How to Make the Pool Area Safe for Kids and Pets

Home pools are a major responsibility, especially when it comes to ensuring that they are safe and fun places for all those living in its vicinity. Unfortunately, drowning in home pools is all too common and in some places, it is a major cause of death for children under. Pools can also be unsafe for pets, who can accidentally fall in, drink pool chemicals or get stuck in filter pumps etc. This article shows you how you can quickly put together a pool safety system that will keep your family and pets enjoying the pool with peace of mind. And if this all seems very onerous, it is because owning a pool is hard work and these responsibilities should not be taken lightly.

1. Construct a fence around the pool. In many jurisdictions this is now obligatory and there will be precise measurements for height provided by your local municipality. In addition, the fence should have a child safety gate, that can only be opened by older children and adults. If your jurisdiction does not yet regulate pool fences, build your fence to at least 1.5 metres /5 feet in height and ensure that it does not enable access to the pool without using the gate.
2. Maintain the fence and gate. Once you have these in place, ensure that there are no deficiencies and that the fence and gate are working as they should be. Make regular checks (at least monthly) to ensure all is well.
3. Remove items leaning against the fence. Young children and pets may be tempted to use anything that looks like stairs or a climbing aid, so never leave anything leaning against the fence.
4. Keep the gate shut. At all times, no matter what and no matter who is in the vicinity of the pool, keep the gate shut. Older children cannot be expected to remain aware of a toddler wandering into the pool area whilst they are playing around, shouting and having fun. They are too distracted, so ensure that the gate is closed. A self-closing and self-latching gate is your best option.
5. Cover the poolside with non-slip surfaces. Although there should be a no-running rule, accidents do happen and it is better to try and guard against slipping by using a good surface.
6. Provide life jackets. Any child under 3 should wear a life jacket in the pool and any child unable to swim should also be in one unless under the direct supervision of a responsible person assisting them to learn to swim.
7. Keep it tidy. A poolside littered with toys, floats, noodles and other objects can be alluring to a small child. Always put these away to avoid encouraging their use when nobody is watching.
8. Make rules. Make a set of behavior rules for the pool and ensure that the whole family is aware of them. For example:
   
   
   • No running, no throwing objects
   • Never prop open the pool gate; always leave it shut
   • Never let children swim without adequate supervision from a responsible, mature person
   • Always remove objects from the poolside or near the fence when not swimming
9. Keep lifesaving equipment handy. Keep a first aid kit, rescue buoys, a long pole etc. in a handy location (not accessible by small children) that can be used in a hurry if needed. It is also crucial to know how to resuscitate, so attend first aid courses and keep your knowledge up-to-date.
10. Keep pool chemicals locked away. Children and pets might be attracted to pool chemicals, which are highly poisonous if swallowed. They should be locked away at all times and kept out of the reach of children.
11. Keep an eye on them. Don't ever leave the pool area unsupervised when it is accessible. If you must leave, secure the area or bring the children/pets in the home with you. If a child or pet is suddenly out of sight, always check the pool first. Drowning can occur in minutes, without any splashing or noise whatsoever. If they are drowning, every second counts, so check the pool first.

Buzz Kill - stopping iPhone GSM speaker noise

Every GSM cellphone user is familiar with the annoying Bzzzhtzttt noises that tend to emanate from random electronics anywhere you take your device. The iPhone is no exception, but the problem is exacerbated since most people have it sitting on their desk with a speaker close by playing music at reasonable amplification. It sucks.

Mac Life has a solution that may work for you. Just yank the ferrite beads from an old usb cable—they are inside the plastic bulge near one end of most cables—and place them around or taped in-line with your speaker cable. There are a few stories of success with this method, and nobody has mentioned an impact on audio quality, so it's a cheap fix that's worth a shot.

Decoding magstrip cards with Arduino

Instructables user powerpants created a quick and dirty card reader interface with an Arduino. The Arduino decodes the data from the swiped card and transfers it to a PC over a USB serial connection.

This instructable shows how to use some freely available code, an arduino, and a standard magnetic stripe reader to scan and display the data stored on magnetic stripe cards such as credit cards, student IDs, etc.

I was inspired to post this after reading the intro to magnetic stripe reading and Stripe Snoop that is found in MAKE magazine Volume 1. That tutorial details how to interface a stripe reader to a game port interface, but I have a mac laptop, so I don't have a game port interface!

There are a lot of cool uses for this besides just seeing what kind of personal information is contained on all the cards in your wallet (you'd be surprised). A friend of mine in college once hacked together something like this with Microsoft Word and a bunch of Visual Basic macros to automate computer literacy testing for the whole campus. Students could swipe their student id, the test would start automatically, and when they were finished the results were saved to a database. He was hired to administer all these tests manually, so he basically put himself out of a job after a month and got a promotion.

How to keep fit without going to the gym

Clean your house. You'll be amazed at how many calories you can burn while hovering and dusting. Plus you stretch getting into all the hard to reach places. At the end you'll also end up with a nice clean house. Walking is great exercise too especially if you've got a few bags of shopping to carry up the hill. I find both of these teamed with a few simple toning exercises works well.

