Randy's Hints and Tips Homepage...
Creation Date: February 08, 1996... Last modified: June 19, 1998

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These hints and tips are gleened from various sources.... The newest ones will be at the top.


July, 2000...
The next time you are at a bar watching a baseball game and the count goes to 3-and-2, bet the guy next to you that the next pitch will be fouled off. You have an 87 percent chance of being right.

Let's say your worst nightmare becomes a reality: That ruthless young climber from the cubicle down the hall has now become your boss. You can't stand the guy, but you don't want to leave your job. After all, you were here first, and you like it here or you would have gone a long time ago. So what do you do? Call a headhunter -- for him! Tell the recruiter all about your hotshot boss. If he's talented and ambitious, he'll jump at a better job. And who knows... maybe you'll get a promotion to fill that vacancy.

Thinking of planting a garden? Try no-dig groundbreaking. This technique is good for starting a small garden in persistent sod or on a very weedy site. It is also excellent for gardeners with back problems or other physical impairments that make it difficult to use a spade or tiller.
  1. Remove tall vegetation, twigs, branches, and other surface litter from the site.
  2. Cover the ground completely with corrugated cardboard or other heavy paper such as that from dog-food or chicken-feed bags. Or use newspaper layered a dozen sheets thick. Overlap the edges of the cardboard or paper by at least 3 inches.
  3. Soak the paper.
  4. Spread a 4 inch layer of grass clippings or shredded leaves on top of the paper, and moisten it completely.
  5. Let this covering sit undisturbed for at least 2 weeks (a month or more is better) so the grass and weeds can decompose.
  6. At planting time, push a trowel through the mulch and paper into the softened soil, set a seedling in place, and arrange the mulch around, but not touching, the stem.
During the season,pull any weeds that emerge through the paper, and add more mulch as needed. By the second year, the paper will have decomposed almost completely, and the soil will be sufficiently friable for most crops.

To grow bigger broccoli, thin your seedlings to 18-24" apart once they have 2 true leaves. You'll harvest huge, great-tasting broccoli.
Spray paint some strawberry-sized stones and sprinkle them in your garden as the fruit ripens. Birds will peck at the stones and will quickly lose interest in your strawberries.
Pest-proof your corn ears mineral oil.
Looking to quick start your bean plants? Don't soak the seeds before planting them--they'll crack.

Information on how to grow pawpaws can be found at http://www.hort.perdue.edu/newcrop.

As you take down your drapes, stick the hooks into a bar of soap. You won't misplace the hooks, and they'll slide into the fabric more easily when you hang the drapes back up again.
Place the oven or barbeque grill top, cooking side down, on the grass. Leave it out overnight and the dew will do the work. In the morning, just wipe with a damp towel.
Blend a tablespoon of baby oil with a 1/4 cup of milk in bath water to make your skin feel soft and smooth.
Snow will slide from the shovel easily if you rub the front and back with paste wax or an old candle BEFORE shovelling.
To take the pain out of a bee sting, apply a slice of onion to the sting and keep it on for several minutes.
Unpleasant smells in the refrigerator will disappear if you put half an apple in the fridge and replace it once a week. Baking soda also works.
To keep cats and squirrels away, occasionally in the spring and summer, scatter orange and lemon rinds around your garden and bury them just beneath the surface.
For stubborn stains on collars, apply shampoo to soiled shirt and blouse collars before washing for a spotlessly clean result.
When storing woolen coats for the summer, put CLOVES in the pockets. They smell better than mothballs, and work just as well.
If your car won't start when the weather turns mildly cold, use a hair dryer to blow hot air on the carburetor.
Freeze onions for 15 minutes before you slice them. This reduces the onion spray that's released into the air, so your eyes won't tear.
When clothes wrinkle from sitting in the dryer too long, put in a damp towel and run the load for 5 more minutes. Any wrinkles will disappear.
Boil a bowl of water in your microwave before cleaning the interior. The steam will soften grease and spills and make them easier to wipe clean.
To help unstick a zipper, rub it with a lead pencil to make it slide more easily.
For sparkling windows, wipe the outside of each pane with vertical strokes, and the inside with horizontal strokes. If there are any streaks, it will be easier to tell which side they are on.
For a sweeter smelling house, squeeze a few drops of lemon juice into the dust bag before you vacuum.
To remove pet hairs from the carpet, before vacuuming, dampen a broom and sweep over the area with it.
If a pill gets stuck in your throat, chewing a banana well and swallowing it should dislodge the pill.
To remove coffee stains from a cup, fill the cup with water, add a denture-cleaning tablet, soak for a few hours, and then rinse.
To keep your house plants watered while you're on vacation, put them on old bath towels folded in a tub filled with a few inches of water.
Plastic wrap won't stick together and will be easier to use if you keep it in the refrigerator.
If you get eyestrain when working at your computer, place the monitor below eye level and tilt it upward.
Try shaving cream on grimy hands. Keep a can in your car, garage, workshop, or any place without running water.
After cleaning your car thoroughly, put baking soda in the ashtray as a terrific car-freshener.
If you lose a contact lens, or any small object, cover the nozzle of a vacuum cleaner hose with a nylon stocking, and then carefully vacuum the area. The lens or object will be sucked up against the stocking.
Statistics show that post offices are least crowded on Thursday afternoons, so try mailing then.

