30 (more) Life Hacks Debunked - mental_floss on YouTube (Ep. 41)

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  • Опубліковано 21 сер 2024
  • A weekly show where knowledge junkies get their fix of trivia-tastic information. This week, John tests another 30 "life hacks" to see if they work as promised.
    Mental Floss Video on Twitter: / mf_video
    Select Images and Footage provided by Shutterstock: www.shutterstock.com
    Life Hack Links:
    1. Snuggie: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    2. Deodorant and Shirt: / 121356263773835265
    3. Plastic Bottle Amplifier: macleanpatrick....
    4. Cheetos and Chopsticks: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    5. Pants Hanger Chip Sealer: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    6. Core Lettuce: • How to Core a Head of ...
    7. Applesauce Spoon: i.chzbgr.com/m...
    8. Chocolate Chip Bag: twistedsifter.f...
    9. Cake and Spaghetti: / 46232333648444196
    10. Eyelash Curler Bottle Opener: / when_you_cant_find_a_b...
    11. Vodka and Sticker: myfixituplife.c...
    12. Ketchup Holder: twistedsifter.f...
    13. Cup Lid Coaster: www.lifehacker....
    14. Water Plant: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    15. Candle Craft: / 403359577783029760
    16. DIY Paint: / 398545087988129792
    17. Staple Remover and Key Ring: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    18. Paperclip and Grapes: • How to Pit a Cherry wi...
    19. Chopstick and Grapes: www.refinedguy....
    20. Tennis Ball Jar Opener: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    21. CD Spindle Bagel Holder: twistedsifter.f...
    22. Sandwich Prep: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    23. Scissor Pizza Cutter: / 46232333648425228
    24. Cocoa and Masking Tape: media-cache-ec0...
    25. Popcorn Bag: main.makeuseofl...
    26. Frozen Envelope: / 117723789982310400
    27. Soda Box: i.imgur.com/pFg...
    28. Cereal and Colander: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    29. Cookbook on Pants Hanger: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    30. Blister Pack and Can Opener: s3-ec.buzzfed.c...
    ----
    Website: www.mentalfloss...
    Twitter: / mental_floss
    Facebook: / mentalflossmagazine
    Store: store.mentalflo... (enter promo code: "UA-camFlossers" for 15% off!)

КОМЕНТАРІ • 4,4 тис.

  • @NotTotallyHopeless
    @NotTotallyHopeless 9 років тому +647

    john is like one of those people from infomercials who struggle with basic tasks.

    • @lonelydragon5606
      @lonelydragon5606 8 років тому +6

      you just totally made my day

    • @user-ey4mz1nr6d
      @user-ey4mz1nr6d 8 років тому +4

      "Like"
      I'm on mobile so that's the best I can do.

    • @mathyouforgot
      @mathyouforgot 7 років тому +4

      OMG I WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT TO WRITE EXACTLY THIS

    • @jacobwardell6365
      @jacobwardell6365 7 років тому +2

      yeah... Life tasks kinda seem difficult for John.

    • @PaulLyndeBlue
      @PaulLyndeBlue 7 років тому

      NotTotallyHopeless Omg! It's true!

  • @FoxyGekkerson
    @FoxyGekkerson 10 років тому +51

    Coring a head of lettuce by slamming it against a table absolutely does work, but it works best with a firm head of lettuce, and the impact point has to be at the root. Watching this guy do it was like watching one of those inept people on your average infomercial.

    • @johnnymahnke
      @johnnymahnke 10 років тому +8

      Yeah, I'm a cook at a restaurant, and that is how we get the core out every time...

    • @stranger599
      @stranger599 10 років тому

      I was just thinking the same thing. We slam lettuce to break the core from the head all the time at work.

    • @melissavaneyll7886
      @melissavaneyll7886 10 років тому

      I'm a manager at a restaurant and this is how we train all employees to core a head of lettuce.

    • @Seventy2ish
      @Seventy2ish 10 років тому

      I agree. I do this all the time.

  • @izonker
    @izonker 9 років тому +280

    not to be too nit-picky, but technically you slammed that lettuce on the table wayyyyy too hard, and with your fingers tucked underneath the head of lettuce, you kinda brought the bruised knuckles on yourself... (been coring iceberg lettuce heads like this for as long as I can remember. learned it from my mom, still core lettuce like this.

    • @liseeddy3387
      @liseeddy3387 9 років тому +17

      I was going to say the same thing!!! Thanks!

    • @bob0s062
      @bob0s062 9 років тому +17

      I have be doing it for over 40 years.

    • @kidrebel20002000
      @kidrebel20002000 9 років тому +8

      Yah, beat me to it.

    • @lordseabass_7305
      @lordseabass_7305 9 років тому +5

      was gunna say the same thing lol

    • @nightmanx62
      @nightmanx62 9 років тому +13

      hold the head of lettuce like you're palming a basketball, and slam it on the counter. I do this all the time

  • @jack_bench
    @jack_bench 5 років тому +44

    6:07 The origin of the "they did surgery on a grape" meme

  • @LeeDrakeJr
    @LeeDrakeJr 10 років тому +17

    You used boston leaf lettuce instead of a head of iceberg lettuce. The slam it on the counter thing works fine (Without hurting yourself) on iceberg lettuce. I know this because I worked as a chef in a kitchen and this is exactly how we cored dozens of heads of lettuce a day.

    • @EricScoles
      @EricScoles 10 років тому +1

      yup, i caught that one too. you can make it work with some cabbages, too. the problem in doing it with lettuce is that it can cause the lettuce to rust more quickly (which is only a problem if you don't have a very high utilization rate).

