Entries by Keith Bradford

Hello everyone!

Welcome to another issue of car tips. Alright, I still want to extend the word Car Tips. I want to extend the word tips not only for taking care of your car, but also the driver. in this case, that means you. Now it's easy to take care of your own car. You wash it, clean it, polish it, and even give it endearing names sometimes.

But the thing is, can you take care of yourself? Can you be a responsible, prudent, and peace-loving driver?

Well, i've researched the whole net for someone you could learn a few lessons from. And no, that's not me, i'm no role-model driver anyway. but hey, i've found something you could learn a few things from. And guess what? Kids nowadays know this, and maybe you do, but then I'd introduce to you people from Liberty City, San Andreas, and Vice City.

Yeah, I guess you know what I'm talkin about. I want to introduce to you the protagonists of Grand Theft Auto. Haha. Let's see if we can learn something from them.

Aright, a few lessons from Grand Theft Auto.

First of all, don't STEAL a freakin' car. Not only is it written in the holy book, but it doesn't look nice as well. Haha. And yeah, don't STEAL and don't BEAT UP the driver as well. That's a big no-no in day-to-day driving. Not only that, your local law enforcement people might be more than willing to help you get reminded by that. 

Next, try not to carry any armed weapons when driving. Not only is it distracting, it's also deadly. Not only would you be tempted to do any drive-bys, but also, you'd be causing a lot of noise as well. Heh, again, your local law enforcement authorities might again be EVEN MORE WILLING to talk to you about that. 

Haha. And oh yeah, you might also get tempted to be blastin' on that inconsiderate driver who keeps on talking trash at you. Remember, patience and kindness is at the heart of the well-respected driver.

See? We ARE learning a lot from Grand Theft Auto. I can't imagine why people don't like that game. Drivers could learn a lot from that kick ass video game.

Hmmm... what else can we learn from GTA? Well, we should respect the speed limit. Alright, driving games were made so people could let their inhibitions loose. So they could experience what it feels like to live on the wild side. But hey, in the real world--things aren't like that. that's why there's a law on speed limits. They're there not to hinder you, but to protect you as well as other drivers. So keep that eye on the meter.

Alright, now that's clear. What else? I've read an article saying that playing video games saved his life. Alright, maybe i can agree with that. After all, playing video games for quite some time already enhances your hand to eye coordination. Which means that your reflexes would also improve. Which also means that you MAY (READ: MAY) react better in the real world as you did in the gaming world.

Okay, this article might be straying a bit. But i guess we've scratched the surface on what we can learn with GTA. After all, it's a game about a bad guy turned good. and we all want to be like that, don't we? Anyway, if you are mature enough, you'd get the point that you should'nt be doing what those characters do in the game right?

Right?

Right?

Alright.

And oh. You do know what satire is. Don't you?

 

Okay, I've already made this article way before. And i'm a bit sorry coz i just posted it right now. But hey, don't you worry. I'll try my best not only to inform you on things--but also do it in an entertaining way.

Hmmm...

Okay.

So what am I going to write about?

Alright, to be honest, writing about car tips, news, and reviews bores me a little. I mean, there are a lot of other sites that showcase such things. Also, there are even a lot more sites that have an AUTHORITATIVE view on cars and auto parts. But hey, this blog was made that way. So I guess I better write about something.

Something....

Something...

Okay, remember that Drinking and Driving article I wrote a while back? Well, talk about coincidence. A friend of mine got arrested for Driving Under Influence (what the police call: DUI) a few days ago. I was just told recently that my friend wasn't able to pass that alcohol test once the police-man-guy-sir administered to him.

Alright, that was quite a coincidence wasn't it? I mean, more and more people get arrested or at least be pulled-over by the police for that. I dunno, maybe it's because of the easy-access we have for alcohol, or is it because we really like to have fun? Well, yeah, i guess we do. But that doesn't mean we don't have to be responsible for our actions.

As said in my previous article, drinking and driving don't mix. They never do. And never will. I've experienced that. The hazy eye reflexes, the numbness, that weird throwing-up feeling. Everything. It's not that great after all. It ain't even close to being great when you have to drive yourself home. Yet it would be really far from great if the police was able to spot you driving drunk---and naked.

