One of the easiest ways to start making money on the web is by using
simple sites that let you break into the game of online earning. These
simple sites are generally known as “get paid to” or “GPT” websites.
These particular sites allow you to do a variety of easy tasks online to
make some extra cash. Let’s take a look at a CashCrate Review
Making money on many of these sites involves completing simple
activities such as surveys for cash, completing offers and referring
others to the site. These are all extremely easy tasks that take little
time and effort to do.
One of the best GPT sites out there is a website known as CashCrate.
This site has been around for ages and is a completely legitimate way
to earn a bit of extra money or even a full-time income if you really
push hard to work at it. You are in charge of how much you make.
Complete a few surveys for cash and do a few quizzes and you can easily
make $50.
Refer friends, family, online buddies and other people you come in
contact with on top of doing what is mentioned above and you could
easily find yourself making a few hundred dollars to a few thousand
dollars. It’s all about the work you put into it. It’s very easy work
but it can take a bit of time to do it all.
CashCrate Review
Personally, I’ve found CashCrate to be a quick and easy way to make
money online. The surveys are short and very simple. The best paying
offers are the trials, though. Most of these are free to sign up for and
all you have to do is cancel the service before the end date and you’ll
never see a charge. Others require a small fee for shipping but you
profit greatly on these too.
For beginners, CashCrate is a great way to break into the world of
making money on the web. It’s fun, easy and it actually does pay. So
there’s no bad experience to be had from it if you do it correctly.
And if you have troubles figuring out what you’re supposed to do or
just have a question about anything in general, the forums on the site
are a great place to be. The community is very tight and love to help
each other.
Ads
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
CUP: Daytona 500 Power Rankings
A wild night at Daytona, as Juan Pablo Montoya hits the jet dryer on track and Matt Kenseth wins his second Daytona 500.
Here are this week’s FOXSports.com/SPEED.com Power Rankings.
This week’s list:
1. MATT KENSETH — To the victor goes the spoils. Congrats to Matt Kenseth on a dominating victory in the Daytona 500, his second in the last four years. Last week: 8th.
2. DALE EARNHARDT JR. — NASCAR’s most popular driver made another strong run, earning his second runner-up finish in the last three Daytona 500s. Last week: 10th.
3. DENNY HAMLIN — Not only was Hamlin best in class among the Toyotas, he was light years ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. Last week: 11th.
4. JEFF BURTON — An impressive run for Burton, who finished fifth with a Richard Childress Racing Ford that clearly wasn’t as fast as the Roush Racing Fords. Last week: 15th.
5. GREG BIFFLE — Yes, Biffle finished third behind Kenseth and Earnhardt, but he didn’t do an especially good job on the green-white-restart, losing a spot to Earnhardt. Last week: 12th.
6. KEVIN HARVICK — Truthfully, it’s a little surprising that Harvick, a great restrictor-plate racer, didn’t make more noise than what he did during Daytona Speedweeks. Last week: 1st.
7. PAUL MENARD — It wasn’t exactly Menardi Gras, but it was a strong effort for Menard, whose sixth-place finish meant all three RCR Chevrolets finished in the top seven. Last week: 19th.
8. JOEY LOGANO — Although he looked a little nervous in traffic at times, Logano finished ninth, which made for a good evening. Last week: 20th.
9. CARL EDWARDS — Considering he started on the pole and considering two of his teammates finished first and third, eighth place was a bit of a letdown for Edwards. Last week: 4th.
10. MARK MARTIN — Mark Martin hates racing at Daytona, but in his first race with Michael Waltrip Racing, he finished 10th, which was slightly better than his two teammates. Last week: Unranked.
11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. — The New Jersey native finished 12th, but he moves up one spot here for winning the $200,000 halfway leader bonus.
12. CLINT BOWYER — Finished 11th, which was right between teammates Mark Martin and Martin Truex Jr. Last week: 18th.
13. MARCOS AMBROSE — Another one of the fast Fords, the affable Aussie had a good run to end the long night with a top-15 finish. Last week: 13th.
14. TONY STEWART — Frankly a somewhat disappointing run for the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, who finished 16th, but was never much of a factor. Last week: 6th.
15. KYLE BUSCH — Like Stewart, Busch should have been a factor in the race, but never really was. Last week: 5th.
16. KASEY KAHNE — Not a good Speedweeks for Kahne, who finished 29th and really didn’t show much over the two weeks. Last week: 2nd.
17. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA — It wasn’t Montoya’s fault — something broke on his car — But he hit the dang jet dryer on track and caused a huge fire. Last week: 17th.
