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Monday, December 29, 2008

How to Know If Your Girlfriend Is Cheating on You

In a relationship, there is nothing more heart-breaking than finding out that your girlfriend has another man--unless, of course, you didn't have a clue it was happening and are completely blindsided by the news. If you suspect your girlfriend is cheating on you, there are a few things that might give her away. But you may have to use some unconventional methods to find out the truth. Read on to learn how to know if your girlfriend is cheating on you.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate
Step1
Ask to borrow her computer or cell phone. It may seem like a small thing, but if she has another guy on her speed dial, she won't let you anywhere near her phone or computer. Make up some excuse about checking an online auction or losing your phone, and then evaluate her reaction.
Step2
See if she's really working late like she tells you. Call her at 7:00 p.m., for example; if she doesn't pick up her phone, try again in 15 minutes, then send her an email. If you don't hear back from her within a few minutes, she probably isn't at the office. If she's an hourly employee, check her pay stubs to see if she really is racking up the overtime.
Step3
Check for a paper trail. While not the most upstanding way to go about it, if you have suspicions, you can check bank accounts and credit card receipts for strange transactions. This may be tricky if her boyfriend pays for everything, but you may see some deposits that aren't supposed to be there if he's giving her money for rent or bills.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

How to Play Jazz Piano

This is a featured article. Click here for more information.

Jazz is an art form that has grown from its blues origins to draw influences from just about every genre of music there is. For the beginner, though, it's perhaps best to focus on early swing and learning to improvise. Here's a pretty easy way to get going!

Steps

  1. Listen. This is by far the most important step in becoming a musician. Find as many recordings as you can get your hands on. Don't discriminate--listen to the old greats, like Art Tatum and Count Basie and Thelonius Monk, as well as up-and-coming pianists of today. Listen, take what they do, and apply it to your own playing. Doing this consistently will make you an excellent jazz pianist.
  2. Assuming you already know some very basic theory, first learn all 12 major scales (there are twelve different sounding scales, but in theory B/Cb, F#/Gb and C#/Db are separate scales). Learning all the scales will be extremely helpful.
  3. Make sure you can read music and can play some basic stuff, even if it's not jazz. The first real step in your journey will be to break away from "the dots" and train your ear. So...
  4. Buy a songbook of one of the masters: Cole Porter, Gershwin, etc. Make sure that chord symbols or guitar tabs are written above the melody line, like "Dbm7."
  5. Learn a major 7th (1 3 5 7), minor 7th (1 b3 5 b7), dominant 7th (1 3 5 b7), half diminished (1 b3 b5 b7), and diminished chord (1 b3 b5 bb7) of every key. So, for example, to play C7 (C dominant 7th) you'd play C, E, G, and Bb. For C diminished seventh, you'd play C, Eb Gb, and A (Bbb). You need to know them well enough to be able to see a chord symbol like the one in the step above and be able to play it without thinking. If you know your major scales, you could have this step mastered in a week.
  6. To reward your hard work, pull out the songbook. Find a song you like and play the melody line in the right hand with the appropriate chords in the left, as you're reading them from the chord symbols. You are now playing a song without reading music (in the traditional way, aka Fakebook style). Congratulations!
  7. Even though it probably sounds horrible, practice for long enough and you'll sound more and more like what's written there without you even knowing it. You can always go back to the sheet music to see how they're voicing the chords in clever ways that you're not.
  8. Next, learn chord inversions: learn to play CM7 like (C, E, G, B), (E, G, B, C), (G, B, C, E) and (B, C, E, G). Learn those four positions for every chord, but only after you're comfortable knowing what every chord is, and have Step Four under your belt. Don't scramble your brain.
  9. Learn the pentatonic scale of your favourite key.
  10. Add in a couple of notes from it into a song you're comfortable with. Add some more, and take some of the originals out.
  11. Now learn the blues scale of that same key and mix the two. By now, you're probably IMPROVISING! Learn those two scales for every key.
  12. Look at the chord sequences in the songs you're playing. Try and splice one from one song into another.
  13. Learn the 3, 6, 2, 5, 1 progression. Also learn tritone substitutions and the circle of fifths. Play the same songs in different keys.
  14. When you're ready, learn chromatic and diatonic harmony. Learn modes and different scales. Listen to different sorts of music from all sorts of time periods, and anything that you can steal harmonic and melodic ideas from. When you've gotten this far, you can easily teach yourself.

Monday, December 22, 2008

How to format a USB Flash Drive to NTFS file system?

As you know NTFS is a high-performance and self-healing file system proprietary to Windows XP / Vista / 2003 / 2000 & NT, which supports file-level security, compression and auditing. It also supports large volumes and powerful storage solution such as RAID.
The most important feature of NTFS is the ability to encrypt files and folders to protect your sensitive data.
To enable NTFS on your USB Flash Drive follow the steps

  • Right click My Computer and select Manage.
  • Open the Device Manager and find your USB drive under the Disk Drives heading.
  • Right click the drive and select Properties.
  • Choose Policies tab and select the "Optimize for performance" option.
  • Click OK.
  • Open My Computer.
  • Select Format on the flash drive.
  • Choose NTFS in the File System dropdown box.
  • Device Formatting is completed.
To remove a device safely without data loss use a "safely remove hardware" procedure or Eject function from Windows Explorer.

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

How to burn a DVD

Burning DVD for a beginner can be very stressful and confusing. The DVD or CD burning process are unnecessarily complicate. SuperMediaStore.com provides you a step by step guid to tell you how to burn dvds in an easy way.

Please note that it is illegal to make a DVD of commercially produced material or material otherwise protected by copyright. This includes MP3 files, videos, TV shows, etc. Small portions may be copied for academic purposes. If you have questions or concerns about copyright law, please speak to an IS staff member.


To burn a DVD you will need:
Creating a Data DVD using Nero on a PC:

Do you ever burn a CD that just keep skip songs itself on your cd player, or often your DVD Player won't even read the DVD-R that you just burn? Though there could be other reasons that might caused the DVD burning errors, but always burnDVD-R with good quality bands or buy them from a reliable merchant store.

b) Steps for burning a Data DVD

  1. Save copies of any files you would like to put on the DVD in a folder on your computer if they are on floppy or zip disks.
  2. Insert a blank, writable or rewritable DVD in the recordable/rewritable DVD drive.
  3. From the Start Menu, go to All Programs > Burn a DVD or Data DVD > Nero StartSmart.
  4. Select DVD from the pull down menu at the top.
  5. Move the mouse to Data icon, options will appear below.


  6. Click on Make Data DVD. It will open Nero Expresswindow.

  7. Click on Add.
  8. In the Select Files and Folders window, the Location field shows the current folder. Find your files and click on the files to select them, then click on Add button. The files will be added to the Disk Content in the Nero Express window.
  9. Click Finished to return to the Nero Express window when you finished adding all the data,.
  10. In the Nero Express window, click on the Next button. The Final Burn Settings box will appear. If you are allowed to choose the speed for burning the DVD, it is recommended that you burn the DVD at 8x (11,080kb/sec) in the Writing speed field.
  11. Click on Burn.
  12. When the burning process is complete, a pop up window opens with the message: Burn process completed successfully. Click OK.
  13. Click Next to choose more options or to exit.


Rewriting on a DVD-RW using Nero Express on a PC:
  1. Insert the DVD-RW in the recordable/rewritable DVD drive.
  2. From the Start Menu, go to All Programs > Burn a DVD or Data DVD > Nero Programs > Nero Express.
  3. Click on the More button in the bottom of the window and click on Erase Disc.
  4. A dialog box will pop up. Choose Quick-erase rewritable disc from the drop-down menu.
  5. Choose Maximum from Erase Speed pull down menu.
  6. Click on Erase.
  7. After the erase, you may create another DVD using the same DVD-RW.


Burning pre-authored DVD-Video
  1. Launch Nero Burning Rom in the classic mode (not the Nero Express mode).
  2. Choose DVD from the drop-down menu, and select DVD-Video as the compilation type. Click the New button to open up the DVD layout view.

  3. Adding files to the VIDEO_TS folder
  4. Choose the VIDEO_TS folder from the DVDVideo -window. Use the right mouse button to Add files to the compilation. You can also use the explorer window to the right to locate the files and drag & drop them to the VIDEO_TS folder. Make sure that the files actually go to the VIDEO_TS folder, and not the root folder of the disc.


