How to Escape from a Sinking Car

Any car accident is frightening, but an accident in which your vehicle is thrown into the water, with you trapped inside, is absolutely terrifying. Such accidents are particularly dangerous due to the risk of drowning, but the fact is that most deaths that occur from being trapped in a sinking vehicle are avoidable. Escape usually requires only a cool head, a little know-how and, sometimes, patience.

Steps

1. Remain calm. The preceding events will no doubt get your adrenaline pumping, but don't panic. However you must move quickly and effectively to ensure your survival. Take a few breaths to calm yourself down, however don't spend more then about 2 seconds doing this.

2. Get out quickly and unbuckle your seat belt and make sure you don’t get tangled up in it. Lots of victims of this sort of accident drown with the car doors open or windows down, still securely fastened to their seats. You can try to open the door although make sure to unlock it first—but don’t waste much time on this: if the water is up to the door, you probably won’t be able to open it. Instead try to roll down the window as quickly as possible, and escape from the opened window.

3. Try to open your window. The best way to get out if this is the case is to open the window. If this is not possible—electric windows, for example, may malfunction—try to break the window out and escape. However if you have manually operated windows you are in luck because they work even if some water is visible but this still represents a small amount of time. If you can only see about an inch of water outside the window it should still open pretty easily but after that it get progressively harder due to the pressure being exerted on it from the outside. If you have manually operated windows then obliviously breaking the windows is the only remaining option. The side windows and rear window are tempered, which means that they will break when struck hard enough with a pointed object. There are special tools called "window punches" (a spring-loaded center punch) and other tools designed for this purpose. The windshield, however, is actually two pieces of glass laminated together with a thin strip of plastic in-between. You will not be able to break through the windshield. Don't bother trying. If you are not yet completely under water yet, break a window and crawl out. Don't bother opening the door you don't have time. However keep in mind if you are already under water that when you break the window, water will rapidly flow into the car, this is frightening, but try to remain calm. Without allowing water into the car to balance out the pressure acting on the car from the outside, it will be very difficult to open the door and escape.

4. Climb into the back seat. If you are unable to open your windows, climb into the back seat as quickly as possible. The car's engine will cause the car to sink front-end first, creating an air pocket in the back of your vehicle. The trapped air will allow you more time to break a window or open a door once the air and water pressure in and around the car equalizes.

5. Keep your head above water. As the vehicle fills with water, you need to make sure you can still breathe. If the car lands upright you may simply be able to remain in your seat, but if the car lands on its top or side, you will have to maneuver within the car to keep your head in the air pocket.

6. Escape through a window or open the door as soon as you can. Water will initially flow into the car very quickly, so you may not be able to escape from an open window. Remember to make sure your door is unlocked. In your haste you may think you can’t open the door when all you need to do is unlock it.

7. Swim to the surface as quickly as possible. Push off the car and swim to the surface. If you don’t know which way to swim, look for light and swim toward it or follow any bubbles you see as they will be going up. Be aware of your surroundings as you swim and surface. You may have to deal with a strong current or obstacles such as rocks, concrete bridge supports, or even passing boats. Avoid injuring yourself on these things, and use them to your advantage if you are too injured or exhausted to make it to land once you surface.

8. Get medical attention as soon as possible. The adrenaline in your bloodstream after the escape may make you unable to immediately detect any other injuries you may have sustained in the accident.

Tips

* If all else fails, your last resort should be to sit in your car until it completely fills with water, there will then be equal pressure in the water you are in and the outside of your car. Open the door and swim to safety.

* Your clothing and heavy objects in your pockets can make you sink. Be mentally prepared to kick off your shoes and remove heavy outer clothing such as jackets if necessary. The less clothing you have on the easier swimming will be. Even your pants (especially denim) will weigh you down significantly.

* Assist children out of the vehicle before you exit. Children will panic and may need assistance. Because they are smaller, it should be easier to get them out of the car.

* Take control of the situation. If you’re traveling with other people, tell them what to do (i.e. unbuckle seat-belts, remain calm, etc.) in order to escape.

* Be prepared. A variety of emergency products are available that can help you break your car window. Some of these are combined with products you already carry in your car, such as flashlights and key rings. Small spring-loaded hammers or punches (“power punches”) may provide the easiest and most portable solution, but you could even carry your own hammer. Just make sure your tool is easily accessible at all times.

* If you don’t have a special tool to break the windows, use anything you can. Hammers, screwdrivers, and steering wheel locks are very good. You can also elbow the window, or try to kick it out, but you will have to give it all you’ve got.

* Side and rear windows are the best options for escape. Front windows (windshields) are made with safety glass, which will stick together when broken and which may thus be difficult to remove. Some more expensive cars also use safety glass for the sides.

* The easiest way to break a window is to strike it near a corner or edge.

* Fully recline your seat to make escape and maneuvering inside the vehicle easier. Don't do this if someone is sitting behind you.

* While you almost certainly won’t be able to open a door that’s at all submerged in the water, it’s valuable to note that the end of the car that contains the engine will usually sink fastest, often leaving the car at an angle so that part of it (usually the back) is above water for a while. You may thus be able to open some doors, but not others, while the car is still floating.

* If you can easily do so, remove heavy shoes or bulky clothes while you are in the vehicle. Bulky clothing can get snagged on something, trapping you when would otherwise be able to escape, and heavy clothes or boots may fill with water and make it difficult to swim to the surface, especially if you’re not a strong swimmer.

* Be mindful of all exits from your vehicle to include passage through drop-down back seats and out the trunk using the emergency trunk release handle that is a feature of some newer cars.

* If you have electric doors and windows, if you can, fully lower the windows upon contact with the water before they short out. When the electrical system goes out you may not be able to lower them and the doors will only unlock manually.

* You may be able to open the car door once the car has filled with water because the pressure on the door has equalized. However, you should probably be out of the car long before it fills with water.

* If you have a sunroof, open it and escape through there before the water reaches the top of the car.

* Don't bother turning your lights off- even turn them on if you are unlikely to be able to point out your vehicle or escape from it - the light's electronics are usually waterproofed, and the lights themselves will help rescuers find your vehicle. Electric shock is very unlikely - and almost certainly not dangerous in these situations.

Warnings

* Be careful when breaking the windows, as glass can fly around and you may cut yourself, especially if you need to use your elbow or feet.

* Don't take anything heavy or unnecessary with you, and remember that everything is unnecessary in this situation. If your wallet and cell phone are already in your pockets, you can leave them in there, but don’t try to collect other belongings.

* Fluids from the engine that are lighter than water may seep into the car, and the fumes from these can pollute your air pocket. Get out of the vehicle as soon as you can.

* Don’t wait for help. Rescuers will most likely not be able to reach you in time, and even if they do, there’s usually not much they can do for you. You’re on your own.

How to Increase Your Lung Capacity

Many sports in today's action packed world require you to use a vast amount of air to be successful. While there is no way to increase the size of your lungs, there are many ways to increase the amount of air taken in by your lungs, and the efficiency with which they capture oxygen. Practice these exercises daily, and you are bound to see an increase in your lung capacity.

Steps

1. Breathe deeply. Be sure to do the following as you practice deep breathing in order to maximize your lung capacity:

o Exhale completely. Don't let any air linger in your lungs. This allows more new, oxygen-rich air to come in. You can ensure the complete evacuation of your lungs by counting out loud. When you can no longer count out loud, you can expel no more air from you lungs.
o Expand your lower ribs and allow your diaphragm to descend by keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed. Your abdomen will expand as your diaphragm descends making more room around your lungs, allowing them to fill with air.
o Widen your hands, holding them further away from your body, to help open up your chest.
o Inhale for two counts, and exhale for three counts. Maintain this ratio consistently.

