Lone Iguana

Tag: tricks

  • How to Survive an Explosion

    Action movies often depict heroes nonchalantly walking away from tremendous explosions. While it might make for good entertainment, the truth is that you most likely wouldn’t be in any condition to walk away from a Hollywood-size explosion. Io9 looks at how explosions work, and why they can be so deadly. They also offer a tip…

  • Break Into a Locked Suitcase With a Pen

    Here’s a surprisingly simple trick for opening a locked suitcase from Lifehacker: simply plunge a ballpoint pen into the zipper, which separates the teeth and allows you to open the suitcase. The pull can than be run around the zipper once again, resealing the suitcase and leaving no evidence of tampering. Check out the video…

  • Hack Your Memory With the Method of Loci

    In this New York Times Magazine article, writer Joshua Foer recounts his year-long journey from having an average memory to becoming a U.S. record holder at the U.S.A Memory Championship. Foer and other mental athletes use techniques such as the Method of Loci or “memory palace” based on the Rhetorica ad Herennium, a Latin rhetoric…

  • Tips From a Professional Liar

    We’ve touched on how to detect a liar, and now here’s a look into the deceptive practices of former “professional liar” Clancy Martin. He shares a couple of tips in this kottke.org blog post from his experience in the luxury jewelry business, where a lie could often mean a little additional profit. According to Martin,…

  • How to Detect a Liar

    Being able to identify a lie is a useful skill to have under your belt, and can work to your advantage in countless situations.  This article at The Art of Manliness introduces the art of detecting a liar. It’s an interesting read, but I’d like to point out that none of these techniques are foolproof.…

  • 8 Unconventional Ways to Relieve Stress

    Staying cool under extreme circumstances can be key to your survival. This list from Zen Habits contains some rather surprising tricks for relieving daily stress and tension, so that you can stay composed and levelheaded when things get out of hand. As we move through our daily routines we are often faced with obstacles and…

  • Win a Coin Toss by Volunteering to be the Flipper

    The coin toss is the go-to solution for whenever a decision needs to be left to chance. But according to a study done at the University of British Columbia, it’s much easier to influence the outcome than you’d think. Participants were able to raise their chances of flipping a heads to 68% after just a…

  • Unlock an Airplane Bathroom Door from the Outside and More Evil Tricks…

    As part of their “Evil Week” series of posts, Lifehacker shares this surprisingly simple trick to unlocking one type of airplane lavatory door. Simply lift the little “Lavatory” sign above the lock, then slide the now exposed lock open. Hit the links for pictures. Step 1: Approach locked lavatory Step 2: Lift “LAVATORY” sign Step…

  • Protect Yourself from ATM Fraud by Shielding the Keypad

    This video shows a couple of thieves installing a card-skimmer and a pinhole camera in an ATM. It also illustrates just how effective shielding the keypad can be in defending yourself against scammers. It is a simple trick, but it still provides little protection from more sophisticated techniques, such as keyboard overlays that are capable…

  • How to Spot a Fake Autograph

    Forgeries and fakes are a serious issue for autograph and memorabilia collectors. Using techniques and tools such as auto-pens, stamps, and hand forgeries, fraudsters put a great deal of effort into making their work seem convincing. This Wikihow article is packed with tips and tricks for verifying the authenticity of an autograph and spotting a fake. Turn…