18. AJ ALLMENDINGER — A disappointing first race for the ‘Dinger at Team Penske, as he had contact on pit road with Ryan Newman. Last week: 14th.
19. JEFF GORDON — Original four-time didn’t even make it to halfway before his engine expired. Bad Speedweeks for Hendrick Motorsports. Last week: 9th.
20. JIMMIE JOHNSON — Forty-second place and a points penalty? Horrible start to the season for Johnson. Last week: 3rd.
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
Here are this week’s FOXSports.com/SPEED.com Power Rankings.
This week’s list:
1. MATT KENSETH — To the victor goes the spoils. Congrats to Matt Kenseth on a dominating victory in the Daytona 500, his second in the last four years. Last week: 8th.
2. DALE EARNHARDT JR. — NASCAR’s most popular driver made another strong run, earning his second runner-up finish in the last three Daytona 500s. Last week: 10th.
3. DENNY HAMLIN — Not only was Hamlin best in class among the Toyotas, he was light years ahead of his Joe Gibbs Racing teammates. Last week: 11th.
4. JEFF BURTON — An impressive run for Burton, who finished fifth with a Richard Childress Racing Ford that clearly wasn’t as fast as the Roush Racing Fords. Last week: 15th.
5. GREG BIFFLE — Yes, Biffle finished third behind Kenseth and Earnhardt, but he didn’t do an especially good job on the green-white-restart, losing a spot to Earnhardt. Last week: 12th.
6. KEVIN HARVICK — Truthfully, it’s a little surprising that Harvick, a great restrictor-plate racer, didn’t make more noise than what he did during Daytona Speedweeks. Last week: 1st.
7. PAUL MENARD — It wasn’t exactly Menardi Gras, but it was a strong effort for Menard, whose sixth-place finish meant all three RCR Chevrolets finished in the top seven. Last week: 19th.
8. JOEY LOGANO — Although he looked a little nervous in traffic at times, Logano finished ninth, which made for a good evening. Last week: 20th.
9. CARL EDWARDS — Considering he started on the pole and considering two of his teammates finished first and third, eighth place was a bit of a letdown for Edwards. Last week: 4th.
10. MARK MARTIN — Mark Martin hates racing at Daytona, but in his first race with Michael Waltrip Racing, he finished 10th, which was slightly better than his two teammates. Last week: Unranked.
11. MARTIN TRUEX JR. — The New Jersey native finished 12th, but he moves up one spot here for winning the $200,000 halfway leader bonus.
12. CLINT BOWYER — Finished 11th, which was right between teammates Mark Martin and Martin Truex Jr. Last week: 18th.
13. MARCOS AMBROSE — Another one of the fast Fords, the affable Aussie had a good run to end the long night with a top-15 finish. Last week: 13th.
14. TONY STEWART — Frankly a somewhat disappointing run for the reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion, who finished 16th, but was never much of a factor. Last week: 6th.
15. KYLE BUSCH — Like Stewart, Busch should have been a factor in the race, but never really was. Last week: 5th.
16. KASEY KAHNE — Not a good Speedweeks for Kahne, who finished 29th and really didn’t show much over the two weeks. Last week: 2nd.
17. JUAN PABLO MONTOYA — It wasn’t Montoya’s fault — something broke on his car — But he hit the dang jet dryer on track and caused a huge fire. Last week: 17th.
18. AJ ALLMENDINGER — A disappointing first race for the ‘Dinger at Team Penske, as he had contact on pit road with Ryan Newman. Last week: 14th.
19. JEFF GORDON — Original four-time didn’t even make it to halfway before his engine expired. Bad Speedweeks for Hendrick Motorsports. Last week: 9th.
20. JIMMIE JOHNSON — Forty-second place and a points penalty? Horrible start to the season for Johnson. Last week: 3rd.
Tom Jensen is the Editor in Chief of SPEED.com, Senior NASCAR Editor at RACER and a contributing Editor for TruckSeries.com. You can follow him online at twitter.com/tomjensen100.
Monday, February 27, 2012
The most beautiful tatoos
For centuries, the tattoo industry has been dominated by men – for both the pitcher and the catcher, if you will. Body art has certainly undergone a modern renaissance, and some of the best tattoo artists in the world are now women. And many a tattoo collector attest that there is nothing sexier than having an incredible female artist penetrate your skin with her ink stick.
MOST BEAUTIFUL TATTOO DESIGNS
MOST BEAUTIFUL TATTOO DESIGNS: ANGELINA JOLIE TATTOO
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Easy Ways to Lose Weight: 50+ Ideas
You know the drill when it comes to losing weight -- take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most…
You know the drill when it comes to losing weight — take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician’s campaign pledges. You’re better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis — along with following the cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should send the scale numbers in the right direction: down.
