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12 Incredible Mobile Apps That Will Make Your Life Easier

Smartphones have plenty of features designed to make our lives easier and more entertaining. There are tons of apps out there that can do all sorts of useful and fun things – it’s just a matter of finding them.

To save you the trouble from shuffling through the vast app offering, we’ve compiled a list of 12 cool apps that are both fun and practical.

ProShot

Designed for all levels of photographers, this app will help improve your skills and provide you with a myriad of useful tools to play with. It allows you to adjust focus and light during shooting, to zoom with just one finger, and much more. If you are into photography, make sure you check it out. (Source)

Remote Mouse

This app will allow you to ‘convert’ your smartphone into a remote control for your computer. This feature can be especially handy if your mouse or keyboard are malfunctioning or are simply running low on battery.(Source)

AppDetox

If you are app addicted to the point that it interferes with your daily obligations, then this is the perfect app for you.  It will not only help you decrease your mobile phone use, but will also allow you to block access to any program for a certain time period.

This digital detox will free up enough time for you to focus and get some work done.(Source)

MoovitMoovit is a public transit app and mapping service trusted by over 50 million riders across more than 1200 cities.

The app, which adds a new city every 18 hours, offers the most robust and detailed public transit information, constantly updating the line schedules and tracks changes in public transit services.(Source)

Marvin

If you are an avid reader, you will simply love this app. Not only does it provide standard features like choosing background and font colors, it also offers additional info on the book’s author, characters, history and even more.

In addition, Marvin will categorize your books by title, author, series, serial number, date changed or read.(Source)

Cool Reader

Cool reader is another app intended for those passionate about reading. Widely considered to be one of the best reading tools for Android smartphones, it supports a vast range of file formats including fb2, epub (without DRM), txt, doc, rtf, html, chm, tcr, pdb, prc, mobi (without DRM) and pml.

This app also allows users to customize the text size, font, background color, page margins, adjust line spacing and the brightness of the screen.(Source)

Layout

Instagram’s Layout app allows you to create fun and unique layouts by remixing your own photos and sharing them with friends. You can either choose photos from your camera roll or use the built-in Photo Booth to take spontaneous photos and instantly see them laid out in various combinations.

Layout’s smooth, intuitive process allows limitless freedom of creativity to change the look of your regular photos and convey a mood or a theme.(Source)

Clap! Phone Finder

This app will definitely soothe those panic attack that come about whenever you can’t find your phone. As the name of the app suggests, simply clap your hands and your phone will produce a sound which can be easily customized.

Voila! By the way, it is also worth mentioning that this app is ‘easy’ on the battery and will not drain too much power.(Source)

Linkedin

Linkedin is a social networking site designed specifically for the business community. This professional social network will allow you to stay ‘up to date’ with the latest news in your industry, and will also help you land a great job and build your own network of useful contacts.(Source)

5K Run

This app is designed for ‘entry level’ runners and provides precise guidelines on how to get in shape in 8 weeks. It lays out a detailed work plan which consists of three 30 minute runs per week over the course of eight weeks.

The program includes running mixed with power-walk breaks, with the ultimate goal of running a 5km distance. It also features built-in player and an interesting bonus and rewards system to keep you motivated for training.(Source)

SoundHound

Say you are listening to the radio and you really like this new song that is playing at the moment. If you don’t know the artist, just turn on this app and it will not only identify what song is being played, but will also get you the song lyrics. Moreover, SoundHound can identify a song for you even if you simply hum the melody.(Source)

MyScript Calculator

Let’s be clear, this is not your regular calculator found on any smartphone, as it can perform mathematical operations using your handwriting.

It works by converting your handwriting into digital text, so all you need to do is write the mathematical expression on the screen of your smartphone and the app will deliver the results instantaneously.(Source)

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Writing Research Papers Boost Your Mind: Facts And Survey

When you say research paper what comes to your mind is working with stacks of books, magazines, articles and encyclopedias, trying to put together other’s thoughts.

Yet, a research paper is much more than this. It’s not enough, to sum up your sources and piece together what other’s said on a certain topic. In such a paper it is expected to present your ideas and your perspective on the topic, backed up by other’s information and ideas.

If you look at any research paper online, you will see that it has a well-established structure, coherence, and depth of the discussion and that it is easy to follow and read. Research papers are of utmost importance and an inalienable part of academic studies. During your years as a college student, you will have to write many such essays, on various topics related to the curriculum. At first, you might need some research paper help, but once you get the hang of it, things will be much easier.

But why do they pay so much importance to research papers? No, it is not to stress out students, as many would believe, nor to push them to buy research papers.

Various studies have shown that writing research papers has a major positive impact on your mind, boosting your writing skills, your analytical and critical thinking capabilities and your ability to give form to a concept in a concise and detailed manner.

Working memory

When you draft a research paper, you use your working memory to connect the pieces together and to relate the pieces of information you find with the knowledge that you have. Also, when you write you exercise your thinking and this keeps your brain in shape as you age.

