Patrick Allan
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Casting Animation @HouseBrokenFOX previously @BlessTheHarts @TheSimpsons @FinalSpace etc | Screenwriter | Producer @AndThenTheFilm | ex @lifehacker (he/him)
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Articles by Patrick Allan
Why Is Friday the 13th Considered to Be Bad Luck?
That spoOoky time has come around once again, dear friends. Friday the 13th has hit our calendars. Superstitious beliefs are heightened today, and folks all over will take this opportunity to snuggle up and watch a scary movie, or three, just to get in the spirit of it all. But have you ever wondered why Friday the 13th carries so much meaning for so many of us? Does it all trace back to creepy events unfolding on the Friday 13ths of yesteryear, or is it a particularly well-organised marketing ploy?
The Most Effective Way to Deep-Clean Your Fridge
Refrigerators can start smelling pretty funky after a few years of use. If you want to rid your fridge and freezer of lingering odors once and for all, you need a deep cleaning regimen to get the job done. How to de-stink a fridge As this video from the Consumer Reports YouTube channel demonstrates, the first thing you need to do is remove everything from your fridge and freezer.
The Best Way to Make Flatter, Crispier Bacon for Sandwiches and Burgers
Whipping up a batch of BLTs or umami-packed burgers calls for a hefty portion of bacon. And not just any bacon, but the flat, crispy kind you can layer, and that stays put. Here’s how to avoid making soft, chewy bacon that pulls out of the sandwich on the first bite. To get the flattest, crispiest bacon, J. Kenji López-Alt at Serious Eats recommends you bake your bacon with two baking sheets, sandwiching the meat between them.
Use an Umbrella to Catch Dust While Cleaning a Ceiling Fan
If you’re not careful, cleaning ceiling fans, chandeliers and other hanging light fixtures can leave dust and gunk on everything down below, which is basically the opposite of what you’re trying to accomplish. To avoid that, forget what you think you know about opening umbrellas indoors and try this trick to make sure that doesn’t happen.
Why You Should Salt Your Scrambled Eggs Before Cooking Them
There’s a lot of debate about when is the best time to add salt to your scrambled eggs. Some people salt them at the table. Some chefs and home cooks stand by salting after the eggs are already cooking in the pan. However, if you’re aiming for tender, melt-in-your-mouth eggs, it’s best to salt them leisurely, before cooking them.
Peel Tomatoes Faster by Torching Them on a Gas Stove
Tomato season is upon us. The heirlooms are rolling into famer’s markets and even gardens up in the northern reaches are starting to perk-up with summer’s prized gems. If you’re looking for a quick way to prepare tomatoes for a homemade sauce, a batch of gazpacho, or you’re just not about that tomato skin-life, all you need is an open flame and those tomato skins will come off in no time.
Sorry, but You’ll Never Win the Powerball
So, you didn’t win the $1 billion Powerball jackpot this week. That’s OK—you won’t win the next one either (or the one after that), no matter how dedicated you are to the chase. Even if you did win, we’ve seen time and time again that lottery prizes are more often a curse than a blessing. But now that the craze has passed us by once again, let’s take a look at why playing the game is a waste of time, money, and energy.
What to Unplug and Turn Off When You Leave for Summer Vacation
While you’re on vacation this summer, your air conditioners, refrigerator, and other appliances could be sucking energy out of your home. Here’s are the appliances you should unplug and adjust before you go on vacation. Read more… Source: Lifehacker
Why Is Friday the 13th Considered to Be Bad Luck?
That spoOoky time has come around once again, dear friends. Friday the 13th has hit our calendars. Superstitious beliefs are heightened today, and folks all over will take this opportunity to snuggle up and watch a scary movie, or three, just to get in the spirit of it all. But have you ever wondered why Friday the 13th carries so much meaning for so many of us? Does it all trace back to creepy events unfolding on the Friday 13ths of yesteryear, or is it a particularly well-organised marketing ploy?
Why Do I Want to Bounce My Leg All the Time?
© Photo: Nate Allred (Shutterstock) Feet jumping on small trampoline with funny holiday socks I’m one of those people who is constantly moving. Whenever I’m not standing up, I get an uncontrollable urge to move my legs. They bounce for hours on end, and most of the time I don’t even notice I’m doing it. When I do, I sometimes try to stop in case it’s annoying others around me, but that just makes me feel uncomfortable.