Hmmm... maybe these two topics mean so much to me. Back in college, me and my closest friends used to drink a lot--and drive a lot. I really am thankful that nothing bad really happened to us. Except for the parts when we used to throw up macaroni and cheese on the curb; or that time when we had to stop over to some abandoned parking lot just to get some sleep; or that time when we were so drunk that we didn't even bother driving at all and just leaving our car somewhere on the road.

Yeah, those were the days.

We were young. And stupid. As they say.

But still, I, for one, have learned about that. Now that I am much older, I guess I'm more responsible for myself and for those people around me. I don't drink like a trucks' fuel tank anymore. Nor do I go mixing those two together. One or two bottles of beer is alright for me now. Now don't call me a P*ssy, coz i'm not. But then again, so what? Least I'm alright and content by now.

Oh. Okay. It looks like I've just poured all my thoughts and feelings here in this blog. I hope you learned something here, coz, looking back at my life, i really believed i learned something. Not justfrom the good things, but the bad as well. (I wouldn't divulge everything here of course hahahaha). Still, it's true that you learn life's greatest lessons once you've already finished experiencing them. Yet still again, these are lessons we should live by.

So, again, when it comes to drinking and driving. Make sure you know your limits---and your friends as well. And don't go mad at the police officer, he's not the one who's drunk anyway. And oh, you don't want to be hit by that stun gun don't you? IT HURTS LIKE HELL.

First of all. Don't do it.But admit it. There was this one time...

This one time...

That you had to do it.

Had fun? I bet you did.

Haha.

Okay, this time, since we've been focusing too much on your car's performance and all that--this time--we're gonna do something different. We'll talk about the driver himself (or herself). So that's why our topic for today is about how to take care of the driver. And that means you.

Now that we're clear about that. Let's head to the topic at hand.

Drinking and driving. Again, you shouldn't combine the two on the same night--especially if you've got people with you in your car. But then, sometimes, sh*t do happen. And when it hits the fan, at least you've got some basic ideas on what to do when you go drunk driving.

Before that, let's start with some tips on drinking.

First, you shouldn't drink with an empty stomach. I know, eating and drinking afterwards would make your calorie count sky rocket, but hey, at least it helps you stay alert. You see, when you eat--there's enough material inside your stomach that could lessen the impact of alcohol in your system. Now I am no doctor, but with my experience, I'm quite sure that eating before drinking really does help you stay in composure after you go on a drinking spree.

Also, avoid drinking if you just took some medications. Not only will it null your meds' effects, sometimes the medicine can hasten the feeling of drowsiness or nausea after you drank your liquor. Yeah, instead of driving, you'd be sleeping on the curb.

Next, try to know your tolerance level. But, i must admit, it's kind of hard to know how much you can take once the fun starts. Still, once you feel that your eye movement seems to be hazy, and that you can't register much visual information, my advice to you is to slow down a bit.

You could do this by drinking a lot of non-alcoholic fluids after every drink. If you've just finished a bottle of beer, slow down a bit, try drinking a glass of water. And oh, did you know that to avoid getting drunk, you'd have to drink only one shot of liquor for each hour? In the real world, that seems to be less likely to happen--very less likely. But still, try to approximate your shots accordingly.

And now comes the post-party situation.

Okay, first of all. If there's someone who didn't drink, and knows how to drive, then he has shotgun over the driver's wheel. But then again, if you ARE the only one who knows how to steel that wheel--or worse--if you ARE driving alone, then try to stabilize your system first.

Now, after drinking, go grab some non-alcoholic drinks again. Drink as much water as you can. Your body needs to replenish its fluids so it could work properly--so you could get home safely. Not only that, it might also lessen the impact of alcohol in your system. So drink up. And if you can find one, grab a gatorade. Energy drinks have this thing called electrolyte. As they say, this electrolyte thing not only replenishes your bodily fluids, it does it at a faster rate.

Although it may sound like a great idea, gulping coffee right after drinking would only dehydrate you. Though I'm not sure how it would affect you if you drink alcohol, then coffee, then gatorade...

It would probably make your system go haywire.

Well, if all else fails, sleep in your car. Just remember to pack some clothes before you go drinking.