2. Create resistance.

o Breathe in normally, through your nose. Take deep breaths.
o Breathe out through your mouth with your lips still close together. Open them just slightly so a little bit of air can get out, and with resistance. Try and do this as often as possible -- it makes the sacs in your lungs more used to having to hold air longer, stretching them out.

3. Exercise in water.

o Develop a normal stretching and weight lifting routine out of the water. Make sure that you compensate for the fact that weights will feel lighter when you have the water around you. Practice this routine for a few days until you are comfortable with everything.
o Take it to the water. Submerge yourself up to your neck, and do the exercises while in the water. This may not seem like it is doing anything to help you at all, but don't worry. Due to the blood shifting into your chest cavity and the compression on your body, you will have to take shorter, quicker breaths when exercising in the water. Research shows that your air capacity will be cut by up to 75% during this time, and your body will try to compensate for that. If your exercise in the water lasts long enough, and you do it regularly, your respiratory system will become more efficient, increasing your lung capacity.

4. Get extra air.

o Take a piece of pipe with a diameter small enough to put into your mouth without hurting your jaw. It should, however, make you open your mouth wide- about as wide as an average yawn. Length-wise, the pipe should not be long at all. It should be maybe half an inch long- it's not the length you're looking for, but the width.
o Put the pipe in your mouth. (Do be sure it's sanitary and clean)
o Breathe. Do so very carefully, though, because if you breathe too quickly, you will become lightheaded. Do this for a little while every day, and you will soon realize that you are able to take longer and longer breaths without becoming lightheaded. If you do this often enough, you should be able to take very deep, full breaths and be perfectly fine. This works because your body is becoming more adjusted to receiving more oxygen with every breath, because, obviously, you don't breathe like you are yawning all the time.

5. Play a Wind Instrument.

o Learn how to play a wind or brass instrument such as a tuba, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, or flute. This activity will help you control breathing and expand your lung capacity to utilize all the alveoli.
o Play in a marching band or a Drum and Bugle Corps. This activity requires more and more lung capacity utilization for your movement and playing and is quite healthy.

6. Participate in rigorous cardiovascular activities such as aerobics, cycling, and running.

Tips

• Training at higher altitudes, if possible, can also help increase lung capacity. The air in high altitude areas has less oxygen in it, which will force your lungs to work harder and become more efficient. But be careful, though, as altitude sickness is a possibility as your body adjusts.
• Quit Smoking. You probably already know to stay away from any kind of smoking, but you should also stay away from smoke-filled environments, where you're exposed to second-hand smoke.
• Playing any wind instrument with correct diaphragm breathing techniques can make a dramatic change in lung capacity. Singing is also a great way to achieve the same results.
• In a pool, position your chest as far underwater as possible and breathe through a tube. The further underwater you are, the more pressure is applied to your chest, making it hard to breathe. Make sure you can keep the tube above water or you will end up with lungs full of water. Note that at even a couple feet down it may be impossible to inhale.
• A 3/4" PVC pipe coupler is the perfect tube for most people to hold between their teeth to practice breathing exercises and, if it isn't right for a particular individual, they can use a 1/2" or 1" coupler. They are cheap and can be sterilized. They are a great aid to help singers open up!
• Instead of using a piece of PVC you can use two knuckles. Also, thinking about breathing from the bottom up--like a glass of water being filled--helps.

Warnings

• Whenever you become lightheaded, breathe normally.

• Don't exercise in water unless you know how to swim.

• Do not perform these exercises without consulting your doctor if you have any respiratory conditions.

• When breathing underwater (for example, when SCUBA diving), stabilize your depth and never hold your breath or ascend while inhaling. Air expands when ascending and the lungs can rupture if you are holding your breath.

• Don't exercise, run, swim, etc. with a PVC tube in your mouth. You could choke!

Stay Safe..... Live Well.....

Survive a SHARK Attack

Its summer and everyone like to go to beach and swim, but with the great joy and entertainment in swimming there are some dangers associated and one and the most dangerous one is that of a Shark attack.

While you are far likelier to be killed by a stray dog, few animals evoke sheer terror in the way a shark does. Fortunately, sharks attack people only very rarely, and most species of shark are harmless to humans. Still, even medium-size sharks are more than capable of inflicting serious injuries or killing people. While it is best to learn how to prevent a shark attack you should also know what to do in case of an actual attack.

Steps

1. Remain calm. While you want to get out of water quickly if a shark attacks, you cannot outrun a shark in the water, and simply trying to sprint to safety may not be your best option. It's important to keep your wits about you so you can continuously appraise the situation and figure out how to get to safety. Sharks are highly instinctual, like dogs in a way: They have "fear" sonar and if you feel fear even if not displaying it overtly, they sense it and that fear will stimulate their instinct to attack. It may take an instant black-belt, but your spiritual stance is very crucial.

2. Hit-And-Run.The most common type of shark attack, especially in shallow waters, is a "hit and run" attack. In this scenario, a shark will attack a person, but quickly withdraw without attempting another attack. If you're lucky, this will be the case.

3. Keep your eye on the shark at all times. Sharks may retreat temporarily and then try to sneak up on you. Don't let this happen. To be able to defend against the shark, you must know where it is, so make every effort to watch the animal, even as you're trying to escape.

4. Get into a defensible position. If you can't get out of the water right away, try to reduce the shark's possible angles of attack. If you're diving, back up against a reef, piling, or rock outcropping--any solid obstruction--so that you only have to defend attacks in front of you. If you're diving near the shore, you may need to descend to find cover. In open water, get back-to-back with another swimmer or diver so that you can see, and defend against, an attack from any direction. Gradually surface together to get back to the boat.

5. Fight. Playing dead won't deter an aggressive shark. Your best bet if attacked is to make the shark see you as a strong, credible threat. Usually, a hard blow to the shark's gills, eyes, or--to a lesser extent--the tip of its nose will cause the shark to retreat. These are really the only vulnerable areas on a shark. If a shark continues to attack, or if it has you in its mouth, hit these areas repeatedly with hard jabs, and claw at the eyes and gills.

* If you have a spear gun or pole, use it! Aim for the head, specifically the eyes or the gills.

* If you don't have a weapon, improvise. Use any inanimate object, such as a camera or a rock, or simply use your fists, elbows, knees, and feet to ward off the shark.

* If you have nothing around you, use your own body. Aim for the sharks eyes and gills. Use your fingers, elbows, knees, etc to poke at the eyes. Screaming under water will also work. The high pitched voice of a human will greatly effect the shark and cause it to move away.

6. Get out of the water. While there are a number of things you can do to ward off a shark attack, you're not truly safe until you're out of the water. Your goal should always be to get back to shore or back on the boat.

* If a boat is nearby, call out calmly, but loudly, for them to come to you. Stay as still as possible while waiting--as long as the shark is not actively attacking you--and get into the boat as quickly as possible once the boat reaches you.

* If you are near shore, swim quickly, but smoothly. Thrashing will attract the shark's attention. Erratic movements may also give the appearance that you are wounded, and a wounded animal is more attractive prey to a shark. Use the smooth reverse breast stroke. This will reduce splashing.

7. Get medical attention. If you've been bitten, get treatment as soon as possible. Massive blood loss will occur, depending on where you've been bitten, so immediately take appropriate precautions, (including, if necessary, the use of a tourniquet), to stop the bleeding. Even if your wounds appear minor, it's essential to get yourself checked out.

