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Quality Management Framework for Educational Institutions

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Introduction

Management is the ability to create, organize and utilize resources, economically, efficiently & effectively. Management is essential aspect of human life, both personal as well as collective. Personal management shapes effective individuals, while collective management is required for well-performing institutions. Management is either good or poor. Poor management plays a decisive role in institutional failure or ineffectiveness. Educational institutions provide knowledge, build character and enhance wisdom level of students. They prepare students for practical life. An inefficient-ineffective educational institution will produce harmful individuals for society. There are multiple reasons of inefficiency or ineffectiveness of an educational institution such as mediocrity of teachers, irrelevancy of syllabus, ineffective headship and poor management system. However, poor management is decisive drawback of non-performing educational institutions. Poor management means – traditional management techniques by educational entrepreneurs, imitative leadership approach by academicians, micro management style by head teacher/principal, investor mindset by owners, and dictatorial approach of classroom management by teachers.

There are three major areas of Quality Learning Process – Key Activities Area, Performance Area, and Relations Area. Firstly, the key activities revolve around knowledge absorption / knowledge dissemination. Generally, the key activities include learning goals, course planning, learning schedule, teaching methods, and classroom management. Secondly, the performance area concentrates on learning outcomes. It studies learning performance of students, teaching performance of subject teachers, and managing performance of class teacher/principal. Thirdly, the relations analysis addresses multiple relations among students, teachers, parents, and educational managers. Dominantly, it deals with effective management of all learning events. The ultimate target of relation analysis is to realize synergistic outcomes from learning process.

Quality Management Vs Micro Management

Governance is inevitable aspect of collective life. It may adopt two courses – good & bad. Good governance is based on Quality Management while bad governance is outcome of Micro Management. Primarily, Quality Management is a system that pursues relentlessly excellence towards improvement of services offered, while Micro Management adopts cosmetic approach towards improvement. Quality management differs with micro management on countless dimensions however the prominent differences are:

Quality management is modern management, while micro management is traditional management. Traditional management is very hierarchical, organized, and disciplined. It is the military style of management, so that it only works in the military or in a micro set up. On the other hand, quality management is democratic management; it is against dominating tactics of individuals. A quality manager derives its powers from the principles she/he follows while the micro manager derives its power from the position she/he enjoys.

Quality Management utilizes talent of people at all levels (learning, teaching and management) optimally, while Micro Management concentrates on talents of leader only, it is forgetful towards talents of everyone or collective talent based on healthy competition or cooperation. At institutional level, an achievement or failure is dominantly team phenomenon. The phenomenon of individualism means massive flattery of leaders / seniors. In nutshell, quality management means meritorious interaction, while micro management means massive institutional politics.

Quality Management is based on humanistic philosophy. It begins with the belief that all people can be trained for the betterment of system. People want to do a good job and expect respect. The philosophy behind the approach values the self-esteem of those who teach and learn. It is Micro Management that deals with teachers/students, wrongly. The situation nurtures apathetic mindset among students/teachers. On the other hand, quality management develops empathetic mindset among students/teachers.

Quality Management postulates that the system of an institution is vital for staff performance. At the time of crises, the quality framework advises a system approach, it is the system that overwhelmingly is the main source of problem. The quality framework gives special attention to the processes that produce substandard services. It is a comprehensive and cooperative management so that it is against managing each component as though it were separate from the others and warns steps that pit the person against the system and against other persons. In micro-management processes are ignored and persons get undue importance. A micro-leader adopts generally the policy of ‘divide & rule’, so that workers are derisive towards each other.

Quality Management believes in personal responsibility, but goes beyond that concept to consider the especial responsibilities of those who manage for optimum system performance. A proactive concern for how people respond to managerial actions is crucial to the success of quality management, which is why the theory emphasis the need for managers to understand elementary principles of psychology, statistics and decision analysis to analyze the ground realities during some decision-making/interactive process. In micro management, there is gulf between thoughts, words & deeds of leader. A micro-manager manipulates persons/situations for optimum performance, so that performance is unstable and volatile. A consistent performance of students/teachers is inevitable requirement of educational institutions, so that micro-management means failure.

