Why is 10:10 the default setting for clocks and watches?
Posted: October 15, 2010 Filed under: Technology 1 Comment »>
Its said that the 10:10 position gives the clock or watch a number of benefits:
• The hands not overlapping, so they’re fully and clearly visible and their styling can be admired.
• The arrangement of the hands is symmetrical, which people generally find more pleasant than asymmetry, making the product more appealing to customers.
• The manufacturer’s logo, usually in the center of the face under the 12, is not only visible, but nicely framed by the hands.
• Additional elements on the face (like date windows and secondary dials), usually placed near the 3, 6, or 9, won’t be obscured.
According to the folks at Timex (who set their products at 10:09:36 exactly), the standard setting used to be 8:20, but this made the face look like it was frowning. To make the products look “happier,” the setting was flipped into a smile (occasionally, you’ll still see the 8:20 setting on some clocks or watches where the manufacturer’s logo is at bottom of the face above the 6).
By spellitme.wordpress.com
Blue-eyed humans have a single, common ancestor
Posted: October 14, 2010 Filed under: Early Man, Research, Science Leave a comment »
ScienceDaily — New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.
What is the genetic mutation
“Originally, we all had brown eyes”, said Professor Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. “But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a “switch”, which literally “turned off” the ability to produce brown eyes”. The OCA2 gene codes for the so-called P protein, which is involved in the production of melanin, the pigment that gives colour to our hair, eyes and skin. The “switch”, which is located in the gene adjacent to OCA2 does not, however, turn off the gene entirely, but rather limits its action to reducing the production of melanin in the iris – effectively “diluting” brown eyes to blue. The switch’s effect on OCA2 is very specific therefore. If the OCA2 gene had been completely destroyed or turned off, human beings would be without melanin in their hair, eyes or skin colour – a condition known as albinism.
Variation in the colour of the eyes from brown to green can all be explained by the amount of melanin in the iris, but blue-eyed individuals only have a small degree of variation in the amount of melanin in their eyes. “From this we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor,” says Professor Eiberg. “They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA.” Brown-eyed individuals, by contrast, have considerable individual variation in the area of their DNA that controls melanin production.
Professor Eiberg and his team examined mitochondrial DNA and compared the eye colour of blue-eyed individuals in countries as diverse as Jordan, Denmark and Turkey. His findings are the latest in a decade of genetic research, which began in 1996, when Professor Eiberg first implicated the OCA2 gene as being responsible for eye colour.
Nature shuffles our genes
The mutation of brown eyes to blue represents neither a positive nor a negative mutation. It is one of several mutations such as hair colour, baldness, freckles and beauty spots, which neither increases nor reduces a human’s chance of survival. As Professor Eiberg says, “it simply shows that nature is constantly shuffling the human genome, creating a genetic cocktail of human chromosomes and trying out different changes as it does so.”
University of Copenhagen (2008, January 31). Blue-eyed Humans Have A Single, Common Ancestor. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 26, 2010. Source
are your friends making you fat?
Posted: October 13, 2010 Filed under: Health, Research Leave a comment »>
Can having obese friends increase your risk of packing on pounds? A new study suggests it can, if you’re a man.
The study, published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine, finds that the obesity epidemic can spread like a virus through social networks. When a person becomes obese, his friends and siblings are likely to gain weight as well.
“We were stunned to find that friends who live hundreds of miles away have just as much impact as friends who are next door,” said James Fowler, one of the study’s authors and an associate professor of political science at the University of California San Diego (UCSD).
He adds that this may be due to the fact that friends may subconsciously share ideas about what constitutes a healthy weight.
The research was based on more than 12,000 people taking part in the three-decade-long Framingham Heart Study.
At each update in that study, doctors monitored participants’ height and weight and also recorded information about their neighbors, friends and spouses.
Using new software, Harvard and UCSD researchers created diagrams that plotted obesity and relationships, mapping the past 30 years.
Obesity and Socializing
While mapping networks of neurons in the brain or HIV prevalence among different communities has been popular in the past, this is the first time that obesity has been put under the lens of social networks.
The researchers found that when a person becomes obese, the chances that a friend will become obese increases by 57 percent. Siblings of obese people have a 40 percent increased risk of obesity, and their spouses’ risk increased by 37 percent.
