15 Kinds Of Dogs You'll Meet In The BuzzFeed Animals Newsletter

I’m sayin’ woof.

Big dogs.

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Little dogs.

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Little itty-bitty dogs.

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Stylish dogs...

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How to Skip Rocks

Skipping rocks is a skill that requires mastery of speed, spin, and angle. It can make for a great day at a lake or another peaceful body of water and can even be a bonding activity for you and your friends or family members. Even if you don't beat the Guinness World Record of 51 skips in one throw, you'll likely impress children when you skip stones like a professional.^[1] The most important thing to keep in mind is that it'll take some practice to skip rocks across a water's surface, but the hard work you put in will be worth it.

Steps

1. Find a flat water surface with a large supply of rocks. Lake shores or calm areas of rivers are best. Ocean beaches are not your best option, unless it’s a very calm day. However, the calm bay side of a beach, such as parts of Florida’s Gulf Coast, can be just as conducive to rock skipping as a lake. If you do choose to skip stones on rough water, you'll need to adapt your technique to using a slightly heavier stone, which is more likely to plough through a wave and maintain a steady course.^[2]
   
   
   
   Just keep in mind that heavier stones can be more challenging to skip, so you’ll be putting yourself at a slight disadvantage.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • If you can’t find a flat water surface with a good supply of rocks, bring a stack of your own. It’ll be harder to get the technique down if you have to spend five minutes searching for a new rock every time you skip a stone.
   
   
   
   


2. Select your rock. Look for a skinny, flat and round rock about the size of your palm, which is just heavy enough to be immune to breezes and turbulence, but still light enough to be thrown with accuracy.^[3] Try to find the thinnest rock possible. The smoother and flatter the stone, the better it will skip across the surface of the water without breaking the surface tension.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • However, the world record holder for rock skipping admits that a perfectly round and smooth stone is too slippery to hold; he prefers a stone with a chip or a bump that he can grip so that he can get the most spin.^[4]
   
   
   • It's also possible that a rock with lots of small pits on the surface reduces water drag in the same way that the many dimples on a golf ball reduce air drag.^[5] Try out different kinds of stones and see what works best for you.
   
   
   • If you have rougher, more calloused hands, it may be easier to grip onto a smoother stone. However, if your hands are as soft and smooth as a baby’s, it may be challenging to grip it well before you throw it.
   
   
   
   


3. Place your index finger against the edge of the rock. Hold the flat sides of the rock with your thumb on one side and your middle finger on the other. This is just one way to hold the stone; what matters, ultimately, is that you can send the stone spinning in a straight line with the flat end almost parallel to the water. You should make sure to place the stone in the crook of your index finger while placing your thumb on top of the rock to maintain control of it.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • You can also consider the size of your hands when implementing this technique. If you have smaller hands, you may need to use a smaller stone so that you can really get a firm grip on it.
   
   
   
   


4. Face the water sideways, with your feet shoulder-width apart. Stand with your non-dominant side closest to the water's edge, with your shoulder turned toward the water. Squat down close to the water so that when you throw, your rock will be close to parallel with the surface of the water. Scientists have found that the ideal angle between the stone and the water is 20 degrees; any less than that, and the friction slows it down; any more than that, and it cuts the water and sinks.^[6]
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • If you're tall, you might find yourself making the angle too wide, in which case you can compensate by throwing the stone faster. Practice getting the stone to hit the water at a 20 degree angle, even if you can’t get it to skip, at first.^[7]
   
   
   
   


5. Bend your wrist all the way back and then snap it forward to flick the rock against the surface of the water. Don’t think of it as throwing an overhand Frisbee, but as throwing an underhand softball. You can also think of it like cracking a whip sideways. The important thing is that you carefully bend your wrist all the way back to generate some power, and that you then flick it forward quickly and at the right angle, allowing it to spin counter-clockwise. Throw it as fast as you can without losing form. Angle and spin are more important than speed.^[8]
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • The world record holder has been observed to employ a baseball pitcher’s windup with a sidearm release and a strong follow through.
   
