Move the tree gently side to side and be sure the root ball moves with the trunk as you do this. The base of the trunk should not move around inside the root ball, which is indicative of damaged roots. If this is the case, you should not attempt to plant your tree because it is unlikely to survive. Buy your living Christmas tree as close to Christmas as possible, and plant as soon as possible afterwards. The longer your tree stays inside, the more it’s exposed to drying conditions that will weaken it. 7-10 days is about as long as you should keep your tree inside. Near a window is best so it can still receive light and cool air, but keep it out of direct sunlight. Avoid putting it near a heating vent, fireplace, or stove. Daily watering is necessary to keeping your tree healthy. Try putting ice cubes on top of the root ball daily to achieve a more gradual and steady watering as they melt. Allow your tree to acclimate back to the cold after spending 1-2 weeks inside your warm home. Place it outside, in a cool sheltered spot like a front or back porch and leave it there for about a week. Continue watering it daily during this time. Research the type of tree you have and its growth potential. Make sure it won’t outgrow the spot you choose for it. Look for a sunny spot that’s several feet from your house or any fencing since roots and limbs could eventually cause problems for these structures.
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One-sentence summary -- Check the root ball for damage. Limit the amount of time your tree is indoors. Keep your tree in a cool spot. Keep the soil moist. Move your tree to a sheltered outdoor space. Choose an open, sunny planting spot.


Sexing your goldfish is probably the single most important task in breeding; obviously, if you put a bunch of males together because you can't tell them apart, you're not going to end up with any progeny. Here's what females tend to look like:  Look at the shape of their vent. The vent is a small opening between the anus and the anal fin where fish excrete egg or sperm, depending on the sex. Female vents are rounded and convex, like an outie. Feel the abdomen. The abdomen, between the pelvic and anal fins, is very soft and movable for females. Look at the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins of females are round and short. Overall, female goldfish tend to be a bit smaller and rounder than male goldfish, who tend to be longer and pointier. This, however, is a less reliable way to tell the two apart. Male goldfish tend to be a bit smaller than their female counterparts. They can also be distinguished by looking at the following traits:  The presence of small white stars, or tubercles. Tubercles are little bumps that appear on the fins, head, and even gills of males when they're ready to breed. A concave, or innie, vent. Males have a vent that slices inward instead of bulges outward. Feel the abdomen. The abdomens of males are much more rigid and hard than those of females. Look at the pectoral fins. The pectoral fins of males are pointier and longer compared to the short, round pectoral fins of the females. During breeding season, males start chasing around females, sluggishly at first but with increasing fervor. Introduce a known female into the tank and look for the reaction of the other fish: Males will show a lot of interest, whereas females will show none! Many breeders separate males and females at least a few weeks before breeding in order to create a greater desire to breed. Just like with humans, absence makes the heart grow fonder!
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One-sentence summary -- Know what a female goldfish tends to look like. Know what a male goldfish tends to look like. Look at the behavior of goldfish to tell apart males and females. Consider isolating males and females for a couple weeks before breeding.


Human rights law can take you to the far corners of the globe. Even if you spend your career closer to home, your studies will give you the opportunity for international studies, internships, and conferences. Getting a passport can take up to several months. Apply while you are starting college and be ready to take advantage of opportunities when they arise. A Juris Doctor is a graduate degree. Before you can attend law school, you must have an undergraduate degree. The American Bar Association does not require or recommend any particular field of study to prepare you for law school.  A liberal arts degree with a diverse field of study including history, philosophy, sociology, and literature will give you a solid basis for a career in human rights law.  Law school admittance, especially at elite schools, is heavily dependent on your grade point average. Concentrate on a field of study where you will excel.  If you want a human rights career outside the United States, you should consider adding foreign language classes to your curriculum. Learning to speak French and Spanish will broaden your skills and make you competitive for internships and employment in human rights law organizations.  If you study outside the United States and intend to go to a domestic law school, you will submit your transcripts through the LSAC Credential Assembly Service for evaluating your credits for application to law school. While you are in college, you need to be thinking about how you will finance your legal education. Law school can easily cost between $50,000 and $150,000 for your three-year degree.  Learn about financial aid resources for graduate students. Most students finance their law degree with loans. This is not an option to undertake lightly. Learn about the loan options and repayment plans available to you. Federal student loans include income-based repayment plans. Public interest lawyers may also be eligible for loan forgiveness, based on your career path.  Excelling in your undergraduate studies puts you in a good position for law school scholarships. The LSAT is one of the factors law schools use in assessing applicants. The test is offered several times a year and tests basic skills that help measure your likelihood of success in law school. You will be tested in reading comprehension, analytical reasoning, and logic. There is also a writing sample that is submitted to law schools with your test scores.
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One-sentence summary -- Apply for a passport. Attend college and earn an undergraduate degree. Create a financial aid plan. Take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).


Use a sharp knife and cutting board to remove a section of at least an inch from each end of the stalk. This will remove the dried-out portions from older cuts.  You may need to score the tough outer edge of the stalk by cutting or gently sawing a few millimeters in all the way around the stalk, then breaking it along the scoring, rather than trying to chop all the way through. You may need to cut more from each end if the ends have become very hard and dried and you cannot access the juicier flesh. Divide a long stalk into several smaller pieces that are easier to work with. Score and break or chop through the stalk to make pieces of about six inches.  It will be easiest to cut through sections of the stalk in between the thicker joints. Keep in mind, however, that the sections between the joints will also be the easiest to chew or use for other purposes, so it’s best to keep them intact. You can also cut the stalk lengthwise into two, four, or more thinner sticks for consumption. Do this before cutting off the outer layer, or afterwards if it’s easier to do so. Stand a piece of the cane on its end and cut downward to remove the outermost layer of the stalk. This eliminates the hard, green “bark” that cannot be chewed.  Cut in about a millimeter from the edge, or wherever you see that the tougher green bark is distinguished from the inner white flesh. You may be able to peel the outer layer down and off the stalk with your fingers after making an initial cut, depending on how easily your cane’s bark separates from the flesh.
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One-sentence summary --
Cut a small part off from each end. Cut the cane into sections. Cut off the outer layer.