Attention and discipline

The research you have to do for such a paper keeps you focused and disciplined in your work. You have to look at the topic from various angles and find new views that others before have never thought about. And this requires a lot of attention, organization, and discipline.

Logical thinking

In a research paper, there is no room for mistakes. You have to think logically and rationally and select the sources that are best for your topic and the quotes that will make the best of it. To achieve the perfect research paper, you have to do a lot of reading, which automatically will improve your thinking capability.

Knowledge

While you gather information for your research paper, you have expanded your knowledge regarding the main topic. For example, if you have to write a paper on post-colonialism, you have to read both Cesaire and Retamar to be able to understand post-colonial expressions from Latin America and Europe and then compare them. This will challenge you into finding more works from various authors, therefore expanding your knowledge base.

Vocabulary expansion

We live in an era when we are controlled by tweeting and texting. That is why our communication has shifted into using few words to express our ideas. This might make you forget certain words and find difficulty in expressing your thoughts at an academic level. Writing research papers and reading a lot will push you into using words that you do not usually use daily. These will slowly sneak they way into your vocabulary.

Creativity and intelligence

It’s not easy to come up with an original and creative perspective on a general topic, such as religion or the human rights for example. Writing a research paper on such a topic will broaden your horizon and make you talk about the topic in an authoritative way. This does not apply when you request the help of people who write papers for money.

Better speaker

Because you would have to write research papers on so many topics would enrich your vocabulary and overall knowledge. You will become a better speaker, find your words and ideas easily and be able to have conversations on a variety of subjects.

Focus on learning

Doing research for such a paper requires reading a lot of interesting content, being up to date with what’s new, what has been said on the topic and what has not been said in order to find a new approach. This will make you focused on learning.

It is true that many students today choose online term paper writing service and companies offering research papers, due to the fact that they do not have enough time to write the paper themselves or because they have no idea how to approach the topic. Next time when you are in such a situation, think of the benefits that writing your research paper will bring. Ask your teacher to explain the topic if you have not understood it, start gathering your sources and start writing.

The Robot That Takes Your Job Should Pay Taxes, Says Bill Gates

The technology is developing in the blink of an eye. Each day there are new inventions, such as robots, which can do a lot more than the ones before, and cause many changes in the world.  

Some of those changes actually ease the work of humans while others replace them completely. This means that fewer people will be working so fewer people will be paying taxes.

This situation may cause some problems because taxes fund schools, fire departments, roads.

Bill Gates, the world’s richest man and co-founder of Microsoft, has an opinion on this subject. He says that robots which replace humans in the working place should pay the same amount in taxes as men would.

“Right now if a human worker does you know, $50,000 worth of work in a factory, that income is taxed,” Gates said in an interview with Quartz. “If a robot comes in to do the same thing, you’d think we would tax the robot at a similar level.” – Gates says.

In the interview with Quartz editor-in-chief Kevin Delaney, Gates explains that if technology is replacing people on certain job positions, there are more people left to work as teachers, help the elderly, the disabled and children with special needs. Practically, all those jobs where human empathy and feelings are irreplaceable and unique.

According to an Oxford report from 2013, robots could take over 50% of the jobs between 2023 and 2033. And according to 2015 McKinsey report, today’s technology could replace 45% of jobs right now.

If that happens, Gates says “you can’t just give up taxes”, because that’s how you’ve been funding the level of human workers.  

Instead, “The tax money could come from the savings companies get from not having to pay and support human workers, or some of it can come directly in some type of robot tax. I don’t think the robot companies are going to be outraged that there’s going to be a tax.”- Gates says.

These are not just words, EU lawmakers take a proposal into consideration to tax robot owners to pay for training for workers who lose their jobs, although, on 16 February the legislators rejected it.

“You ought to be willing to raise the tax level and even slow down the speed of automation”, says Gates. That’s because the technology and business cases for replacing humans in a wide range of jobs are arriving simultaneously, and it’s important to be able to manage that displacement.

“You cross the threshold of job replacement of certain activities all sort of at once,” Gates says, citing warehouse work and driving as some of the job categories that in the next 20 years will have robots doing them.

Still, people should not fear from these types of changes, instead they should try and make the most of it by taking everything that’s positive from this fast development of technology.

“People should be figuring it out,” said Gates.

“It is really bad if people overall have more fear about what innovation is going to do than they have enthusiasm. That means they won’t shape it for the positive things it can do.”

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12 Mind-Blowing Tips To Increase Concentration In Kids

Every parent is facing a challenge. How to get his child to do his homework without forcing him to work every single minute? Have you face with this annoying problem that sometimes makes you scream? Don’t worry we all have.

Luckily for us, there are some tips that we can follow and help our children focus for a longer period of time, concentrate and do his homework or chore without delaying.

Here are 12 amazing suggestions how you can help your child develop stronger concentration and achieve more.