Tips

* If you're fishing or have any sort of catch with you, drop it immediately and get away from it. The shark is likely to be more interested in your fish than in you, and you don't want to get hurt for a few fish.

* Remember to breathe as you fight. You need adequate oxygen to effectively defend against an attack and to make a quick getaway and retreat to safety.

* Do not give up. As long as you keep fighting, there's a good chance the shark will eventually give up and search for easier prey. Though giving up or playing dead is an option it is not a good one.

* Always carry a pole-spear or speargun with you especially if you're diving in waters inhabited by sharks.

* The best way to survive a shark attack is to avoid one altogether.

Warnings

* A shark's mouth and teeth are very close to its nose, so it is recommended that you focus on other areas such as the gills or the eyes of the shark. These are effective and safe targets to hit. Only hit the animal's snout with your bare hands as a last resort and always use the utmost of caution.

* Repress the urge to scream. Screaming will not deter the shark, and may provoke it further. However if the shark seems to have decided to make you his next meal already it may be prudent to scream anyway.

* Sharks are deadly creatures and are not to be trifled with. Never provoke a shark or intentionally put yourself in a position in which you are likely to be attacked.

* When diving, remain calm and remember to follow proper safety protocols. An attack can turn even more fatal if you panic and surface too quickly, then you put yourself at significantly increased risk. Surfacing to quickly, especially from deep depths may result in arterial gas embolism or severe decompression sickness, better known as, "the bends".

How to Build Self Confidence

Self Confidence is the first step in your success. You want to be confident and feel confident, but what if you're starting with little or No confidence? How do you get from Point A to Point B? True self-confidence isn't an overnight acquisition. It takes dedication to realize you are a good human being that is worthy of respect and love.

Steps

Recognize your insecurities. What does that scolding voice in the back of your mind say? What makes you ashamed of yourself? This could be anything from acne, to regrets, to emotional abuse (past or present) from a loved one or friends at school. Whatever is making you feel unworthy, ashamed, or inferior, identify it, give it a name.
Talk about it with friends and loved ones. Wear it on your sleeve. Each day chip away at it; wear it down. There's no quick fix. Get to the root of the problem; focus on it and understand that you need to resolve each issue before you can move on.
Remember that nobody is perfect. Even the most confident people have insecurities. At some point in any of our lives, we may feel we lack something. That is reality. Learn that life is full of bumps down the road.
Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
Be thankful for what you have. A lot of the times, at the root of insecurity and lack of confidence is a feeling of not having enough of something, whether it's emotional validation, good luck, money, etc. By acknowledging and appreciating what you do have, you can combat the feeling of being incomplete and unsatisfied. Finding that inner peace will do wonders for your confidence.
Be Positive, even if you don't feel positive. Avoid self-pity, or the pity and sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior--they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to loathe and belittle yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to project your strengths and qualities to others. By doing so, you reinforce those ideas in your mind and encourage your growth in a positive direction.
Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what's called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.

I am gorgeous, huh?
Fake it. Along the same lines of smiling to make yourself feel happy, acting confident might actually make you believe it. Pretend you're a completely confident version of you; go through the motions and see how you feel.
Express yourself, whether it's through art, music, writing, etc. Find something you enjoy. Everyone is born with talents and strengths. You can develop and excel in yours. If it's difficult to name two or three things you have some ability in or just plain love to do, think about things others do that you would like to do too and take some lessons or join an enthusiasts club. When you're following your passion, not only will it have a therapeutic effect, but you'll feel unique and accomplished, all of which can help build your self confidence. Plus, adding a variety of interests to your life will not only make you more confident, but it will increase your chances of meeting compatible friends!
Stick to your principles. It might be tough, but if you don't have something you can believe in, you don't have anything. No matter what's happened in your life, you can always lay claim to the fact that from this day forward, you've followed your principles to the best of your ability.


Tips

Exercise and eat healthy. Exercise raises adrenaline and makes one feel happier and healthier.
It is certainly an easy and effective way to boost your self-confidence.

When you're feeling superbly insecure, write down a list of things that are good about you. Then read the list back. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with.

Turn feelings of envy or jealousy into a desire to achieve. Stop wanting what others have just because they have it; seek things simply because you want them, whether anybody else has them or not.

Don't be afraid to push yourself a bit - a little bit of pressure can actually show just how good you are!

Take a wilderness experience course such as those found at Outward Bound or NOLS. Learning how to survive in the wilderness will build your confidence in other areas of life too. You can also try taking a martial arts or fitness class/course (or both). This will help build confidence and strength.

Invest in some new clothing and donate some of your old clothing to send a message to yourself that you both look sharp and feel sharp.

Try to make yourself talk positively at all times. When you hear yourself saying you can't do something, stop and say you can. Unless you try, you will never know whether you are able to or not.

Warnings

Don't get wrapped up in your mistakes and dwell on bad points; they can contrast your good points or even give you something to improve. There's no feeling like being good at something you were really bad at.

Don't confuse what you have with who you are. People degrade their self worth when comparing possessions.

Surround yourself with nurturing friends, not overly critical individuals who make you feel inadequate or insecure. This could do great harm and damage to your self confidence.

Do not try to become confident in the interest of finding a partner. You will regret creating a false personality as the relationship goes along.

How to Tell if a Mirror Is 2 Way or Not

How to Tell if a Mirror Is Two Way or Not

A two-way mirror is glass which, on one side, provides a reflection, but on the other side, functions as a window. It is used to observe people so that they are not aware that they are being watched, or who is watching them. Two-way mirrors (also known as one-way, transparent, and observation mirrors) are not uncommon in police stations or psychological institutions, but there are other, less obvious settings where people worry about being watched, such as dressing rooms and workplaces. If you are concerned about a particular mirror, here's how to tell if there's someone looking on the other side.

Steps

1. Observe how the mirror is installed. A normal mirror is hung against the wall, but an observation mirror is set into the wall. If the wall is behind the mirror, it's probably a normal mirror.

2. Turn off the lights and hold a flashlight or even a small personal flashlight to the mirror. If it is a two-way mirror, the room on the other side will be illuminated.

3. Press your eyes against the mirror and cup them with your hands, creating a dark "tunnel" to block out the light. When you do so, the light in the observation room will be brighter than the light on your side of the mirror, and you should be able to see something beyond the glass.

4. Tap on the surface of the mirror with your knuckle. A normal mirror will produce a dull sound because it is placed in front of a wall. A two-way mirror, however, will produce an open, hollow, and reverberating sound, because there is an open space on the other side.

Tips

* The "fingernail" test most commonly associated with identifying two-way mirrors is not as reliable as any of the methods above. It can be performed by putting your fingernail against the mirror. If there is NO gap between your nail and the reflection, you are touching a first-surface mirror. These are quite expensive and would not be installed under ordinary circumstances. All observation mirrors are first surface mirrors, but not all first surface mirrors are observation mirrors.

* Some places, such as gas stations will use one way metal mirrors because glass mirrors can be destroyed by users.

Warnings

* No test for a two-way mirror is foolproof. There only needs to be a very small opening in the wall for a hidden camera with a fisheye lens, and there won't be any giveaway illumination on the other side, or any hollow sound, or anything to see with your cupped hands. Even if the mirror is a normal one, there are many other places to hide observation devices. Also keep in mind that most people have no desire to go through the risk, trouble and effort to spy. An exception to this would be the proprietors of retail establishments, who often use surveillance technology in order to hold down employee theft as well as shoplifting.

Save a Wet Cell Phone

Ever dropped your Mobile phone in the sink, or even worse, the toilet? Did you ever leave it in your pocket and run it through the washer? or if you love rain like me and walked in to rain with your mobile phone in your front pocket. It usually means you have to replace your phone, but sometimes if you're fast, you can save the phone.

