William, Kate and Harry in Olympics role

William, Kate and Harry in Olympics role - Prince William, his wife Catherine Kate Middleton and his brother Prince Harry will promote British athletes in the run-up to the 2012 London Olympics, their office announced on Thursday. The trio said they were "honoured" to become ambassadors for Team GB and ParalympicsGB, and will play an active role encouraging the public to support the teams.

US counterfeit money

US counterfeit money- Millions in fake currency. Counterfeit or real? With the holidays comes increased counterfeit cash. There's no shortage of cash circulating throughout the economy about $824 billion, according to a University of Wisconsin study. But a good chunk of that cash (how much?) may not be on the up and up. Counterfeit currency is a problem that just won't go away, despite the increased use of credit (which cards are the best?) and debit cards and e-payment technologies. Whether it's a street hustler passing off bogus $10 bills or professional counterfeiters dealing in stacks of $50 and $100 bills, fake currency has the full attention of the U.S. Treasury Department, the FBI and the Secret Service.

2011 YEAR IN REVIEW

2011 YEAR IN REVIEW - Surprises in top 10 searches of 2011. Even Kim Kardashian couldn't stir up as much online buzz as accused mom Casey Anthony. The top search term of 2011 wasn't a person or a news event. It was a technological marvel. In the 11 years that Yahoo! has compiled its annual list of top searches, PlayStation 2 (2001 and 2002) is the only other device to have captured the top slot. This year, the iPhone led the queries, bypassing a reality TV divorcee and America's most wanted terrorist.

Your Smartphone Is Spying on You

Your Smartphone Is Spying on You - 'Spying' app discovered on smartphones. A secret code gathers "unprecedented" information on Android, BlackBerry, and Nokia users. An Android developer recently discovered a clandestine application called Carrier IQ built into most smartphones that doesn't just track your location; it secretly records your keystrokes, and there's nothing you can do about it. Is it time to put on a tinfoil hat? That depends on how you feel about privacy.

Saddest Cities in U.S. Are St. Petersburg, Detroit and Memphis: Report

Saddest Cities in U.S. Are St. Petersburg, Detroit and Memphis: Report - St. Petersburg, Fl., is apparently the saddest city in America, with Detroit, Mi. not far behind, according to a study by Men's Health magazine, which used data such as unemployment and suicid rates, antidepressant usage and the number of people who actually admitted to depression.

Burger King unveils new french fries

Burger King unveils new french fries - Burger King debuts thicker fries amid competition. Competition from rivals drives the chain to reinvent a key menu item for the first time in years. Burger King Corp, the second largest hamburger chain, has changed its french fry recipe for the first time since 1998 as competition from upstarts and traditional fast-food rivals mounts.

America's Dirtiest Vehicles

America's Dirtiest Vehicles - The dirtiest new vehicles in America. These rides are the worst offenders when it comes to air pollution and carbon footprint. Nobody wants to be known as the dirtiest, at least not when it comes to air pollution. The good news is that since 1975, overall new passenger car emissions of greenhouse gasses have decreased, and fuel efficiency has increased. The trends seem likely to continue, based partly on technological innovation, partly on more stringent government regulation, and partly on consumer interest and demand.

World's most powerful people

World's most powerful people - Of the 7 billion people living on the planet, these are the 10 individuals who wield the greatest influence. 1 in 100 million What do the president of the United States, the Dalai Lama, a billionaire drug dealer and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have in common? For one thing, each is included in this year's ranking by Forbes magazine of the 70 most powerful people in the world.

10 Common Historical Myths

10 Common Historical Myths - 10 Historical Myths You Might Not Know. Video: The story goes that Van Gogh cut off his own ear, but research suggests it was sliced off by Paul Gauguin following an argument.


via: msn

The Most Overrated Gym Machine

The Most Overrated Gym Machine - Most overrated piece of gym equipment. An often-used leg machine may not be the best way to strengthen your hamstrings. Are you still using the leg-curl machine? Then you should know this: "It's not the best way to work your hamstrings," says Alwyn Cosgrove, C.S.C.S., Men's Health fitness adviser and co-owner of Results Fitness in Santa Clarita, California. "In fact, it's not even close." 

