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Personal Safety and Security
Personal Safety and Security is the category to ask questions for which answers will keep you safe and secure, especially in and around your home and property. Samples of topics you might want to ask about are security systems, smoke alarms, the best tile to use to prevent falls, the safest equipment to use around the house, how to prevent intruders, and anything that has to do with your personal safety and security.
1,154 Questions
How much weight can hardwood flooring support between joists?
Typically you would not put hardwood flooring directly over the joists. You should first put down a subfloor.
Where would be the safest place to sit in the train in case of an accident?
There really isn't one, every accident is different and each car can respond to the accident differently.
When you hear a strange noise in the house at night exactly what do you do about it?
investigate, nothing, get scared, wake mate, call police, get weapon
What are the causes of failure of retaining walls?
A retaining wall is a structure that holds back soil or rock from a building, structure or area. Retaining walls prevent downslope movement or erosion and provide support for vertical or near-vertical grade changes. Cofferdams and bulkheads, structures that hold back water, are sometimes also considered retaining walls. Retaining walls are generally made of masonry, stone, brick, concrete, vinyl, steel or timber. Once popular as an inexpensive retaining material, railroad ties have fallen out of favor due to environmental concerns. Segmental retaining walls have gained favor over poured-in-place concrete walls or treated-timber walls. They are more economical, easier to install and more environmentally sound. The most important consideration in proper design and installation of retaining walls is that the retained material is attempting to move forward and downslope due to gravity. This creates lateral earth pressure behind the wall which depends on the angle of internal friction (phi) and the cohesive strength (c) of the retained material, as well as the direction and magnitude of movement the retaining structure undergoes. This is an excerpt from this site, go to the site to learn more about, why, codes, and how to fix: * http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retaining_wall
What is the safety on a pistol?
The safety on a pistol is a device to prevent it from firing accidentally.
Why should you never burn plastic?
Under normal conditions, plastic melts as it burns, and can give off toxic chemicals. While these emissions are not very harmful to the environment overall, inhalation can be very dangerous until the fumes dissipate. The physical melting is also hazardous due to bubbling and spattering, and there is substantial tar residue from incomplete combustion.
Why should women have a buddy system when walking alone at night?
Women should have a buddy system because someone would see them as vulnerable and take advantage of them.
Which form of hearing protection offers the highest amount of protection?
Earmuffs (over-the-ear protectors) offer the greatest amount of protection.
What limitations do you have which you feel is most humiliating?
My parent closes the wifi, not by simply plugging the cable out, but by using the actual wifi site which he has put a lock for and lock the wifi in a situation we cannot open it unless we ask him, most people don't believe me that it happens and call it excuses and it is quite annoying.
How do you protect yourself from robots?
waterguns
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HOW TO ESCAPE A HUMANOID ROBOT
One minute you are strolling across an empty parking lot with arms full of groceries and the next minute two tonnes of steaming bipedal man-bot is bearing down on you. A humanoid robot may look like you, but it is probably faster, stronger and much better at chess. Drop the groceries; it's time to learn how to run away.
Run toward the light
Vision sensors are confused by sudden changes in lighting. Forcing the robot to follow you into the sun may slow down its pursuit.
To save a comrade: first merge, then separate
Run to a comrade, deliver a quick bear-hug, and then dive in a random direction. A vision-based target tracker might temporarily lose track of your identity during the hug, especially if you are wearing similar clothing. You can gain precious seconds while the tracker reacquires its target.
Don't run in a predictable line
If you follow a simple velocity trajectory, it will be easier for a robot to track your progress, even through significant clutter. Zigzag erratically or, when hidden from view, change direction suddenly in order to throw off predictive tracking systems.
Use rough terrain
A humanoid robot can run faster and for far longer than you can. Take pride in your primate heritage - humanoid robots are not as good as you are at scurrying over walls, climbing hillsides or clambering over and under parked cars.
Find a body of water
Most robots will sink in water or mud and fall through ice.
Find a car and burn rubber
Theoretically, a humanoid robot could sprint as fast (or faster) than an automobile, but the resulting heat and stress would likely overheat or injure the robot pursuer.
HOW TO FOOL A THERMAL IMAGING TARGET TRACKER
Thermal cameras reveal heat patterns in which hot objects appear bright over cold backgrounds. People are easy to detect - human skin temperature predictably hovers around 33 °C . As a hot human being, you need to know how to evade that merciless robot tracking you thermally.
Think heat, not vision
Thermal imaging routinely reveals otherwise invisible details: warm footsteps in cool grass, the cool shadows of people who have since walked away, the warm hood of your stolen car.
Stay out of sight
Avoid wide-open spaces and skylines by day or night. A thermal camera is not an X-ray eye, so hide behind buildings, walls and thick vegetation.
Lose the human heat signature
You can change your characteristic human heat signature by smearing cool mud and leaves over yourself. Crouch into a small position and sit still; the motion of small bits of warm skin will mark you as human.
Try to disappear completely
You are invisible to a thermal camera if you can maintain the same temperature as your background. Defence companies have developed infrared camouflage suits that are designed to match the ambient temperature, making soldiers invisible to electronic eyes.
HOW TO SPOT A ROBOT MIMICKING A HUMAN
It is common for an enemy to create confusion by wearing friendly-looking uniforms. The robots are bound to follow suit, only they will be sheathed in human skin, able to bleed, breathe and sweat.
