Saturday, October 4, 2008

50 Things Everyone Should Know How To Do

Self-reliance is a vital key to living a healthy, productive life.  To be
self-reliant one must master a basic set of skills, more or less making them a
jack of all trades.  Contrary to what you may have learned in school, a jack of
all trades is far more equipped to deal with life than a specialized master of
only one.


While not

totally comprehensive,
here is a list of 50 things everyone should know how to do.


1.  Build a Fire –
Fire produces heat and light, two basic necessities for living.  At some point
in your life this knowledge may be vital.



2.  Operate a Computer –
Fundamental computer knowledge is essential these days.  Please, help those in
need.



3.  Use Google Effectively –
Google knows everything.  If you’re having trouble finding something with
Google, it’s you that needs help.



4.  Perform CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver –
Someday it may be your wife, husband, son or daughter that needs help.



5.  Drive a Manual Transmission Vehicle – There will come a
time when you’ll be stuck without this knowledge.



6.  Do Basic Cooking –
If you can’t cook your own steak and eggs, you probably aren’t going to make it.



7.  Tell a Story that Captivates People’s Attention –
If you can’t captivate their attention, you should probably just save your
breath.




8.  Win or Avoid a Fistfight –
Either way, you win.



9.  Deliver Bad News –
Somebody has got to do it.  Unfortunately, someday that person will be you.



10.  Change a Tire –
Because tires have air in them, and things with air in them eventually pop.



11.  Handle a Job Interview –
I promise, sweating yourself into a nervous panic won’t land you the job.



12.  Manage Time –
Not doing so is called wasting time, which is okay sometimes, but not all the
time.



13.  Speed Read –
Sometimes you just need the basic gist, and you needed it 5 minutes ago. 



14.  Remember Names –
Do you like when someone tries to get your attention by screaming “hey you”?



15.  Relocate Living Spaces –
Relocating is always a little tougher than you originally imagined.



16.  Travel Light –
Bring only the necessities.  It’s the cheaper, easier, smarter thing to do.



17.  Handle the Police –
Because jail isn’t fun… and neither is Bubba.



18.  Give Driving Directions –
Nobody likes driving around in circles.  Get this one right the first time.



19.  Perform Basic First Aid –
You don’t have to be a doctor, or genius, to properly dress a wound.



20.  Swim – 71%
of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.  Learning to swim might be a good
idea. 



21.  Parallel Park – Parallel
parking is a requirement on most standard driver’s license driving tests, yet so
many people have no clue how to do it.  How could this be?



22.  Recognize Personal Alcohol Limits – Otherwise
you may wind up like
this charming fellow.



23.  Select Good Produce – Rotten
fruits and vegetables can be an evil tease and an awful surprise.



24.  Handle a Hammer, Axe or Handsaw – Carpenters
are not the only ones who need tools.  Everyone should have a basic
understanding of basic hand tools.



25.  Make a Simple Budget – Being
in debt is not fun.  A simple budget is the key.



26.  Speak at Least Two Common Languages – Only
about 25% of the world’s population speaks English.  It would be nice if you
could communicate with at least some of the remaining 75%.



27.  Do Push-Ups and Sit-Ups Properly – Improper
push-ups and sit-ups do nothing but hurt your body and waste your time.



28.  Give a Compliment – It’s
one of the greatest gifts you can give someone, and it’s free.



29.  Negotiate – The
better deal is only a question or two away.



30.  Listen Carefully to Others – The
more you listen and the less you talk, the more you will learn and the less you
will miss.



31.  Recite Basic Geography – If
you don’t know where anything is outside of your own little bubble, most people
will assume (and they are probably correct) that you don’t know too much at all.



32.  Paint a Room – The
true cost of painting is 90% labor.  For simple painting jobs it makes no sense
to pay someone 9 times what it would cost you to do it yourself.



33.  Make a Short, Informative Public Speech – At
the next company meeting if your boss asks you to explain what you’ve been
working on over the last month, a short, clear, informative response is surely
your best bet.  “Duhhh…” will not cut it.



34.  Smile for the Camera – People
that absolutely refuse to smile for the camera suck!



35.  Flirt Without Looking Ridiculous – There
is a fine line between successful flirting and utter disaster.  If you try too
hard, you lose.  If you don’t try hard enough, you lose.



36. Take Useful Notes – Because
useless notes are useless, and not taking notes is a recipe for failure.



37.  Be a Respectful House Guest
– Otherwise you will be staying in a lot of hotels over the years.



38.  Make a Good First Impression
– Aristotle once said, “well begun is half done.”



39.  Navigate with a Map and Compass – What
happens when the GPS craps out and you’re in the middle of nowhere?



40.  Sew a Button onto Clothing – It
sure is cheaper than buying a new shirt.



41.  Hook Up a Basic Home Theater System – This
isn’t rocket science.  Paying someone to do this shows sheer laziness.



42.  Type – Learning
to type could save you days worth of time over the course of your lifetime.



43.  Protect Personal Identity Information – Personal
identity theft is not fun unless you are the thief.  Don’t be careless.