  5. Now all you have to do is burn the disc. Click Recorder --> Burn Compilation (or hit CTRL+B). The default settings should be ok. Just click on the Burn button. If you get prompted whether or not you want to burn a multisession disc, respond Burn without multisession .


Troubleshooting

If you see a permissions error (similar to the image below)

  • The administrator / owner of the computer you are using will need to contact the Help Desk to arrange for assistance in setting up Nero BurnRights

If you get a Buffer Underrun error - There are two ways you can fix it:

  • Choose a lower write speed (If you recorded at 8x last time, try 4x).
  • Make sure you saved the data to be burned on the drive that will allow optimal burning speed. This is usually the hard drive

If Testing and Recording Fails - There are a number of ways you can try to fix it.

  • Choose a lower write speed (If you recorded at 8x last time, try 4x).
  • Check you original media for scratches, dirt, or other damage. You may need to clean the media or save your original files to a new/undamaged disc.
  • Make sure you saved the data to be burned on the drive that will allow optimal burning speed. This is usually the hard drive.

Here is a registry trick to show realtime burning speed and buffer state if you burn with Nero.

Blank DVD-R 4,489MB 4,706,074,624 bytes or 4.383GB
Blank DVD+R 4,483MB 4,700,372,992 bytes or 4.377GB

8X DVD+R burntime 9mins
4X DVD+R burntime 14mins
4X DVD-R burntime 16mins
2.4X DVD+R burntime 22mins
2X DVD-R burntime 31mins
1X DVD-R burntime 61mins

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Cray's XT5 Jaguar

Cray's XT5 Jaguar supercomputer has narrowly missed displacing IBM's Roadrunner system as the world's fastest supercomputer, according to the results of the bi-annual 'Top500' supercomputing list announced on Friday.

Roadrunner (left), which is located at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, was enhanced earlier this year and in June became the first to break the petaflop barrier, reaching 1.105 petaflops, according to Top500.

Jaguar, which operates at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, became only the second-ever to pass the petaflop mark last week, as the result of a $100m (£70m) upgrade. However, Top500 officials placed Jaguar's performance at 1.059 petaflops, narrowly trailing that of Roadrunner.

One petaflop represents one quadrillion floating point operations per second.

AMD pointed out that Jaguar is based on its quad-core Opteron processors, making Jaguar the first entirely x86-based system to break the petaflop barrier. Roadrunner is based on IBM QS22 blades, which are powered by the PowerXCell 8i, an advanced version of the chip found in the Sony PlayStation 3.

Oak Ridge and Los Alamos are both operated by the US Department of Energy, which runs seven of the top 10 systems on the list. Nine of the top 10 systems are located in the US. The most powerful system outside the US is China's Dawning 5000A, which is also the largest system based on Windows HPC 2008.

IBM and AMD may lead the list, but about three-quarters (75.8 percent) of the other systems on the list are based on Intel chips, slightly up from 75 percent on the last list, issued in May.

IBM Power and AMD Opteron chips nearly tied for the second most-used processors, with 60 and 59 systems each respectively, or 12 percent and 11.8 percent. Quad-core chips have taken over the Top500 list rapidly, and are now to be found in 336 systems. Seven of the list's systems are using nine-core PowerXCell chips.

HP built the highest number of systems, at 209, followed by IBM with 188.

The entry-level of the list increased to 12.64 teraflops from 9.0 teraflops in May, and the 500th system on the current list would have placed at 267 on May's list, the Top500 organization said.

The US accounts for the majority of the Top500-listed supercomputing systems, with 291 systems, up from 257. Europe follows with 151 systems, followed by Asia with 47 systems. Within Europe the UK leads, accounting for 45 systems on the list, followed by Germany with 24 systems. Within Asia, Japan leads with 18 systems, followed by China with 16 and India with eight.

The Top500 list is issued twice a year and is compiled by the University of Mannheim, the NERSC/Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Sunday, November 9, 2008

How to Cheat on a Test

Try any of the following techniques:

Fingernail Method

  1. Write needed information on your fingeranils with a pencil, stick your hands IN YOUR POCKETS when you walk into the test if you have many notes on your nails. Then during the test when you come to a point where the notes on your nails will be usefull, pretend to pick them. Then once note is used stick your finger in your mouth and lick your nail. This makes your notes disapeer. This method is great during Geogrophy tests, beceause you can make maps out of your fingernails (when put togeather) then quickly get rid of them.

Scantron Method

  1. If you are taking a scantron test, (fill in the bubble tests often used in standardized tests, but also given by teachers) it will be graded by machine. However, you can fool the machine. If you are stuck between two answers, simply fill in both bubbles. The scantron will pick up on the darkest bubble. When the test has been returned to you and you are checking over it with the class, pay attention when they give the answer to the double-bubble question. If the answer that the machine marked was correct, simply erase the incorrect bubble to make it appear as if you changed your mind on the test. If it marked it as incorrect, slightly erase the incorrect answer and tell your teacher that the scantron machine made an error and marked the less-darkened bubble. This works more with gullible teachers, as i was able to fool my teachers many times with this method. However, do NOT do this on every test as your teacher will catch on eventually.

Cell Phone Method

  1. Put all needed information in a note on your cell phone. Put your cell phone on your knees, where the teacher cannot see it, and when you need an answer, look down at the note you typed. Make sure no one calls you.

Toilet Tank Method

Note: This must be prepared beforehand.

  1. Go to the toilet, and choose a specific stall. One that you're sure you'll remember.
  2. Go inside, lock the door, and open the top for the toilet tank. Usually, the water level doesn't fill the tank all the way, so use that dry space to tape your notes to.
  3. Ask to go to the bathroom during the exam, after you've finished doing all the questions you know. If you're not allowed, accept it. Someone can escort you to the bathroom if needed.
  4. Go into the stall you chose, lock the door, and take a look at the notes. Try not to make much noise if there are other people in the bathroom.
  5. Flush when you're done, to make it sound authentic, and go back and write down the rest of the test.
  6. Go back to the stall after the exam to destroy the evidence.

Asian Language Method

Do you know an Asian language such as Japanese, Korean or Chinese? If so, this is the technique for you! Note: This works best if you are not Asian yourself. You must prepare this the night before the exam. Before the Day of the Test:

  1. Figure out what you want to write down in English.
  2. Once you have decided what to write, take a pen and write your notes on the back of your hand in your Asian language if you are writing Japanese but are only familiar with katakana, then write in English, e.g. "conclusion" becomes "konkurushon".). Try to be creative and make it look like the characters are just decoration.
  3. Go to the bathroom and rub the pen off a little - but make sure you can still read it!
  4. Check later on in the evening that you can still understand your writing.
  5. On the day of the test, wear long sleeves so that it is not TOO obvious you have writing on your hand.
  6. Voila! You're set! Teachers (almost) never suspect an Asian language!

The same method can be used for a 'tattoo'. Just write the information in Asian on your hand, leg, etc. with a temporary ink pen few weeks/days before the exam (so the teacher won't note the 'tattoo' on the day of the exam) and try to be creative so you make it look like a real tattoo, and after that you can keep it for another few days after the exam has past before you remove it (so you won't be suspicious if you have rubbed it out just after the exam day).

Foot Signals Method

This one is recommended for multiple choice tests featuring letters or numbers.

  1. Find a smarter classmate who will let you cheat from him/her. Agree some foot signals beforehand e.g.:
    • One quiet step of a foot means A or 1.
    • Two steps means B or 2.
    • Tapping your feet using your toes means by 10, and tapping your feet using your sides means by 5.

Hat Method

This involves a hat, small handwriting, and good acting skills.

  1. Get the "this will never work" look on your face, or a similar look that could be used as a prerequisite to taking one's hat off.
  2. Take your hat off to wipe your brow with your sleeve. Your concealed page of notes should be visible inside the hat, where your forehead sits.

Rubber Band Method

This is best for formula etc., and is done quite simply.

  1. Take a wide rubber band, stretch it out really widely and place books inside to keep it from getting small again.
  2. Write your notes/cheats on the stretched out rubber with a black ballpoint pen, making sure to write your letters as close as possible, while it's stretched out.
  3. Let it return to its original size, and the notes will just look like black boxes, not cheats.
  4. Wear the rubber band as a bracelet to your test, and when you need the answers, just stretch the rubber band out, and when done, let it snap back.