Mira quién ha estado usando tu cuenta de Netflix en "Actividad reciente"
Captura de pantalla: Joel Cunningham Dependiendo de cuánto pagues por la suscripción, tu cuenta de Netflix solo podrá ser utilizada por un número determinado de personas al mismo tiempo. Tu ex, tus viejos compañeros de piso o tu hermano más tacaño, cualquiera a quien hayas confiado tu contraseña imprudentemente podría estar usando la cuenta por la que pagas un buen dinero, pero no es difícil descubrirlos.
Cómo rechazar una oferta de trabajo de forma respetuosa
Felicidades, después de un largo proceso de solicitud y entrevistas, conseguiste el trabajo. Oh, pero ya no lo quieres ni lo necesitas. ¿Qué haces? ¿Que deberías decir? Esta es una situación difícil, pero estamos aquí para hablar sobre ella. Esto es lo que debes hacer. Llama en primer lugar Ok, entonces sabes que el trabajo no es el adecuado para ti. Quizás es porque recibiste una mejor oferta de otro lugar. O tal vez el pago que ofrecen ni siquiera se acerca a lo que pediste.
A Snapshot of Millennial Retirement
What the golden years will look like for today’s young people Photo by Simon Fanger on Unsplash If you’re in your twenties and haven’t started thinking about retirement, well, it’s probably time to start. Yes, it’s still very far away, and yes, it’s easy to imagine that by the time the millennial generation hits retirement age, we’ll all be living in some sci-fi realm where health care is less complicated and robots take care of the elderly.
Cómo verificar si tu pérdida de cabello está dentro de los límites normales
Puede ser alarmante mirar tu peine o el desagüe de la ducha y ver un mechón de cabello. No solo podría obstruir el drenaje, sino que también te preocupa que sea una señal de pérdida del pelo grave. Es posible que lo que estás viendo no sea algo de lo que debas preocuparte, y si quieres estar seguro, hay formas fáciles de verificar la pérdida anormal de cabello en casa. Una persona promedio pierde entre 50 y 100 mechones de cabello por día, según la Academia Estadounidense de Dermatología.
How To Bring Down A Bully Or Extortionist - Lessons From Jeff Bezos, Nancy Pelosi And More
Sometimes it takes the richest man in the world to bring down a bully; sometimes, the Speaker of the House. But this is what heroes are made of. Lately as a nation and world we’ve been idolizing a lot of adult bullies.
A Snapshot of Millennial Retirement – 2069 – Medium
If you’re in your twenties and haven’t started thinking about retirement, well, it’s probably time to start. Yes, it’s still very far away, and yes, it’s easy to imagine that by the time the millennial generation hits retirement age, we’ll all be living in some sci-fi realm where health care is less complicated and robots take care of the elderly. But in the real world, enjoying your golden years requires careful planning long before you reach them.
Seis datos clave para superar el miedo a volar
La mayoría de miedos se deben a una falta de comprensión, y en estas situaciones el conocimiento realmente es poder. Si la idea de volar en avión te genera ansiedad y hace que empieces a tener sudores fríos, esta serie de datos sobre lo seguro que resulta volar te servirá de ayuda. Odio viajar en avión.
How to Get Up to Speed On Your Local Elections – Member Feature Stories – Medium
Do you feel that? The tense energy in the air, the low rumbling of political possibility beneath your toes? There’s not much time left to get ready for election day — which, if you want to do a thorough job, means having a handle on everything and everyone you’ll be voting on, up and down the ballot.
There Is No Overnight Success
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations, Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of stoic wisdom, and how you can use its waters to reflect on and improve your life.
Las aerolíneas de Estados Unidos con más espacio para las piernas en clase económica o turista
Foto: Patrick Allan (Lifehacker)Los asientos de los aviones comerciales se están volviendo cada vez más estrechos. Hace unos 20 años el espacio promedio entre el espaldar de un asiento y el de la siguiente fila (incluyendo el espacio de las piernas) era de unos 86 a 89 centímetros. Sin embargo, hoy en día el espacio es de entre 76 y 79 centímetros.