    • @rottnlove
      @rottnlove 2 роки тому

      I've never heard of this before for lettuce, but can confirm that this works marvelously for a full head of cabbage because it is a firmer snappy leaf, and lettuce is sad and floppy on a good day.

  • @miciarokiri5182
    @miciarokiri5182 9 років тому +85

    John needs a job as a infomercial "before" guy. I have not seen cling wrap moves like that outside an infomercial. lol

    • @TravisGilbert
      @TravisGilbert 3 роки тому +2

      I realized this comment is 6 years bu its so funny lol

    • @bigheavyshoe
      @bigheavyshoe 2 роки тому +1

      Not everyone has as much experience with cling wrap as you...

  • @zazooflores
    @zazooflores 8 років тому +106

    I know this guy's smarter then this... the spaghetti one with the cup cake works he just needs to make the spaghetti shorter

    • @SyIzumakai
      @SyIzumakai 8 років тому +12

      +Zazoo Flores Right? It was so obvious it made me question his common sense, or just wondering if these videos are jokes.

    • @Toblehrone
      @Toblehrone 8 років тому +11

      +Zazoo Flores I swear, we need like a "Life Hack revisited" episode... At least the Mythbusters gave it a chance.

    • @zazooflores
      @zazooflores 8 років тому +1

      +1tobedoneX I agree. like life hacks revised by other people on UA-cam that show how how to do it.

    • @math6844
      @math6844 8 років тому +2

      +Zazoo Flores Than*

    • @math6844
      @math6844 8 років тому +1

      Zazoo Flores Yes you did, in your original comment.

  • @Silkendrum
    @Silkendrum 8 років тому +55

    Don't waste a pants hanger on closing a snack bag --- use plain wooden clip-style clothes pins. $3.00 for a pack of 50 that will last you forever, good for a gazillion little jobs. Even hanging pants after you've destroyed all your pants hangers.

    • @wahabihobofilms7427
      @wahabihobofilms7427 8 років тому +1

      +

    • @dcs3395
      @dcs3395 7 років тому +1

      Everyone does that already right?

    • @Silkendrum
      @Silkendrum 7 років тому

      Dylan Schultz
      Apparently, given this video, no. It's just done by aware thinking people like you and me..

    • @hanna4434
      @hanna4434 3 роки тому

      Also, I break the clip parts off beside the clip (then file/rasp/sand and sharp edges) so it’s just the clip, no residual hanger piece. They work great!!

  • @ZoggFromBetelgeuse
    @ZoggFromBetelgeuse 10 років тому +73

    Using an eyelash curler as a makeshift bottle opener is technically not a life hack, because - as some German students told me once - everything on your planet is basically a makeshift bottle opener.
    (Except for the microbes.)

    • @csarcsi444
      @csarcsi444 10 років тому +8

      the Hungarian says: Ami nem pina, az sörnyitó! - it means that everything is a bottle opener, except vagina

    • @murderoustendencies
      @murderoustendencies 6 років тому

      I've been to Germany and can testify for that. XD

  • @thefrugalcrafter
    @thefrugalcrafter 10 років тому +38

    for the candle have Meredith draw on tissue paper, trim it and put it on the candle, then wrap with waxed paper and heat, remove the waxed paper and the tissue paper with the drawing will be there!The tissue paper will sink into the wax and you cannot see it anymore. It is an old rubber stamping trick that probably had a bad tutorial on Pinterest or something:) Funny series, keep it up!

  • @megsandbacon5702
    @megsandbacon5702 9 років тому +29

    "Gah! Just finish the cake!
    "Man that's so disappointing!"
    I can't stop laughing this whole video when he fails

  • @eddyw282
    @eddyw282 9 років тому +19

    The spaghetti in the cupcake thing works, it was just your extreme lack of wrapping skills that ruined it

  • @radovlasic12
    @radovlasic12 10 років тому +13

    7:38 that is the saddest pizza I've ever seen

  • @GypsieKitten
    @GypsieKitten 10 років тому +60

    my grandma taught me the lettuce trick. it does work, just have to whack it right.

    • @daanvanvught
      @daanvanvught 10 років тому +7

      Your grandma taught you how to whack it right? Thats just sick man...

    • @GypsieKitten
      @GypsieKitten 10 років тому +38

      and you must be 12.

    • @ebbonloft
      @ebbonloft 10 років тому +1

      My mom taught me how to do it. Just hit the "button" with the heel of your hand. The whole thing pulls right out.

  • @kelsiciongoli2534
    @kelsiciongoli2534 8 років тому +76

    that does work for lettuce!!! only way ive ever done it. he didnt do it right

    • @razzamatazz1974
      @razzamatazz1974 8 років тому +2

      +kelsi ciongoli Right you are. The fastest and easiest way to core lettuce for sure.

    • @MrFirefan1234
      @MrFirefan1234 8 років тому

      exactly, I do it at work every day

    • @PeterFrikadelle
      @PeterFrikadelle 8 років тому

      +MrFirefan1234 but how did he do it wrong...?

    • @kelsiciongoli2534
      @kelsiciongoli2534 8 років тому +5

      +Peter Hamburger he just wasn't doing it the proper way. you have to take it and slam the actual core off the counter, when u flip it over, the core will be detached from the head and inside the head a little. like it's hard to explain over text hahah. it's super easy , fast. it does work, he did it wrong!!!

