The idea and practice of changing our clocks and observing Daylight Savings Time has had a rocky past. Back in 1918 the Standard Time Act was passed into law in the Unites States (not all countries change their clocks), but was repealed in 1919. It was re-established again at the beginning of World War II and was in effect from February 9, 1942 to September 30, 1945. After the war though the use of Daylight Savings Time was not consistent across the country. Standardization of the beginning and ending dates of Daylight Savings Time was set by the Uniform Time Act of 1966, but allowed for local exemptions from its observance. At that time, the act provided that daylight time begin on the last Sunday in April and end on the last Sunday in October, with the changeover to occur at 2 a.m. local time.
Since 1974 with the "energy crisis" though, Congress enacted earlier starting dates for daylight time. Most recently in 2007, daylight time starts on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.
This year we change our clocks at 2:00am local time on Sunday, March 14 and switch them back on Sunday, November 7. For future years Daylight Saving Time dates, click here.
Also note, Hawaii and most places in Arizona do not observe Daylight Savings Time.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Dear Just Be: I just moved into a new home and want to decorate. Since I live alone can you give any tips for hanging a picture straight?
Without a buddy a few feet away from the picture, sometimes it can be difficult to know if you are hanging a picture straight. And you probably don't want a lot of little holes in your new walls. Here are seven easy steps to follow when hanging a picture:
1. Find your desired area on the wall and mark it with a pencil. To center, measure the wall width and halve it.
2. Measure. Pictures should hang at eye level, about 57 inches above the floor. At that height, in line with your mark, draw a short horizontal line.
3. Hold the center of your picture over that line and make a second line where the top of your frame hits the wall.
4. Flip your picture over. If it has a hook, measure from the top of the frame to the top of the hook. If it has a wire, pull it taut and measure from the top of the frame to the peak of the wire. That tells you how many inches down from the top line you have to put in the nail.
5. Measure again, this time from your top-of-frame mark to the point where your wire or hook sits. Mark that point with a horizontal line and circle it. That's where your nail (or if you have a heavy frame, the bottom of your picture-hanging hook) will go.
6. Tap the wall on your hanging area. Does it make a dull thud? If so, lucky you! That means there's a stud beneath it. On your mark, tap in a nail at a 45-degree angle. Or does the wall sound hollow? Then you'll need either a picture-hanging hook or a hollow-wall anchor and a screw. (If you don't use either, your picture will fall.) To use the hook, align the bottom with your mark and tap in the nail. To use an anchor, drill a hole, tap or screw in the anchor and drive in the screw, leaving just enough room to hang the picture.
7. Hang your picture, level it and marvel at your fantastic handiwork. Now walk past the picture and see if its eyes are following you. If they are, run!
Enjoy your new homey home!
1. Find your desired area on the wall and mark it with a pencil. To center, measure the wall width and halve it.
2. Measure. Pictures should hang at eye level, about 57 inches above the floor. At that height, in line with your mark, draw a short horizontal line.
3. Hold the center of your picture over that line and make a second line where the top of your frame hits the wall.
4. Flip your picture over. If it has a hook, measure from the top of the frame to the top of the hook. If it has a wire, pull it taut and measure from the top of the frame to the peak of the wire. That tells you how many inches down from the top line you have to put in the nail.
5. Measure again, this time from your top-of-frame mark to the point where your wire or hook sits. Mark that point with a horizontal line and circle it. That's where your nail (or if you have a heavy frame, the bottom of your picture-hanging hook) will go.
6. Tap the wall on your hanging area. Does it make a dull thud? If so, lucky you! That means there's a stud beneath it. On your mark, tap in a nail at a 45-degree angle. Or does the wall sound hollow? Then you'll need either a picture-hanging hook or a hollow-wall anchor and a screw. (If you don't use either, your picture will fall.) To use the hook, align the bottom with your mark and tap in the nail. To use an anchor, drill a hole, tap or screw in the anchor and drive in the screw, leaving just enough room to hang the picture.
7. Hang your picture, level it and marvel at your fantastic handiwork. Now walk past the picture and see if its eyes are following you. If they are, run!
Enjoy your new homey home!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Dear Just Be: I would like to be more environmentally friendly. What can I recycle?
People will use the excuse that recycling is too complicated, but that just doesn’t fly anymore. Many counties in Colorado have gone to a program called single-stream recycling which means you don’t have to separate your recyclables into two containers –everything can go into one container. However, there are some items that are considered “contaminants” and CANNOT BE recycled at all. Below is the list you should know of what CAN’T be recycled.
