INTERESTING FACTS.

Google Shortcut 101 ( Google Tricks)

2014-09-18T07:37:00.002-07:00

How To Use Text Effects (bold, italics) In Google Plus Posts

2014-07-31T15:21:00.000-07:00

- Bold text in google plus
To make your post appear in bold characters, you only need to put an asterisk (*) before and after your post. *how to post google plus update with bold text* will appear as how to post google plus update with bold text.

- Italics text in google plus
To have your post appear in italics, put an underscore (_)before and after your text. For example, _how to use italics text effect in google plus_ will appear as how to use italics text effect in google plus.

- Strikethrough text in google plus
To do this, just put a hyphen before and after your text. For exampe, -update my google plus status with strikethrough text- will appear as ~~update my google plus status with strikethrough text~~

- Some Combinations?
Oh yeah, you can definitely do some combo like writing your post in bold italics. You just need to start and end your update with a hyphen and an asterisk. For example, *-google plus text effect-* will appear as google plus text effect.

share this post if it helps.

STUDENT WITH SPECIAL SKILLS(SWISS)

2014-05-21T00:51:00.001-07:00

University of Port-Harcourt

has finally vomited its skills, some group of student in the institution brought out a group SWISS, whose main focus is to give jobs to student and in turn pay the students after each work.....If you are a student of UNIPORT this is a great opportunity for you to stand on your own and hit the Jack pot with your acquired skills ...
DOWNLOAD THE FORM HERE

WHY RED AND GREEN ARE CHRISTMAS COLORS.

2013-12-24T14:55:00.002-08:00

Why red and green are Christmas colors, you might have thought about this but as we know each Topic of life has different stories attached to it..

'' Some Say, that Red is for the Blood of Christ that flowed from Him to save you from you sins,and, green is the
new life you receive when you ask God to forgive you of you sins.
Gold for the streets of gold you will walk as a lover of God and a Christian-washed in Blood of the Lamb-all of your sins washed away and you are clean and Holy.
Wonderful!''(Almost Every one thinks so)

Sorry, but the above answers are wrong. Our tradition of decorating with bows of Holly and pine trees and so forth is an ancient pagan tradition for celebrating the Winter Solstice on Dec 23 - 24. These traditions were continued after most of Europe adopted Christianity.

The green celebrates nature and the coming of Spring. The bows of Holly (real ones) have red berries on them. The gold was added later - it looks really cool with the other colors - when used in moderation - and adds a royal or regal touch to the decorations.

Don't get me wrong - I love Christmas, what it stands for (Peace on Earth, Good Will to all men), and the decorations. Just keeping it real by telling you the truth behind the dates and its colors.

COLLECTING RAINWATER NOW ILLEGAL.

2013-11-28T10:01:00.003-08:00

As bizarre as it sounds, laws restricting property owners from "diverting" water that falls on their own homes and land have been on the books for quite some time in many Western states. Only recently, as droughts and renewed interest in water conservation methods have become more common, have individuals and business owners started butting heads with law enforcement over the practice of collecting rainwater for personal use.

In Colorado, USA, two new laws were recently passed that exempt certain small-scale rainwater collection systems, like the kind people might install on their homes, from collection restrictions.
In Colorado, you need state permission to collect rain water that falls from the sky. Even if its on your own property.

Prior to the passage of these laws, Douglas County, Colorado, conducted a study on how rainwater collection affects aquifer and groundwater supplies. The study revealed that letting people collect rainwater on their properties actually reduces demand from water facilities and improves conservation.

Personally, I don't think a study was even necessary to come to this obvious conclusion. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that using rainwater instead of tap water is a smart and useful way to conserve this valuable resource, especially in areas where drought is a major concern.

E.g of an illegal collection of water.

WHY PIG ROLL AROUND IN MUD

2013-11-28T09:47:00.003-08:00

Do you know why when you move outside you see pigs very dirty and stinky, but happy.

Pigs get sunburned and roll around in mud to protect their skin from the scotching sun, so the mud rolling and dirty body are just adaptive way to stay alive....

CLEAN PIGS.

JUST SMILE AND YOUR REFRIGERATOR OPENS...

2013-11-24T09:26:00.000-08:00

Scientists are creating a refrigerator that opens up when it's owner stands in front of it and smiles.

So imagine youself smiling to that fridge of yours and it opens wide, what a great fun it will be, start the practice today by smiling at your refrigerator at home**

SALIVA PREVENTS YOUR TEETH FROM DECAYING.

