How to Cut Corn Off the Cob Easily, Quickly, & Safely

Driving rain in Oslo didn't put the several hundred protesters off from making their viewpoint heard, as they assembled by the city's Central Station, before marching towards the parliament building. Banners were held aloft, with messages including: "Children are not business," and, "Bring back our children." They are angry at the Norwegian foster care system 'Barnevernet,' (Child Protection Service), which has seen families in the country lose their children for alleged abuses, such as accidently dislodging a child's loose tooth. Eva Michalkova, who is originally from the Czech Republic, has felt the wrath of the Barnevernet, after she lost her two children."It's a mixture of feelings. It's sadness, frustration, it's a feeling you you don't know what to expect and all you can say is used against you, all you can do is used against you. So it is very difficult," she told RT's Ruptly video agency.READ MORE: 'Similar to Nazi foster care': Czech president slams Norwegian child welfare Michalkova's case stems from an incident in 2011, when her two sons were taken into protective care, after one of her children told a nursery teacher that his father had "groped inside his pajamas," the Norwegian online newspaper Nettavisen reported. No charges were ever brought over the incident, but the Barnevernet placed the children into two separate foster families. The children's parents have since divorced, but Eva is fighting a legal battle to regain custody of her kids. The incident brought a furious response from the Czech President Milos Zeman, who in February compared the Barnevernet system to Nazi Germany's infamous 'Arian breeding program.'"The boys are in a foster facility similar to Lebensborn. Their mother can meet them for 15 minutes twice a year. She must not talk in Czech to them. In other words, the kids are being estranged from their national identity," Zeman said, as cited by the Czech News Agency. In October 2014, the Barnevernet snatched the young son of a Russian couple after the child told classmates that his mother had pulled out a loose tooth. According to Natalya and Sergey Shianok, their son Oskar, who was five at the time, had told fellow kids at his school that his mother had accidently yanked out one of his baby teeth. Natalya explained that she was helping him to pull a T-shirt over his head and knocked out a tooth that was already loose. The Barnevernet said this was child abuse and that the mother had deliberately knocked the tooth out."For the moment Oskar remains in the care of a Norwegian foster family, and his mother has no idea where," says Igor Lapitsky, head of the Russian consulate in Norway, reports RadioVesti.ru.READ MORE: Javelin dentistry: Former Olympic champ removes daughter's tooth with spear In comparison, former US athlete and Olympic gold medal winner, Bryan Clay won praise from across the internet, when he tied a piece of dental floss to a javelin, which he then threw, to dislodge his daughter's loose tooth. Marius Reikeras, a human rights activist is critical of the Norwegian government's spending on Barnevernet, saying that the money could be more effectively channeled elsewhere."We are putting a lot of money in the Child Welfare System. No country in the world puts more money per capita than the government when it comes to CPS. If we could help these families, if we could provide these families with the money we put into the CPS system instead, I am pretty much sure that we could help almost every family," he said. Norway's Child Welfare Services says on their website that they are committed to providing help and support to children, adolescents and parents who are experiencing challenges or difficulties within the family. The service adds that parents are responsible for providing care and protection for their children. "The Child Welfare Services must base its actions on the best interests of the child. Sometimes the child's best interests conflict with those of the parents. The Child Welfare Services' first duty is to provide help and support to the parents, so they can take good care of their children," the service's website said.