On average, having an obese friend made a person gain 17 pounds, which put many people over the body mass index (BMI) measure for obesity.
Female friendships did not seem to be impacted by obesity. But the chances that a man might gain weight from having a fat pal doubled for so-called mutual friends — friends who both listed each other as buddies.
“There is an important implication here for a broadening perspective on treatment for obesity,” said Dr. Nicholas Christakis, the study’s lead author. “Attitudes are changing about what constitutes an acceptable body size, more so than a sharing of behaviors.
“We don’t think that this is the only cause of obesity. This is adding one additional factor or explanation.”
Still, the research could have weighty implications in a society in which adult obesity rates have shot up from 15 to 32 percent over the past three decades. Currently, around 66 percent of adults are considered overweight.
Norms Trump Networks for Gals?
One of the questions raised by the study was why women’s weight didn’t seem to depend on having obese friends.
“There is a strong social bias for women towards thinness,” said Dr. Robert Kushner, president of the American Board of Nutrition Physician Specialists.
“Social norms may trump social networks here. Guys don’t have the same social pressure. Men may be more influenced by their friends.”
Other diet experts agree that the inner workings of male friendships may have a lot to do with weight gain.
“Current social stigma against obesity is greater among women, and women jointly discuss weight and support each other in dieting and exercising,” said Jeffery Sobal, a professor of nutritional science at Cornell University. “Men may engage in joint activities that increase weight, such as consuming more calories or spending time in sedentary activities.”
So depending on a man’s network of friends, he’s just as likely to be chomping down wings and guzzling beer while watching the game as he is to be shooting hoops with the boys.
You Are Who You Eat With
If heavy friends can make someone gain weight, can thin friends make someone shed the flab? Not necessarily, say the researchers — but it might be worthwhile to start a diet or lifestyle change in groups.
“The public needs to know that it’s very important to get your friends and family on board when making a lifestyle change,” said Amy Wachholtz, a medical psychiatrist with the Duke Diet and Fitness Center.
“You are more likely to be successful if you have friends and family members to support you,” Wachholtz said. “It’s not just size of social network but also how committed they are to losing weight. Getting a friend who’s also very committed is going to help you.”
Jennifer Nelson, director of clinical dietetics at the Mayo Clinic, agrees. “Social networks definitely have an effect. This is something to be aware of for both the patient and the health care provider,” she said.
“We as health care providers should be mindful of addressing the social group, not just the individual.” By Katharine Stoel Gammon care of ABC News Medical Unit.
further reading: The New York Times magazine article
>Bamboo Bikes: Riding Green, Leafy Green
Posted: October 12, 2010 Filed under: Nature, Technology Leave a comment »>
It sounds like the opposite of high-tech engineering, but it’s not. High-end racing bikes built of bamboo.
If you’re a serious cyclist or know someone who is, you probably know that over the years, the stuff really good bikes are made of has changed. From steel and aluminum to exotic alloys and carbon fiber. Some engineers are taking the search for the best bicycle material the other way. All the way back to bamboo.
This sounds like green technology gone crazy. Except for one thing. It works. If you’ve ever watched a construction worker in Shanghai swing a bamboo-handled sledge hammer, you know. Bamboo is tough. And it’s light. Bamboo bike frames weigh about four-pounds. Features you need in a bike built for serious riding or racing. Bamboo frames also absorb vibration better than carbon fiber, absorb impacts better, and are less likely to break.
Like many other good things, good bamboo bike frames don’t come cheap. Some cost more than $2,500. Which, compared to top carbon fiber frames, isn’t bad.
Not all bamboo bikes are expensive or aimed at riding the Tour de France. One engineer has come up with a bamboo bike that people can build at home with basic tools. It’s intended for folks in Africa and other developing areas who need cheap, durable transportation.
Our bike isn’t made of bamboo, but we’re still going to ride it home. See you next time.
Engineering Works! is made possible by Texas A&M Engineering and produced by KAMU-FM in College Station.
By Gene Charleton of Texas A&M Engineering.
For more info check out:
>For Early Man, It Wasn’t Easier Being Green
Posted: October 7, 2010 Filed under: Early Man, Nature, Research Leave a comment »>
Archaeologists who study early hunter-gatherer societies are discovering that even the simplest cultures altered their environments, whether they meant to or not.