Law of Causation is universal phenomenon of life. The law categorically states that an outcome is inevitably based on some antecedent, that is, there is mean-end duality. Means are antecedents; they are necessary precondition for ends. An end can be materialized through right or wrong mean. Human life repeatedly faces the dilemma of right mean vs. wrong mean. Sometime, an end become unachievable, seemingly or really, through right means consequently means are generally comprised by effort-makers. For example, profit is an essential end for institutional viability; it can be achieved through wrong means such as rent-seeking, kick-backs, manipulation of teachers and manipulation of students. Quality management proposes wise mean-end framework for goal materialization. In micro-management means are not decisive during goals realization process so that means are compromised now and then. Micro Management is derisive towards law of causation so that it breeds mistrust among stakeholders and fails ultimately.

It is generally said, justice delayed is justice denied / justice hurried is justice buried. At institutional level procrastination or haste are two great menaces that disturb institutional performance, now and again. Micro Management is unable to tackle these issues due to non-system thinking. The solution lies in systematic thinking towards time efficiency / information efficiency, these factors are vital tools of quality management against haste or procrastination.

The end-user of a service is always decisive for the survival of institution. Parents are decisive for the continual existence of educational institution. Quality Management gives due importance to the requirements of all parents especially responsible parents. On the other hand, Micro Management gives importance only to reactive and affluent parents. The situation is not tenable, so that institution fails eventually.

Elements of Quality Framework

An institution is contractual arrangement of interdependent individuals to realize some goals and objectives; it works under the direction of some leader. Institutions are multiple, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and multilateral, both operationally and structurally. The orientation of an institution determines its course of action. For example, a specific group of some individuals assimilated to provide knowledge and to shape behavior-pattern of children give shape to schools, school is a social institution. Similarly, we can observe countless social, economic, and political institutions working in a modern society. A well-performing institution needs some success factors/performance indicators. An effective educational institution generally practices ten elements for quality management. Each variable has a functional significance that cannot be ignored. The elements are:

MISSION, VALUES, VISION, STRATEGY, SKILLS, RESOURCES, ORGANIZATION, EVALUATION, REWARD STRUCTURE AND ADJUSTMENTS

The efficacy of each element is tested on three grounds – foundational, structural, and operational. The first three elements – mission, values, and vision – have foundational significance. The next four elements – strategy, skills, resources, and organization – erect stable institutional structure. The last three elements – evaluation, rewards, and adjustment – have operational significance. The foundational, structural and operational aspects jointly shape a well-performing educational institution.

Elements of Quality Leadership

Leadership is essential pillar of well-performing institution. Leader is either effective or ineffective. An effective leader realizes institutional targets, optimally. Generally, an effective leader manifests seven characteristics. Each element has a practical significance for institutional development. The elements are:

FAITH, COURAGE, ENTHUSIASM, DECISION POWER, KNOWLEDGE, EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION, & GENERAL APPEARANCE

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Source by Muhammad Ilyas

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The Importance of Sustainable Agriculture

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The act of a farmer working the land to produce food consistently without causing or creating irreversible damage to the well-being of our ecosystem is called sustainable agriculture. Farming in this method has three main goals:

1. Environmental stability

2. Farm profitability

3. Prosperous farming communities

These sets of practices have been identified by a variety of regulations by both the farmer and the consumer. For a farmer to excel at sustainable agriculture there are two main issues for the farmer to understand .

1. The long-term effects of various farming methods, such as harrowing or crop rotation, to ensure rich soil properties. Rotating the crop helps keep the soil from depletion of its nutrients by adding livestock manure or by growing alfalfa and adding it to the soil, it is high in nitrogen. Clover works also. In order for sustainable agriculture to work it depends on the farmer to replace nutrients back into the soil.