A quick explanation: 

The leg-curl machine targets your hamstrings because it requires you to flex your knees against a resistance. This is called knee flexion. (Get it?) Knee flexion is certainly one of the jobs of your hamstrings -- but it's not the most important one. At least not in terms of why you need your hamstrings to be strong in the real world. (For a real-world fitness plan that fits even the busiest schedule, try The Zero Excuses Workout.)

"The main function of your hamstrings is to extend your hips," says Cosgrove. If you need a visual, think of the movement you use when you thrust your hips. An example: When you sprint, you forcefully thrust -- or extend -- your hips each time you push off the ground with your foot. This helps you propel your body forward.

You perform hip extension in plenty of exercises -- the stepup, deadlift, Romanian deadlift, hip raise, and even the squat, to name a few. So if you want to strengthen your hamstrings, these exercises are all better choices than the leg-curl machine. After all, you rarely have to flex your knees against a resistance in every day life.

That said, if your knee flexion is weak, it’s certainly smart to strengthen this function of your hamstrings. However, there’s an even better exercise for this than the leg-curl machine. It’s called the Swiss-ball hip raise and leg curl. This movement actually requires both knee flexion and hip extension. So it works two of your hamstring functions at once. "It doesn’t matter that you aren't 'isolating' knee flexion," says Cosgrove. "With this exercise, the weakest link automatically gets the best training effect.” (Make sure The 8 Scariest Restaurant Meals aren't the weak link in your diet.)

And though you may think it's a simple movement, few people in the gym get this exercise right. So watch the video below to learn how to do the Swiss-ball hip raise and leg curl with perfect form.

Oh, and a note to those who feel this exercise is too easy. Remember: You can always use progressions to make an exercise harder. In this case, you can perform the same movement, but with just one leg on the ball instead of two. (You hold the other in the air.) That's tough by almost anyone's standards.

Want to learn more great moves to sculpt your body? Then check out The Men's Health Big Book of Exercises and The Women's Health Big Book of Exercises, where you'll find full-color photos of more than 500 exercises, and dozens of great workouts.

via: tpg

Hot fashion deals for Black Friday

Hot fashion deals for Black Friday - Here are the 10 stores that will have the deepest discounts, and the chicest offerings. The Ultimate Black Friday Sales. Planning your Black Friday shopping strategy? Here are the 10 stores with the deepest discounts—and chicest offerings.

When: 11/25

Deal: At least 50 percent off already discounted wool coats, cashmere, leather gloves—pretty much everything you’d already want to get at this mid-priced department store. Labels include Calvin Klein, Michael Michael Kors and Nicole Miller.

When: 11/25 and 11/26—doors open at 6pm.

Deal: The cosmetics superstore offers up its own brand of "doorbusters," from “buy 2 get 2 free” deals on items like body wash and blush, to 50 percent off items like a Conair curling iron ($9.99, marked down from $19.99). And everyone who spends $50 gets an ice bucket and a pair of glasses.

When: 11/25

Deal: Special “doorbuster” prices on tons of electronics. Apple’s iPod Touch 8GB comes with at $40 gift card ($195), Xbox 360 4GB console is marked down to $139 (from $199.99) and Samsung 32” LCD HDTV is discounted to $277.99 (from $443.99).

When: 11/25 from 4am-1pm; 11/26 from 8am-1pm.

Deal: At Macy's, you'll get markdowns on plenty of jewelry, handbags, shoes, home goods and travel accessories. A five-piece Fairfield luggage set is $49.99 (from $200), Tommy Hilfiger’s men’s leather jacket is $99.99 (from $450) and cashmere sweaters start at $39.99 (from $99).

When: 11/24 at 10pm-11/25 until closing.

Deal: Yes, there are massive discounts to be had on computers and assorted gadgets, but you can stock up on jewelry and clothes at Walmart, too. Ladies’ bangle watches start at $5, Isotoner gloves start at $6.97 and Lei jeans are just $9.97.

When: 11/24 from midnight to midnight; 11/26 6am-midnight.

Deal: Not only will shoppers get $15 for every $50 they spend, they’ll also get 55-60 percent off selected jewelry (plus an extra 20 percent off of that price). For instance, a 2 ct diamond bracelet, originally $800, will be discounted to $149.99.

When: 11/23-11/27

Deal: Save up to 60 percent off the entire store.

Get discounts on everything you need for cold weather, from cable knit sweaters to the perfect skinny jeans. And there’s more: from the time your local Gap opens on Black Friday until noon, women’s jeans and sweaters start at $19, kids’ hoodies are $15 and men’s and women’s long-sleeved tees are $10.

