences by creating more visual graphics. Inspiring presenters are short on bullet points and big on graphics.

7. Give 'em a show. A Jobs presentation has ebbs and flows, themes and transitions. Since he's giving his audience a show instead of simply delivering information, Jobs includes video clips, demonstrations, and guests he shares the stage with.

8. Don't sweat the small stuff. Despite your best preparation, something might go wrong as it did during the keynote. Jobs was about to show some photographs from a live Web site, and the screen went black while Jobs waited for the image to appear. It never did. Jobs smiled and said, "Well, I guess Flickr isn't serving up the photos today." He then recapped the new features he had just introduced. That's it. It was no big deal. I have seen presenters get flustered over minor glitches. Don't sweat minor mishaps. Have fun. Few will remember a glitch unless you call attention to it.

9. Sell the benefit. While most presenters promote product features, Jobs sells benefits. When introducing iTunes movie rentals, Jobs said, "We think there is a better way to deliver movie content to our customers." Jobs explained the benefit by saying, "We've never offered a rental model in music because people want to own their music. You listen to your favorite song thousands of times in your life. But most of us watch movies once, maybe a few times. And renting is a great way to do it. It's less expensive, doesn't take up space on our hard drive…" Your listeners are always asking themselves, "What's in it for me?" Answer the question. Don't make them guess. Clearly state the benefit of every service, feature, or product.

10. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse. Steve Jobs cannot pull off an intricate presentation with video clips, demonstrations, and outside speakers without hours of rehearsal. I have spoken to people within Apple who tell me that Jobs rehearses the entire presentation aloud for many hours. Nothing is taken for granted. You can see he rehearsed the Macworld presentation because his words were often perfectly synchronized with the images and text on the slides. When Jobs was showing examples of the films that are available on the new iTunes movie rental service, one poster of a particular film appeared at the exact moment he began to talk about it. The entire presentation was coordinated. A Steve Jobs presentation looks effortless because it is well-rehearsed.

Treating luggages for bed bugs

If you are paranoid about bed bugs, you can take these precautions after travel:

1. Keep luggages in the car under the hot sun for several hours to kill bed bugs.
2. Wash clothes immediately and dry them. Make sure that the transport to the laundry room does not spread the bugs. 
3. Carefully inspect your bags, scrub with stiff bristles, and vacuum the heck out of it.
4. Seal the vacuum bag when done. 

Treating bedbugs with insecticide

Once you have positively identified a bed bug infestation (see article), quickly get professional help.

Don't apply pesticides yourself. According to the Environmental Health and Safety school at Harvard, Gentrol and Phantom are registered bed bug pesticides that professional pest control experts can use. Residual insecticides last for a month or so, which is good, because the chorion (egg shells) of the bugs protect them. It's a good idea to get another inspection three weeks later.

Do not allow spraying of pesticides on your mattress or anywhere that you would directly contact.

Controlling bed bugs

Drat! Despite your precaution, you got those critters in your house. Get professional help ASAP (see future article)! In the meantime, you can keep them from feeding by creating obstacles to the food source—which, unfortunately is your unconscious body.

Create a bed bug-free zone by doing the following:

1. Disrupt pathways to the bed and you.

• Coat the legs of your bed with vaseline or mineral around 2 inches wide.
• Place a barrier of chalk or silica aerogel around the bed posts.
• Wrap double-sided carpet tape (or other tape) around the bed legs and the floor area.

2. Eliminate hiding places

• Caulk cracks, and areas where pipes and wires penetrate walls and baseboards.
• Encase the mattress with tight bed bug cover. Replacing it does nothing. The bugs can come back.
• Pull the bed away from the wall, make sure no linen or blanket touches the floor.
• Reduce clutter to minimize hiding places. 

3. Thoroughly clean suspect area

• Inspect crevices and bed area and suck bugs up with vacuum cleaner. Use stiff bristle brushes to dislodge eggs. 
• Dismantle bed frames to find more hiding places.
• Remove drawers from desks and drawers
• Turn over furniture

Identifying and collecting bedbugs

Bed bugs, or what nerdy entomologists call cimex lectularius, are light yellow in color in juvenile bugs who have not fed and reddish brown in adult bugs. They are the size of apple seeds and can be seen by the naked eye.

They are nocturnal, so the best way to catch them is waiting until the middle of the night. They tend to hide in mattresses and crevices close to a food source—you.

You can collect them in small leak-proof containers filled with rubbing alcohol. Send teh

Metabolic rates

Image was borrowed. 

Your "metabolism" (the rate at which you burn calories) has three components:

• Basal metabolic rate (BMR) - energy you need to live. Breathing, pumping blood, maintaining body temperature. It uses up about 50-60% of calories.
• Thermic effect of food (TEF) - energy you use around food. Eating, digesting, and storing. 10-15%
• Activity-related energy expenditure. All the getting around and exercising. Rest of the stuff. 

If you want to lose weight, easiest to fiddle with the third one. Mighty hard to maintain weight loss by fudging the first two, which are determined by various factors, such as genes, gender, body composition, activities, and so on. As you lose weight, your BMR goes down as well. As you eat less, so does the TEF. So it gets harder and harder to lose weight.

Fidgeters have higher BMR, so they tend to be leaner. But fidgeting is genetically determined, so if you weren't born one, it's hard to pick up the "habit" (it's really unconscious movement, so it's not like the fidgeter can choose to start fidgeting).

Converting IRA to Roth in 2010

Fidelity wrote a great article on the subject.