2010-01-xx - How to get over jet lag

Jet lag affects some more than others. I've never really had it too bad but maybe I haven't spent enough time in a different timezone for it to get too bad. Like most problems- the best and first thing you can do is take measures to avoid it so you don't have to treat it.

If traveling overnight try to sleep on the plane. If you can't sleep on planes or it's an irregular

2010-02-04 - Superglue off of skin

Superglue is great - but also a pain to get off of your skin. I've done it a few times- usually I can avoid gluing things to my skin or gluing my fingers together...usually.

There are a few ways to get it off your skin. One of the best ways is to use nail polish remover. Make sure that it's acetone nail polish remover because anything else won't work. Soak the affected area in nail polish remover. If you can't really soak it, just keep applying the remover with a cotton ball, as it will evaporate over time. You don't really need to scrub it too much because the acetone automatically starts to break the glue down. It will take a few minutes but it will work.

One other suggestion I found was to mix the acetone with some WD-40 so it doesn't evaporate as quickly. And in addition to that you can mix it with vaseline to make sure it stays on the affected area.

Wikihow / eHow

2010-02-03 - Countries of North and Central America

I couldn't do just North America so I lumped them together.
Still working on the locations of some of the islands but I got the names at least.

Quiz to help learn: Sporcle



Fact: There are no landlocked countries among the twenty countries of Central America and the Caribbean.

2010-02-02 - Knots

Tying knots is another basic skill that everyone should have. Its very practical knowledge but can also be useful in more critical situations. Most people, including myself, will tie arbitrary loops and knots and crosses until it feels secure or strong enough. Usually it's sufficient but it would be a lot better to simply know a handful of real knots that you can trust not to fall apart. I found a useful page that covers 7 basic knots that will get you through most situations. Watch the video, it will be a lot more helpful than my comments.

Square knot, or Reef knot - It's like the knot you start tying your shoe with only you double it up. Not a really strong knot, but good for basic non-load-bearing tasks.
Right over left, left over right.

Bowline knot - Really strong - good for actually tying the bowline of a boat to a dock.
Rabbit hole with a tree. The tree is the standing end of the rope. Rabbit comes up out of the hole, goes around the tree, then back down the hole.

Two half hitches knot - Anchoring - securing a rope to a pole/tree/stake.

Taut line knot - Allows you to shorten or lengthen a rope while anchoring.

Clove hitch knot - Not as strong- can still be used for anchoring. One benefit is that it can be made in the middle of a rope, no end necessary. Good to know for lashing things together.

Figure 8 knot - stopper knot - knot at the end of a rope to keep things on the rope. Basic knot for tying into a climbing harness.

Sheet bend knot - tie two ropes of unequal size together.


Courtesy of these fine blokes: Art of Manliness

2010-02-01 - Important dates in U.S. history

There is a good chance I wouldn't have passed a citizenship exam. Here are a bunch of important dates in U.S. history, some of which I knew, all of which I know now. I know there are a lot more- please tell me what ones to add and I can revise the list.




1492 - Columbus finds the Americas
1587 - Roanoke Colony founded
1607 - Jamestown founded
1620 - Plymouth Rock
1630 - Massachusetts Bay Colony founded
1630 - 1732 - A bunch of other less important colonies are founded
1770 - Boston Massacre
1772 - 1786 - Revolutionary War
1773 - Boston Tea Party
1776 - Declaration of Independence
1787 - Constitution
1791 - Bill of Rights
1800 - Washington, DC becomes capital
1803 - Louisiana Purchase, Louis and Clark Expedition
1807 - Slave trade abolished
1812 - 1814 - War of 1812
1860 - South Carolina Secedes from the Union
1861 - 1865 - American Civil War
1917 - 1918 - World War I
1929 - Stock Market Crash
1941 - 1945 - World War II
1941 - December 7, Pearl Harbor
1944 - June 6 , D-Day, Invasion of Normandy
1945 - August 6, Bombing of Hiroshima, August 9, Bombing of Nagasaki
1950 - 1953 - Korean War
1961 - 1970 - Vietnam War
1969 - First man on the moon

2010-01-31 - Nose bleeds

Tis the season for nosebleeds. Dry air outside, dry air inside, fighting people. Growing up I witnessed a lot of different methods and techniques on how to stop a nosebleed but never knew what was actually correct. I decided to ask the expert on the matter- the internet.

