Miscellaneous
Tips and Pointers
Any sort of general tip that it is hard to put into
any other category, including mobile
phones - photography
- Time Management - and more.
The Easy Way to Tear Paper:- Ever had to tear a piece of paper in a straight line? It's very simple - fold the paper where you want to tear it, then run your wet tongue along the fold. Leave for a few seconds then tear - it comes apart at the fold very cleanly. How? - paper is largely cellulose and saliva breaks up its molecular structure. -- David Phillips New Zealand
Toilet blocked? Got no plunger?...just use your loo brush and wrap a
plastic
bag..ie tesco..sainsburys plastic carier bag over the bristle end and use
as a plunger...works every time! -- Paul Otto
Avoid Distorted Spectacle Frames. Always remove your glasses in such a way that the forces are applied equally.
Over time they will become twisted if you always remove them by one side -
usually the right hand side if you are right-handed. Check your friend's
specs, they will usually have the right hand leg slightly bent out more than
the left side -- Davina Martin
1. HOW NOT TO PAINT THE PLANTS
The garden fence needs painting, but your favourite plant(s) are growing
hard up against it - you don't really want a cerulean mottled oleander . .
Solution? - Easy, get a sheet of some sort that will not be punctured by the branches
of the plant. Introduce this between the plant and the fence.
Tighten the sheet carefully around the plant, easing branches into "comfortable" positions. Needs two really, one to roll the ends of the
sheet together and one to watch that the plant is not being damaged.
Use clips of some sort to keep the sheet tight and then paint away!
Last bit: if there is not much space between the plant and fence add a
"paint proof" sheet on top, using tape or something to keep it in place -
any old plastic sheet will do. Then there is no worry about trying to be
too careful with the brush.
2. When things get heated they rend to swell up(yeah, we all know some
people like that), when the are cool they tend to shrink .
2.1 Let's say the tool on your vacuum cleaner is jammed on the pipe.
Wrap a cloth well dampened with cold water around whichever bit is "inside", but not touching the "outside" part.
Use a hair dryer to heat up the outer part, all the way round and for a
about four inches, 100mm, along from the joint.
Two people are best, the one holding and rotating the job should also keep
a constant pulling and twisting force on the pieces.
With any luck they will separate quite easily, especially if the outer
part if a plastic tool and the inner a metal pipe.
Don't get too close with the hairdryer, you might damage the plastic.
If there is any scoring on the plastic from grit burnish these out with
the handle of a stainless steel spoon or similar, then wipe on a little
silicon polish.
2.2 If a drinking glass gets jammed inside another one.
Fill the inner glass with cold water, even with an ice cube in it. Then
stand the whole thing in a small bowl of warm water, comfortable enough to
put you hand in.
Wear thick rubber or gardening gloves and try, after a minute to so, to
separate the two glasses with a twisting and "wiggling" force.
3. Hot face towels.
In some oriental restaurants the give you a sweet smelling hot towels to
wipe your face with, very refreshing.
Easy to do at home, if you have a microwave.
Wet the face towels in scented water and wring them out fairly hard.
Fold them into four at most and put each one in a plastic bag. Do not seal
the bag, just fold the open end underneath.
All microwaves and towels vary a bit so experiment first, fifteen seconds "cooking" at a time to get to a temperature JUST too hot to handle. Also
some scents do not react well to being heated up.
Do these at the end of the meal and warm all that the towels may be too
hot right away.
This is also a good way to soften a beard before shaving.
These and some others are on my website: www.daves-place.co.uk takes one to the right place.
Dave Bailes
Save on Air conditioning. Save on air conditioning. On scorching hot days you can save on air conditioning by closing the fresh air intake vent. This is the vent that leads from the room/closet with your furnace in it to the outside of your house, and often has a closable vent on the outside of your home. This will cause your unit to recool the air that's already in the home rather than pulling in new hot air to cool down. While it will make the air in your home less fresh, it will result in significant energy savings. Thank you, -- Andrew Lake
15 Jan 2008
My own Hints and Tips.
