Manipulation is generally a bad skill to use to get what you want, but sometimes it's justifiable when you have a noble cause. Perhaps you're trying to get someone to live a healthier lifestyle or enjoy an activity with you. When other tactics fail you and it's time to resort to a little manipulative behaviour, here are some tricks you can use to get what you want without being completely abandoning your ethics.

Some days you just don't have the time or energy to get your 10,000 recommended steps in. These tricks won't help you keep active, but they will make sure you keep your numbers up.

Nothing makes a flight more uncomfortable than someone blocking off access to your armrests. Fear not, traveller, there is a way to stake your claim and keep what's yours.

The "KeySweeper" is a tiny, Arduino-powered wireless sniffer that captures data sent by your wireless keyboard to its receiver. That's right -- it's a keylogger, and it doesn't have to be plugged into your computer to work.

Whether you're trying to catch an intruder or give someone a good scare, you can build this simple tripwire alarm in only a few minutes.

Flatulence is perfectly natural, but when it happens in public, you'd do anything to avoid the embarrassment. Whether they're silent and deadly or loud and proud, here are the most dastardly ways to pass gas around others and slip away like a fart ninja.

If you've been kidnapped, held hostage, or you're just looking to become a magician, you can learn how to break out of handcuffs. This video demonstrates how to do so with a standard paperclip.

We're all for productivity, but some days you just need to find a way to de-stress and relax a little bit. Unfortunately, goofing off at work makes you look bad and can get you in a lot of trouble. Here are some ways you can pass the time on a slow day and keep Sauron's eye off of you.

Maybe you often lock yourself out of your own house, or perhaps you just want to learn how to pick locks to get a better understanding of security. If you don't have a set of picks handy, Instructables user hailtothkngbby shows us how to make one using the underwire in a bra.

Talking with strangers on the bus is a great way to learn about the world, but sometimes you just want to shut yourself off. Wired has outlined some tactics you can use to keep the seat next to you empty.

I can't decide if this is a sensibly frugal idea, a borderline criminal activity or an environmental scandal. Judge for yourself.

If you ever forget the combination to your bike lock, here's how to open the lock -- without any tools required. A word to the wise: You might also consider getting a more secure kind of lock for your bike.

Almost all consumer based industries punish loyalty and reward tyranny. 'New' customers get amazing deals that existing customers are not eligible for. As a consumer, you can put up with this -- or you can work the system to get the best results. Here are my ten key negotiating strategies.

I'm not entirely convinced that this is a wise idea, but apparently it happened. Technology entrepreneur Ruslan Kogan says that if you're having business meetings in China, taping them and having them translated online can sometimes give you an edge in negotiations.

Watch theft isn't exactly as rampant as it used to be, but if you're worried that someone might steal yours magician Alex Stone shows off exactly how he does it (and thieves as well) over on the Wall Street Journal.

It's great that cafes offer free Wi-Fi to customers, but many are starting to employ time limits to restrict how long you spend in their establishments. If you want to hang out longer than allowed, these time limits aren't that hard to circumvent. According to security expert Brandon Gregg, you just need to spoof your MAC address.

Many home invaders and kidnappers use heavy-duty zip ties to keep victims restrained. If you replace your existing shoelaces with paracord, you can use the paracord to form a friction saw that will cut through the zip ties.

Everyone is capable of being a jerk now and then, but a select few seem to make it a lifelong career. Perhaps it's an undermining coworker, a jealous friend, or a controlling boss that's the source of your frequent emotional abuse. Regardless of the situation, it's time to put a stop to it now. Here's what to do.

While it's pretty unlikely that you're a target of deliberate brainwashing, you probably have been subjected to some of the common techniques associated with the less-than-ethical practice. Here are a few common methods you encounter on a regular basis and what you can do to avoid them.