For example, aboriginal people in Australia burned huge areas to change the landscape so they could hunt animals more easily. Perhaps the most famous example is the way mastodons and giant sloth and other ice-age animals were killed off by roving bands of hungry humans.
Torben Rick, an archaeologist at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, says the notion of hunter-gatherers living in perfect harmony with their environment is going the way of the dodo. He says he’s discovered that indigenous people even altered America’s coastlines, thousands of years ago.
In a big, sunny laboratory at the Smithsonian, Rick pulls a palm-sized shell out of a plastic bag to show what he means.
“These are red abalones,” he says. “This one is 6,500 years old.” He says people living on the islands of California dumped these shells after eating the abalone and, unknowingly, became “dune-builders.”
“So there might have been a five-foot dune there at one time right above the beach,” Ricks says, “and a group of hunter-gatherers came in, lived on top of that dune, dumped their refuse there and left. And this creates a pavement there that anchors that sand.”
Small dunes eventually became big ones, built up like a layer cake, with trash dividing each layer.
Intentional Changes
Then there were intentional changes that people wrought, like the clam gardens of the Pacific Northwest.
People built rock walls into the ocean shallows.
“What these rock walls do,” says Rick, “is they create behind them an area of sandy substrate that’s really good for clams. You can kind of think of them like a terraced garden.”
Rick has also found layers of sea otter bones thousands of years old in California’s Channel Islands. The layers above just had sea urchin remains. He thinks people killed the otters because they ate too many shellfish. Since otters also prey on sea urchins, the urchin population exploded. All those urchins ate up the kelp forests, creating what Rick calls an “urchin barren.”
Changes Can Lead To Disaster
Rick says intentionally or not, hunter-gatherers altered the environment for a long, long time, long before agriculture emerged. University of Nebraska anthropologist Raymond Hames, who studies how people interact with their environment, says they had no choice.
“The take-home point to some extent is that humans do things to make their life easier,” Hames says. “It was really hard to make a living back then, so you know, you took advantage of the knowledge and skills you had in order to make the environment useful to you.”
Hames says sometimes in early human history, changing the environment led to disaster.
“The problem is that your successes lead to population growth, which then leads to more pressure on the system to produce more resources,” he says. “Your successes can set you up for even greater failures.”
Many archaeologists argue that societies like the Easter Islanders and the Mayans suffered after over-exploiting their forests and land.
Rick notes that human activity is now threatening places like the Everglades and the Chesapeake Bay. Scientists are trying to restore them, but to what condition? He says archaeology can provide snapshots of what these places looked like at different moments in time, and how much people had altered them.
by Christopher Joyce of National Public Radio
>25 Superfoods For Your Entire Body
Posted: October 6, 2010 Filed under: Health Leave a comment »>
These 25 superfoods will keep your immune system strong, your skin soft, and your energy levels skyrocketing
25 Superfoods For Your Entire Body
Your Hair
Spoon Up: Low-fat cottage cheese
Hair is almost all protein, so attaining a strong, vibrant mane starts with eating enough of it. Reduced-fat cottage cheese is a protein heavyweight, with 14 grams in half a cup.
Pack: Pumpkin seeds
Zinc helps reduce shedding, says Francesca Fusco, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at New York’s Mount Sinai Medical Center. Toss a tablespoon of these zinc-heavy seeds into your cereal.
Your Brain
Surf for: Arctic char
This cold-water fish is a great source of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, which can improve brain function and ward off the blues, says Elizabeth Somer, R.D., author of Age-Proof Your Body. Omega-3s help squelch inflammation in the brain and regulate feel-good neurotransmitters. Sprinkle fillets with sea salt, ground pepper, and fresh lemon juice, then pan-fry on medium-high until one side is slightly brown. Flip and cook until the inside is slightly pink (6 to 8 minutes total).
Saute: Kale
Feed the 100 billion neurons in your noggin with nutritious kale. A study in the journal Neurology reports that getting two-plus servings per day of veggies — especially leafy green ones like kale — slows cognitive decline by 40 percent. Temper kale’s bitter flavor by sautéing it lightly with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, a chopped garlic clove, 2 tablespoons of pine nuts, and a pinch of salt.