Buy a skipping rope, great fun. Start with just 2 minutes and gradually build up until you are doing 10 minutes a day.

i am constantly partying which means i am always dancing and running around chatting to people. its great fun and no gym involved! (i also go to salsa class which i look forward to every week)

If you hate going to the gym then don't bother! You can keep fit in the comfort of your own home. Dancing around to your favorite tunes and doing sit ups will help you to keep in shape, without the boring gym!!

Going shopping is another solution... it makes you walk for hours and that burns calories. But most importantly, eat healthy food and drink plenty of liquids to eliminate toxins.

I have a routine of exercises I do at home which target the areas I want to tone, i.e. sit ups, leg raises, lifting weights, stretches, etc. each for the duration of a cd or radio track. I change exercise for each track. I've tried various exercise videos/cd's and never stuck to them. Every week I'll change my programme slightly. If I don't do it one day, then I'll double up next day. This takes me no longer than 20 mins - (I'm basically lazy). After nearly a year of this, I have a much more defined waistline, toned arms and shoulders and my bottom is starting to defy gravity again. I no longer have the expense or guilt of gym membership that I can't be ar*sed to go to.

run outside, lift weights, buy a workout machine, crunches, squats, medicine balls, dance, etc. You can do a lot at your own home. Hey, why not even make up your own excersize?

DIY: Replace your iPhone 3G's scratched screen

If you’ve bought an iPhone 3G and already scratched the display, then you’re probably feeling pretty depressed? Thankfully, retailer Brando is selling replacement touchscreens to transform the phone to its former glory.

Brando's replacement screen for the iPhone 3G

Unfortunately, the only information that Brando provides about the screen is that it’s an “iPhone 3G Replacement LCD Display”. It’s probably not advisable to open up your iPhone unless you really know what you’re doing, but Brando does at least provide some help in that department.

Perform some iPhone 3G surgery with this toolkit

The retailer has also created the iPhone Opening Tools Kit, consisting of two screwdrivers and a 0.81mm pick. Two plastic opening tools are also provided, presumably for prying and jimmying the iPhone open.

If you’d like to try your hand at a little more gadget deconstruction, then Brando states that the toolkit is also compatible with the iPod, DS Lite and PlayStation Portable (PSP).

Brando’s iPhone 3G Replacement LCD Display costs $85 (£42/€54) and the iPhone Opening Tools Kit is priced at $11 (£5/€7). Both are available now

From: http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/07/28/brando_iphone_screen_toolkit/

How to Learn About the Liver Cancer Diagnosis Process

Unlike many cancers, liver cancer may not be discovered as a result of distinctive symptoms. This is because liver cancer does not typically originate in the liver itself, but often spreads there from other areas of the body that have developed cancer. Since the symptoms are sometimes hard to detect, it is imperative that those who are most at risk for this type of cancer are proactive in the screening process.

Step1

Schedule an appointment with your doctor if you are in a high risk group and experience liver cancer symptoms such as chronic stomach pain.

Step2

Ask your doctor about dietary restrictions before your diagnosis is performed. For example, some procedures require that you not eat or drink water the night before. You may be asked to refrain from taking specific medications.

Step3

Let your physician know if you are allergic to any substances that could be used in the diagnosis process, are pregnant, or have had other surgeries or procedures.

Step4

Get a clear explanation of the diagnostic tests. It is the duty of your doctor to explain your condition and diagnostic tests to you in clear and concise terms. These tests may include CT scans, ultrasound, MRI, angiography (an X-ray that looks at blood vessels) or a blood test used to check for alpha-fetoprotein (AFP).

Step5

Be proactive about your health, especially if you are at a high risk for liver cancer. If you have high risk conditions such as cirrhosis of the liver or hepatitis B or C, learn about the symptoms of liver cancer.

Step6

Follow up by making positive life changes. If you haven't already quit smoking and quit or limited drinking, now is the time.

Step7

Prepare yourself for the possibility of a cancer diagnosis. If, in fact, you have liver cancer, you may want to have a loved one by your side in the doctor's office.

Refer to: http://www.ehow.com/how_2033801_learn-liver-cancer.html

How to Block Out Noise at Night

Not everybody is a sound sleeper. For some, the slightest bit of outside noise can cause the loss of sleep. There is no reason that you need to lose sleep due to this outside noise, though. Here is how you can block out noise at night.

Step1

Keep your windows closed whenever possible. This may be more difficult during the summer months, especially if you don't have central air. During the summer, try to close your bedroom windows and leave the other ones open.

Step2

Run a loud fan in your bedroom at night. You can do this at all times of the year. When colder weather comes, simply point the fan away from your bed or even towards the opening of your bedroom. This way, your room will not get too cold.

Step3

Use a humidifier during the night. This will block out noise in the same way that a fan will. It is also useful if you are suffering for a cold or you simply want to add more moisture to the air. A humidifier is an easy way to combat dry skin.

Step4

Keep a TV or radio on during the night. This won't block the noise out as much as a fan will but it will give you something to concentrate on. If you're listening to a ballgame on the radio, for example, you'll be less likely to notice any random noises coming from outside.

Step5

Buy a noise machine and run those when you are attempting to sleep. These are nice because you can choose a variety of other sounds to hear other than those that come from the outside. Many people prefer the sound of waves crashing to the regular outdoor noises that keep them awake at night.

Refer to: http://www.ehow.com/ArticlePage.aspx?id=2296845&OriginalURL=%2fhow_2296845_block-out-noise-night.html