  1. Divide a Big Task Into a Few Smaller Ones

A big task can easily scare the child away and provoke resistance to it. That’s because a big task requires a lot of time, discipline and concentration- something a child can have problems with.

Instead, divide a big task into a few smaller ones. That way, after completing one task the child will be motivated to go on due to the feeling of movement and progress.

So, next time your child has an entire chapter for studying ask him to learn the first paragraph and have some rest by playing a game, then learn the second paragraph and so on. Or if you ask him to tidy up his room, let him tidy up the closet first, then the drawers, then the desk.

This way the child will be satisfied by a job well done and so will you.

  1. Let Them Play

Yes, you should let your children play as much as they can. But they shouldn’t play with gadgets, smart phones, tablets or computers, instead allow your children to play with regular toys and activities which improve concentration.

You can take into consideration:

Memory games – Games like crossword puzzles, card games like “Memory” and “Uno”, jigsaw puzzles and other similar games will not only be fun to play but they will also improve child’s attention to numbers, words, pictures which will improve their concentration.

Sequencing– There’s a strong connection between sequencing and concentration. So, next time you ask your child to set the table or pack up his bag, ask him to do that in alphabetical order.

Sit tight– Ask your child to sit in one position for a while and see how long he can do that. Another version to this game is “Statue”. After repeating this game for a while your child will get used to sitting longer in one place.

  1. Prepare the Environment

In order to help your child acquire maximum during his study time, make sure to provide him/her the best studying ambience there is. Have in mind that some children don’t mind studying in a place where there is some noise, while others need total silence.

Ambience– Soft lighting and quiet instrumental music can improve your child’s concentration.

Gadgets– Unless your child needs a computer to study, make sure that television, iPads, mobile phones and computers are switched off or kept in another room in order to avoid destructions.

Have necessary materials at the reach of the hand– Ask your child to prepare everything he’ll need for studying: books, notebooks, crayons, pencils, water and place them on a desk nearby. That way he’ll have everything at his reach and won’t get distracted by constantly getting up of his place.

  1. Eat Healthy Food

According to a recent trend, these days, children in US consume more coffee and drinks filled with caffeine. This way their body is filled with unhealthy sugar which sucks up their energy later.

Make sure that your child is eating healthy food, rich in proteins and vitamins that will improve his concentration and keep him agile and focused.

By eating greens and fruits your child’s body is filled with antioxidants which boost the brain to work better. Therefore an interesting study in the University of Ulster, UK suggests eating a toast and baked beans for breakfast in order to increase concentration.

  1. Create a Studying Schedule

A very beneficial way to help your child increase concentration is if you set a time table for studying. It doesn’t have to be a very strict and inflexible, but yet have one.

For example, when your child comes back from school give him a snack and let him play outside for an hour or hour and a half.

Then give him another snack and tell him to prepare for studying. The child should study for hour or hour and a half and then let him have some rest. Repeat the same schedule every day and you’ll notice results. 

The child will be more organized and concentrated because he will have goals and completed tasks after every segment of the day. His brain will be wired to know when studying time is.

  1. Short Naps Improve Concentration

Aside from having a good night’s sleep, a power nap of twenty to thirty minutes after school or in the afternoon will also help your child concentrate more.

  1. Everybody Has a Different Method of Learning

Not all children have the same method of acquiring new knowledge. Some children need to hear the new information, others need to see it, while some have to touch and feel the thing in order to understand it. Therefore, there are visual, auditory and kinaesthetic methods of learning.

You need to know which category your child falls under in order to help him concentrate and learn better.

Visual method

If your child is visual that means that he learns better if he sees things. For this type of learners you should:

  • Allow them to read the new information and then write it down too.
  • Use flash cards to help him study spelling or new vocabulary.
  • Let your child draw an image while you are introducing him with the new information. This way he will also practice his motor skills.
  • Although, when a child is writing something down while studying it looks like nothing but scribbles to us, for a visual learner that’s another way of memorizing new things.

Auditory method

If your child memorizes the information after he hears it, than he’s an auditory learner. You should let this type of learners:

  • Read the material aloud or listen to someone else reading it to them. So, audio books are better choice for these learners.
  • Quiet instrumental music can help these learners increase concentration and remember more.

Kinaesthetic method

If you notice that your child studies better when he touches and feels the subject matter then he is a kinaesthetic learner. For these learners you should:

– Provide as many touchable things as you can. For example, if your child is learning about planets take him to a planetarium or if he is studying history take him to a museum.

  1. Prepare Your Child for the Next Task

When you notice that your child is engaged in a task, just before he is done, let him now the next one. Allow a few minutes between tasks and start the new activity.

Use this trick to force an unwanted activity to your child, since he’ll be too distracted by the previous one and won’t have time to show aversion to the next one.  

  1. Set Short Time Goals

Investigate whether your child works well under pressure and set short time limits for a few pages.