Hey, I’m back. It’s been what, a few weeks since my last post? I know it’s kind of late, but I just have to talk about Batman’s tank—I mean—car. Yeah, it’s been out there for quite a while now—two movies to be exact. However, I just wanted to write something about a vehicle that’s so cool. And now, since the Dark Knight was already out, the Tumbler’s gotten way cooler coz it comes with a built-in motorcycle. But first, let’s rewind a bit. Back in the first movie, I thought Batman’s car would still be called the Bat-mobile. But apparently, writer and director Nolan changed its name to “the Tumbler”. Personally, the name “Tumbler” doesn’t sound so appealing to me. I mean, if someone says to me “Hey, check out my new tumbler!” then I’d already be thinking of a toy for a five year old kid. But hey, the name really is an understatement. Admit it, the first time you’ve seen the damn thing, you couldn’t believe that Nolan named it as such. It’s like naming your bad-ass pitbull “Li’lSofie”—a complete understatement. Anyway, I forgot to do some research about it during the first movie, so I decided to do a little just so I could catch up. For those car fanatics, here are the specs: • 2.5 tons • 9 feet 4 inches wide • 15 feet long • HOOSIER racetrack tires on front • 4 Rear 44 inch SUPER SWAMPERS, a our wheel drive conversion component • Jet burner in rear with vector controls for the jet • Backend flaps for quick stops • Landing Hook • Enabled with front-firing machine guns • Built-in safety link for petrol control • Built-in fire extinguisher system • Front wheels on bolted arms for an axel-less front end • Conventional single axel rear end Now that's a lot of specs. But what it really means is that this is one Bad-ass Tank---i mean--car. But basically it's just another Hummer dressed up as a tank. Still, who wouldn't argue that this is one hell of a ride? I mean, yeah, I for one would like to own this baby. I'm just hoping it wouldn't drink gas as much as I could drink coffee. I’ve heard that this guy named Bob Dullam made his own version of the vehicle—good for him—but I don’t think there’s any Tumblers there that are out there for sale. And oh yeah, he’s planning to install a Batpod inside his own Tumbler too. Now that’s that on the Tumbler. Next time I’d be posting another on Bruce Wayne’s other toy—no, not Rachel—she’s already dead (lol, sorry for spoiling—but shame on you if you haven’t watched the movie yet). I’m talking about his Batpod. That 2-wheeled piece of artillery of his.

The Right Way to Positive Thinking Positive thinking has been stressed way too much already but life can actually give anyone a beat-down anytime, so I suppose it will never hurt being prepared by taking this kind of mindset. Thinking positively, yet being realistic enough is an excellent way of coping with the different tribulations that life can give you. The point is, positive thinking will never make you the greatest person ever, but it sure is even better than just immersing yourself with loads of negative thoughts and emotions . Negative thinking puts a clout over what you can do and it makes you lose even before the fight begins. Sometimes, all it takes to accomplish something is the mental toughness that positive thinking brings and believe it or not, this isn’t too hard to do. Here are the steps to achieve positive thinking. 1.Detach Yourself Most people tend to bury themselves into the situation even before they stop and assess what needs to be done. Remember that the best way to solve a problem and get out of it alive is to be calm enough while being rational about it. If the bank that you are indebted to is threatening to file a suit against you, don’t cry like a child, but instead sit down like a man. List down the best possible way of circumventing the problem and make the necessary steps to prevent the problem from further escalating. 2.It is Never a Trend People tend to think that they’re into a streak of bad experiences that just does not stop. To get out of that mental loop, think that it’s just an aberration rather than a rule. If you flunked at something in the past, it does not have any connection with the next job interview or the next business venture that you will be taking. Unless you don’t prepare and think positive enough, you’re definitely on your way to failure. However, you also need to be realistic when it comes to your goals. There’s a fine line between being delusional and rational. 3.Deal with it Oftentimes, negative thinking is brought about by past failures that accumulated all the negative thoughts that we harbor. Unless we start accepting our mistakes, it will be hard for us to look ahead without any unconstructive emotions. For instance, even if you have already failed in several businesses; it makes sense that you downplay your chances but thinking that it will all be the same thing waiting to happen is simply pathetic and illogical. The mind of the positive thinker knows that not everything will go his or her way, but whatever bumps and bruises that he or she receives will just be learning opportunities to be exploited. By being positive means that you are hoping for the best, but realistic enough to step back a little bit and not expecting everything to go according to plan. The past has an ugly way of repeating itself, but by thinking positively, you already won half of the battle. 4.Don’t be Delusional It’s already a massive step that you are able to think positively. However, having too much of it that it’s no longer believable will surely intoxicate anyone. Have that quiet confidence and belief that you can pull it off. Also, it’s not enough to simply have the mental toughness that you need. You also need to prepare while studying the tactics of your opponents. Know their tendencies and their strategies while keeping them very near. For instance, if you’re about to make a presentation that can make or break your career’s future, be sure you have prepared for it a lot. That means, doing your homework while having all the guts and not to mention skills to pull off the presentation.

