Problem: Article: Whether you purchased the bond yourself or were given the bond as a gift, it normally cannot be redeemed until 1 year after its purchase. If you live in a federally-declared disaster area, the 1-year waiting period can be waived.  If you are cashing in electronic bonds for disaster relief, simply write an email inside your TreasuryDirect account at https://www.treasurydirect.gov/ explaining the situation. If you’ve been affected by a disaster and are cashing in paper bonds, your bank should be able to waive the 1-year minimum holding fee if you live in a federally-declared disaster area. EE savings bonds were meant to be long-term investments. If you cash in your EE bond before it is 5 years old, you will lose the last 3 months of interest. Paper EE savings bonds double in value at the 20-year mark, meaning that if you want to get the best bang for your buck, wait until the bond has reached its 20-year maturity.  Say you have a bond worth $100 and an interest rate of 0.20%. After 20 years, the bond reaches a maturity value of $200, even though the nominal value of the loan, given the interest rate, would normally be $105. After the adjustment, and until the loan hits 30 years old, it will earn a fixed interest rate. Regardless of the interest rate on your current EE savings bond, waiting 20 years before cashing in the paper bond will guarantee you an effective yield of about 3.5 percent. EE savings bonds only earn interest for 30 years. If you have a bond that is older than 30 years, it doesn't make much sense to keep it invested in an interest-less bond, so cash it in. Knowing the value of EE savings bonds will help you decide whether it's a good idea to cash in your bonds. Depending on the year issued, EE savings bonds have various interest rates.  Bonds bought before May 1997 earn different interest rates depending on when they were bought. Bonds bought between May 1997 and April 2005 earn a variable interest rate, meaning their interest rate changes. It changes every 6 months and it's 90% of the average 5-year Treasury yield for the previous 6 months. Bonds bought between May 2005 and the end of 2006 earn between 3.2 percent and 3.7 percent interest and will continue to do so for as long as you own them.
Summary: Cash in after the mandatory 1-year period unless you’ve been affected by a disaster. Avoid penalties by waiting at least 5 years to cash in your bonds. Wait at least 20 years for the best investment on a paper bond. Cash in any EE savings bond that is older than 30 years old. Find out the interest rate of your EE savings bonds.

Problem: Article: Add 5 ounces (142 g) of boneless pork loin that's been cut in ¼-inch (6-mm) thick strips and 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of dark soy sauce to a bowl. Mix the two together well so the pork is fully coated and let the meat sit for 10 to 15 minutes. You can omit the pork from the soup if you want to make a vegetarian version. Add 4 small Chinese dried black mushrooms and 12 dried tree ear mushrooms to a large bowl or pot. Pour 3 cups (710 ml) of boiling water over the mushrooms, and let them soak for until they are softened, which should take approximately 30 minutes.  You can usually find Chinese dried black mushrooms and dried tree ear mushrooms at Asian grocery stores. Make sure that the water completely covers the mushrooms. Use a large bowl or pot that has plenty of extra space because the tree mushrooms will expand significantly as they soak. While the mushrooms are soaking, turn them over every so often to ensure that they soften all over. After the mushrooms have softened, use a knife to remove the stems from the black mushrooms. Squeeze the mushrooms over the bowl to extract the excess liquid, and slice them thinly. Set them aside on a plate for the moment. If there are any hard portions of the black mushrooms, remove them with the knife. After you've removed the black mushrooms from the bowl, lift out the tree ear mushrooms. Use a knife to remove any hard portions, and set them on the plate with the black mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. If the tree ear mushrooms are very large, you should cut them into bite-size pieces. Once you've removed the mushrooms, mix ¼ cup (59 ml) of the liquid that the mushrooms have soaked in with 1 ½ tablespoons (12 g) of cornstarch in a small bowl. Whisk the two together until they're fully blended and smooth. Set aside the mixture for the moment.
Summary: Toss the pork loin with the dark soy sauce. Soak the mushrooms in boiling water. Trim and squeeze the excess moisture from the black mushrooms. Cut any hard bits from the tree ear mushrooms. Combine some of the mushroom soaking liquid and the cornstarch.

Problem: Article: Because of the English bulldog's skin folds, especially those on the face and around the lips, will need to be carefully examined each day for signs of infection. Normal yeast found on the body will thrive and flourish in these dark, warm, and moist crevices. These should be gently washed and thoroughly dried at least every other day, more often in those dogs prone to infections. The English bulldog’s short hair coat will shed so a thorough brushing once a week with a soft bristled brush is recommended. While you’re grooming, keep an eye open for any fleas, ticks, or mites, along with any lumps, bumps, or cysts on the skin. These, along with any scabs, redness, or itchy skin, should be brought to your veterinarian’s attention. Brushing time is a good time to look at the nails and paws. The nails might need to be clipped. If you haven’t performed this before ask you veterinarian technician to demonstrate. The procedure needs to be done correctly so you don’t trim the “quick,” or the part of the nail where the blood vessels and nerves are. Once a dog has been “quicked,” or the quick has been cut, it will be hard to trim your puppy's nails, due to fear of pain and bleeding.
Summary:
Clean your puppy regularly. Brush your puppy regularly. Inspect your puppy's feet regularly.