Sip On These Hibiki Alternatives Until Japan's Whisky Shortage Is Over
Last week brought terrible news to Japanese whisky fans: Suntory plans on halting sales of the wildly popular, and fairly affordable, Hakushu 12-year-old single malt and the Hibiki 17-year-old blend. But fear not oh, drinker of smooth spirits, there are other great options out there. These whiskys may not be the exact same when it comes to flavour and aroma, but they will definitely appeal to your palate in a similar fashion.
Cómo sobrevivir a un atropello, explicado por una especialista en escenas peligrosas de cine
Comienzas a cruzar una calle creyendo que no se aproximan coches, y de repente lo escuchas... Un auto se dirige directamente hacia ti, sus neumáticos chirrían mientras el conductor pisa los frenos con toda su fuerza. Tienes menos de un segundo para reaccionar y salvar tu vida. Esto es lo que debes hacer.Ocurrió durante la Parker 425, una carrera off-road en el desierto de Arizona.
What sarin, chlorine, and other chemical weapons in the news actually do to people
Last week, the United States and its allies France and the UK fired 105 missiles – most of them Tomahawks – at Syrian targets in an attempt to prevent future chemical attacks in the Syrian Civil War. But what are the alleged chemical weapons being used? And what exactly do they do to people? Here’s what you need to know. Sarin is an odourless and colourless liquid that is an extremely potent nerve agent. It’s often released in the air as a vapour spray or aerosol in a target area.
Así funcionan el sarín, el gas cloro y otras armas químicas de las que hablan en las noticias
La semana pasada, Estados Unidos y sus aliados de Francia y el Reino Unido dispararon 105 misiles, la mayoría de ellos Tomahawks, contra objetivos sirios en un intento de prevenir futuros ataques químicos en la guerra civil siria. Pero, ¿cuáles son las supuestas armas químicas que usa el régimen de Al Assad y qué le hacen exactamente a la gente? Esto es lo que necesitas saber.SarínEl sarín es un líquido inodoro e incoloro que funciona como un agente nervioso extremadamente potente.
Si ves nubes de tormenta de color verde, prepárate para lo peor
¿Ves esas hermosas nubes de color verdoso en el horizonte? No son nada bueno. Note van a llevar volando a ningún mundo musical terriblememte irritante. Son el síntoma de un fenómeno meteorológico particularmente peligroso.
How To Set Up The PlayStation 4's New Parental Controls
The PlayStation 4 just released a firmware update (5.50) that brought a ton of great features, such as comprehensive parental controls. Here's how you can set age restrictions for certain types of games and movies, set spending limits in the PlayStation Store, and regulate game time each day using the new Family Management feature. You'll need to have your own PlayStation user ID so you can be the "Family Manager" or admin of the system.
Cómo una simple compra en Amazon puede hacer que te expulsen de los programas de viajero confiable
Parece imposible que comprar online pueda hacer que tengas problemas al viajar a otro país, pero si accidentalmente encargas una falsificación puede ocurrir. Si eres una persona que viaja mucho, definitivamente necesitas chequear eso de ahora en adelante.No se puede fotocopiar dinero. No es solo que sea ilegal. Es que es físicamente imposible. Si metes …Read more ReadEl año pasado, un ingeniero de Paypal llamado Harper Reed encargó una maleta por Amazon.
Enough With the Resolutions Already
Today is no different than yesterday. You probably woke up this morning with big plans to "really make some changes this year," but you know what? It's not going to work. Why? Because you've already decided that waiting until the new year to become the new and improved you is the right course of action. New years resolutions have some serious issues built into them. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for people bettering themselves, but you're just asking for failure with these things.
How to Get Around OkCupid's Stupid New 'Real Name' Policy
Online service made two big changes to their platform recently , one of which involving usernames. In short, you can no longer hide behind AIM-like screen names akin to "HoneyBabe37" or "StudddMuffin96." That's right, they want real names now. Fortunately, there's a simple way to still maintain your anonymity. This new policy has a lot of OkCupid users pretty miffed, and for a fairly good reason.
How to Shut Down Awkward PDA at Family Gatherings
You've got problems, I've got advice. This isn't sugar-coated-in fact, it's sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love . This week we have a brother who's tired of watching his sister suck face with her boyfriend at functions. Keep in mind, I'm not a therapist or any other kind of health professional-just a guy who's willing to tell it like it is. I simply want to give you the tools you need to enrich your damn lives.