    • @lorieleef2398
      @lorieleef2398 8 років тому

      +kelsi ciongoli I learned this lettuce hack from my sister many years ago when she worked at a restaurant. You are correct - it totally works if you just know how to do it right.

  • @MK-ce7ry
    @MK-ce7ry 9 років тому +41

    John is literally me when it comes to cling wrap

    • @JonAdamich
      @JonAdamich 8 років тому

      +Mary Kate Picketts He is not literally you. He is you figuratively.

    • @MK-ce7ry
      @MK-ce7ry 8 років тому +1

      ***** Sorry, Jon without an h. My inner sixteen year old is making itself apparent.

    • @EbuCallinav
      @EbuCallinav 8 років тому +2

      +Mary Kate Picketts He needs the other life hack where you push in the sides of cling wrap container. which is designed to be pushed in and hold the tube in place.

    • @math6844
      @math6844 8 років тому

      +Mary Kate Picketts He is literally you?

  • @snowdayplease
    @snowdayplease 10 років тому +5

    I think we can all agree that these videos are great, not because they're a useful way to test life hacks, but rather because it's hilarious to watch John attempt all of them.

  • @plucas1
    @plucas1 8 років тому +7

    The lettuce-slam-coring trick 100% works.
    SOURCE: having worked in restaurants as a cook for 20+ years and having done it thousands of times. Only you have to actually pull the core out by hand rather than apparently expecting it to fall out like this guy did.

  • @amandawitow2428
    @amandawitow2428 8 років тому +15

    I've done the candle thing with 6 year olds. The trick is that you put the design on a single layer of kleenex (so pull the two layers apart, then draw your design). Put the kleenex against the candle, then the wax paper over top. We made them at a girl guide sleepover as mother day gifts.
    Also, having one of those angled end attachments for the hair dryer works much better than just the regular end. (A little quicker, and less burnt fingers)

    • @luzr.e.7562
      @luzr.e.7562 8 років тому

      I keep thinking the design was printed on the wrong side of the wax paper.
      It's never gonna work unless you take the right steps...

  • @yokab
    @yokab 6 років тому +4

    It's amazing how young Jon looks here and how much of a dad did he become

  • @cuvkiller
    @cuvkiller 10 років тому +28

    9:14 I always think he says "thank you for watching menopause"

  • @stephennielsen8722
    @stephennielsen8722 10 років тому +26

    Mental Floss never forgets to be awesome, but please keep John and his rippling guns away from lettuce and Glad Wrap

  • @lunavixen015
    @lunavixen015 10 років тому +28

    6 does, we use it at our workplace all the time, you used too much force, with number 9 you should have trimmed or snapped the spaghetti strings to a more realistic size and the cup and lid? flip the lid over.

    • @KapnHook
      @KapnHook 10 років тому +2

      Toothpicks work wonders. Why I don't use spaghetti anymore is because if the cake is moist the spaghetti will get soft and collapse.

    • @Krushak8888
      @Krushak8888 10 років тому +3

      I was just about to say I've been decoring lettuce the same way my mom did. With force against the counter. And as well I found it funny that people just realized that you can use a Colander to strain cereal when I've been doing it isnce i saw my mom did since I was seven cause I was the kid who bitched his frosted mini wheats had that nasty stuff at the bottom.

    • @lunavixen015
      @lunavixen015 10 років тому

      Treble Hook Unless you're leaving them in overnight, the spaghetti should retain its shape, skewers are a decent alternative, toothpicks are too short most of the time.
      Krushak8888 . I don't mind the crumbly bits at the bottom actually :)

    • @carolinagama
      @carolinagama 10 років тому

      Krushak8888 .
      I like the cereal crumbs. Well... I suppose it depends on the cereal

  • @linzbelle
    @linzbelle 9 років тому +8

    The "Homemade paint" recipe is actually a recipe for salt dough.

  • @Raziel_Knight
    @Raziel_Knight 10 років тому +32

    The head of lettuce one works so long as you're not a hulk smashing klutz. I de-core my lettuce that way ALL the time. We have salad once a week at least.

    • @georgercop
      @georgercop 10 років тому +4

      Yeah it's always worked for me as well. Firm but not Hulk-like, as you put it xP

    • @001pudder
      @001pudder 10 років тому +5

      One hand, lightly hitting, NOT SMASHIN works great. Been doing it that way since 1965.

    • @RueLazzaro
      @RueLazzaro 10 років тому +4

      Yeah, he totally did it wrong. This is the only way I know how to core lettuce.

    • @fletcherfernau7393
      @fletcherfernau7393 10 років тому +1

      Yeah, the lettuce one works fine but John is such a lovable klutz

  • @PopeAshhole
    @PopeAshhole 10 років тому +27

    I have 10 yrs experience in the food industry and I can tell you slamming the head of lettuce DOES IN FACT WORK! You just tried too hard and left your fingers underneath it. That's your own fault. Try using science to prove these wrong. Test it a few times before making a conclusion to be sure it wasn't coincidental like what just happened.

    • @bleanard
      @bleanard 10 років тому

      I will back her up on this one.

    • @FairyLightQueen
      @FairyLightQueen 10 років тому +3

      I also back this up, it does work!

    • @Sarah_D.
      @Sarah_D. 10 років тому +3

      I also back this up. My husband has nearly 13 years food industry experience, and he slams the lettuce at work and at home all the time. Hell, I have zero years food industry experience, and even I've done it multiple times.

    • @DaenaO
      @DaenaO 10 років тому +3

      Yep, it works. Anything will fail if you purposely do it incorrectly, as was done in this video.