If you've always like ankle bracelets ( anklets ) but cant
find one big enough, then use a gold necklace wrapped around
twice, it looks perfect and if wanted you could always hang a small
charm on it as well.
Want to give your partner a fantastic surprise
present,
then you must buy them a four poster bed. Looking at it, laying in it
and waking in it, will certainly be a wow experience and
something
they will continue to enjoy for many years.
If your cat refuses to go into the pet bed you've
bought, stand a mirror behind it. Then they will think its another cat
and will make the bed their own territory.
Kitchen table and chairs tired and jaded, and cant
afford new. Then paint the chairs and table legs white and stick
coloured tiles on the tabletop
new padded seat covers to match the tiles completes the cheap new look
If you want to take a picture of yourself looking
years younger then lay down and take the picture from above,
all your wrinkles will disappear and the results are quite
extraordinary.
When you tire of wearing your long padded
jacket don't throw it away. Keep it and use it as a winter
dressing gown, Then when you have to answer the door early in
the morning your coat will make you feel somehow safer
than being in your skimpy night attire.
Use a large Teflon Wok for all your cooking
requirements, you can Fry ,stew, and boil, and it certainly is much
easier than using different pans for different jobs.
If you want an unusual hair style for a party. Scrape
your hair back and tie , use lots of hair spray, Place a stencil of
your name and sprinkle or spray glitter ,into it .when you remove it
the imprint will be left. spray again to set.
If you have (middle ages spread) and find
your clothes
pull around your tummy, but larger sizes, are too big on the bust
try maternity tops, they are often just right and give that
little
extra just where you need it, you can often get away
with a smaller size, and no one need know either.
Put your electric over-blanket into a continental
quilt cover, it will
be much easier to handle and remove when not in use and looks prettier
too.
When you buy packets of flower seeds simply sprinkle
them
in the garden I've found they germinate far better than sowing
them in individual pots
and its exciting watching them come up next year.
After you have washed your dishes and they are on the
drainer, carefully pour a kettle of hot water over them, it will make
them dry far quicker and rinse off any left over washing up
liquid
suds or grease.
When its winter, take a flask of tea or coffee to bed
with you at night, then the next morning you will have a
hot drink before you venture into the cold of your home.
When visiting your grandchildren take a packet of
fairy cake mix instead of
sweets, they will have the pleasure of both baking ( with help
) and eating their unusual gift.
If you going somewhere special and want to
secure your
hair into ringlet tendrils around your face use false eye lash
glue, style and stick them to your forehead face and neck.
If you cant sleep because there's a person
troubling
your thoughts. Place them in an imaginary empty room in your head, and
then push them out of the room and lock the imaginary door. You may
have to do this several times but it will work.
Don't spend money on several make up
pencils use a brown eyebrow one for eyeliner , lip liner and brows.
Add tomatoes ketchup to stews , pastas and soups for
a rich added flavour.
Waking during the night feeling too hot in bed,
reverse your continental quilt
thus the cold outside becomes the cool inside next to your
skin also turn over your pillow.
Diane Hakala
Suave Shampoo vs. Suave liquid shower soap I've found Sauve shampoo works just as well as the body wash at about half the price and there is the usual assortment of fragrances to choose from.
Thanks.
-- Mike VanOrmer 2/11/09
Uses for Fabric Softener Sheets: Use a fabric softener sheet as a duster, your television etc will not attract the dust as it did before. The non-stick properties can also be used to prevent paint, oil and grease from sticking to your handsdif you wipe them before you start work. -- Davinia Martin
Uses for Windshield Washer Fluid.
Use auto windshield washer fluid instead of windex etc. for cleaning glass surfaces. CHEAP!
For Jellyfish stings, bee stings and fire ant stings etc. spray the area with a spritz of window washing spray [like windex or the like. One application takes the sting out immediately. Never go to the ocean without one of the dollar store window cleaner wipes. Will work like a charm on any bites, stings, etc. Hold the wipe on the area and gently rub until the wipe is dry. Sting, itch is gone.
Use the same window wipes on poison ivy rashes. Works way better and faster than anything else. When the itching starts, blot the area with a wipe. Two days and the rash is GONE!
