Life Hacks

[zago]

So-called "life hacks" are rarely known, clever tips that come in handy more often than one might think. Give the ones you know--only if they are good! Here's one that I have depended on a few times now. Keep some caffeine pills in the glove compartment of your car. There are times when you feel kind of heavy-eyed while driving, but I remember 2 occasions in my life where I was severely falling asleep at the wheel on long drives, and 1 where I was in the passenger seat while the driver was (and of course we always refused to pull over and rest). This would have made those times much easier by completely eliminating the problem. I keep a sleeve of pills in the car now and have used either a half or whole pill whenever I feel like I'm starting to nod off at the wheel. I mean, doesn't happen much, but it can literally be a lifesaver.

 

[crippli]

I have fallen asleep by the wheel. Woke up when the car was in the ditch at 80km/h. Long story short(as time moves slowly) The car hit mountain, flipped around 3 times and ended up on the roof. Everything was smashed/broken, roof flat etc except the tiny place I occupied.

I doubt caffeine even works on me. If sleepy, and I usually am, it seems there is no getting around the nap.

What about having one of these in the glove compartment?

 

[ElvenVeil]

Situation: When you, along with some random people traveling next to you, know that you have to run fast to catch the bus

The people next to you will automaticly start running, so you therefore keep a level headed mind and realize that as long as the other people run, you will be able to make it by walking, as it takes time for others to enter the bus, pay the ticket (etc) .
All in all 'life hacks' can in many ways be known as the 'lazy guys guide to the galaxy '

 

[mke2686]

When you call a business or helpdesk and are greeted by a "Press button 1 to..." menu tree, repeatedly making the wrong choices (like mashing "9" when there is no choice 9) will often get you straight to an operator.

edit: I have yet to try this one but i was told that if you connect a few infrared diodes to a strong flashlight and point it at a red traffic light that it will turn it green.

 

[Stoic Beverage]

If you're at a store, there's usually someone being loud, obnoxious, and overall rather dickish. This cannot be avoided. However, vengeance is possible. When you're about to leave, hang around the credit card machine for a bit. With luck, the offending individual will need to use the machine. When you see them coming near, press and hold the 4 corner buttons on the machine. This usually works and reboots the machine. It takes an infuriatingly long time to get back to a usable state.
Now, revel in your victory.

 

[mke2686]

If you're at a store, there's usually someone being loud, obnoxious, and overall rather dickish. This cannot be avoided. However, vengeance is possible. When you're about to leave, hang around the credit card machine for a bit. With luck, the offending individual will need to use the machine. When you see them coming near, press and hold the 4 corner buttons on the machine. This usually works and reboots the machine. It takes an infuriatingly long time to get back to a usable state.
Now, revel in your victory.

LOL i hope it works im going to try it at 7-11 at around 6am when its really busy

edit: so i can observe the chaos...

 

[Cavallier]

Situation: You've really pissed somebody off. I mean you've said something really uncouth and they are at that balancing silent moment in shock and are a moment away from yelling at you.

Answer: Laugh. Laugh really hard. Don't laugh in a mean condescending sort of way but in a slow smile that turns into cascading giggles sort of way. As if their anger made you crack up. I find they can't get very mad at you. They eventually just blow you off or get over it. It's weird but it works for me every time. It helps you aren't a dick normally.

Sometimes I just blurt out things that aren't very nice and I find this reaction helps to alleviate the anger best. If you apologize then you have proven they are right in getting angry with you. You've given then the high ground. If you laugh you make the situation seem ridiculous and then the situation is not worth taking seriously.

 

[zago]

Zago life hack #2: make and use flashcards.

I recently got a new phone and downloaded a flashcard app for it. This may well change my life. Within the last week or so, I have learned BY HEART all 190-some world capitals and all 27 amendments to the U.S. constitution--and I have only just begun. I have also expanded my vocabulary and knowledge of Greek mythology. Flashcards are the best way to learn, perhaps the only way to learn and truly remember at almost 100% retention. Honestly, how impressive is that? I have gone around telling people to name any country, and I rattle off the capital in an instant. Burkina Faso, you say? Why, Ouagadougou, of course! Duh! Kinda scares people. Think about it: 365 days a year. Do 10 a day, which is easy, and you now know almost 4,000 facts that you didn't before. Learning shouldn't just go on in school. We work out our bodies, let's not forget our brains.