   
   
   


6. Get your legs into it. At first, you can just focus on getting the arm work down, but after you feel like you have a strong sense of how to get the speed, spin, and angle that you’re going for, then you can work on getting your legs into the mix so that you can generate even more power and master the technique. Focusing on your footwork can help you master the rhythm and skills needed to skip rocks to the best of your ability. Here’s what you can try:
   
   
   
   • Bend down at least half a foot and get some bend in your knees. Then, when you flick that rock forward, you can generate some additional power.
   
   
   • For extra momentum, if you want to be like our world record holder, then you can raise the foot closer to the water about half a foot above the ground, lean more on your back foot as you wind up, and then skip the stone and follow through to land on that front foot. This can also help you generate some additional power. You can think of this as being similar to a pitcher’s wind-up.
   
   
   • Though you may be going barefoot or wearing flip-flops if you’re near a calm ocean or a lake, if you’re really committed, you can consider wearing sneakers. This can help you get a firmer grip on the ground and will keep you from slipping.
   
   
   
   


7. Make sure to follow through. Don’t just throw the rock and stop moving your arm as soon as the stone falls out of it. This will cause it to stop short. Instead, when you bend that wrist back, make sure to whip your throwing arm all the way across your chest, finishing near the shoulder of your opposite arm. Following through will ensure that you’ve put all of your power and momentum into the throw and will make the stone travel the furthest and skip the longest.
   
   
   
   • Think of it as throwing a baseball or hitting a forehand in tennis. You want to complete the full motion to maximize the results.
   
   
   
   


8. Keep practicing. If the stones bounce off the water and go high in the air, you're probably throwing it down too close to yourself (making a wide angle between the stone and the water); try throwing it so the first skip is further away from you.^[9] That's because the force of the water pushes the rock up, and with too much force, it goes too far up then comes down at a sharp angle and sinks. If you throw it too far, though, then the stone will "surf" across the surface of the water (rather than skip) and the friction will slow the rock's momentum and cause it to sink.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   • You can also practice skipping stones of different sizes and weights. You may find that you prefer a lighter, smaller stone, or a larger, heavier stone.
   
   
   • If it’s summer and you have some free time on your hands, just practice skipping 20 or so stones a day until you get it. Remember that you’re not trying to be a world record holder and that you’re just trying to have some fun.
   
   
   
   

Videos

Tips

• The really light and small rocks skip more times and go further, but a medium weight usually works best for beginners.


• Some people find the backhanded method of rock skipping easier. Stand facing sideways to the water, but this time have your dominant hand closest to the water's edge. Flick with the backside of your hand facing the water, like you're scattering birdseed.


• A rock with a curved edge will sometimes hit the water and go a different direction, like a boomerang.


• Really big rocks, like stepping-stone sized, can sometimes be skipped using the backhanded method with both hands, but they don't go as far.

Warnings

• Do not aim rocks towards people or wildlife.

Related wikiHows

• How to Paint a River Rock


• How to Collect Rocks


• How to Play Marco Polo

Sources and Citations

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How to Infuse Vodka With Watermelon

By soaking watermelon cubes in vodka for about a week, you can make delicious watermelon vodka. You can also do the opposite––pour some vodka into a watermelon––for an edible alcoholic treat.

Ingredients

Make a vodka-infused watermelon

• Servings: 4 to 8
  
  
  
  • 1 medium watermelon
  
  
  • 1 bottle (750ml) vodka
  
  
  
  

Infuse vodka with fresh watermelon

• Servings: 12 to 15
  
  
  
  • 1 medium watermelon
  
  
  • 1 bottle (750ml) vodka
  
  
  
  

Infuse vodka with watermelon-flavored hard candy

• Servings: 4
  
  
  
  • 12 watermelon hard candies
  
  
  • 8 1/2 oz. (250ml) vodka
  
  
  
  

Steps

Make a vodka-infused watermelon

Pouring vodka into a watermelon and allowing the beverage to soak into the watermelon overnight creates a delicious adult treat for any summer party.

1. Remove the cap from a bottle of vodka. Place the cap on top of a watermelon that is resting in your sink or on the countertop. Use a serrated knife or a sharp paring knife to cut into the watermelon rind around the bottle cap.


