How To Watch Foreign DVD's

Earlier, I had posted that a combination of DVD Decrypter version 3.5.4 could help with dvd's that have different region codes than the one your computer is set for because the VLC Media Player could then play the files.

Since then, I've changed my mind because my computer has Vista Home Premium, which VLC was crashing.

I then read that if you revealed the extensions on the vob (video object files) that were
made by DVD decrypter to an mpg/mpeg extension, you could play the files on Media 11 Player, which came with my Dell. That was also helpful, but it entailed a lot of work, changing all the extensions. And then you couldn't get subtitles.

Btw, I did this all in service of the complete set of Murphy's Law with James Nesbitt I had purchased from a British purveyor, where the dvd's are set to region 2.

Then I read from another website more about how to use DVD Decrypter. I didn't quite understand it all, but I read something about Daemon Tools, which would create a virtual dvd drive on your computer which could then help the dvd software program on my computer read the ISO file made by DVD Decrypter as if it were a real dvd without any region code problems.

Again, Daemon Tools was not compatible with my OS, so I uninstalled it, which was also a bit of a problem.

Then I read about another program, which is also freeware, that makes a virtual drive on your computer so that my main media-playing software, MediaDirect by Cyberlink, can play the ISO file Decrypter made for me as if it were a region 1 dvd.

It's perfect. The program, Virtual CloneDrive by Slysoft, is their only free program and it creates a single virtual dvd drive on your computer. And for my purposes, why do I need more than one?

It works a treat because now when I use Decrypter to make an ISO file of the Region 2 dvd's I bought, it immediately recognizes that it will be associated with Virtual CloneDrive. I click on the ISO file, and MediaDirect opens it right up.

Perfect.

How To Remove Splinters-Vinegar/Peroxide and Baking Soda

This is the only remedy that really works. Reliably.

Because while other suggest warm water and baking soda, or using a debriding agent like a salicylic patch, these don't work. Those methods may soften the skin sufficiently so that you can remove the splinter a bit more easily, but they don't actually cause a chemical reaction that causes an embedded splinter to move towards the surface of the skin Much as those who rely on the warm water/baking soda aver, there is no chemical reaction going on there. It's inert.

With vinegar/peroxide and baking soda, there is a chemical reaction. That initial bubbling reaction that you get may stop, but the interaction of the two ingredients that causes that initial bubbling? That continues to work more subtly on the finger. And, after about twenty minutes of soaking, the splinter will move closer to the surface of the skin. And it can then be painlessly, and I do mean painlessly, removed with tweezers.

Pomegranates: How to Peel Them Easily

There are all sorts of juices out there to make consuming pomegranates easily. Unfortunately, they are all pretty dismal and strange.

Why not eat the real thing? Of course, some stores like Trader Joe's sell small tubs of the seeds so you can eat them without peeling because it seems so daunting.

No more. This is what to do. Break open the fruit and then peel it in a bowl of water. Voila. The inner vein will float to the top, and the seeds will sink to the bottom. They separate themselves for you in the water.

So enjoy the real thing without fear! And without paying $3.99 for a small tub of seeds.

Zinc Oxide (A+D Cream): Cyst and Pimple Remedy

Well, it makes sense. After all, you use the A+D cream, not ointment which has a petrolatum (vaseline) base, for diaper rash. Which essentially dries out the rash and voila! You have a happy baby or toddler once more. The stuff usually works within a few hours. On really bad diaper rash, too.

Well, that same drying action works wonders on cysts. Wonders. And pimples, too.

Forget the expensive decoctions you're buying with Salicylic Acid in those tiny glass bottles at $20 for .5 oz. This works much better and you get a 4 oz tube, which if you're not an infant, will last you literally years. Unless you break out a lot. Even then, it will last much longer than .5 oz.

Just apply a dab. Put a bandaid over it to keep the thick coating on your cyst or pimple. It will significantly reduce overnight.

Household Tips: Water Marks, Toilet "Snake" Marks, Frizzy Hair

1) Watermark Removal: If one scours the web for suggestions on how to eradicate water marks, many suggestions arise. Amongst them include mayonnaise (??) and other oil-based treatments. These do not work. The issue is that there is a thin layer of polish/wax, minimal though it is, that protects a wooden table's color from being easily removed. Yes, this is even in the case of those older tables.

What will remove a water mark is paste toothpaste. Trader Joe's provides an excellent choice, inexpensive--$2.99. It is also just a really good, low-chemical toothpaste that is a great-tasting alternative to Tom's of Maine toothpaste which is far more expensive.

Use a washcloth. Wet it lightly. Put a dab of toothpaste on the cloth. Then rub the watermark--circular or back and forth is not relevant. What is being removed is that thin top coating that protects the actual color of your table. Use another part of the washcloth, also lightly dampened, to wipe off the excess toothpaste.

Once the table is dry, polish your table as normal.

2) Toilet Bowl Scratches from a Plumbing Snake: Again, lots of useless suggestions on the web for removing them. They include chastising the person for scratching the bowl in the first place--akin to saying, "Why didn't you use your best judgment?"--and draining the bowl and painting it--ugh and again really useless. The only real solution is Barkeeper's Friend for about $2.99. It is a type of cleanser that you can get at your local hardware store rather than buying it online. Save the environment from all that packaging and keep your local shops in business while you're at it.

Do not mistake this for any kind of cleanser, such as Bon Ami or Comet, which have their uses. Barkeeper's Friend is not earth friendly like Bon Ami, but it is also the only cleaner that will work.

Again, opinions vary on the web regarding Barkeeper's Friend. Some say you need to scrub after letting it soak. Some say to combine it with bleach to create a really toxic blend. Neither of these are true. For a toilet that was covered in scratches from multiple snakes, this was all that was needed:

Shake the canister a few times. The water will be cloudy. Let soak for 15-30 mins, depending on how much of a clock-watcher you are. Flush.

The metal stains--which is what those scratches really are--will be gone.

3) Frizzy hair: There are a lot of solutions, including Bumble and Bumble, Frederic Fekkai olive oil glossing collection, and Sebastian Laminates. Or you can turn once more to Trader Joe's, who sells their own brand of Refresh Conditioner that smells vaguely like oranges. In itself, it is alright but doesn't help those with frizzy hair. However, add 1/4 cup of olive oil. You will need to pour some condition out initially in order to accommodate the olive oil. Shake well. The olive oil will stay suspended throughout the conditioner--no need to worry about separating.

The result? For $2.99, you get conditioner that smooths your hair, makes it shiny and healthy. Sure, if you want to spend $30-$50 on name brand products, you can. Or you can be smart. And maybe donate some of that money you saved to a better cause.