Calculator Method

For tests allowing calculators, use any sort of text based memory to record all the equations, notes, theorems, proofs, etc. Create a fake, password protected program and use the text box. No teacher will ever be able to access it. However, most exams do not allow programmable calculators and invigilators may check.


If you are sitting close to a smart friend and the test is of multiple choice type then you can ask him/her to keep a continuous log of their answers by typing the relevant numbers continuously without a stop in between(EX: 2314 would mean ans1)2 or b, ans2)3 or c, ans3)1 or a, ans4)4 or d). Five minutes before the end of the test ask the invigilator if you can borrow his/her calculator as yours just stopped working or you just forgot yours altogether. At this point your friend must act as a good/kind student and offer his/her calculator without any hesitation. Chances are that as just 5 minutes remain the invigilator will not be too bothered about it and then you can copy the answers in the same order. BUT DON'T GET THE ORDER WRONG EVEN BY MISTAKE AS YOU WILL SURELY FAIL THEN.

The MP3

  1. With a cheap microphone, do a voice recording of any and all notes you could need for the exam. Keep every chapter, section, etc. on a different track so it can be easily accessed.
  2. Store the audio file on the music player.
  3. Ask if you can listen to music while you work. Use the "I did all my studying listening to my music, so 'state-dependent' theory says...blah blah blah" excuse, if you must. If listening is not allowed, put an earphone up your sleeve, or wear a hood. (It is easy to conceal a small earphone without a conspicuous hood if you have long hair.)
  4. Listen to your "music" during the test.

The MP3 Revisited

  1. Write whatever notes you need in a text file and put it on your media player (may require software) or create an image file of the notes and load it. Some players have a feature which allows you to write lyrics for songs - this feature can be used to store information on tests.
  2. Wear a pair of baggy jeans to school.
  3. Make sure your desk is directly behind the person in front of you.
  4. Put your feet up against the back legs of the seat in front of you with your knees high to conceal your lap.
  5. Place player in your lap with your fly open. If your teacher comes near or suspects you, slide it into your pants. (Note: works best for teachers of the opposite sex, particularly girls with male teachers.)

The Take-home Test

Note: This one can get you in serious trouble... not for the faint-of-heart. But of course, you've already made the decision to cheat, so getting in trouble probably doesn't faze you.

  1. Take the test home with you. Do not turn it in.
  2. Get help, and finish the test at home.
  3. Bring it back to class with you for the next lecture, along with several different colored pens and markers.
  4. When you see the teacher's grading method: color, style, etc., grade your own test in the same manner.
  5. Either the teacher recollects the tests to record them, or when the end of the semester comes around, and you have no score recorded, you can bring in evidence that you actually took the test and got graded on it.
  6. If you don't feel like doing that simply don't turn the test in and claim that they lost it. Ask to retake it on a later date.

Bathroom Method

This is the second easiest way not to get caught (the first is not to cheat in the first place). Note that the person giving the test may have caught on to the trend in bathroom cheating and may not let you go.

  1. Have a calculator or some exam notes in your pocket and while taking the test, write questions down on a piece of scrap paper.
  2. Go to the bathroom, whip out the cheats and work out your answers.

For Essay Tests

This is a brick wall in the cheating world. You can either try to copy or BS your way through it, but one thing will get you the points: Teachers are usually looking for specific words or phrases to be used, and they usually tell you them in class the day before the test.

  • Know the teacher, know the buzz-words, and be able to BS it well. Sorry, no silver bullet here.

Alternatively:

  1. Get some plasters or stickers and write down your information, buzz words, etc. on the sticky side of them.
  2. Stick them on your hand, wrist or arm on exam day.
  3. When the test comes, lift up the plaster to reveal your helpful hints.

Another way is the day before the test write out the test in the middle of a refil pad or watever you use. bring it into the class on the day of the test. then begin to write down a load of bs about spongebob square pant or something and when she tells you to hand you test up wait till the crowd goes up and rip out the essay you wrote the day befor the test. and you will get a 100%.


"Whoops" Technique

  1. Manage to obtain a copy of the test.
  2. Mark the correct answers on this copy.
  3. When you get the actual test, write some stuff on it and pretend to be thinking (or scrambling if it is a different version).
  4. Just before tests are collected, pull out your original copy and stash the other; and turn in the good test.
    • If it is a different version, you may still be able to get away with it by turning in the wrong one, and when asked, say it was the one they gave you, and stick to that (this works best for essay type tests).

Hidden Cheat

  1. Write out your exam notes in on a small piece of paper before the test, and slip the paper into the shaft of your pen.
  2. During the test, you can just take apart your pen and read the information needed. As always, make sure you don't get seen.

Gum Wrapper

  1. Buy some gum before the test - not in a package, but some that comes individually wrapped.
  2. Open the package and carefully unwrap a stick of gum, so as not to rip the wrapper.
  3. Take a small sheet of paper, write your info and put it under the gum, wrapping the stick again.
  4. Put it back in the pack on top and take a few out so it looks like a pack you've had for a few days.
  5. During the exam, when the proctor isn't looking, eat the gum and read your info.
  6. Pretend to get tired of the stick and put it back in the wrapper so you "destroy" your cheat notes and thus don't get caught.

Alternatively:

  1. Get a pack of gum that comes in a circular tin, like ice breakers sours gum/mints.
  1. Cut out a circular piece of paper the size of the tin and open the "to share" side to read the notes. Only have a few pieces of gum in there, though, so that you won't look suspicious when you throw it away.
    • This works even better under the padding of Altoids.

Band-Aid

This usually only works with small notes, and if you are an athlete (football, skateboarding) this works even better.

  1. Get the biggest Band-Aid you can.
  1. Write the some notes on the cloth-like part of the band-aid. Red (blood), brown (dried blood), or yellow/green (pus) works best, but you could really use any color.
  2. Put it on your elbow or knee.
  3. Scratch the Band-Aid as if it itches when test time comes. Then, act like you're going to fix your band-aid.
  4. Pretend you're looking at the wound, but don't pull it completely off (you don't have a wound!).
  5. Look at the answers.

Do not take the band-aid off during school! Administrators will see you're faking.

Desk Cheat

  1. Before the test, get a good sheet of notes, formulas, complicated questions and answers, etc. and have it all summarized on a sheet of paper.
  2. Take the sheet and glue/tape it on to the bottom of the desk that you KNOW that you will be sitting at. Place it so that the top is at side of the desk furthest from you.
  3. During the test, simply drop your pencil under the desk, reach for it, look up and enjoy your answers (do not stare for too long or the teacher might notice).

Desk Cheat 2

  1. Print out a small strip of paper the thickness of the desk with the answers and put small strips of tape on the ends.
  2. Tape the paper to the edge of your desk or the desk closest to you, and if the teacher walks by, cover it with your arm.

Desk Cheat 3

This works best in the back of class.

  1. Before class, when the teacher isn't there, write formulas etc. on the desk in pencil.
    • If the teacher walks by, just slide your paper over it.
    • If you're not in the back of the class, or if the teacher periodically patrols the desk isles, try writing very, very light on the desk so it doesn't stand out.
    • Instead of writing out entire words or sentences, just use one letter (preferably a starting letter) to remind you what the full answer is, and just spread them out across your desk, instead of writing them all in one clumped area.
    • Another good place to write is in the small indent where you can put a pencil at the edge of your desk, as it is both difficult to see that spot while walking by, and you can place a pencil over your cheats without suspicion.
  2. When class is over you can simply erase the notes. (This works extremely well with light colored desks and pencil; use of pen isn't recommended.)

Desk Cheat 4

KISS=Keep It Simple Stupid

  1. Before class attach double sided (circled) tape to the desk. Sneak a normal sized sheet of notes. Read off your lap. If you feel threatened, pop your knee up and attach the paper to the top of the desk. Remember, less motion means less visibility.


Not finished cheat

Purposely do not finish the test in class. If the teacher tells you to come and do it in the mourning forget. She/he will make you do it when you come to class the next day. If she/he ask you to do it in the hallway sit very close to the door and listen when they go over the answers with the class.


Science class with specialized computer programs

Set up a network with your friends via common chat programs and have at it.


Note card Cheat

Note: This only works on multiple page tests.

