Dr. Mercola January 03 2009 72,126 views
You can avoid everyday problems and calamities by arming yourself with the right know-how before you head out into the world.
10. De-fuzz your sweater or coat at the last minute
If you're at the office, head to the supply closet to grab an extra FedEx airbill pouch and turn it inside out to create an instant, sticky, de-linting glove. At home, de-pill your sweater or coat with an old disposable razor.
9. Get into and out of tricky conversations
Cocktail parties, family gatherings, and supermarket lines are all full of conversations you have to escape from, or pretend you're interested in. You can make the pretending less painful by exiting gracefully, forcing yourself to absorb information, and avoid being a bore yourself.
8. Tell time without a watch
Check out wikiHow's guide to telling time without a clock. The two main methods involve dividing the sky into fractions or using your fist size to measure the horizon, and, like using the sun as a compass.
7. Recover from a late night
Clear up puffy, dark under-eyes with fridge-cooled spoons, and get back your focus and drive with hangover remedies such as a ginseng regimen.
6. Boost your night vision
Use blogger Sam Noyoun's tips for improving natural night vision. Any or all of them, such as getting down low to better scope an object, covering one eye to retain light sensitivity, or using your cell phone's camera instead of your eyes, will help you navigate a dark path.
5. Read body language to tell if someone's lying
Learn to listen for pitch, speed, eye contact frequency, verbal tics and other signs with tips from Monster.com's Marty Nemko and eHow.
4. Predict the weather (without a forecast)
Take a look at the clouds, while also keeping your nose open for telltale smells. You can also watch animal behavior and follow other signs.
3. Know your direction without a compass
Using a non-digital wristwatch, or just a mental image of one, you can find your way with Wired's hour hand/sun position method. For more rural direction-finding without a watch, try wikiHow's methods for finding true North.
2. Use your head to amplify your car alarm remote's signal
Ever notice how putting your hand on your clock radio tends to clarify and boost the signal? You can use that same body-as-extended-antenna trick to locate your car in a stuffed parking lot.
1. Pick a lock
With a little study, you can come to the rescue of friends, neighbors, and your own forgetful self. Here's a guide to the basics, and a guide to making your own vibrating pick to ease the learning curve. Forgotten the combination to your locker? Here's how to crack the Master Lock code. Or you can always try to open a door with a credit card.
I appreciate those additional pieces of information that the good doctor provides. As the DIY maintenance technician of this household (just this moment been asked to fix the DVD player!) to know how to pick a lock sounds like a potentially useful piece of information. I do not carry a time piece with me (nor any other bodily adornments) and never seem to require one but I can usually tell the time within minutes of accuracy. I also know which direction I either need to travel or have just travelled, and have little difficulty at predicting the weather if there is a good view of the horizon. Those three traits seem to be connected.
Contrary to the cherished view of some but body language cannot reveal untruths; it can only indicate a sensitive and/or self-conscious person. Equally, the best method of escaping 'sticky conversations' should one ever allow oneself to fall into this trap, is to reflect back to the other the emotional content of their topic. For example, my wife and I were accosted by this tall, thin, well attired, elderly, and eloquent gentleman, in a 5 star hotel when we were on holiday recently, who told us that he was on a week's break from his studies in medicine and had left his wife at home. I looked directly into his eyes and said, "I see, so you are telling us that you have a doctorate degree"? His reply was, "Pardon me, I must go" and off he went. My wife asked why he left so abruptly and I suggested that he was a 'con' and was attempting to worm his way into our lives. She, however, thought he was a nice man which is exactly what he wanted us to believe!
Oh Please, people! These are fun articles that add variety and spice. If you don't like them, then just stick to the other 5 articles he sends and quit clicking on the variety one.. He is very informative and WEB MD is just traditional medicine... Heck, maybe next time I lock my keys in my car I won't have to call AAA- lol.
Many years ago I lived in a bad neiborhood and never locked my car and didn't keep anything of value in there. However I did keep some pocket change extra set of shades and some cassette tapes that would serve as something to take if a kid went inside. That insured that if they got even something small they would never destroy anytyhing in the car and they didn't have to break in. This worked perfect and I never had my car stolen or broken. My neigbors had their cars broken into many times that resulted in broken windows or ripped out locks and even having the insides trashed as well. The don't lock theory has been proven at least for me.
I spent a great deal of time hiking in the Northwest. How do you find direction in sky that is overcast for months at a time?
Of course learning how to pick a lock those ways can also be read by would be burglars! Personally I don't want anyone with that kind of equipment and got a Medeco lock that is much safer.
Better idea: don't lock anything. That way, no one will have to break a window to steal the stuff I haven't got anyway.