Allow your child a break after every time set. Have in mind that an adult can stay concentrated for about 42 minutes, so the time limit for a child should be no more than 20 minutes.

However, if you notice that your child gets agitated and nervous when he works under pressure don’t use this method.

  1. Praise Your Child

Children always respond well on praise after even the thinnest completed task. So, next time your child does his homework correctly, don’t forget to praise him, or even reward him with a chocolate or a toy.

  1. Use Energy Efficiently

Observe carefully when your child is most productive, in the morning or in the afternoon and assign tougher activities when your child is high in energy. As the energy level goes down, switch to easier tasks.

This ways your child will use his energy in an efficient manner.

  1. Deep Breathing and Imagery

Let your child sit in a yoga position and tell him to close his eyes and take deep breaths. Tell him to imagine positive images and ask him questions like: What’s he seeing?

How does the image make him feel? What can he hear? What’s distracting him from focusing? Next, ask him to get rid of those distractions which ruin the perfect picture.

Once your child is able to put aside these distractions, you’ll notice that he’ll be able not to pay attention to other distractions while studying and be able to focus more.

To Conclude

Focusing is a skill like any other, so in order to improve it you need to practice it regularly and persistently. These 12 amazing tips for helping your child focus will not only improve his concentration but they will also strengthen the bond between you and your child.

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The Sooner You Expose A Baby To A Second Language, The Smarter They’ll Be

Learning languages is a treasure. This is a sentence that we know it holds some truth, however we can’t claim for sure that our bilingual kids are smarter than the kids who learn one language.

Well, a study has shown that learning languages from a very early stage is extremely important in the brain development of the child, especially in the areas responsible for decision-making and problem-solving.

Moreover, as soon as the child gets to 11 months you can start to expose him/her to another language and begin with developing his/her brain and encourage brain activities.

According to the researchers at the University of Washington’s Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences, bilingual children tend to be more successful and smarter compared to the children who acquire just one language.

This was concluded after a thorough testing of a group of only English-speaking children and a group of children with both English and Spanish-speaking families. Both groups were at the age of 11 months.

Acquiring a second language at the earliest stage

The findings from the study indicate that bilingual babies encourage brain activity and are getting practice related to the executive function.

According to the studies, bilingualism is effective as early as they start producing their first words or about 11 months old.

So, babies raised in bilingual households are actually encouraged to activate their brain which will later on reflect on the intelligence and performance in life. So, there is more to just a language development, bilingual children shape cognitive development.

Which are the benefits?

Children exposed to two languages at a very early age are prone to learning more new language sounds compared to children who learn only one language.

In this way, bilingual kids adapt their brains and enlarge their perception to new sounds, whereas monolingual kids are unable to discriminate sounds and therefore their perception for new sounds is much narrower than their bilingual peers.

How did the study establish this?

In order to establish and strengthen their points, the researchers at the University of Washington used a magnetoencephalography (MEG), meant for measuring the magnetic changes produced by the active nerve cells.

This method displays a clear picture of the location and the timing of each activity in the brain and compares the activation pattern in both monolingual and bilingual babies.

The experiment was conducted on 16 babies, 8 who were only from English-speaking families and 8 from both Spanish and English-speaking families.

Both groups underwent through the experiment, involving putting on a MEG scanner (resembling a helmet) and both groups listened to an 18-minute stream of speech sounds, which was rich in sounds shared by both languages and sounds specific for every language individually (English and Spanish). The experimental set-up is available here.

The conclusion from this experiment was that bilingual kids respond better to speech sounds, unlike their monolingual peers.

This is probably due to need of bilinguals to switch from language to language and hence the improved executive function skills. So, bilingual kids are both responding to sounds of both languages or they are learning the sounds of both languages.

Bilingual children are also acquiring English language as their monolingual peers, so both groups are learning English language at the same pace.

The child will acquire as many languages as you present him with, so every kid is capable of managing both languages at the same time.

However, this is the case if the baby is acquiring both languages from the earliest stage, meaning that every child can be capable of learning various languages, if done as soon as they are capable of producing or pronouncing their first words.

Can every child be bilingual?

In some cases, even if the parents are not bilingual, the babies are extremely sensitive to speech sound and can be raised bilingual.

The best way for a baby to acquire the language is to be exposed to that language. So, you don’t teach the child to learn the language, but instead you expose him from a very early age to different types of people of groups where the language is spoken.

So, if you think that you’ll only confuse your baby, think twice! Babies can differentiate speech sounds, tone of speech and even differentiate women and men-speaking.

In cases where both parents speak different languages, then it’s best if mommy speaks her language to the baby and daddy speaks his language to the baby, by doing so the baby will naturally learn to distinguish and acquire both languages.However, if you’re not a bilingual family, then you need to bear in mind that the more you expose your child to different types of communities, where different languages are spoken, the better are the chances that your baby will acquire both languages equally.