  1. Write notes, answers, etc, on the front and back of a few note cards. If you must, study half of what you need to know, and write down the other half.
  2. On the day of the test, wear a sweatshirt with long sleeves. Slip the note cards into the sleeve.
  3. When you get the test, slip the note cards from your hand, to the second or third page of the test. When you go to look at the cards, it will look like you just are looking at pages ahead.
  4. When you actually get to the page on the test where the note cards are, slip them back into your sleeve and slip them on to another page. Near the end of the test, slip the note cards back into your sleeve.

Note-Belt Cheat

  1. Make sure you have a belt, and cut out a piece of paper slightly shorter than the belt is tall/wide, and about 6-10 inches long.
  2. Write out all of your notes on this piece of paper (one side only), then attach it to the inside of your belt.
  3. Come test-day, make sure you have this belt on you, and that it is relatively loose.
  4. When you want to read the notes, simply suck in your gut, and read from the inside of your belt. This may work better if you tuck in your shirt beforehand, so that it does not seem odd that you are lifting up your shirt.

Finger Nail Cheat

This may require medium-long finger nails.

  1. Write any information really small on your finger nail. Make sure you use a pencil (best results are with at most a 0.5mm lead pencil). Teachers don't think about checking your finger nails, plus, it blends with your nail color and you can easily see it as the lead will reflect some light.
  2. By simply wiping your nail to another finger, you can wipe off the writing.

Sleeved-Shirt Cheat

  1. Wear a long-sleeved shirt that can easily be rolled up or moved.
  2. Write formula or key facts that you are sure will be on the test on your forearm, using an unnoticeable pen.
    • Try to sit in an area where a person of larger size may block you from the teacher's vision.
    • Try not to obviously check your forearm, but pretend that you have some sort of itch and you are scratching your forearm.

Water Bottle Cheat

  1. Get a water bottle and very carefully remove the label/wrapper that wraps around the middle of the bottle.
  2. If it is thick enough, write your cheat-sheet/notes on the back of the label (the white part that sticks to the bottle) or attach the label to a sheet of thin paper with a glue stick or tape.
  3. Re-attach the label to the bottle.
  4. Look through the bottle at just the right angle, and you will be able to read your notes through the clear water within.

Trash Can Cheat

This can be fairly hard to execute convincingly.

  1. Type (so your teacher cannot recognize your handwriting if caught) some notes in a large font on a sheet of paper.
  2. Attach some tape to the back of the paper and act like you're throwing it away but really stick it to one side of the inside of the trash can.
  3. Act like you're going to throw away something (or spit out gum, sharpen pencil, whatever) at some time during the test, and look at your garbage can notes while you're there.
  4. Rip off the sheet and throw it away when the test is over.

Sign Language Cheat

Only works with multiple choice exams, and requires a friend and some planning.

  1. Get your friend's attention in a predetermined way (e.g.: coughing, whistling, knocking, stretching, etc.).
  2. Tell them the number of the question you are stuck on by using your fingers on one hand, e.g. "one" by sticking out your index finger, immediately followed by "two" by sticking out your index and middle finger together would mean question #12. You can do numbers greater than 4 by using your thumb to denote a plus sign. For example, index-middle + index-middle-ring + thumb + index-middle-ring-pinky = question #27.) In response, your friend can give you the answer to the question by showing you his thumb (A), index (B), middle (C), ring (D), or pinky (E) finger, or by placing their pencil in a predetermined position for each answer.

Musical Cheat

Only works for Band, Orchestra, and possibly Gym, in rare cases. This is not for those with sensitive hands. Do not use this cheat unless you are desperate.

  1. Rub, scratch, or bang your hand to get it red, but don't hurt yourself.
  2. When it looks red and irritated, go to the nurse's office (works best with gullible nurses) and (convincingly) say you just slammed your hand in your locker. Look upset and pained. They will most likely give you ice (which will make your hand even more red).
  3. Go to your Orchestra or Band teacher and explain to them how you slammed your hand in a locker and are now in serious pain.
  4. Unless they are totally evil, they won't make you play your cello, oboe, French Horn, or viola.
  5. Kick back, relax, and watch the rest of the class suffer as they play Symphony Number Nine.
    • You can do this for Gym to, but Gym teachers usually are a little more strict about injuries and more likely to force you to participate anyway.

Body Parts Cheat

  1. Get a pen (red works best as it blends best with skin tone) and write little notes on any area of skin on your body.
    • The ankles are good if you wear jeans and can cross your legs.
    • The wrists are good if you can write on your veins with blue pen.
    • On the inside of your thighs you can write formulas if you wear shorts.
    • One of the best places to put notes are on your hands, for several reasons: *1) You will be using them during the whole test, *2) It is easy to hide with another hand or a shirt sleeve. Write short notes on the lines and wrinkles of your palm, the sides of the fingers, or the little piece of skin between your fingers.

Calculator Legs Cheat

  1. Practice beforehand so you know where all the buttons are on your calculator
  2. In your math test, put your calculator in between your legs and whenever you need to use it, type in the sum and pretend you are rotating your neck so you can glance at your calculator to see the answer.

Sleeve Note Cheat

  1. Get a small piece of paper and write all your notes up beforehand.
  2. Slip it into your sleeve on the day of the test, and when you need it just pull a small portion of it out, look at it under the desk, put it back into your sleeve and keep writing.

The Hoodie Cheat

This works best in long tests where you can leave 15-30 minutes or so between checking notes for safety.

  1. Tape a piece of paper with your note on it inside a baggy hoodie.
  2. Pull off your hoodie during the test, and as you do so look at the note taped on the inside. Put it back on later to see your answers again.

Older Student

Memorize the answers to a test from an older version of the test given or sold to you by an older student. This is almost infallible, and will also help you learn if you do the test yourself beforehand.

In-Desk Cheat

Only works if you are not in total view of the teacher.

  1. Have your notebook with all your math questions and/or answers on it and just shove it in your desk
  2. Take it out and act like you are using it for paper to do the equation on.

Pencil-to-Desk Cheat

  1. Get to class a few minutes early, then pull out your study guide/notes that you will need on the test.
  2. Place them on the desk and pretend to write marginal notes on the papers, but really copy some short, abbreviated notes onto the desk. Try to write really fast.
  3. When your teacher starts passing out tests, put your notes away and use what you have written on your desk. This trick is effective for short, hard to memorize notes because you can easily cover up the lead writing with your forearm and erase it afterward.

Locker Cheat

  1. Do not take your notes with you to the test. Instead, leave them in your locker.
  2. Go over the test and do all of the questions you know. Make a mental note of the ones you don't know the answers to.
  3. Ask to go to the bathroom.
  4. If you are allowed to go, go to your locker, and use your notes to get the answers you need.
  5. Return ASAP, before you forget them! This works best if your locker is relatively far away from where the test is taking place. It's extremely important that you be very quick while you're doing this. Also, this method will not work for tests where someone has to escort you to the bathroom.

Wristband Cheat

  1. Write some study notes on a small piece of paper and slip it under a wristband.
  2. When the teacher isn't looking, slide it out and take a peek.
    • This can be done in several different ways:
  • You can put your head down on your desk as if you are thinking, and look.
  • You can even ask to go to the washroom and look at them there.

Make sure that the paper is not sticking out!

Tissue Cheat

  1. Write the information needed onto a tissue.
  2. Put the tissue into a tissue box in the classroom (this works best with a tissue box in the back of the classroom) before the test starts.
  3. At some point during the test, go to the box and pull out the tissue.
  4. Face away from the class and pretend to blow your nose, when you're actually looking at the answers.
    • If there are many people who actually use tissue during class, alternatively, you can have the tissue in your pocket, and then blow your nose in the back of the room. Dispose of the tissue in the trash.

Headache Cheat

  1. Write your information onto your hand.
  2. Pretend you're under traumatic stress during the test by rubbing your eyes or head as if you have a headache.
  3. Look at the answers on your hand while you rub your head and/or eyes. It's almost foolproof, since all you're doing are the natural reactions of one under stress. This will not work with teachers who check hands before the test starts.

Scraps

  1. Take advantage of the allowance of scrap-paper by pre-making your own. Write the notes, formula, equations, symbolic functions, etc. so that you can just look at them when you are taking the test.
    • Make sure that you are still lightly tracing your pre-wrote notes during the test so your teacher won't be suspicious.

The Dictionary Cheat

For tests that allow dictionary use.

