You don’t have to prune this easy-care shrub in order for it to look beautiful in your landscape.
Boxwood
Photo by Marty Baldwin
Slow-growing boxwood (Buxus spp.) is a perfect candidate for the no-pruning-needed club of low maintenance shrubs. Boxwood is known for its compact growth and petite evergreen leaves. Plant boxwood where it has space to expand to its mature size and you’ll enjoy these easy-care shrubs for years.
Growing Conditions: Full sun to part shade and moist, well-drained soil
There are several factors that determine the replacement cost of an electric car battery, including the make and model of the car, the size and capacity of the battery, market prices, and the cost of labor. The data at this time is limited, as only a small number of EV models have been on the market long enough to warrant a battery replacement. On average, you can expect the replacement cost of an electric car’s battery to run from $5,000 to upward of $15,000, according to an article from Consumer Reports. As a general rule, the larger the battery is, the more expensive it is to replace. If the electric car is still under its factory warranty, the replacement pack would be free to the customer. Here are more details about why an electric car battery’s replacement cost can vary so widely.
Battery pack type and capacity: Some automakers have designed their electric car battery packs with a modular design, meaning that some portions of the battery pack can be replaced without having to replace the whole thing. In these cases, an individual module can cost anywhere from $1,000 to upward of $3,000 depending on its size. Other automakers chose to use an integrated battery pack, meaning that if some cells in the battery fail, the entire battery will need to be replaced. In this scenario, you’d pay the full price of the battery pack.
Labor rates: While most of an electric car’s battery replacement costs go toward the parts themselves, it will still need a qualified mechanic to install them. Auto mechanics’ labor rates vary by city, state, and whether the technician works at a dealership or an independent shop. A ballpark figure for labor costs to replace an EV battery would be about $900 on the low end and upward of $2,000 on the high end.
Warranty coverage: Electric vehicles are federally mandated to have an eight-year or 100,000-mile (whichever comes first) warranty, covering the electric motor and the battery. Though battery cells degrade over time, the warranties also cover premature degradation, with each manufacturer stating the percentage threshold in its warranty.
Average lifespan of electric car batteries
The lifespan of an electric car battery depends on several factors, including the battery’s chemistry, operating temperatures, charging habits, and the vehicle’s battery cooling system.
The U.S. Department of Energy has predictive modeling by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory that indicates that modern EV batteries can last 12 to 15 years in moderate climates, while those in extremely hot or cold climates can expect a lifespan in the eight- to 12-year range.
Plex Inc. is an American software company that launched an ad-supported streaming service of movies, television shows and music that is accessible from its applications. Plex Inc. is based in Los Gatos, California. As of 2023, Plex had 16 million active monthly streaming users. Plex is available to stream through the app on an extremely wide array of devices.
Open your file cabinets and take a stroll down memory lane. Still got the purchase agreement from the car you bought back in 1996? Bank statements from the Dark Ages, before you switched to digital documents?
Shredders were invented for just such an occasion.
Some things should never be destroyed. Among them are wills, titles, deeds, contracts or paperwork with raised seals, such as birth certificates. Scan these and store them digitally, and put the originals in a safe, fireproof location.
As for tax paperwork, Stacy (Money Talks News founder Stacy Johnson) says you should keep your returns themselves, in case you ever need proof you filed your taxes — though you can digitize your returns and shred the paper versions. It gets more complicated with supporting documents: Many you don’t need, but some you will want to keep.
Here is what Stacy says:
How long do you have to keep your tax returns, digital or otherwise?
You need to keep a copy of your tax returns forever, in case you need to prove you filed.
As far as the supporting documents for tax returns, typically, you want to keep them for at least three years after the tax return is filed. That’s because the IRS typically can go back three years to audit returns.
While it may seem that three years is the limit, there are documents you’ll want to have much longer.
For example, I’ve owned my house since 2001. When I sell it, if I have a big profit, I might have to pay taxes on part of the gain. To reduce my taxes, I’ll need to show the money I’ve put into the house. So, I’ve kept all the receipts for improvements, some dating back to the first year I owned the house.
I’ll have to continue holding that paperwork for another three years after I sell the house and report the sale on my tax return.
There are other exceptions to the three-year rule for tax returns and supporting documents.
If you underreport your income by 25%, the statute of limitations is doubled to six years. If you filed a fraudulent return, the IRS can go back to the days the dinosaurs roamed the Earth.