2013-11-24T08:56:00.001-08:00

If it weren't for saliva, the acid in your mouth would rot away your teeth.

ROTTEN TEETH DUE TO SALIVA DISORDER.

CHARGE YOUR MOBILE PHONES USING YOUR URINE.

2013-11-23T11:48:00.004-08:00

Pee power or Urine Power! In a world first, UK scientists claim to have developed a novel method to charge mobile phones - using human urine.

Scientists working at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory have described the "breakthrough" finding of charging cell phones using urine as the power source to generate electricity.
"We are very excited as this is a world first, no-one has harnessed power from urine to do this so it's an exciting discovery. Using the ultimate waste product as a source of power to produce electricity is about as eco as it gets," Dr Ioannis Ieropoulos from University of the West of England (UWE), Bristol, an expert at harnessing power from unusual sources using microbial fuel cells, said.
"One product that we can be sure of an unending supply is our own urine. By harnessing this power as urine passes through a cascade of microbial fuel cells (MFCs), we have managed to charge a mobile phone. The beauty of this fuel source is that we are not relying on the erratic nature of the wind or the Sun, we are actually re-using waste to create energy," said Ieropoulos.

Get Yours Now: Order one here

GIANT MUSHROOMS.

2013-11-23T11:31:00.002-08:00

Before trees were common, the earth was covered in giant mushrooms.

CAN A HIPPOPOTAMUS CAN RUN FASTER THAN A MAN?

2013-11-23T11:26:00.001-08:00

A Hippo can run from 18 mph / 30 khm; to 30 mph / 50 khm and the “Average Human” can run between 14 and 27 mph (Olympic sprinters ignored for the purposes of this question) – so the answer would be that a Hippo can, on average, outrun a human.

5 THINGS YOU NEVER KNEW GOOGLE COULD DO.

2013-10-24T12:13:00.001-07:00

1. Do a Barrel Roll

You can make your Google page roll on end by entering the phrase “do a barrel roll” into the search box and hitting enter. It’s a fun reference to the classic video game Star Fox!

2. Track a Flight

Just enter the desired airline and flight number into Google's search box and instantly see the arrival and departure times right in the results. Now you can keep up-to-date with any flight without having to constantly check the airline's website.

3. Fly Using Google Earth

Visit Google Earth, press CTRL + Alt + A (Command + Option + A for Mac), choose your aircraft, and fly! You can even simulate flying an F16 Fighter Jet. Click here to learn the flight controls.

4.Track Packages

Just enter any package tracking number into Google to see exactly where it is. Now there’s no need to log in to the USPS, UPS, or FedEx website!

5. Synonym Search With a Tilde

Adding a tilde (~) to your search terms will tell Google to include any related search terms or synonyms you may have missed. This improves your results page and can help find exactly what you’re looking for.

$65,000,000 TO ANY MAN ABLE TO WOO MY LESBIAN DAUGHTER.

2013-10-21T03:04:00.001-07:00

A Hong Kong billionaire has offered $65,000,000 to any man able to woo and marry his lesbian daughter.

Choa and His Daughter Gigi.

Chao, 76, a Hong Kong real estate magnate, made headlines late last year when news reports quoted him as saying he would offer $500 million Hong Kong dollars -- $65 million in U.S. cash -- to a successful male suitor for Gigi Chao, one of Cecil Chao's three children.

Since the announcement, offers from men around the world have come pouring in, but the tycoon's daughter isn't interested.

Gigi Chao, 33, has been in a relationship with a woman, Sean Eav, for eight years. The pair made it official in a church ceremony in Paris earlier this year.

Gigi Chao said she broke the news of the Paris ceremony to her father in June.

"He was surprised and unpleasantly shocked by it," she recalled. She said her father also urged her not to make the news public, but word leaked out when a tabloid reporter asked Eav in September when the two would be married. Eav told the reporter the couple was already married.

Meanwhile, Cecil Chao questioned the validity of his daughter's marriage.

"I explained to him that it's (by) no means legal, and it's a church ceremony -- a church blessing," Gigi Chao said. "And so, he found it necessary to make an announcement that, 'My daughter is, in fact, not married, she's still single.'"

But Cecil Chao then went a step further.

While "the reporters had their mikes in his face, he just kind of goes, 'No. No, she's not homosexual. She's not-- she doesn't have gay tendencies. She's not married. In fact, I'm trying to find a husband for her. Why don't you guys try to help me. I'll offer 500 million,'" Gigi Chao said.

Long time watchers of Cecil Chao, a staple of Hong Kong tabloids for years, may find his sudden championing of marriage surprising. Chao himself has never married. He fathered his three children with three different women and has boasted of sleeping with more than 10,000 women.