Hope this helps folks! -- Butterflies
21 Jan 2007 -- Caution: Use with care -- Ed
Jellyfish Stings. Vodka too will neutralize stings. Alcohol works on poison Ivy too, I am sure that whisky or any spirit would do the trick. Jan Direr -- Rather suffer than use my best single malt -- Ed
Cards to Patients in Hospital. 1. I came up with this HINT several years ago, and since then, it's worked out well. ............When you send a card to someone who's in the hospital, instead of YOUR return address, use THEIR Home Address as the return address. Invariably, the card is not delivered promptly and the intended recipient goes home, and sometimes, weeks later, the card is returned to you, marked UNDELIVERABLE. All this time, you think your card reached them, and, sadly, they are unaware you sent a card. Once you get your card back, you have to readdress it and put ANOTHER stamp on it and remail it..............When you use THEIR home address as the return address, the card will follow them home if they are released before your card reaches them in the hospital. Susan M. (Susan McGuire)
Tips From Diane.
If you have a computer and printer and want to put a photograph on to canvas then print out your own using artists cotton canvas look paper its far cheaper than having it professionally done for you. And no one will be able to tell the difference
If you hate trying on skirts whilst wearing jeans and boots,simply pull them down to your ankles and put the skirt on over your head that way it saves all the problems of getting hot and bothered in a cramped changing rooms. Want a new look for your kitchen chairs take off the seat and slide a pretty new cushion cover over it you may have to adjust the zip area but it wont be seen under the chair. -- Diane Hakala.
- Problem Solving To help solve a difficult problem, or to cut down on worrying about making a decision, analyze the
situation, determine what must be done and carry it out. In writing or on your PC:
Get all the facts.
Describe the problem in detail.
List all the possible solutions.
List the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Detail what you will do.
Follow through.
Kind regards --
Ken McIsaac An excerpt from "32 KEYS: A Collection of Ideas About Life". The online book summarizes basic popular
self-help ideas and is free to read online at http://www.32keys.com
Hamster Exercize Wheel. Our hamster died and I was getting rid of some of his things. I started to throw the little exercise wheel away but put some wallet size pictures of the grandkids in it. Works real good for school pictures and you can just twirl it around to see the pictures. Doesn't make that noise in the middle of the night though like the hampster did when he exercised!! Sure miss that! NOT!! --
Becky Jessee,
Church Hill, Tennessee.
Removing tobacco and other smoke smell from hands and skin I've recently discovered an amazing new product called Nico-Wipe
available at www.nicowipe.com that actually got rid of the smell of
smoking from my skin. so much so that my wife couldn't smell it on me
afterwards. Amazing. James Schwartz Toronto, Ont. June 20 2007
Tame those whiskers!: Out of moustache wax? A bit of bar soap, softened with water, makes a dandy substitute! -- Scott Jamieson
Scratched watches If your watch has a plastic 'glass' - like
Swatches do - and it has become scratched, polish it with Brasso. It
might seem to get worse at first but persevere for only a few minutes
and it will become completely clear and scratch free. -- Jenny Leman
Sandy
Feet Hi.
I’ve never seen this hint posted, nor seen anyone using it, but it’s REALLY GOOD. To get beach sand off your feet (or any
body part)- sprinkle Baby Powder on the area and the sand just wipes
off as if it were dry. Have you heard this before? I’d really
like to know. -- Sue Fruchter
Some Useful Tips. White
spirit (as is used for cleaning paint brushes) is great for removing
grease, especially in the kitchen. Smells a bit but soon goes away. (In the USA use mineral spirits - same thing -- Ed)
Smelly hands after chopping onions? Rub a little
lemon juice in hands to get rid of odour. Also, to clean a
microwave...several drops of lemon juice in a cup of hot water. Put in
microwave & allow to boil in there for a couple of minutes. The
steam loosens any dried on food, simply wipe off, the lemon neutralises
any odours.
Baby wipes (yes those wet cloths used to clean up
babies' bottoms,) are great for cleaning up leather furniture. They
remove dirt & grime, but as they are a gentle cleanser, they do
no damage to the leather.