1.) Plastic Bags – These are the WORST CONTAMINANTS! If you have an abundance of plastic bags, take them to your local grocery store. You will most likely see a bin at the front of the store where you can drop them off. The plastic bags can not be broken down and so jam the recycling machines.
2.) Materials in a Plastic Bag.
3.) Plastic Lids or Caps (on or off the bottle)
4.) Shredded Paper. The paper is just too small to sort and so falls through the sorting machines, sticks to belts, and ends up on the floor.
5.) Non-Recyclable Plastics
6.) Liquids
7.) Ceramics or Non-Recyclable Glass
8.) Diapers or Bio-Hazardous Waste – Syringes, needles, diapers and other sanitary products are not recyclable nor are they compostable.
9.) Hazardous Waste – Hazardous waste is defined as paint, automotive fluids, car batteries and pesticides. These items MUST be taken to your local household hazardous waste facility.
10.) Scrap Metal
11.) Frozen Food Boxes – These boxes are designed with a plastic polymer sprayed in/on them to protect against freezer burn.
To make your environment a cleaner place and to make single-stream recycling a success, print out the recycling guidelines found on the following link and post them next to your recycling container(s) http://www.ecocycle.org/singlestream/RecyclingBinsDirtyDozen.pdf
1.) Plastic Bags – These are the WORST CONTAMINANTS! If you have an abundance of plastic bags, take them to your local grocery store. You will most likely see a bin at the front of the store where you can drop them off. The plastic bags can not be broken down and so jam the recycling machines.
2.) Materials in a Plastic Bag.
3.) Plastic Lids or Caps (on or off the bottle)
4.) Shredded Paper. The paper is just too small to sort and so falls through the sorting machines, sticks to belts, and ends up on the floor.
5.) Non-Recyclable Plastics
6.) Liquids
7.) Ceramics or Non-Recyclable Glass
8.) Diapers or Bio-Hazardous Waste – Syringes, needles, diapers and other sanitary products are not recyclable nor are they compostable.
9.) Hazardous Waste – Hazardous waste is defined as paint, automotive fluids, car batteries and pesticides. These items MUST be taken to your local household hazardous waste facility.
10.) Scrap Metal
11.) Frozen Food Boxes – These boxes are designed with a plastic polymer sprayed in/on them to protect against freezer burn.
To make your environment a cleaner place and to make single-stream recycling a success, print out the recycling guidelines found on the following link and post them next to your recycling container(s) http://www.ecocycle.org/singlestream/RecyclingBinsDirtyDozen.pdf
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Dear Just Be: I've been hearing quite a bit of talk of the health effects of honey. Can you tell me more?
Yes, again we find there are many uses for everyday items that we can have in our homes and kitchens. According to the magazine, Weekly World News, published in Canada, honey can be quite curative and if taken in the right amount does not harm diabetic individuals.
Arthritis can be lessened if the person drinks one cup of hot water with 2 spoonfuls of honey and one small teaspoon if cinnamon powder once in the morning and once at night.
If you are suffering from a cold this season, try taking 1 tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon powder for 3 days. This can help coughs, colds and clears the sinuses.
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within two hours when given to cholesterol patients.
If you have acne, try mixing three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and make into a paste. Apply the paste onto the pimple/acne area before sleeping and wash off in the morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes the pimples from the root.
Do you suffer from fatigue? Drink 1/2 tablespoon of honey with a glass of watered and sprinkled with cinnamon powder twice a day- once in the morning and again around 3pm in the afternoon. Within a week the vitality of the body is increased.
And last but not least, it has been found that people in South America gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water to have fresh breath throughout the day.
Arthritis can be lessened if the person drinks one cup of hot water with 2 spoonfuls of honey and one small teaspoon if cinnamon powder once in the morning and once at night.
If you are suffering from a cold this season, try taking 1 tablespoon of lukewarm honey with 1/4 tablespoon cinnamon powder for 3 days. This can help coughs, colds and clears the sinuses.
Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea water was found to reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within two hours when given to cholesterol patients.
If you have acne, try mixing three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and make into a paste. Apply the paste onto the pimple/acne area before sleeping and wash off in the morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes the pimples from the root.
Do you suffer from fatigue? Drink 1/2 tablespoon of honey with a glass of watered and sprinkled with cinnamon powder twice a day- once in the morning and again around 3pm in the afternoon. Within a week the vitality of the body is increased.
And last but not least, it has been found that people in South America gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water to have fresh breath throughout the day.
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