 

[Awaken]

Never french fry when you should pizza. This advice will never steer you wrong.

 

[zago]

Never french fry when you should pizza. This advice will never steer you wrong.

I know I'm about to dig my own grave, but I have to ask: was that supposed to be funny? What exactly was the purpose of that post?

 

[Hadoblado]

Zago you have convinced me to get not only a flashcard app but a phone to put it on. That is amazing and you deserve a fucking trophy!

- Do judo for like a month, even if you have no interest in continuing. I got in a brawl the other day (it was for fun between friends) and managed to beat someone with 25kg on me without doing any harm. It gives you confidence in your ability to assert yourself physically if the need arises, without doing anything that will get you on the wrong side of a law suit.

- Put anything you don't want people to find on USB, and keep it somewhere relatively discreet. I know this may seem obvious but the number of times I've accidentally found my friend's porn collection is sorta ridiculous. Renaming files and putting them in odd places on your computer is not 'puta'tard proof.

- If you drink, learn to drink slow and know your limits. I am a weak drinker (which is okay by me) and I enjoy going out from time to time, but hate people rushing me to drink, as then I'll have to go be sick. People only count how much they've drunk, so if they get ahead just urge them to catch up to you. They'll assume you've already finished your last pint and that they are behind. Eventually they will be so much more hammered than you that you can basically get away with anything.

 

[Awaken]

Lol...inside joke said in hindsight when someone does something stupid or makes a mistake. Im sure it would not be funny to you, one of those "you had to have been there" things.


http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/153300/thumper-the-super-cool-ski-instructor

On a more serious note: In relation to arguments between men and women, being "right" is not the point, and will most likely get you into more trouble.

 

[Hadoblado]

I know I'm about to dig my own grave, but I have to ask: was that supposed to be funny? What exactly was the purpose of that post?

OP SAYS: THIS THREAD WILL NOT BE DERAILED!

 

[Hadoblado]

That is also excellent advice Awaken. If anyone has not learned this already, you should save yourself some pain and take his word for it. It's not only useful in regards to women either.

 

[zago]

Lol...inside joke said in hindsight when someone does something stupid or makes a mistake. Im sure it would not be funny to you, one of those "you had to have been there" things.

Yes, yes, I have seen the South Park, but I still didn't find the comment particularly well-placed.

On a more serious note: In relation to arguments between men and women, being "right" is not the point, and will most likely get you into more trouble.

Right is right. If a woman is wrong, fuck that hoe. She wants trouble? I'll jerk off.

 

[Anthile]

So-called "life hacks" are rarely known, clever tips that come in handy more often than one might think. Give the ones you know--only if they are good! Here's one that I have depended on a few times now. Keep some caffeine pills in the glove compartment of your car. There are times when you feel kind of heavy-eyed while driving, but I remember 2 occasions in my life where I was severely falling asleep at the wheel on long drives, and 1 where I was in the passenger seat while the driver was (and of course we always refused to pull over and rest). This would have made those times much easier by completely eliminating the problem. I keep a sleeve of pills in the car now and have used either a half or whole pill whenever I feel like I'm starting to nod off at the wheel. I mean, doesn't happen much, but it can literally be a lifesaver.

Erm, caffeine usually takes about two hours to show any effect on your body.

 

[Cavallier]

^That hack about finding sources for thesis is something I've used and explained to other people a million times. Life saver that one. Also, the rubber band door lock thing works frighteningly well.

 

[Cogwulf]

Erm, caffeine usually takes about two hours to show any effect on your body.

Actually it's more like 15 to 30 minutes. The peak effects of caffeine will be reached within an hour for most people.

 

[zago]

Erm, caffeine usually takes about two hours to show any effect on your body.

