Tag Archives: How To

Change your life: do one thing every day that will scare the crap out of you

By web gangsta | Published: March 11, 2012


Greg Tung wanted to make this past year the most interesting year of his life.

Inspired by a quote by Eleanor Roosevelt (“Do one thing every day that scares you”), Greg decided that he was going to do just that for 365 days (plus one, to cover for leap year).

Now, everybody’s definition of what makes things “scary” is different.  Greg summed “scary” up as things that he would normally go out of his way to avoid doing if he had the choice to do so.

So Greg went ahead to chronicle this personal adventure on his website, SCARE YOURSELF EVERY DAY, which Web Watch will predict will get turned into another one of those great blog-to-book projects we’ve talked about previously (Cake Wrecks, we’re looking at you!).   It’s more likely to happen, since as part of the Scare Yourself project, Greg quit his job to focus on his dream of becoming a writer.

Yeah, quitting your job to follow a dream is definitely on everyone’s list of things that can scare the crap out of you.

 

Continue reading "Change your life: do one thing every day that will scare the crap out of you" »

Posted in 10 Things, How To, Travel, Websites | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

How to win by buying Scratch-off Lottery Tickets

By web gangsta | Published: March 6, 2012


We’ve all done this.

We’re running late to a birthday party, and we don’t know what to get.  Or we’ve forgotten a Christmas gift for the company White Elephant gift exchange.

Or you’re just feeling a little impish and decide to spend a few dollars on something fun – just in case.

What do you do?  You find yourself in line at the local convenience store buying $10 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets.

But how do you decide which ones to buy?  They’re all the same, right?

No, not really.

Only some of them are more likely to pay off in the giant jackpot that you’ve been dreaming of.

And Web Watch is here to tell you The Secret to Winning the Lottery using Scratch-Off tickets…. and all it takes is a little bit of smarts.

Continue reading "How to win by buying Scratch-off Lottery Tickets" »

Posted in Gambling, How To, Websites | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

Three traits new college graduates must have to get a job

By web gangsta | Published: March 5, 2012


If you’re a recent college graduate (or about to be one), here’s something that you should know:

It’s a jungle out there, and getting a job right out of college is not as much of a guarantee as it used to be.

When hiring managers are combing through stacks and stacks of resumes looking for the ideal candidate to fill an open position, it often comes down to just a few things that can separate the You’re Hired pile from the Don’t Bother pile.

Continue reading "Three traits new college graduates must have to get a job" »

Posted in 10 Things, How To | Also tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

The ultimate viewing order for Star Wars films

By web gangsta | Published: March 3, 2012


Web Watch does enjoy the movies, and our friends take great pride in being able to unironically throw out movie quotes or other references when the moment requires it.

One oft-debated topic between us is what to do with today’s kids when it comes to introducing them to one of the most acclaimed and iconic film series of our generation, STAR WARS.

By now, Web Watch hopes that our readers are aware that Star Wars consists of six films – the first trilogy that was released being the 4th, 5th, and 6th films in the series; and the second trilogy consisting of the introductory 1st, 2nd, and 3rd films.

Weird, we know – but to Star Wars fans, everything made sense at the time.

And yes, we’re purposefully leaving out all the novels from the Star Wars universe that really mucked up the master plotline (Web Watch is looking at you, Alan Dean Foster, for jumping the gun on dysfunctional family relationships within the Vadar family in Splinter of the Mind’s Eye).

A friend of ours was concerned about raising his son correctly by not revealing any key plot points in the 5th and 6th films that would minimize the enjoyment of watching the films anew with his son.  The element of surprise is so important, you know.   He was really concerned about kids at the playground spilling the beans as well.   Yes, our friend does seem to be trying to raise a sheltered child in this regard, but he means well – so don’t judge. 

But since the first three films also delve into that critically important plot device, our friend was torn as to what to do regarding how to introduce his son to the Star Wars universe.

 

Continue reading "The ultimate viewing order for Star Wars films" »

Posted in How To, Movies, Websites | Also tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are you an ethical diner? Here’s how to select the best-run restaurant for your next meal

By web gangsta | Published: February 26, 2012


We all enjoy eating out at restaurants.

