| How to Make a Dual Cobblestone Generator in Minecraft Posted: 06 Nov 2018 04:00 PM PST Are you sick of having to slowly mine cobblestone from your cobblestone generator? Consider making a dual (or double) cobblestone generator! A dual cobblestone generator is a lot more efficient. You're able to alternate between the two blocks so you don't have to wait for cobblestone to generate one at a time. This is especially useful on Skyblock since there are no other sources of cobblestone. Move on to Step 1 below to get started. - Gather the materials you will need. You're going to need a bucket of lava, two buckets of water, and 41 non-flammable blocks. You can reuse one bucket for the lava and water.
- Stone or stone brick are good to use. You could use cobblestone, however it may be a little confusing to tell where you have to mine because the generated cobblestone will blend in.
- Find a space that is 6x6 blocks large and at least 3 blocks high. The image above shows the area you will be placing blocks on.
- Make an L shape on the ground by placing 3 blocks across and 3 blocks down.
- Mirror the L shape on the other side.
- Add a second layer of blocks on top of the L shapes, but do not place a block in the centre.
- Place 4 blocks opposite one of the L shapes to create a wall.
- Add 2 more blocks to the end of the wall.
- Repeat Steps 6 and 7 for the other side.
- Put 1 block at the end of the crevice on one side. Repeat this on the other side.
- Place 2 blocks on the top of one side, with 1 block covering the crevice. Repeat this on the other side.
- Add 2 blocks to the top layer to create a 1 block hole in the top.
- Place a bucket of water at the end of one of the sides. Repeat this on the other side.
- Place the bucket of lava in the top hole.
- Your cobblestone generator is finished! You can mine cobblestone from one side, then move onto the next while the other one is still generating.
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| How to Eliminate Leg Cramps at Night Posted: 06 Nov 2018 08:00 AM PST Leg cramps at night are an unfortunately common ailment that can strike anyone for a variety of reasons. Pregnant women and the elderly are particularly susceptible, as are those who engage in particular sports activities or who take certain medications. Leg cramps are an unfortunately widespread phenomenon, but you should be able to eliminate nighttime leg cramps on your own. However, if chronic leg cramps are bothering you or if they do not resolve with some stretching and gentle massage, then see a doctor for help. EditPerforming Stretches to Relieve Cramps - Use a towel to stretch your calf muscles. Sit with your cramped leg out in front of you and wrap a towel around the ball of your foot. Grab both ends of the towel and pull it towards yourself so that you feel a stretch in the back of your leg. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds and repeat 3 times.[1]
- This stretch works by compressing the leg and effectively massaging it.
- Be careful not to overstretch and cause greater injury to your leg. Stop stretching if you start to feel pain in your calf.
- Lean forward in a sitting position to stretch your inner calf. In a sitting position, extend the leg that has the cramp in it and keep the other leg bent, then lean forward so that your knee approaches your chest. Take hold of the bottom of the toe from the extended leg and pull it toward your body as much as you can.[2]
- If you're unable to completely perform this stretch, simply lean forward and stretch your hands towards your toes as far as you comfortably can.
- Lean against a wall to stretch out your calf. Lean forward and place your hands on a wall, then take a step forward with your non-cramping leg and extend the other leg straight out behind you. Keeping the toes and heel of your extended leg flat on the ground, slowly transfer your weight onto your bent leg until you feel the stretch in your cramping calf. Hold this stretch for 15-30 seconds.[3]
- You should repeat this stretch until the cramp in your calf dissipates.
- You can also perform this stretch before you go to bed as a preventive measure to better ensure you don't get leg cramps during the night.
- Lie down and lift your legs to stretch your hamstrings. Lie flat on your back and bend the knee in your non-cramping leg, so that your foot is flat on the floor. Then, extend and raise your cramping leg and pull it towards you while keeping it straight. Hold this stretch for 10-15 seconds.[4]
- Make sure you pull your leg at the back of your thigh instead of at the knee to make sure you're adequately stretching your hamstring.
- If you can't completely extend your cramped leg as you raise, simply extend it as far as you comfortably can and until you start to feel a stretch.