But if you’re a typical taxpayer reporting your income and doing things the right way, three years is your answer.
Whatever your situation, though, digitize your documents and store them cheaply and safely in the cloud. Then, you won’t have to worry about them burning up, getting lost, getting eaten by mice or anything else. And you won’t have to worry about how long to keep stuff.
Note: Some paperwork should be kept updated, especially if it has to do with estate planning. For example, things may have changed — an inheritance from your parents, or grandchildren being born — since you wrote your will 10 years ago. You’ll find useful tips in “8 Documents That Are Essential to Planning Your Estate.”
Sansevieria Fernwood Mikado is a type of snake plant that is easy to care for. It should be watered once a week and placed in a well-lit corner with bright, indirect light. The plant prefers well-draining, sandy loam soil and should be allowed to dry out completely between waterings during winter. The ideal growth zone is 9a-11. It can grow up to four feet tall, but typically only reaches about two feet indoors due to limited space. It prefers bright indirect light and should be kept away from direct sunlight and drafts.
Sansevieria Fernwood (aka Mikado) – Beginners Care Guide
Introducing the Sansevieria Fernwood indoor plant. It is a beautiful specimen from the dracaena family with its unique take on being a snake plant. Rather than the vertical sword-shaped leaves we are used to from typical snake plants (like the sansevieria trifasciata), the Fernwood produces long thin foliage that arches out like a spikey rosette.
Even though they have their own unique take, they still retain the good parts of being a snake plant, such as the ability to clean air and drought tolerance. They are one of the few indoor plants that thrive on neglect, making them perfect for busy individuals.
Speaking of too little time, we’ve summarized Sansevieria Fernwood’s care requirements in the table below for those who don’t have time to read our detailed care guide.
Sansevieria Fernwood Care Summary
Description
Recommendations
Watering
Only water when soil is dry
Lighting
A position that receives plenty of bright indirect light
Temperature
70-90° Fahrenheit (21-31° Celsius)
Humidity
Medium to Low Humidity
Feeding
All-purpose houseplant fertilizer at the beginning of Spring
Below you will find the 40 Common English Words that will improve your vocabulary significantly. These lists of high-frequency words are drawn from various sources, and mainly based on a national corpus (British or American). A corpus is a collection of texts and recorded speech consisting of tens of millions of words. From such a large volume of data, it is possible to calculate the frequency with which words occur in a language. Inevitably, not all corpuses are identical or agree with one another, and you may notice minor differences in frequency or rank within these lists. Such differences are insignificant.
Honest
Sincere: (of a person) saying what they genuinely feel or believe
For example: I’m sure he is a sincere person
Frank: Open, honest, direct in speech or writing
For example: to be frank, I don’t know
Blunt: Uncompromisingly forthright
For example: I have to be blunt. I don’t like your wedding dress
Forthright: Direct and outspoken
For example: You’re right, it would be nice if she’d be forthright
Admit:
Confess: Admit that one has committed a crime or done something wrong
For example: She confessed that she had damaged the car.
Reveal: make (previously unknown or secret information) known to others.
For example: Mary’s husband was forced to reveal Mary’s whereabouts
Avow: Assert or confess openly
For example: He avowed his change of faith.
Cry
Weep: To shed tears
For example: he wept bitter tears at her cruelty
Sob: Cry noisily, making loud convulsive gasps
For example: she broke down and sobbed like a child
Bawl: Weep or cry nosily
For example: I bawled my eyes out when I heard the bad news.
Fat
Plump: Rather fat
For example: A rather plump girl began to walk towards them.
Overweight: Above a weight considered normal or desirable
For example: It’s time to admit she’s overweight.
Flabby: Soft, loose, and fleshy
For example: This exercise helps to flatten a flabby stomach.
Chubby: plump and rounded.
Boring
Tedious: Too long, slow, or dull
For example: It really was a tedious journey.
Dull: Lacking interest or excitement
For example: “your laerning doesn’t have to be dull and boring”
Uninteresting: Not arousing curiosity or interest
For example: The scenery was uninteresting.
Tiresome: Causing one to feel bored or annoyed
For example: His speech was quite tiresome.
Rude
Impolite: Not having or showing good manners
For example: It would’ve been impolite to refuse the invitation.
Insolent: Showing a rude and arrogant lack of respect
For example: She hated the insolent tone of his voice.