2. The long term ability of a farmer to gather information and manage resources like farm labourers is socio-economic.

Methods of working the field are partially understood. Excessive tilling with no proper irrigation could create field erosion or a high salt content in the soil. Experience will provide the best knowledge on what is better for soil properties while managing sustainable agriculture farms.

With sustainable agriculture being the leading growing method, a healthier environment would be ensured.

With the environmental crisis we are facing, sustainable agriculture is helping the environment . While we look for better alternatives we have found that growing organically using sustainable agriculture fits the world in our times. To eat healthy anyone could grow a sustainable vegetable garden on their property.

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Source by Jeffery N Conway

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Top 8 Features to Look for In an Emergency Water Purifier

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A healthy source of drinking water is the single most important item to have on hand in the likely event of an emergency or disaster, second only to breathable air. Food, of course, would be second on the most needed items in natural or human-made disasters or emergency. In most cases, after a disastrous event, the stores quickly empty out of the most crucial items such as water and food, next would be generators, flashlights, batteries, toilet paper, propane, cook stoves, etc.

Water is always the first to go. Not just from the shelves in the grocery stores and convenience stores but along with the electric and gas utilities, water is also turned off. When the water stops flowing from your tap, and you were not able to find any in the stores, what is your plan? In an extended crisis of weeks or even months, neighbors will be draining sources like swimming pools, spas, and water features. They will be knocking down property fences and gates to get at it hauling away buckets at a time and drained in days for sure. Now what?

Martial Law and curfews will eventually be enforced, resulting from wide spread riots and looting, starting first in the cities and then slowly migrating to the suburbs and then into the rural areas. Gangs and small marauding bands of thugs will start taking what ever they need or want, more than likely at gun point. You can quickly start to see you should have planned for such a time as this.

My purpose of writing this article is to alert and warn you that everyone who wants to survive a major crisis or disaster needs to stock, water, food, and protection. Protection? What am I saying? I’ll be blunt, and straight forward, only those that have planned will survive. Are you a pacifist or a Christian zealot? Are you willing to stand by and watch a female member of your family raped and murdered? Get a gun and learn how to use it! That said, let’s move on.

If the neighborhood is on fire, burning from house to house, you need to bug out. Do you have a bug-out plan in place or are you going to jump in your car and head for the nearest grid-lock? What about buckets of beans and rice, wood burning camp stove and cooking utensils. Water? You can only carry so much, and water weights 6-lbs per gallon. What you need is a way to purify any polluted water source using any heat source. Can’t I just use a filter? If you did your homework in advance, you would know that the American Red Cross, FEMA, Homeland Security and the CDC all recommend a non-electric water distiller, and strongly warn against any type filter in an emergency or disaster. Why a non-electric distiller? First, you will not likely have electricity. Second, they recommend boiling water to kill disease germs, bacteria, viruses, cysts and waterborne diseases. Distillers do just that! Plus all non-electric distillers can use any heat source, electric or gas stove, propane stove, barbeque grill, charcoal, camp stove or even a camp fire. There are only four or five non-electric survivor stills available.

Eight features to look for in a non-electric survivor still

1. Determine the volume of water it will purify per day. The production of distilled water from the available non-electric water distillers varies from 8 gallons per day to 18+. ( Take care you pick a model that will supply your family’s needs.)

2. Choose a survivor still based upon the gauge of the stainless steel boiling pot and the one with the sturdiest construction and heavy-duty materials and components. Especially since yours and your families lives will be depending on its performance under the roughest circumstances and conditions.

3. Most non-electric distillers are a severe scalding hazard capable of causing 3rd-degree burns. A child can quickly pull the boiling pot onto themselves as well as an adult. That is the last thing you need is a life-threatening injury during a disaster when hospitals may not be accessible for burn treatments. Pick a survivor still that uses a condenser cooling system and has the boiler snap-latched to the condenser preventing accidental scald injuries and the condenser water always remains at room temperature also preventing scald accidents.

