Instead of just counting your steps, it turns the whole thing into a game. The more steps you take, the more companions you get. Step Buy Step($1.99) | iTunes App Store

Investing always involves a bit of risk. However, on a broad scale, the markets tend upwards. A dismally low 20%-35% of professionals beat the market year over year. 7% of all actively managed funds failed every year. The professionals are not smarter than the market. The simple solution is to invest your money in a wide range of funds to mitigate risk. While some might go down, ideally others go up to compensate....

Let’s build a list of good causes to donate to now that the holidays are in full swing. We’ll get you started with a few of our own suggestions, so you might follow our lead. Title image byTina Mailhot-Roberge.

This video from theAmerica’s Test KitchenYouTube channel explains the best way to individually store the leftover deliciousness. Lay some parchment paper on a baking sheet and scoop out some one-cup sized portions on there. What Smart Cooks Do on Thanksgiving: A Clever Way to Save Leftover Mashed Potatoes| YouTube

As the holidays get closer, it’s about time for another tradition: frustratingly wrapping gifts. As the above YouTube video demonstrates, though, there’s an easier way. One final piece of tape seals the deal. Gift Wrapping Hack| YouTube viaBuzzFeed

The recip saw is a two-handed tool and can be quite cumbersome to the uninitiated. A recip saw is extremely useful for demolition purposes. It cuts through 2x4’s, plywood, and drywall with ease. With the proper blade it can also cut through metal pipe and nails. A standard corded reciprocating saw will cost about $100-$120. The10 Amp recip sawfrom DeWalt and12 Amp Sawzallrecip saw are top sellers from Amazon. Cordless recip saws are also growing in popularity as lithium-ion battery technology gets better....

Then pick a new, harder project. (There’s more to that, but that’s the gist of it.) That real-world test is important. Sometimes (oftener when you are just starting) your patches will be rejected. you gotta learn to cope with this. These mistakes can be repaired. Check out the full post from the esteemed author ofThe Cathedral and the Bazaarfor more details. How to Learn Hacking| Eric Steven Raymond Photo bySebastiaan ter Burg....

For some reason, the most minor details or events can irritate us for days. When truly bad things happen, they cross a threshold, triggering mechanisms that help us to recover. So her anger at the lesser failing may bubble longer. Small or medium-sized shocks don’t trigger the brain’s mechanism to help us recover. Getting upset over trivial matters? There’s a rational explanation| The Guardian Photo byRyan Hyde.

You turn on your PC, start up a particularly taxing program, and thenyou hear it. A high-pitched sound emanating from somewhere as if your ears are ringing. If you’re playing or working with speakers or certain kinds of headphones, it could become pretty annoying. What can you do? Coil Whine as Fast As Possible| YouTube

Saving is important, but it can be difficult to walkthe thin line between cheap and frugal. Or two gallons of organic milk. Or enough gasoline to drive over 100 miles in a good car. WEEKS worth of regular driving. Or enough natural gas to provide hot water for showers and dishwashing for a family for several weeks. Ten Bucks is a lot of money. So you’re gonna wanna respect it....

Marco Pierre White - How to finely chop onions| YouTube viaBoing Boing

iOS: We waste a lot of money each year throwing out expired food. Its design is pretty simple. You enter the contents of your freezer, and the app gives you expiration dates. you’re free to also enter the dates yourself, manually. The app then lists each item, according to how many days are left until it expires. The app syncs across devices, which is convenient. If you’ve got a packed freezer, it makes for a good meal-planning companion....

I’ve spent the majority of my career negotiating and training people to negotiate. Here are some common mistakes. The other guy is bound to agree with one, right? The more choice you provide, the better. But that’s not necessarily the case. Instead, limit options to two or three. Therefore, they over-think and believe they can find theperfectsolution. People like easy, quick solutions. Of course, they might be bluffing. But people who bluff generally overcompensate....