44.  Implement Basic Computer Security Best Practices – You
don’t have to be a computer science major to understand the fundamentals of
creating complex passwords and using firewalls.  Doing so will surely save you a
lot of grief someday.



45.  Detect a Lie – People
will lie to you.  It’s a sad fact of life.



46.  End a Date Politely Without Making Promises – There
is no excuse for making promises you do not intend to keep.  There is also no
reason why you should have to make a decision on the spot about someone you
hardly know.



47.  Remove a Stain – Once
again, it’s far cheaper than buying a new one.



48.  Keep a Clean House – A
clean house is the foundation for a clean, organized lifestyle.



49.  Hold a Baby – Trust
me, injuring a baby is not what you want to do.



50.  Jump Start a Car – It
sure beats walking or paying for a tow truck.


Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

How to make those first impressions count

http://lifehacker.com/software/performance/video-how-to-make-those-first-impressions-count-233665.php
VideoJug has put up this informative video tutorial on how to make a good first impression.
Basically, it boils down to five basic things to remember: watch your entrance, give a firm handshake, note your posture, tone down nervous arm gestures, and watch what other people are doing ("mirroring"). Great advice for anyone who's heading into a situation where impressions count; an interview, for example. — Wendy Boswell
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

How to Learn Speed Reading

1. Have your eyes checked. Many people who read particularly slowly do so because they have an undiagnosed vision problem. Even if you think you have perfect vision, if you haven't had an eye exam recently, there's no time like the present.
2. Time your current reading speed. It is important to find out how fast you read now so that you can track your improvement through subsequent timings. Not only will timing help you to tell if you're improving, but it will also keep you motivated.

* You can break out a book and a stopwatch and either time how long it takes you to read a certain number of words on a page or find out how many words you read in a given amount of time.
* An easier way to time yourself is to take an online reading speed test. There are a plethora of these available: just enter "reading speed test" in your search engine. Many of these have reading comprehension tests, as well, so you can see how well you're understanding what you're reading.
* Regardless of how you decide to time yourself, be sure to read at your normal speed during the timing, and time yourself on a few different pages - the average of your times should approximate your average reading speed.
3. Get rid of distractions. Even if you think you read better when you have music playing or when you're in a crowded coffee house, you can probably increase your speed if you reduce distractions to a bare minimum. Try to find a solitary place to read, and turn off the TV, radio and cell phone. Even being in a room of people talking is distracting. If no solitary place is available, try using earplugs to block out any distractions around you. In order to maximize comprehension while reading quickly, you will need to focus on the material at hand as closely as possible.
4. Adjust reading speed depending on the material. Often, we must trade off comprehension for speed, so an important part of increasing reading speed is deciding how thoroughly you need to comprehend a particular piece of writing. So before you even start reading, decide how fast you intend to go. If you're reading a newspaper article, chances are you just want to get the main ideas, and you can skim through the passages quite rapidly. If, however, you're reading a mathematics textbook or a demanding philosophical treatise - and you need to fully understand the material - you do not want to rush.
5. Learn to separate the wheat from the chaff with pre-reading. No matter what you are reading, there is frequently a lot of "filler" that you can read quickly through or even skim over. With practice, you will be able to identify the most important parts of a book as you skim through it. When you get to such a passage, slow down. Before you begin a chapter or book, look over the entire piece very quickly. Try to find patterns of repeated words, key ideas, bold print and other indicators of important concepts. Then, when you actually do your reading you may be able to skim over large portions of the text, slowing only when you come to something you know is important.
6. Train yourself not to reread. Most people frequently stop and skip back to words or sentences they just read to try to make sure they understood the meaning. This is usually unnecessary, but it can easily become a habit, and many times you will not even notice you're doing it. One exercise to help you avoid rereading is to take a sheet of paper or index card and drag it down the page as you read, covering each line once you've read it. Try to drag the card in a steady motion; start slowly, and increase your speed as you feel more comfortable.
7. Stop reading to yourself. As you read you probably subvocalise, or pronounce the words to yourself. Almost everybody does it, although to different degrees: some people actually move their lips or say the words under their breath, while others simply say each word in their heads. Regardless of how you subvocalise, it slows you down. (You are concerned with speed reading here, not reading to practice communicating the material verbally, which can be done later if you find it necessary.) To break the habit, try to be conscious of it. When you notice yourself pronouncing words to yourself, try to stop doing it. It may help to focus on key words and skip over others, or you may want to try humming to yourself in order to prevent subvocalising. One exercise to stop your lips from moving is to put a finger on your mouth and keep it there while you read.
8. Read with your hand. Smooth, consistent eye motion is essential to speed reading. You can maximize your eyes' efficiency by using your hand to guide them. One such method is to simply draw your hand down each page as you read. You can also brush your hand under each line you read, as if you are brushing dust off the lines. Your eyes instinctively follow motion, and the movement of your hand serves to keep your eyes moving constantly forward. Note, however, that many speed reading instruction books warn off using a tracking member in speed reading as it inhibits the process.
9. Practice reading blocks of words. Nearly everyone learned to read word-by-word or even letter-by-letter, but once you know the language, that's not the most efficient method of reading. Not every word is important, and in order to read quickly, you'll need to read groups of words - or even whole sentences or short paragraphs - instantaneously. The good news is you probably already do this to some extent: most people read three or four words at a time. Once you make an effort to be aware of your reading style, you'll discover how many words you read at a time. Now you just need to increase that number. Using your hand as a guide may help, as may holding the book a little further from your eyes than you usually do.
10. Practice and push yourself. While you may see some gains in speed the moment you start using these tips, speed reading is a skill that requires a lot of practice. Always push yourself to your comfort level and beyond - if you end up having to reread a section, it's not a big deal. Keep practicing regularly.
11. Time yourself regularly. After a week or so of practice, time yourself as in step two. Do this regularly thereafter, and keep track of your improvement. Don't forget to pat yourself on the back every time your reading speed increases!
Posted by at 2 comments:
Tags: ,