  1. Scribble formulas, information, charts, etc., in a dictionary and remember the page numbers.
  2. Bring your dictionary to the test. The teachers won't flip every single pages of your dictionary, so the chances of you getting caught are slim.

The Cover Sheet Cheat

  1. Put two pieces of paper on top of each other.
  2. Write your notes on the top page, being sure you press hard. Upon the removal of the top sheet imprints of your notes will be visible on the underlying sheet.
  3. Use the sheet with imprints to cheat on the test.

The Mechanical Pencil Trick

  1. Get an opaque mechanical pencil which takes in about 0.7 lead or thicker. Write all your notes on a single piece of paper and roll it up. Pop out the eraser from the pencil and slide your notes in. So whenever you need to look at some notes, pretend that you're changing the lead and sneak a peak at the notes. This works well because a teacher isn't going to look inside your pencil for cheat notes...
    • Clear Binder: If you have a test where you can have a binder present, use a clear one. Slip the answers under the bind (the clear part), then press hard down on the binder and bang your answers!
    • iPod or MP3 player: You need long sleeves for this cheat. Put the music player in you pants pocket and have the cord going up your sleeve. Make sure that you keep the sound on low. Have the music player playing a recording of the answers. Put your hand next to your ear and only you can hear the answers.
    • Awkward...: Male or female: this WILL work. Write your test answers on the patch of your skin that lies under the elastic band of your boxers, tighty-whities, bathing suit, or whatever you desire to wear under your pants. If a teacher asks you to lower the elastic band and reveal the answers, an obvious retort would be: "are you serious?!?! I'm pretty sure that what you just asked me to do is illegal for a teacher to ask. It's very personal, by the way." Look shocked or else they will be very suspicious.
    • The Watch Cheat: This works best with the watches with a metal band that folds into three pieces and clips together. Take your watch off, and on the inside of the clasp (the parts you can't see when it's closed, but NOT the part against your wrist because it will wear off) you have room to write small notes/formula/whatever with a thin mechanical pencil. Just take your watch off and sit it on your desk, or play with it pretending to think. It can't be seen while you have the watch on, and you can just wipe the notes off with your finger to destroy the evidence.
    • The Hidden Leg Style (most preferable for students who wear pants): This is really helpful for long essay tests. If you already know what the exam will be but don't know how to answer a long essay, print or write the answer on a long or short bond paper. Before you go to your school or university, wrap the bond paper that you printed around your legs then tape it at both ends but be sure that you can twist the bond paper for you to read the other parts. When the test have started, make your legs to shape like a #4 with the cheating leg on the top then easily pull the part of your pants that covers the bond paper. When the teacher or professor goes around to check, just change the position of your legs or sit down normally and the part of the pants that hides the paper will automatically go down and cover the paper again.
    • The Invisible Ink: (suggested for people who know that they will be taking their exams in their own classroom): Using security ink that shows up under UV light, write your cheats on the wall before the exam starts (make sure that the wall that you'll be writing on has a small column near it and is discreet, for example below desk level). When you get stuck, focus a UV torch on the invisible ink, and your answer is revealed. Your friends could also bring torches to view the same answers (but ensure you don't tell anyone who is likely to snitch on you if they are caught).
    • In-Pen Trick: (works best if the teacher uses study carols or dividers to keep you from cheating off each other) You will need a pen with a see-through body so you are able to see the ink cartridge. Print a study guide or small cheat sheet in very small font, but not too small that the writing is illegible (size 6 or 7 is recommended). Next, dismantle the pen and tape the cheat sheet on the inside circumference of the pen's body. Put the pen together again. You should be able to see the cheat sheet inside the pen, if you cannot, disassemble the pen and replace the paper until you can see it.
    • The Shoe Trick: (this works best if you have shoes you dislike or on converse that u enjoy writing on) First, you have to put everything you need to know on the sole or the side of your shoe (the side that if your crossing your legs, you can view) When you are taking the test, act like your crossing you legs (the way the men do it) and look at the side of your shoe. then when a teacher is walking past, put your leg down.
    • Skirt Trick 1: (FOR GIRLS WITH SKIRTS) Okay this is the easiest way not to get caught. All you have to do is write what you need on your leg where it is covered by your skirt. All you have to do is slide it up during the test. Teachers cannot ask a girl to lift her skirt up to reveal what you wrote.
    • Skirt Trick 2: (FOR GIRLS WITH SKIRTS) This works best with short skirts. Write the answers on a piece of paper or cloth and pin them to the inside of your skirt. Lift it up when nobody is watching, and you have your answers. Even if you are "caught" no teacher, especially a male one, is going to ask you to show your "answers".

Scratch Paper Trick

If you're taking a test that involves scratch paper, write down some notes on a notebook piece of paper and carefully slip it under the scratch sheet.(It helps if you hide the notebook paper under a coat or jacket)Take the paper and pretend to write on it. Enjoy your cheating! (DON'T GET CAUGHT!)

Small notes Trick

Good for medium length memory quiz's. Write what you need to know very small on a small piece of paper and lay it in your lap during the quiz.

  1. Another bathroom one I like, is to write all you know about the test, or all the answers on a piece of lined paper. Fold it up, and fasten tape on the back of it. Stick it underneath the toilet (lowest point you can), or on the wall behind it. Go to the restroom and review. Nobody should look under there. Don't be dumb, don't put your name on it. Try typing it up.

Another MP3 Method...

If you have an MP3/4 record some notes and instead of putting it in your ear put in your sleeve. Make sure the earphone can come out when you need it from your sleeve. When you need to listen to something make a bored-confused-like expression and put the hand whit the earphone at your ear and look at your test like you are revising it. This worked for several people.

Another MP3 method...

Ipods have an option where on the computer, you can go into the options and type in the lyrics for certain songs from your Itunes library. These lyrics can be accessed on the Ipod by listening to the song then clicking on the center button until they show up. It is easy so use these lyrics boxes to just type in whatever you need. This method works best if you have either a math or chemistry teacher who lets you use Ipods during tests, as these subjects have information that you can easily cheat, such as formulas and simple terms, unlike English or a foreign language

The Tights Method

This works for both males and females. Before you get dressed in the morning, write in pen on your legs all the formulas/information/definitions/helpful stuff for your exam and make sure you wear clothes that cover your legs e.g. long trousers. This is particularly useful as many who take exams have to wear Uniforms, and girls who wear tights can wear completely opaque black tights. Go to the toilet during your exam and simply take down your trousers/tights and there are your answers for you to read. And no teachers can ask you to pull them down!

The Binder Method

Right your notes/formulas or whatever you need to know on a lined sheet of paper. Then put it into your binder so that it is the first sheet of paper, before everything else. Then when the test starts place it under you desk so that if you look down your binder is in view. Note: Make sure your binder is not upside down. Now right how your binder looked kind of whitish and if you look at it all you can see is a paper with some sort of writing on it. But you can't read the writing (and neither can your teacher). Now simply step on your binder, and voila! You can see the answers. This method only works if you have a see through binder.


The Shoe Method

Take a little piece of paper and write down all the answers in it and go to the washroom or anywhere you can be alone. Place the paper inside your shoe then go back to class, Take off your shoes and look down!

Invisible 2

Take a sheet of paper and lay it on a different sheet and press hard on the pencil and write the notes on the sheet. Then when you take the test take the sheet that was under the sheet that you wrote on out. Then shade the page and like magic the answers are there then when you are done (make sure you have a big eraser) erase the shaded pencil marks then throw it away. If the teacher comes by flip the sheet over make sure you have some stuff on it and there you go.

Teachers Desk Method

Sometimes the teacher (especially when grading) will leave an answer sheet on his/her desk .To get a peak at it Pretend you don't know something , and go up there. Try to remember all that you can. you can repeat this but don't over do it.

Day before

Get a copy of the test the day before or in the morning before class. You can do this by staying after school to get "help" from the teacher. Usually teachers leave the room for any reason, grab a copy of the test and put it into your bag. Be careful, some teachers number their tests and know if its missing. You could make a copy then return it later. If your teacher won't leave the room, tell him/her that someone is at the door for her and called her name, or have a friend call her phone. If your teacher is strict and is too suspicious, you could go to another teacher that teaches the same class. To get him out of the room say Mrs. Blank wants to talk to you and can't get hold of your phone for some reason. Once you have the test, go home and look it up on the internet or in your notes or in text books. Put your answers on a separate piece of paper then try to memorize them or use one of the other methods. I have tried this before and my teacher did not suspect a thing. Be careful about grabbing the wrong test or homework. Usually the teacher will put the test into a drawer or on top of her desk, don't be afraid to look around.