4. Pick a survivor still that is automatic, so there is no need to manually add water to the boiler or continually dump and replace the condenser water as needed with some units. It is tedious and dangerous work handling the boiling pot and condenser. Most models require the condenser water to be dumped and replaced with cooler water for the still to function and if not replaced regularly, the condenser water can reach temperatures of 140- 150 F hot enough to cause third degree burns with just 2 seconds of skin contact. One survivor still model uses a 9-volt pump 5-watt solar panel with battery back-up to keep the condenser cool at all times, rain or shine, day or night and also automatically adds water to the boiling pot as needed.

5. Pick a survivor still that does not need to be level to operate as some models do. If you are in an outdoor camping situation and require a campfire as your heat source, you cannot be worrying about whether the survivor still is perfectly level or not as some brands need.

6. Some models do not have a closed system to prevent outside contamination from the air or debris from a fire. Pick a survivor still that is completely enclosed from the boiler through the cooling coils and the post filter and into a closed collection container. You will never need to worry the distilled water will ever get contaminated in the distillation process.

7. Choose a survivor still that can easily be packed up and transported with ease, in the event you need to bug out fast. You do not want to be dealing with a bulky boiling and condenser pot, especially if you’re on foot!

8. The greatest amount of distilled water is produced using a stainless steel cooling coil inside a condenser full of cool water. For this reason, avoid models that utilize pots of cool water and use the bottom to condense the steam. In this method, the steam is subject to contamination from the air and the lower surface of the pot. Pick a model with a cooling coil suspended in a condenser of cool water, the steam contained inside the coil, is protected from outside contamination. This method also produces three times more distilled water. That feature accounts for the greater cost of a non-electric survivor still with a stainless steel cooling coil and automatic features. The quality of the automatic model, the high volume of pure water and ease of unattended operation and the peace of mind knowing it cannot scald anyone justifies the increased cost. This model also comes in a 7-gallon bucket with a screw on Gamma Lid which houses all parts and has a handle for easy transport.

Which ever model or brand you choose, you will know that regardless of the source of water you will be able to turn it into healthy pure drinking water in any emergency or disaster.

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Source by Douglas Hoover

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Whirlpool Refrigerator Defrost Timer

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In order to complete this job you will need the following tools:

Needle nose pliers

phillip screwdriver

1/4″ nut driver

Ohm meter (Voltage Meter)

The first thing that you will need to do is disconnect your refrigerator from the power source. The defrost timer can usually be found within the fresh food section of your refrigerator inside of the control panel. Although there are some models of refrigerators where the defrost timers can be found behind the kick plate in the front.The defrost timer is going to have four wires plugged into it. Make sure you remember the color of the wires, and also which terminal they are connected to. Once you have made a note of this, then remove the two wires that are connected to terminal one and terminal two. Before you can check the defrost timer, you will need to set the timer to the defrost cycle. If you are not sure how to do this, turn the dial on the front of the timer that has two prongs on it. Turn the dial clockwise slowly until you hear a loud click. Once you hear this click then it will be in the defrost cycle. While turning the defrost timer dial, notice the cooling cycle is longer then the defrost cycle.

Note: This test is to be performed while the defrost timer is set to the cooling cycle position. Make sure that you make a note of the color of the two wires connected to the number one and number four terminals, then you can remove these wires. If you are unsure of how to turn your refrigerator to the cooling cycle, all you need to do is turn the dial clockwise again until you hear another loud click. It is now set to the cooling cycle. Place one of the voltage meter leads onto the number one terminal and the other lead onto the number four terminal. If the control contacts are closed, there will be a zero reading on the digital Voltage meter. On a standard voltage meter, the needle will move to the right. If the control contacts are open while in the cooling cycle position, the defrost timer is bad and it will need to be replaced.

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Source by Nicholas Mark

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Want To Make Pellets by Yourself?