Your Nose
Nosh: Sunflower seeds
Hay fever affects more than 40 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Halt the drip with vitamin E. Researchers suspect it calms the parts of your immune system involved in allergies. With 49 percent of your daily vitamin E needs in an ounce, these seeds are your shnoz’s best friend.
Your Eyes
Scramble: Whole eggs
Forgo egg-white omelets. The yolks are an all-star source of two antioxidants — lutein and zeaxanthin, carotenoids that fight cataracts as well as macular degeneration, the leading cause of blindness. Don’t worry: University of Massachusetts researchers have concluded that eating an average of one egg yolk a day will not hurt your cholesterol levels.
Steam: Orange cauliflower
Yes, that really is orange cauliflower popping up in your produce aisle. Food scientists at Cornell University reworked the white variety to provide 25 times as much beta-carotene, which maintains the protective covering over the cornea. As with any low-cal vegetable, you can enjoy peachy cauliflower with reckless abandon, provided you don’t drown it in salt and fat-laden butter.
Your Skin
Simmer: Tomatoes
Cozy up to your nearest Italian eatery. The fruit is especially beneficial when cooked—more of the carotenoid lycopene makes it into the skin, where it can limit UV damage to lower skin-cancer risk and hold off wrinkles.
Experiment with: Hemp
The omega-3 fatty acids in hemp help your skin retain moisture so you don’t look like a cast member from Dawn of the Dead. Toss a tablespoon each of lemon juice, pine nuts, and shelled hemp seeds into a blender with ³ cup of hemp-seed oil, a chopped garlic clove, a pinch of salt, and ½ cup fresh basil. Whirl to create a delicious and healthy pesto.
Your Lips
Munch On: Walnuts
To get moist, beautiful, chap-free lips, your body needs to constantly replace old skin cells with new ones. “Omega-3 fats help regulate this turnover so that it happens all the time,” Fusco says. And unlike much-lauded almonds, walnuts have tons of the phat fats. So do your lips a favor and pucker up to an ounce (about 14 shelled halves) a day; eat them plain or add them to salads, cereal, oatmeal, trail mix, or your favorite muffin recipe.
Your Nails
Grill up: Beef
Of all the sources of highly absorbable iron in your supermarket, beef is among the best. Low iron levels, which are common in women, not only zap your zip, but, Fusco says, can cause brittle nails. With the least fat of the common cuts, top round (and other round cuts) deserve high billing on your broiler pan.
Your Breasts
Add: Broccoli sprouts
Sulforaphane, found in baby broccoli, fires up enzymes that may stop breast-cancer cells from growing. Johns Hopkins University researchers discovered that broccoli sprouts have up to 20 times as much of this compound as fully grown plants. Pimp your sandwiches and salads with ½ cup of robustly flavored broccosprouts — developed by scientists at Johns Hopkins. A one-ounce serving contains 73 milligrams of the naturally occurring precursor of sulforaphane.
Your Heart
Snap Up: Asparagus
Italian researchers have found that the B vitamin folate reduces homocysteine, an amino acid believed to promote inflammation, which can up your risk of heart disease. Eight steamed asparagus spears deliver 20 percent of your daily folate requirement, as well as other heart-chummy nutrients like potassium.
Sip: Purple grape juice
Pull over, OJ! According to researchers at the University of Glasgow, purple grape juice is high in phenolics, “a group of powerful antioxidants that swallow up heart-damaging free radicals,” says Anne VanBeber, R.D., Ph.D., a nutrition professor at Texas Christian University. To cut calories while guarding your arteries, mix equal parts grape juice and seltzer.
Your Gut
Reach for: Dried plums, aka Prunes
These high-fiber fruits help keep your gastric system working like a finely tuned machine. They may shrink your stomach, too. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that among 74,000 women surveyed, those who got more fiber were 49 percent less likely to suffer weight gain. Make your own trail mix with a handful of chopped pitted prunes plus walnuts, pumpkin seeds, dried blueberries, and hemp seeds.
Toss in: Tempeh
Made from whole soybeans that are then fermented, tempeh pads our guts with beneficial bacteria. After taking up residence, VanBeber says, these live microorganisms improve digestion, reduce gas production, and kill bacteria that cause ulcers. Like tofu, tempeh soaks up the flavors around it, so crumble a block and toss it into chili, soup, and pasta sauce.