1. Once a week, indulge in a high-calorie-tasting, but low-calorie, treat. This should help keep you from feeling deprived and binging on higher-calorie foods. For instance:
- Lobster. Just 83 calories in 3 ounces.
- Shrimp. Just 60 calories in 12 large.
- Smoked salmon. Just 66 calories in two ounces. Sprinkle with capers for an even more elegant treat.
- Whipped cream. Just 8 calories in one tablespoon. Drop a dollop over a bowl of fresh fruit for dessert.
3. After breakfast, make water your primary drink. At breakfast, go ahead and drink orange juice. But throughout the rest of the day, focus on water instead of juice or soda. The average American consumes an extra 245 calories a day from soft drinks. That’s nearly 90,000 calories a year — or 25 pounds! And research shows that despite the calories, sugary drinks don’t trigger a sense of fullness the way that food does.
A good way you can try: click here
4. Carry a palm-size notebook everywhere you go for one week. Write down every single morsel that enters your lips — even water. Studies have found that people who maintain food diaries wind up eating about 15 percent less food than those who don’t.
Plus: 8 Kitchen Cabinet Makeovers for Weight Loss
5. Buy a pedometer, clip it to your belt, and aim for an extra 1,000 steps a day. On average, sedentary people take only 2,000 to 3,000 steps a day. Adding 2,000 steps will help you maintain your current weight and stop gaining weight; adding more than that will help you lose weight.
6. Add 10 percent to the amount of daily calories you think you’re eating, then adjust your eating habits accordingly. If you think you’re consuming 1,700 calories a day and don’t understand why you’re not losing weight, add another 170 calories to your guesstimate. Chances are, the new number is more accurate.
A good way you can try: click here
7. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost 30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar steady and helps control hunger.
8. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we’re suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most relatively sedentary people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30 pounds in a year without even changing how much you’re eating.
9. Find an online weight-loss buddy. A University of Vermont study found that online weight-loss buddies help you keep the weight off. The researchers followed volunteers for 18 months. Those assigned to an Internet-based weight maintenance program sustained their weight loss better than those who met face-to-face in a support group.
Plus: 15 Foods You Should Never Buy Again
A good way you can try: click here
10. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There’s a good reason you won’t see many fast-food restaurants decorated in blue: Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.
11. Clean your closet of the “fat” clothes. Once you’ve reached your target weight, throw out or give away every piece of clothing that doesn’t fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.
12. Downsize your dinner plates. Studies find that the less food put in front of you, the less food you’ll eat. Conversely, the more food in front of you, the more you’ll eat — regardless of how hungry you are. So instead of using regular dinner plates that range these days from 10-14 inches (making them look forlornly empty if they’re not heaped with food), serve your main course on salad plates (about 7-9 inches wide). The same goes for liquids. Instead of 16-ounce glasses and oversized coffee mugs, return to the old days of 8-ounce glasses and 6-ounce coffee cups.
A good way you can try: click here
13. Serve your dinner restaurant style (food on the plates) rather than family style (food served in bowls and on platters on the table). When your plate is empty, you’re finished; there’s no reaching for seconds.
14. Hang a mirror opposite your seat at the table. One study found that eating in front of mirrors slashed the amount people ate by nearly one-third. Seems having to look yourself in the eye reflects back some of your own inner standards and goals, and reminds you of why you’re trying to lose weight in the first place.
PLUS: 19 Weight Loss Secrets From Around the World
15. Put out a vegetable platter. A body of research out of Pennsylvania State University finds that eating water-rich foods such as zucchini, tomatoes, and cucumbers during meals reduces your overall calorie consumption. Other water-rich foods include soups and salads. You won’t get the same benefits by just drinking your water, though. Because the body processes hunger and thirst through different mechanisms, it simply doesn’t register a sense of fullness with water (or soda, tea, coffee, or juice).
A good way you can try: click here
16. Use vegetables to bulk up meals. You can eat twice as much pasta salad loaded with veggies like broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes for the same calories as a pasta salad sporting just mayonnaise. Same goes for stir-fries. And add vegetables to make a fluffier, more satisfying omelet without having to up the number of eggs.
17. Eat one less cookie a day. Or consume one less can of regular soda, or one less glass of orange juice, or three fewer bites of a fast-food hamburger. Doing any of these saves you about 100 calories a day, according to weight-loss researcher James O. Hill, Ph.D., of the University of Colorado. And that alone is enough to prevent you from gaining the 1.8 to 2 pounds most people pack on each year.