    • @thomasrothrock
      @thomasrothrock 10 років тому +2

      yup.

  • @RichCsigs
    @RichCsigs 8 років тому +6

    #9 - break the spaghetti so it's not as tall. You know, like any adult would do.

  • @elimeyerbad
    @elimeyerbad 8 років тому +83

    Hank Green
    Dank Meme
    John Green
    Wrong Meme

    • @bffs4lifeliz
      @bffs4lifeliz 8 років тому +4

      -Jack Douglass 2016
      Are you also a bich?

    • @jacoblesher453
      @jacoblesher453 8 років тому

      +James Sekreta *John Douglass

    • @bffs4lifeliz
      @bffs4lifeliz 8 років тому

      Orenthal Simpson Sorry, my mistake.

    • @apollonyt8259
      @apollonyt8259 8 років тому

      ɷɷɷ Heeyy Friendsss I Have Founddd Workinggg Online Hacck visittttt : - t.co/V79fyMncmK

  • @hiwayM9
    @hiwayM9 10 років тому +27

    as a young adult (and adult is subjective) I maintained a salad bar, and I can say for certain the lettuce coring method you poorly demonstrated works faster than any other method ever discovered by hand.

    • @harmonyman72
      @harmonyman72 10 років тому

      I agree. I used that method all the time when I worked in a restaurant.

    • @ShujoSLX
      @ShujoSLX 10 років тому

      the guy was a pussy, he just smashed his hand like an idiot, tough, i dont want lettuce all over my kitchen

    • @MissSagittarian
      @MissSagittarian 10 років тому +1

      Yeah I worked in a sandwich shop. John did it wrong and yeah it actually works... when done correctly

  • @WolfReader
    @WolfReader 10 років тому +41

    Actually, smacking the lettuce head does work. It doesn't fall out on its own though. You need to smack it, grab, and pull.
    Skip the dry pasta, just use toothpicks! :)

    • @TheDalisama
      @TheDalisama 10 років тому +5

      Yep, but I find that twisting it out makes the pulling much easier.

    • @WolfReader
      @WolfReader 10 років тому

      TheDalisama Truth!

    • @TheDalisama
      @TheDalisama 10 років тому +4

      WolfReader Oh God I just realized how perverted my comment sounds...

    • @WolfReader
      @WolfReader 10 років тому

      TheDalisama Bahahaha! Didn't even notice till you pointed it out :P

    • @remusgrrrl
      @remusgrrrl 10 років тому +1

      *****
      Actually, if you tap the core end on the cutting board and keep turning it to get taps all the way around, the core comes out really easy. My family has been doing this forever. This way means you only take out the core and you don't have to play with a knife.

  • @KCar81
    @KCar81 8 років тому +4

    This man is every "before" video rolled into one.

  • @rae_diant
    @rae_diant 10 років тому +30

    John you just hit the lettuce wrong.

  • @redneckvideogamer2449
    @redneckvideogamer2449 10 років тому +26

    The lettuce core thing works. I used it all the time when I worked in a restaurant. Not sure why this guy gave it a fail, except maybe he did it wrong? Use one hand and slam it down onto a cutting board. Then you can easily remove the core. BTW, plenty of vids on yt showing how to do it.

    • @redneckvideogamer2449
      @redneckvideogamer2449 10 років тому +3

      yeah, that lettuce looked pretty messed up to start with

    • @sdmartin25
      @sdmartin25 10 років тому +2

      My Grandma taught me this it works, maybe not if your lettuce is wilting, but it has worked for grandma her whole life and for me for mine so redo please, and remember that in life if at first you don't succeed try try again.

    • @lilykep
      @lilykep 10 років тому +2

      That's how I've always cored lettuce and it works like a charm for me. Honestly John kinda half-assed a lot of these.

  • @jhobbz45
    @jhobbz45 10 років тому +23

    I've cored lettuce by slamming it before with no problems. Looks like John cored his lettuce as well but just hurt his hand. Not sure why that wasn't a pass?

    • @kbrod666
      @kbrod666 10 років тому +10

      Yes, the key is not to smash the lettuce to bits, just smack it firmly.

    • @joewwilliams
      @joewwilliams 10 років тому +7

      Yep, this is a John fail, not a life hack fail.

  • @nattrejo6574
    @nattrejo6574 8 років тому +17

    most of the hacks he is doing wrong

  • @TheLikeGroup
    @TheLikeGroup 10 років тому +6

    The life hack debunking episodes are oddly entertaining.
    Bring us more!

  • @LynneSkysong
    @LynneSkysong 10 років тому +21

    The spaghetti one works if you break the spaghetti down to a reasonable length and use the right amount of plastic wrap... just saying.

    • @colinfrank3155
      @colinfrank3155 10 років тому

      you're just saying? are you???? REALLY???

    • @LynneSkysong
      @LynneSkysong 10 років тому

      Colin Frank It passes better than the bottle amplifier. Not a perfect solution, but passable.
      I would suggest using those little plastic coffee stirrers instead of spaghetti though. They're flexible, the right height and fairly common.

  • @jedidethfreak
    @jedidethfreak 10 років тому +37

    Wait - the shitty coke-bottle amp gets a PASS, but coring a head of lettuce by slamming the stem on the counter gets a FAIL because this guy doesn't know how to do it right?

    • @jtchipmunk
      @jtchipmunk 10 років тому +20

      I've been coring a head of lettuce that way since I was 5. Worked....every....time.