Nonetheless, he said he wants a "normal family life" for his daughter.

Cecil Chao said his only criteria for a male suitor is that Gigi Chao must love him, and that he must like Gigi.

Though nothing, he added, will ever change his love for his daughter, he said he never wants to meet the woman that Gigi Chao calls her "life partner."

The tension over Gigi Chao's love life notwithstanding, the Chaos have maintained their father-daughter relationship.

"I am happy. And he knows I am happy," she said. "He just wants me to be more happy."

The Offer is still on you can be that lucky Man....

10 MOST ADDICTIVE SUBSTANCE.

2013-10-16T08:35:00.002-07:00

1. Cell Phone Addiction
Cell phones are a great way to keep in touch with other people, but when a person is constantly sending text messages through this piece of technology, it can become problematic. Cell phone addiction has been identified as a problem among tweens and teens in Japan. In some cases, young people are spending hours at a time exchanging messages with friends.

2. E-mail Addiction
Checking your e-mail more than once an hour may be a sign of e-mail addiction. If your e-mail use interferes with your regular life, then that is another indication that e-mail addiction has crept into your life.

3. eBay Addiction
eBay is a popular place for online shoppers to purchase just about anything they want. Some people find that they get a rush or a high from being the person who wins the bidding to get items available for sale on eBay and other Internet auction sites. They may adjust their daily routine so that they can log in during the final few minutes of an auction to place the winning bid.

4. Online Gambling Addiction
Online gambling can be an enjoyable way to pass the time and win some money. For some people, this hobby becomes an obsession and they are unable to stop gambling online. This form of addiction can have serious personal and financial consequences if the individual doesn't get appropriate treatment.

5. Internet Addiction
A person who is addicted to using the Internet may spend hours each day online. Some people who live with this type of addiction use their time spent online to surf the Internet to visit a number of web sites to collect information on a variety of topics. They may not actually need the information; the exercise is more of an obsession with finding bits of knowledge online.

6. Cybersex Addiction
Cybersex is sex talk through the computer. Participants type in messages and share fantasies. One or both participants would likely masturbate while doing so. This type of activity doesn't carry risk of pregnancy or contracting a sexually transmitted disease, and some people don't consider if to be cheating (but others do). An addict spends a lot of time either engaging in or planning their next cybersex encounter, to the detriment of having an intimate relationship with a partner they can actually be in physical contact with.

7. Online Pornography Addiction
Erotic images are readily available online, and simply viewing them from time to time is not the sign of an addiction. The test of whether an activity has crossed the line to become an addiction is whether it interferes with your daily activities. If you get to the point where a good portion of your waking hours are spent viewing online porn, thinking about it, or planning your next session of looking at porn, you may have an online pornography addiction.

8. TV Addiction
Have you ever thought that you spend too much time watching TV? This is an enjoyable pastime for many people, but if you find yourself planning your time around being able to watch TV, this can be a cause for concern.

9. Exercise Addiction
We know that being physically active is a good thing. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins, the body's "feel good" hormones. For some people, the rush they get from exercising turns into an addiction.

10. Prescription Drug Addiction
Not all drug addicts use illegal substances. Being addicted to prescription medications may seem to be a little more "respectable" than using illegal drugs, but an addiction is still an addiction.

BRAIN EXERCISE!!