Actually it's more like 15 to 30 minutes. The peak effects of caffeine will be reached within an hour for most people.

Yeah, experience says otherwise. Definitely as little as 10 for me.

 

[Jennywocky]

Yeah, experience says otherwise. Definitely as little as 10 for me.

Yeah, I notice a distinct difference very very quickly... although it still needs a little time to peak.

 

[CoryJames]

I'm going to assume the differences in speed are based on the different degree to which you experience the placebo effect. I don't know exactly how long it takes for certain energy drink type substances to work, but assuming you ingest them orally, those energizing elements have to be absorbed by your digestive system, which isn't a hugely fast process. Conscious expectations from prior experience, supplemented by the subconscious analysis of all the familiar smells, tastes etc of drinking the energy drink or coffee, makes your brain assume it's going to be shocked awake soon and it starts the process on its own. E.g. the generally accepted belief that the smell off coffee in the morning wakes people up, while other scents might not at just as strong a smell.

 

[Dr. Freeman]

I think part of that could be attributed to a form of the placebo effect, in that you know you have taken some kind of medication to solve your problem, and your body starts to fix that problem even before the caffeine kicks in.

Edit: Whoops! I started my post before CoryJames posted his, so it may seem redundant.

 

[CoryJames]

You explained it much more concisely than I, something I seem to be having trouble with lately, so it is still a useful post.

 

[Awaken]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1046/j.1365-2362.2000.00601.x/abstract

NOt sure the validity of the study as I have not read it. Its not double blind(kinda hard to do in this case) and n=12.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

- Put anything you don't want people to find on USB, and keep it somewhere relatively discreet. I know this may seem obvious but the number of times I've accidentally found my friend's porn collection is sorta ridiculous. Renaming files and putting them in odd places on your computer is not 'puta'tard proof.

Oh snap, that's a great idea. Problem is when you want to use that USB for something else, like school, and you forget that your whole porn collection is on there... You're fucked.

 

[Cogwulf]

Oh snap, that's a great idea. Problem is when you want to use that USB for something else, like school, and you forget that your whole porn collection is on there... You're fucked.

That's why you keep that USB in a special place, and you have a second one for regular usage.

 

[CoryJames]

Or you just look at online porn

 

[Cogwulf]

Or you just look at online porn

But then you have to remember to use private browsing or to delete your history manually.

And online porn isn't much good for HD obsessives.

 

[CoryJames]

Or you could just use a password on your computer and not let others use it, at least not without a reasonable level of supervision, one that would prevent another from feeling comfortable from perusing one's browser history.

 

[Hadoblado]

Excellent find Anthile! I'm going to try to reset my circadian rythm using one of the suggested methods. And yes dimetran you need a second USB. I don't actually keep it a secret that I look at porn, but I do not want people judging what I look at out of context. It is amazing how much messed up shit you can find on the net, and I find it really interesting seeing what other people find appealing. If someone were to see the list of porn I've watched they would think I was the most messed up person alive, but in reality I don't 'use' most of it, I'm just curious.

 

[Gather_Wanderer]

The "buy more time for paper" one is pure gold. If only I could turn back time, specifically to high school world history class...

I already do #5.

 

[EyeSeeCold]

http://dailyinfographic.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/life-hacks-full.jpg

Health/Body #3:

Spoiler

 

[The Gopher]

Also if you see a telstra pay-phone (Australia only) you can hold down 1(I think) it says out of service. It only lasts for a min or 2 though. But it is amusing at times. Will have to try that elevator trick.

 

[Dimensional Transition]

Excellent find Anthile! I'm going to try to reset my circadian rythm using one of the suggested methods. And yes dimetran you need a second USB. I don't actually keep it a secret that I look at porn, but I do not want people judging what I look at out of context. It is amazing how much messed up shit you can find on the net, and I find it really interesting seeing what other people find appealing. If someone were to see the list of porn I've watched they would think I was the most messed up person alive, but in reality I don't 'use' most of it, I'm just curious.