Nerd cheat

If you have a friend that really smart and he/she trusts you and you trust him/her, ask for answers. If he/she is far, (and if you have the guts), sneak without the teacher looking. This method is the riskiest of them all. If you want to lessen trouble, use mouthing or something to communicate to your friend if they are far and easy to get seen. Also use other types of signals to contact them.

Big Eraser cheat

Have one of those large erasers with you on the day of a test. (If you know the test is going to be the exact same as the study guide, use this method). Write the lettered answers on the eraser and you will have them when you take the test.

Folder Cheat

get two pocket folders and put them upright, like in second grade, to be kind of funny. if your teacher is strict DO NOT USE. just pretend to be silly with the folders and hide your cheat sheet or study guide in your desk. pretend to look confused and put your head on the desk, look inside at the answers. only attempt if teacher stays in front of room.

White/Blackboard or Environment Cheat

If you have one of these teachers who have stuff written all over the board and it's full of due dates, random stuff, and funny notes to the teacher from students, this is a bit risky but extremely helpful. Before class, preferably when the teacher is out of the room, write down some acronyms or stuff to help you remember answers to the test. If you are really daring you might just be able to conceal notes between lines or in corners. You can also do this by writing on the floor, the wall, behind a bookcase you're near, etc.

The Dictionary Again..

Write notes of the test or answers onto the dictionary with a pencil. This means you will be able to rub it out later. Memorize some of the writing test or try to answer some of the questions. Then, using a confused look, look at your dictionary and get the information you were looking for. Remember, use a personal dictionary, not one provided for you. More on WikiHow

Friday, November 7, 2008

How hackers were thwarted at the Beijing Olympics

The security team behind the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games has revealed how it found the real risks hidden within the millions of alerts received every day.

Faced with 12 million alerts per day, the team at the Games' worldwide IT partner, Atos Origin, used in-house risk-management technology to reduce the alerts to just 90 critical alarms, focusing on the most serious risks.

Honey traps were also used to trap several hackers, using results terminals with security holes to lure criminals into attempting to install applications.

At the RSA Conference Europe 2008 in London, Vladan Todorovic, information-security manager for the Beijing Olympics, described how the team coped with the alarms triggered on more than 12,000 devices spread over 70 venues that were thousands of kilometers apart.

Todorovic said: "We were using real-time risk-management technology developed at previous games, including Athens and Salt Lake City."

"We were capable of detecting both the aggressive and slower attacks and prioritizing them accordingly. As you know, we managed it, so there was no effect on the running of the Games," said Todorovic.

The team expects to face new challenges from more wireless public networks at the London 2012 Games and also hopes to perfect new authentication technologies that were not ready for use in the Beijing Games.

The most frequent security events over the course of the Beijing Games related to port security, unauthorized access attempts and bad configurations, with the overall number of security calls rising to their highest level on the seventh day of the event.

The Atos Origin system used multiple servers to correlate unexpected incidents on the system to spot both fast and staggered attempts to hack the network.

Remaining alarms were then prioritized, based on risk - for example, if the alarm was on a system at a venue where an event was taking place or on a key system.

Automated, real-time security audits also allowed Atos Origin to examine every new or reconfigured device connected to the Games' system to check the device had the proper security settings and antivirus software installed. Visit silicon.com

Thursday, November 6, 2008

How to get good sleep

  1. Get on schedule. Varying your sleeping times by more than an hour can severely disrupt your sleep quality by "advancing the sleep phase". For example, let's say you normally wake up at 7 a.m. on weekdays to get to work, so you get to bed around 11 p.m. because that's when you start to feel sleepy (and it's also a good time to ensure 8 hours of sleep). If, on the weekend, you sleep in until 9 a.m., you probably won't be able to fall asleep that night until 1 a.m. again. In other words, your body thrives on running on a routine; erratic sleeping sessions will interfere with your internal "biological clock". For some people, and depending on work and routine, a very short rest in the afternoon (the Spanish call it the siesta) could help alleviate drowsiness some people experience during the day. But make sure not to oversleep.

  2. Be mindful of what you have eaten or drunk before bed. Your stomach should not be too full, but not too empty. Wait at least three hours after dinner before going to sleep. Digestion doesn't work well while asleep, and a full stomach may interrupt sleep. Do not eat heavy foods for the few hours prior to sleep. Similarly, you should avoid going to bed on an empty stomach, as a completely empty stomach may equally interfere with your sleeping patterns.[1] Switch to decaf coffee and avoid tea, cocoa and cola drinks. Caffeine can keep you awake even if you drank it earlier in the day, as the effects of caffeine last for about 8 hours. Avoid tobacco products in the evenings as well. Try to avoid drinking water or other fluids one hour before you go to sleep, but make sure you drink at least 2 litres of water during the day. A well hydrated body will not wake you up thirsty in the middle of the night. While alcohol will make you feel sleepy, it will reduce sleep quality. If you find that your stomach is grumbling for food and is keeping you awake, have a light snack about an hour before bedtime. Stick to foods that contain high levels of tryptophan, such as milk, turkey, yogurt, ice cream, soy beans, tuna, and peanuts. Tryptophan helps the body produce serotonin in order to relax.[2]
  3. Keep the room dark. Exposure to light during the time you're supposed to be sleeping can disrupt your body's internal cycles. This has been documented in studies surrounding circadian rhythms.[3] Turn your light off, or use a very dim night light. Pull curtains across, blinds down or shut the shutters, to prevent outdoor lights from shining on you. If you wake up and see any kind of bright light, you'll have a much harder time falling back asleep. Try to eliminate all sources of light, including from windows, LED clocks and cable boxes, by covering them with heavy paper or cloth covers, or blue tack.
  4. Change your sleeping position. You may think that it's impossible to control what position you sleep in since you aren't fully aware of what you are doing, but it is possible and it can make a considerable difference. When you go to sleep, or if you wake up in the middle of the night, make a conscious effort to follow these guidelines until it becomes habitual:

    • Keep your body in a "mid-line" position, where both your head and neck are kept roughly straight. Don't use a flat pillow that causes your head to tilt down toward the mattress. Likewise, don't stack your pillows so that your head is propped at an angle.
    • Place a pillow between your legs if you sleep on your side. This will support your hips and make this position more comfortable.
    • Place a pillow under your legs, if you sleep on your back, to take stress off your lower back.
    • Avoid sleeping on your stomach. It's difficult to maintain the mid-line position, and it is more likely to cause aches and pains. If you must, bend one arm upwards and place it under your pillow. This will help alleviate stress on your back and neck by slightly propping up your body on one side.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Tips for Courting Your Wife

Those were the good old days when the boyfriend called because he missed his girl, he brought flowers to win her heart and he would take her anywhere she liked even to the dreaded chick flick - all with a happy grin on his face. Then one glorious day, he gets down on one knee and recites a beautiful and romantic speech usually ending with the words, "Will you marry me? "

After the nuptials are announced and the knot is tied however, the courtship seems to become less frequent. However, it still takes place but its not always husband initiated and it usually involves less chick flicks, flowers and happy grins. Then after the kids come along you can simply forget it!

The problem is that you really shouldn't forget it. Courting your wife is a critical part of marriage. Men need to be the initiators because it contributes to the way the woman perceives herself and her value in the relationship. Women who don't get courted in a relationship often feel neglected and unappreciated and this in turn affects the way she begins to view her husband. Husbands will tell you if you ask that the most sexy thing you can do as a wife is to be "in to him." This can be a challenge for women if they feel as though their husbands are no longer interested in them. It therefore becomes a vicious cycle.

How do you break the cycle you may ask? Each party shares in the responsibility of changing the direction of their marriage.

Ladies, make sure you let your request be known and be willing to give suggestions, assistance with sitters or reservations and your opinions. Don't just say, "Whatever you want to do is fine or whatever you get me will be great," if you don't mean it. Tell the truth. Husbands, please remember that there is more to dating than dinner and a movie. It involves romance.