2013-10-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

Exercise of the brain is as important as exercise of the muscles. As we grow older, it's important that we keep mentally alert.
Below is a very private way to gage your loss or non-loss of intelligence. So take the following test presented here and determine if you are losing it or are still a MENSA candidate. OK, relax, clear your mind and . . . begin.
1. What do you put in a toaster?
The answer is bread. If you said "toast", then give up now and go do something else. Try not to hurt yourself. If you said, "bread", go to question 2.
2. Say "silk" five times. Now spell "silk". What do cows drink?
Answer: Cows drink water. If you said "milk", please do not attempt the next question. Your brain is obviously overstressed and may even overheat. It may be that you need to content yourself with reading something more appropriate such as "Children's World". If you said, "water" then proceed to question three.
3. If a red house is made from red bricks and a blue house is made from blue bricks and a pink house is made from pink bricks and a black house is made from black bricks, what is a greenhouse made from?
Answer: Greenhouses are made from glass. If you said "green bricks", what the heck are you still doing here reading these questions? If you said "glass", then go on to question four.
4. Twenty years ago, a plane is flying at 20,000 feet over Germany. If you will recall, Germany at the time was politically divided into West Germany and East Germany. Anyway, during the flight, TWO of the engines fail. The pilot, realizing that the last remaining engine is also failing, decides on a crash landing procedure. Unfortunately the engine fails before he has time and the plane crashes smack in the middle of "no man's land" between East Germany and West Germany. Where would you bury the survivors - East Germany or West Germany or in "no man's land"?
Answer: You don't, of course, bury survivors. If you said ANYTHING else, you are a real dunce and you must NEVER try to rescue anyone from a plane crash. Your efforts would not be appreciated. If you said, "Don't bury the survivors" then proceed to the next question.
5. If the hour hand on a clock moves 1/60th of a degree every minute then how many degrees will the hour hand move in one hour? Answer: One degree. If you said "360 degrees" or anything other than "one degree", you are to be congratulated on getting this far, but you are obviously out of your league. Turn your pencil in and exit the room. Everyone else proceed to the final question.
6. Without using a calculator - You are driving a bus from London to Milford Haven in Wales. In London, 17 people get on the bus. In Reading, six people get off the bus and nine people get on. In Swindon, two people get off and four get on. In Cardiff, 11 people get off and 16 people get on. In Swansea, three people get off and five people get on. In Carmathen, six people get off and three get on. You then arrive at Milford Haven. What was the name of the bus driver?
Answer: Oh, for heaven sake! It was YOU, Read the first line!!!
The saying: "If you don't use it, you will lose it" also applies to the brain.

20 Incredibly Camouflaged Animals.

2013-10-07T05:20:00.000-07:00

Back in biology you are taught that all creatures evolve to survive. Whether they are predator or prey, camouflage is essential.
Unfortunately the exam didn't involve any spot-the-animal-in-this-photograph questions which is why we bring them to you now for maximum procrastination, courtesy of the amazing Art Wolfe.
And yes, that is his actual name. It's like his parents just knew what he would grow up to become.

1. California Ground Squirrel

2. Cheetah

3. Blue-Crowned Parrot

4. Common Snipe

5. Giraffe

6. Coyote

7. Blue Dacnis

8. Horned Adder

9. Willow Ptarmigan

10. Caiman

11. Great Horned Owl

12. American Pika

13. Gyrfalcon

14. Impala

15. Klipspringers

16. Nighthawk

17. Leopard

18. Spotted Deer

19. Wandering Tattler

20. Wolf

posted made by Amelia Vincent
Adapted form Student beans.com

10 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT OCEANS.(INFOGRAPHICS)

2013-10-06T10:49:00.003-07:00

Amazing Facts About Animals.

2013-10-05T13:25:00.001-07:00

1.Housefly

Houseflies don’t allow their short lifespans (14 days) to hinder their musical abilities. They always hum in the key of F.

2.Ostrich

Ostriches can run faster than horses, and the male ostriches can roar like lions.

3. Bat

Bats are the only mammals that can fly, but wouldn’t it be awesome if humans could fly too?

4.Kangaroo

Kangaroos use their tails for balance, so if you lift a kangaroo’s tail off the ground, it can’t hop.

5. Spider

On average, there are 50,000 spiders per acre in green areas. Bet you’ll think twice before going outside now – unless you’re this guy.

6. Tiger

Tigers not only have stripes on their fur, they also have them on their skin. No two tigers ever have the same stripes.

7. Crocodile

Here’s a tidbit that might be useful if you plan on becoming the next Steve Irwin: To escape the grip of a crocodile’s jaw, push your thumb into its eyeball – It will let you go instantly.

8.Flea

Fleas can jump up to 200 times their height. This is equivalent to a man jumping the Empire State Building in New York.

9.Cat

A cat has 32 muscles in each ear. All the better for them to eavesdrop on your conversations and plot your demise.

10.Elephant

Elephants can smell water up to 3 miles away. They are also one of the three mammals that undergo menopause – the other two being humpback whales and human females.

11.Koala

Koala bears almost exclusively eat only eucalyptus leaves and nothing else.

12.Beaver

Because beavers’ teeth never stop growing, they must constantly gnaw on objects to keep them at a manageable length. Their teeth would eventually grow into their brain if they didn’t maintain them.

13.Ant

Beware an ant uprising! There are one million ants for every human in the world. These resilient creatures also never sleep and do not have lungs.

14.Oyster

Oysters can change gender depending on which is best for mating. Talk about successful adaptation.

15.Butterfly

Butterflies have two compound eyes consisting of thousands of lenses, yet they can only see the colors red, green and yellow.