Steps

1. Get it out of the water as soon as possible. The plastic covers on cell phones are fairly tight, but water can enter the phone over time. But this time may be quite short - 20 seconds or less. So grab your phone quickly!

2. Remove the battery. This is one of the most important steps. Don't take time to think about it; electricity and water do not mix. Cutting power to your phone is a crucial first step in saving it. Many circuits inside the phone will survive immersion in water provided they are not attached to a power source when wet.

3. Remove your SIM card. Some or all of your valuable contacts (along with other data) could be stored on your SIM. To some people this could be more worth saving than the phone itself. SIM cards survive water damage well, but some of the following steps are unnecessary i.e. don't heat it. Just pat it dry and leave it aside until you need to connect your phone to your cellular network. Note that many phones by specific providers, such as Verizon, do not use SIM cards.

4. Dry your phone. Obviously you need to remove as much of the water as soon as possible, so you can prevent it from getting into the phone. Use a towel or paper towel to remove as much of the water as possible. Soft Tissue Paper is also good.

5. Allow the phone to dry. You have to let your phone dry at least for 48 hours placed in vertical position. Since you do not want to ruin your phone or lose all of the numbers in your phone book, you need to allow the phone to dry. Also, ringtones and graphics stay with the phone - not the SIM. Don't try putting the battery back on to see if it works as this would risk damaging the phone with a short circuit.

6. Wait. This is the hardest part - leaving your phone alone, with battery and SIM card out, while it dries slowly. Tricks like leaving your phone in a bowl of dry rice will help to expedite moisture evaporation. They might also have side effects like getting rice in your phone. Just put it someplace reasonably warm and dry, uncovered so water can evaporate, and wait.

7. Test your phone. After you have waited 3 days, make sure everything is clean and dry looking and re-attach the battery to the phone and see if it works. If your phone does not work, wait another few days. If it still won't work, try taking your cell phone to an authorized dealer. Sometimes they can fix it.

Alternate Alcohol Soak Method (Not Recommended do it at your own Risk)

1. Dry your phone by soaking it in alcohol or distilled water. This method is controversial and considered risky by some, but the proponents believe in it strongly. Using alcohol is more effective than distilled water because not only does it displace the water and sediments, it also evaporates faster with less residue. It will not harm your mobile phone. Preferably, use denatured alcohol or a 95% alcohol solution. Denatured alcohol may be purchased at any hardware store and is used to clean electronics because it evaporates quickly and leaves no residue. You should check to see what the alcohol is denatured with. If it is anything other than methanol (some are denatured with very hazardous chemicals such as methyl ethelyne ketone [MEK]) you should not use it, as some denaturants can melt plastics. Most drugstores or larger retailers carry 91% rubbing alcohol. Regular rubbing alcohol is only 70% and is not recommended. Distilled water also displaces water and is a viable alternative because it is non-conductive. Prolonged exposure to other liquids will cause corrosion of the copper traces within the mobile phone, and will most likely cease its operation.

Tips

• Another method for drying the phone is to set it on top of the vent of a cable box, monitor or TV for at least 24 hours (up to 3 days). The low heat emitted is enough to gently dry out the phone.

• The longer your phone is wet the more likely it is to be damaged. To dry your phone more quickly than room temperature air can manage, immerse it in a can of dry, uncooked rice. The rice will absorb excess moisture, drying your phone from the inside out.

• Don't put the battery in for at least three days, or longer if your digital screen is foggy.

• An alternate drying technique is to seal the phone (battery, SIM card, SD card all removed) in a plastic bag with a few of the silica packs that come packed with shoes, coats, electronics. Leave the phone in the bag for a day or 2, and the silica packs will absorb the moisture.

• One other way to assist in the drying process is to put your cell phone in a disposable baby diaper. Works for babies and can work for the cell phone as well.

• If your phone falls in the ocean or other salt water, rinse with fresh water before crystals can form after removing battery.

• If your phone has been subjected to salt water crystallizing, gently tap the board and the chips with a plastic object (back of the small screw driver for example). The vibration of the taps will set some of the foreign objects free and they will fall out. Be careful and don't smash the board or the chips. A sharp enough blow will break the chips. Tapping very gently multiple times in multiple locations, especially around the chips, is a preferred method.

• Try opening your phone if you can. You'll probably need a TORX screwdriver for that, but it's worth it. This may void your warranty, but it is likely the water damage already has.

• It is likely that the dunk in water will kill the battery. Fortunately you can buy another for 150-300 PKR or 20 - 40 US dollars. The phone itself usually survives.

• Corrosion is a threat. You may want to consider soaking your phone in distilled water to wash away any minerals it picked up from the original water.

Warnings

• Don't heat the battery or it could leak or explode. Lithium-ion batteries are sensitive. If you use an oven or hairdryer, make sure to remove the battery first.

• If you use alcohol make sure to do so outside, and do not apply heat in any form, not even the gentle heat of a monitor. Do not hook up the battery till the alcohol smell dissipates.

• Do not apply too much heat to your phone, as mentioned above. You don't want to melt or burn your phone.

• Most modern phones have more than one liquid damage indicator (stickers that change color when wet) on them, only one visible to you (and sales/technician agents), and chances are, if the sticker under the battery is triggered, then the odds are that the internal stickers you can't access are tripped as well. This will still result in you paying a voided-warranty fee in the long run. Warranties don't cover water damage, insurance does. And not all insurance companies or plans will honor water damaged phones.

• Even if all these steps are followed, minerals dissolved in the water can precipitate on solder and component pins, causing corrosion or shorting. Components pins are packed so closely together in a modern cell phone that even a small encrustation can create a short, rendering the phone inoperable.

• Be warned that manufacturers place stickers that will display "void" once peeled and some will change colors in the presence of a liquid (usually turns blue or red). This helps techs know that you have dropped it in the water, as most cell phone insurance coverage policies don't cover water damage. Also note that these stickers have been known to change colors in extreme humidity as well.

• Do not put the phone (or any electronic or metal-containing object) into the microwave. You will destroy electronic components and potentially the microwave.

How to Be Charming

Charm is the art of having an attractive personality. This characteristic can only be achieved over a period of time. While everyone is born with differing amounts of natural charm, much can be acquired and honed through practice and patience. As with dancing, the more you practice, the better you will become. Effort and careful attention to the needs and desires of others will ensure that charm becomes a permanent part of your character.

Steps

1. Improve your posture. Good posture will give the impression of self confidence (even if you don't feel that way on the inside). While walking, it is always important to maintain a relaxed yet definitive upright posture- spine long, shoulders back. Practicing in front of a mirror is great, also you could ask a friend or family member to help you adjust your stance. This may feel awkward or overpowering to you when you first practice it, but keep trying.

2. Relax the muscles in your face to the point where you have a natural, pleasant expression permanently engraved there. For some people, it helps to dwell on something or someone that makes them happy.

3. Make a connection. When your eyes come in contact with another person's, nod and smile subtly with a subdued joy shining forth. Don't worry about the other person's reaction and don't overdo it.

4. Remember people's names when you meet them for the first time. This takes an enormous amount of effort for most people. Repeat the person's name when stating your name to that person will help you to remember it better. For example: "Hi Jack, I'm Wendy." Follow through with small talk and repeat the person's name. Repeat it once more when you say goodbye. It's not just about helping you to remember that person. The more you say a person's name, the more that person will feel that you like them and the greater the chance they'll warm up to you.