18. Avoid white foods. There is some scientific legitimacy to today’s lower-carb diets: Large amounts of simple carbohydrates from white flour and added sugar can wreak havoc on your blood sugar and lead to weight gain. But you shouldn’t toss out the baby with the bathwater. While avoiding sugar, white rice, and white flour, you should eat plenty of whole grain breads and brown rice. One Harvard study of 74,000 women found that those who ate more than two daily servings of whole grains were 49 percent less likely to be overweight than those who ate the white stuff.
PLUS: What Does a Serving Size Look Like?
A good way you can try: click here
19. Switch to ordinary coffee. Fancy coffee drinks from trendy coffee joints often pack several hundred calories, thanks to whole milk, whipped cream, sugar, and sugary syrups. A cup of regular coffee with skim milk has just a small fraction of those calories. And when brewed with good beans, it tastes just as great.
20. Use nonfat powdered milk in coffee. You get the nutritional benefits of skim milk, which is high in calcium and low in calories. And, because the water has been removed, powdered milk doesn’t dilute the coffee the way skim milk does.
21. Eat cereal for breakfast five days a week. Studies find that people who eat cereal for breakfast every day are significantly less likely to be obese and have diabetes than those who don’t. They also consume more fiber and calcium — and less fat — than those who eat other breakfast foods. Of course, that doesn’t mean reaching for the Cap’n Crunch. Instead, pour out a high-fiber, low-sugar cereal like Total or Grape Nuts.
A good way you can try: click here
22. Pare your portions. Whether you eat at home or in a restaurant, immediately remove one-third of the food on your plate. Arguably the worst food trend of the past few decades has been the explosion in portion sizes on America’s dinner plates (and breakfast and lunch plates). We eat far, far more today than our bodies need. Studies find that if you serve people more food, they’ll eat more food, regardless of their hunger level. The converse is also true: Serve
yourself less and you’ll eat less.
PLUS: 20 Secrets Your Waiter Won’t Tell You
23. Eat 90 percent of your meals at home. You’re more likely to eat more — and eat more high-fat, high-calorie foods — when you eat out than when you eat at home. Restaurants today serve such large portions that many have switched to larger plates and tables to accommodate them!
24. Avoid any prepared food that lists sugar, fructose, or corn syrup among the first four ingredients on the label. You should be able to find a lower-sugar version of the same type of food. If you can’t, grab a piece of fruit instead! Look for sugar-free varieties of foods such as ketchup, mayonnaise, and salad dressing.
25. Eat slowly and calmly. Put your fork or spoon down between every bite. Sip water frequently. Intersperse your eating with stories for your dining partner of the amusing things that happened during your day. Your brain lags your stomach by about 20 minutes when it comes to satiety (fullness) signals. If you eat slowly enough, your brain will catch up to tell you that you are no longer in need of food.
26. Eat only when you hear your stomach growling. It’s stunning how often we eat out of boredom, nervousness, habit, or frustration — so often, in fact, that many of us have actually forgotten what physical hunger feels like. Next time, wait until your stomach is growling before you reach for food. If you’re hankering for a specific food, it’s probably a craving, not hunger. If you’d eat anything you could get your hands on, chances are you’re truly hungry
27. Find ways other than eating to express love, tame stress, and relieve boredom. For instance, you might make your family a photo album of special events instead of a rich dessert, sign up for a stress-management course at the local hospital or take up an active hobby, like bowling.
28. State the positive. You’ve heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? Well, if you keep focusing on things you can’t do, like resisting junk food or getting out the door for a daily walk, chances are you won’t do them. Instead (whether you believe it or not) repeat positive thoughts to yourself. “I can lose weight.” “I will get out for my walk today.” “I know I can resist the pastry cart after dinner.” Repeat these phrases like a mantra all day long. Before too long, they will become their own self-fulfilling prophecy.
29. Discover your dietary point of preference. If you work hard to control your weight, you may get pleasure from your appearance, but you may also feel sorry for yourself each time you forgo a favorite food. There is a balance to be struck between the immediate gratification of indulgent foods and the long-term pleasure of maintaining a desirable weight and good health. When you have that balance worked out, you have identified your own personal dietary pleasure “point of preference.” This is where you want to stay.
PLUS: 6 Easy Ways to Follow the Mediterranean Diet
30. Use flavorings such as hot sauce, salsa, and Cajun seasonings instead of relying on butter and creamy or sugary sauces. Besides providing lots of flavor with no fat and few calories, many of these seasonings — the spicy ones — turn up your digestive fires, causing your body to temporarily burn more calories.
