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Email:
mike.weinberg@cox.net |
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Everyday life is
full of challenges. Humans do a lot of
things right, but we're all
error-prone.
This section is dedicated to making us
all a little less so. |
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Topic |
Text |
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Directional Dilemmas
The human body has two opposite but
essentially equal sides. Few
people have trouble distinguishing up
from down, since head and
feet are clearly different. But when
faced with a decision involving left
or right, there's a 50-50 chance
of getting it right, or wrong! Ditto
for West and East,
clockwise and counterclockwise
and similar either-or options. |
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Left vs. Right
Have you
ever gone left when someone told you to
turn right? Or raised your right hand
when told to raise your left? It seems
like choosing correctly between right
and left would be a simple matter. But
our bilateral bodies and brains
complicate things. |
1 page |
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Compass
Bearings
A compass
bearing is a
direction
based on the
points or degrees on a navigational
compass. If you're traveling South,
would West be on your right or left?
Which direction would you face if you
were told to look Northeast? |
1 page |
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Clock
Bearings
A
clock bearing is a
direction
based on the hour numbers on a clock
face. Which way would you turn to avoid an
object hurtling towards you from 10
o'clock? If an object was directly to
your right, which clock position would
that be? |
1 page |
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Be Clock Wise
Clockwise
and counterclockwise are used
to specify rotational directions. To tighten a bolt
or close a valve, which
way would you turn it? What if you
were viewing it from behind? What if the
threads were reversed? |
4 pages |
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Plugs & Batteries
Which way should you rotate a
2-prong polarized plug (one end wider than
the other) so it fits into a 3-hole
receptacle on the first try? When
it's dark
and you need to replace a battery in a
device, which end of the battery is
positive? Which way should you insert
it? |
2 pages |
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Time Zones
When you travel or phone across time
zones, do you gain or lose time? When
you cross the International Dateline, do
you gain or lose a day? These are
important considerations when you
have connecting flights or don't want
to phone too early or too late. |
1 page |
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Gas Tanks Take Sides
When you drive up to a gas station
to fill up your car, are you sure which
side your gas tank spout is on? How about with
an unfamiliar vehicle, like a rental
car? The answer may be right in front of
your nose! |
1 page |
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British Isles
Driving Tips
How to keep out of trouble and
survive when driving on the "wrong"
(left) side of the road! Based on a
experiences gained in May 2006 on a
car tour of England, Wales, Ireland,
& Scotland. Includes advice on trip
planning, road signs, and roundabouts. |
2 pages |
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Number Nuances
Formal mathematics is a challenge for
most everyone, but even seemingly simple
dealings with numbers and measurements can be confusing. |
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Liquid Measures
How many teaspoons in a Tablespoon?
How many cups in a
quart? How many ounces in a half gallon?
How much does a gallon of water weigh? |
1 page |
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Centuries vs. Years
Is 1700 in the 16th, 17th, or 18th
century? Did the 14th century include
1300, 1400, or 1500? In which two
centuries did the 50 years from 1775 -
1825 occur? |
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Counting Sequential Items
How many days are there from
December 2 to 6? (Hint: It's not 4!). In
a book, how many pages are there from
page 10 to 20? |
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Days of the Week
If today is Tuesday, what day of the
week will it be in 30 days? What day of
the week was it 30 days ago? |
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