Men's Health, March, 1997....
Nothing can spoil a night in the wilderness like a wet tent. Here are a few tricks from Backpacker magazine:
Canadian Tire, September, 1996....
To clean up oil spills on driveways, sprinkle the spill with sand or kitty litter and sweep up. Use several layers of newspaper to cover the remaining stain. Soak with water. When dry, remove the paper, and the oil stain should be gone.

Fresh ideas for storing Veggies.

Reader's Digest, May, 1996....
Focus On Your Vision
Think of all the impressions we receive through our eyes. Sight is one of our most valuable senses, yet we rarely consider the health of our eyes. Bilberry, a shrub native to Europe and North America, has been used traditionally for centuries to treat the eyes. Modern research links the anthocyanins in bilberries to improved night vision and enhanced eye health.
Flora-Vision Bilberry Extract contains therapeutic levels of 250 mg per capsule of high quality bilberry extract, standardized to contain 25% anthocyanins, in a base of freeze-dried blueberries. These naturally occurring anthocyanins are also potent antioxidants, protecting your cells from free radical damage.
For a free brochure, write to: 
     Flora-Vision,
     7400 Frazer Park Dr.,
     Burnaby, B.C.
     V5J 5B9

7 Steps To Healthy-looking Skin
As dermatologists will tell you, these simple steps can help to keep your skin looking and feeling its very best:

Chilies can protect people from the ravages of alcohol, say doctors at the National University of Singapore. In tests, researchers found that chilies halved the harmful side effects of alcohol. Previous studies suggest that, by stimulating the stomach's defences, chili protects against the side effects of aspirin and that chili eaters develop fewer peptic ulcers than those who eat plain food. Explains Prof. Roy Pounder at London's Royal Free Hospital: "There is an interesting phenomenon whereby if there's a minor irritation of the stomach, it puts the defence mechanisms on guard for future stimuli. So if you eat chilies, it would make the stomach more resistant to alcohol."

Be your own Lawyer, Win your own case  (just don't become as slimy as a real lawyer)
You can fight and win in small claims court. Just follow a few rules:

August, 1995
A friend of mine told me that when he worked in the bush here in B.C., one of the "old timers" told him that to keep the mosquitos and black files away, take Vitamins B6 and B12   2-3 times a day. He tried it and it worked. He said that when you sweat, the B6 and B12 are carried to your skin and the flies, etc. don't like it.
Popular Science, August, 1995
Did your dog or cat get sprayed by a skunk? PHEWWW!!....
Now you can do something about it. Paul Krebaum has the cure.

Bathe the pet in the solution and rinse with tap water. The smell is gone.
WARNING.... Do not pre-mix this solution and try to store it! If you put the ingredients in a bottle, it will explode.