Glad to hear I'm not the only one.

The thing that annoys me sometimes is when I accidentally find porn sites in someone's favorites, and then one day later hear them tell amongst other guys 'Oh no, I don't watch porn man.'
I mean, you're amongst other guys. It's okay to tell... The thought that there are people who don't masturbate at all is weirder to me than to hear someone watches porn, I expected it anyways.

Sorry for hijacking this thread, I will now try to post something relevant...
It's not a very good life hack... But no... No just never mind, it's so obvious everybody must know.
But because this has probably sparked your interest now, by having said that everybody must know it already:

COMFORTABLE TRAVELING BY TRAIN!
Find out at which point the train always stops. (It's always at about the same spot.)
Because you now know that, you also know the exact spot at which the second front doors always stop.
Wait there, at the 'second front doors spot', while everybody else is heaping up somewhere at the spot where the train always goes past.
When the train is there, and the people are beginning to step out of the train, wait at the opposite side of the direction the people want to go, so you're not blocked by them when you want to go in as soon as you can.
Wait patiently until they are all out of the train, quickly slip into the train after the last person has left.
ENJOY YOUR PERFECT SPOT WITH THE LEAST PEOPLE AROUND YOU. Preferably choose one of the seats which do NOT face another pair of seats, instead pick a seat which faces the back of another seat so you don't have to look into someone's annoying face all the time. Sit by the window side. Put your bag or coat on the seat next to you, so you can prevent someone else from sitting there for usually quite a long time. However, when the train is full, be a nice person and remove the bag/coat whatever is on the other seat. You do care about others too, after all.

Well that's my forensic train tactic y'all.

 

[zago]

Because of my flashcard use, I just had a conversation about Greek mythology that I never would have been able to have. Turns out one of my students who I didn't even think was that smart is interested in Greek mythology and knows a fair amount about it. It was delightful and unexpected.

I figure by the time I assimilate a few more big sets, I'll really be starting to see above the trees. I plan to do sets on body language, investing and finance, sniping tactics, Latin phrases, world war II, and I'm gonna memorize every element of the periodic table, its symbol, and its atomic number. Hopefully by the end of the week.

Yesterday a kid got smart with me and called me stupid, and I was like, "how can you call me stupid? Do you know what the capital of Burkina Faso is....?" You know the rest

 

[Hadoblado]

I'm planning on using it for my uni work first, but then I hear the periodic table calling, and probably capital cities. Then again body language is a pretty good idea... I wonder if I could learn chess annotation and learn all the openings up to 20 - 40 moves without even playing the game? I have a terrible memory for semantics so this idea appeals to me a lot.

 

[persuedsmile612]

Eat some fruit.

 

[Gather_Wanderer]

 

[Roran]

No, that's how you get arrested!

 

[Citronelle]

On a more serious note: In relation to arguments between men and women, being "right" is not the point, and will most likely get you into more trouble.

As an INTP woman, I get so tired of comments like this. This is more about arguments between 'thinkers' and 'feelers' than between men and women. While statistically speaking most women are feelers, not ALL of them are. 'Feminine' traits are more general tendencies than they are absolute, universal characteristics applicable to every woman ever. I know you didn't necessarily mean it that way, but I wish people wouldn't throw around stereotypes like that so rampantly.

Anyways:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/the-100-best-lifehacks-of-2010-the-year-in-review.html
I guess referencing this website is kind of obvious, but I have found it to be helpful at times.

 

[digital angel]

Situation: When you, along with some random people traveling next to you, know that you have to run fast to catch the bus

The people next to you will automaticly start running, so you therefore keep a level headed mind and realize that as long as the other people run, you will be able to make it by walking, as it takes time for others to enter the bus, pay the ticket (etc) .
All in all 'life hacks' can in many ways be known as the 'lazy guys guide to the galaxy '

Agreed.