"The first thing I do in the morningis brush my teeth and sharpen my tongue."Dorothy ParkerAs I recall - the kid loses a tooth and it gets stuffed under a pillow before he or she drifts off to sleep. (Sometimes it's stashed in a glass of water beside the bed...I've been told it's easier to find the little bugger that way.) And when the sun cracks over the horizon a replacement is often found - be it a quarter, a buck, or a gift - and its all thanks to The Tooth Fairy.The Tooth Fairy is this mythical, make-believe, whatcha'-ma-call-it that nocturnally twitters through the night air and speeds from bedside to bedside collecting the fallen teeth of little children, sometimes leaving a trinket for the tooth as an honorarium for its loss. It gives the rug-rats a false sense of belief in the intangible, a whodunit to solve, and forces them to begin to distinguish the difference between the actual and the make-believe, thus beginning every child's mistrust of its parental units.At about six years, baby teeth naturally start to wiggle, loosen and usually fall out so that adult teeth may have their permanent home. And while this event might cause any kid to completely freak out, it's a normal part of life and it happens to us all-Tooth Fairy, or not.Although it might be natural for teeth to fall out as a child, it isn't for adults, and one of the best ways to make sure that your teeth stay firmly planted in your adult head is by daily committing to brushing them. That means getting in there a few times a day (at the least, once in the morning and once in the evening, but best after every meal) with a brush and your favorite toothpaste...it's the optimum way to remove plaque, which consists mostly of bacteria. (And of course, remember to shut that running tap off while you're brushing and sing "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" in your head-when the song is done, you're done!). A toothbrush can get most of the oo-and-goo, but the flotsam and jetsam left behind is easily tackled with dental floss. When you get into the swing of flossing you'll discover the thrill of what many consider the best way to remove plaque from all of the nooks and crannies along the gumline where periodontal disease most times begins. (A regularly scheduled professional cleaning and polishing by a dental hygienist is also a nice touch.)And to keep your toothbrush fresh as a daisy - after brushing - rinse it completely with water, allow it to air-dry (who invented that silly toothbrush-cozy...heh?), stash it at least six feet away from a toilet (ewww...yes guys, that's how far you splash!) in an upright position and without touching other toothbrushes. The manufacturers of synthetic toothbrushes recommend disposing of them every three or four months, too. And it's also a good idea to break-in a new toothbrush once you have finished with a cold.Because it's such a common item, one would think that the toothbrush would have been made in the seven days that the heavens and the earth and Adam and Eve where created. (I just assumed they both must have had Pepsodent Smiles-didn't you?) This week, however, marks the observance of the humble toothbrush's creation. (How do I know these things? Don't ask, just trust me!)The toothbrush as we know it was invented in the 15th century in China and was originally concocted of boar's hair or horsehair and bamboo or bone. Immediately loved for its functionality, toothbrushes were hauled back by the boatload to Europe by travelers to the East, thus introducing the Western world to a new and convenient form of oral hygiene -quite possibly Western man's first attempt at it ever! (Next, I think, came deodorant, but that's for another blog.)The modern, disposable toothbrush that we've all come to know and love, however, is most often made of more durable and long-lasting synthetics and plastic. And all of this made me start to thinking about how we need to be mindful of the small stuff that makes up our lives and how small actions can have big consequences. Take for instance the simple act of throwing away that synthetic and plastic toothbrush:If you consider that the average human life expectancy today is about 78 years and then multiply that by the times one might replace a toothbrush (every 4 months or so) you get a grand total of 312 toothbrushes used and then discarded by any given individual during his or her time on the planet.Then, figuring that each toothbrush weighs 16.5 gm, in total, every person on the planet (about 6,602,224,175) throws away approximately 11 pounds of toothbrushes in a lifetime. Soooo - if 6,602,224,175 people throw away 11 pounds of toothbrushes each, we're stuck with something like 72,624,465,925 pounds of non-biodegradable waste. That's 36,312,233 tons - a pile the size of 80,000 Statues of Liberty. (It sure redefines the line "...the wretched refuse of your teeming shore" from the famous Emma Lazarus poem found at Lady Liberty's feet.)So the next time you or someone in your household needs a new toothbrush, consider switching to a newfangled biodegradable one made of corn or potato starch, flax or wood fiber, and natural bristles. You can easily find them on line.Although The Tooth Fairy could once ease the pains of losing baby teeth - powerful as she (or he) may be - nobody can make 36,312,233 tons of discarded toothbrushes disappear. That heap of non-biodegradable trash can only vanish by not making it in the first place.Now go floss!

By Sharon Levy (Image: Michael Kirkham)Ancient microbial DNA on fossil teeth has opened a fresh window on our ancestors, revealing that civilisation has altered our mouth flora for the worseALMOST a millennium ago, a middle-aged man was buried in a graveyard in Dalheim, Germany. He had taken some hard knocks in his life - a fist fight had torn incisors from his jaw. And oral hygiene was clearly not a priority: his remaining teeth carried a thick coating of plaque, the gunk that modern people battle with toothbrush and dental floss. We should thank this unknown man for his grim chompers, however, for his dental plaque is now opening a surprising new window to the past. Inside it is a beautifully preserved record of the microbial community in his mouth when he was alive.We have just begun to understand that the microscopic organisms that live inside and on us are not necessarily pests or freeloaders. Outnumbering our own cells by 10 to 1, they form ecosystems called microbiomes that play a vital role in keeping us healthy. Which microbes we harbour depend on our environment, diet and lifestyle. Since our ancestors co-evolved with an array of microbes and parasites that people in most developed countries no longer encounter, human microbiomes must have shifted over the millennia as we made the transitions from hunter-gatherers to farmers to urbanites. But bacterial remains rarely survive the ravages of decomposition and fossilisation, so direct study of ancient microbiomes seemed out of reach. The discovery that plaque holds the well-preserved remains of a rich microscopic community has been a revelation.