Couldn't resist those salad onions but are now going
out on the town with smelly breath? Try munching on some fresh parsley.
It neutralises nasty niffs!!
Remove candle wax from carpets. Cover with paper
kitchen towel & iron over. The heat melts the wax which is then
absorbed by the paper.
Good old fashioned soda crystals have many uses and
are cheap. Dissolve in boiling water and pour down drains and
plugholes. It gets rid of odours and dissolves grease. Also good for
wiping down kitchen walls & cupboards.
Try putting 2 cups of soda crystals in washing
machine & running empty on the hottest wash. It helps to clear
limescale build-up. 1/2 cup added to wash helps remove stains, makes
whites whiter & softens the water. Anon 13 Mar 2004
(If the
person who sent in theabove tips reads this please let me know who you are
for I was clumsy when I copied in the tip and lost the header with your
name and address -- Sorry - Ed)
Airwick Scented Oil refills -
Empty
Hi - when my Airwick scented oil refills are empty, instead of throwing
them away, I put them in my lingerie drawer, handkerchief drawer,
closet or linen cupboard. It makes everything smell divine, finishes
off the last few drops of oil productively, makes a few less glass
containers for the landfill and means I don't have to buy scented
closet/drawer fresheners.
Meg Gagie London, Ontario, Canada
2 Jul 2005
Musty Leather Leather
Goods
To remove mildew from leather goods, wipe them with a cloth moistened
with dilute alcohol (one cup denatured or rubbing alcohol to one cup
water). If mildew remains, wash with thick suds made from a mild soap
or detergent, saddle soap, or a soap containing germicide or fungicide,
then wipe with a damp cloth and dry in an airy place. Polish leather
shoes and luggage with a good wax dressing.
Shoes contaminated with fungus growth on the inside often develop
unpleasant
odors. You can remove this kind of mildew with low-pressure sprays
specially intended for freshening shoes; these sprays are available at
shoe and department stores. Use these products as directed. http://www.fcs.uga.edu/pubs/current/C767.html
-- "David T. Lichtor"
2 in 1 pool cleaning instead of draining those backyard
kiddie pools to scrub off the slime
from the bottom...try this...dump in some bubble bath and let the kids
have a
blast...they get clean and u get the slime removed without
scrubbing...just
drain and hose down. -- Aylie G.
Ha Ha -- Ed
nuisance calls
(in UK).
I discovered that by going on line to the site below you can stop
nuisance calls from companies and cold callers etc. You just have to
follow the simple step by step instructions. I got it through a
government publication.
http://www.tpsonline.org.uk
Julie Dumayne
Pests and
Plants and others -
Mice, can't stand peppermint essential oil, can be put around entry
points to keep away.
Clothes moths, can't stand cedar wood oil, can be splashed around
wardrobes to keep them away
Plants, weedy plants thrive on dilute urine...not at all glamourous i
know, but it's only nitrogen !
Cats, some like to drink camomile tea ( cold!) it's good for
shock
Over ripe avocado's make a great face and hair pack
Dental floss makes a great washing line / strong thread when travelling
Soap the hinges of squeaky doors
Baking soda is a great cat litter/ fridge deodoriser
Scan travel insurance details and passport into your own email account,
useful if original gets lost or stolen
Hope that these are useful. -- steve x steve clarke 31 Jan 2004
Thermometer Fix
I recently got an older Pepsi thermometer that had it's mercury like
substance separated in several places. I removed the bulb and
tube from it's housing and then placed it in a glass with warm tap
water.
In the same glass I placed the probe of my digital
thermometer so I could watch the temperature. I then placed
some water in a pot on my stove and brought it to a boil. In small
amounts I placed some of the water from the pot into the glass. I
raised the temperature slowly and watched the mercury substance raise
as did the digital reading.
