Digital Devices Deprive Brain of Needed Downtime

Time without digital input can allow people to learn better or come up with new ideas.

The technology makes the tiniest windows of time entertaining, and potentially productive. 

But scientists point to an unanticipated side effect: when people keep their brains busy with digital input, they are forfeiting downtime that could allow them to better learn and remember information, or come up with new ideas…

“Almost certainly, downtime lets the brain go over experiences it’s had, solidify them and turn them into permanent long-term memories,” said Loren Frank, assistant professor in the department of physiology at the university, where he specializes in learning and memory. He said he believed that when the brain was constantly stimulated, “you prevent this learning process.”

At the University of Michigan, a study found that people learned significantly better after a walk in nature than after a walk in a dense urban environment, suggesting that processing a barrage of information leaves people fatigued.

Even though people feel entertained, even relaxed, when they multitask while exercising, or pass a moment at the bus stop by catching a quick video clip, they might be taxing their brains, scientists say.

“People think they’re refreshing themselves, but they’re fatiguing themselves,” said Marc Berman, a University of Michigan neuroscientist.

Russian Women Have A Unique Mentality

Interesting article about Eastern European personality traits in Russian women. I would say,  most Eastern European women share similar history...

Although this could be generalizing, for the most part it is true that Eastern people have different mentalities compared to Western peoples. The Eastern attitude is still very much like it was of Western people long ago in the past. It is wrong to say that every person from a country is exactly the same but Russians do share personality traits. In the women it’s these traits that make them the most sensitive and caring in the world.

When you look at the history of Russia the women have always stood out. Without women, the communities and families would not have withstood all the hard times they have had to face. And it’s in times like those that a persons true character will come out. Their culture is thought to be one of the most caring and protective in the world. And this is why Russian hostesses have gained the reputation of being the most hospitable there is.

Communism is a major reason behind all of this. Being brought up in a communist society gives a person strong family values. And along side these values, a communist is brought up to believe in giving to society, self dedication and responsibility. They truly believe that a most important thing they can do is to help others, even if it means harder times for themselves. And it is these values that get passed down from mother to daughter.

Russian men often take these women and their loving and caring nature for granted as they experience it all their lives. And the men do not really no how to appreciate their wives, so end up treating them badly. Unbelievably, the women are expected to take care of the children, clean the home, cook all the meals and work an eight hour a day job, all on their own.

In recent years, a lot of Western influences have found their way into Russia. And this has shown the women there that not all men have the same attitude towards them as the Eastern ones do. There are now more and more stories of women making good lives for themselves outside of Russia. A lot of the women have a friend or have heard of someone who has moved abroad and loves the attitude of their new husband.

When Russian women see or hear how their friends are being treated abroad and compare it to how things are in their homeland, they soon realize they deserve much better. Russian ladies appreciate being treated kindly and with love and they get that from foreign men. Then they will dedicate their lives to making their new husband happy.

One letter on plane ticket says a lot about you

By Samantha Bomkamp, The Associated Press

NEW YORK, N.Y. - There are a few bits of information to pay close attention to on an airline ticket: the flight number, gate number and boarding time. Fare basis code? Not a common concern.

But the single-letter code can make a big difference in some parts of the travel experience, even though most passengers don't pay any attention. A fare basis code further divides passengers into classes based on how much they paid and how far out they booked. There are about a dozen in coach class alone.

When you're on the plane, there's no difference in service between a passenger who has a "Y'' or "Q'' — a full-fare and a discounted ticket — if you're both in coach. But the codes are still important: Some indicate your trip isn't eligible for frequent-flyer miles or an upgrade; others tell a ticket agent where to rank you on a standby list.

Deciphering the code

The letters airlines assign to certain levels of coach can vary widely, but a couple are universal. "Y'' class is a widespread denotation for the highest class in coach among most major airlines, according to Jami Counter, senior director of TripAdvisor Flights and a former pricing strategist at American Airlines. These tickets are usually fully refundable, last-minute coach fares purchased mainly by business travellers. They're the most expensive tickets, but they have the most flexibility.

Some others that are generally used among the airlines: "J'' or "C'' usually indicate business class. "F'' and "P'' denote first class or premium.

Why are the codes there?

Airline tickets weren't always so complicated. Codes were developed as the airlines created complex systems that let them make more money per ticket.