When I graduated, I thought I already have what it takes to take on the real world. However, when I was offered my first real job; it was entirely different. Not only did I end up depressed but unfortunately, I was earning way below than what I thought I should be getting. On a different note, there’s no doubt that I learned a lot in school but there are certain things that I wish my teachers taught because they could have helped a lot. The truth is, I’ve learned more and matured more when I was out of school than when I was in it. Also, I thought I could have enjoyed school if I took the course that really interests me and that could have been either Anthropology or Psychology. Here are some things that I think should have been taught in school: Lesson no. 1 Networking It’s amazing how many people don’t know how to network. People are social creatures and it’s natural for them to seek other people as much as possible, especially when push comes to shove. Networking is used by almost every successful man and the truth is you don’t have to be born with it because you can definitely learn how to do it. Actually, some successful people didn’t even have to get high grades, they just know how and who to network that’s why they are where they are right now. Lesson no. 2 Speed Reading I like reading for the simple fact that it gives me a lot of knowledge that I can chew on. However, one thing that I really regret is I never really learned how to speed read. Just imagine how many additional books, newspapers, and even internet articles I could have devoured had I learned how to do this skill. Lesson no. 3 Setting Goals Organizing is extremely important these days and I am not even surprised when excellent multi-tasking people excel. These days, there are just too many stimuli that it’s hard to organize things and set goals everyday. But I really do think that if you’ve learned how to separate the urgent from the not-so-urgent, things would be a lot easier. Lesson no. 4 Office Politics I suppose every fresh graduate is befuddled when they realize that the workplace is so damn different from school and a case in point is the presence of office politics. I’ve never encountered any classes that offered lessons in office politics and if there were any, I bet most fresh graduates wouldn’t have such a difficult time adjusting with the transition from school to work. Lesson no. 5 The Art of Negotiation I learned how to negotiate my salary through the internet and without a doubt, it worked to my advantage. The thing is negotiating is life’s staple and whether we like it or not, we need to be able to learn how to work with other people to get something done and that involves tons of negotiating. Most successful people end up on top of the chain because they can make a one-sided deal look like a fair one because of their skills. Lesson no. 6 Saving I never met one teacher of mine tell me that it’s important to save and the good thing is that my mother is the first one to tell me how significant it is. Most schools teach you how to become part of the corporate world by training you on a specific industry, but few will tell you how not to be part of a 9-5 job while still earning enough money. I’m not saying that the school system is flawed, but to think that everything is there already that you need in life is simply absurd. There are certain fundamental lessons that I think every school should teach and