I continued until the lowest solid area of the mercury
substance in the main column reached the end of the tube and the
digital thermometer read 143 degrees. The end of my tube had what
appeared to be a small reservoir that appeared a little larger than the
column itself. I highly suggest adding the hot water slowly, raising
the temperature only a degree or two at the time, being very mindful of
where the mercury substance is, and to stop adding hot water once the
lowest solid area of the mercury substance in the main column reaches
the top. -- "NodeWrangler -- Sounds as if protective glasses, gloves and
other precautions should be taken. Please note that mercury is an
extremely poisonous substance and great care should be taken while
handling it. -- Ed.
Tip of the Day Today in Nerja, Spain where I live I saw what I thought was a really
safe way of controlling 4/5 year old school children en route to their
concert hall. The 40 schoolchildren were lined up in Indian File and a
long chord extending from the first child to the last was handed down
the column. They were then all told to grasp the chord with their right
hand and trundled off down the walkway to their concert thus avoiding
any single one wandering off and a better control for the teacher.
"Debbie Annan"
A Cure.
When out fishing, if you get finned by a cat fish, pour any soda over
it and it will stop the stinging and cleanse it at the same time......I
know I tried it ;o) -- Gwen
Sage advice. Never invest in anything that eats omeomy
Tips on Stuff. To remove
the stickers on items purchased, such as a picture frame or a box with
the sticky price tag right on it, use a hair dryer directly on the tag
to soften the glue, and immediately peel off. -- I've learned a lot of
neat things while on this planet for 68 years. Try them, what do you
have to lose? --(Irene M. Ward)
Selling your home, you
will come across tips suggesting that you can sell your home more
easily if you put some vanilla pods in the oven or essence on a light
bulb. No amount of air freshener or deodorizer will disguise a serious
H. O. (home odor) problem, tackle the root of the problem, i.e. banish
the smelly dog from the living area or replace the old carpet. -- Terri Realtor 77
P.S. The following is a useful glossary of terms used
by realtors. - http://www.scvlink.com/real-estate-dictionary-glossary_P.asp
Fibromyalgia. I
cured a horrible case of fibromyalgia by going on an anti-allergy
diet. I was desperate from the endless and increasing pain
and inability to do simple things like make the bed or even get out of
it some mornings, pick up a pillow or go up and down the stairs. I
couldn't close my hands.
No starch, no dairy, no red meat, no coffee, no
nightshades. The difference is miraculous. I can easily go up an down
stairs, get down on the floor and up again, put my shoes and socks on
easily, touch my fingers behind my back. No backaches, no ankle pain,
sole of the feet pain, no stiff frozen hands, no searing pain in the
hips or deltoid muscles, no knees giving out on me. And even better, I
am not hungry, but have plenty to eat and lost 40 pounds. No matter
what or how much I ate before, I was always hungry.
I started getting better after about 1-2 weeks and
know the weight was not a factor. I felt good after losing only a
pound. I was aiming to be pain free, not lose weight. I no longer need
to take elevators or pull myself up the steps one at a time. Nothing I
gave up is more enticing than being able to move again and I will never
go back to an eat-everything diet. And I use no drugs or
pharmaceuticals with their horrible side effects.
I try to avoid all food additives, dyes, hormones,
antibiotics, preservatives, etc. too as a precaution. I feel like I
have my life back again. Maybe it will work for someone else too.