A skin tag, in simple words, is nothing but an extended flesh. It is surprising that 'Acorchordon', or in common parlance, skin tags are not troublesome. They can be found everywhere but mainly found on armpit, eyelids, neck, groin. It is a believed that a skin rubbing up against skin is the basic cause behind skin tags.You might not believe but skin tags can be cured. One may choose to remove it at home or to seek dermatologist's help for the same. Curing skin tags does not necessarily involve heavy surgery. When they lead to irritation, a dermatologist should be consulted right away. It is possible that new skin tags may form even though existing tags are removed.Surgery is very pricey, hence treating skin tags at home always gets an upper hand. Applying a fingernail polish three times a day till the skin tag falls off is one of the solution available. There is nothing simpler than this. Another solution for this is to fix band aid with Vitamin E onto the skin tag. You will have to wait a little and it will fall. A more extreme way to eradicate it is to cut it off using disinfected scissors, and use a sufficient amount of alcohol afterwards to avert infection. Thin string or a dental floss may also tied to the tag. You may wonder, but the logic behind such method is to cut the blood supply, which will eventually result in it's fall. Also, apple cider vinegar, if regularly applied to tags, without fail, for about three weeks to remove skin tags. Safety is not ensured, when one treats skin tags at home. A doctor should be immediately consulted, if removal of skin tags results in constant bleeding.One may also consider to purchase over-the-counter products to help remove skin tags. Medicines consisting natural components are always preferable, since they do not cause side-effects. Homeopathy also provides some medicines.Using a surgical treatment is always considered to be a last resort. Normally, a person having skin tag suffers from lack of self-confidence and self-esteem. Apart from physical effects, it also makes psychological effects on an individual.One of the methods to prevent skin tags is to lose the weight. However, it may be a bit difficult to prevent it, in case of women who are pregnant because skin tags are result of changes in their hormonal levels. Avoiding junk food is the best solution not only to control harmful calories in your body but surprisingly also to prevent skin tags.Whether genetic transmission is one of the reasons behind skin tags or not is not yet firmly proved by the medical science. Skin tags are common in the people with diabetes. Also, illegal steroid use causes to form these. People over forty have more skin tags as compared to others. They tend to form again on any part of the body, even though they are eradicated.Treatment is mandatory for skin tags if they are not at small-sized. Skin tags are very common, hence no need to be afraid of them.

Once the blood supply is interrupted, it will fall off - usually within 24 hrs.This answer is not a substitute for professional medical advice. This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Quora users who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Quora's Terms of Service quora. com/about/tos). How long does it take to remove a skin tag with dental floss?This answer is not a substitute for professional medical advice. This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Quora users who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Quora's Terms of Service• Related QuestionsHow do I remove blackheads with dental floss?Well ,this thing you got in your head by seeing DIY hacks.. I will not support this hack as someone who has sensitive skin ,this hack may result into a scars and infection. Floss is quite strong and it can harm your skin, can cause rashes. But, if you want to try this experiment in your free time so here is the procedure.. This flossing can be done by adjusting floss between your fingers as like you do in dental flossing .By rounding floss to your index finger of one hand and other end holding in other hand in same way as previous one and you just have to drag that floss from upside down in area of blackheads by applying some pressure. Before starting procedue apply hot wet towel to experimental area so that it will open pores and will be easy to get rid of blackheads .After removing blackheads apply some astringent or toner or aloeveragel to that area so that it will not form rash or scars .In a market variety of floss available, direct thread flosser toothpicks will be easy to use for this blackhead removal than regular colgate waxed floss . Here I am adding some pictures that will depict how to hold flossInstead of this floss,yiu can buy a dermasuction which is useful for blackhead removal.I didn't use it personally but my friends told me it is useful.1.Regular waxed flossimage courtsey :google2. thread flosser toothpickHope it is helpfull!!Thanks for asking @Gyan R. BiswalHow do I remove blackheads with dental floss?------Can you choke someone to death using a dental floss?Doubt it. You would need to have the ends of the dental floss tied to something like a split ring for you to grip onto. A possible method is by forming it into a larrette, which is a loop. This loop is doubled over to form two loops and then dropped over the head. One loop is pulled and the other tightens.This answer is not a substitute for professional legal advice. This answer does not create an lawyer-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. If you ignore this warning and convey confidential information in a private message or comment, there is no duty to keep that information confidential or forego representation adverse to your interests. Seek the advice of a solicitor in the appropriate jurisdiction before taking any action that may affect your rights. If you believe you have a claim against someone, consult a solicitor immediately, otherwise there is a risk that the time allotted to bring your claim may expire. Quora users who provide responses to legal questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Quora's Terms of Service you choke someone to death using a dental floss?