It’s always been a common and often not to pretty sight when people just lose their wits and get overtaken by their emotions. Anger can destroy reputation, lead to bad decisions, and more importantly result to regret. We all have to accept the fact that life is and will never be perfect and that’s one of first steps in controlling your rage. The thing is anger shows the worst part of us and controlling anger doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to be a pushover. It only means that controlling it in a way that you’ll be able to handle the situation in a more calm and relaxed manner. Here’s how. Anger Type no. 1 Sometimes, we get really mad in a situation when we get cornered like a poor little dog. For instance, when someone criticizes our work, habits, and performance we get too sensitive like a little child who goes to his mommy. The secret in handling this situation is to take it like a man, detach yourself from the situation, and contemplate a well-organized explanation. Always be calm and mindful of the things that you say especially to somebody like your boss because performance criticisms are never personal. If it’s a proper criticism, take it and work on improvement. However, if it’s something below the belt, let the pain fade away first before responding in a proper yet ball-smashing comeback 2.Anger Type no. 2 Sometimes we feel the urge to just lash out and say what we want because it’s a natural instinct and it feels good. The problem is it will never solve the situation, you’ve just escalated it by losing control. To combat this problem, breathe for 10 seconds and focus on good things or experiences. In short just space out because your brain will automatically direct to the more rational side and it’ll save you from a few expletives thrown here and there. 3.Anger Type no. 3 Another type of anger that most men experience is when they tend to redirect their anger and frustrations to something else. For instance, the triggers are incompetent coworkers, in-laws, and stupid traffic laws that can really affect some people. Believe it or not, some men would resort to drinking or be angry to other people when they can’t handle the situation. The thing is redirecting your anger not only makes it worse but it gets bigger by not facing it face-first. The thing about anger is that you’ll only be affected by it when you’ve been threatened, otherwise, there’s really nothing to it. Calm down, sit down, and plot about what you’re supposed to do in a composed and controlled state. Anger Type no. 4 I know someone who gets angry without any reason whatsoever. She’ll rant about what pisses her off and the sad part is that she needs someone who needs to absorb all that negative energy to maker her feel better. The thing is chronic and recurring anger is just a façade to hide something that is more serious such as depression that is bothering the person. To combat this, you should be able to talk to a professional so that it can be properly remedied. Moreover, it is best that you do something different that will make you feel better like pursuing a new hobby, learning something new, and many others. Anger should never consume every inch of you and you feel like losing control, always remember that the best guys are either lucky or have nerves of steel when dealing in this kinds of situations.

Unless you’re Bill Gates, most people live within a budget and because of that not a lot of people can afford what they want. The thing is there’s always a stigma when buying second-hand stuff but some things’ quality does not diminish when they’ve been previously owned by someone else. Here are items that you can buy at second-hand stores without getting the stigma attached to them. DVD/CD/Games I’m not telling you to buy pirated stuff but used DVDs or CDs don’t lose their quality even if they were owned by someone else in the past. The thing is you just have to wait several months before prices will go down. Others simply use the web wherein dozens of sites offer music and films in downloadable formats. Other websites on the other hand show links to newest films and by simply watching them over the internet, you’ll be able to save some cash already. Meanwhile, Games don’t need to be bought new since they always get updated after a few months and just like DVDs and CDs, you can buy them second-hand. Sporting Goods Buying used sporting goods such as weights is even better than buying new ones because they don’t even change while at the same time they also become cheaper over time. However, buying used basketballs or footballs isn’t a very good idea since they deteriorate and their quality diminishes over time. Buying used sporting goods is a great way of starting a new sport without getting your wallet busted. So just in case you didn’t like boxing or weightlifting, you wouldn’t regret the things that you bought for it. Cars There had been a lot of bad things said on used cars but at the end of day, you own one not because you want to win a race but simply because you just want to reach your destination. However, cars lose 12 percent of their value once you start driving them so owning a used car needs a lot of maintenance as well. The thing is, if you wait two years after the release of a car, you’ll be able to save several thousand dollars when you buy it two years later. Books I really could not understand the reason for buying a new book because a great read is a great read no matter how old it is. The thing is if you’ve heard about a great book from somewhere, you’ll be able to find a used one in bookstores that sell used ones. Buying does not need to be expensive all the time because money simply does not grow from trees. Being able to save a few dollars let you to buy some stuff with the extra dollars that you have inside your wallet.