-- Shirley Maul
Hello If you rub
pencil lead on your flute before attaching the pieces, the separate
pieces will be easier to glide on. -- SoccerGirl2117
Chewing Gum on washable items (including children's hair) Peanut butter rubbed
into the gum will usually remove it from any washable item. If gum
still remains after wiping off the peanut butter, just add more and
work it in. Repeat until only an oily smear remains, which can be
removed by soap or degreaser. If you don't have peanut butter you can
also use mayonnaise or cooking oil. -- A Bryan
Gum in Hair To get gum out
of hair without having to cut it, apply peanut butter to the gummed
area and work into the gum. Then wash with shampoo. -- Corrie
Recipe Holder A handy
recipe holder can be made by standing a fork in a glass. When the fork
is turned upside down the recipe fits into the fork prongs. -- Dorothy
A SCOTT
Hiccups. Put your hands
above your head for a few minutes to cure hiccups (something to do with
stretching the diaphragm). -- Wendy Quin
A microwave can be used to dry things. Use
an old microwave oven to dry trainers. Use a medium defrost
setting and put a small glass of water in with it to prevent damage to
the microwave when the trainers dry out. Do not put
pets in microwave ovens <o;) -- Davie
To relieve cramp in the leg, stand in an empty bath
with bare feet. My friend has suffered from cramp all his life and he
says it works every time – Ian Richards, City
Broadcast Installations, UK
Try turning down the lights an hour or two before
bed-time; that way you will get a better sleep. When my friend
suggested it to me I was very sceptical. Believe me it works
-- Ian McKenzie Sydney Australia
Toothache!?: if you have severe toothache use clove
oil on a piece of cotton wool or try swilling your mouth out with
peppermint oil! -- Janie Hatzer
Apply a small amount of talcum powder before shaving
– wet or dry – Ian Richards, City
Broadcast Installations England
Use a piece of foam that is used as packing material
or to make sponge hair rollers to wipe lint from clothing and
furniture. Anon
When job hunting always present yourself as a
desirable commodity. Remember that you are offering
your very valuable self and your skills, certainly not asking or
begging for work -- Stewart Carnegie, Palo Alto 1998
A piece of orange peel in rolling tobacco keeps the
tobacco moist and adds flavor -- Nigel Hartley, UK,
Jun 98.
For a handy cleaning cloth for your glasses cut a
piece of material from an old shirt or blouse. Pinking shears leave an
edge that will not fray. Do not use tissue paper as it will eventually
scratch the surface -- xcaliber
Essex Girls: If you have annoying marks on your white
stiletto heels try to remove them with nail polish remover, if this
doesn’t work use "Tippex" or spray paint.-- Sharon
and Tracy, London
Nail Polish Remover. If you don't have any
nail polish remover you can use clear nail polish to remove your
colored nail polish. Paint one finger at a time and quickly wipe off
clear coat after you apply it. About two times per nail should take all
of your polish off, this is much better than chipping it off piece by
piece. -- Andrea Lundy
When going barefoot talcum powder keeps the feet from
sticking to your shoes and aids comfort.- - Vanessa Echols
Southampton England
Superglue lasts much longer if you keep it in the
fridge.- - Vanessa Echols Southampton England
Be kind to Spiders: Save a poor little spider in the
bath by buying a spider ladder. If you do not have one then a towel
hung over the side will provide an escape. Spiders keep down the insect
population within your home and this can dramatically reduce the damage
done to books, soft furnishings and valuables. – Davie Jun 98. (Note: Take
care. Some countries have poisonous spiders, they need to be
treated with caution -- Editor)
Spider Ladder Dear hints and tips,
I see on one of your pages - miscellaneous tips and pointers that you
mention
Spider -Ladders and that they can be bought. Would you know where I
might be able to purchase one.
-- Any help would be much appreciated. -- Anna Mulrooney
To keep drains unblocked, always pour coffee dregs
down the drain, it acts as a kind of sandpaper in your drains. -- Wendy Quinn
Exam tip: To keep blood sugars up
during exams take some sweets to eat when your energy starts to flag,
even better, is to take dried fruit such as currents or sultanas, as
the fruit sugars last longer and don’t give you the sudden
energy rush. -- Simon Dunsby
1997.
Unusually long body hair growing in the wrong place
should not be trimmed with scissors. Instead they should be
plucked, regular plucking can reduce regrowth considerably.
Seek medical advice on hairs growing out of moles -- Martin
Quimby, Southampton England
In a really cold environment use mittens rather than
gloves. Frozen fingers can be identified and
remedial measures taken before frostbite sets in -- Jimmie
Stewart Dunfermline Scotland
If you notice your shoes are not their usual shiny
selves, but you are in a hurry to leave the house, give them a quick
wipe over with furniture polish to bring up an instant shine -- Veronica
Echols, Southampton, England
Toothbrushes can be cleaned, sterilised and generally
freshened up by immersing in hydrogen peroxide -- Martin
Hinchcliffe
If a copper pipe joint is leaking, wrap PTFE (Teflon)
tape around the male thread, then tighten the connector, and the leak
should stop -- Robin Gill Heston England
If possible, always get someone to help you. It is
surprising how another person can often spot obvious mistakes that you
cannot see -- Robin Gill Heston England
Brazil Nuts: They are much easier to shell if you soak
them in boiling water for a few minutes before cracking -- comi
After working on your car you can clean your hands
with a mixture of dishwashing liquid and sugar -- Simon
Spicer Wolverton UK
A Silly, Silly Tip!! Save
on the high cost of hardback books by soaking paperbacks in water
overnight then placing them in your freezer for a few hours -- Gerard
Boden
Must remember to put this one in the humor section Ed.