The fare basis code is found on most e-tickets by itself, but it can also be shown as the first letter of a longer code with a mix of other letters and numbers.

The rundown

The good news: The better code you have, the better your chance of not getting bumped. You also might receive more frequent flyer miles if you're in the top tiers. The bad news: The main way to improve your code is to pay more. Most leisure travellers wouldn't think of forking over double or triple the usual fare for a refundable ticket or more perks. But there are ways to avoid hassles without paying through the roof.

One way to prevent bumping with a discounted ticket? Check in early. In addition to ranking by price, airlines also prioritize passengers by check-in order. Get in the habit of checking in online 24 hours before your flight. You can even check bags online through most airlines, and just drop them off at a counter when you arrive at the airport.

But fare classes aren't just important when it comes to keeping your seat. Fare classes are also key if you want to upgrade your ticket. Generally, "Y," ''B" and "M'' are the only coach fares that are upgradeable. You can search by fare class directly on most airline websites.

If building up frequent flyer miles is important to you, avoid auction tickets on sites like Hotwire and Priceline where you name your own price, or don't see all the flight information before you book. Those tickets, like Hotwire "Hot Rates," are often ineligible for frequent flyer miles. The cheapest tickets doled out to certain travel agents also aren't always eligible, either. It's important in these cases to always read the fine print, because whether you're going to the next state or around the world, you may be out of luck.

On the other end of the spectrum, Counter said passengers with the highest-ranked fare basis codes are eligible to get more than the standard miles, sometimes 150 per cent, for their flight.

Just changed the skin of my blog today.

Please let me know how you like this one.... I am hoping it's more feminine and calm...
Or simply fits my mood better today? "Women, hu?", as my ex-boyfriend would say....

The Water Cube

It looks like a fairy tale to me....The Water Cube, aka The Beijing National Aquatics Centre, has been revamped as a water park after the Olympics.

The same cannot be said for the stadia of the 2004 Greece Olympics most of which are still lying unused.

The lost art of curl maintenance - Arts & Culture - Macleans.ca

The lost art of curl maintenance - Arts & Culture - Macleans.ca

men “don’t care” what a woman looks like naked

JULIA Roberts insists men “don’t care” what a woman looks like naked.

The actress — who’s married to Daniel Moder — was asked whether she agrees with her Eat, Pray, Lovecharacter, who says how you look naked doesn’t mean anything?

“Absolutely,” Roberts replied. “Men don’t care what a woman looks like naked.

“It’s more about, ‘There’s a naked woman here with me.’ And anyway, that’s what dimmer switches were made for!”


Roberts, 42, recently revealed she refuses to have plastic surgery — because she wants to grow old gracefully.
“I want my kids to know when I’m pissed, when I’m happy and when I’m confounded,” she told Elle magazine in its September issue.

“Your face tells a story and it shouldn’t be a story about your drive to the doctor’s office.”
“It’s unfortunate that we live in such a panicked, dysmorphic society where women don’t even give themselves a chance to see what they’ll look like as older persons. I want to have some idea of what I’ll look like before I start cleaning the slates,” she adds.




JULIA Roberts doesn’t worry about looking glamorous.
The Eat Pray Love actress — who has twins Hazel and Phinneaus, five, and three-year-old Henry with husbandDanny Moder – insists she is always too busy readying her family for the day to think about her appearance.

“When you’ve got four people to get dressed to get out the door you don’t really tend to spend a lot of time on yourself,” she said.
However, the 42-year-old actress — who is the face of French cosmetic company Lancome — insists she has never been too concerned about her looks.
“But that’s the way I roll anyway,” she said. “I was never one to do my hair and make-up just to go down to the market, so it’s really not that much different. If I get a little eye cream on I feel like I’m ahead of myself.”
And Julia revealed that she worries about the effects of using too many products or having beauty treatments.
“The body is a great machine and it knows how to take care of itself,” she said.
“I think more often than not the things we do to our skin or our bodies can hold it back from doing its proper job.”

How Beauty Savvy Are You?

How Beauty Savvy Are You?

What's Your Beauty IQ?

1. Which of these are natural teeth whiteners?
A. Green tea
B. Strawberries
C. Lemons
D. Bananas

Who Knew?
CORRECT ANSWER: B and C. Strawberries and lemons are natural teeth whiteners.