------What are safe and sustainable alternatives to dental floss?The one thing that floss does that no other method can do, is remove bacteria from the contact points, the area where the teeth touch each other. So this means that these teeth are susceptible to decay. Oral irrigators can flush out toxins produced by bacterial plaque, thus decreasing the gum's inflammatory response to this bacteria but they are not as effective as flossing in promoting healthy gums. Interdental brushes if they can easily fit between the teeth can remove the bacteria between the gum and the contact points of the teeth. But, unfortunately nothing reaches the contact points. So what can one do if they are unable to floss? They can eliminate sugar and simple carbohydrates from their diet. Chew xylitol gum or suck on xylitol lozenges. Xylitol has the ability to starve the bacteria that forms on our teeth. In its attempt to utilize the sugar in xylitol, it expends more energy digesting this sugar than what this sugar provides, thus starving to death. Frankly it seems so much easier to simply floss. If one struggles with flossing have your dental hygienist review the flossing technique and then as you do it, have her/him give correctional suggestions.------Why did Indians never take up flossing?Dental floss has to be a routine like toothbrushing or not? It is only on black and white of brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. Overzealous hygiene doers are better than none.Flossing to be done before toothbrushing or after toothbrushing. The instruction states after toothbrushing at least once or after toothbrushing. Fewer health conscious doers are into flossing even in India.On the whole, there are not many people using dental floss for daily routine of oral hygiene. When health becomes poorer, flossing might become very important teeth cleansing procedure for people in India.There is a saying, "is dental floss included with toothbrush. I have no answer."Dental floss should be used for cleaning interdental areas where toothbrush cannot be reached. Oral health can be achieved with judicious use of one more oral hygiene agent called dental floss.Brushing, flossing, and mouth rinsing and healthy mouth is all that given a disease free oral cavity and making dental floss a compulsion.In India, dental floss is not very common or not known at all. Patients acceptance to flossing is compromised. More interestingly, cautious addition needs insight with dental professionals.------Medical professionals, is it a good idea to remove a skin tag at home using dental floss like described in this video?You may find that monofilament synthetic threads are easier than dental floss. Fishing line by another name.If in the slightest doubt - see a doctor first.This answer is not a substitute for professional medical advice. This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Quora users who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Quora's Terms of Service professionals, is it a good idea to remove a skin tag at home using dental floss like described in this video?Medical professionals, it is a good idea to remove a skin tag at home using the method described in this video?This answer is not a substitute for professional medical advice. This answer is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call your doctor or (in the United States) 911 immediately. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. Quora users who provide responses to health-related questions are intended third party beneficiaries with certain rights under Quora's Terms of Service quora. com/about/tos).------What are the ill effects of flossing everyday?Dental floss is a soft thread made of either nylon or teflon, which we use to clean areas between the teeth. Available in a variety of different forms: waxed, unwaxed, flavored, unflavored and the thicker 'dental type'.EFFECTS:Plaque is a sticky film which contains bacteria and constantly attacks the teeth. If plaque is allowed to accumulate it leads to dental cavities and gum irritation. And if left untreated it can lead to periodontal gum disease following tooth loss.Plaque hardens and becomes a yellow or brown deposit called tartar, which encourages further growth of plaque. This results in dental caries and gum diseases, if it is deposited below the gum line.Flossing removes plaque deposition and prevents formation of tartar.So I don't see any illeffects of flossing. Many people donot realize the importance of using dental floss. Brushing cleans the surfaces of teeth where it can get access. Floss helps you clean the gaps between the teeth. Teeth gaps are the areas where bacteria resides following plaque build up leading to cavitation.ADVICE: we should floss our teeth twice a day or at least once a day. Flossing should be done after each time you brush and include it as part of a daily oral health routine. Sensitivity and minor bleeding in first few days is normal if it continues after two three weeks you should consult your dentist.------Is 'small business' enough of a niche target market?That's not a niche. That's like calling the Atlantic Ocean a jug of water.A real niche in architecture is a small recess in a wall.This is an image of a niche that I took shamelessly from Pinterest:nLook at all them niches!A good way to think about niche markets is that they are subsets of larger markets, like these niches are inlaid into the bathroom wall. "Niche market" is a metaphor turned cliche for small groups of enthusiasts for some category of products, activities, or services.Dental floss sculptors is an example of a tiny niche market that isn't worth much money. Unless, suddenly, dental floss becomes the hot new medium in the art world. Billionaires who love superyachts is another example of a niche market that has few adherents but is lucrative to capture.Dental floss sculpture is a subset of people who like to sculpt in strange, inexpensive media. That's a much larger market, but I wouldn't call it a "niche. " Etsy (product) would be a great place to sell dental floss sculpture to people who like weird arts and crafts at a low price.An even better way to move those sculptures would be to develop a permission e-mail list consisting of fans of your dental floss sculpture blog who have opted in to receive advertisements of your exciting new floss-based designs.That would be an example of successfully marketing to a niche.