Keeping the kids entertained. If you have
young children at home that love to color, then check out the free
coloring book at -- Rene’ Leer
Misted Visor: further to the raw potato on
the visor idea, some bikers may prefer to spit on their visors. this
does the same thing - stops condensation from accumulating (at least on
the inside) --(Sonny
Gill)
Re-using batteries. When
flash batteries for camera run down, there is still enuff life left in
them to run a remote for TV for long time -- jeff jackson
Digital Photography. If
your digital camera has a black and white mode set it for 400 ASA or
higher, mount the camera on a tripod, hold an 87 Wratten filter in
front of the lens during exposure and get a black and white infrared
look. -- Ron Breeze,
Red Eye. This is caused by the flash reflecting from
the back of the eye. To stop this either use a faster film and no
flash, or if you have to use a flash bounce or angle the the light from
the ceiling or wall. -- Y Chan, Sydney
Family Photos. It is usually best to take photos of
people in the shade, because you won't get such harsh shadows, and
people squinting. Shade is more flattering to skin tones.
Shoot several pictures, because you rarely get it
right on the first try. Have plenty film handy. -- S Edmunds.
Film: If you keep photographic film at home it is best
stored in the fridge as it extends its shelf life. Freezing film can
extend shelf life by up to a year. -- Sheila Anderton.
If you are worried about the
damage done to your brain by Microwave energy from the antenna then use
a hands free kit. Most of the devices that claim to shield
your brain are worse than useless, some even focus the energy into your
head. -- Axel Klystron Milton Keynes UK
Pay attention to the signal strength indication on
your mobile. The power used by your phone can vary by as much as
sixteen times depending on whether you are getting good signals from
the local transmitter. Your battery will last much longer if you are in
a good reception area. Just stepping outside your
car to get better reception can often double battery life (and halve
the amount of energy zapping your head) -- Axel
Klystron Milton Keynes UK
Get an Electronic Engineer to fit a couple of ferrite
beads on the cable to your "hands free", that should stop the radio
frequency energy travelling up the cable. -- Sam
Clark, London
If
you are concerned that the phone you are buying is giving out an
unnecessarily high level of microwave radiation, you should ask about
the SAR rating, a good dealer will be able to tell you. The
rating, and therefore the dosage can vary by up to twenty times. The
Institute for Satellite and Mobile Communications carried out tests
that showed a variation between 0.1 and 2.67 i.e. the worst one was more than twenty times
worse. -- Ed - .
Tip Plus a Question
Glad to have found your site. ** I would like to know a good remedy to
remove tobacco and tea stains
from teeth. I think you are a good place to inquire about this.
Treatment for a brown recluse spider bite: Colloidal Silver, a
mineral
from the health food store. Take 1-2 drops mixed in 1/3 c.
water
internally 3 x daily for 3 days and rub the colloidal silver
directly
on the bite at least 3 x daily for 7 days. The silver literally
stops
the progression of the venom and in many cases I've seen no
hideous
scar left on the person. I live in a southern state where
brown
recluse bites are widespread and even doctors don't know what to
do
other than a cortisone shot (which doesn't stop the venom).
Colloidal
silver works miraculously. -- Lisa, Lisa Burks
6 Jan 2005
Things That Work
1) Flies or bees bothering you? Spray them
with hairspray and they will take a quick dive.
2) Sealed envelope? Put in the freezer for a few
hours, then slide a knife under the flap. The envelope can then be
resealed. (hmmmmmm...)