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With people’s growing awareness of environmental protection and energy saving, the demand of wood pellet fuel for home heating is also increasing. Because this kind of fuel can not only meet a lot of today’s concerns for renewable energy, but also environmental and energy-saving.

So it is really cool pelletizing by yourself! How to make pellet by yourself?

First of all, you need a machine. Then, with proper materials and right guidance, you will naturally get your own pellets right at home.

The pelletizing procedures involve 5 main processes, they are as follows:

Crushing

First of all, using a wood chipping machine to chip raw wood materials into small pieces, then these small pieces should be crushed into wood powder by hammer mills if necessary.

Drying

It has their own best moisture content when pelletizing, for this reason, drying the raw materials to an ideal moisture content before putting them into machine is a good choice. Generally, 13-15% is the best pelletizing moisture content.

Pelletizing

After drying to ideal moisture content, the materials should be put into the machine for pelletizing. There are several pelletizing machines, such as with ring die, flat die, small scale, diesel motor etc. You can choose any one of them according to your need.

Cooling

After pelletizing, the temperature is about 60-80 degree and pellets’ moisture content is about 15%. In this case, the moisture content needs to be cut down by 3%-4% or 7%-8% by using a cooling machine for storage purpose.

Packing

If the pellet is not for burning purpose directly, bagging or packing procedure is necessary because it can protect wood pellets from affecting damp and make it easy to store.

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Source by Jolin Shen

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Different Olympia Sportbike Motorcycle Jackets Review

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Olympia sportbike motorcycle jackets are a high quality and well designed selection of jackets. They are made to last and made to endure just about anything that you can plan for. There are several jackets that are made for comfort for the entire year. These jackets provide warmth in the winter and ventilation for the summer. You can also find a few of their jackets that are made to be waterproof. These jackets will prepare you for just about anything.

One of the types of Olympia sportbike motorcycle jackets that you can buy is called the AST or all season touring jacket. This jacket has a liner that can be added in the winter months for warmth or can also be worn alone. It is waterproof and is made to be breathable. The jacket itself allows for adequate ventilation during the summer months to make the heat more bearable. You will also find that this jacket has flaps on the outside of it for rain and wind protection on your back and neck. It also has neon patches on it so that you are more visible in the dark to other cars and traffic.

Another type of jacket that you may find is the Airglide 2. This jacket is a very durable jacket and made to endure almost anything. It is made out of Du Pont Condura. It has an inside liner that is waterproof and insulated. This jacket has Motion Flex armor at the elbows, although this can be removed if you wish to do so. It also has a cool mesh airflow to allow for adequate ventilation. This jacket does everything that you have read and is excellent for year round riding but you should be aware that this jacket is heavier when you are wearing it than it seems. This could pose a problem for some riders whereas it may not matter to other riders.

So, there are many jackets that you can choose from when trying to find just the right one. Many jackets out there are advertised to be year round friendly and have just the right amount of ventilation and warmth to go from season to season. However, these jackets are holding up to their statements. They have amended their jackets and the accessories that are included on them in order to make sure that you are getting what you are paying for when you choose one of the Olympia sportbike motorcycle jackets.

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Source by Cedric Welsch

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Using Spices and Herbs

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Spices and herbs have been recognized around the world, for thousands of years, as a way to add flavor, depth, and complexity to food. The possible combinations of spices provide endless possibilities for flavoring a dish. The options are further increased by the difference in taste between fresh spices and dried spices, and the flavor development achieved by adding the spices at a specific time in the cooking process. With the limitless flavor options they provide, spices showcase the skills of a chef and his/her finesse in mastering the use of spices. A chef’s skill is made evident from the fact that under-seasoned food is bland and unsatisfying, but over-seasoned food is often inedible. Experimenting with different spices is a great way to improve a dish’s flavor without sacrificing the nutritional value of a food. Spices add flavor without calories and often decrease the amount of salt a dish requires, making the dish suitable to health-conscious customers. Since spices are such an integral part of the culinary arts, consider storing them in a pepper mill for quick grinding.