For starters, lean forward. You want the blood to drain out of your nose, not down your throat. Blood going down your throat will increase your chances of coughing, choking or gagging. Swallowing blood can make you nauseous. The combination of coughing and nausea could produce some obviously bad results. (Did you know you can swallow a pint of blood before you get sick?)

Your nose bleeds when the arteries in your sinus cavity rupture. This can happen if your sinuses get too dry or from extreme stress being put on the arteries. That and general trauma to the area.

Once you're leaning forward you need to apply pressure to stop the flow of blood. There are several places you can apply pressure- some will work better than others depending on what vessels are broken.

You can apply pressure between your upper lip and the gum. Press up towards your nose where there is a major artery. Some people roll up a piece of paper towel and put it up there almost like a mouth guard.

Another place is right below your nose, pressing up against the middle part of your nose. This is effectively pressing on the same artery as the above method, only from the outside.

You can also press right below the bridge of the nose, closer to your cheek bones than the tip of your nose.

With any of these locations, apply pressure for at least 5 minutes, while leaning your head forward. If that doesn't work, try for 10 minutes. If that doesn't work, you might need a doctor. In addition to those pressure points you can also apply pressure to the back of the neck. This is a major source of blood flow to the head so any restriction there will also restrict flow to the nose bleed. Don't choke yourself, slight pressure to the back of the neck is all you need. You can also use a cold compress in any of these locations. Cold causes blood vessels to constrict, therefore less blood flow.

Once the bleeding has stopped, let it heal. Don't blow your nose any time soon (12 hours or so) and don't pick at it. You can put a bit of vaseline to keep it from drying out again. Keep your head elevated above your heart when laying down to avoid any unnecessary pressure to the blood vessels.

2010-01-30 - How to remove blood stains

You never know when you might get blood stains on something. To get blood stains out of clothing it's best to act quickly before the stain sets. Blot with a wet rag or paper towel using cold water, or if possible rinse with cold water. Don't rub the stain because you'll just spread it around or work it into the fabric making it worse. Don't use hot water, and don't put it into the dryer until the stain is completely gone because the heat will set the stain.


For a stain that is already set in you should soak the item in warm water with detergent. Let it soak for about an hour or until the stain starts to lift. Blot and scrub if necessary - but be careful not to work it into the fabric. You can buy 'pretreatment' stain remover products as well. Put that on and then wash it as normal using cold or warm water, after soaking.

If you act fast cold water should be enough- get it early and it will be a lot easier.

Another option is using an amonia/water or hydrogen peroxide/water mix - make sure that this won't cause any discoloration to the item before you use it.

2010-01-29 - Dominant eye

This is something I was vaguely aware of. You obviously use both of your eyes to look at things- but you use one more than the other. You probably do it without thinking most of the time. You'll naturally use your dominant eye when looking through a camera lens or something similar. This is how you test to see which is your dominant eye:

Extend both of your arms out in front of your chest with your palms facing away from your body. Stick your thumbs out and overlap your hands by crossing your thumbs and finger tips, leaving a hole in the middle. It should look something like this guy.

Look through the hole and focus on a small object about 20 feet away.

Close one eye, and then the other. When you close your dominant eye the item will jump out of your field of vision (behind your hand). When you close your weak eye the item will be in relatively the same position it was with both of your eyes open.

Your dominant eye has no correlation to your dominant hand. I am right-handed and left-eye dominant. This isn't incredibly useful unless you're doing some corrective treatment with your eyes or you're learning to shoot a gun.

2010-01-28 - Treat a burn

The first part is identifying the type and severity of the burn.