5. Be interested in people. If you meet a new acquaintance, for example a coworker, a classmate, a friend of a friend, etc. find out about their immediate family and interests. Be sure to ask after the names of family members and remember them. Also ask after their particular interests in life. These two topics will ensure much better small talk than just harping on about school or work. Most people don't like to think about those things at social occasions unless they have to. Even if it is about networking, you should understand fully the worth of taking a break from talking shop. It is important to refrain from talking up about yourself. Be purely interested and impressed by the person with whom you are speaking.

6. Orient topics toward the audience. This means taking into account topics that interest those around you, even if you are not so keen on them. If you are in a sporty crowd, talk about last night's game or the meteoric rise of a new team. If you are amongst a group of hobbyists, draw out their hobbies and make remarks related to fishing, knitting, mountain climbing, movies, etc. Nobody expects you to be an expert. It is your level of interest and willingness to engage in topics that makes you an interesting person to be around. Exercise an open mind. Let others do the explaining. If someone mistakenly thinks you know more about the topic, be genuine and simply say that your knowledge is limited but that you are hoping to learn more about it.

7. Praise others instead of gossiping. If you are talking with someone or you are talking in a group of people, and up pops the subject of another person in a positive or negative way, be the one to mention something you like about that person. Hearsay is the most powerful tool in gaining charm because it is always viewed as 100% sincere. It has the added benefit of creating trust in you - "Oh, s/he never has a bad word to say about anyone." They know they and their reputation are safe with you.

8. Be honest. A lie is something you say for which there is some direct evidence somewhere out there that contradicts it. If you tell Mary that you like Jane and Billy that you don't like Jane, Mary and Billy will talk and your reputation will be ruined. No one will believe a word you say.

9. Issue compliments generously, especially to raise others' self esteem. Try to pick out something that you appreciate in any situation and verbally express that appreciation. If you like something or someone, find a creative way to say it and say it immediately. If you wait too long, it may be viewed as insincere and badly timed, especially if others have beaten you to it. If you notice that someone is putting a lot of effort into something, compliment it, even if you feel that there is room for improvement. If you notice that someone has changed something about themselves (haircut, manner of dress) notice it, and point out something you like about it. If you are asked directly, be charming and deflect the question with a very general compliment.

10. Be gracious in accepting compliments. Get out of the habit of assuming that the compliment is being given without genuine intent. Even when someone makes a compliment out of contempt, there is always a germ of jealous truth hiding in their own heart. Be effusive in accepting the compliment. Go beyond a mere "thank you" and enjoin this with "I'm really glad you like it" or "It is so incredibly kind of you to have noticed." These are "compliments in return." Avoid backhanding a compliment. There is nothing worse to a person complimenting than to receive the response "Oh well I wish I was as ______ as you/that situation." That is tantamount to saying, "No, I am not what you are saying I am, and your judgment is wrong."

11. Control your tone of voice. The tone of your voice is crucial. Most people feel insecure somewhere inside and have an inability to accept praise. For this very reason, when you praise, do it subtly and glibly. When you say, "you look nice today" it should be in the exact same tone that you would use to say "it's a nice day." Any variation from your normal tone will arouse suspicion about your sincerity. And since you will be trying hard to be a breezy, caring, happy personality, your eagerness will come across in both simple and complimentary talk. Practice giving compliments into a recorder and play it back. Does it sound sincere? Whether your praise is true or not, it must sound sincere! (It is, of course, far more effective when it genuinely is sincere.) Practice until you get it right.

Tips

· Always remain relaxed. You want to please other people but you do not worry about what they are thinking. If you do, it will be written all over your face and you will be perceived as a doormat or a people-pleaser - a person with a desperate need for others to like them. And remember, what people are thinking is rarely about you. It is generally about themselves and their to-do lists.

· The degree of charm that you possess depends on the creativity of your praise. Say something that is not immediately obvious and say it in a poetic way. It's good to have some premeditated compliments and phrases but the most charming people are able to invent them on the spot. This way, you can be sure that you are not repeating it.

· Every so often you will have no choice but to express an opinion that few others hold (to adhere to the honesty policy). You must do it in a humorous way. Humor is the teaspoon of sugar that helps the medicine go down.

· Empathy is at the core of charm. If you can't tell what makes people happy or unhappy, you have no way to assess whether you are saying the right or wrong thing.

· If you find it tricky to relax your face, start with your shoulders. Are they up near your ears? That's a good sign you're tense. Put them back in place, correct your posture, take in a deep breath and smile.

Warnings

· Never argue. Remember if half of the people who hear your argument agree and half disagree, you have failed at being charming. What you say must be pleasing to 100% of the people who will hear it, whether they hear it directly from you or not.

. Be that as it may, remember that arguing is not the same as disagreeing. Feel free to express your opinion, but don't attempt to dominate the person with whom you are chatting.

· Never laugh at your own jokes. That smacks of poor taste. The joke ought to stand alone. You can smile generously. And don't worry if no one else laughs at your jokes. Sometimes people just don't hear or understand a joke. It is as embarrassing for them to miss the punchline, and to have to own up to it, as it is for the person giving the joke seeking to wind up a jovial response.

· Never over-explain anything. To do this is to belabor a point. Unfortunately, it simply confirms a lack of self-esteem in that you do not trust that others have understood your point. In addition, it displays arrogance in that it demonstrates a feeling on your behalf that your listeners cannot think for themselves. People will listen to you when you cut out unnecessary explanations and force them to be active listeners. Trust that your listeners can put two and two together.

· Many people mistake arrogance for charm. In fact, arrogance is anti-charm. Charmers live to please others. Arrogant people live to please themselves. Arrogance only attracts insecure people while charm attracts everyone.

Things You'll Need

· An open smile

· Empathy

· Confidence

· Self-esteem

· Honesty

· An arsenal of creative compliments

· The ability to invent creative compliments on the spot

How to Stop a Nose Bleeding

While it can be scary to see blood coming out of the nose, staying calm is very important. If you follow the steps below, you should be able to successfully stop a nose bleed.

Steps

During the Nose Bleed

Thumbs Up Method
1. Stay calm, slowly taking deep breaths.
2. With your hand (same hand as the bleeding nostril,) make a 'thumbs up' sign.
3. Press your thumb against your nostril's side, not so hard that it hurts, but firmly enough to flatten the nostril.
4. Stay still, leaning forward slightly.
5. Stay in place for 5-10 minutes, breathing normally.
6. Slowly release the pressure; it may feel a bit weird as the blood flows back into your nasal vessels.

Pinching Method
1. Pinch your nose just below the bridge. There is a vein just below the nose bone that is the culprit in 99% of bloody noses. Pinching puts pressure on it, which arrests the bleeding and speeds the clotting process.
2. Find a bathroom as you continue pinching. Now that you have slowed the bleeding by pinching, you should find a bathroom where you can clean up once the bleeding has stopped.
3. Keep applying pressure for at least 5 minutes at a time. Don't check to see if it is still bleeding over this period of time as it is important to keep continuous pressure. After this period of time let go briefly to see if the bleeding has stopped. If not, give it another 5 minutes. (This is also a good time to quickly wash any blood off your hands and get a paper towel or toilet paper to pinch with so that blood gets on the paper and not your hand.) If it is, continue pinching. Don't check every 30 seconds, as the key is constant pressure.

Pressure Method
1. Find the two very slight depressions on the back of the skull, approximately four finger-widths from the base of the skull (in line with the tops of the ears) and four finger-widths from the mid-line of the back of the skull. If you had eyes in the back of your head, this is where they would be.
2. Press the spots firmly, but gently, and if you have connected correctly, the bleeding should stop immediately. Keep up the pressure for about five minutes and then release. If the bleeding starts again, just repeat the process, but hold it longer: you may have to keep up the pressure for ten to fifteen minutes to stop it completely.