Your Muscles & Joints
Mix in: Ricotta cheese
Loaded with all of the amino acids muscles need to grow and mend, whey protein is a virtuoso when it comes to helping you build a buff bod. While milk curd is used to make most cheeses, ricotta is produced from the whey that’s left behind in the cheese-making process. Mix low-fat ricotta with scrambled eggs, salsa, and broccoli sprouts for a killer breakfast.
Drizzle: Extra-virgin olive oil
Ditch fat-free dressings. Olive oil contains oleocanthal, an anti-inflammatory that may work like ibuprofen, report scientists in the journal Nature. Drizzle two teaspoons of Spectrum organic extra-virgin ($12 for 12.7 oz, spectrumorganics.com) onto your veggies.
Your Bones
Indulge in: Chocolate
Chocolate is rich in magnesium, vital to bone health. “It forms the crystal lattice that gives bone its structure,” VanBeber says. That may be why University of Tennessee scientists linked higher mag intake with greater bone-mineral density. Nibble an ounce of the dark stuff each day.
Open up: Canned salmon
New research suggests that the omega-3s in these fatty swimmers can boost bone density. Canned salmon is inexpensive and typically lower in heavy metals like mercury than many other fish. “Canned salmon [with bones] is also a good source of calcium — another bone must,” Somer says. For a better burger, make patties with a tin of salmon, an egg, ¼ cup breadcrumbs, ¼ cup chopped onion, and ½ tablespoon cumin powder.
Your Teeth
Peel: Mango and Kiwi
Together, these two tropical fruits deliver more of the proven gum protector vitamin C than an orange. Bonus: Researchers in Italy have found that each fruit portion you down daily (that’s just a single kiwi) reduces your risk for oral cancer by nearly 50 percent.
Stir-Fry: Shrimp
If you have periodontal disease, you’re churning out more cytokines, proteins that stimulate inflammation — turning your mouth into a hotbed of pain and bleeding. Research has shown that vitamin D can put the smackdown on cytokines. Three ounces of shrimp provides 65 percent of the RDA of vitamin D, so cast the crustaceans into your next wok full of vegetables. By Matthew G. Kadey, M.S., R.D., of Women’s Health.
Thanks to Chris for sharing!
>Why are Humans and Dogs so Good at Living Together?
Posted: October 2, 2010 Filed under: Animals, Early Man Leave a comment »>
Dogs have a special chemistry with humans that goes back many tens of thousands of years. Researchers investigated this special evolutionary relationship from a number of different angles. Their results are surprising.
The social unit
Domestic dogs are descended from wolves so recently that they remain wolves in all biological essentials, including their social behavior. Wolf packs have some intriguing parallels with human families:
They are territorial.
They hunt cooperatively.
Pack members are emotionally bonded and greet each other enthusiastically after they have been separated.
In a wolf pack, only the alpha male and female are sexually active even though other pack members are sexually mature.
The social adaptations of dogs and humans are similar enough that dogs can live perfectly happy lives surrounded by humans and vice versa. Dogs are pampered with the best of food and medical care, frequently sleeping in their owners’ comfortable beds.
A family member
Why do people lavish so much care on a member of an alien species? A short answer is that on an emotional plane, families do not see the dog as alien. According to John Archer (1) of the University of Central Lancashire, who has conducted a detailed study of dog-human relations from an evolutionary perspective, about 40% of owners identify their dog as a family member reflecting social compatibility between our two species.
Dogs are extraordinarily attentive and have an uncanny ability to predict what their owners will do, whether getting the dog a meal or preparing to go on a walk. Experiments show that dogs and wolves can be astute readers of human body language using the direction of our gaze to locate hidden food (2) a problem that is beyond chimps.
Dogs also seem attuned to the emotional state of their masters and express contrition when the owner is annoyed, for example. Otherwise, the capacity to express affection -unconditionally – makes the dog a valued “family member.”
Domesticating each other?
Dogs were the first domestic animal with whom we developed a close association. Mitochondrial DNA research suggests that most domestic dogs have been genetically separate from wolves for at least 100,000 years so that we have associated with dogs for as long as we have been around as a species (Homo sapiens). Indeed, some enthusiasts, including Colin Groves of the Australian National University, in Canberra, believe that our success as a species is partly due to help from dogs (3).