Feed your Brain With Facts.

2013-10-02T06:56:00.000-07:00

Why Turkeys are Called Turkeys

In the 16th century, when North American turkeys were first introduced in-mass to Europe, there was another bird that was popularly imported throughout Europe and, most relevant to this article, England, called a guinea fowl. This guinea fowl was imported from Madagascar via the Ottoman Empire. The merchants who did this were, thus, known as “turkey merchants”. The guinea fowl themselves eventually were popularly referred to as “turkey fowl”, similar to how other product imported through the Ottoman Empire acquired their names, such as “turkey corn”, “turkey wheat”, etc…. (more)

The Engineer Who Bought Over 12,100Cups of Pudding to Earn 1.25 Million Air Miles

Air Miles are awesome, they can be used to score free flights, hotel stays and if you’re really lucky, the scorn and hatred of everyone you come in contact with who has to pay full price when they travel. The king of all virtually free travelers is one David Phillips, a civil engineer who teaches at the University of California, Davis. David came to the attention of the wider media when he managed to convert about 12,150 cups of Healthy Choice chocolate pudding into over a million Air Miles… (more)

Buzkashi: The National Sport of Afghanistan Played with a Headless Animal Carcass

Beloved by Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgz, Kazakhs, Pashtuns and Turkmens as well as Afghans, the equestrian sport known as Kokpar or Buzkashi is a rugged, and traditionally extremely violent, game similar to polo with one surprising twist; rather than hitting a ball with mallets toward a goal, players vie for control of a headless animal carcass. While at first glance this may seem a tad barbaric, it’s really not all that strange when you consider footballs used to be made with pig bladders and baseballs are covered… (more)

Handling a Baby Bird Will Not Cause the Parent Birds to Reject It

You’ll often hear this myth stated that if you touch a baby bird, the parents will completely abandon it and it will die. In fact, most birds have a very poor sense of smell, so in most cases are unable to even notice human scent on baby birds (even a skunk’s spray doesn’t seem to bother many types of birds). Not only that, but most types of birds aren’t so quick to abandon their young when they sense danger. Some types will even do their best to defend… (more)

Why Turkeys are Called Turkeys
In the 16th century, when North American turkeys were first introduced in-mass to Europe, there was another bird that was popularly imported throughout Europe and, most relevant to this article, England, called a guinea fowl. This guinea fowl was imported from Madagascar via the Ottoman Empire. The merchants who did this were, thus, known as “turkey merchants”. The guinea fowl themselves eventually were popularly referred to as “turkey fowl”, similar to how other product imported through the Ottoman Empire acquired their names, such as “turkey corn”, “turkey wheat”, etc…. (more)
The Engineer Who Bought Over 12,100 Cups of Pudding to Earn 1.25 Million Air Miles
Air Miles are awesome, they can be used to score free flights, hotel stays and if you’re really lucky, the scorn and hatred of everyone you come in contact with who has to pay full price when they travel. The king of all virtually free travelers is one David Phillips, a civil engineer who teaches at the University of California, Davis. David came to the attention of the wider media when he managed to convert about 12,150 cups of Healthy Choice chocolate pudding into over a million Air Miles… (more)
Buzkashi: The National Sport of Afghanistan Played with a Headless Animal Carcass
Beloved by Uzbeks, Tajiks, Kyrgz, Kazakhs, Pashtuns and Turkmens as well as Afghans, the equestrian sport known as Kokpar or Buzkashi is a rugged, and traditionally extremely violent, game similar to polo with one surprising twist; rather than hitting a ball with mallets toward a goal, players vie for control of a headless animal carcass. While at first glance this may seem a tad barbaric, it’s really not all that strange when you consider footballs used to be made with pig bladders and baseballs are covered… (more)
Handling a Baby Bird Will Not Cause the Parent Birds to Reject It
You’ll often hear this myth stated that if you touch a baby bird, the parents will completely abandon it and it will die. In fact, most birds have a very poor sense of smell, so in most cases are unable to even notice human scent on baby birds (even a skunk’s spray doesn’t seem to bother many types of birds). Not only that, but most types of birds aren’t so quick to abandon their young when they sense danger. Some types will even do their best to defend… (more)
You Might Have Missed:

Read more at http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2013/09/weekly-wrap-volume-5/#cWi7aPavH7XlHx6K.99

Killer hornets Kills People in china.

2013-09-27T09:05:00.002-07:00

At least 19 people have been stung to death by hornets -- which may include the world's largest hornet species Vespa mandarinia -- in China's central Shaanxi province in the last three months, according to the city government of Ankang, the apparent epicenter of a recent spate of fatalities and injuries.