Upper Lip Method
1. Roll up a piece of gauze or tissue into a "cigar shape" approximately 2 inches long and a little thicker than a pencil. Folding it into a small, thick square also works well.
2. Wedge the tissue under your upper lip where it's tight and close your lip over it.
3. Apply light pressure by compressing your lip over the wad. Tilt your head forward.

Chemical Method (Please make sure these ingredients are safe for you. No Responsibility)
1. Mix equal parts of lemon juice, vinegar and salt. You only need a little.
2. Wipe any blood from your nose with a paper towel or tissue.
3. Carefully smell the mixture, from about 4 inches away. The fumes should stop the bleeding quickly. Remember, if you get dizzy, stop smelling the mixture.

Afrin Method (Please make sure these ingredients are safe for you. No Responsibility)
1. Spray nose four times in the bleeding nostril(s) with a decongestant spray such as Afrin or Neo-Synephrine. Decongenstant sprays such as these contain oxymetazoline nasal which constrict blood vessels and stop bleeding within seconds.
2. Do not use oxymetazoline nasal for longer than 3 to 5 days. Longer use could cause damage to your nasal tissue and lead to chronic congestion. If your symptoms do not improve, see your doctor.

After the Nose Bleed
1. Do not clean out your nose after the bleeding has stopped.
2. Clean up everything else. Your hands, your face, the sink--anything you dropped blood on needs to be cleaned.
3. Moisturize. If you have chap stick, moisturizer or Neosporin on hand, put a little of that in your nose to help healing and prevent it from bleeding again. A thin coating of petroleum jelly is simple and can be helpful to prevent nosebleeds due to dry air. If you are prone to bloody noses, it is a good idea to do this every morning to prevent bleeding, especially in dry weather.
4. Put an extra paper towel in your pocket just in case it starts to bleed again. If it doesn’t start for the next hour, you should be in the clear.
5. Avoid doing anything to cause your nose to bleed. Don't blow your nose, pick your nose, or bump it if at all possible. Nose bleeds can be caused by accidents, but are more commonly caused by dry conditions, causing the nasal membranes to dry out and crack. While we don't feel this, the end result is obvious.

Tips

· There are as many superstitious ways to to stop a nose bleed as there are to cure hiccups. Some other folk remedies:

o For severe nose bleeds (lasting longer than 5 minutes) you may need to hold an ice pack to your nose. This will constrict blood vessels, slowing the flow of blood.
o Keep a set of metal keys in the freezer in a ziplock baggie, and when a nose bleed starts, take them out of the freezer and hold to the back of your neck until the bleeding stops.
o Take a junior "light" tampon and push it a little ways into the nostril. It will soak up all the blood and when you stop bleeding, you can gently pull it out. While tampons are not considered sterile, they are generally low in bacteria count.
o Tear off a piece of paper towel or tissue and roll or wad it up. Place it about 2 cm (3/4 inch) into the nostril. Leave in for about 15 minutes. This allows one to quickly and simply get back to what one is doing while the blood has time to clot.

§ Put a little hydrogen peroxide on the rolled-up tissue. Insert it into the bleeding nostril and apply pressure for 5 minutes. You will feel some heat and a lot of fizzing. The released oxygen will accelerate the clotting of the blood.

o You can also apply pressure to the hollows next to the spine directly where it joins the skull, as this helps to keep the sinuses clear.
o A folk method that sometimes works is to lift one of the sufferer's legs, take off their shoe, and smack the bottom of their foot several times. While it sounds rather odd, it sometimes actually works.
o Take an ice pack (or get someone else to get you one) and place it on the back of the neck. One of the main arteries that leads to your nose runs through your neck and the cold from the ice pack will cause the artery to contract, lessening the blood flow to the nose.

· If you get a lot of nose bleeds, talk to your doctor about getting your nose cauterized. This can greatly reduce them if not stop them all together.

· Use a saline nose spray during allergy season if you get frequent nose bleeds during this time.

· Breathe through your mouth during the nosebleed. Don't try to inhale through your nose, it won't be fun. Exhaling through your nose will encourage the nosebleed. To keep your mouth from drying out, put the tip of your tongue on the roof of your mouth.

· To prevent problems in the future, raise the humidity level in your living quarters by using a humidifier. Most nosebleeds occur when nasal blood vessels become dry and cracked.

· Breathe in through your nose and out your mouth..this will help the drying up process by not allowing moisture to pass through the nose.

· During the dry months try eating spinach or cauliflower every other day. The vitamin K is supposed to help clotting. Some other foods with vitamin K are lettuce and swiss chard.

Warnings

· The "Pinching Method" is the only generally accepted medical practice for stopping epistaxis (nosebleeds).

· It is not recommended that you tilt your head back while suffering a nose bleed (contrary to popular belief). This allows blood to flow into the esophagus and poses a choking hazard, as well as causing blood to collect in the stomach. Too much swallowed blood will cause emesis (vomiting). Tilt forward instead.

· During a severe nosebleed, don't be surprised if blood starts dripping from the corner of your eye next to your nose. The lacrimal duct there is connected to the nasal sinuses and blood can flow out of it during a bad nosebleed. However, if you have a nosebleed that severe, you should probably be seen in an emergency room.

· Nose bleeds can be very dangerous. If you start to feel dizzy or light headed, call an ambulance immediately, you may have lost a dangerous amount of blood.

· After the nose has stopped bleeding, drink water to help the process of replacing lost blood.

· Limit movement while pinching because you may accidentally pull on delicate nose vessels, aggravating the nosebleed.


Stay Safe..... Live Well.....

How to Survive in the Woods--the Wild

Ever been on a hike admiring the wild flowers, gazing up at the tips of the trees--and suddenly found yourself completely alone and lost? What would happen to you if you couldn't find your way back to safety? While being lost in the woods can be a frightening experience, surviving alone in the wild is generally a matter of common sense, patience, and wisely using the gifts that nature provides. All you need to survive for a few days is shelter, warmth, water, and food.

Steps

Plan ahead. Don't just trek off into the wilderness, do some research first. There are a lot of resources regarding survival, both online and in libraries. Educate yourself about the flora and fauna of the area you are exploring. Knowledge of the local plants and animals can save your life! You might also want to purchase a survival manual to carry with you.

Make sure someone knows where you are going every time you go into the wilderness,and how long you intend to be gone. That way someone will realize that you are missing, quickly alert rescuers, and be able to tell them where to start looking for you.

Survive in the wilderness by being prepared. Basic survival tools such as a knife, a magnesium stone, some matches, some cord, a whistle, and a small pot can mean the difference between life and death. Even if you are only out on a day hike, be sure to bring the essentials.

Panic is more dangerous than almost anything else, because it interferes with your single best, most useful and versatile survival tool: your mind. The moment you realize that you are lost, before you do anything else, stop. Take a deep breath and stay calm. If you're hanging from a rope halfway down a mountainside with a broken leg, remind yourself that people have survived exactly this situation.

Stand still and look around carefully!. Wherever you are will become your "point zero." Find a way to mark it using a spare piece of clothing, a pile of rocks, a sheet of paper, or anything else easily visible from a distance.

Stay in one place, and you not only increase your chances of being found, you also increase your ability to survive by reducing the energy your body expends and the amount of water and food you will need. It is always best to hunker down and stay put. Chances are that someone will be looking for you, especially if you let someone know your plans.