The combination of spices used in preparation of a dish affect the identity of a dish. Spice mixes often reflect a certain culture that uses those spices, giving food of each ethnicity a distinct flavor that sets it apart from other types of ethnic foods. Cilantro, lime, garlic, and cumin are staples in Mexican food. Morrocan foods will incorporate dried ginger, turmeric, paprika, cinnamon, and cumin, though usually not all at once. Lemongrass, lime, fresh ginger, fresh red chili pepper, soy sauce, and Mirin (a sweet rice wine) are associated with Thai, Vietnamese, and Japanese food.

Dried and fresh herbs and spices differ greatly in their flavor. Dried herbs and dried spices usually have a stronger taste than fresh products due to the decreased amount of water they contain. The difference is highlighted by the use of dried ginger in Moroccan food, and fresh ginger in Asian food. The vast difference in the foods shows just how drastically the flavor of a spice can be altered when dried.

Regardless of the desired outcome of the dish, there are some guidelines that apply to all spices. The most popular spices are used in all ethnic seasonings. These include salt, pepper, and garlic. Spices should preferably be new. For fresh herbs and spices this means that they should have a non-wilted appearance and pleasant smell. Dried spices will lose their flavor over time, so it is recommended to buy whole spices and grind them using a spice grinder.

Playing around with spice combinations can yield delicious results. When added while the dish is cooking, the spice will evenly flavor the entire dish. Fresh herbs and some other spices are added right before serving, allowing the flavor and texture of the herbs to be crisp and fresh. The ability to balance and layer flavors when cooking is the key to successfully using spices. With practice, one’s cooking skills can be greatly improved by using spices.

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Source by Jay Stefans

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How Are Plastic Injection Molded Parts Manufactured?

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Plastic Injection Molding is used to produce part of almost every product in your home or business. It is the fastest method of forming plastic available. There are many benefits of plastic injection molding process including reliability and cost effectiveness. The products that are produced with the help of this process generally do not require any more finishing. In this process, all the equipment used are modern, sophisticated and efficient, also called as the injection molding machines. The machinery involved is very heavy and can even weigh thousands of pounds. It is only due to these heavy machines that the end products are of the best quality. This machines heats up the plastic to bring it to its liquid form. This shows that the machines need to tolerate higher temperature and require highly sophisticated parts for the purpose.

When the plastic is injected into the mold or the cavity through gates, it takes the particular shape of the mold, after the plastic is cooled down in the mold, it is ejected out of the mold. These cavities can be utilized for getting desired plastic into almost any shape. There are of course cost considerations when designing plastic and experienced engineers will understand the cost trade-off of different design features. There are two components of the mold, which are injection and ejector mold. The liquefied plastic resin is put into the mold for getting set into the shape and the plastic part is ejected through the ejector mold once it is solidified. There is no damage caused to the product and it is ejected safely with the help of ejecting pins.

Next procedure includes the application of mechanical or the hydraulic pressure, when the air is trapped in the mold and needs to get released. The process is called as Dwelling process. The air is released as the cavities filled with air are pushed aside in the corner due to the pressure application. Afterwards the liquid gets solidified thereby cooling down the mold. In the end the solidified plastic is brought out of the mold which could be done either in an automatic or manual way.

There occurs a significant change in the physical and chemical properties of the plastic product thus formed after the cooling process. The most prominent feature of this process of Plastic Injection Molding is the mold width. Generally, a mold with the uniformly thick walls is preferred as it decreases the changes brought about in the mechanical properties of the plastic product.

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Source by Michael J Ryan

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How to Get Rid of Pickle Smell

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Cucumber pickling remained widespread across the Levant and Maghreb regions, where it is still very popular today. Pickled cucumbers became popular in the United States due to the influence of the cuisine of Eastern European immigrants.

In any case, as beloved as pickles are, the stench that these brine-preserved vegetables can cause to your jars, cupboards, fridges, cars and your entire home is almost enough for many to wish that this so-called treat had vanished along with Ancient Rome and Greece.