What the heck is romance you may ask? Romance is defined by Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary as trying to obtain favor with someone especially through lavishing attention, gifts or flattery and to carry on a love affair. Now that sounds good to me!

By AmyCH

Monday, September 29, 2008

Grooming Tips For Men

Grooming Tips For Men
By Beverly Smith

We live in a time when it pays to look younger, whether it�s in the workplace or in the dating world. One of the keys to success is good grooming, experts say.

An increasing number of men are making grooming a priority because they want to maintain a youthful appearance and a winning edge. Statistics show that men in the United States are spending more than $4 billion a year on grooming products, such as haircolor and facial scrubs, driven by their desire to look and feel their best. The growth in grooming products is being fueled in part by baby boomers entering middle age.

Top Grooming Tips for Men

Get Rid the Gray Hair
The fastest way to take years off of your look is to get rid of gray hair. It�s less noticeable and more natural to begin coloring your hair when you first begin to go gray. An easy-to-use product formulated specifically for men, such as Just For Men Haircolor, can be used at home to cover gray hair with natural looking results.

If your beard and mustache turns gray first, the makers of Just For Men Haircolor have a brush-in gel in a no-drip formula that�s perfect for covering facial hair.

Go Short if You�re Balding
Balding is another common problem among men. Opting for a comb-over just dates your look. Get comfortable with your changing look and opt for a modern short haircut.

When men begin to lose the hair on their heads, they may begin to notice unwanted hair in other places, like their nose, ears or back. Be sure to trim or wax unwanted hair for a clean, contemporary look.

Protect and Pamper Your Skin
The best way to prevent wrinkles and skin cancer is to protect your skin from sun damage by using a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.

A good daily skin care routine includes cleansing, followed by a gentle facial exfoliant scrub, which also enhances shaving ease and comfort. Follow with a moisturizer containing sunscreen for day and at night a moisturizer with AHAs to encourage skin regeneration.

Pay Attention to Hands and Feet
Don�t forget to include your hands and feet in your grooming routine. Well-manicured nails and toes contribute to good hygiene and grooming habits. Make time to clip and file your nails at home.

Foot odor is a common problem among many men, and is relatively easy to treat. Scrub your feet daily and dry them completely. Insert a pair of Odor-Eaters Insoles into your shoes, which will absorb wetness and odor.

Quick Grooming Tips

  • If you don't iron your clothes, remove them immediately from the dryer so wrinkles don't set.
  • In hot weather, wear light-colored, cotton clothing and socks. This will absorb less heat and "sweat stains" will be less visible.
  • Consider trimming your arm pit hairs in warm weather. Less hairs, less bacteria, less smell. Think about it.
  • Don't be reluctant to trim or tweeze any stray eyebrow hairs.
  • Good dental hygiene means a dazzling smile.
  • Open your eyes. If hair is the frame for your face, the eyes are the windows. Use eye drops to whiten the whites of your eyes for a fresher, younger look.

Extend the Life of Your Razor Blades
All you need is a bottle of mineral oil and some rubbing alcohol.
After shaving, thoroughly clean and dry your razor blades and then completely immerse the razor head in a shallow dish filled with mineral oil. Use the rubbing alcohol to wash away the oil next time you need to use the razor.

By immersing the blades in oil, you stop the oxidization process that dulls their sharp edges. A daily mineral oil soak can double or even triple the life of your cartridges.

Friday, September 26, 2008

How To French Kiss

An introduction to the seductive art of French Kissing.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: N/A

Here's How:

  1. Set the scene. Make sure that the mood and time are right.
  2. Relax! Take a deep breath and let go of any tension in your neck and shoulders.
  3. Put your arms around the person you want to kiss.
  4. Start off with a normal kiss, not too firm, not too aggressive. Closing your eyes is optional.
  5. In mid kiss, gently open your mouth and softly nudge the other persons mouth open using your tongue.
  6. Again, not too aggressively, move your tongue inside the other persons mouth and playfully touch their tounge.
  7. Read the other persons body language, if they seem tense or start to pull away, stop what you are doing.
  8. If they open their mouth more or otherwise indicate they like the kiss, keep on doing what you have been only with a little more passion.
  9. As the kissing gets going saliva build up can be a problem, don't forget to swallow.
  10. Make sure you keep your tongues relaxed but your lips tight (saliva again), you don't want the kiss to turn messy.

Tips:

  1. Don't forget to breathe.
  2. Since French Kissing is "wetter" than other kinds of kissing it is a good idea to start with dry lips, don't lick them first.
  3. If one of you have braces you can still French Kiss, you just have to be more careful and not as forceful when things get passionate.
  4. If both of you wear braces you can still French Kiss, you just have to be very gentle and avoid touching teeth.
  5. French Kissing takes practice, but at least it is fun to practice this one!
- by Mike Hardcastle

Magician Blaine back on his feet after

Magician David Blaine completed his 60-hour upside-down ordeal in New York on Wednesday, but some complained the illusionist's bid to emulate Batman was itself an illusion.

Blaine (35) ended his latest stunt by appearing to vanish from the structure where he had spent nearly three days -- most of it hanging head down.

Having completed the promised 60-hour period, he leapt from the metal frame holding his cable, then was hoisted back into the dark sky, giving the impression of disappearing.

Some in the crowd attending the finish grumbled that Blaine exaggerated his feat, because he wasn't actually inverted the whole time.

During much of the period he stopped for regular breaks on his feet -- as often as once an hour -- to drink liquids, urinate and undergo medical checks.

"I am totally unimpressed," Joshua Yoselowitz, a 31-year-old banker, said. "I'd rather be at home. If his name hadn't been David Blaine I would never have come."

Undoubtedly the hanging stunt was a physical and mental test.

The daredevil magician has previously spent 72 hours encased in ice, 44 days in a Plexiglas box, a week under water, and been buried alive. But he said at the start of the challenge on Monday that he'd faced nothing harder.

Blaine apparently did not sleep for two nights and he spent nearly the whole period suspended the wrong way from a wire attached to a body harness and special boot clips.
His doctors had described a very real danger of blindness and swelling of the brain.

Several hundred fans cheered at the climax, which was broadcast live on ABC television.

But Blaine did not stick to what many assumed would be the strict format.

Instead of permanently hanging upside down, Blaine took numerous rest breaks on a platform brought to him by a hydraulic boom.

During one such moment, a few hours before the finale, he spent 20 minutes on his feet.

First he could be seen drinking an orange liquid, then he urinated behind a sheet held up by an assistant, and then he underwent an eye and heart check by a medical attendant.

An hour later he took another, briefer time-out.

Howls of derision
The pauses brought howls of derision from some in the crowd.

"Oh, so this is where the magic comes in," said one heckler.

"Come on, do a trick!" shouted another.

New York tabloid the Daily News passed its own verdict, saying: "Some folks are already saying the achievement should be marked with an asterisk."

ABC, the US network that owned the live TV rights, brushed aside the issue in its two-hour live coverage of the ending to the stunt, dubbed the "Dive of Death."

When Blaine was brought to stand on the platform for his final dive, the ABC presenter inaccurately announced: "You can see David turned upright for the first time in 60 hours."

Yet fans inspired by Blaine's eye-popping card tricks and powers of illusion said complaints were mean-spirited.

"I think he's awesome. He's giving to his fans, he's showing he can do whatever he believes he can and we're here to support him," said David Mercado, a 39-year-old construction worker. "Give the guy a chance!"

Maria Romedo (58) agreed. "You can do it David!" she shouted.

Blaine says his hero is Harry Houdini, the legendary escapologist of the late 19th and early 20th century, who amazed New York crowds by hanging upside down from skyscrapers and cranes in a straightjacket.

Other than the publicity-grabbing stunts, Blaine is known for pulling off illusions, including transforming a homeless man's cup of coffee into one overflowing with coins, and appearing to have magically removed a distraught-looking woman's front teeth.

Monday, September 22, 2008

How to study effectively?

11 Free Tips
Improve Studying Results

11 free study tips from Sound Feelings enhance learning how to learn, memorization, and studying speed. Our free information reveals simple secrets, solutions and strategies to improve study habits, study methods, study tips, study skills, and help with test preparation and learning skills. These educational psychology learning aids and techniques become tools or guides for self-improvement and better grades which will help with homework, better grades, dyslexia, attention deficit disorder and end frustration.