According to Groves: “The human-dog relationship amounts to a very long lasting symbiosis. Dogs acted as human’s alarm systems, trackers, and hunting aides, garbage disposal facilities, hot water bottles, and children’s guardians and playmates. Humans provided dogs with food and security. The relationship was stable over 100,000 years or so, and intensified in the Holocene into mutual domestication. Humans domesticated dogs and dogs domesticated humans.”
Relying on dogs to hear the approach of danger and to sniff out the scent of prey animals, our ancestors experienced a decline in these sensory abilities compared to other primates. This conclusion is confirmed by shrinkage of brain regions devoted to these senses (the olfactory bulb and lateral geniculate body).
During the long period of our association, dogs brains have shrunk by about 20 percent, typical for animals such as sheep and pigs who enjoy our protection. Domesticated animals undergo tissue loss in the cerebral hemispheres critical for learning and cognition. If we relied on dogs to do the hearing and smelling, they evidently relied on us to do some of their thinking.
If Groves is correct that dogs have domesticated humans, then the human brain would also have gotten smaller. Surprisingly, human brains have actually shrunk, but by only a tenth, suggesting that dogs got more out of the deal than we did.
By Nigel Barber, Ph.D.
1. Archer, J. (1997). Why do people love their pets. Evolution and Human Behavior, 18, 237-259.
2. Udell, M. A. R., Dorey, N. R., & Wynne, C. D. L. (2008). Wolves outperform dogs in following human social cues. Animal Behaviour, 76, 1767-1773.
3. Groves, C. P. (1999). The advantages and disadvantages of being domesticated. Perspectives in Human Biology, 4, 1-12.
>Money Can’t Buy you Love, but it Can Help you Find it
Posted: October 1, 2010 Filed under: Love, Technology Leave a comment »>
Human courtship behaviours have been evolving throughout the course of history. From arranged marriages to speed dating, different cultures have unique ways of attracting a mate.Heavily influenced by the technology boom of the late ’90s, dating, like many aspects of our everyday lives, has gained a strong online presence. The business of love, where companies help singles find relationships, has grown into a thriving industry.
Online dating is generating billions in yearly revenues, with a forecasted growth rate of 10%. An escalating variety of websites exist to help people find whatever they are looking for – some sites focus on helping people find their one true love, while others try to match people in a common area looking for a one night fling. Whatever you preference, there is a dating website to accommodate your needs.
Something For Everyone
For example, Ashley Madison is a popular service that matches married people looking to have discrete extramarital relations; the company slogan reads “Life is short, have an affair.” On the other hand, Womenbehindbars seeks to match incarcerated women looking for loving relationships after their release. Like many other such websites, this one focuses on picking partners of a particular race. The information about the type of crime they committed is harder to obtain.
Essentially, there is a website specific to every preference: women seeking rich men, men seeking rich women, even singles who share a common interest in Star Trek. With ranging membership fees and features that vary from website to website, surfers should determine what sort of relationship they are looking for prior to exploring the fascinating world of online dating.
The Serious Dater
Scientific Match uses breakthrough DNA sequencing technology to match clients based on specific genetic traits. DNA analysis of specific immune markers, in addition to a personality test, determines which couples will have the best chemistry. Two thousand dollars buys you a life time membership and a DNA testing kit which is sent to your home – simply swipe the inside of your mouth with a cotton swab and send the sample to the lab. Scientific Match truly takes “relationship chemistry” to the next level.
The popular eHarmony is another internet dating company whose focus is on creating long-term meaningful relationships. Compatibility is determined by the eHarmony Compatibility Matching System algorithm where over 400 questions determine 29 psychological dimensions such as emotional health, values and skills. This test was devised by clinical psychologist Dr. Neil Clark Warren who defined the keystone traits of a successful marriage. Every day an average of 236 eHarmony members happily marry. So if you are serious about finding your soul mate, the $59.95 one month membership could be a great long-term investment.