Experts weigh in on some common skin and hair care solutions made popular by bloggersYou've probably seen the YouTube videos or checked the Instagram posts - there are various beauty hacks that bloggers and even models swear by. But while they appear to be an easy and often cheap solution, do they work and can they instead cause damageAcne is one of the most common issues that plagues millions of men and women. And while there are many product lines for the same, beauty blogger Huda Kattan suggests turning to a fruit. She wrote, "Just take the peel of a ripe banana, and rub it on your blemish for 10 minutes or so. You'll see a big difference in your acne, especially after a few days. Why does this work A lot of reasons! Bananas have so many anti-inflammatories, like vitamin A, zinc, and manganese. The peels are also natural exfoliants to remove toxins and helps to prevent bacterial infections that may contribute to acne. The enzymes help to heal scars and prevent new pimples from popping up, and the starch unclogs your pores."Dr Vandana Punjabi, dermatologist and cosmetologist consultant Nanavati Super Specialist feels there is no scientific reason to applying bananas on the face. "In fact, this may irritate or aggravate the acne, in some cases. As a dermatologist, I would advise my acne patients to eat banana and other fruits as they are rich in nutrients and antioxidants. It is advisable to apply retinol or retinoic acid creams to clear the acne and the blemishes," she says.Instead of going for expensive facials and clean-ups, beauty vlogger Sukhi Mann says one can eliminate blackheads and whiteheads with a dental floss toothpick. She posted a video showing herself using a hot towel first to open up the pores and then gently using a flosser to get rid of the blackheads. She says, "Take the disposable floss pick and drag it in a scraping motion. This option is cheaper and less likely to scar you than using a metal extractor."Dental floss can be used on piled up secretion of whiteheads and blackheads, says Dr Shefali Trasi Nerurkar, MD Skin, consultant dermatologist, Dr Trasi's Clinic and La Piel. "After steaming for a few minutes, use gentle pressure. Floss tips can help for blackhead removal." Dr Soma Sarkar, dermatologist and medical director, Skin Inn, however, warns that one should be careful as dental floss is something which normally is not sterile and extracting whiteheads this way can leave permanent scarring on the face.Your favourite aerated drink may have some beauty use too. A couple of years ago, model Suki Waterhouse revealed she used Coca Cola on her tresses at times. She said, "I don't like my hair when it's washed - it's fine and limp - but Coca-Cola makes it tousled, like I've gone through the Amazon or something." Other beauty bloggers have also experimented with their strands and liked the texture it gives.Dr Soma Sarkar feels cola can add waves and volume as it contains sugar, which adds to the fullness. "The phosphoric acid which has a very low pH tightens the cuticle, which makes the hair look smoother and the curls tighter," she adds. Frequent manicures and pedicures, as well as use of gel nail polish can weaken nails over time. Many suggest adding a teaspoon of chopped garlic into your base coat and applying it to strengthen them.Dr Vandana Punjabi says for strong nails, it is good to focus on a diet rich in iron, protein and calcium, " A supplement advised by your dermatologist will also help in strengthening brittle nails. It is always better to avoid too much contact with water, strong detergents and irritants like onion, garlic, chillies etc as these may damage the nail folds and further worsen the problem," she says.Despite women's fear that shaved hair will grow back faster, darker or coarser, many are turning to razors for soft, glowing skin. Also known as dermaplaning, Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor would use a razor to shave the fuzz of their face and achieve smoother, exfoliated skin.Dr Geeta Fazalbhoy Dermatologist founder of Skin and You Clinic says shaving the face does not increase hair growth if followed by laser hair removal. "This is a safe technique for hair removal but can sometimes leave skin with boils and dryness. Remember to wash the skin well before shaving and apply a mild moisturiser. Also, shave along the hair growth always," she adds.