20 Questions You Should Ask Yourself Every Sunday

At the cusp of new beginnings many of us take time to reflect on our lives by looking back over the past and ahead into the future. We ponder the successes, failures and standout events that are slowly scripting our life’s story. This process of self reflection helps maintain a conscious awareness of where we’ve been and where we intend to go. It is pertinent to the organization and preservation of our dreams, goals and desires.

If you would like to maximize the benefits of self reflection, I have 20 questions for you. These questions should be reviewed every Sunday morning or sometime during the weekend when you have some quiet time to think. Remember, reflection is the key to progression.

1. What did I learn last week? – If you have trouble answering this question, it’s time for a change. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you should learn something new every week.
2. What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week? – Reflecting on your accomplishments is a healthy way to raise self confidence and contentment. It’s also an effective way to track your progress.
3. Which moment from last week was the most memorable and why? – It may open up your mind to new passions and goals, or simple pastimes worth revisiting.
4. What’s the #1 thing I need to accomplish this week? – Everything else is secondary, and should be treated as such. Nevertheless, this question will also shine light on other noteworthy tasks.
5. What can I do right now to make the week less stressful? – Set reminders in your calendar, get your laundry done, fill the car with gas… organize yourself.
6. What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week? – The idea here is to learn from your struggles and better equip yourself for future encounters.
7. What was last week’s biggest time sink? – Steer clear of this in the future. Setup physical barriers against distractions if you have to.
8. Am I carrying any excess baggage into the week that can be dropped? – Physical clutter, mental clutter… eliminate the unnecessary so the necessary may shine bright.
9. What have I been avoiding that needs to get done? – Pencil in a time to get these things done. For any 2-minute or less tasks, consider scheduling them first thing Monday morning.
10. What opportunities are still on the table? – If it’s still available and you want it, make a concrete plan to go after it this week.
11. Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to? – Regular communication can solve problems before they fester. Always keep an open line of communication to those around you.
12. Is there anyone that deserves a big ‘Thank You’? – Take time each week to thank the people who have helped you. Your kind gesture will not go unnoticed.
13. How can I help someone else this coming week? – The easiest way to get what you want is to help others get what they want. If you help them, they will remember you when you need help.
14. What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years? – You’ll never make any progress in life if you don’t setup realistic goals for yourself.
15. Have any of my recent actions moved me closer to my goals? – If the answer is no, something needs to change.
16. What’s the next step for each goal? – Knowing the next step is the key to accomplishing the whole.
17. What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? – The answer can act as a great source of motivation. If nothing exists, schedule something to look forward to.
18. What are my fears? – Consciously address your fears each week and slowly work on resolving them. It’s all about taking baby steps.
19. What am I most grateful for? – It’s a smart way to keep things in perspective, and something you should never lose sight of.
20. If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with? – Another helpful reminder… Life is short. Spend more time with the people you care about.
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