    • @ToxicityBlack
      @ToxicityBlack 10 років тому +10

      *****
      I agree with you both! I work at a deli and slamming the lettuce works every time for me too :)

    • @xyber116
      @xyber116 10 років тому +5

      This is the way I've always cored it in the food industry.

    • @prankfiles
      @prankfiles 10 років тому +1

      Nice channel. I subbed!!
      Please take a look at my funny videos!
      Thanks everybody!! Enjoy!!

    • @taintedcalliope8018
      @taintedcalliope8018 10 років тому +1

      Give the guy a break haha. We all know you can core a lettuce by slamming it, especially if you've ever worked in the food industry...but its also difficult and painful if you've never done it.
      I think he's an IT weenie.

  • @KingChales
    @KingChales 8 років тому +2

    I love how there is absolutely no shame from him as he goes about exploring all of these.

  • @EllysaE
    @EllysaE 9 років тому +9

    THATS NOT CHEETOS. JOHN GREEN HOW DARE YOU.

  • @ChrisBillig
    @ChrisBillig 10 років тому +27

    I think something is lacking in John Green's lettuce-slamming abilities. That's always how I core a head of lettuce.

    • @Ekaekto
      @Ekaekto 10 років тому +3

      Yes it does work! I do it also.

    • @eliirvin5576
      @eliirvin5576 10 років тому +8

      I have cored lettuce this way for years. Learned it from working in a restaurant where I had to prep the salad bar. This does work. :)

    • @odarbo
      @odarbo 10 років тому +5

      I do it all the time. John failed, not the hack.

  • @daveharrison84
    @daveharrison84 10 років тому +17

    if you use vodka to remove stickers then that's some very expensive sticker removal

  • @elri8792
    @elri8792 5 років тому +6

    6:05-watching in 2019 where 'They did surgery on a grape' has been a meme. Lol

  • @TrickyTrekkie47
    @TrickyTrekkie47 9 років тому +31

    Am I the only one who just now put two and two together and realized he's the same John Green who wrote Fault in our Stars?

    • @HarperNguyen
      @HarperNguyen 9 років тому

      This is indeed the man that tore our hearts out.

  • @MeepChangeling
    @MeepChangeling 10 років тому +10

    You held that lettuce wrong. As a prep-chef you hold it in one hand, core to the bottom and slam it down as if hammering a nail. The core will come right out, takes 3 seconds from grabbing the head to removing the core.

  • @blocksopiff
    @blocksopiff 10 років тому +12

    I just wanted to point out that you can core a head of lettuce with a sharp hit on a cutting board. The key is to place the cutting board on a surface that will not move. For further proof, I recommend you go to a Five Guys Burgers And Fries location and request a demonstration. This is where I learned to do it.

    • @FLORIDA_MAN_813
      @FLORIDA_MAN_813 10 років тому +3

      Anyone who has ever worked in good service would agree with you sor

    • @FLORIDA_MAN_813
      @FLORIDA_MAN_813 10 років тому

      Food*

    • @KuzkulaDemon
      @KuzkulaDemon 10 років тому

      Agreed. It's how I core my lettuce. Two hands, like you're about to pass a basketball, slam straight down, flip, rip. It's really simple.

    • @blocksopiff
      @blocksopiff 10 років тому

      Lol yeah, I had to do so much at five guys I was doing two at a time every morning

  • @al_pastorbradley8647
    @al_pastorbradley8647 9 років тому +4

    their are tabs that you push in on the sides of saran wrap and tin foil that keep the roll in

  • @rossithomas2415
    @rossithomas2415 8 років тому +6

    One who owns an eye-curler but no bottle opener should seriously reconsider own life.

    • @Rebius
      @Rebius 8 років тому

      I hope that it is meant for emergencies outside or as a party trick, not like a regular bottle opener

  • @robotnic
    @robotnic 10 років тому +11

    The cereal one definitely just changed my life.

  • @carolinareader6386
    @carolinareader6386 10 років тому +6

    I would love to see a whole episode about life hacks for cling wrap because, as you clearly know, that stuff is such a pain to get out when you actually need it

  • @just.donutssss
    @just.donutssss 5 років тому +3

    HE DID SURGERY ON A GRAPE

  • @josh18230
    @josh18230 10 років тому +4

    I have wasted so much time pulling each soda can out of the box.

  • @YiFangShen
    @YiFangShen 10 років тому +34

    The coring lettuce one does work, you just did it wrong.

    • @klioseth4336
      @klioseth4336 10 років тому +1

      It also depends on what kind of lettuce you use.

    • @ExpensiveForeigner
      @ExpensiveForeigner 10 років тому +1

      He probably needs a more sturdy surface than that table

    • @omnip0d
      @omnip0d 10 років тому +4

      It's true, I worked in a commercial kitchen and that's how we cored lettuce. 64 gallons of chopped lettuce every day!

    • @brashell61
      @brashell61 10 років тому +5

      Worked at a sandwich shop, you take the lettuce, slam the end with the knot piece on it into the counter a few times, then pull out the core with your fingers.

    • @DioJeans
      @DioJeans 10 років тому +2

      Klio Seth Yeah, you only do that with iceberg lettuce.

  • @rin_okami
    @rin_okami 10 років тому +15

    ...Come on, BREAK the spaghetti when you put it in the cupcake. Or just use toothpicks.

    • @bethisabee
      @bethisabee 10 років тому +13

      or, you know, get a circular container to put the cake in? cake tins are pretty useful....

  • @tallyh6992
    @tallyh6992 5 років тому +1

    When I was a cheerleader in high school our coach told us that the easiest way to remove deodorant from a uniform was to rub the deodorant stained portion against a clean portion of the same kind of fabric. It works with every piece of clothing I’ve tried it on.