Signal your location to maximize the odds that someone finds you. Make noise by whistling, shouting, singing, or banging rocks together. If you can, mark your location in such a way that it's visible from the air. If you're in a mountain meadow, make three piles of dark leaves or branches in a triangle. In sandy areas, make a large triangle in the sand. In a forest, you might want to prepare three small fires ready to ignite at a moment's notice, with heaps of wet leaves nearby in order to make smoke. Three of anything in the wilderness is a standard distress signal.

Start scouting your area, carefully keeping track of your location. Be sure you can always find your way back to your "point zero" as you search for water, shelter, or your way home.

Find or create shelter. Without adequate shelter, you will be fully exposed to the elements and will risk hypothermia or heatstroke, depending on the weather. If you are not properly dressed for the conditions, finding shelter is all the more important. Luckily, the woods are filled with tools and resources to make both shelters and fires (for warmth, safety, and signaling purposes). Look for a fallen or leaning tree. Use brush or green branches (boughs) from trees to repel water, block wind, keep out snow, or create shade. Close in your shelter on as many sides as possible. Caves can be great, but be sure the cave is not already occupied by bears, large cats, snakes or other unfriendly animals; they know caves are good too, and they've been looking for good shelter for longer than you have. Also make sure it's not going to collapse on you- this reduces your chances of survival considerably.

Find a good source of water. You can last up to three days without water, but by the end of the second day you're not going to be in very good shape; find water before then. The best source of water is a spring, but the chances of finding one are slim. A running stream is your next best bet; the movement of the water reduces sediment. Be advised that drinking water from streams can lead to some sicknesses , but when you're in a life-or-death situation, the risk of illness is a secondary consideration.

Get a good fire going--one with sufficient coals to stay hot for many hours--and make sure that you have plenty of extra dry wood. A good rule of thumb is to gather wood until you have enough to last the night, then gather three more piles of the same size, and you *might* have enough to get through the night. In the wilderness you should have access to dry wood in the under story of the forest. You can also use bark or dried dung. If you build a fire that is hot enough, you can also burn green wood, brush, or tree boughs to make a signaling fire (one that makes a lot of smoke). The best wood for maintaining a fire is dead wood that you pull off a standing tree. Regardless of what type of woods you are in, there will certainly be some dry wood available. Remember that a small fire is easier to keep burning than a big fire, though, because it requires less fuel. Once you have sufficient embers, keep the fire to a manageable size so you don't spend too much time looking for fuel.

Find safe food. Just because you are starving and happen to see a beautiful mushroom growing out of a rotting log doesn’t mean that you should eat it. Make sure that you know food is safe before eating it. If there is anything that will lessen your ability to survive, it is being both lost and deathly ill. If you have a fire going, cook anything that you eat, just to be safe. If you are capable of bringing an animal down you might consider eating it as well. In addition, don't be afraid to eat insects and other bugs. While it may be disgusting to eat a few grasshoppers, it might also be the difference between life and death. Also, a general rule of thumb is that you can eat insects less than an inch in length raw, but larger ones should be cooked. Make sure to remove the legs or other parts that look like they might hook you on the way down. As for berries: white and yellow berries are poisonous 90% of the time, blue and black berries are good to eat 90% of the time (however, deadly nightshade berries are dark blue or black and they taste sweet, but a couple can kill you fairly quickly), and red berries are a 50/50 shot. Aggregate berries (bumpy ones like raspberries, strawberries, etc.) are almost 100% good to eat. The only exception to that rule is a white berry that grows only in Alaska. Plus, it's white (see the 90/10 rule). Starvation won't be a big problem in the short term anyway, so focus on your water supply and consider fasting for this three day period.

Tips

You can survive several weeks without food, but only several days without water, and perhaps only hours without shelter. Keep your priorities straight.

If you're not absolutely sure where you are and how to get back to familiar territory, don't proclaim, "I think it's this way." The more you move once you realize you're lost, the worse your chances are of finding your way back.

Consider taking a staff or walking stick with you. If you don't have one, any staff-sized stick will do. The little mark it makes in the dirt will help you retrace your steps better than Hansel and Gretel.

It is safer not to go into the wilderness alone.

Bear dens are excellent shelters as they provide protection from the elements, but many times you'll find that a bear will not welcome you into its home; unless it is eating you.

Most "survival knives" with big blades and hollow handles are not worth the money because the handle can break off easily, leaving you with a blade and a handle and no way to reattach them. A Swiss Army knife is a much better bet, especially since it has a spare blade if the main one breaks.

One of the most important survival tools is something that most people never consider: a cooking pot. Without a pot it is difficult to boil water and cook many foods. A pot guarantees that you are not drinking water filled with bacteria.

Machetes are not better than a Swiss army knife on long term hikes. When hiking long distances the extra weight adds up. Also Machetes does not carry as much functionality as a Swiss army knife. They should not be used for protection; bear mace and pepper-spray are much better. The chances that you will come up against an animal with no eyes is slim. Overall machetes are adapted for clearing brush and not much else and are bad choices for hiking.

Don’t rely upon modern technology like cell phones, GPS units, or radios to save you if you are lost. While technology can come in handy, relying upon a battery or a telephone signal is just asking for trouble.

If you don’t have a lighter or any matches, you will have to start the fire by hand. If you find enough tinder (small material, such as dry grass, feathers or bark shavings, that burns easily) you can usually use the energy from the sun to start a fire with a magnifying glass, a piece of broken glass, a cover to a watch or compass, or other clear, light-intensifying objects. You can even shape a lens out of ice. If you don’t have any such objects, you will have to start a fire with friction, which requires that you fashion a device that rubs wood and tinder together quite rapidly (see other articles on fire starting to learn more). Basically, just carry several types of fire with you whenever you're in the wild: lighters, matches, and strikers (flint and steel). By far one of the best tools to start a fire is a magnesium stone. It's a necessity to be included in your survival kit. A cheap and effective supplement to the magnesium stone is the lint that collects in your dryer. Dry lint can be carried in a ziplock bag, weighing almost nothing, and is exceptional tinder - the sparks from the flint part of your magnesium stone will catch in lint much quicker than other materials. You can also use pine sap to start a fire. This sap obviously seeps from pine trees and is very flammable, also remember during winter, do not build a fire directly under a tree or anything that might cause the snow to melt and drop down and put your fire out.

An important acronym to remember is "STOP" which stands for stop, think, observe, and plan.

Whenever you go out in the wilderness (for example, going on a hike), bring a whistle. 1 blow means "I'm lost", 2 blows means "I'm coming" (if you hear someone else blow a whistle), and 3 blows means "This is an emergency" (if you are hurt).

At night, the worst that can happen is freezing to death. Bundle up. Cover yourself with leaves, twigs, whatever is there. To stay warm at night, heat rocks in the fire and then bury them. Sleep on top of the buried rocks. Make sure you bury them deep enough or you will burn yourself.

If you happen to have a reflective object on you (a mirror, a belt buckle, whatever), use it as a signal by facing it towards the sun. Contrary to popular belief, CDs DO NOT make good signaling devices, but are still better than nothing - a signal mirror is recommended instead. You can do the same at night with a flashlight.

If planning an extended trip into difficult or unfamiliar terrain, it is always a good idea to have a backup plan. Detailed maps/trail guides, extra food and water, and signaling devices such as a mirror, flare, or even (depending on the length and location of the trip) a satellite beacon (PLB) could save your life.

Rain, snow, or dew can be a good source of clean water. You can use anything from a cup to a piece of waterproof cloth to a large leaf to collect precipitation.