3) Use Empty toilet paper roll to store appliance
cords. It keeps them neat and you can write on the roll what appliance
it belongs to.
4) For icy door steps in freezing temperatures: get
warm water and put Dawn dishwashing liquid in it. Pour it all over the
steps. They won't refreeze. Wish I had known this for the last 40
years!)
5) Crayon marks on walls? This worked wonderfully! A
damp rag, dipped in baking soda. Comes off with little effort (elbow
grease that is!).
6) Permanent marker on appliances/counter tops (like
store receipt BLUE!) rubbing alcohol on paper towel.
7) Whenever I purchase a box of S.O.S Pads, I
immediately take a pair of scissors and cut each pad into halves. After
years of having to throw away rusted and unused and smelly pads, I
finally decided that this would be much more economical. And now a box
of S.O.S pads last me indefinitely! In fact, I have noticed that the
scissors get sharpened this way!
8) Opening brand new jars can be a feat in itself.
Well, I have found a way to make it the easiest thing to do. Instead of
banging a jar of jam, pickles, etc., with a knife until it loosens up,
I simply reach into the drawer and pull out the handy nut cracker. It
adjusts to the size of the jar and I simply give it a good twist and
off pops the lid!
9) Blood stains on clothes? Not to worry! Just pour a
little peroxide on a cloth and proceed to wipe off every drop of blood.
Works every time!
10) Use vertical strokes when washing windows outside
and horizontal for inside windows. This way you can tell which side has
the streaks. Straight vinegar will get outside windows really clean.
Don't wash windows on a sunny day. They will dry too quickly and will
probably streak.
11) Spray a bit of perfume on the light bulb in any
room to create a lovely light scent in each room when the light is
turned on. Place fabric softener sheets in dresser drawers and your
clothes will smell freshly washed for weeks to come. You can also do
this with towels and linen.
12) Candles will last a lot longer if placed in the
freezer for at least 3 hours prior to burning.
13) To clean artificial flowers, pour some salt into
a paper bag and add the flowers. Shake vigorously as the salt will
absorb all the dust and dirt and leave your artificial flowers looking
like new! Works like a charm!
14) To easily remove burnt on food from your skillet,
simply add a drop or two of dish soap and enough water to cover bottom
of pan, and bring to a boil on stovetop.
15) Spray your Tupperware with nonstick cooking spray
before pouring in tomato based sauces and there won't be any stains.
16) When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking
pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white
mess on the outside of the cake.
17) Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the
refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
18) When boiling corn on the cob, add a pinch of
sugar to help bring out the corn's natural sweetness.
19) Cure for headaches: Take a lime, cut it in half
and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
20) Don't throw out all that leftover wine: Freeze
into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
21). To get rid of itch from mosquito bites, try
applying soap on the area and you will experience instant relief.
22) Ants, ants, ants everywhere . Well, they are said
to never cross a chalk line. So get your chalk out and draw a line on
the floor or wherever ants tend to march. See for yourself.
23) Use air-freshener to clean mirrors. It does a
good job and better still, leaves a lovely smell to the shine.
24) When you get a splinter, reach for the scotch
tape before resorting to tweezers or a needle. Simply put the scotch
tape over the splinter, then pull it off. Scotch tape removes most
splinters painlessly and easily.
25) Now look what you can do with Alka Seltzer:
*Clean a toilet. Drop in two Alka Seltzer tablets, wait twenty minutes,
brush and flush. The citric acid and effervescent action clean vitreous
China.
26) Clean a vase. To remove a stain from the bottom
of a glass vase or cruet, fill with water and drop in two Alka Seltzer
tablets.
27) Polish jewelry. Drop two Alka Seltzer tablets
into a glass of water and immerse the jewellery for two minutes.
28) Clean a thermos bottle. Fill the bottle with
water, drop in four Alka Seltzer tablets, and let soak for an hour (or
longer, if necessary).
29) Unclog a drain. Clear the sink drain by dropping
three Alka Seltzer tablets down the drain followed by a cup of Heinz
White Vinegar. Wait a few minutes, then run the hot water.
Thought you might find this useful. -- Trish
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