EditUsing Home Remedies to Treat and Prevent Leg Cramps - Avoid sleeping in tight bedsheets. Tight bedsheets or covers can cause you to unconsciously point your toes downward while sleeping, which can trigger calf cramps. Stick with looser bedsheets to minimize the chance of your feet getting stuck in 1 position for too long and causing cramps.[5]
- You can also avoid distorting your toes by hanging your feet over the end of the bed when you sleep so that your toes are pointing down.
- Apply a hot compress to the cramped area of your leg. Applying heat to the cramped area can do a lot to loosen tight muscles and relieve pain. Use an electric heating pad, a warm towel, or even a hot water bottle wrapped in cloth to relax your muscles and ease your cramps.[6]
- If you choose to use an electric heating pad, be sure not to fall asleep while it's on to avoid the risk of a fire starting. Make sure your heating pad has an automatic shutoff.
- You might also be able to use heat to relax away your cramps by taking a hot bath or directing the stream of a hot shower onto your leg.
- Make sure to check your leg for swelling before you do this. If your leg is swollen and you are also having pain and cramping, then you may have a blood clot, or deep vein thrombosis. In this case, seek medical attention and do not apply a heating pad.
- Make sure you're wearing properly fitted shoes. Leg cramps can sometimes be caused by ill-fitting footwear, especially among people who have flat feet and other structural problems. To avoid leg cramps caused by footwear, be sure to only wear shoes that properly fit you and that are designed to compensate for any structural issues you have with your feet.[7]
- You may need to get shoes specially fitted and made by a podiatrist. These will cost more than store-bought shoes, but they may help to stop your leg cramps. Sole inserts for shoes are unlikely to help.
- People who suffer from nighttime leg cramps should also avoid wearing high heels, as these shoes have been linked to leg cramps.
EditChanging Your Diet - Try drinking of tonic water if stretches don't help. Tonic water contains quinine, which some people have reported as helpful for nighttime leg cramps. However, quinine is not FDA approved for treating leg cramps, and tonic water only contains a small amount.[8]
- The very small amount of quinine in tonic water is unlikely to cause any side effects.
- Increase your intake of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. There's some evidence that suggests nighttime leg cramps may be caused by nutrient deficiencies, especially low levels of potassium, calcium, and magnesium. This may be more of a problem for athletes. To avoid such deficiencies, make sure you are getting adequate amounts of these minerals from food or supplements.[9]
- Good sources of these minerals may include milk, bananas, oranges, apricots, grapes, cabbage, broccoli, sweet potatoes, yogurt, and saltwater fish.
- Be aware that the research on the causal connection between mineral deficiencies and leg cramps has been mixed, so increasing your consumption of these minerals may not by itself alleviate your night leg cramps. It is best to follow a balanced diet to get adequate amounts rather than to change your diet drastically.
- Ask your doctor about taking magnesium supplements if you're pregnant. Pregnant women are generally more susceptible to having leg cramps, especially during the second and third trimesters. Talk to your doctor if you're pregnant and experiencing leg cramps to determine whether taking magnesium supplements is right for you.[10]
- Pregnant women are more likely to benefit from magnesium supplementation, which is critical to normal bodily function. For older or non-nursing adult women, studies show that magnesium supplements are far less conclusive.
- Be sure not to begin to take any supplement without your doctor's approval, especially if you are pregnant. Your doctor may determine that you can consume an adequate amount of magnesium simply by changing your diet.
- Consume at least of water a day to avoid dehydration. Night leg cramps can sometimes be the result of dehydration. Women should aim to drink about a day, while men should drink about of water a day.[11]
- If you're not sure whether you're drinking enough water, check the transparency of your urine. Clear urine signals adequate hydration, while yellowish urine or urinating infrequently signals less adequate hydration.
- Avoid drinking too much alcohol. Excessive alcohol consumption robs the body of water, making the possibility for cramping that much worse.
- Ask your doctor if you should take calcium channel blockers. Calcium channel blockers keep calcium from entering various cells and blood vessel walls in the body. Though they are primarily used to treat high blood pressure, they can also be used to help with nighttime muscle cramps. You will need to take your blood pressure regularly if you take this medication.[12]
- If your doctor feels you should be on calcium channel blockers, they will give you a prescription along with specific dosage information.