How can you get rid of the odor of the pickle juice spilled on your sofa or eliminate the odor from that empty pickle jar? Here are some tips to help you out.

Pickle Smell Removing Products

* Febreze uses a chemical compound called cyclodextrin that has been used in household and custodial cleaning products for quite some time now. The sugar-like substance doesn’t necessarily “clean” the pickle odors out, but acts as an absorbent – like baking soda or crumpled newspaper – to help soak the odor out.

* An Ozone Generator will get rid of any odor you can think of if it’s left on long enough in a closed house or apartment. The specifics of this procedure are a bit unclear, but if you’re getting desperate enough, it might be worth a shot.

You will have to take full responsibility for what this might do to your home or your health. Just be sure to air out the home thoroughly after doing this because ozone is bad for your lungs.

* Get a Prozone Air Purifier. They’re good for keeping your whole house smelling fresh, not just eliminating those pickle odors. Unfortunately, they are also quite expensive.

* If you want something a little cheaper, you can try Ozium Air Freshener. It’s a small bottle, but just a little goes a long way. You can get this product at most Wal-Mart branches and some car part dealerships.

* A few deodorizing products that you can also use include Nature’s Miracle, Bane-Clene (which is great for allergies), and a well-recommended mattress cleaner used by the hotel industry called ProKlean.

* Try Renuzit on any scent. You pull it up, and the product’s gel-shaped cone absorbs the smells. It takes about 24 hours, but it works. The first day, the smell of the gel is very strong, but soon it fades along with the odor you want to get rid of.

* You can also buy home oil fragrances and burners from various candle shops. With fruity flavors like mango and all the benefits of aromatherapy, it may be the way to go. The selection of aromas available is quite extensive, and would suit most any aromatherapy fan’s taste.

They make useful burners for the oils too. The best part is that even though the bottles are small, all you need is about five or six drops each time, so the bottles last forever. You can even find a little fragrance burner you can plug into the lighter in your car, which is a lot more effective than those cheap little air fresheners you hang from the rear view mirror.

* Natural cleaners and odor-removing products are a good idea. If you want to get rid of that smoke odor in an eco-friendly manner, how about using some of the cleaning products found in the organic and natural foods section of your local grocery store? Often, these products work just as well as the brand name chemicals. Examples of these so-called natural cleaners are good old borax, hydrogen peroxide, enzymatic cleaners, and oxygen bleach.

Pickle Smell Removal

First of all, it should be fairly obvious to you that it isn’t the pickles themselves that are causing the funky smell in your house/car/cupboard/jar; it’s actually the smell of the pickling agents (vinegar or brine) that’s clinging onto your valued properties and possessions. If you want to get rid of this foul odor, try one of these tips.

* First, wash the jars well in hot, soapy water and rinse completely. Then pour in a solution of equal parts vinegar and water. Let it stand overnight with the lids off. Rinse, dry, store with the lids off, and the smell should be gone.

* You can also fill the jars with crumpled-up newspaper and let them stand overnight to remove odors.

* Use your pickle jar only for pickles, nothing more. If you can’t use it for pickles, throw it out or recycle it.

* For entire spaces that smell of pickles, try leaving an open box of sodium bicarbonate, otherwise known as baking soda, in the contaminated region (like the fridge or your cupboard). It can work there for a few months and it tremendously helps eat up pickle odors and other smells. Buy two boxes and sprinkle one of them on your carpets to help deodorize as well.

* You can either go to your local hardware store and rent a carpet steam cleaner to shampoo the carpets yourself, or you can hire a professional to bring in a big truck and do the dirty work for you. If you want to save money, the choice is obvious, and the guarantees some businesses will make these days smell funnier than the pickle odor you want them to remove.

* Check all corners and closets for any pickle residues in the apartment, then air out the place for a few days with as much cross-ventilation as possible.