1 Study in Short, Frequent Sessions.
It has been proven that short bursts of concentration repeated frequently are much more effective than one long session. So, even if you only have 10 minutes, DO IT. Take a break. Then study another 10 minutes. This “distributed learning” approach is highly efficient because it honors the way the brain likes to work. The brain needs recovery and recharging time for “protein synthesis.” The rest periods are when your brain assimilates your effort. They are a powerful tool which many teachers do not acknowledge. To sit and study for hours and hours is not only boring, it creates fatigue, stress, and distraction. You cannot learn if you are fatigued, stressed, and distracted!

2 Take Guilt-Free Days of Rest.
This follows the same principle as above, but on a longer, daily time cycle. The reason for resting is to refresh oneself. However, if you feel guilty (“I really should be studying”) then your precious rest period has been used to create more stress. The brain will not absorb new data if it is stressed. On days off from studying, really enjoy yourself and do not feel bad about not studying.

3 Honor Your Emotional State.
Do not study if you are tired, angry, distracted, or in a hurry. When the brain is relaxed, it is like a sponge and it naturally absorbs data without effort. If you are emotionally stressed, your brain literally repels data. Forcing yourself to sit and study when your mind is on other things is a complete waste of time!

4 Review the Same Day.
When you learn something new, try to go over the points the same day. If you wait a few days and then make efforts to review the material, it will seem much less familiar. However, a quick review later in the day will tend to cement the information into your brain so that the next “official” study session, you will recognize it and it will seem easy.

5 Observe the Natural Learning Sequence.
Think of the activities you did when you were in nursery school. Using your whole arm, you probably performed the song that goes: “Put your right hand in, Put your right hand out.” Then, in kindergarten, using your hand, you might have been asked to draw lines or circles with crayons. Later, in first grade, now holding the pencil with your fingers, you drew smaller lines and circles to create letters. Believe it or not, this natural learning sequence, moving from large to small, coarse to fine, still remains effective even though we are now older. When you study, if you try first to grasp the big picture and then fill in the details, you often have a more likely chance of success.

6 Use Exaggeration.
Why does a baseball batter warm up by swinging two or three bats? Why do runners sometimes strap lead weights to their legs? In both cases, exaggeration during practice makes the final result seem easy. This concept can be applied to studying anything. For example, if you are studying spelling, exaggerate the sound of the letters to help to remember them. So for studying purposes, “naive” would be pronounced “NAY-IVY.” By getting used to this exaggerated pronunciation, the correct spelling seems obvious.

7 Prepare Your Study Environment.
If you require certain elements in your environment to help you study, try to always make these a priority. For example, do you need special lighting, silence, music, privacy, available snacks, etc.? Pay attention to what works for you and repeat it each time you study for best success.

8 Respect “Brain Fade.”
It is normal for the brain to have an attrition rate and to forget things. This does not mean that you are stupid! Instead of getting mad about this fact, you should expect it and deal with it accordingly. See your brain as depositing layers of knowledge. As you place more information on top, the lower levels become older and less available to your immediate recall. The trick here is simply to review. Since we can anticipate the eventual fading of our memory, creating a review aspect to our study session will solve the problem. Once every two or three study sessions, simply review older material that you will be still needing to remember. Often, a quick overview is sufficient. Sometimes, a complete detailed study session of the older material is required. “Brain fade” is completely normal. (Unless you are gifted with a photographic memory, which is extremely rare.)

9 Create a Study Routine.
Generally, if you schedule certain times of the day to study, you will get into a routine and accomplish more. If you just “fit it in” during your day, chances are that there will never be any time. An effective way to do this is to literally mark it down in your datebook calendar as if you have an appointment, like going to the doctor. For example: “Tuesday 3-4:30 P.M. — Study.”

10 Set Reasonable Goals.
One of the main reasons people do not reach their goals is because they set them too high. If you set goals that are manageable, even if they seem too simple, you get in the habit of accomplishing them and gradually you can set higher goals. Also, recognize the difference between long-term and short-term goals. Set your vision on the long-term dream, but your day-to-day activity should be focused exclusively on the short-term, enabling steps.

11 Avoid the Frustration Enemy.
Ironically, the quicker the person’s nervous system, the faster they learn. Yet, this fast nervous system also works overtime in being self-critical. So they are the ones who always think they aren’t going fast enough! In contrast, the “Type B,” less intense person who learns slower yet is more self-accepting, ends up ultimately learning the material in a shorter period of time. This is because he/she doesn’t waste energy blocking, getting upset, and thinking that they’re not good enough — they simply keep moving forward at a slower (but un-blocked) pace.


These tips were prepared by Howard Richman and are offered for free as a courtesy.

Hair Loss Treatments for Men

Facts and Fiction About Male Hair Loss Treatments

Hair loss is something most men secretly 'fear' but hope it may never actually occur. After all, thinning hair and baldness is something that kids use to identify the elderly, despite the fact that the process can begin before 20 years of age! A good head of hair is associated with youth, virility and attractiveness, so when hair loss occurs it can come as something of a shock.

Since records began, men have documented their attempts to reverse the process of hair loss and cure baldness. The bible tells the story of how when Samson's hair was cut he lost his strength and power. The unspoken agenda for men is that to be hairless, or for the hair to be depleted, equates with a loss of power and virility, something that is clearly not the case.

Some creative but ultimately fruitless concoctions have been devised in an attempt to get the thatch back. Cleopatra used a mixture of horse teeth, bear grease, burnt mice and deer marrow in her attempt to cure Julius Caesar's baldness (it didn't work). Hedgehog urine was also thought to be beneficial. The smell in the heat of the Egyptian sun must have been something very special!

Facts About Cures for Baldness
There is currently no cure for baldness. There are some lotions that can help slow down the process but there is no cure for male pattern baldness. There are, however, a number of things that you should consider.

Life Coach Suggestions for Male Hair Loss

  • Emphasize your other facial features. Lots of men are using products to improve their looks. There are many products in the department and drug stores that improve your skin. If you have great eyes think about getting your eyelashes dyed. Seek advice from a beautician, health expert or friend.
  • Update your clothes style. Good clothes and attention to your appearance can make you look much younger and more attractive. Make the most of what hair you do have. One of the most effective is to get a good hair cut. Short, cropped and styled. Consider having a light perm, it can add volume. Shaving it off completely looks great.
  • Get a hair piece. Covering up a bald area can be the answer. Hair pieces now look very realistic. Good ones can be very expensive but last a long time when cared for properly.
  • Wear a hat. There are great hats around - from cool to just plain stylish.
  • Medications for male hair loss
    There are two drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration and are shown to have a positive effect on balding, Finasteride and Minoxidil (Rogaine).

    Finasteride is a 5-Alpha Reductase Inhibitor, that is, it works by blocking 5-Alpha reductase and so prevents the enzyme from converting testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). It is DHT that causes male pattern baldness. There are two drugs that contain Finasteride, Propecia and Proscar. Originally prescribed by doctors for benign prostate hyperplasia (prostate problems), the drug has been shown to stop hair loss and in some cases reverse the balding process. Finasteride takes about three months to show results and hair loss occurs a year after the drug is stopped. Side effects are unusual but can include impotence, reduced libido, ejaculation disorders, breast tenderness and enlargement, hypersensitivity reactions such as rashes and lip swelling. Women of child bearing potential should not touch the drug and condoms should be used as the drug is excreted in semen as there is a risk of birth defects.

    Minoxidil (Regaine) is found to be effective in about 25% of men with baldness on the crown. Applied twice a day in a cream the hair growth only occurs as long as it is used. Minoxidil was originally approved to treat high blood pressure. Side effects are unusual but Regaine should not be used by people with a history of heart problems, sudden weight gain, chest pains, fainting, or rapid heartbeat.

    Surgical Intervention for male hair loss
    In the case of hair transplants very small plugs of hair are taken from the side or back of the scalp and transplanted onto the bald patches. The procedure has improved over the years but it still takes a number of months to give a good effect.

    Tissue expansion for male hair loss Tiny balloons are inserted under the scalp between the areas of dense hair and gradually inflated over a number of months. This makes the area up to one third larger and it is this area that is surgically removed and the sides are pulled up to the top of the head.

    Scalp reduction for male hair loss Loose skin on the scalp is surgically removed pulling the hair on the sides of the head up. As the skin on the forehead is also sometimes slightly lifted it lessens wrinkles. Continue here...

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