Kids also need to understand that they need to learn the language from different people with different languages addressing them. In this way, children will naturally find their way to understand and acquire different languages.

Raising a bilingual child can surely be a challenge, however this is nothing compared to the benefits that bilingual children have.

So, you may want to consider exposing your child to as many languages as you want from the earliest age and get the best results firsthand.

Sources:
1. University of Washington – Bilingual baby brains show increased activity in executive function regions – http://www.washington.edu
2. http://www.linguisticsociety.org/sites/default/files/Bilingual_Child.pdf

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Why Women Leave Men They Love: What Every Man Needs to Know

When we hear the word “love”, we all think of different things. For some, it means attention, while for others it means spending time with the person you admire. Whether we agree or disagree with these definitions, one thing is certain.

Love is not something that can be forced. Rather, it should feel unforced and smooth sailing. That is not to say that we ought to expect perfection and no bumps along the way. However, it does mean that we should not feel heartache every step of the way.

By no means should we just sit there and expect everything to work out unexpectedly. It requires work and effort. Nevertheless, when it is not what we signed up for, heartache usually takes place, leaving us feeling shattered and in wonder.

No matter the situation and circumstances, no matter the amount of love in certain relationships, they do sometimes end. You can try sowing it back together, but once something is broken, women will leave eventually.

Although there are various reasons why they choose to do so, the main ones still stand loud and clear.

  1. Change can be one of the biggest reasons women decide to leave.

Men and women function differently in times of change. While men may overspend on vehicles or similar figurines, women take a different path, especially during menopause. Instead of throwing themselves in shopping sprees, they tend to coup up and need comfort.

Change can be scary for everyone. However, going through a life crisis such as illness, menopause, and economic struggles can really affect a women’s mindset and worth. It is during these times that they need the most nurturing and attention.

There comes a time when they no longer feel wanted or attractive. Once this shift starts to happen, women need the full support of their partners to move past the obstacles. If she does not receive this type of care, she will leave without blinking twice.

  1. Being present is one of the most crucial things in a relationship.

If there is one thing a relationship needs to survive, it is physical presence. Moreover, this does not involve being in a women’s life just for the heck of it. It means actually listening to her, wanting to know how she feels and what she is going through.

Once she feels neglected, she will slowly pull away. In a world full of independent women, men are no longer a “necessity”, but a desire and someone who understands.

If you enter the comfort zone and think it is perfectly acceptable to always be wandering the streets looking for something better to do, you are in trouble.

Women choose partners who will support them not so much on a financial level, but on an intellectual and emotional level.

Once a woman has realized that you are taking her for granted, she will call it quits eventually. It may take some time, but be ready. We no longer live in a society where women are still only expected to bear men children, cook and clean.

In a world where women work just as hard as men, no woman will allow someone to just mope around and be of no use. This is not in the literal sense, but rather in the “desire to stick around”.

  1. When she knows your next move, it may be high time to spice things up.

Men have been known for their habit of getting used to things the way they are. They tend to fall into a place they feel comfortable and sense no need to try new things. Mind you, this does not change as time progresses. It only gets worse.

Men like to play it safe and this could not be more of a turn off. Women, on the other hand, are quite different in this respect. They need more spontaneity and hints of love and appreciation.

The more you go into details, the better. The little things matter to women, especially at an older age. Women have never done boring, nor will they ever.

  1. If she feels alone, it might be entirely your fault.

Men are believed to be less emotionally stable than women are, but this does not excuse the fact that they are present without actually being present. Do not confuse being there with actually being there.

Women like to express themselves and want to be heard. If she can make you feel like you are her whole world, then men, you should be able to make time to listen to her. If a woman feels neglected, she will leave.

  1. Acknowledgement is a crucial part of a healthy relationship.

Women do most of the housework, cleaning, cooking, shopping and taking care of everything else, so the least men can do is listen. This is all women really want, anyway.

They need to be heard and understood. The more a woman shares, the better. It is a sign of pure trust. Communication is key to any relationship, so the more you hear, the better. Women will rarely ask for something, but when they do, men should listen.

  1. Do not put sexiness on the backburner.

As we have already stated, women are individuals who not only need to feel loved and appreciated, they also need to feel sexy. Unlike men, women need more intimacy and steady footsteps. Women need to feel alive and wanted.

Doing the same thing every day will not stimulate a woman. Rather, it will bore her to death. The more surprises, the better. Women do not only leave when they are lonely. They also leave when they are bored.

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Source: http://www.justiceschanfarber.com/

A Harvard Psychologist Says: People Judge You Based On 2 Criteria When They First Meet You

To judge another human being is simply in our nature. We all judge when we meet someone for the first time. Therefore, first impressions are very important. Are you curious to find out on which criteria people base their judgment?

A Harvard psychologist reveals that there are 2 most important criteria that people pay attention to when they meet someone for the first time.