* Potpourri or air fresheners are just going to mask the smell, but for a short time, they’ll do if you just need to get through one more day of pickle smell hell. You can also burn some incense, if you’d like; it basically uses the same idea.

* The key is to disinfect. A bottle of bleach or ammonia and a heavy-duty pair of rubber gloves should help a lot in sanitizing every little nook and cranny of your pad. Yes, elbow grease is the way to go when getting rid of pickle funk.

Cleaning Services

* Hire professional cleaners as a last resort; however, for many people the cleaners are the first choice because of the sheer ordeal of pickle smell removal. Indeed, if all else fails, commercial cleaning does exist to help you out.

Whatever the situation of the hirer, a professional cleaning service can cost a lot less money than most people would expect. The cleaners provide all the equipment and detergents. Above all, they have the experience of having cleaned rooms that would probably make your pickle-stinking room smell like roses in comparison.

Another point to consider is that if you tried to do the job yourself, you would no doubt spend more time than a professional cleaner would, and time is money! Get yourself out of that pickle and let somebody else do the job for you.

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Source by Fen Malayan

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What Is Bisphenol A (BPA): Why Is It Best Avoided?

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Bisphenol A or BPA is one of the problematic chemicals that we are being exposed to from bottled drinks, canned foods, etc.

BPA is found in some types of plastics used in making bottles, as well as in the inner lining of many canned foods.

BPA is also a known “xenoestrogen”, and is often called “stubborn abdominal fat”. In many studies on animals it has been linked to various health issues like cancer, heart disease, metabolic disorders, diabetes, and even fertility problems leading to birth defects as well as miscarriages.

In practical terms, the longer polycarbonate bottles or cans of food sit on shelves the more BPA leaches into the food. According to a study by Environmental Working Group (EWG), almost 95% of Americans had traces of BPA in their bodies.

The Environmental Working Group reported that “analysis of our tests reveals that for one of every five cans tested, and for one-third of all vegetables and pastas (ravioli and noodles with tomato sauce), a single serving would expose a pregnant woman to BPA at levels that fall within a factor of 5 of doses linked to birth defects – permanent damage of developing male reproductive organs”.

And what may be more alarming is that The EWG also reported evidence of… “An investigation demonstrating that low doses of BPA spur both- the formation as well as the growth of fat cells. These two factors drive obesity in humans (Masumo et al. 2002).”

Steps that help in minimizing the effects of BPA

1. Avoid canned foods and choose fresh or frozen foods instead.

2. If you have to resort to canned foods, try to find those free of BPA.

3. search for tomato products such as sauces, pastes, etc that are available in glass bottles.

4. Use storage products that are BPA-free.

5. Avoid microwaving the food in plastic containers since it may increase leaching of BPA besides other chemicals.

6. While using reusable plastic bottles, ensure that they are not made of polycarbonate; ensure that it has a label that says it is BPA-free. If a bottle has “PC” marked at the bottom, it is likely to contain BPA as it is made of polycarbonate. Also, since aluminum bottles may contain a lining which may have BPA, it is best to avoid these.

7. The EWG analysis showed 42% of soda cans were found to contain BPA if made from polycarbonate, so it is best avoided. In any case those conscious of their health ought not to have soda anyway.

8. We find increasing use of plastic cups or glasses for hot liquids like tea or coffee which may accelerate leaching of BPA, depending upon the type of plastics used.

9. It is difficult to however avoid some level of xenoestrogen due to all the chemicals we are exposed to in foods from herbicide/pesticide residues, packaging materials, etc, water supply, cosmetics, lotions, etc. It is best to be vigilant in day to day life.

10. Use fresh food, fruits and vegetables and traditional oganic based packaging materials for storage.

By keeping vigil on the labels containing information about the products you can prevent exposure to harmful xenoestrogen. Certain foods like garlic, chamomile, onions, green teas, and cruciferous vegetables containing powerful phytonutrients also help fighting effects of xenoestrogens.

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Source by C P Ramchandani