When: 11/25-11/28

Deal: Along with 10-75 percent off clearance items, including bedroom furniture and linens, the home goods emporium is also offering 25 percent off its range of wine glasses.

When: 11/25

Deal: Almost everything in the store is half-off. Black Friday is particularly special at Brooks Brothers. The preppy purveyor slashes its regular prices in half—as in, stuff that NEVER goes on sale is discounted. A lambswool sweater dress, for instance, will be marked down from $198 to $99.

When: 11/25

Deal: Whether you’re looking for an I Heart Ronson dress or Liz Claiborne jewelry, there will be discounts up to 70 percent off in-store. Several styles of kids’ coats, for instance, are just $15.99.

via: yahoo

Happy couples who live separately

Happy couples who live separately - These men and women say bucking convention has made their relationship stronger. “Why we won’t move in together”. In April 2010, Kristin M., 31, was laid off from her management consulting position. Money was tight, especially since she lived in New York City. But even though she could have saved a bundle by moving in with her boyfriend of three years, she decided against it. “Throughout the economic recession, we lived separately,” she says. 

This decision puzzled many of her friends, who’d moved in with their boyfriends much sooner. But it wasn’t because Kristin wasn’t serious about the guy (they’d end up getting engaged a year later), and it wasn’t for religious reasons, either. Kristin just felt that the benefits of living apart were worth the extra expense, even as her savings dwindled. “We both think it’s better for the long-term when couples take things slow,” she explains.

In this harsh economic climate wracked by layoffs and plummeting stock portfolios, Kristin’s solid stance against moving in together might strike some couples as an extravagant luxury they can’t afford. If you’re serious about someone, why not move in together a little sooner rather than later so you can avoid running up credit card debt — or start socking away cash for a wedding?

 But many couples, it turns out, fear that rushing to cohabitate may damage their relationship. “As a budget-conscious man, I can tell you the financial sense of living together has been tempting at times,” admits Kendall J., 25, of Raleigh, NC, who’s engaged but living separate from his fiancée. “However, the investment in a healthy relationship is more valuable to us than saving a few bucks. Statistics clearly show that couples who live together have a higher rate of divorce than those who don’t. Living together now would definitely benefit us in the short term. But if my marriage was to fall apart — whether I’m debt free or not — I will have lost something far more important than money.”

For younger couples, the decision to live separately often stems from a desire to forge their own identities and find their way as individuals before succumbing to the security of living together. That’s why Lindsey S., 27, of Frederick, MD bought a house last June rather than moving in with her boyfriend of two and a half years. “I think it’s important for couples to establish themselves as individuals before they start relying on each other,” she says. “I feel more confident knowing that I am independent. I think it makes our relationship stronger, because we know we want to be together and we don’t need to be together. We’ve both been unemployed at some point in the last two and a half years, but we are both financially smart and have savings in case of an unexpected event like that. We never considered moving in together to save money, but the person who didn’t have a job usually paid for groceries or helped out more. I think it’s a bad idea to move in together because you have to.”

Older couples, on the other hand, are often reluctant to live together for the opposite reason: they’ve already set up their lives the way they like it, and they aren’t about to change things to accommodate a romantic partner. Just ask Josie W., a 56-year-old teacher in Santa Clarita, CA, who’s lived five blocks from her boyfriend for over 12 years. “I’m an absolute control freak who has to have everything exactly the way I want it, which would obviously drive someone crazy real quick!” she admits. To cut down on expenses, her boyfriend has a roommate. And the upside to their arrangement is that “we both tend to be on better behavior when we see each other,” Josie says. “Many of my friends tell me I have the ideal relationship, and I agree.”

Kids are another factor convincing couples it’s better to live apart. Jen W., 31, a reporter in St. George, UT learned this the hard way when her last live-in boyfriend moved out. “I remember how easy it was to end the relationship because we didn’t have to get divorced; he packed his bag and that was that,” she recalls. “But I have children — ages 11 and 13 — and it was confusing for them. I will never again have a man living in my home that isn’t willing to be a father figure to my kids.” The problem with living together, Jen admits, is that “it means they don’t have to take the idea of marriage seriously. Why should they, when they’re already getting what they want? You haven’t made going to the next level something to look forward to. We don’t appreciate the things we don’t have to work for.”