Amy Cuddy, a Harvard Business School professor, and her two colleagues, psychologists Susan Fiske and Peter Glick, have been studying first impressions for 15 years and have come to a conclusion that there’s a pattern in these interactions. 

In her new book “Presence”, Cuddy explains that, when someone meets you for the first time, they instantly think of these two questions:

  • Can I trust this person?
  • Can I respect this person?

Basically, people judge you whether you’re a warm person or a competent one, respectively. Ideally, we wish to possess both of these qualities.  

Depending on the situation, people think that either the warmth or the competence of the person is important.

According to Cuddy, when it comes to professional context, more people consider competence a more relevant factor than warmth. And certainly, when one is applying for a post they want to present themselves as smart and talented enough to succeed in handling your business.

However, when it comes to people’s judgment, the truth is that warmth, or trustworthiness, is the most important factor.

“From an evolutionary perspective,” Cuddy says, “it is more crucial to our survival to know whether a person deserves our trust.”

This statement makes sense if we go back and think about the ancient times when for a caveman it was more important if his fellow man was going to kill him and steal his belongings than whether he was competent enough to find wood and build a good fire.

And while competence is considered as an important value which a person can possess, Cuddy explains that competence is evaluated only after trust is established. According to her, focusing too much on presenting your strength can have a negative result.

For instance, MBA interns who are so often concerned about showing how smart and talented they are, regularly skip social events, never ask for help, rarely socialize and as a result, come off as unapproachable.

This type of people may have high hopes but yet somehow they stay unemployed. 

They won’t get a job offer because they appear as untrustworthy and unreliable simply because they don’t let people know them better, see that they are a warm person too, and begin to trust them.

Cuddy says: “If someone you’re trying to influence doesn’t trust you, you’re not going to get very far; in fact, you might even elicit suspicion because you come across as manipulative. A warm, trustworthy person who is also strong elicits admiration, but only after you’ve established trust does your strength become a gift rather than a threat”.

Bear this advice in mind whenever you are about to go on a job interview or meet someone for the first time. Talk to them freely and openly and let them see you as a person worth trusting. It may change your life for good.

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Source: businessinsider.com

What’s Your Sign? 12 Native American Astrological Signs & Their Meanings

Do you know how Native Americans saw the world? Throughout time they have held sacred the connection between nature, animals and men. Yes, everything was pure and sacred, every object from the nature has a life, has a spirit and a name.

When it comes to their zodiac, you can pretty much guess that it will be connected with nature elements, with animals to be exact.

The word zodiac originates from Greek word zōdiacus which means ‘circle of animals’ and the word horoscope originates from the Greek words hõra and scopos meaning “time” and “observer”.

What does this mean? Well, in ancient times (since there was not much to do with free time) people will observe the stars and animals. In certain periods, some animals acted weird and they would do some pretty strange things.

This is how people connected the animals and the stars, thus creating the horoscope. So how did the Native Americans observe the nature? There are 12 signs in their zodiac and each sign is connected with an animal. Let’s see which ones:

Otter (January 20th – February 19th)

The otter is a symbol of life. It’s very quirky and unusual. It is very difficult to figure somebody out that was born in this sign.

They are very friendly, creative, witty by nature and independent. They are also very perceptive, intuitive and attentive and everything they do is unique.

They look at things differently than others and sometimes deal with solving the problems. The otters are sympathetic, they will always help a friend in need with sensitivity and undivided attention.

They are also honest and extremely courageous.

Wolf (February 20th – March 19th)

The wolf is a creature with a high sense of loyalty and strength. Unlike the stereotypes of being a loner, Native Americans thought that the wolf is very sociable creature and incredible communicator.

The wolf can be highly mysterious. However, people born in this sigh are deeply emotional and passionate.

They are highly intelligent and cunning, which makes them very good observers and listeners.

Falcon (March 20st – April 19th)

The falcon is the symbol for higher knowledge and success, it has the sense to be a leader. People even call the falcon the natural born leader since they have the ability to see clearly even in foggy situations.

They are extremely confident, supportive and persistent, but sometimes they can be very stubborn, intolerant and impatient.

Beaver (April 20th – May 20th)

The beaver is very strategic and cunning. It is the engineer. People born in this sign are just like the animal-they have many strategies in their heads in order to achieve their goals.

Besides being hardworking, they are witty and brilliant.

However, they know be possessive and nervous. Also they can become quite authoritative and wish to control every situation.

Deer (May 21st – June 20th)

The symbol for love and grace, peace and beauty, the deer is the muse for the Native American’s zodiac. People who were born under this sign have a huge sense of humor and can make everyone laugh.

They are quite sharp and intelligent to the point where they can make everybody involved into a conversation.

Most of the times they are moody and they can become quite lazy, demanding, selfish, impatient, and undependable.

Woodpecker (June 21st – July 21st)

Woodpecker is the Native American animal symbols for balance, progress and determination. They are empathic listeners and caring parents. People born under this sign are very amazing parents and passionate lovers.