- The side effects of calcium channel blockers may include drowsiness, increased appetite, weight gain, and breathing difficulty (within the first few doses if you have an allergy to the medication).
- Note that people taking calcium channel blockers should not eat grapefruit, drink grapefruit juice, or consume alcohol while on the medication.
EditAvoiding Drugs That May Cause Leg Cramps - Watch out for diuretics. Diuretics that are used to treat high blood pressure may also help get rid of excess water in the body. This unfortunately can result in dehydration, a common cause of night leg cramps.[13]
- If you take one of these drugs and experience leg cramps at night, talk to your doctor about taking a diuretic.
- Recognize that some hypertension drugs may cause leg cramps. Thiazide diuretics, used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure, may deplete key electrolytes in the body, paving the way for possible cramping. ACE-inhibitors may also cause an electrolyte imbalance and lead to muscle cramps.[14]
- Talk to your doctor if you have an abnormal blood pressure reading while taking an anti-hypertensive medication. They may recommend changing the dose or taking you off of the medication.
- Consider swapping out statins and fibrates for other medicines. Used to control high cholesterol, statins and fibrates may interfere with muscle growth, causing a decrease in muscle energy. Ask your doctor whether it's prudent to swap statins and fibrates with vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin B6. This may be an option if your cholesterol is borderline rather than high.[15]
- Tell your doctor if your leg cramps started just as you began taking a new medication. More often than not, they can find other medicines to treat high cholesterol.
- Ask your doctor if you may be able to control your cholesterol levels with diet. Also, make sure that you are only taking 1 medication if it is needed to control your cholesterol.
- Commonly prescribed statins include Lipitor, Lescol, and Crestor. Commonly prescribed fibrates include Bezalip, Lipidil, and Lopid.
- Consult your psychiatrist if you experience leg cramps while taking antipsychotics. Drugs that are used to treat depression, schizophrenia, and other mental conditions can induce fatigue, lethargy, and weakness, sometimes resulting in leg cramps. Talk to your doctor if you believe you may be experiencing leg cramps as a result of antipsychotics and see if you can be prescribed a different medication.[16]
- This class of drugs includes Abilify, Thorazine, and Risperdal.
- Some antipsychotics can cause serious side effects. If you're experiencing muscle spasms and other impacts on your physical movement, such as twitching or difficulty walking, from antipsychotics, tell your doctor immediately.
- Try putting an ordinary motel-sized bar of soap under the part of your leg which has the cramp. Alternatively, apply hypo-allergenic liquid soap directly to the center of the cramp. Although no research exists to support this, some people report that these methods are effective at treating their leg cramps.
- There are other supplements that have helped to alleviate leg cramps in some people, although results in clinical trials have been mixed. Ask your doctor if you might benefit from taking primrose oil or brewer's yeast on a regular basis.
- If leg cramps are frequent (as in 2-4 or more times every night), it could be a serious health problem. Consider getting checked out by a doctor if you experience chronic leg cramps or if the cramping is in 1 leg or around the calf region.
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| How to Decorate Your Home for Diwali Posted: 06 Nov 2018 12:00 AM PST Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights, is celebrated every autumn in the northern hemisphere and every spring in the southern hemisphere. It usually falls between mid-October and mid-November. Celebrations may involve family feasts, colorful decorations in homes and temples, and prominent displays of light. Making or buying festive illuminations and decorations for your house is a great way to decorate your home for Diwali. EditAdding Festive Decor to Your Home - Clean your home thoroughly before you decorate. Dust, sweep, do the laundry, clean all the rooms. It's customary to thoroughly clean your home to help welcome the Goddess Lakshmi, the Goddess of wealth and fortune, during the celebrations.[1] Diwali also marks the start of the new year, so getting rid of old clutter and negativity feels like a fresh start for many.
- Many Hindus and even non-Hindus also wait for Diwali to redecorate and paint their walls. To add some extra style without painting the whole house, you might sponge paint your room or just a single wall.
- Usually, the guests and relatives are seated in the living room during celebrations. So you can take a little extra care to decorate your living room. Don't worry if your living room is not very big or fancy; having a clean, aromatic and well-lit room does the trick.
