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Showing posts from November, 2021

20 Best Books by Native American Authors to Read Right Now

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Add these books to your reading list If you’re an avid reader, it’s easy to get lost in the lists of best books of all time , books by Black authors , books by Latinx authors , and even books about race relations in America . But you’d be missing out if you neglected to focus on the rich cultural history and perspective of a literary collection that has been historically ignored or even silenced: Native American books. Of course, the terms “Native American authors” or “Native American literature” can be a bit too simplistic. Native Americans are not a monolith. With more than 500 recognized Indian Nations in the United States, it’s important to remember that one Native experience or tradition doesn’t always look like the other. But by reading Native American books, you can better understand the stories of those who have too often been erased from American history and literary tradition. To save you time, we’ve gathered 20 of the best Native American books from a variety of author

How to Clean a Keurig Coffee Maker

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It’s entirely possible you’re so happy with your trusty Keurig coffee maker that you simply assume all that needs to be done is to drop a pod in and drink up. But just like you need to regularly clean your coffee maker , you also need to clean your Keurig. If you’ve noticed that your coffee has started tasting stale or funny, your coffee maker probably needs a good cleaning. Your Keurig requires regular cleaning and descaling to remove any gross-looking gunk that makes your coffee taste bad, plus it’s unhealthy to boot. “It’s important to treat your Keurig equally as well as your small kitchen appliances that are used to prepare food,” says Kevin Hartley, CEO of Cambio Roasters®, a company that makes biodegradable, organic, and fair trade K-Cups. In case you’ve ever wondered how to clean a Keurig, you’re in luck since it’s not that complicated a process to keep it looking sparkly inside and out. And believe it or not, there are some easy tricks for cleaning a Keurig with vinegar. Har

The Best Oven Cleaners to Tackle Caked-On Gunk

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The self-cleaning function is a great piece of oven technology, but not all ovens can give themselves a good scrubbing. And while that process is long (about four hours) and stinky (seriously, your whole kitchen will reek), it requires less effort than manually cleaning the appliance. Without a self-cleaning oven , you can easily spend hours on your hands and knees trying to wash away years’ worth of caked-on gunk. And if you’re not using one of the best oven cleaners, you may have to scrape at the mess, a process that can damage your oven’s interior surface. Right about now, you’re probably considering skipping oven cleaning altogether. But while it may be a more arduous process than, say, cleaning a microwave, stove top , or stainless steel appliance , it’s a necessary one if you want your oven to be clean and run safely and efficiently. If you have a self-cleaning oven, you don’t need oven cleaner spray—in fact, your owner’s manual may explicitly tell you to avoid it. But for ever

Word Power Vocabulary Quiz: Book-Related Words

The post Word Power Vocabulary Quiz: Book-Related Words appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/3piYPNV

Word Power Vocabulary Quiz: Hidden Critters

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 What Is the Longest Word in English? Hint: It's 189,819 Letters Long 25 Fancy Words That Will Make You Sound Smarter 25 Words That Don't Mean What You Think They Do The post Word Power Vocabulary Quiz: Hidden Critters appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/3EcRky6

How to Clean Your Oven Like a Pro

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Make your oven sparkle with these pro cleaning tips Cleaning household appliances isn’t just for neat freaks—it will actually help them run more smoothly and last longer. For starters, bacteria can build up in the appliance, leaving it unsanitary. According to Johnny Pallares, owner of De La Rosa House Cleaning, it’s also important to clean your oven because a dirty oven may not run efficiently. “Old food can damage the heating coils on the bottom of your oven, making it harder to cook your food.” Frank Berger, CEO of You’ve Got Maids, also notes that grease left in your oven can catch fire if you’re not careful. Knowing how to clean your oven properly—as well as how to clean your microwave and how to clean your stove top —is crucial if you want these appliances to last longer and work better. Not sure where to start? Here’s a guide to how to clean your oven, which parts to clean, how to clean them, and the best oven cleaners to use. How to clean the inside of an oven Let’s star

How to Clean a Shower Head (And Why You Really Need To)

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After a sweat session at the gym or a messy day of gardening, nothing sounds better than jumping in the shower to rinse away the grime. And let’s be real: A shower offers a soothing reprieve from the day even if we haven’t done a single thing. Just like a dirty shower curtain , a dirty shower head is a major buzzkill, and not just because it looks grody. Our shower heads can accumulate grime, minerals, and even bacteria, which doesn’t bode well for a relaxing or clean moment. That’s why an important part of cleaning your bathroom is knowing how to clean shower head. “Over time, shower heads can develop calcium, limescale, and other mineral buildups from hard water ,” explains Vera Peterson, president of Molly Maid. “The mineral buildup creates a blockage at the end of the shower head, making it difficult for water to pass through.” How to clean your shower head If you’re doubting whether you really need to waste time cleaning a shower head, answer this: How regularly and how clos

The 50 Best Romantic Movies of All Time

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Isn’t it romantic? There’s nothing like a movie night with your significant other. Sure, you can watch a thriller movie, a drama, a comedy, or simply a film that’s considered one of the best movies from the last century, but when it comes to spicing up a romantic night in, nothing beats a good, old-fashioned romance movie. We’ve gathered 50 romantic movies that stand out from the crowd, with a list that includes Oscar-winning Hollywood classics, contemporary masterpieces, the best of international cinema, and love stories that are diverse and inclusive. Fair warning: Viewing them may turn you into a hopeless romantic! The post The 50 Best Romantic Movies of All Time appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest https://ift.tt/3GiA1fZ

The New Tipping Etiquette: How Much to Tip in Every Situation, from Salons to Restaurants to Drivers and Delivery

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Knowing how much to tip has always been stressful—there are no set rules, so you’re left guessing how to convert service quality into cash—but the COVID-19 pandemic has only increased the confusion. Many workers who normally survive on tips, like waitstaff, hotel clerks, and bartenders, lost this large part of their income when they no longer served customers in person, says Toni Dupree, a professional etiquette coach and author of a book and magazine column on etiquette rules. But while tipping for in-person services stopped during the height of the pandemic, other types of services exploded. Suddenly things like food and package delivery and grocery pickup were considered safety essentials. Places that had never asked for a gratuity before, like fast-food restaurants, were now asking for tips. Newer service jobs became popular, like concierge health care, where doctors and nurses come to your home to do exams. Did all these new services require a tip? Should the tip be bigger since