Removing a Tight-Fitting Ring from a Finger

I have just got the following information from a "public domain" website.

It made me wonder if any of our readers had problems removing a "tight-fitting" finger ring, and may be looking for an easy way to get it off.

Please let us know if this simple sounding solution works for you.

And, if you know of an even simpler (and effective) solution, please share that too. Here goes:

When a ring cannot be removed easily from the finger, take a string or thread and draw one end through between the ring and the flesh.

Coil the other end of the string around the finger covering the part from the ring to and over the finger joint.

Uncoil the string by taking the end placed through the ring and at the same time keep the ring close up to the string.

In this way the ring can be easily slipped over the knuckle and off from the finger.

What Is Organic Produce?

The following excerpt was taken from the “US FOOD & DRUG ADMINISTRATION” website. It addresses the question: What is "organic produce"?

Here is the FDA’s answer:

Organic produce is grown without using most conventional
pesticides; fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge; bioengineering; or ionizing radiation.

Before a product can be labeled "organic," a government-approved certifier inspects the farm where the food is grown to make sure the farmer meets the U.S. Department of Agriculture's organic standards. Companies that handle or process organic food before it reaches the supermarket or restaurant must be certified, too.

Here is the link to the FDA website from which this excerpt was taken: http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~dms/prodsafe.html

MOHS Hardness Scale

Now, for an interesting change of subject, let's focus for a while on MOHS Hardness Scale.

This scale is used to determine the hardness of solids, especially minerals. The following excerpt from an article entitled "How Diamonds Work" by Kevin Bonsor and Candace Gibson, explains.

The entire article may be accessed at: http://science.howstuffworks.com/diamond2.htm.

A diamond ranks a 10 on the Mohs Hardness Scale. The Mohs Scale is used to determine the hardness of solids, especially minerals. It is named after the German mineralogist Friedrich Mohs.

Here's the scale, from softest to hardest:

1. Talc - easily scratched by the fingernail
2. Gypsum - just scratched by the fingernail
3. Calcite - scratches and is scratched by a copper coin
4. Fluorite - not scratched by a copper coin and does not scratch glass
5. Apatite - just scratches glass and is easily scratched by a knife
6. Orthoclase - easily scratches glass and is just scratched by a file
7. Quartz - (amethyst, citrine, tiger's-eye, aventurine) not scratched by a file
8. Topaz - scratched only by corundum and diamond
9. Corundum - (sapphires and rubies) scratched only by a diamond
10. Diamond - scratched only by another diamond

FDA & EPA Recommendations Re Mercury From Fish & Shellfish

Three recommendations that will help you reduce your exposure to the harmful effects of mercury when you eat fish and shellfish. This advice is from a "Joint Federal Advisory for Mercury in Fish."


By following these 3 recommendations for selecting and eating fish or shellfish, women and young children will receive the benefits of eating fish and shellfish and be confident that they have reduced their exposure to the harmful effects of mercury.

1. Do not eat Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish because they contain high levels of mercury.
2. Eat up to 12 ounces (2 average meals) a week of a variety of fish and shellfish that are lower in mercury.
a. Five of the most commonly eaten fish that are low in mercury are shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, pollock, and catfish.
b. Another commonly eaten fish, albacore ("white") tuna has more mercury than canned light tuna. So, when choosing your two meals of fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) of albacore tuna per week.
3. Check local advisories about the safety of fish caught by family and friends in your local lakes, rivers, and coastal areas. If no advice is available, eat up to 6 ounces (one average meal) per week of fish you catch from local waters, but don't consume any other fish during that week.

Follow these same recommendations when feeding fish and shellfish to your young child, but serve smaller portions.

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are the source of these recommendations. Please visit their websites for more information, at your convenience.