Spot-check the facial features
Humans are extremely good at reading faces - so good that we see faces in everything from corn tortillas to rock formations on Mars. Look for facial imperfections like freckles, scars and overall asymmetry. Watch for natural movements like breathing and blinking. Pay special attention to the eyes and mouth (the most expressive parts of the face).
Examine the face over time
Motion is more important than facial features alone when it comes to detecting a faux human. Ask an innocuous question, and during the reply, observe the subject's skin, lips and teeth. Even if the robot is almost perfectly human-like you will get a creepy feeling. Your gut reaction is a human survival trait and a well-known phenomenon that Japanese researchers call the uncanny valley.
Test those social skills
Humans unconsciously acquire a vast amount of social knowledge, such as how to stand in line, the concept of personal space and why men should wear pants to work. If the guy standing on your porch doesn't follow these rules, don't let him inside - whether he is a robot or not.
Examine a thermal camera image of your guest
Mount a thermal camera over any key entryways. The heat signature of a human face looks like a skull, not a piece of sheet metal.
HOW TO DETECT ROBOT SPEECH
Smooth-talking robots could imitate friendly people over the radio or telephone. Recognising a robot voice can be harder than you think; text-to-speech systems have already taken over telephone operations for many major corporations.
Don't trust the caller, even if he or she sounds familiar
With enough recorded samples a robot can sound like anyone. To be absolutely sure, ask a specific question that only your loved one could answer, or agree upon a code word beforehand.
Listen for hard-to-pronounce words
The more common the word, the more likely it is to have been included in the robot's original voice database and the better it will sound. Uncommon words will have to be synthesized anew. The word yes may sound perfectly human, but how does your caller sound when it utters the word "flibbertigibbet"?
Try to evoke an emotion
Does the speaker mind when you intimately discuss the promiscuity of his mother? If not, you may be dealing with a very polite human or a non-human. Either way, it's a good idea to hang up the phone.
HOW TO DEACTIVATE A REBEL SERVANT ROBOT
You have discovered that your extremely submissive, lovable and expensive servant robot has turned "rebel." This can feel like losing a member of the family. However, if the situation is not dealt with properly, it may feel more like losing every member of the family, plus a few neighbourhood kids.
Pretend everything is normal
To forestall a mechanised killing spree you must act as though nothing is amiss. When your servant hands you an old tyre half full of rainwater and mosquito larvae instead of an iced tea, simply sip politely, nod and smile.
Send the robot on an arduous task
Not only will sending your robot on a long, tiring task drain its power reserves, it will give you time to formulate a plan.
The power drain plan
Instruct the servant robot to clean the house, landscape the yard, and assemble several major pieces of Ikea furniture. Then, when your robot is power depleted and attempts to recharge, shut off the power to your house. Now, simply wait until the robot runs out of batteries. If it tries to move, apply pressure with a crowbar.
How does an exterior door handle lock work?
An exterior door is usually a keyed doorknob or keyed lever. It may consist of single or multiple bolts to lock the door.
It would be possible for a .22 bullet to brake the first pane and not damage the second. I would expect to find signs of a bullet hole in the broken pane. But it depends on the temper of the glass. High tempered glass will shatter. You usually find these in sliding doors. I knicked one and it cracked over the entire door. WIthin the hour it was a heap of broken glass on the floor. It is possible.
What is the depth requirement for underground utilities?
Most main lines are at least 24 inches before final grade. Drops catv/phone 4-10 in. But be sure to call in to your local one-call service to have them marked.
What is maintained and non maintained emergency lighting?
As far as I understand it maintained lighting stays on all of the time INCLUDING during power failure (the latter for as long as the back up battery stays charged). Non maintained stays off until the power fails and only then does the light come on, again for the life of the back up battery. If you need a luminaire / light that can be used as an ordinary domestic unit AND an emergency light then these, I believe, are called "combo" units and are generally pretty expensive.
Is it okay to grow an Oleander bush in the yard?
Whether or not you grow Oleander in the yard depends on whether you have pets or young children. Oleander is highly toxic to people, pets and livestock, so if there is any chance of it being ingested, it is best avoided.
The USPS will give you a receipt for your initial box rental, normally this is done in-person at the sight where your USPS Post Office box is physically located. There are some exceptions as to "Satellite PO Box Offices" (where the boxes are filled by a Postmaster/Letter Carrier/Clerk but it is an non-staffed site) in that case you would go to a main PO and rent your box and get the receipt. Since each PO Box is supported by an initial, verified, mailing address form most often you will be notified with a "hard-copy" form of the approval/disapproval.
Why is it unsafe to use a hairdryer in the bathtub?
It is not safe because (1) without safety equipment installed in the power box of the home dropping same in the tub with you in it will almost certainly kill you as the result of electrocution. Assuming that there is safety equipment finding out that it work properly this way is also a risky procedure.
What is an insect with red body and black wings?
There are many insects that could have a red body with black wings. These insects include dragonflies as well as butterflies.
Tungsten is a heavy metal and requires certain safety precautions when handling. It is considered an irritant to the eyes, skin, and lungs. Though it is considered less dangerous than other heavy metals, it could pose a great health hazard when interacting with other compounds. Tungsten toxicity in humans is rare, and the effects of long-term exposure to tungsten or tungsten compounds has only recently begun to be studied.