31. Eat fruit instead of drinking fruit juice. For the calories in one kid-size box of apple juice, you can enjoy an apple, orange, and a slice of watermelon. These whole foods will keep you satisfied much longer than that box of apple juice, so you’ll eat less overall.
32. Spend 10 minutes a day walking up and down stairs. The Centers for Disease Control says that’s all it takes to help you shed as much as 10 pounds a year (assuming you don’t start eating more).
33. Eat equal portions of vegetables and grains at dinner. A cup of cooked rice or pasta has about 200 calories, whereas a cup of cooked veggies doles out a mere 50 calories, on average, says Joan Salge Blake, R.D., clinical assistant professor of nutrition at Boston University’s Sargent College. To avoid a grain calorie overload, eat a 1:1 ratio of grains to veggies. The high-fiber veggies will help satisfy your hunger before you overeat the grains.
34. Get up and walk around the office or your home for five minutes at least every two hours. Stuck at a desk all day? A brisk five-minute walk every two hours will parlay into an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day. And getting a break will make you less likely to reach for snacks out of antsiness.
35. Wash something thoroughly once a week — a floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tile, or your car. A 150-pound person who dons rubber gloves and exerts some elbow grease will burn about four calories for every minute spent cleaning, says Blake. Scrub for 30 minutes and you could work off approximately 120 calories, the same number in a half-cup of vanilla frozen yogurt. And your surroundings will sparkle!
36. Make one social outing this week an active one. Pass on the movie tickets and screen the views of a local park instead. Not only will you sit less, but you’ll be saving calories because you won’t chow down on that bucket of popcorn. Other active date ideas: Plan a tennis match, sign up for a guided nature or city walk (check your local newspaper), go cycling on a bike path, or join a volleyball league or bowling team.
PLUS: 7 Tricks to Drop Pounds
37. Order the smallest portion of everything. If you’re ordering a sub, get the 6-inch sandwich. Buy a small popcorn, a small salad, a small hamburger. Studies find we tend to eat what’s in front of us, even though we’d feel just as full on less.
38. Switch from regular milk to 2%. If you already drink 2%, go down another notch to 1% or skim milk. Each step downward cuts the calories by about 20 percent. Once you train your taste buds to enjoy skim milk, you’ll have cut the calories in the whole milk by about half and trimmed the fat by more than 95 percent.
39. Take a walk before dinner. You’ll do more than burn calories — you’ll cut your appetite. In a study of 10 obese women conducted at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, 20 minutes of walking reduced appetite and increased sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal.
40. Substitute a handful of almonds in place of a sugary snack. A study from the City of Hope National Medical Center found that overweight people who ate a moderate-fat diet containing almonds lost more weight than a control group that didn’t eat nuts. Really, any nut will do.
41. Eat a frozen dinner. Not just any frozen dinner, but one designed for weight loss. Most of us tend to eat an average of 150 percent more calories in the evening than in the morning. An easy way to keep dinner calories under control is to buy a pre-portioned meal. Just make sure that it contains only one serving. If it contains two, make sure you share.
42. Don’t eat with a large group. A study published in the Journal of Physiological Behavior found that we tend to eat more when we eat with other people, most likely because we spend more time at the table. But eating with your significant other or your family, and using table time for talking in between chewing, can help cut down on calories — and help with bonding in the bargain.
43. Watch one less hour of TV. A study of 76 undergraduate students found the more they watched television, the more often they ate and the more they ate overall. Sacrifice one program (there’s probably one you don’t really want to watch anyway) and go for a walk instead. You’ll have time left over to finish a chore or gaze at the stars.
44. Get most of your calories before noon. Studies find that the more you eat in the morning, the less you’ll eat in the evening. And you have more opportunities to burn off those early-day calories than you do to burn off dinner calories.
45. Close out the kitchen after dinner. Wash all the dishes, wipe down the counters, turn out the light, and, if necessary, tape closed the cabinets and refrigerator. Late-evening eating significantly increases the overall number of calories you eat, a University of Texas study found. Stopping late-night snacking can save 300 or more calories a day, or 31 pounds a year.
46. Sniff a banana, an apple, or a peppermint when you feel hungry. You might feel silly, but it works. When Alan R. Hirsch, M.D., neurological director of the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago, tried this with 3,000 volunteers, he found that the more frequently people sniffed, the less hungry they were and the more weight they lost — an average of 30 pounds each. One theory is that sniffing the food tricks the brain into thinking you’re actually eating it.
PLUS: 15 Fat-Burning Foods
47. Order wine by the glass, not the bottle. That way you’ll be more aware of how much alcohol you’re downing. Moderate drinking can be good for your health, but alcohol is high in calories. And because drinking turns off our inhibitions, it can drown our best intentions to keep portions in check.