Cars are pretty tough and often abused objects that seem like invincible for some. However, repairs and replacements can only do so much for car that has seen its better days. So the big question that most people ask is, When exactly is the right time to dump a car? Here are some factors that you would want to consider before sending your vehicle to the junk shop. Repair Expenses Usually, a car owner is confronted with two kinds of repair bills and that’s the big one and many smaller ones. If you’re getting a steady stream of bills for the last several months and your car does not seem to get better then maybe it’s time that you give up on it. A visit to the mechanic can certainly help you whether you will keep your car or not. Presence of Rust Rust found on your car may be a manifestation of its decline not only in performance but also in value. The bad thing about rust is that there’s no way that you can stop it. In order to prevent it from spreading like a disease, better check where it starts and have it checked by a professional. The Car’s Practicality The thing with cars is that they are meant to provide a purpose for those who will buy them and that means your car should meet your needs. If you’re business needs a lot of transporting weight from place to place, a pickup truck is right for you. If you want a car that’s just enough to transport you from one place to another yet your budget is pretty tight when it comes to gas, a green car or a fuel-efficient mini-car would be just right. Basically, the practicality of the car should come first before anything else. Spending for Major Repairs Just like any other thing that gets broken a car needs to be repaired if you want its performance to be at its best all the time. Sometimes though, huge problems emerge such as whole engine or exhaust system replacement. If the expenses needed to pay for such repairs exceed that of getting a new car, then it’s better to just get a new one instead. Getting a new car might be off your budget but it’ll save you more cash in the future because there’s very little money required to maintain it. Also, if your expenses are getting bigger and bigger everytime you bring your car to the mechanic, then that only means that you’re spending so much money for a thing that does not payoff in the future. Automobiles cannot be an investment because their value continues to depreciate over time. Safety The thing is, if your safety is always compromised even if you have the car repaired, it’s either your mechanic is fake or you have to dump your car already. Seriously, safety should be at the forefront of every owner’s priority no matter what and if that aspect can no longer be provided by your car then it’s time to say goodbye to it. Gas Expenses If the car that you bought several years ago is literally tearing your wallet apart, then it’s time that you switch to a more fuel-efficient and low-maintenance variety. There’s no point in sticking to a car that eats up most of your daily budget no matter how great it is. Overall, some things are better off cut-loose before doing any serious damage and the same is true for your car. If it gives you more headaches than satisfaction, sit down and think about whether to dump it or not. Deciding to put your car in the junkyard is not an easy task so better be careful with the whole process.

There had been many things about foods that our parents said to us when we were younger. Some are completely ridiculous that we go rid of them when we grew up, but some stayed on. So what is the truth behind the food myths that our parents used to tell us? The fact is some of these myths are probably preventing us from making the most of our diet so it’s about time that we know and this post is all about uncovering the truth behind the lies. Myth no. 1 Raw doesn’t mean healthy There’s a reason why our human ancestors discovered and mastered the use of fire. With the use of fire, our diet has been revolutionized. However, it has always been a huge lie that raw foods are better then cooked ones. Some vegetables will lose their nutrients when cooked for long periods while others have toxic substances that need to be killed before being eaten. It’s also a misconception that raw fish is better than the cooked variety. When it comes to this myth, eat both raw and cooked foods just to make sure. Myth no. 2 Use plastic cutting boards instead of wooden ones A 1993 study surprisingly showed that wooden cutting boards are better because bacteria died off quickly than in plastic ones. In plastic cutting boards, bacteria multiplied exponentially out of control. The results once again demystified our once long-held beliefs on food-related matter. Myth no. 3 Coffee can cause hypertension A study by the Johns Hopkins University showed that drinking a cup of coffee a day can raise the blood pressure just a little bit. However, drinking from 5-6 cups a day will increase the likelihood of developing hypertension. But then again, coffee drinking is rendered harmless as compared to other vices like smoking and drinking. The aforementioned has a more apparent effect compared to the former. Myth no. 4 Eat three times a day These days eating just three times a day are no longer enough especially with the high-octane lifestyle that we have. Essentially, most dieticians prescribe eating seven times a day and that includes the three full meals and several snacks. However, the number of meals a day does not determine how healthy you can become but the nutrients that are present. Myth no. 5 You can feed anything to your dog Your dog seems like he can munch on anything without much effort but just like humans, they have limitations too. Feed your dog a bar of chocolates and that’s enough for him to have a heart attack. Basically, 15 Hershey’s bars can kill a 22-pound dog and if there’s no veterinarian, a burnt toast can help your pooch remove the lethal theobromine. Aside from chocolates, garlic and onions shouldn’t be fed to your best friend because it can cause their red blood cells to burst. However, the trip to the graveyard for your dog would mean he or she has to eat a pound of onions first. Be wary of the things that you hear or being told you especially when it comes to health and food. Always be a skeptic and find time to verify whether the things that you’ve been told to believe really have some merit behind them.