A total of 583 people in the area have been stung by hornets since July 1, say city officials. Seventy victims are still recovering in hospitals.

Chen Changlin was hospitalized after being attacked by hornets, while harvesting rice last week.

"I ran and shouted for help, but the hornets chased me about 200 meters, and stung me for more than 3 minutes," he recounted to the state-run China Youth Daily.

Chen said hornets had first swarmed a woman and child working nearby, who then ran towards him. Both later died from the hornets' toxins.

"The more you run, the more they want to chase you," said another victim, whose kidneys were ravaged by the venom. When he was admitted to the hospital, his urine was the color of soy sauce, according to local reports.

Earlier this month, 30 people -- including 23 primary school children aged between six and eight years -- were injured in a hornet attack in Guangxi province, south of Shaanxi. Their teacher, Li Zhiqiang, told his students to hide under tables as he tried to drive away the insects before he lost consciousness. The school's headmaster told local media that most of the injured suffered stings to their heads, necks, hands and feet.

Nearly 60 students and teachers were injured in a separate incident in the province at the start of the month, according to state media.

Experts say a number of reasons may have contributed to the apparent increase in hornet activity, including the region's recent hot, dry weather, land development and hornet sensitivity to the smell of people.

The Asian killer hornet, which is suspected in these incidents, are formidable, carnivorous killers, according to the non-profit Honeybee Conservancy. The species feed their young with the larvae of other insects and use their talons and mandibles to sever the limbs and heads of their prey. The hornet's venom sting is a neurotoxin so powerful that it dissolves human tissue, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

This week's latest incidents spurred the Ankang city government to hold an emergency video call addressing local concerns. Vice Mayor Lu Qi said he would increase investment in regional hornet control. Mayor Xu Qifang added the city would establish a 24-hour emergency hornet response team.

Adapted from: CNN

Brain Training Can Make You Significantly Smarter.

2013-09-24T04:29:00.001-07:00

As many people hit middle age, they often start to notice that their memory and mental clarity are not what they used to be. We suddenly can't remember where we put the keys just a moment ago, or an old acquaintance's name, or the name of an old band we used to love. As the brain fades, we euphemistically refer to these occurrences as "senior moments."

While seemingly innocent, this loss of mental focus can potentially have a detrimental impact on our professional, social, and personal well-being.
It happens to most of us, but is it inevitable?
Neuroscientists are increasingly showing that there's actually a lot that can be done. It turns that the brain needs exercise in much the same way our muscles do, and the right mental workouts can significantly improve our basic cognitive functions. Thinking is essentially a process of making neural connections in the brain. To a certain extent, our ability to excel in making the neural connections that drive intelligence is inherited. However, because these connections are made through effort and practice, scientists believe that intelligence can expand and fluctuate according to mental effort.
Now, a new San Francisco Web-based company has taken it a step further and developed the first "brain training program" designed to actually help people improve and regain their mental sharpness. Called Lumosity, it was designed by some of the leading experts in neuroscience and cognitive psychology from Stanford University.
Lumosity, is far more than an online place to exercise your mental skills. That's because they have integrated these exercises into a Web-based program that allows you to systematically improve your memory and attention skills. The program keeps track of your progress and provides detailed feedback on your performance and improvement. Most importantly, it constantly modifies and enhances the games you play to build on the strengths you are developing--much like an effective exercise routine requires you to increase resistance and vary your muscle use.
Does it work?
Apparently it does. In randomized, controlled clinical trials, Lumosity was shown to significantly improve basic cognitive functions. One study showed students improved their scores on math tests by 34 percent after using Lumosity for six weeks, significantly greater gains than those made by other students in the same class, who were not training with the Lumosity program.
The company says its users have reported clearer and quicker thinking, improved memory for names, numbers, directions, increased alertness and awareness, elevated mood, and better concentration at work or while driving.
While many of the games at Lumosity are free, a modest subscription fee is required to use the full program over the long term.
However, Lumosity is currently offering a free trial of their program to new users so that you can see how well it works before you decide to subscribe. The trial is completely free (no credit card required) and the company believes the results will speak for themselves.
Click here to try for yourself.

Learn More

How to Get White Teeth Naturally - Do's and Don'ts

2013-09-20T09:25:00.001-07:00

People often ask themselves “How do I get white teeth fast?” or “How do I get white teeth at home?”. Restoring the brightness of your smile is easier than you may think with our “do's” and “dont's” for sparkling white teeth.