  • @kymcarter589
    @kymcarter589 10 років тому +14

    In Australia we sell square cheese for sandwiches.

    • @totally_not_a_bot
      @totally_not_a_bot 10 років тому +1

      Most good cheese comes in rectangular logs these days, actually. The roundness thing is purely American. I think it has to do with the fact that those thousand-dollar wheels of cheese are, well, round.

    • @val310
      @val310 9 років тому +3

      Only provolone is usually corcular

    • @mila9909
      @mila9909 9 років тому +4

      In europé too

    • @JosephWheeler14
      @JosephWheeler14 9 років тому +1

      Timothy Warner Square cheese is most definitely a thing here in the States.

    • @BBall0027
      @BBall0027 9 років тому

      In America, we have square and circular cheese.

  • @Lutranereis
    @Lutranereis 10 років тому +12

    Coring lettuce by hitting it on a table is certainly a pass as I have been doing that since I was a child. It only works for Iceberg lettuce though.

  • @NewFrambian
    @NewFrambian 10 років тому +17

    Having worked in the resturant biz, yes John you can core lettuce by thumping it on a table but the prefered method is whacking it with the heel of your hand then twist out the core. How, you ask, can I be so sure? A case of lettuce into salad at least twice a week for about eleven years. You tried to crush it. Too hard. More like bouncing a ball. Try again.

    • @NoggleBaum
      @NoggleBaum 10 років тому +3

      I also have cored 100's of cases of iceburg this way. Your failed failed John.

  • @yetanother9127
    @yetanother9127 9 років тому +56

    Everyone who's saying that John is doing the lifehacks wrong: If a smart guy like John isn't able to understand it right off the bat, it probably isn't explained well enough to work. Don't blame John, blame the people who wrote the lifehacks.

    • @davidhart6731
      @davidhart6731 9 років тому +9

      If John is so smart, why is it that I can find the correct instructions for the candle hack in 30 seconds. Hint, you need to print or create the design on tissue paper which goes under the wax paper and bonds to the candle with heat. He, somehow, found the only one that is missing this key step. agirlinparadise.blogspot.com/2011/01/transferring-ink-to-candles.html

    • @kindlethumper
      @kindlethumper 9 років тому +13

      Sorry, I love many of his videos but he didn't put the effort in here. Many of the hacks were so easy but he got them wrong anyway. My daughter, who isn't old enough to drive, was able to debunk some of his debunks. By the time the cupcake-spaghetti hack came up she was ready to walk away.

    • @tdelbruegge
      @tdelbruegge 9 років тому +3

      who said this guy was smart?

    • @yetanother9127
      @yetanother9127 9 років тому +4

      Tammy Delbruegge His thousands of fans did.

    • @justintruong4710
      @justintruong4710 9 років тому +1

      Tammy Delbruegge Alot of people. ALOT, of people. He is a novelist and works for a magazine/youtube channel that is based off of disproving/proving misconceptions and overall knowledge of global general trivia. I would say he is smart.

  • @tourofvenice
    @tourofvenice 9 років тому

    "Mark,I thought you said these came from the internet" lol I love this guy

  • @KpopFreakMike
    @KpopFreakMike 10 років тому +17

    I always empty the whole bag of popcorn into a bowl and use only my tongue to pick those delicious bastards. Like an anteater.
    Look ma, no hands!

  • @Pooua
    @Pooua 10 років тому +9

    John should not have given up so quickly on the de-coring lettuce hack. That's actually how those guys in the Chinese restaurants de-core heads of lettuce. I learned to do that, I think, when I worked in an eggroll factory, about 27 years ago. Or, maybe that was cabbage...

  • @thehunter6314
    @thehunter6314 8 років тому +21

    Is it just me who keeps hearing menopause instead of mental floss

  • @sunlitweb
    @sunlitweb 8 років тому +2

    The lettuce head works, you need to stand up and slam it directly down onto a cutting board. It breaks the hard middle out of the lettuce head and you just pull it out. Been doing that for years.

  • @madisonkoslowski1330
    @madisonkoslowski1330 10 років тому +21

    he doesn't seem like the type of guy to murder Agustus Waters

    • @KpopIsWonderful
      @KpopIsWonderful 10 років тому +2

      Best. Comment. Ever!

    • @jaimelannister6463
      @jaimelannister6463 10 років тому

      I don't get it, isn't Agustus waters a book character who was a basketball player and is an amputee?

    • @azoj777
      @azoj777 10 років тому

      Jaime Lannister Yes. John Green is the author of "The Fault in Our Stars", and as Augustus dies in the book, many of us like to say that he "murdered" him. Of course, John has a different response to it, but still.

  • @WannabeBackbencher
    @WannabeBackbencher 10 років тому +9

    That awkward moment when John Green inadvertently makes you feel bad about literally licking the fake butter stuff off the side of the popcorn bag when you're done eating the popcorn

    • @snowdayplease
      @snowdayplease 10 років тому +1

      Oh thank goodness I'm not the only one that does that.

  • @JonMendez129
    @JonMendez129 Місяць тому

    Still rewatching this video 10 years later

  • @viviana_s
    @viviana_s 10 років тому +2

    Props to Meredith for cutting up that tennis ball.

  • @happyorangejuce
    @happyorangejuce 10 років тому +3

    "Can you store a bagel in an old CD spindle?"