Source:homelifeTRY these DIY tips to make home renovation and decoration easier.1. Don't waste water by washing paintbrushes and rollers in between coats. Instead, wrap tightly in plastic cling film and they will stay moist - even overnight.More: Paint Calculator Tool2. Teasing a thread free and then pulling completely out from cotton and linen fabrics will create a straight line that you can follow to cut.3. Fix a squeaky door by sprinkling talcum powder on the hinges. This also works for squeaky floorboards.4. Use baby oil to remove paint from your skin.5. Add two teaspoons of vanilla essence to one-and-a-half litres of paint to reduce overbearing paint smells.6. Make threading a needle easier by squirting the thread with hairspray to make it stiff.7. To remove old paint stains, soften with linseed oil and then wipe off. For tough stains, use a razor blade and scrape off.8. Use double-sided tape to stop rugs from slipping.9. Dip scissors in boiling water to make it easier to cut through delicate fabrics.10. Use dental floss to quiet a dripping tap until you can get it fixed. Tie one end of the floss around the tap and the other end of the dental floss down the drain. The drips travel along the thread instead of dripping into the sink.11. To prevent paint dripping onto the floor, glue a paper plate to the bottom of the paint can. The plate should be five to eight centimetres wider than the can so it can catch drips.12. To cover scratches on wood furniture or floorboards, make a thick paste of instant coffee and a little water. Rub it into the nicks and scratches. You may need to apply several layers before the scratch is covered. Allow to dry, then apply a layer of furniture polish. Shoe polish is an excellent alternative and comes in a variety of colours.13. To prevent screws from coming loose, put a drop or two of clear nail polish into the hole before you finish tightening the screw.14. To remove small dents in unvarnished wood, wet the area with a small amount of water then cover with brown paper and apply a hot iron for a short period. The heat evaporates the water, while the steam expands the squashed wood fibres back to their original level.15. To keep paint fresh, add four tablespoons of methylated spirits, seal and store. Do not stir until using paint again.More: Weekend project ideas from HomelifeOriginally published as 15 smartest home DIY tips

Dental health is something that many of us take for granted. Brushing and flossing regularly with twice annual visits to the dentist often keeps our teeth and gums in good shape. But unfortunately, our schedules can cause us to be less consistent in our efforts since the whole process takes time. In addition, for some individuals the regular routine just isn't enough. Perhapsthey have deeper pockets aroundtheir teeth where food deposits hide from brushes and dental floss or maybe their gums are receding just related to the aging process.Whatever the reason, traditional brushing and flossing don't always work well. This is where products like the Waterpik WaterFlosser come into the picture. These devices can have an important role in dental health but for those who have never used one, it's important to understand their benefits and drawbacks beforemaking a purchase. 1. What exactly does the Waterpik doIt uses a stream of pulsating water to brush or floss your teeth. The force of the water stream or water pressure can be varied and different tips can be used to accomplish different objectives. Some tips have brushes that allow you to brush and others offer just a focused stream of water for the purpose of flossing without dental floss. 2. Is Waterpik the only device of it's kindNo, there are several brands of power flossers. Conair for instance offers a water flosser as well. Many power flossers don't use the water stream, they behave more like traditional dental floss and don't offer the same flexibility with a variety of tips. 3. What are the benefits of using a Waterpik WaterFlosser over traditional flossingSome people find it more pleasant. It is generally considered to be easier to use than dental floss and consumes less time as well. The mouth is left feeling fresh and clean afterward and there is no feeling of trauma to the gums, no breaking dental floss, and no having to wind the floss around your fingers. This quicker, easier, more pleasant experience helps increase compliance with routine dental care.Some dentists alsoreport greater effectiveness as well; up to 80% more effective than using traditional floss. The water stream is particularly successful for those who have deep pockets.The Waterpik also has special attachments that work well for people with special needs. For instance, there are special cleaning tips for people with braces and for those with orthodontic work.4. Are there any drawbacksCost could be a drawback for some people. For the Waterpik WaterFlosser Ultra, the upfront costis generallyaround $55-$65. Certainly more than a toothbrush and a single pack of dental floss. In addition, the tips occassionally have to be replaced, perhaps every 6 months for a cost of around $8 to $9.5. I need to be able to floss at lunch time while I'm at work, will I need to use traditional floss and a toothbrush at those timesNot necessarily. While the Ultra unit cited above isn't portable, there are portable Waterpik devices that could easily pack inside a purse, briefcase, or backpack allowing you to complete your dental care routine at lunchtime or during a break between classes. The portable units are less expensive, battery powered devices.6. How do I know if I need a WaterpikCertainly, many people use a Waterpik just because they prefer the experience. However, talking to your dentist is the best way to determine whether or not this device could really improve your dental health overall. It may be indicatedif you currentlyavoid brushing/flossing because it's unpleasant,your current routine isn't enough, oryou have special circumstances (such as deep pockets) thatmake the water jet a better option.

Robert Shepard did not need a file baked in a cake to get out of jail. Instead, he used dental floss to make his escape.While cameras, guards and computer-controlled doors were keeping other inmates in, Shepard reportedly braided the floss into a rope as thick as a telephone cord and used it to scale an 18-foot wall.Now, people are talking of Shepard as a real-life Spiderman--the comic-book character who spins his web and hangs from ceilings."I just wonder how he got ahold of so much dental floss," said Mike Reiser, who lives near the South Central Regional Jail in South Charleston. "What did this guy do? Walk around with stuff in his mouth all the time?" Advertisement Shepard, 34, escaped Wednesday from the recreation yard, which is topped by a chain-link fence.The 5-foot-9, 155-pound inmate apparently attached a weight to the floss cord and hurled it upward to loop through the fence. He then apparently used it to help him climb the cinder block wall, and hung from the cord while he cut through the fence with a three-inch piece of hacksaw blade.Shepard remained at large Friday. He had been awaiting trial on charges of robbing a post office. His record includes convictions for manslaughter and armed robbery.At the time of the escape, he was being disciplined with reduced privileges for using a handmade tool to scrape mortar in his cell. He was not allowed in the exercise yard until late at night, after other inmates were locked in their cells. Advertisement Just how much floss it takes to make a rope of such a size has not been documented. Packages typically contain 55 yards.Jail Administrator Larry Parsons said officials were checking records to see how much Shepard may have bought at the commissary."I just find it incredible that somebody could use something that thin," Parsons said. "He's almost taken on superhuman qualities."In the meantime, inmates will have to clean their teeth with something else. Sales of floss have been suspended.