48. Watch every morsel you put in your mouth on weekends. A University of North Carolina study found people tend to consume an extra 115 calories per weekend day, primarily from alcohol and fat.
49. Stock your refrigerator with low-fat yogurt. A University of Tennessee study found that people who cut 500 calories a day and ate yogurt three times a day for 12 weeks lost more weight and body fat than a group that only cut the calories. The researchers concluded that the calcium in low-fat dairy foods triggers a hormonal response that inhibits the body’s production of fat cells and boosts the breakdown of fat.
50. Order your dressing on the side and then stick a fork in it — not your salad. The small amount of dressing that clings to the tines of the fork are plenty for the forkful of salad you then pick up.
51. Brush your teeth after every meal, especially after dinner. That clean, minty freshness will serve as a cue to your body and brain that mealtime is over.
52. Serve individual courses rather than piling everything on one plate. Make the first two courses soup or vegetables (such as a green salad). By the time you get to the more calorie-dense foods, like meat and dessert, you’ll be eating less or may already be full (leftovers are a good thing).
PLUS: 8 Ways to Control Your Cravings and Save Your Diet
53. Passionately kiss your partner 10 times a day. According to the 1991 Kinsey Institute New Report on Sex, a passionate kiss burns 6.4 calories per minute. Ten minutes a day of kissing equates to about 23,000 calories — or eight pounds — a year!
54. Add hot peppers to your pasta sauce. Capsaicin, the ingredient in hot peppers that makes them hot, also helps reduce your appetite.
55. Pack nutritious snacks. Snacking once or twice a day helps stave off hunger and keeps your metabolism stoked, but healthy snacks can be pretty darn hard to come by when you’re on the go. Pack up baby carrots or your own trail mix made with nuts, raisins, seeds, and dried fruit.
56. When you shop, choose nutritious foods based on these four simple rules:
1. Avoid partially hydrogenated.
2. Avoid high fructose corn syrup.
3. Choose a short ingredient list over long; there will be fewer flavor enhancers and empty calories.
4. Look for more than two grams of fiber per 100 calories in all grain products (cereal, bread, crackers, and chips)
57. Weed out calories you’ve been overlooking: spreads, dressings, sauces, condiments, drinks, and snacks. These calories count, whether or not you’ve been counting them, and could make the difference between weight gain and loss.
58. When you’re eating out with friends or family, dress up in your most flattering outfit. You’ll get loads of compliments, says Susie Galvez, author of Weight Loss Wisdom, which will be a great reminder to watch what you eat.
Mike Myers Teaches Kevin Kline "Oscar Etiquette" in Funny or Die Video
Those lucky enough to win an Oscar should at least know how to hold it, right?
Good thing for Academy Award winners there is British Oscar expert, Sir Cecil Worthington.
Mike Myers plays Worthington in new Oscar video, produced by Funny or Die. In the video, Kevin Kline, who won the 1989 Best Supporting Actor for A Fish Called Wanda, is forced to take a "refresher course" on Oscar Etiquette. And the proper way to hold an Oscar? "Keep the thumb below the bum."
Oscar winners also apparently need to know everything there is to know about the Oscar. How much does an Oscar weigh? 8.5 pounds.
Interesting to see Myers working with the Academy given that he's yet to win or even be nominated for an Oscar.
Chinese spoken at Treasure Valley school
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/02/21/2002978/chinese-spoken-here.html#storylink=cpy
“Fan qie!” a half-dozen students eagerly call out.
Li next holds up a potato.
The students quickly respond: “Tu dou! In the classroom next door, Susan Parker stands before her first-grade class using an interactive smart board to show various monetary combinations. She points to a $1 bill and a penny, inquiring about the amount. A dozen kids raise their hands. Parker calls on 6-year-old Keirstan Knutson
“Yi yuan ling yi fen,” answers Knutson, who comes to school from Mountain Home each day.
These scenes of kindergarten and first-graders speaking, reading and writing Mandarin Chinese does not take place in a distant land, but at a Meridian School District elementary school in West Boise.
Gateway School of Language and Culture is the only public elementary school in Idaho joining the national trend of adding Chinese to its curriculum, Principal Craig Ayala-Marshall said. It’s Meridian’s only dual-language elementary school program. Elsewhere in the Treasure Valley, the Boise district offers a Spanish dual-language program at Whitney and Whittier schools.
At Gateway, about 70 kindergartners and first-graders from as far away Elmore and Canyon counties are taught half the day in English and half the day in Mandarin Chinese. The teacher conducts the entire half day in Chinese, except for the occasional explanation in English. Gateway’s halls, classrooms and gymnasium are filled with bilingual Chinese-English signs.