Home Remedies for White Teeth: Do’s

1. Use the inside part of an orange or banana peel to rub your teeth.
2. Rubbing your teeth with the juice of half a lemon helps remove yellow stains and tartar.
3. Looking for home remedies for white teeth? Use half a teaspoon of baking soda with a pinch of salt to rub your teeth for dazzling effects. Make sure you don't use too much baking soda or it might have the opposite effect.
4. Strawberries are excellent home remedies for white teeth. You can cut them in halves or use them in pureed form to rub your teeth. Be sure to brush your teeth immediately, because strawberries contain acids and sugars that can harm your teeth.

5. Dip your toothbrush in hydrogen peroxide and gently brush your teeth.
6. You can also use table salt to rub stains off the teeth.
7. Munching on crunchy fruits and vegetables like apples, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, celery and parsley also helps remove stains off teeth.
8. Be sure to include milk, yogurt and cheese in your diet. They contain calcium and phosphorus, which encourage the remineralization of tooth enamel.
9. Consume more raisins. They boost saliva production, which helps rinse the plaque away and prevents build up.
10. Chew sugar-free gum with xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that can help prevent plaque and encourages enamel regeneration.
Don’ts
1. Avoid fizzy drinks as the acids they contain eat away the tooth enamel.
2. Smoking affects dental health as well as general health. Nicotine leaves yellow stains on teeth.
3. Drugs like cocaine, ecstasy, etc, are harmful for both dental and overall health. They restrict blood flow to the gums and cause extensive gum damage.

4. Dark colored juices leave stains on the teeth. Drink such juices with a straw.
5. Black coffee should also be avoided if you want sparkling white teeth.
6. Tomato sauce and balsamic vinegar are believed to cause teeth staining as well.
7. Red wine leaves stains on the teeth and eats away tooth enamel. Rinse your mouth with cool water after drinking red wine to prevent staining.
8. Avoid black tea as it causes staining on the teeth. Drink herbal tea or green tea instead.
Read also:
Best Teeth Whitening Kits
Natural Ways to Whiten Your Teeth
Photos: Thinkstock

Do These Weird Creatures Really Exist?

2013-09-20T07:29:00.001-07:00

Loch Ness Monster (Nessie)
Nessie is believed to live in Loch Ness Lake in Northern Scotland. The first person to see the Loch Ness Monster was a man named Saint Columba. In 565 A.D. he was swimming in the lake and saw a giant dinosaur-like creature. One of the more recent sightings of the monster occurred in 1933 when George Spicer and his wife saw 'a most extraordinary form of animal' crossing the road in front of their car. Later other people have claimed to see the monster and even took its pictures. Believers say the creature represents a line of long-surviving plesiosaurs.
Other people believe it was an elephant swimming in the water with its trunk sticking out, or a dog with a stick in its mouth. Some of them even believe it was a submarine equipped with a monster head on top! And what about you? Do you believe there is a dinosaur-like creature swimming in Loch Ness Lake?

Abominable Snowman (Yeti)

The first person to meet Yeti was Charles Howard-Bury. While he was climbing Mt. Everest in 1921 he saw a weird creature that walked like a human, it was covered in fur that was darker compared to the snow. The first Yeti photographs were made in 1925 from a distance of about 300 yards. Several people claim they have seen a Yeti-like creature or its giant footprints in Himalayan Mountains of Nepal or in Tibet. There are beliefs that the abdominal snowman is really a huge langur monkey, a giant ape (which is now an extinct animal), a Himalayan blue or brown bear and even a human hermit.

Chupacabra (Goat Sucker)

Chupacabra was discovered in 1995 in Puerto Rico. This monster is said to have killed a dozen of sheep via 3 puncture wounds that were found on the animals’ chests. Chupacabra is believed to completely drain the victims’ blood. Shortly after more Chupacabra stories began to spring up in USA, Mexico, Central America, & South America with people claiming the monster killed their farm animals. Those who saw the creature said it looked like a small dog missing most of its fur crossed with a rat and jumped like a kangaroo. A rancher from Texas had spotted and killed the monster with attacked his farm. He believed it was Chupacabra. However DNA tests proved the creature to be a coyote with demodectic mange disease. Some theories suggest that Chupacabra is a hairless dog or wolf.