2. Remove the bottle cap and carve out a plug of the rind using the circle that you just etched. You will eventually place your vodka bottle inside the hole that you’ve carved. Make sure to refrigerate the plug in a resealable plastic bag to reinsert later and save the cap of the vodka bottle to recap it later.


3. Scoop out some of the watermelon flesh with a spoon until you have created a hole deep enough to insert the entire neck of your vodka bottle.


4. Stand the watermelon upright so its length is perpendicular to the base of the sink or countertop.


5. Insert the vodka bottle into the hole that you carved into the side of the watermelon. Your vodka bottle will be at a 90-degree angle with the sink or countertop.


6. Rotate the watermelon until it is back in a resting position in the sink or on the countertop. The vodka bottle should be perpendicular to the length of the watermelon. Leave the vodka bottle in the watermelon for at least 12 hours.


7. Carefully remove the vodka bottle. The fruit will have absorbed anywhere from half of a bottle to a full bottle of vodka. If any vodka remains, then clean the watermelon residue from the bottle and save the vodka for another use or discard the remaining vodka.


8. Insert the rind plug back into the hole on top of the watermelon if you're not planning on cutting into it immediately.


9. Cut the watermelon into slices and serve it. You can either cut it into wedges or peel it and cut it into cubes. The vodka infusion will be potent, so eat the watermelon slowly.

Infuse vodka with fresh watermelon

Cube a fresh watermelon and soak the watermelon cubes in vodka for approximately 6 days to infuse the vodka with a delicate watermelon flavor.

1. Cut the watermelon into 2 halves. Reserve 1 half for another use.


2. Cut the half into 2 quarters.


3. Slice between the red flesh and the white part of the rind of 1 quarter to separate the flesh from the rind. Repeat the step with the other quarter.


4. Cut the watermelon into 1” (2.5cm) chunks. You will not have to remove the seeds, as these will be strained out of the vodka later, if needed. If you use a seedless watermelon for this recipe, clearly you don’t have to worry about deseeding.


5. Place the watermelon chunks in a large glass jar with an airtight lid.


6. Pour 1 bottle (750 milliliters) of vodka over the watermelon chunks.


7. Seal the container and place it in a cool, dark place for at least 6 days.


8. Remove the container from its storage location and open the lid. The infused vodka should be pink.


9. Place a clean tea towel or cheesecloth over the mouth of the jar. The cloth or towel will act as a strainer.


10. Pour the vodka into sterile bottles or jars through the cheesecloth or tea towel so you're straining out the watermelon seeds and chunks. Discard the watermelon in your garbage bin or compost pile, or wrap the pieces in plastic wrap and refrigerate them so you can eat them later.


11. Seal the bottles or jars of vodka and store them in your refrigerator until you're ready to use them.

Infuse vodka with watermelon-flavored hard candy

To make watermelon-flavored vodka with a sweeter flavor, use watermelon hard candies instead of fruit. The final product will have deeper color than fruit-infused vodka; it will be more coral than pink.

1. Place the watermelon candies into a small bottle or jar. If they fit through the opening of the original vodka bottle, you can drop them directly through it. If not, break them into halves or large pieces.


2. Pour the vodka over the hard candies and seal the container.


3. Soak the candy in the vodka for 8 to 12 hours. The candy will dissolve.


4. Shake the mixture gently to disperse the dissolved candy throughout the vodka.


5. Keep the vodka in the sealed container until you're ready to serve it.

Video

Tips

• On the fourth day of infusing the vodka with watermelon, add two sprigs of rosemary to the jar. Discard the rosemary sprigs and watermelon on the sixth day and strain out the vodka. The rosemary will add a nice woodsy kick to the watermelon-infused vodka.

Things You'll Need

• Large knife


• Cutting board


• Large glass jar with an airtight lid


• Spoon (optional)


• Cheesecloth or clean tea towel


• Sterile bottles or jars

Related wikiHows

• How to Make Vodka Infused Oranges


• How to Make Skittles Vodka


• How to Host a Blind Vodka Tasting Party


• How to Make Vanilla Infused Vodka

Sources and Citations

• http://ift.tt/1mDBsnT – research source


• http://ift.tt/1r2LFRF – research source


• http://ift.tt/W0Hny5 – research source


• http://ift.tt/m1qOtZ – research source

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