If you cannot stay where you are until someone finds you, do not pick a direction and start walking, even if you have a means of ensuring that you continue to go that direction. Instead, try to go either uphill or downhill. Going uphill offers a good chance that you will find a vantage point, which can help you get your bearings. If you go downhill, you will probably find water which you can follow downstream; in many cases, this will lead you to civilization. But don't follow water downstream at night or in fog as it may go off a cliff.

Never, EVER go into the woods without a compass. Note which direction you enter the woods from, say, a straight road or trail and if you get disoriented just head back in the opposite direction from which you entered.

Warnings

Keep your fire contained! Ensure that there is no combustible material underneath your fireplace and enclose it completely with rocks or a berm made of sand. Put your fire out with copious amounts of water: saturate it, so that there is no possibility of even the tiniest spark remaining. You should be able to touch the extinguished coals with your bare hand. It's one thing to be lost in the woods, but quite another to be surrounded by a forest fire caused by your negligence.

If you encounter snakes, leave them alone. Snakes bite because they are hungry or because they are threatened. We are too big to be seen as prey to most snakes, so they cannot eat us and do not regard humans as food. Stand still and the snake will go away. Attack it and it will retaliate. If one curls up in your kit, chivvy it out with a long stick and gently prod it away. If it comes in your direction, stand still. It doesn't know that you are causing its discomfort and if you do not jump around, it will probably not even notice you. However, if you kill the snake you can enjoy eating it. Since you probably don't know if it's venomous or not, a good rule of thumb is to cut off the head, and then cut the same distance back from that point down the body. This will remove any poison glands if there are any.

Chewing leather is bad advice for most modern, chemical-tanned leathers! Great way to poison yourself with chromium and other toxic chemicals! Besides, do you really want to trade your only real foot protection for a couple of calories? Protect your shoes so you can take a hike to look for nutrition!

Things You'll Need

Whistle
String
Optional but Helpful Materials: map of the area, water purifying tablets, spare cloths, magnifying glass (for fire), compass!, basic First Aid kit, cotton balls in a bag with Vaseline on them (this is not only for chapped lips, but as an ointment for cuts and sunburn relief, but most importantly, when you tear the cotton balls, and mix them well the the vasoline, it is a very flamable material, which will burn smoothly and long, which is great for making torches and starting fires!).
15 feet of rope.
Universal tool.

How to verify the purity of Honey

How to verify the purity of Honey

Fake and impure honeys have become commonplace in the market today, despite many people's preference for 100% bees' honey. The problem with this is, unfortunately, fake and impure honey can be passed off as pure very easily. When viewed on the shelf, it is very hard to pick out what is pure, and what is not. There are, however, a few ways to figure this out.
Check the label. You would be amazed at how many people neglect to look closely at the label of food products before buying them, and then are dismayed to find they bought something they really didn't want. Check around the brand name, and the ingredients list (if there is one) for a mention of additives. The company should be required to list them if you are shopping in certain countries. If there are no mentions of additives, buy the honey.
Taste the honey. If it seems off, and yet the label claims it is pure, there are a few simple tests you can run to check the purity of the honey.

o The dissolving test.

* Get a glass of water. This and a tablespoon of honey are all you need for the first test.

* Empty the honey into the water. If the honey is impure, it will dissolve in the water- the most common additive to honey is syrup of jaggery, which dissolves. If it is pure, the honey will stick together and sink as a solid lump to the bottom of the glass.

* This test can also be completed by mixing equal parts honey and methylated spirits (denatured alcohol). Pure honey will settle to the bottom. Impure honey is more likely to remain dissolved and make the solution milky.

o The flame test.

* Get a lighter and a candle with a cotton wick. This test is better if you don't have as much honey to spare.

* Dip the cotton wick of the candle into a bit of the honey, and shake off the excess.

* Attempt to light the wick. If it burns, then it is completely pure honey. If it refuses to burn, then the presence of water is not allowing the wick to burn. (If there is only a very small amount of honey on the wick, though, it might still burn. It will produce a crackling sound, and it would be best to blow out the wick and try it again this time using more honey.)

o The absorption test.

* Pour a few drops of honey on blotting paper and observe whether or not it is absorbed. If it's absorbed, the honey's not pure.

* If you don't have blotting paper, pour a little bit of honey on a white cloth, then wash the cloth. If there is any stain left by the honey, it is probably not pure.

o The spiral test when pouring

* When poured very slowly honey will flow as a spiral in a clockwise direction. This is because the honey molecule is non-symmetrical with a right-hand bias which causes the stream of honey to spin.

Hybrid Vehicle-What is a Hybrid Vehicle

A hybrid vehicle (HV) is a vehicle that uses two or more distinct power or fuel sources such as:

An on-board rechargeable energy storage system (RESS) and a fueled power source for vehicle propulsion
Human or sail powered bicycle with battery assist
A sail boat with electric power[1]
The term most commonly refers to Hybrid-electric vehicle (HEV) which includes internal combustion engines and electric motors (generally powered by electric batteries or other rechargeable energy storage system -RESS-).
History
One of the earliest hybrid vehicles were simply boats with both sails and oars, such as the Greek/Phoenician trireme warships. These used a sail for traveling with the wind, and the oars for when there was insufficient wind, or in circumstances that the sail was unfavorable (such as naval combat, in the case of the triremes).

Hybrid types by engines

Hybrid-electric petroleum vehicles
When the term hybrid vehicle is used, it most often refers to a Hybrid electric vehicle. These encompass such vehicles as the Toyota Prius, Toyota Camry Hybrid, Ford Escape Hybrid, Honda Insight and others. A petroleum-electric hybrid most commonly uses internal combustion engines (generally gasoline or Diesel engines, powered by a variety of fuels) and electric batteries to power electric motors. There are many types of petroleum-electric hybrid drivetrains from Full hybrid to Mild hybrid which offer varying advantages and disadvantages Hybrid fuel (dual mode)
In addition to vehicles that use two or more different devices for propulsion, some also consider vehicles that use distinct energy input types ("fuels") using the same tank and engine to be hybrids, although to avoid confusion with hybrids as described above and to use correctly the terms, these are described as dual mode vehicles:
Some electric trolleybuses can switch between an on board diesel engine and overhead electrical power depending on conditions. In principle, this could be combined with a battery subsystem to create a true plug-in hybrid trolleybus, although as of 2006, no such design seems to have been announced.
Flexible-fuel vehicles can use a mixture of input fuels (petroleum and biofuels) in one tank — typically gasoline and bioethanol or biobutanol, though diesel-biodiesel vehicles would also qualify. Liquified petroleum gas and natural gas are very different from each other and cannot be used in the same tanks, so it would be impossible to build an (LPG-NG) flexible fuel system.
Some vehicles have been modified to use another fuel source if it is available, such as cars modified to run on autogas (LPG) and diesels modified to run on waste vegetable oil that has not been processed into bio-diesel.
Power-assist mechanisms for bicycles and other human-powered vehicles are also included.
A Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) is an emerging type of automobile which can use traditional liquid combustibles and electricity as fuels. Such vehicles could reduce fossil fuel consumption, pollution, and operating costs. If equipped with vehicle to grid technology they could also help stabilize the electric grid by acting as load balance devices. By reducing the amount of liquid fuel required they could also help biofuels meet a larger portion of our fuel demands.

Continuously Recharged Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Given suitable infrastructure, BEVs can be recharged while the user drives. The BEV establishes contact with an electrified rail, plate or overhead wires on the highway via an attached conducting wheel or other similar mechanism (see Conduit current collection). The BEV's batteries are recharged by this process - on the highway - and can then be used normally on other roads.
This provides the advantage of virtually unrestricted highway range. Since most destinations are within 100 km of a major highway, this reduces the need for expensive battery systems.