They are also highly protective and supporting, consummate listeners, very devoted to the loved ones.

They sometimes can be little bit hard headed, which causes for them to feel possessive behavior, anger and jealousy.

Salmon (July 22nd – August 21st)

The Salmon is a natural motivator, creative, smart and has an electric personality. People born under this sign are deeply focused, determined and enthusiastic about achieving their goals.

Their enthusiasm and confidence can be transmitted to others since they are easily infectious. They are surrounded by a lot of friends since they are known to be very helpful, generous and loving.

Setting up goals and purpose for everything is in their nature so if this is absent, they could be very depressed.

Bear (August 22nd – September 21st)

The bear is the symbol for free spirit in Native American zodiac. It is the quiet one and people born under this sign are hard to figure out. They are  methodical, pragmatic, intuitive and are the best business partners.

The Bear has also have patient attitude, an enormous heart, and an intellectual and inquisitive mind. Although it is very patient and tolerant, there is a boiling point for bear’s tolerance as well.

Raven (September 22nd – October 22nd)

The symbol for balance in the Native American zodiac, the Raven is the charming one that best knows to balance the extremities of two sides. People born under this sign are very sharp and eager to get what they want and what they need, thus they are often referred as the best businessperson.

They are very social, adaptive, charming and patient and intuitive in relationships. They avoid to quarrel and share good relationship with almost everybody.

Snake (October 23rd – November 22nd)

The snake is the symbol for the spiritual in Native American zodiac. The people who are born with this sign are closely attached with the spirit world.

These people can be extremely caring, very loving, and supportive to the needs of others, making them excellent lover.

They are known by their abilities in the medical world, they are excellent healers at a spiritual, physical and emotional level.

Owl (November 23rd – December 21st)

The symbol for wisdom in the Native American zodiac, the owl is very good at imparting advice when it comes to life and its meaning.

The owl is warm and easy going and is perceived by the Native Americans as friend to the world, but sometimes it needs to be pushed to go full speed.

However, they can become very extremely selfish in their thirst for fulfilling their self-centered goals.

Goose (December 22nd – January 19th)

The goose is the peacekeeper, very methodical in its way of living. People born in this sign are very ambitious and reliable. Their main goal is to succeed.

Driven by the desire to succeed, these people are the best workers and great business leaders.

They can be highly generous and kind towards their family and the loved ones.

These people are highly talented in many things and are best known for their seriousness and practicality when it comes to work and assignments.

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Yeap! France Becomes The First Country To Ban Plastic Plates And Cutlery

France has become the first country in the world that has passed a  law to ban disposable plastic cups and plates.

The new French law will require all disposable tableware to be made from 50% biologically-sourced materials that can be composted at home and that number will rise to 60% by January of 2025.

The law, which comes into effect in 2020, is part of France’s “Energy Transition for Green Growth Act,– a wide-reaching law which is an ambitious plan that aims to allow France of mitigating the impact of climate change. The act was adopted last year.

Catalyzed by the COP21 Climate Change conference held in Paris last December, France hopes to become a world leader in environmental and energy solutions

According to the French Association of Health and Environment (ASEF), one hundred and fifty single-use cups are thrown away every second in the country which reaches a number of 4.73 billion per year.

Only 1% of them is recycled, and the main reason for their recycle is that they are made of a mixture of polypropylene and polystyrene.Objections to plastic as a material are well known. The plastic does not biodegrade and only breaks down into smaller and smaller particles, which pose a significant danger for wildlife which cannot always distinguish it from food sources, especially in oceans.

According to environmental activists, the use of millions of barrels of oil that are used in manufacturing plastic bags and utensils play a significant role in climate change.

The French President François Hollande said that the ban is part of a larger push intended “to make France … an exemplary nation in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying its energy model and increasing the deployment of renewable energy sources” starting, it would seem, with the knives and forks that are distributed at fast-food restaurants as well as the coffee cups in vending machines.

Although some ecologists’ organisations are in favour of France’s move on imposing the ban, others argue that it has violated European Union rules on free movement of goods.

For example, Pack2Go Europe, which is a Brussels-based organization representing European packaging manufacturers, says that the organization will keep fighting the new law and it hopes that this idea wouldn’t spread on the continent.

The secretary general of Pack2Go Europe, Eamonn Bates, said: “We are urging the European Commission to do the right thing and to take legal action against France for infringing European law. If they don’t, we will.” 

Mr Bates believes the ban might make the situation worse as people may misunderstand the extent of degradability

“[The ban will] be understood by consumers to mean that it is OK to leave this packaging behind in the countryside after use because it’s easily bio-degradable in nature. That’s nonsense! It may even make the litter problem worse,” he said.

SHARING IS CARING!

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk

California Couple Inherits 50-Year-Old Bunker Beneath Their New Home

The Californian family Otcaseks bought a house that had “an unusual feature”: a large, concrete-lined hole in the backyard. The only information they had about this hole it that it was a fallout shelter from the Cold War Era.

