Everyone's favourite privacy-respecting search engine DuckDuckGo has some great features that quickly show useful information above the usual list of blue links. My favourite at the moment is the quick timer function, just seach for time + "timer" and the countdown starts automatically.

For example:

35 minute timer

It works even better if you have DuckDuckGo set as your default search provider in the URL bar/omnibar in Firefox, Chrome etc.

I read a book a week, more often than not it's non-fiction. I take rough, shabby notes at the end of each chapter, sometimes just the chapter's title. I thought it might be a good idea to share them here, though only sold as seen. Read the book if you want sense!

Fundamentals

1. Dont criticise or complain

   • Everyone thinks they did right, never that theyre a bad person
   • It will only antagonise, never resolve or improve things

2. Give honest and sincere appreciation

   • Everyone wants to be important in some way.
   • We get this importance in different ways, some money, some fame
   • Showing true appreciation fills this need for people
3. Focus on their wants
   • Arouse in the other person an eager want
   • Dont waffle on about what you want. Focus on their goal, and how you can help them with it

Get people to like you

1. Be more interested in other people than talking about yourself

2. Smile

3. Make a massive effort to remember names

4. Be a great, attentive listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

5. Find a person's real interests - personal hobbies, passions. Ask them about them.

6. Make people feel important and appreciated

Win people round

1. Dont argue - it achieves nothing. Listen to their viewpoint, say what you agree on. Take their input seriously.

2. Never say "you're wrong" - say "I can be wrong". Be humble, inquisitive, and gently guide the outcome

3. When wrong, quickly and emphatically admit it and make amends. It disarms enemies.

4. Begin in a friendly way

5. Get the other person saying " yes, yes" immediately

6. Let the other person do most of the talking

7. Let the other person see the idea as theirs

8. Try honestly to see things from the other person's point of view

9. Be sympathetic to the other person's ideas and desires

10. Appeal to nobler motives

11. Dramatise your ideas

12. Throw down a challenge (if all else fails)

How To Lead

1. When complaining or needing things improved, begin with sincere praise

2. Call attention to people's mistakes indirectly

3. Talk about your own mistakes first

4. Ask questions instead of giving orders

5. Let the other person save face

6. Praise every slight improvement, sincerely and specifically. Specific praise is honest, general praise is insincere.

7. Give the other person a fine reputation to live up to.

8. Make the fault seem easy to correct