INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Individuals with psoriasis are often very sensitive to weather conditions. Cold and dry conditions can exacerbate psoriasis, while warmer and more humid environments may ease and prevent uncomfortable flare ups. Checking the environmental conditions at your destination can help you better prepare for your trip, including knowing what types of supplies, medications, and clothing to bring. Look at the environmental conditions such as the temperature, relative humidity, and sun index for the time of year you plan to travel. Organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency and local county extensions can give you information on these conditions. No matter where you’re traveling, having the proper gear can help minimize your risk of flare ups or worsening psoriasis. Once you’ve checked the environmental conditions, pack clothing and other gear that is appropriate for your destination.  Bring small bottles to carry a small amount of lotion, water, or another necessities during day trips. Pack cotton clothing if you can as it is less likely to irritate your skin or cause overheating. Loose clothing can also minimize rubbing that can irritate psoriasis. Consider specific conditions when packing clothing. For destinations with warmer and more humid aid, choose light and airy fabrics such as cotton and even viscose. Dresses and loose pants and shirts are excellent options. For cooler and drier temperatures, consider leggings or wider-legged jeans with shirts and natural fabric sweaters you can layer. Stressful travel conditions can trigger flare ups. Ask friends, family, or travel agents about the infrastructure at your destination. This can minimize stress or other factors that trigger flare ups.  Visit a local travel agent and ask for information on your destination. Even if you didn’t book your travel through them, they may be able to help you navigate public transportation or side trips with minimal cost. Understanding local infrastructure can ease stress and prevent flare ups. Ask friends or family members if they or someone they know have been to your destination. These individuals often have great tips from their travels. Check the web for local information. For example, if you want to go to Berlin, you can easily access local transport maps at http://www.bvg.de/en/. For someplace like India, you can find information at sites such as or http://www.goatsontheroad.com/backpackers-guide-transportation-in-india/. There is no special psoriasis diet, but some foods may make symptoms worse. Getting a sense of the cuisine at your destination may help you avoid foods that can worsen symptoms or cause flare ups. Going to restaurants in your area that serve the cuisine may give you an idea of what you can expect when you are abroad and help you figure out dishes you can safely eat. You can also look up recipes for common dishes and check the ingredients. Be aware that the following can make psoriasis symptoms worse:  Gluten Alcohol Red meat Dairy products Nightshade plants such as peppers, white potatoes, eggplant and tomatoes Citrus fruits such as grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and limes

SUMMARY: Check the environmental conditions at your destination. Select items to pack based on the conditions. Ask about local infrastructure. Try the cuisine ahead of time.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Once your power source is on, slowly turn it up to reach your ideal amperage. A good rule of thumb is to use 12 amps per square foot of material. (12 amps per every 0.09 square meters of material). Increasing the power too fast or using too much can burn your aluminum wires. You will see little oxidation bubbles start to form on the surface of the anode. The anode will also start to change color, turning brown, then yellow. If you don’t see bubbles forming within about 30 seconds of starting your power supply, turn your power supply off and check your connections. This is usually an indicator that your power supply wasn’t properly connected. If you plan on dying your part, prepare the dye so that it is hot and ready when your anode comes out of the bath. Different dyes will have different requirements, so prepare your dye as directed on the product packaging.  Heating the dye will help increase the amount of pigment your part picks up. However, the dye should not be heated to a temperature over 122 °F (50 °C). Dye can be damaging to pots, so use an old one that you no longer use for food. Once your anode is done in the bath, turn off your power supply before attempting to retrieve it. Remove your aluminum carefully and rinse it with distilled water.  Work quickly if you plan on dying your part. Be sure to wear protective gloves when retrieving and rinsing your part. Let the part sit in the dye for 15 minutes. If you are only dying part of your anode (such as the bow of a key), wrap your aluminum wire around the part you don’t want to dye. Use this as a handle to dip your anode into the dye. If you do not plan on dying your aluminum part, skip straight to boiling the part in distilled water for 30 minutes. You should have enough water to fully submerge your anode. Once your anode is done in the dye bath, remove it and place it in the boiling water for 30 minutes. Set your newly dyed aluminum on a clean towel or rag and allow it to cool completely before handling. Once cooled, the surface should be sealed.

SUMMARY: Turn on your power source. Keep the power supply constant for 45 minutes. Mix your dye during the anodizing process. Turn off the power supply after 45 minutes. Place the aluminum part in the warm dye bath. Boil distilled water on a hot plate. Remove the hot metal carefully and allow it to dry.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: Each time you make a decision throughout the day, there is some purpose behind it. Given the hectic demands of day-to-day life, people sometimes lose track of the purpose and goals behind their actions. Try to be aware of the inherent purposes driving you throughout the day.  Focus on larger goals at work or school. Where do you want to be in five years? Two years? One year? How are you current actions serving this goal? Do your actions make sense reasonably given your larger purpose? Answering these questions can help you improve your reasoning skills.  Try to make sure your actions are actually serving some purpose. Oftentimes, people get caught up in the idea something has to be done in a particular way or they have to follow a particular path. Actions then become unreasonable. Try to keep the end in mind when you take a certain action. Everyone has biases, whether they are aware of them or not. If you want to improve reasoning skills, try to identify your biases.  A major bias is that people often only consider a situation or a problem from one point of view. When dealing with an issue at work, school, or home pause and ask yourself a few questions before taking action. Ask, "What do I believe about the situation? Why do I believe this? What assumptions might I be making about the thoughts and ideas of others?"  It's important to take steps to be self-aware of your own biases. This can help you avoid having those biases obstruct your judgment. It may even be helpful to ask a close friend about your gaps in thinking. Approach a friend with a question like, "What are some ways I sometimes behave irrationally?" Ask for honesty and openness. Each time you make a choice, there are consequences. A good way to improve reasoning skills is to make a point of stopping to consider those consequences on a conscious level.  Use your imagination. Before making a choice in a given situation, pause to imagine a variety of possible outcomes. How do you feel about these outcomes? What's the worst case scenario? Best case scenario? What is reasonably most likely to happen? Why?  Also, do not neglect to consider the viewpoints of others affected by your decision. This can help you explore your decision through a variety of angles.

SUMMARY:
Pay attention to the purpose behind your actions. Identify your biases. Consider the implications of your options.