- Use colored rice, sand, or painted materials to create rangoli. Rangoli, traditional art designs made on the floor during Diwali and other Hindu festivals, are traditionally made of colored granular substances, such as rice or sand. You can buy stencils to make rangoli on your own floor easily, or you can use chalk to draw the design for your own rangoli on the floor. Then use a funnel with a small opening to slowly pour the rice or sand on top of the design.[2]
- You can usually buy colored rice or sand at arts and crafts stores. However, you can also create your own colored rice by mixing of rice, of vinegar, and 10 drops of food coloring in a container, covering the container, and shaking the ingredients together for 2 minutes. Make any pattern of your choice like flowers, the Goddess Lakshmi, a Mandala, etc.
- If you're on a budget or simply don't want to deal with the hassle, simply paint elaborate designs on cardboard or pieces of wood and lay these on the floor as your rangoli. Make your wooden rangoli more elaborate by placing stones, mirrors, or beads on top of them to enhance the painted designs.
- The general purpose of rangoli is to add decoration to your home and to bring good luck for your family. In some parts of South Asia, unmarried young women draw rangoli during the month of Margazhi to welcome the god Thirumal into their home and to hopefully find a husband in the near future.
- Hang a colorful toran from your door. Buy and hang up prefabricated toran/bandankar or make your own out of greeting cards, craft paper, glitter, and beads.[3] To keep with tradition, add marigolds or mango leaves to your toran and hang it across the outside of your front door for an auspicious and colorful piece of decor.[4]
- Most toran have flowers or leaves on them. However, if you don't have any fresh flowers, you can also fold paper flowers or [[Fold a Paper Leaf|leaves out of decorative paper, or simply cut pieces of cardboard or craft paper into flower shapes and hang these from the toran.
- Beyond simple decoration, toran also serve a religious purpose: they're used to attract and welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, into your home.
- Put up Tanjore paintings to brighten your prayer room. Many people take time during Diwali to add decorations to the prayer room in their house and make it exceptionally clean. To enhance your prayer room's aesthetic, hang vividly colored Tanjore paintings in it and illuminate them with soft lighting.[5]
- For a more decorative look, hang paintings that also contain gold, glass beads, or precious gems.
- Tanjore paintings are generally used as devotional icons. If you're hanging paintings, especially for Diwali, they should ideally be compositions of Hindu gods, goddesses, or saints.
- Decorate your walls with colorful paintings, murals, and designs. You don't need to limit your wall decorations to your prayer room. If you have more paintings and murals, hang them on every wall in your house to make every room brighter and more colorful.[6]
- If you don't have any paintings or murals, consider making your own wall decor out of old CDs, newspapers, greeting cards, craft paper, or just pieces of cloth.
- Painting traditional motifs and designs on your walls is a great way to add vibrancy and color to your walls, as long as you're willing to paint over them later!
- Add color to your home by hanging garlands of flowers or pompoms. String together colorful bunches of flowers, pompoms, crepe paper art or any other vibrant and lightweight pieces of decor. Then, drape these garlands from the ceilings and across your household items to add a final bit of color to your home.[7]
- Any species of flower will do for your garlands, so long as they're colorful! Get creative and make paper ring decorations and make shapes and patterns on the walls. These are cheap and easy to customize for your decor.
- There are some species of flower that are believed to be preferred by certain Hindu gods. For example, Kali prefers red hibiscus, Lakshmi's favorite flower is lotus, Lord Ganesha enjoys marigold, and jasmine is Lord Hanuman's favorite flower.
- The lotus is a symbol of spiritual liberation and knowledge. The Goddess Lakshmi carries it in her hand.[8]. Make your home more inviting to the Goddess Lakshmi by making lovely paper lotus flowers and placing them near the light display so she sees them clearly.
EditIlluminating Your Home - Make plain candles festive with pressed flowers. Embed flowers in a plain white candle by placing a small amount of glue on them and pressing them flat against the candle. Then, heat some clear wax in a double boiler to , dip the candle in the wax for 30 seconds, then dip it into cold water and dry.[9]
- You should be able to achieve your desired thickness with 1 dip in the wax. However, you can repeat the process of dipping the candle in the hot wax and then dipping it in the cold water until you achieve the preferred amount of thickness.