How to clean Bronze

What You Will Need:
* Warm water
* Clean towel
* Small dish
* Soft cotton polishing cloths (smaller size)
* Lemon Juice (from concentrate is okay)
* Baking soda
* Rubber gloves (optional)

Clean that Bronze:
1. Rinse your bronze items in warm water, and dry thoroughly. This will safely remove any dust and/or particles that may hamper your polishing efforts.
2. Place about 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a small dish.
3. Drizzle a small amount of lemon juice onto the baking soda and mix until a soft paste forms (start out with just a little lemon juice and add more as needed). It is normal for the mixture to bubble at first, and will settle down after a moment or two.
4. Apply the paste to your bronze item using your hands (with the rubber gloves) or with a small polishing cloth.
5. With a polishing cloth, rub the paste onto the item using small circular motions. This is the key removal step and you may have to rub repeatedly until the desired effect is reached.
6. Allow the paste to stay on the item for 20 to 30 minutes.
7. Rinse the item thoroughly with warm water to remove the paste and buff dry with a clean towel.
8. If the greenish patina still remains, repeat steps 2 through 7.
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Press Away the Blues (Health Short)

A down in the dumps mood is no fun, but a simple acupressure trick may help you see life's sunny side!
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Delicious Diet for Diabetics (Health Short)

If you have diabetes, learning about the glycemic index of the food you eat will help ensure that your diet is delicious and nutritious.
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Sarah Palin's Sex Ed (Oops, Abstinence Only Doesn't Work)

Doctors: "Abstinence-only sex ed leads to pregnancy." Sarah Palin: "Prove it!" See for yourself, here, or at: http://news.healthguru.com/...
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Eating and IBS (Health Tip)

If you have IBS, what you eat can really have an impact on your day. Coach Kendra has some smart tips that can help!
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Eat To Lower Blood Pressure (Health Tip)

High blood pressure is a precursor to more than one deadly condition, but the DASH diet can help. Learn how to eat for your healthiest self!
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Sex: The BAD IDEA Series - The Behavioral Rhythm Method

A thermometer is no substitute for a condom! Don't believe us? Watch this video! Get More Sex Health Info: http://www.sexhealthguru.com
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

The Ultimate Fan Sign

If you are a sports fan, then you must have the item, a portable Flashing LED Sign!
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Marijuana: The real drug deal

Most of us has smoked up at least once. Here, we look at what happens when Mary Jane comes to call.

Be sure to check out more information about drug use and other health related topics at:
http://news.healthguru.com
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Friday, October 3, 2008

8-Foot Alien Captured on CCTV Cameras Brings the Cops Pretty Quickly [CCTV]

Britain is absolutely covered in closed-circuit TV cameras, ensuring that anyone walking through London is easily tracked by a shadowy group of law enforcement officials in some dark room somewhere. How unsettling and Orwellian! Well, one enterprising Brit decided to see just how long it would take for the cops to show up after parading around in front of the cameras in an 8-foot-tall alien outfit. Spoiler: not very long.
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

Esquire E-Ink Cover Hacked (To Death, With Knives and Fire)

When the much-hyped Esquire E-Ink cover finally shipped to newsstands a few weeks ago, we were kind of underwhelmed. Using conventional methods, the sectioned panel isn't really hackable in any meaningful way, so Phone Losers took a more proactive approach: violence.

As it turns out, E-Ink is ridiculously durable, standing up to bending, cuts, water, fire and even total punctures without ceasing to blink. The panel only died when microwaved for a few seconds, but that was just because all of its metal components (power connectors, mainly) vaporized in fantastic balls of lightning. [Phone Losers via Technabob]
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

Donkey Kong Jr

Nintendo's Donkey Kong Jr "was selected to be among five arcade games chosen for history's first official video game world championship, which was filmed at Twin Galaxies in Ottumwa, Iowa by ABC-TV's 'That's Incredible'."
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

Nokia 5800 XpressMusic Demo

This is a quick demo we made of some of the features on the new Nokia 5800 XpressMusic
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Thursday, October 2, 2008

LucidTouch - a see-through mobile device

Revolutionary design for touch-based device used with your fingers holding the back of the gadget to give a clearer view.

Read - http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn12773

Credit: MERL
http://www.merl.com/projects/lucidtouch/
Posted by at No comments:
Tags: ,

Good Enough To Eat! (Menu Options for a Sexy Body)

Want a hot body to show off on the beach? Get bikini sexy with these diet tips - no matter where you eat! More Tips: http://www.healthguru.com
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Mega Man Review

If you don't already know, Mega Man 9 features "five pieces in total, with the first two modes, namely "Proto Man Mode" and "Endless Attack," scheduled to arrive on October 6th or 200 Wii Points and 300 Wii Points, respectively."
Posted by at No comments:
Tags:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)