However, they weren’t told what could be down there after all these years so they didn’t know what to expect when searching the hole.

When they opened the hole they saw that there’s a rusty 15-foot ladder leading below. The ladder looked as though it hadn’t been used for decades.

At the defeat of Nazi Germany and the end of World War II, the Soviet Union and the United States were vying for control of Europe. Although the remaining Allies gave their best efforts, the Soviets were gaining more power and they were developing their own nuclear weapons.

Those nukes were very much like the ones the U.S. had used to decimate Nagasaki and Hiroshima and win the war. The mere presence of these weapons of mass destruction resulted in starting a war of posturing and propaganda which lasted throughout most of the 20th Century.

During the 20th century, many countries started building fallout shelters or underground bunkers for high-ranking government officials. If a nuclear attack occurred in one of these countries, the president, his family, and his cabinet, along with many senior army and navy officers would be ushered into these bunkers to keep them safe so that they can rebuild in the aftermath. As a result, many American civilians got the same idea and built their own shelters in case of a nuclear attack.

The Otcaseks explored the bunker and found water, canned food, clothing, and medicine, as well as paper products and books. It contained almost all the items that someone would need to survive in the event of a nuclear attack. It was even more remarkable that all the items were still wrapped in their mostly untouched vintage packaging.

The original owner of the bunker, Alvin Kaufman, was a nuclear engineer working for the U.S. Government. That’s the reason he came up with the idea of building this bunker- he decided that he wanted to protect his family from the ever-looming threat of nuclear war and thus built a safe refuge for them.

Alvin Kaufman built the shelter with enough room for a family of four. According to his daughter Debra, Alvin offered to build one giant fallout shelter for all of his neighbors to share. Sadly, he was turned down: even amidst the growing fears of an imminent nuclear attack.

Debra went od describing the shelter, saying that it contained several sleeping areas, a water tank, and an air filter that could be cranked by hand.

The Otcaseks began searching the inventory and the first item they found was an old Arrow brand Argyle sweater. Argyle, has been used to decorate everything from socks and sweaters, to robes and kilts. The Arrow brand clothing still makes shirts today but the styles have been slightly updated.

The Kaufman family also made sure to keep a great deal of cooking and preservative products. This stack of Saran Wrap, Reynolds Wrap, and plastic baggies were all perfectly designed to store food. Even ithat these products have greatly improved over the years, the vintage packaging would be worth a fairly decent amount of money in this day and age.

In the bunker there was also a container that contained all manner of long-since-expired medications from sleeping pills, medication for nausea, ointment, and an assortment of nondescript orange tablets in various bottles littered the bottom of the case.

Beside the medications, the Kaufmans also brought along a First-Aid kit that contained foot powder, bacitracin ointment, and absorbent cotton gauze. Kits of this kind were the most common feature of Cold War Era Fallout shelters and some would even contain sutures and sewing kits to be used in the event of a grievous injury from and attack or afterwards.

Some other necessities were also stocked into the shelter such as a tin of cookies sat on a shelf next to two packages of Multi-Purpose Food. California restaurateur, Clifford E. Clinton  created this powdered protein mix in 1946. Clinton had reached out to his friend Dr. Henry Borsook, who was a biochemist, to develop a food substitute that would provide proper nutrition at a very affordable price.

Dr. Borsook worked on the project for about a year before he developed Multi-Purpose Food (MPF) which is a high protein food supplement that only cost three cents a meal. The affordability of MPF allowed Clinton to found the not-for-profit organization, Meals for Millions which over the following decade distributed 6.5 million pounds of MPF to relief agencies in 129 countries.

The bunker also carried some entertainment- Kaufman packed nearly a dozen issues of Analog Science Fiction and Fact Magazinein order to keep the family at least partially entertained during their potential stay in the bomb shelter.

The American Sci-Fi magazine, which was first published in 1930, was best known for publishing many stories that would become classics including stories by Isaac Asimov, Robert A. Heinlein, and John W. Campbell.

The Otcaseks also found a roll of old Kleenex paper towels which was first created in the 1920’s as a way to remove cold cream and makeup. However, the Kleenex paper towels soon branched into a number of different products, including Cottonelle, Huggies, and VIVA.

Another interesting item that was found in the shelter was a package of Dixie Paper Cups. They were first made in 1907 as a way for trains to easily serve drinks of cold water to their passengers on long drives. Originally they were called the “Health Kup”, and these small, paper cups paved the way for all that came after them.

Jars and cans of ground coffee of several different varieties were sitting ll around the room, mostly on shelves and tables and most of them had never been opened. Some of the items have been ravaged by time like the rusted one pictured here.

It seems that the Kaufmans had a love for the flavored bean and knew that if it came to nuclear war, they’d need enough to keep them sane as they waited out the fallout together.

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