Auto Smart tip...
(NC) - By accelerating rapidly from a stop, you can burn up as much as 50% more fuel than if you pull away gradually. Catalytic converters can't handle sudden surges. When they occur, all sorts of excess pollutants are blown out the tailpipe. For more AutoSmart tips, call 1-800-387-2000.
You BC Fruit Availablity Chart.... 
Apples              12 varieties. One or more always in season.
Cherries            Late June - early August.
Peaches             Mid July - mid September.
Bartlett Pears      Mid August - early November.
Anjou Pears         Early November through March.
Prunes/Plums        Mid August - mid September.
Apricots            Mid July through August.
Nectarines          End of July through August.
The Little Pill that could.....
(NC) - You can now add lung cancer to a lengthening list of major ailments that simple ASA may help alleviate. Already championed as a preventative treatment for arthritic pain, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer disease and colorectal malignancies, the common painkiller may also help reduce the threat of lung cancer, according to a recent Canadian study on the disease. Conducted at Laval University the study shows that ASA inhibited lung tumour growth by more than 60% in mice. "It could be a promising area" said Andre Castonguay, a Laval cancer researcher. "It does suggest that epidemiologists should really look at the effect of taking ASA and other anti-inflammatory drugs on lung cancer". In his study, Castonguay administered a cigarette carcinogen known as NNK to give mice lung cancer. At the same time, he fed some of them ASA and other substances from the non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drug family. ASA reduced the tumours in the mice by 63%, while the anti-inflammatory arthritis drug Sulindac produced a 53% reduction.
Canadian Tire, August, 1996....
You can easily remove crayon marks from walls by scrubbing with toothpaste. This works on flat or glossy paint finishes.

Grease one side of a penny and fasten this side to the middle of your car battery. Corrosion will collect on the penny, instead of on the battery posts.
Reader's Digest, April, 1996....
Fruits and vegetables appear to offset the damaging effects of saturated fat. Studies have shown that people who eat large amounts of fruits and vegetables produce more "good" cholesterol(HDL), which reduces the risk of heart attack. Fruits and vegetables - especially cruciferous vegetables - also appear to lower the risk of lung, gastrointestinal, and other cancers. If you prefer to use reduced-fat margarine, make sure they have at least 70% fat. The very low reduced-fat margarines don't work well in baking or cooking, and they don't taste as good as butter or margarine.
Reader's Digest, February, 1996.... 
How to Avoid Being Swindled.

  1. Don't assume that people calling with an exciting promotion or
     investment opportunity are trustworthy.
  2. Don't disclose information about your bank accounts or credit cards
     to callers whose identity you cannot verify.
  3. Don't send money to win a prize or take advantage of "deals".
  4. Don't hesitate to hang up.
  5. Don't purchase or invest without first asking for and checking
     documentation so that you can confirm the legitimacy of a company.
Reader's Digest, January, 1996....
Calcium absorption is inhibited by reduced stomach acid.
Sodium Bicarbonate inhibits the absorption of B vitamins. 
Digestive complaints are easy to resolve by implementing a few simple
lifestyle changes:
...Eat smaller, well-balanced meals.
...Chew your food well and eat in a relaxed environment.
...Avoid "problem foods". Listen to your body. Your stomach can be
   your guide.
...If you are overweight lose a few pounds.
...Elevate the head of your bed at least 6 inches.
...Some medications can cause digestive disturbances. Look to alternative
   healing therapies.
...Natural digestive enzymes, fennel and peppermint tea may aid digestion.

If you are allergic to dust mites and suspect that your area rugs make you sneeze and itch, place them outdoors in direct sunlight. Researchers at the University of Sydney placed mite-infested rugs upside-down on an outdoor concrete surface during a summer day. After four hours, no live mites or eggs survived. "Airing-out" rugs and other household items dries and heats them, a process that exterminates mites.
Ice a headache. Apply the pack where the pain is centered on your head or upper neck as soon as possible. Reusable gel packs, kept in the freezer, are handy, comfortable and provide at least some relief in as many as 70% of headache sufferers, according to one study. Running cold water over your head may have a similar effect.
Water at Sunset......Wait until after the sun's gone down to water your lawn. Watering in the midday sun may make the water evaporate before it has a chance to reach the roots. Watering late at night could mean grass will stay wet all night, encouraging mould and fungus growth.So wait until dusk. And you'll get to watch a beautiful sunset while you water. If you have automatic sprinklers, you can also set them to come on very early, before the sun comes up.
To eliminate weeds sprouting up between cracks in your sidewalk, patio, or driveway, douse them with boiling, salted water. It's an economical, environmentally friendly alternative to commercial weed killers. This also works on patches of poison ivy.....
Comments? Lemme have 'em. Mailto... bitron@islandnet.com
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