April Truax drives her 6-year-old daughter, Sasha, from Southeast Boise every day to take advantage of the kindergarten program.
“There is nothing like it in the Valley and it is one of few in the nation,” Truax said. “It really is amazing to see firsthand how much they learn and how much fun they have doing it.”
She said she chose the “trailblazing program” to broaden her child’s horizons. “I think this opens up their minds to new and creative ways of thinking.”
Truax has applied to have her other daughter, Francesca, 4, enroll in the kindergarten program this fall.
‘LITTLE SPONGES’
Marly Ader, 7, started the Chinese program in the fall as a first-grader. With just six months of instruction, she already has learned dozens of words and she easily follows Parker’s Chinese instructions. Ader is mastering writing in Chinese and can sing songs in Chinese, including Happy Birthday, which she and her fellow students sang for two classmates last week.
After school she shares new words she’s learned with her family and teases her older brother by speaking to him in Chinese, knowing he cannot understand.
She often thinks about her Chinese class. When she goes ice-skating, she carves the new Chinese symbols and words she has learned into the ice with her skates.
Ader loves learning a new language so much, she said, that for Christmas she wants a Rosetta Stone Mandarin Chinese language program. Next she would like to learn Polish.
Young children are adept at learning languages and develop a more natural accent than late learners, Parker said. “They have uncorrupted hearing,” she said.
While they are learning Chinese, children also are increasing their English vocabulary and skills at the same time — developing two different languages simultaneously.
“They are phenomenal,” said Li. “They are just likelittle sponges.”
An afternoon observing Gateway’s Chinese classes also showed young children are adept at technology.
Six-year-old Knutson also is Parker’s IT person. When the smart board balked, Parker asked Knutson in Chinese to help. The first-grader went to Parker’s computer, small fingers scurrying quickly across the keyboard. Within moments, the smart board was back online.
“It is my job to fix it when there is a problem,” Knutson said proudly.
TRANSFORMING A TRADITIONAL SCHOOL
The Meridian district chose Mandarin Chinese for its first language-immersion program after researching national trends and discussing what the world will need 10 to 20 years down the road, when current students will be entering the workforce. Mandarin Chinese came up at the top of the list as the language most likely to provide students with a unique skill, Ayala-Marshall said.
Gateway launched its Chinese program with its fall 2010 kindergarten class. In fall 2011, it added a first-grade program and this fall the school will add second grade.
The program will expand a grade level each year as that initial class ages. Ayala-Marshall said the Meridian district plans to continue its Chinese immersion program at Lewis and Clark Middle School and then at Renaissance High School.
In fall 2010, McMillan Elementary changed its name to Gateway School of Language and Culture and began serving grades kindergarten through five as a magnet school.
One-fifth of the 352 students enrolled in Gateway are in the Chinese-immersion program. The others are in the school’s international enrichment program. Each grade level focuses on a different continent, learning about its geography and culture. Enrichment-program students also receive an hour of Mandarin Chinese instruction per week.
Just 18 months into the school’s new magnet program, Ayala-Marshall said it is proving successful — not only bringing diversity to the students, but to the school itself.
Thirty percent of the program’s students are from outside the Meridian district and 20 percent are non-white, making Gateway the Meridian district’s most ethically diverse elementary school.
“Parents drive in from all over the Valley for this program,” the principal said.
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2012/02/21/2002978/chinese-spoken-here.html#storylink=cpy
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Easiest Trick Photography
Trick photography
is a creative way to give some zing to bare photos. By trick
photography, one is able to make enliven images by maximizing
photography techniques. In doing this, photographers, both amateur and
professional can make stunning shots of sites and other subjects.
Recently, there are a pretty decent number of trick photography
techniques which can give you exquisite shots. Some of them are amply
described to give you an idea on how trick photography can be done.
Imaging is a trick photography technique wherein a number of photos are depicted in just one shot. This is done in order to lever the dynamic range of portraits. High dynamic range is necessary to give luminance, and balanced lights and shadows to photos. This also helps to accentuate extra details. This technique is software-based. You can make use of Unified Color’s HDR PhotoStudio or HDRsoft’s Photomatrix Pro. In using this technique, you must first take several shots of the same view or scene, but each must have varying exposure settings. When done, load the photos in the HDR processing software. This software will then combine the photos in just one shot. You may adjust the HDR effect as you please, through the software’s tone mapping settings.