  • @StormiidaeBlogspot
    @StormiidaeBlogspot 10 років тому +15

    silly John, you did the lettuce wrong. Us cooks have been using the slam method since before Rome fell:-)

  • @SciPunk215
    @SciPunk215 4 роки тому

    6 years in the future, I finally get around to watching these videos.
    The one hack that I know for a fact works, he gives a fail... I worked in a kitchen and cored thousands of heads of lettuce by slamming them on the table.

  • @origamirock
    @origamirock 6 років тому

    I love watching old videos and seeing John look like a teenager

  • @qawamity
    @qawamity 10 років тому +5

    Number 20: You could use rubber bands as well. The key is that the rubbery material does not slide easily and allows more efficient transfer of force.

  • @pigcatapult
    @pigcatapult 10 років тому +12

    Apple sauce cups are so shallow you shouldn't need a spoon. That is what your tongue is for.

  • @miaallen6119
    @miaallen6119 5 років тому +2

    5:55 they did surgery on a grape

  • @JimmyHadTheSquadLaughing
    @JimmyHadTheSquadLaughing 5 років тому +4

    6:05 THEY DID SURGERY ON A GRAPE

  • @tricksock
    @tricksock 10 років тому +5

    I burst out laughing when he started sifting his cereal through a strainer. I can't imagine anyone actually taking the time to sift their cereal. So funny

    • @VapidVulpes
      @VapidVulpes 10 років тому

      even more importantly, why in gods name is he wasting the crumbs?! That's where all the heavenly sugary goodness resides.

    • @jaytyme9324
      @jaytyme9324 10 років тому

      lock Lynch I always save my cereal crumbs to add to baking projects. So I sift them each time and add to various cakes I make.

  • @Leubast
    @Leubast 10 років тому +18

    Pretty much everything he "Failed" I and most other people I know have done with ease.
    And most of these "Life Hacks" are nothing but common sense, which I guess is a superpower now a days.

    • @useyourshoe
      @useyourshoe 10 років тому +4

      Working at a restaurant, I can confirm that coring a head of lettuce by slamming it works very well, and the spaghetti thing he does shortly after would work if he made the spaghetti shorter.

    • @zeerinianu
      @zeerinianu 10 років тому

      Mike Jonasson
      Yes! I worked in a cafeteria for two years and we all cored lettuce by slamming it onto a cutting board.

  • @Lilzero2007
    @Lilzero2007 3 роки тому

    I completely forgot this was a channel!! This hit me in the nostalgia hard! I miss the old days and my old sub feed! So many old channels I loved are just defunct now

  • @GarryDumblowski
    @GarryDumblowski 7 років тому

    You say we're past the over 21 part and then test a life hack that requires vodka. Nice job, John.

  • @chopperhead2012
    @chopperhead2012 10 років тому +10

    I feel like if you add some baking soda to that "paint" you could have some decent play-doh

    • @xXGraybellxX
      @xXGraybellxX 10 років тому +1

      It's actually a pretty common method to make home-made playdough

  • @thefrugalcrafter
    @thefrugalcrafter 10 років тому +140

    hahaha:) I core lettuce like that and it works for me:)

    • @MsRightseeksMrRight
      @MsRightseeksMrRight 10 років тому +4

      Mental Floss thefrugalcrafter . if you bang the core on your sink divider on the side of the core, works everytime and you wont get hurt, lol :D

    • @The_Blake_Update
      @The_Blake_Update 10 років тому +3

      Yea same for me, only doesnt work sometimes.

    • @UnfoundHopes
      @UnfoundHopes 10 років тому +4

      Yeah, that one really works though I somehow knew he was going to hurt himself trying it.

    • @bobcarrillo3
      @bobcarrillo3 10 років тому +3

      yep, the lettuce thing works.

    • @Soundslikematt
      @Soundslikematt 10 років тому +8

      I core lettuce by shoving my hand in and ripping it out. It's super easy because it's lettuce but still makes me feel super manly =D

  • @JazzminHolly
    @JazzminHolly 9 років тому +2

    I think a lot of these life hacks are subjective, depends on how they're done, time, and the person doing them. John here did some of the hacks wrong by either not waiting long enough to get the stated result (which many people do, no worries!) or not doing the hack exactly the way it was intended. It doesn't make him less-smart, or anyone else more-smart, its just that the purpose of these life hacks are supposed to help people in their daily lives, so that's all that really matters. We don't know what situations people are going through, some are having financial problems, some are college students, some have disabilites that limit their movements, and some just want an easier way to do things they already do. Regardless of what it is, each of these hacks work for SOMEBODY so there's no point in calling them "stupid" or useless, they aren't meant to be beneficial for every single person so chill out guys.

  • @SnakeMan448
    @SnakeMan448 9 років тому +7

    Using an eyelash curler or some bizarre laptop charger to open a bottle.
    Yeah, it's cool to show you can do it, but why not use a bottle opener? Something designed for the purpose, by being sturdy and providing an appropriate lever? Who needs a life hack that makes it harder?

    • @connorgreen6924
      @connorgreen6924 9 років тому

      Actually the charger was from Mac and he took off a part

    • @LarrytheGoblin
      @LarrytheGoblin 9 років тому

      Well its for the people who don't have or can't find a bottle opener that why

    • @SnakeMan448
      @SnakeMan448 9 років тому

      Selena Olsen Oh, those cheap and plentiful bottle openers; they even come as keyrings. I can see why people won't have those, but can damage their laptop chargers since those are a dime a dozen. /s

    • @LarrytheGoblin
      @LarrytheGoblin 9 років тому

      good point

    • @ravencrovax
      @ravencrovax 9 років тому

      I usually use a multi-tool to open my beer personally.