The Secret of the Bigfoot
Bigfoot was first seen in 1958 by hiking travelers near Mt. St. Helens, Washington. However people say that such a creature existed even earlier, but under a different name. Though nobody knows exactly if Bigfoot really exists, the creature was seen over a hundred times in different places. It means there must be something extraordinary about it, right?
Almost all US states have reported sightings of Bigfoot. The origin of the creature might be not that mysterious. Some people believe it was a man in a monkey suit, others – a big ape running around. Or maybe it was just a person with abnormal hair growth, a bear or just a mass media hoax?

Addiction to Struggle.

2013-09-18T03:47:00.001-07:00

During a session I had with my new coach last week it became clear to me that I've been addicted to struggle for much of my life. While I wasn't super excited to admit this, it has actually been quite liberating to address my struggle addiction directly and to see how it impacts just about every aspect of my life and work. How about you? Are you addicted to (or at least very familiar with) struggling in your own life?

As I've thought about it more over this past week, I realize that I have some real resistance to allowing things to come easy, and that my attachment to struggling runs deep within me (as it does for so many people I know and work with). Here are some of the main "reasons" I've used and beliefs I've held for many years to justify my own struggling:

If I don't have to struggle for something, it doesn't really mean all that much.
If things come easy to me, other people will get jealous, won't like me, and/or won't respect me.
It's not fair for things to be easy for me (i.e., I have to struggle) -- especially with so many people having such a hard time these days.
I actually get off on struggling and suffering -- I'm quite familiar with it, and I've used it as motivation to change and "succeed" for much of my life.
My ability to work hard, overcome adversity, and rise above challenges are all things my ego uses to feel superior to others.
If I don't struggle for something, when it happens I won't feel like I deserve it.
Struggling allows me to avoid taking responsibility for certain aspects of my life and keeps me "focused," so I get to avoid uncomfortable feelings, situations, and circumstances I don't really want to deal with.

Can you relate to any of these? Maybe you have others as well.
Getting in touch with some of these reasons and beliefs has been both painful and eyeopening at the same time. As I think, talk, and write about them, I realize how ridiculous some of them are and how much of my life's energy I've been giving away to them in the process.
It's almost like I'm walking around worried that someone's going to say to me, "Mike, you have it so easy," and I'm preparing my defensive responses: "Oh yeah, well let me tell you how hard I work, how challenging things have been for me, and how much stuff I've had to overcome along the way." What's up with this? It's like I'm preparing for a fight that doesn't even exist. Do you ever do that?
While working hard, overcoming challenges and adversity, and being passionately committed to important and complex things in our lives aren't inherently bad, resisting ease and being attached to struggle causes me and so many of us a great deal of stress, worry, and pain. And in many cases this difficulty is totally self-induced and unnecessary.
What if we allowed things to be easier? What if we started to speak about and own the aspects of our lives that are actually easy to us and started to expect things to get even easier? What if we let go of our attachment (or addiction, as it were) to struggle? Easy doesn't mean lazy -- that we aren't willing to work in a passionate way, or that we expect a "free ride." It means that we're willing to have things work out, trust that all is well, and allow life to flow in a positive and elegant way for us.
Our desire and ability to embrace ease in our life isn't selfish, arrogant, or unrealistic -- it's profoundly optimistic (in an authentic way) and can actually enhance our ability to impact others. The more energy and attention we place on surviving, getting by, or even "striving" for success, the less available we are to give, serve, and make a difference for other people. Although it may seem counterintuitive to us, letting go of our addiction to struggle is one of the best ways we can show up for those around us -- both by our example and with our freed up positive energy.
My coach suggested that I start wearing a "struggle patch," like a nicotine patch that people wear in their process of breaking an addiction to smoking. While at first it seemed a little ridiculous, I actually took her up on the suggestion and put on a band aid as a representation of my "struggle patch." I'm allowing the band aid to represent my own commitment to break this addiction, and it actually has been altering my perception of myself and my life. Feel free to use this technique yourself!
As Richard Bach famously stated, "Argue for your limitations and they're yours." What if we stopped arguing on behalf of how "hard" things are and started to allow our life to be filled with more peace and ease, instead of perpetuating the struggle? While the idea of things authentically being easy may not be, ironically, the easiest thing for you to embrace, I challenge you (as I challenge myself) to take this on in your life and become more comfortable with it. Maybe it will actually be easier than you think!
For more by Mike Robbins, click here.
For more on success and motivation, click here.
For more on emotional wellness, click here.
Mike Robbins is a sought-after motivational keynote speaker, coach, and the bestselling author of Focus on the Good Stuff (Wiley) and Be Yourself, Everyone Else is Already Taken (Wiley). More info -- www.Mike-Robbins.com

BRAIN CONFLICT.

2013-09-16T05:00:00.001-07:00