The food is typically well-prepared, and who doesn’t enjoy being waited on by a young go-getter who is eager to please and provide the Ultimate Dining Experience?

Ok, well maybe not every restaurant you eat at ends up being the Ultimate Dining Experience, but go with us on the concept here.

Let’s look at this from another viewpoint – if you were going to work at a restaurant, would you rather work at a restaurant that provided the Ultimate Employee Experience, or one that treated all of their employees without care?

Continue reading "Are you an ethical diner? Here’s how to select the best-run restaurant for your next meal" »

Posted in 10 Things, food, How To, shopping, Websites | Also tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

How big is the universe?

By web gangsta | Published: February 22, 2012


Do you remember a few years ago when Web Watch showed you a REAL-WORLD COMPARISON OF GERM SIZES?

You were able to zoom in from the size of a sheet of paper down to the size of a carbon atom.  Along the way, you could see and compare the sizes of different germs when compared to common, everyday objects.

Yeah, not too shabby, and kinda cool.

But what if we wanted to take the same concept, and compare the sizes of pretty much everything in the entire universe to, well, the entire universe?

Continue reading "How big is the universe?" »

Posted in How To, Science, Websites | Also tagged , , | Leave a comment

Early picks for your 2012 March Madness basketball tournament brackets

By web gangsta | Published: February 21, 2012


It’s that time of year again, where every sports fan worth their paper brackets start working their own version of BRACKETOLOGY in time for some HOOPS MADNESS.

So even though we still have a few weeks to go before the 2012 tournament contenders are announced, Web Watch thought we’d share with you some of the front-runners that you may want to pay attention to while we ramp up to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.

 

Continue reading "Early picks for your 2012 March Madness basketball tournament brackets" »

Posted in 10 Things, How To, sports | Also tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Looking for a new pet? Try this color-coded pet matching service!

By web gangsta | Published: February 19, 2012


You would love to have a new pet. 

You’ve always loved dogs and cats, but now that you’re a little bit older and settled into your personal lifestyle, maybe it’s time to take another look at what would be the best pet for you.

Besides – you would hate to go to your local pet shop or adoption shelter and pick a new companion without having any idea of whether that animal would fit in with your expectations.

Continue reading "Looking for a new pet? Try this color-coded pet matching service!" »

Posted in 10 Things, How To, Websites | Also tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The difference between a “workaholic” and an “engaged workaholic”

By web gangsta | Published: February 16, 2012


Are you a workaholic?

Maybe you’re a workaholic and you don’t even realize it.

Sure, all of us tend to spend a lot of time either at work, thinking about work, or trying to do work at non-work times. Web Watch has told you numerous times in the past when we’ve taken conference calls while on vacation — that would certainly qualify as a definition of workaholic.

But did you know that there are different shades of workaholism? That’s right – there’s a heirarchy of workaholics.

Continue reading "The difference between a “workaholic” and an “engaged workaholic”" »

Posted in How To | Also tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Are you a Showroomer? When retail stores fight back against the Internet, we all lose

By web gangsta | Published: February 1, 2012


Showroom: The Saga of a Family, a Car Business and the Seven Deadly Sins
Showroom: The Saga of a Family, a Car Business and the Seven Deadly Sins

By now, Web Watch is sure that you’ve heard of the term “showrooming“, where consumers go to Target, Best Buy, or other major retailers simply to browse the aisles – cell phone in hand – with the explicit purpose to NOT buy anything that day.

Web Watch will admit, we’ve done this on plenty of occasions:  we go to an electronics department to look for a specific item — maybe so we can get a close-up of the box, or a better idea of the specs — and we do our own little bit of online price comparison.

Continue reading "Are you a Showroomer? When retail stores fight back against the Internet, we all lose" »

Posted in How To, Internet, shopping | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Now your poop can be like art, with all the colors of the rainbow

By web gangsta | Published: January 31, 2012


Girls Don't Poop
Girls Don’t Poop

Web Watch told you about Dr Stool a few years ago, where you can get all your poop questions that you never knew you had answered.