- Make sure you dip the candle in and out of the wax in a smooth motion to avoid making it lumpy.
- The water you use doesn't have to be ice cold; it just needs to be colder than room temperature.
- You can use flowers of any shape, size, or species to press into your candles, so long as they're colorful! If you'd like your candles to have more religious significance, some examples of flowers preferred by Hindu gods include red hibiscus, lotus, marigold, and jasmine.
- Make this activity fun for kids by having them fingerprint a design on your candles.
- Draw henna designs onto plain white candles. Use henna paste and a henna tattoo cone to create beautiful, auspicious designs on your candles. Leave the henna designs to dry for at least 1 hour or overnight for best results.[10]
- Your designs can be anything you wish. Traditional henna motifs include flowers, stars, water drops, spirals, and leaves, but feel free to make your own design as well!
- Decorate with diyas. Diya oil lamps are a very common decoration during Diwali, used throughout the Indian subcontinent. You can easily buy cheap earthen diyas. Alternatively, you can try using fruit or seashells for easy homemade diyas, as long as they're sturdy. To make your own unique and original diyas, carve out the inside of a piece of fruit and place a candle inside it, or simply put a candle in a large seashell with a flat bottom.[11]
- For best results, use a fruit with a rind that is easy to keep together and manipulate, like an orange or an apple.
- You can also use prefabricated diyas made of more traditional materials, such as clay or brass. These can be bought at most South Asian grocery stores. Try making oil lamps at home. You can make them colourful and use the scented oil of your choice.
- Diyas are very significant in Hinduism; they symbolize knowledge, enlightenment, and one's submission to a higher power. If you have a special design in mind or are keen to make unique diyas of your own, you can create beautiful patterns on plain diyas with colours, flower, or stones.
- Create interesting light displays with lampshades and lace candles. You can use traditional string lights that suit your decor, or make your own lampshades. Draw floral patterns, stars, or other designs on the sides of a small cardboard box and cut them out. Then, place the box over a lightbulb to create festive displays of light. Alternatively, wrap lace around a mason jar and place a candle inside to produce a similar effect.[12]
- Experiment with different colors and designs of lace to see which best create the atmosphere you're trying to bring about in your home. For Diwali, colorful lace works best!
- If you have access to a colorful cardboard box, use that instead of a plain box to make your lampshade more festive.
- If you'd rather not make your own lampshade, there are plenty of prefabricated lampshades with cutouts available online or in home decor stores.
- Wrap cinnamon sticks around your candles to spice up your home. Tie a number of cinnamon sticks around a mason jar or glass. Then, place a candle inside the glass and light it. Cinnamon candles not only add a woody theme to your home, but the heat from the candle will also cause the cinnamon sticks to release their fragrance and fill the area with the smell of cinnamon.[13]
- If your candle is relatively thick, simply place your cinnamon sticks directly against it and wrap them together with a rubber band.
- Hang colorful strings of light bulbs and paper cups. Place colorful paper cups, seashells, or doilies over light bulbs on a string and hang them across the tops of your walls for a dazzling display of light and color. Or, simply opt for colorful varieties of fairy lights and hang these for an easy yet effective light display.[14]
- Colorful paper cups and doilies can be purchased at any crafting store. You might also be able to find seashells in crafting stores, although you can also just find them along the seashore.
- Place lights inside colored glass bottles or jars to make lanterns. Find any empty glass bottles or jars that are lying around your house, especially ones that are colored, and make sure their interiors are clean. Then, place candles or light bulbs on the inside to make beautiful colored lanterns.[15]
- If you have empty bottles or jars that aren't colored, simply cover them with bright cellophane paper to give them some color. You can also create designs in the paper for added effect.
- You can make Mason jar candles and scented candles to fill your home with delightful fragrances.
- For the best aesthetic appearance, use Mason jars and glass bottles with unique or elaborate shapes to them.
- You can buy white candles or reuse old candles and add a coat of glitter to them using glue. This will make them more special for Diwali.
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