Q: Go online to Pixar news sources, such as http://www.pixarpost.com/ and https://pixarplanet.com. These websites typically post about different charitable auction opportunities that happen from time to time. The purpose of these is to raise money for different organizations, such as the LA Food Bank or the Singing Stones School. Follow the directions on the website in order to place your bid, as you may get a tour if you have the highest one. While this is a good way to get a tour, it can be extremely expensive. Another way that Pixar uses charity fundraising to offer tours is by temporarily giving the public an opportunity to buy touring tickets, usually just before a film premier. Check out https://www.charitybuzz.com/ to see if any charity ticket opportunities have been posted. This is another pricey option. For example, tickets for a charity event in 2011 that included a black tie dinner, a screening, and an exclusive tour were $1,000 USD each. While it may be harder to get a tour by winning a contest, it’s a great option to pursue if you don’t have any personal connections and you also don’t want to spend a lot of money. Check out https://pixarplanet.com/blog/category/competition/ regularly to see what contests are posted. Contest entry requirements range in difficulty from answering a prompt with a short essay response to creating a trailer for a film. The prizes also vary, from special edition Blu-Ray disc sets to tours of the studio.
A: Participate in charitable auctions that are posted online. Purchase tour tickets for special charity events. Participate in contests that are posted online.

Q: Sedatives depress your nervous system, which may stop your brain from telling your body to breathe. If you often use sleeping pills or other sedatives to help you sleep, stop using these medicines. Talk to your doctor about alternatives that will not put you at risk of sleep apnea, such as melatonin or valerian. If your airways are blocked due to allergies, then taking an antihistamine pill or using a nasal spray prior to bedtime may help to open up your nasal passages and make breathing easier. Make sure that you ask your doctor first before starting this treatment. Modafinil is an FDA-approved drug that may help to combat the daytime fatigue associated with sleep apnea. You need a prescription for modafinil and it should not be used as a replacement for other therapies. Modafinil should be used as part of a treatment regimen that includes using a CPAP device and other sleep apnea treatments. It should be used only after the patient has been consistently using CPAP correctly and its still having problems Modafinil may cause weight gain. While OSA is a common cause of daytime sleepiness, there are other medical conditions that can cause daytime fatigue and sleepiness that often mimic the symptoms of OSA. This includes hypothyroidism, sleep disorders, depression, and a number of other things. It is important that your doctor rule out these causes through history taking and other tests. In a small study, vitamin C injections were shown to be an effective way to reduce the cell damage associated with sleep apnea. There is not enough evidence for use of vitamin C to be a conclusive treatment for sleep apnea, but you may wish to talk to your doctor about adding a vitamin C supplement to your diet. Consider taking 500mg of vitamin C daily as part of your treatment regimen.
A: Eliminate sedative medicines. Try taking an allergy medicine before bedtime. Ask your doctor about modafinil. Talk to your doctor about other conditions. Add vitamin C.

Q: An ophthalmologist will determine which stage of AMD you have based on the amount of drusen found in your eyes. Drusen are white or yellow deposits found in the retina.  Early stage: Medium-sized drusen equivalent to width of a hair strand and no vision loss. Intermediate stage: Large drusen and/or pigment changes; typically no vision loss. Late stage: This consists of two types:  Geographical atrophy/dry macular degeneration: The photoreceptors in the macula are damaged. The eyes cannot use light to convey vision to the brain. You may suffer a gradual onset of the condition. You will experience vision loss.  Neovascular macular degeneration/wet macular degeneration: This is caused by abnormal vessel growth, in which the vessels can eventually swell and break. Fluid builds up in and underneath the macula and causes visual changes. The onset is much faster than dry macular degeneration. Dry macular degeneration is due to a degeneration of the cells in the retina. The degeneration or drying of these cells and the lack of excess fluid gives it its "dry" name.  These cells are also known as photoreceptors, or cells that use light entering the retina to help our brain understand the images via the visual cortex. Basically these light sensitive areas help us to understand what we are seeing.  The degeneration occurs because fatty lipids called drusen build up in the macula as we age. This build-up is seen during an eye exam as yellow spots on the macula. AMD does not lead to total blindness, but it can drastically inhibit the central fields of vision. The “dry” form of macular degeneration is more common compared to its “wet” form. The following are the signs and symptoms of dry macular degeneration:  Blurring of printed words. More light needed when reading. Difficulty seeing in the dark. Difficulty in recognizing faces. Greatly diminished central vision. Noticeable blind spot in the field of vision. Gradual vision loss. Geometric shapes or inanimate objects mistakenly identified as people. This kind of AMD happens when blood vessels grow abnormally underneath the macula. Because of the macula’s growing size, the blood vessels may begin to leak or ooze fluid and blood into the retina and macula or, rarely, they may fully rupture. Though wet macular degeneration is less common than dry macula, it is a more aggressive visual disease that can lead to blindness. The cause for macular degeneration is unknown, but several studies have stated that there are risk factors that can lead anyone to develop the condition later on in life.  Its signs and symptoms include:  Straight lines that look wavy. Visual blind spot. Loss of central vision. Rapid vision loss. No pain. Scarring of the blood vessels, which may lead to irreversible loss of vision if not addressed promptly.
A: Know the different stages of AMD. Understand how "dry" macular degeneration occurs. Know what "wet" macular degeneration is.

Q: Make enough to fill a container large enough to fit your entire hand. Choose a container that’s also large enough so that your hand does not come into contact with the container itself. Be sure that the brand of rubber mold you use is non-toxic and safe for human contact. Hold your thumb and fingers in the pose you wish to replicate. Then dip your entire hand into the mold, keeping it well away from the sides and bottom. Leave at least a half-inch of mold between your hand and the container. Keep your hand posed within the mold for however long your mold’s directions say it needs to set. Then, if needed, wiggle your thumb, fingers, and hand very gently to loosen them. Pull your hand out slowly. Avoid any quick, jerky movements that might disturb the cast you’ve just made. Prepare enough to fill the entire mold. Then pour a small amount (not all) of your plaster into the mold. Manipulate the container so that the plaster coats the insides of the finger- and thumb-holes in your mold. Allow the plaster to settle a bit to avoid the formation of air pockets. Fill the entire mold. Then bang the table a few times to release any air pockets. Quit once you no longer see any bubbles bursting on the surface. Wait for the time indicated by the directions to your plaster. Then upend the container and empty it onto the table. Make cuts into the rubber mold with a plastic knife and peel it from the plaster cast, piece by piece. Look for any imperfections where empty space in the rubber mold may have allowed room for extra plaster. Remove gently with sand paper or a small knife or file. Then either leave your finished cast as is or paint it as you desire.
A:
Mix a batch of rubber mold. Soak your hand in warm water. Allow the mold to set. Mix a batch of plaster. Pour the rest of your plaster. Allow the plaster set. Clean the plaster cast.