 

[Awaken]

As an INTP woman, I get so tired of comments like this. This is more about arguments between 'thinkers' and 'feelers' than between men and women. While statistically speaking most women are feelers, not ALL of them are. 'Feminine' traits are more general tendencies than they are absolute, universal characteristics applicable to every woman ever. I know you didn't necessarily mean it that way, but I wish people wouldn't throw around stereotypes like that so rampantly.

Anyways:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/the-100-best-lifehacks-of-2010-the-year-in-review.html
I guess referencing this website is kind of obvious, but I have found it to be helpful at times.

Ive never met an INTP woman in real life. Until then, the generalization works for my personal life. However, I understand your point.

 

[Ex-User (4771)]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=yy98rigb

Massive life hack collection from a certain website complied into a pdf, the first one i had was organized a little better but i lost it awhile back

 

[Dimensional Transition]

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=yy98rigb

Massive life hack collection from a certain website complied into a pdf, the first one i had was organized a little better but i lost it awhile back

Thanks man. Lots of helpful stuff in there, especially in regards to how to 'present' yourself to girls.

 

[JoeJoe]

You know those toilets that have this pedestal kind of thing, where, every time you poop, you have to clean it? When I have to poop I always put a few pieces of toilet paper on the pedestal thing. Doesn't work always because sometimes the sausage is too long and it falls to the side but it usually works quite well.

 

[Ex-User (4771)]

You know those toilets that have this pedestal kind of thing, where, every time you poop, you have to clean it? When I have to poop I always put a few pieces of toilet paper on the pedestal thing. Doesn't work always because sometimes the sausage is too long and it falls to the side but it usually works quite well.

check out my link, you will find an upwards of 1000 life hacks

 

[Cogwulf]

You know those toilets that have this pedestal kind of thing, where, every time you poop, you have to clean it? When I have to poop I always put a few pieces of toilet paper on the pedestal thing. Doesn't work always because sometimes the sausage is too long and it falls to the side but it usually works quite well.

You mean the German poop-shelf toilet.

 

[JoeJoe]

check out my link, you will find an upwards of 1000 life hacks

tl;dr (yet)

You mean the German poop-shelf toilet.

Oh wow. I didn't know there was a commonly accepted word for that kind of toilet...

 

[Linsejko]

What the hell is a german poop shelf toilet? And I haven't the foggiest idea of what you were trying to explain.

I'm sure I have a thousand life hacks, but they're autonomous. I rarely think about them, until someone is at my house observing me and looks at me funny, and I realize I'm doing something in an unusually efficient and bizarre way.

Fun reading, though.

Also, concerning porn. Seriously, what is the point of collecting it? It's all about the cloud... And it's incredibly easy to just learn the hotkey for opening a private browsing tab/window and just pop one up when necessary. I use the hotkey constantly, for instance when a friend asks to use my computer and I don't want them messing with my tabs/want to give them the ability to sign into stuff without preserving their passwords and without getting into my accounts.

Also, does HD turn you on more than non HD? Seriously, it seems like such a waste. Anyways, lots of websites claim to have HD, so online HD should be possible, though I guess they're all for pay. I wouldn't know, I hardly care about HD movies, always download mine at the 380--800mb range. I don't enjoy it any less. Really, the obsession with resolution in things doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Cogwulf]

What the hell is a german poop shelf toilet? And I haven't the foggiest idea of what you were trying to explain.

Here's a diagram, that's if you really want to see.

Spoiler

Also, does HD turn you on more than non HD? Seriously, it seems like such a waste. Anyways, lots of websites claim to have HD, so online HD should be possible, though I guess they're all for pay. I wouldn't know, I hardly care about HD movies, always download mine at the 380--800mb range. I don't enjoy it any less. Really, the obsession with resolution in things doesn't make sense to me.

For videos in general, HD is always sold as being better quality, but I've always believed HD is only necessary to make a bigger video without sacrificing quality. Videos should be displayed at their actual size to look best i.e. not zoomed in. So a low resolution is best played as a tiny youtube size video, HD video can fill the entire screen, so it's easier to look at.

But practically every HD video on the internet is ruined by terrible compression quality anyway, videos with low resolution but low compression look much better than high resolution videos with high compression.