Impudent: Not showing due respect for another person
For example: His thoughts are impudent to say the least.
Cheeky: showing a lack of respect or politeness in a way that is amusing or appealing.
For example: His thoughts are impudent to say the least.
Begin
Start: Begin from a particular point in time or space
For example: The season starts in September.
Initiate: Cause (a process or action) to begin
For example: The project was initiated by me.
Launch: Start or set in motion
For example: He’s begun by launching an emotive advertising campaign.
Commence: Begin
For example: His design team commenced work.
Embark: Begin (a course of action)
For example: She embarked on a new career.
Exactly
Precisely: In exact terms; without vagueness
For example: The guidelines were precisely defined.
Completely: Totally; utterly… not lacking anything
For example: That story is completely true.
Absolutely with no qualification, restriction, or limitation; totally.
For example: He absolutely adores his car.
Laugh
Chuckle: Laugh quietly or inwardly
For example: I chucked at the surprise on her face
Giggle: Laugh lightly and repeatedly in a silly way
For example: they giggled at some private joke
Cackle: Laugh in a rough, harsh way
For example: the witch cackled at the end of the story
Snigger: Laugh in a scornful way
They kept sniggering at her
Source: 40 Common English Words • English with Adriana (englishteacheradriana.com)
For those skeptical about the safety of various unknown websites, a well-known and overall trusted source of free movies is YouTube. While all of the movies contain a higher frequency of ads than other sites, the amount of mainstream options available here is worth the look. Since it’s a familiar layout for most, navigating the site shouldn’t cause any holdups.
Source: The Best Free Movie Sites and Apps for 2023 – IGN
Tillandsia xerographica is a slow-growing, xerophyticepiphyte.[3] The silvery gray leaves are wide at the base and taper to a point making an attractive, sculptural rosette, 90 cm (3 ft) or more in diameter and over 90 cm (3 ft) high in flower. The inflorescence, on a thick, green stem, 150–380 mm (6–15 in) in height, densely branched. The leaf bracts are rosy red; the floral bracts are chartreuse; and the petals of the tubular flowers are red to purple and are very long lasting (months).
The genus Calathea—characterized by boldly marked, oblong leaves in a dazzling array of colors—includes some of the most beautiful tropical plants in the world. Due to the plants’ eye-catching stripes and veining, they’re often known by nicknames such as the zebra plant, peacock plant, or rattlesnake plant. Calatheas are also referred to as prayer plants, a common name that other species use as well.
Calatheas can be found outside in tropical environments, and they cannot tolerate cold temperatures. So elsewhere they are typically grown indoors year-round as houseplants. Moreover, calatheas can be hard to care for, as they have a reputation for being somewhat fussy about their growing conditions.
Source: Calathea: How to Grow and Care for Calathea Plants Indoors (thespruce.com)
Paper towels can provide much-needed cover and protection when heating foods in the microwave. They can prevent potential splatter from exploding food and offer a security blanket to snugly wrap a loaded breakfast biscuit so it doesn’t spill out during the cooking process. Paper towels even help keep steam in so that microwaved hot dogs and other items warm more evenly and retain moisture.
But if you’re going to employ paper towels in the microwaving process, there is a best practice approach you should always bear in mind. While most paper towels are microwave-safe, manufacturers recommend heating your food at shorter time intervals if you are using them. The purpose isn’t just to ensure that the paper towel continues to hold up well as it heats. As it turns out, if paper towels are nuked in the microwave for several minutes or more, they can catch fire and ruin more than just your meal.
To mitigate the fire risk, it is advisable to microwave foods at two-minute intervals. Take further caution and don’t fold or stack paper towels in the microwave, which may potentially start a fire. Additionally, there are certain types of paper towels that shouldn’t be used at all in the microwave. Recycled products and those with printing could present a possible safety hazard and should be avoided.
Of course, a fire is a worst-case scenario that simple precautions can easily avert, but you should also be aware that because they are absorbent, paper towels are likely to soak up liquids from the meals you cook, making them scalding hot to the touch. Remember to grab an oven mitt or heating pad to remove any paper towel-covered foods and spare those precious hands any unnecessary burns. Encasing your food in a paper towel cocoon can do wonders to maintain a clean microwave and lock in steam and moisture. Just don’t forget to adhere to the two-minute rule and be careful when removing whatever you’re heating up.