With her current boyfriend, Jen is doing things differently: “He doesn’t have kids and he thinks living together is a great way to be sure whether you are ready for marriage,” she says. “But I’m not budging.”

For some couples, the drive to dwell separately has to do with keeping the passion alive in their relationship. “We love the fact that we miss each other and long for each other when we’re not together,” gushes 43-year-old Kris B. of San Diego, CA, who’s been dating her boyfriend for six months with no plans to cohabitate anytime soon. “Certainly there are myriad benefits to cohabitation in such a harsh economic climate, but we’re willing to sacrifice a little comfort now in order to preserve the amazing energy in our relationship.”

Many couples wish to preserve their intimate connection by keeping individual residences. “They’ve done studies that found that if there are two bears at a zoo and they put them in separate cages, when they are together, they will mate all the time,” says Dan N., 30, a comedian residing in Beverly Hills, CA. “But if they put them in the same cage, they’ll eventually stop mating. That is our fear.” Dan currently has a girlfriend, but isn’t eager to move in with her any time soon. “I did live with somebody for six months when I was younger, and it was an absolute nightmare,” he admits. “She would get really upset if I was even five minutes late coming home. It was horrible.”

Another advantage to living apart is that the extra alone time enables couples to really focus on their jobs — and, in effect, earn more money that could offset the expenses of maintaining separate dwellings. “While it is economically easier to share living spaces to cut costs, it can also be counterproductive,” says Kiai K., 40, an author living in Brooklyn, NY. “Having another person in my space is a distraction. I know because my last boyfriend and I lived together and I got almost nothing accomplished!” Which is why she and her current boyfriend live separately, she says: “Though living together can save money, it’s not enough money compared to how much is made when we are focused on productivity.”

But what about the wisdom that living together is a “breaking in” period that prepares you for marriage? “Many people say you need to ‘test the waters’ before getting married,” says Kendall, “but most people are really testing whether their partner fits into their lifestyle. Of course the other person doesn’t fit neatly into their life — marriage isn’t about that. Marriage is two imperfect people learning to live together. You have to decide from the moment you move in that leaving is not an option. That’s hard to do when it’s not accompanied by a marriage commitment.”

Some people fear that living together will delay any desire to pop the question and make things official. “I have friends who lived together prior to marriage who became resentful and restless, because there were no further steps toward commitment taken — no ring,” says Kristin R., 27, from Los Angeles, CA. Even after Kristin and her boyfriend got engaged, she held off on cohabitating until they walked down the aisle. “My fiancé and I live in a city where it seems like it would cost money to breathe,” she says. “I hate that we pay two rents, two sets of bills… and because I love him, I want to share our household, too. Yes, it would make sense financially,” Kristin admits. But by living on her own, she is confident her relationship is on solid ground — and that’s priceless.

“I know my fiancé doesn’t just want me for a cook, or a housekeeper,” Kristin says. “I’m not just another toss-away relationship for him. I want marriage to be significant without the option to just walk away when things get hard.”

via: match

Thanksgiving prayers and blessings

We come to join in the banquet of love.

Let it open our hearts and break down the fears

that keep us from loving each other.

~sung by the Dominican nuns

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food, for love and friends,

For everything Thy goodness sends.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Lord most giving and resourceful,

I implore you;

make it your will

that this people enjoy

the goods and riches you naturally give,

that naturally issue from you,

that are pleasing and savory,

that delight and comfort,

though lasting but briefly,

passing away as if in a dream.

~Aztec Prayer from the 1500's

We return thanks to our mother, the earth, which sustains us.

We return thanks to the rivers and streams,which supply us with water.

We return thanks to all herbs,

which furnish medicines for the cure of our diseases.

WE return thanks to the corn,

and to her sisters, the beans and squash, which give us life.

We return thanks to the bushes and trees, which provide us with fruit.

We return thanks to the wind,

which, moving the air, has banished diseases.

We return thanks to the moon and the stars,

which have given us their light when the sun was gone.

We return thanks to our grandfather He-no,

that he has protected his grandchildren from witches and reptiles,

and has given to us his rain.

We return thanks to the sun,

that he has looked upon the earth with a beneficent eye.

Lastly, we return thanks to the Great Spirit,

in whom is embodied all goodness,

and who directs all things for the good of his children.