When You're Sick, Bravery Is the Best Medicine
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of wisdom, and a guide to using its waters to reflect on and improve your life. This week's selection comes from Seneca. I was very yesterday, so I decided to find some stoic wisdom on enduring . Here are Seneca's thoughts: I should prefer to be free from torture; but if the time comes when it must be endured, I shall desire that I may conduct myself therein with bravery, honour, and courage.
Find Every Piece of a Broken Ornament With This Trick
Fancy ornaments have a tendency to shatter into a billion little pieces of glass that can easily cut someone when they get dropped or knocked down. Don't let that happen! When your cat, child, or clumsy family member knocks an ornament into merry oblivion, try this trick instead. Start by going over the area with a vacuum or broom. That will get most of the big pieces, but you won't be able to get all of them that way.
Why You Should Always Carry $20 in Small Bills
Between credit cards, debit cards, mobile payment apps, and even Bitcoin, it's getting easier than ever to go totally cashless. Unfortunately, doing so leaves a lot of people who rely on small cash tips out in the cold. Cash is king, especially around the holidays. It's not all that surprising that people don't carry cash anymore. It's flat out convenient.
Opinions Are Optional
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of wisdom, and a guide to using its waters to reflect on and improve your life. This week's selection comes from Marcus Aurelius's personal notes. He highlights an important truth about the nature of opinions: You do not need to have an opinion on anything. Divisive issues that are out of your control will continue to exist whether you support them or tear them down, discuss them or hide them, love them or hate them.
Our Favorite Podcast Episodes of 2017
are our favorite way to use our ears here at Lifehacker. We've shared our favorite shows with you in the past , but sometimes certain episodes really stand out in our minds. These powerful podcast episodes made us think, laugh, cry, reflect, and even shudder in 2017. " We Debate NPR's Greatest Albums by Women ," Still Processing : Jenna Wortham and Wesley Morris's take on NPR's list was heartfelt while still interrogating why such a list was necessary at all.
Help! My Wife Is a Porn Star
You've got problems, I've got advice. This isn't sugar-coated-in fact, it's sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love . This week we have a man who's unhappy with his wife's career in the adult entertainment industry. Keep in mind, I'm not a therapist or any other kind of health professional-just a guy who's willing to tell it like it is. I simply want to give you the tools you need to enrich your damn lives.
Tailgating Officially Makes Traffic Worse, Jerks
If you've ever encountered a "phantom jam," or traffic slowdown that doesn't seem to have an apparent cause, it was probably some jackwagon tailgating somebody. Researchers at MIT found that not only does tailgating not get you anywhere faster, it actually creates traffic jams that shouldn't exist. Tailgating , or the act of so closely behind someone you could write "wash me" in the dirt on their rear window, has always been rude (not to mention unsafe).
Why Do I Want to Bounce My Leg All the Time?
I can't help but shake a leg every day, and I don't mean dancing. When I sit down or lie down, I feel an uncontrollable urge to move my legs. They bounce for hours on end, and most of the time I don't even notice it. When I do, I sometimes try to stop in case it's annoying others around me, but that just makes me feel uncomfortable. I decided to find what's causing all this bothersome bouncing. A lot of people bounce their legs out of habit .
Use Amazon Prime Now to Help Those in Need
You probably see it all the time: someone sitting alone out in the cold, holding a sign with a scribbled plea for help on it. Well, even if you don't carry cash anymore, or have time to run to a nearby store, you might still be able to help them with this clever act of . Amazon Prime Now lets subscribers in certain areas order and receive items within two hours. I once ordered a keyboard with the service and got it in 45 minutes.
Why It Feels So Good to Cancel Plans Last Minute, and How to Stop
There's something magical about cancelling plans last minute-yes, I've heard the John Mulaney joke . You instantly get to do whatever you want and not feel beholden to anyone. True freedom is only a shameful text away. But flaking out is a slippery slope that can lead to a detrimental, and fairly rude, habit. Here's why you get such a rush of relief when your evening suddenly frees up, and how to stop yourself from becoming the person who always bails.