First degree burn - Least severe burn. Only affects the outermost layer of the skin, the epidermis. The skin will look red and irritated - painful and possible swollen. A sunburn is a good example of a first degree burn.

Second degree burn- The first layer of skin is completely burned and is probably starting to fall off. The second layer of skin, the dermis, has been reached and is burned- closer to the nerves and therefore a lot more painful. This creates a lot more complications for treatment and healing.

Third degree burn - The burn has reached all the way to the third layer, the hypodermis and possibly even beyond that into the tissue beneath it. By this point the nerves have been completely destroyed and there will be no pain or sensation in the affected area. The skin will be charred and dry or leathery (gross).

Minor burns are easily treated and heal relatively fast. This is first degree burns and second degree burns within a certain amount of surface area. If any entire limb has second degree burns on it you need real medical attention. Your skin is the body's biggest barrier against bacteria and infection so when it's destroyed your body is exposed to infection.

To treat the burn, run it under cool water. Don't use cold water or hot water. Don't put ice on it. Don't put oil or butter or any other weird home remedy people have come up with. Run cool water on it until the pain goes away. It's better to leave the burn exposed to air to help it heal faster. You can apply some over the counter ointment or creme and take a pain reliever like ibuprofen. Infections aren't common with minor burns- but keep the burn clean and look out for blisters just in case.

A major burn is a lot more serious. This includes second degree burns covering a large area and third degree burns. It also depends on the location of the burn. More vital areas require more attention and specific treatment to ensure proper healing. You should go to the hospital for treatment for any burns on the face, neck, hands, feet, groin and large joints where healing is more difficult (knee, elbow).

For a major burn- call an ambulance or get to the ER. Don't try to peel off any burned clothing (unless it's still on fire). Removing it might tear tissue and cause bleeding. Don't run the burn under cool water. Apply a cool, wet compress to the area briefly and repeatedly. You want to reduce the temperature of the body and the tissue in that area. Do not use ice or cold water because it might damage the tissue further.

Cover the burned area with cool, moist and most importantly, sterile bandages. If possible, elevate the burned area above the heart to limit blood flow to the wound. Chances are the person will be going into shock due to the massive trauma and extensive nerve damage- so you want to reduce the chances of that happening and look out for signs of it. Someone going into shock: weak, fast heart rate, clammy skin, disorientation, nausea and even severe mood changes (becoming angry or combative). Stay with the person until you get to the hospital or emergency services reach you.

If it's a chemical burn you're going to need to know what kind of chemical it is to treat it properly. Most require thorough rinsing with water- but rinsing with water can be the worst thing possible with some chemicals. This is really specific and unless you're very knowledgeable of it- I'd leave it to the experts.

Again- like most of the first aid stuff I learn about- if it's a serious situation where someone's life or health is in danger- leave it to the professionals. Only act on these things if it's absolutely necessary and you know what you're doing.

2010-01-27 - Slow your heart rate

This is a cool trick my friend taught me. If you're prone to anxiety or panic attacks and your heart rate gets going and you want it to slow down, there is an easy way. The carotid artery is a major supplier of blood to the head and neck. It's hidden behind the sternocleidomastoid which is a muscle that runs from the sternum (sterno) and the clavicle (cleido) all the way to the jaw (mastoid). It's also known as the 'swimmmers muscle'- you can feel it bulge out when you turn your head side to side.

This is a really interesting part of the anatomy because it has a lot to do with your blood pressure and heart rate. Your body is able to change the blood pressure and heart rate depending on a lot of things- including your posture. If you are standing or sitting your muscles are in different amounts of tension and compression, telling your brain and heart how to behave.

You can lower your heart rate by simply massaging the sternocleidomastoid. This is kind of like a manual over-ride to the system. By massaging this muscle you start sending signals to the brain telling it to slow down the heart rate. Not sure why it does it- but it seems like a pretty cool thing to be able to do. I'm not really prone to anxiety or panic attacks- but if you are, give it a try and let me know how effective it is.