The Casual Dater
Match.com currently serves over 20 million users, 51% of whom are female, in over 37 countries. For $16.99/month clients are given a guarantee that if they are not matched with a comparable partner in six months, the next six months will be free. Furthermore, features such as dating tips, a relationship profile advisor and five daily suggested matches are provided to clients. Unlike Scientific Match which mainly targets singles looking for marriage, Match.com is a fun alternative allowing members to have a large amount of dating exposure.
Although other service sites such as Plenty of Fish offer similar features for free, Match.com’s large client base makes them very appealing.
Internet giants such as Yahoo! see the long-term growth potentials of online dating in our digital world. Yahoo! Personals currently serves over 10.5 million members looking to find love. In addition to the basic dating features, members have access to an assortment of dating articles, dating tips, online dating coaches, dating advice and even ice-breaker messages. After all, starting an online conversation can often be as difficult as saying “Hi” to that cute girl or boy at the bar. Yahoo! Personals offers a seven day free trial for those who are still uncertain about entering the online dating scene.
Social networking sites such as Facebook are also commonly used to find potential partners who share similar interests/acquaintances. Facebook provides a free alternative to stay in touch with childhood friends and maybe even rekindle any romantic sparks you once had with your junior high flame.
The Future of Dating
Internet dating was once thought of as a sorry alternative to finding a relationship, used only by those who could not do so through “regular” means. However, this business has exploded in recent years in all segments of society and offers many advantages to those who are busy with school and careers, or are just tired of the bar scene and want to try something new. Curious or doubtful singles can browse most major dating sites to read about the many heart-warming success stories. By Investopedia.com.
>Video: Monkey Tool Usage Hammer and Anvil
Posted: September 9, 2010 Filed under: Animals, Early Man, Videos Leave a comment »>
From the BBC documentary “Capuchins: The Monkey Puzzle”, narrated by the ever brilliant Sir David Attenborough.
For the full 29 minute documentary, “Capuchins: The Monkey Puzzle”, click here.
>It’s Not Your Fault – Blame Biology!
Posted: September 8, 2010 Filed under: Psychology, Science Leave a comment »>
I turn on the TV and find a commercial informing me that I should Blame Biology rather than french fries for an outbreak of acne. It is true that biologic factors involved in acne include excess sebum production caused by increased hormones, outlet obstruction of sebaceous follicles and inflammation. Further, research has shown that greasy foods and chocolates won’t worsen acne. However, excessive manipulation and rubbing, hair gels, medications, stress and certain foods such as refined sugars and starches will increase oil production and probably the pimple population. In other words, you do have some control over your complexion.
This Blame Biology message is not new, nor is it limited to dermatology. We are always looking for something or someone to blame; allowing us to shift responsibility. An article from CNN described circadian rhythms and additional sleep requirements as the biological reasons for teenagers arriving late to school, nodding off during class and getting into more car accidents. Recently a National Public Radio show explained how unruly and disrespectful teen behavior should be blamed on biologic changes not just in their hormone levels, but in their rapidly developing brains. Similarly, the Boston Globe printed an article which discussed how anorexia is not primarily a psychological, but a biological disorder and how we should blame the appetite regulation mechanism in the brain, rather than parenting or altered self-perceptions. An article in Newsweek attempts to clarify how antisocial behavior should be blamed on brain development rather than on poor choices or deviant personalities. Unfriendly and detached? There’s no reason to invoke personal responsibility; look no further than gray matter density in the brain.
Of course, we do have some obvious biological blames such as diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, and glaucoma to name a few. Does that mean that we don’t have any control? Heck No! Acknowledging that I may have a genetic predisposition to incur some disease is different than Blaming Biology and removing myself from any personal responsibility. The truth is that you and I do have control. Having a genetic predisposition does not mean that a disease or aberrancy will be phenotypically displayed (i.e. you have the gene but it is not expressed or seen). Genetically predisposed simply means that you have an increased chance of exhibiting some specific characteristic or disease. Whether you actually get that disease or demonstrate that trait depends on several other factors for which you are responsible, including your choices, behaviors, and actions.
Are you too short, obese, lethargic, stubborn, anxious? Do you have poor eyesight, thin hair, bad knees, sweaty palms, insomnia, depression, or fits of anger? We can Blame Biology for each of these physical or emotional traits, but in the end, we lose not only our responsibility, but our control and the ability to make positive changes.
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That is certainly something interesting to ponder and discuss with people!