Reflection Photography is one of the commonly used trick photography technique today. Reflections can lead to a variety of effects. These effects can be maximized in order to arrive with some spectacular photos. This method uses reflections coupled with superb photography techniques. With reflection photography, the reflection photos may either be the main theme or simply a background for the main subject. Reflection photography is often associated with water planes portraits. In this type, fantastic images like mountains, trees, or skyscapes reflected on the waters can be photographed with perfect symmetry. To add more beauty to the images, photographers also combine it with other features like docks, silhouettes, shorelines, and the like. Reflection trick photography is often done by near dawn. By this time, the water is calm. As such, the reflection of images on the water becomes still, which is perfect for photography.
Trick photography is truly a remarkable way on how to capture real good shots, and confuse the viewers at the same time. With this technique, photographers can truly make impressive images and further enhance their skills. Not to mention the profits that may come. Undoubtedly, images taken by trick photography is now patronized a lot. It is used for commercial purposes or in sites and articles. But photographers are reminded not to exaggerate the use of trick photography. Too much of trick photography makes the image appear too loud and gimmicky.
If you want to learn Trick photography more, I strongly recommend a webesite:http://4a01filvs6gm4vd2re-bwqbkb9.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=BLOG-ANGLE
Imaging is a trick photography technique wherein a number of photos are depicted in just one shot. This is done in order to lever the dynamic range of portraits. High dynamic range is necessary to give luminance, and balanced lights and shadows to photos. This also helps to accentuate extra details. This technique is software-based. You can make use of Unified Color’s HDR PhotoStudio or HDRsoft’s Photomatrix Pro. In using this technique, you must first take several shots of the same view or scene, but each must have varying exposure settings. When done, load the photos in the HDR processing software. This software will then combine the photos in just one shot. You may adjust the HDR effect as you please, through the software’s tone mapping settings.
Long Exposure Trick Photography
This technique is chiefly used in taking shots by night in order heighten the brightness to be used in the portrait. This technique makes the images more catchy, dramatic, and artistic. As the name suggests, this trick photography technique is done by escalating the period within which the camera’s film or sensor is exposed to light. The long exposure to light results in light trails or makes the image appear to be in motion. This technique also creates a mystic mood when used for images of mists or fog. Photos can be taken under this trick photography technique using a digital camera. You’ll just have to use an ipod to maintain steadiness. In the settings, you just have to adjust the light exposure as you want them to be.
Reflection Photography is one of the commonly used trick photography technique today. Reflections can lead to a variety of effects. These effects can be maximized in order to arrive with some spectacular photos. This method uses reflections coupled with superb photography techniques. With reflection photography, the reflection photos may either be the main theme or simply a background for the main subject. Reflection photography is often associated with water planes portraits. In this type, fantastic images like mountains, trees, or skyscapes reflected on the waters can be photographed with perfect symmetry. To add more beauty to the images, photographers also combine it with other features like docks, silhouettes, shorelines, and the like. Reflection trick photography is often done by near dawn. By this time, the water is calm. As such, the reflection of images on the water becomes still, which is perfect for photography.
Miniature Effect Trick Photography
This is a trick photography technique wherein images can appear too small for their actual sizes. With this technique, one can make buses, trains, or cars appear like figurines. This effect can be had by capturing pictures through the tilt-shift lens or the perspective control lens. This technique is done by focusing on the lens’ tilt control. The tilt then becomes adjusted such that the lens literally appears to be tilted on the film or sensor’s face. This effect will enable the photographer to determine in which part of the scene the sharpest point must go. Also, the lens’ wide aperture will result to an extremely narrow focus such that only an extremely minimal part of the image will appear sharp. The rest of the image will then become blurred. The miniature trick photography technique is commonly used for subjects such as cars, landscapes, people, and buildings. Shooting on a levered area like a mountain or hill can also give the miniature look of the subjects.
Trick Photography by Perspective Distortion
This technique is done by faking the sizes and distance of images. If you see a photo where the subject appears to be unusually large in contrast with the objects surrounding it – such an image was taken using perspective distortion. This technique is a matter of camera trick, creative poses, and by the distance between the main subjects as against the background.
Trick photography is truly a remarkable way on how to capture real good shots, and confuse the viewers at the same time. With this technique, photographers can truly make impressive images and further enhance their skills. Not to mention the profits that may come. Undoubtedly, images taken by trick photography is now patronized a lot. It is used for commercial purposes or in sites and articles. But photographers are reminded not to exaggerate the use of trick photography. Too much of trick photography makes the image appear too loud and gimmicky.
If you want to learn Trick photography more, I strongly recommend a webesite:http://4a01filvs6gm4vd2re-bwqbkb9.hop.clickbank.net/?tid=BLOG-ANGLE
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)