Were MacGyver real, the world would be a safer place. And not just for people with mullets. Of course, you'd think that MacGyver's almost supernatural resourcefulness has about as much place in the real world as a guy who shoots spider webs out of his wrists. You'd be wrong.Apparently, people with preternatural resourcefulness exist in real life. Here are five that would have made the bemulleted-one himself beam with the pride of a makeshift heart made out of Popsicle sticks, a timing belt and gum.5A World War II Pilot Used Jell-O to Copy a MapSo it's World War II. You've been sent into a secret Axis meeting room to obtain top-secret maps of the enemy's troop movements. You can't steal the maps because that would raise suspicions and you can't write down the coordinates because you're retarded. Or you don't have a pencil. Whichever is easier for you to believe.All you've got is a wooden tray and a pocket full of Jell-O you snuck out of the mess tent. You don't know why you stole a handful of Jell-O, and you especially don't know why you stored it in your pocket, but there's no turning back now. You can hear guards moving in and you've only got a few minutes to get what you came for. What should you do other than have the most pathetic last meal of all time?According to the book, , a group of British pilots in the Colditz prisoner camp were in that exact same situation. The boys gathered together some of the gelatin they had as rations, put the map face up on a wooden tray and poured the Jell-O (lemon-flavored) over them. They then took the Jell-O and pressed it on a sheet of clear greaseproof paper.It worked. They were able to make 30 copies of the map and enjoyed a tasty meal of lemon-flavored Jell-O because the British were clever, smart and have no taste buds.According to MacGyver, a map "can get you in and out of places a lot of different ways" other than just getting yourself from point A to point B. As this video clearly shows, a map can help you unlock doors, distract women in burkas and beat an armed guard senseless:If the video ran just a little bit longer, MacGyver also could have showed you how a map can help you break up with your pregnant girlfriend, pay off your student loans and establish a Palestinian state. So, yes, while the Jell-O thing was impressive, with 30 copies of a map we're thinking MacGyver could have ended the war.4Two Inmates Escape Prison With Dental FlossApparently, flossing is extremely dangerous. We at Cracked have held a rabid anti-floss position for years now and it looks like our cause will finally gain momentum. Admittedly, we only took this stance due to equal parts of laziness and cheapness, but it's nice to learn that we've been unconsciously avoiding accidentally flossing our faces off all this time.According to 's "Quite Interesting" column,Italian mob boss Vincenzo Curcio had been convicted of murder and wasfacing further prosecution for seven more murders. Desperate to flee,he escaped from his cell in 2000 in Turin by sawing through the barswith nothing more than simple dental floss. You know, the stuff your dentist tells you to put in your mouth every single night? That stuff.The same year, the Associated Press reported that Antonio Lara escapedfrom a state prison in Palestine, Texas by coating the bars with toothpaste and cutting through the bars with dental floss. He didn't escape from the jail, just his cell, so he could kill a rival inmate. Whether or not it was with the floss, we don't know, but we can always dream.How were they able to cut through steel with floss? Floss isunbelievably durable, apparently almost magically so. According to the book , floss can replace the hanging wires for pictures frames, replace the threading in outdoor backpacks and tents, and remove a stuck ring off of a finger. We're assuming this is done by sawing your finger off with the floss.When imprisoned in a basement (by Tia Carrera, in episode 320) he didn't settle for floss or any combination of dental hygiene products. Instead, he uses a set of cables and a pair of hi-fi stereo speakers to act as a sonar detector to find a secret door. Wait, why couldn't he have just knocked on the wall like Indiana Jones would have? How much of MacGyver's overly elaborate gadgetry was just him showing off?3Three Inmates Escape Alcatraz On A Raft Of RaincoatsFrank Morris, John Anglin and Clarence Anglin are the three men whomanaged to do something no one thought anyone could do: They escapedone of the most escape-proof prisons in the country and spawned amovie that somehow made their escapades seem as boring as prison life itself.The story of the Alcatraz Three's escape is full of MacGyverisms, from the tools they made to dig through the concrete walls (a drill theymade out of a vacuum cleaner motor), to the dummy heads they made fromsoap and toilet paper.It's no surprise they were able to pull off such an amazing feat. According to several sources, Morris had an astronomical IQ and spent his life from childhood in and out of prisons. His numerous escape attempts were the reason he had been sent to Alcatraz in the hopes he wouldn't be able to make another attempt. Little did they realize that he was just warming up.Frank and the