Don't Believe Everything You See
Welcome back to Mid-Week Meditations , Lifehacker's weekly dip into the pool of wisdom, and a guide to using its waters to reflect on and improve your life. This week's selection comes from Diogenes Laertius , a biographer of the great Greek philosophers. He references a quote from Heraclitus about how we can't always trust our own senses: We all suffer from the brain's ability to trick us into believing things that aren't true.
How to Survive Deadly Black Ice On Winter Roads
Black ice is nearly impossible to see, can form almost anywhere on the road, and has the potential to send your vehicle careening into oncoming traffic. It's bad news. Here's how you can spot that nasty black ice and avoid accidents when you hit the road during the . In short, black ice is clear ice that forms on a black surface, like an asphalt road, and blends in so it's hard to see. It's dangerous because it can hide in plain sight, and cause you to lose control of your vehicle on busy roads.
What to Do When You and Your Partner Haven't Had Sex in a Year
You've got problems, I've got advice. This advice isn't sugar-coated-in fact, it's sugar-free, and may even be a little bitter. Welcome to Tough Love . This week we have a woman who can't get her significant other to give up the goods. It's been one dry year. Keep in mind, I'm not a therapist or any other kind of health professional-just a guy who's willing to tell it like it is. I simply want to give you the tools you need to enrich your damn lives.
How to Architect the Perfect Party Atmosphere With the Power of Math
Throwing the perfect party requires more than good booze, pleasant music, and tasty snacks. It requires the right amount of people to develop the atmosphere you're after. This formulaic approach to party invites will help you host the biggest bash or the most charming of dinner . First, calculate your hosting space by adding up all the square footage (area, or length x width) of the rooms you'll be having guests in most of the time. Places like the living room, dining room, kitchen, and patio.
Your 50s Will Probably Be the Most Unhappy Time of Your Life
Everybody's life is filled with ups and downs, but new research suggests everyone's life follows a particular pattern when it comes to our general contentedness. Around mid-life, we all seem to be pretty bummed. According a new analysis of life satisfaction from the National Bureau of Economic Research , which encompasses seven massive surveys and 1.3 million randomly sampled people from 51 countries, rock bottom is somewhere around the early 50s for most folks.
Boost Your Emotional Vocabulary With These Precise Terms From Around the World
There are more words out there to describe how you feel besides sad, mad, and glad-in fact, there's a whole world of words that can describe your in incredibly specific ways. The Positive Lexicography Project , from Dr. Tim Lomas at the University of East London has, is an index of untranslatable words that relate to different states of well-being from languages all over the world. It includes words like: I don't know about you, but I've certainly felt or thought all of these things before.
How to Eat Around the Word Safely With Food Allergies
Seeing the world is an enlightening experience, but it can also be a dangerous one if you're allergic to things like nuts, gluten, soy, lactose, shellfish, and others foods. That doesn't have to hold you back, though. Here are a few tips to help you and eat safely. Unfortunately, if you suffer a severe allergy, you'll have to do more planning than other travelers might. Eating at that cool-looking restaurant or street food vendor on a whim can be dangerous if you don't know what you're getting into.
Why You Should Never Microwave a Hard Boiled Egg
Thinking of finishing off that soft boiled egg in the microwave? Or quickly heating up that already hard boiled egg because it's too cold? Don't do it unless you want insanely hot egg on your face. The video above, from youtuber infrared213 , demonstrates what happens to a super-heated hard boiled egg so you don't have to find out for yourself. Around the 38-second mark, a gentlemen barely prods the egg and it explodes with the force of 10,000 cockadoodledoos.
¿Cómo funcionan los sistemas de defensa antimisiles?
GIF Imagen: OTAN.Es probable que sepas que Estados Unidos tiene un sistema de defensa antimisiles, y solamente con saberlo puede que, si vives en el país sientas un poco de seguridad y comodidad. ¿Pero sabes cómo funcionan estos sistemas o qué tan efectivos son?
Why You Have a Delivery Confirmation and No Package From Amazon
So you ordered that cool new doodad from and it was supposed to arrive today, but it didn't. Yet you've been sent a confirmation telling you it made it there on time. Was it stolen? Maybe! But here's another possible explanation. According to a CBS Atlanta report , USPS supervisors are giving carriers direct orders to misrepresent delivery times. A former mail carrier told CBS they had to follow these specific instructions: But why lie to Amazon customers about their packages?
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