And if Dr Stool wasn’t enough, you could always head over to SMELLY POOP, an educational website that that answers the question, “What other colors of poop are possible?”

And according to them, you can get red, white, brown, yellow… even blue poop!  Yup, you really are what you eat, and any good physician will tell you that all they need to really diagnose any health issue that you may have it to analyze a stool sample.

Continue reading "Now your poop can be like art, with all the colors of the rainbow" »

Posted in Gadgets, How To, Science, Websites | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

It’s true: Men can tell when a woman is having her period, just by listening to her

By web gangsta | Published: January 30, 2012


Period.: A Girl's Guide
Period.: A Girl’s Guide

If there’s one thing that men have learned over the years, it’s that women can be moody once in a while.

And we all know what one of those causes of mood swings can be, don’t we?  Yes, yes we do.

But there is something that scientists have discovered that can help men avoid being in the line of fire when that moody time comes around… and it’s not nearly as complicated as keeping a diary of their own to document those moments.

Continue reading "It’s true: Men can tell when a woman is having her period, just by listening to her" »

Posted in How To | Also tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Are you in an open marriage? (Do you even know what that means?)

By web gangsta | Published: January 28, 2012


Open All the Way: Confessions From My Open Marriage
Open All the Way: Confessions From My Open Marriage

You hear all this talk, on the news or one of those special HBO documentaries that they show late on a Saturday night, about OPEN MARRIAGES.

Have you ever wondered what an open marriage really was?

Continue reading "Are you in an open marriage? (Do you even know what that means?)" »

Posted in How To | Also tagged , | Leave a comment

How much do you tip your waiter? Chances are, you’re paying them way too much

By web gangsta | Published: January 20, 2012


How to Make Money and Bigger Tips as a Waitress
How to Make Money and Bigger Tips as a Waitress

How much do you tip your wait staff when you visit a bar or restaurant?

Some people go for the standard 20% off the final total of the bill — just take the total, move the decimal point, and multiply by 2… voila! No math required and you left a 20% tip.

Some people jump through complicated hoops to come up with a 15% or 18% tip.

We’ll be honest here – there have been times that Web Watch has left less than 15%… but trust us, the wait staff didn’t do their job that day by listening to what the customer wanted (they didn’t bring us the requested drink, the requested condiment on the side rather than on the sandwich, etc – and it wasn’t because the restaurant was busy that day… it was just bad service all the way around.)

Continue reading "How much do you tip your waiter? Chances are, you’re paying them way too much" »

Posted in food, How To | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Is that YouTube video legal? Check out the YouTube Copyright School to learn more

By web gangsta | Published: January 11, 2012


Harry Potter and the Order of the Court: The J.K. Rowling Copyright Case and the Question of Fair Use
Harry Potter and the Order of the Court:
The J.K. Rowling Copyright Case and the Question of Fair Use

Copyright is an important aspect of online life today, and not very many people understand it.

“The Internet is FREE”, they claim.  “Everything on the Internet is free for the taking!”

No, not so much.  Rule number one of Internet legalities:  Just because someone posted it on the Internet doesn’t mean that there is no copyright or that the material is free to be shared/taken. 

Fact is, the very act of writing something yourself gives you an automatic copyright to that material that YOU created.  Let’s emphasize that YOU created portion again.  It has to be original work from YOU for you to claim the copyright – and even then, you can only claim the copyright on the portion that YOU edited.

Even large mass-edited projects like Wikipedia have a copyright… but Wikipedia explicitly says that the individual Wikipedia editors can’t claim copyright on the text that is contributed directly to Wikipedia articles — just adding the text to Wikipedia grants Wikipedia a licence to make that text available for public use.  (Content that is already copyrighted outside of Wikipedia and still contributed by the original author falls under a different set of copyright guidelines — be sure to read that WP article for all the copyright details that may pertain to you.)

Continue reading "Is that YouTube video legal? Check out the YouTube Copyright School to learn more" »

Posted in How To, Internet, Video | Also tagged , , , , | Leave a comment