  • @Maximusrex4575
    @Maximusrex4575 10 років тому +12

    I've successfully cored a head of lettuce that way, without hurting myself. I originally got the tip from a cooking show. To be fair I was standing at a kitchen counter and had a better angle.
    Also, using the staple remover to get the keyring open enough to get the key started is way easier than using nothing, even if the key is still a bit fatter.

    • @DanThePropMan
      @DanThePropMan 10 років тому

      It also helps if your key ring isn't as dinky as the one he had.

  • @Erichev
    @Erichev 10 років тому +19

    The lettuce hack works. We do it all the time in the AF dining facility. Also, I do it at home.

    • @Teamgetout
      @Teamgetout 10 років тому +3

      Exactly. I've smashed so much lettuce that it makes me frustrated that John calls it a fail. I demand a rectification.

    • @saltytrey
      @saltytrey 10 років тому +1

      How did it fail? Because he sorta injured himself? He needed to take it a bit easier. It was a head of lettuce, not a bowling ball.

    • @Teamgetout
      @Teamgetout 10 років тому

      saltytrey I think it was because of the injury. I think his plan was to smash so hard that it actually split up into pieces right there.

    • @TheGalacticGeek
      @TheGalacticGeek 10 років тому

      Working as a restaurant manager for over 7 years who trained employees, I can vouch for the lettuce. He just overdid it.

    • @Usvada
      @Usvada 10 років тому

      My mother taught me that method of removing the lettuce core 40 years ago... it's a definite PASS. Sometimes you have to wiggle the core to encourage it.

  • @ymirkim9209
    @ymirkim9209 10 років тому +3

    ...No Humpty Dumpty was a cannon... It broke and no one was able to fix it

  • @nurselaykan3721
    @nurselaykan3721 5 років тому

    Internet: Wear a bathrobe backwards to mimic a Snuggie!
    Me: Wear a Snuggie backwards to mimic a huge bathrobe.

  • @jaytyme9324
    @jaytyme9324 10 років тому +6

    The coring of the lettuce is something I always do. The thing is, if you hit it as hard as you have done, it doesn't work. Light force is recommended. At most two times is needed.

  • @Yullenator
    @Yullenator 10 років тому +14

    I feel like most of these could have been accomplished had he just tried harder or did it properly.

  • @perturabo7825
    @perturabo7825 5 років тому +4

    Holy Shit! He literally performed surgery on a grape before it was cool!

  • @reviews4you50
    @reviews4you50 5 років тому +3

    Mental floss predicted surgery on a grape!

  • @stiegmusic
    @stiegmusic 10 років тому +26

    Why not just eat the popcorn out of a bowl?

    • @caitlin_w
      @caitlin_w 10 років тому +3

      Some people don't have a bowl that's big enough to eat it out of. I mean, I'm in college and I not only don't have a bowl big enough but I also don't have room in my dorm to store a bowl that big.
      Plus, laziness.

    • @ThePokeman92
      @ThePokeman92 10 років тому +2

      Because that's too simple to be a life hack, apparently...

    • @stiegmusic
      @stiegmusic 10 років тому +1

      Just put it on a bloody shelf or something..

    • @caitlin_w
      @caitlin_w 10 років тому +5

      ***** I'm sorry, but clearly you have not seen dorm rooms before, at least not ones like mine. If there were shelf space, don't you think I would use it?

    • @kbam2626
      @kbam2626 10 років тому +3

      I don't because I don't like to do dishes when I don't have to.

  • @Unsensitive
    @Unsensitive 10 років тому +8

    Coring lettuce works by slamming it on a cutting board. but you need firm crisp lettuce, such as iceberg. Boston leaf lettuce, not so much

  • @theshep64
    @theshep64 4 роки тому

    It's kind of amazing how many of these are actually more difficult than the normal way.

  • @Benducational
    @Benducational 5 років тому +6

    6:05 he did surgery on a grape

  • @travisp.8404
    @travisp.8404 10 років тому +10

    I always core my lettuce by slamming it on my cutting board. Just slam once or twice, grab and pull it out.

  • @starrbright1494
    @starrbright1494 10 років тому +9

    I've been coring lettuce by banging it on the core for 45 years. You don't mash it as hard as you can, just a solid bang with the core on the counter/cutting board.

    • @MrJoeTre
      @MrJoeTre 10 років тому

      I was hoping someone else does that, too. It's like he didn't even try or care.

    • @worhollives
      @worhollives 10 років тому +1

      A life hack is supposed to be easy to do. If someone who has never done it before can't figure it out in a few minutes, it's not a lifehack. Thus why it failed.

    • @ToddAndrews
      @ToddAndrews 10 років тому

      I'm guessing it was because he didn't have iceberg lettuce. This is a life skill that my mom taught me. I was 8 and could manage it.

    • @kushasaures
      @kushasaures 10 років тому

      worhollives It failed because was sitting down... You are supposed to be standing, you need the downward force... especially if your his size. That one is a fail on his behalf... it does it fact work just fine for 99% of the population.

  • @shyvicki
    @shyvicki 10 років тому +1

    Using a staple remover on a key ring does work. I do it all the time. Also, you're suppose to put the envelope in the refrigerator, not freezer. I have yet to try it myself to see if it works.

  • @nurnberghossnuggets1559
    @nurnberghossnuggets1559 4 роки тому

    The lettuce coring works. I did it at Father's to prep salad. You don't squish it, you just slam the bottom/stem part. It mostly comes out nicely.