2. What's the best kind of lip balm to prevent chapping?
A. Petroleum jelly
B. Flavored
C. Cocoa Butter
D. Tinted


CORRECT ANSWER: C, Cocoa butter. Some common ingredients in lip balm can actually have an adverse effect. Mineral oil (petroleum jelly) creates an artificial film on your lips, signaling your skin to stop producing lipids, while funky flavors, perfumes, and colors can also dry out skin. To prevent chapping, look for natural-oil-infused balms or those with shea and cocoa butter. 

Test more:, go to:

20 Secrets Men Keep

20 Secrets Men Keep

MC's male dating blogger, Rich Santos, reveals what men really think about sex, dating, relationships, and you.

What He's Thinking

We like to cuddle. Cuddling is all about mood and ambience. It's peaceful to lie in someone's arms in the dark with great music or even the low buzz of the TV (although that tends to distract me) in the background. It's nice to hear nothing but your lover's breath against the backdrop of the evening or early morning. Holding someone close in bed also makes you feel very secure with one another and the relationship.

more.... 20 Secrets Men Keep

13 Flat-Belly Foods to Beat the Bloat

13 Flat-Belly Foods to Beat the Bloat

Oranges and Watermelons
Because water flushes waste and excess water out of your system, enjoying water-rich foods is ideal. Watermelons, as their name suggests, are almost all water — 92 percent. Oranges too are approximately 80 to 90 percent water.

Yogurt
Not only does yogurt have a high water content, but it promotes the growth of good bacteria in the stomach. This bacteria is responsible for the reduction of excess gas that accumulates in the organ over time.

Garlic
This plant helps reduce the levels of fat in the liver, whose main functions include detoxification and the production of biochemicals necessary for digestion — major aspects of the prevention of bloating.

Bran Cereal and Oatmeal
Fiber helps relieve constipation, which is an all-too frequent cause of bloating. By adding bulk in the form of certain cold or hot cereals, everything moves through the intestines more quickly. Because women need at least 25 grams of fiber daily, eating a bran cereal with at least five grams of fiber per serving helps reach that goal. Just be certain to not add too much fiber to your diet too fast, or worsened bloating can occur.

Strawberries and Blueberries
Fiber also takes the form of certain delicious fruits and berries. Snacking on high-fiber foods such as strawberries and blueberries, as well as dried apricots and dried plums, can help clean out one's system regularly.

Grapefruit
Like other fruits with high water content, grapefruit is nearly 90 percent water. An added benefit of snacking on this pink treat: It's high in fat-burning enzymes.

Broth-Based Soup
Soups based on broth — not chowders, purees, or cream soups that are high in saturated fat — have an extremely high water content yet can be filling. Plus, the sodium levels should not be high as long as the soups are made with natural ingredients and don't come from a can. Canned soups often have as much as 1,000 milligrams of sodium, which is half of the daily recommended limit, in a single serving.

Lettuce and Spinach
These green leaves, in addition to kale and chard, require ample chewing and provide a healthy dose of fiber, vitamins, and minerals. They also help with acid indigestion, constipation, and urinary tract infections.

Peppermint and Ginger
Carminative herbs, which include peppermint as well as chamomile and ginger, are gas reducers and can be enjoyed in tea form. In addition to these herbs, bitter herbs, despite their taste, are effective at stimulating the digestive tract as well as the flow of saliva.

Chili Peppers
Not just a spice to heat up a meal, these peppers reduce the risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart disease. Capsaicin, an active ingredient found in the peppers, can also increase metabolism and curb food cravings, especially for sweets.

Broccoli and Cauliflower
Cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, break down harmful forms of estrogen for safe elimination from the body. Still, they do contain sugars that are sometimes difficult to digest and thus should be eaten in moderation (a half-cup serving at a time).

Cucumbers
This veggie may not have much nutritional value, but it serves as a natural diuretic, helping to increase urination and the flushing out of toxins from the body. Cucumbers are rich in sulfur and silicon to stimulate the kidneys into better removal of uric acid. Because cukes are low in both sodium andcalories, they're also a favored vegetable in most diet plans.

Pineapples
This tropical fruit, which is approximately 85 percent water, also contains bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins, promotes good digestion, and helps to eradicate some stomach problems.

( 13 Flat-Belly Foods to Beat the Bloat )