Handy How-To's

It’s time to wise up on Waze  As a frequent user the Waze app, I noticed that it doesn't always come up with the best possible route. Over time, I learned how to make it do a better job of finding the quickest route. In this short post, I would like to share my technique.  The basic idea is to make Waze recalculate your route as you approach an intersection that may offer alternative routes. For example: City driving: Make Waze recalculate as you approach an intersection.  Inter-city driving: Make Waze recalculate as you enter your destination town or city.  As a safety reminder, do not operate the app  while your car is in motion or in any situation where it is  prohibited by law. If you are driving with a companion, ask him or her to operate the app for you.  How to make Waze recalculate routes Tap the blue icon at the bottom right corner of the navigation screen: On the next screen, tap the Routes icon near the bottom left corner of the screen. Waze

Back in 2000, I purchased three window-type air conditioners. Since then, my neighbors have had to replace their air conditioners several times over, but mine are all still fine after nearly two decades of daily use. What’s the secret to their longevity? The answer: less cleaning. Whereas my neighbors have their air conditioners cleaned almost every month, mine get cleaned only annually.  How do I get away with less cleaning?  First, when I do clean my air conditioners, I don’t overdo it. Please refer to the section on cleaning tips below.  Second, I place a high-performance add-on filter directly on the air conditioner’s evaporator. I make sure that the add-on filter is big enough to cover the entire face of the evaporator, leaving no portion directly exposed to the incoming air.  Putting the high-performance add-on filter in direct contact with the evaporator ensures that all of the air entering the evaporator gets filtered, including the air that bypasses the built-i

Dry air is a sleep thief Getting a good night’s sleep every day is very important for our well-being. We need several hours of uninterrupted deep sleep in order to be fully rested and recharged. Unfortunately, many things can rouse us from that much-needed deep sleep. We all know the usual culprits, such as yowling cats, barking dogs and noisy cars. But let’s not overlook that silent and stealthy sleep interrupter: dry air. Dry air negatively impacts the quality of sleep by triggering all sorts of trouble. For example, breathing dry air can make your throat feel rough and itchy, thereby causing a prolonged bout of severe coughing. Dry air aggravates the medical condition commonly known as “dry eyes.” What little moisture is supplied to the eyes by the impaired tear glands evaporates quickly into the dry air, preventing the eyelids from sliding freely over the eyes. In severe cases, the eyelid sticks to the eye, which can be very painful indeed. Goodbye to deep sleep. A sure sign