Anglin Brothers made it out of their cells and down tothe shore line with a makeshift raft that they constructed out of 50raincoats stolen or borrowed from other inmates. Then they made their way through the currents with paddles made out of plywood. TheDiscovery Channel's replicated the raincoat raft myth itself by padding to shore from the Rock in a similar vessel.The three men were never heard from again and Alcatraz's once gloriousreputation was tarnished. Defeated, the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce had no choice but turn it into a tacky tourist destination that sells T-shirts like "I Got Shanked in Alcatraz and All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt."The MacGyver method is as simple as faking his own death, waiting until they're carrying him out in his coffin, and then using . We forgot to mention he built a jet ski at some point.Wait, did he flip those guys off at the end there? Awesome.2A Professor Uses Shrinky Dinks To Make Scientific BreakthroughSo far, these devices have been used to get people out of jams andtight spots when a matter of seconds drew the line between life andcertain death. This one doesn't involve death, per say, unless youreplace a "matter of seconds that draws the line between life and death"With "losing a million dollar grant that draws the line between winningthe Nobel Prize for engineering and teaching high school chemistry to idiots."Professor Michelle Khine of the University of California, Merced was doing a study of microfluidics, which from the word, you can guess is the study of fluids in tiny things (like the inside of computer chips). Unfortunately, she didn't have much to work with in terms of materials. So she turned to Shrinky Dinks, those childhood toys that encourage children to color and stick their hands in ovens.According to magazine, she designed several microfluidicpatterns on actual Shrinky Dinks plastic, put them in her own oven athome and found it worked perfectly because the tubes through which thefluid ran actually enlarged as the plastic got smaller. Thus shemanaged to do something that companies such as Intel spend millions ofdollars a year, and to do it on the budget of a kid who saved up his allowance.We can't fathom a situation where MacGyver would have to build amicrofluidic device. But if there was a lady in the room, we're guessing he'd use it as an excuse to remove his pants:1Astronauts Build an Air Scrubber Out of Random JunkWhen it comes to pulling off the ultimate MacGyverism, no one can do itbetter than NASA. Their engineers have to be ready at a moment'snotice to find new ways to build complicated machines and mechanismsout of everyday objects because, as the Apollo 13 mission proved, younever know if you'll have an emergency that won't have a contingencyplan in place and (as every other mission has since proved) you neverknow what NASA is going to cut out of their budgets next.When astronauts Jim Lovell, John Swigert and Fred Haise had to movefrom the command module to the LEM in order to conserve power to runtheir navigational computer, they didn't realize the calculations foroxygen consumption were only made for two people instead of three. Sotheir carbon dioxide levels began to skyrocket. They had a lithiumhydroxide canister on board. However, the plug for the canister on theLEM was round and the canister itself was square.NASA Flight Controller Gene Krantz (for those of you who haven'tpicked up a history textbook since elementary school, he was played byEd Harris in the movie) wrote in his book that their only option--not including failure--was to get their engineers to build a makeshift air scrubber out of things they had laying around the ship.The crew didn't, as we would have done, admit defeat, light cigarettes and try to bone something one last time before their slow and painful death, which is just one major difference between the Cracked staff and NASA astronauts. Instead, working for an entire day and a half withoutsleep, they came up with this: The plastic flight cover would act as afunnel through which the lithium hydroxide was pumped through a suithose, into a fan and then through a sock, which acted as the filter.The whole thing was held together with duct tape.Yes, this sounds like something out of a cartoon. But it worked, saving the lives of three astronauts and ensuring that Tom Hanks would go on to become an Oscar-nomination machine.Unless Hollywood buys our screenplay, we may never know how he would handle himself in a space shuttle. Further, We can't find an episode where the Gyver had to clear out a smoke-filled room. We're guessing having to build an air filter would be too many steps for him to handle.However, since he knows a thing or two about creating smoke screens (episode 102: he uses fire ash, rice alcohol and a car exhaust to create a painful wall of tear gas, episode 116: he burns pesticide, soap flakes and tile cleaner in a saucepan to create a smokescreen, etc.), we're convinced he could at least build an ingenious device to a capsule full of astronauts. Or at least build the world's most kick-ass bong.(Note to Hollywood: we also have a script in the works if you do decide to go with the bong angle.)