~Iroquois Prayer from the 1800's

Though our mouths were full of song as the sea,

and our tongues of exultation as the multitude of its waves,

and our lips of praise as the wide-extended firmament;

though our eyes shone with light like the sun and the moon,

and our hands were spread forth like the eagles of heaven,

and our feet were swift as hinds,

we should still be unable to thank thee and bless thy name,

O Lord our God and God of our fathers,

for one thousandth or one ten thousandth part of the bounties

which thou has bestowed upon our fathers and upon us.

~from the Hebrew Prayer Book

Call out to the Almighty

Everyone on earth!

Serve God with gladness.

Come before Him with joyous song!

Know that the Almighty, He is God.

It is He who made us and we are His,

His nation and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter His gates with thanksgiving.

Enter His courts with praise.

Give thanks to Him, bless His name.

The Almighty is good.

His loving-kindness endures forever.

And His faithfulness continues

From generation to generation.

~Psalm 100

Come, Lord Jesus, our guest to be

And bless these gifts

Bestowed by Thee.

And bless our loved ones everywhere,

And keep them in Your loving care.

~Moravian Blessing

To our Gods of old, we bless the ground

that you tred in search of our freedom!

We bless your presence in our lives and in our hearts!

Take of this offering to your delight,

and be filled with our prayers of thanksgiving!

May our lives remain as full as our hearts on this day!

~Yoruban Prayer

O, heavenly Father: We thank thee for food and remember the hungry.

We thank thee for health and remember the sick.

We thank thee for friends and remember the friendless.

We thank thee for freedom and remember the enslaved.

May these remembrances stir us to service,

that thy gifts to us may be used for others. Amen.

~Abigail van Buren “Dear Abby”

Thanks to Thee, O God, that I have risen today,

to the rising of this life itself;

may it be to Thine own glory,

O God of every gift, and to the glory, aid Thou my soul.

With the aiding of Thine own mercy,

even as I clothe my body with wool,

cover Thou my soul with the shadow of Thy wing.

Help me to avoid every sin,

And the source of every sin to forsake,

and as the mist scatters on the crest of the hills,

may each ill haze clear from my soul, O God.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - Irish

May the Lord accept this, our offering,

and bless our food that it may bring us strength in our body,

vigor in our mind and selfless devotion in our hearts for His service.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - India: Swami Paramananda

This ritual is one.

The food is one.

We who offer the food are one.

The fire of hunger is also one.

All action is one.

We who understand this are one.

~Thanksgiving Prayer - Hindu Prayer For Meals

Peanuts During Pregnancy: Are They Dangerous?

Peanuts During Pregnancy: Are They Dangerous? - Kate Middleton sparked a pregnancy rumor by refusing to eat peanut paste during a recent royal visit to a UNICEF famine relief center in Copenhagen, even though her husband and their hosts, the Danish Crown Prince and his wife, all happily sampled the food. Kate, 29, was caught on camera giving Prince William a knowing smile as he scrutinized the product’s label, ABC News reports.

Further fueling speculation that she may be carrying an heir to the throne is the Palace’s emphatic announcement that Kate “has no nut allergy whatsoever,” so doesn’t have any other medical reason to shun peanuts. If she is expecting, Kate may be smart to say no to the legume, since new research suggests that eating peanuts during pregnancy may raise the risk of some babies developing potentially life-threatening peanut allergies, which have risen sharply among kids over the past decade.

There’s long been medical debate about how much of a threat eating peanuts during pregnancy actually poses. Years ago, in a bid to prevent peanut allergies, which can sometimes be fatal, the American Academy of Pediatrics briefly advised high-risk women to avoid the legumes when pregnant or breastfeeding. The group withdrew the recommendation in 2008 and issued a revision statement saying the impact of eating or avoiding peanuts during pregnancy was unclear.

To be on the safe side, moms-to-be may want to follow Kate Middleton’s example. Last year, however, a study published in Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology reported that babies with signs of other food allergies may be at higher risk for peanut allergies if their moms ingested peanuts during pregnancy. Those whose moms ate the most peanuts during the third trimester of pregnancy were most likely to have babies with peanut sensitivity.

The study didn’t prove that eating peanuts during pregnancy triggers peanut allergies in kids. The research merely shows that babies whose moms ate peanuts showed strong sensitivity to the legumes when given standard skin-prick allergy tests. In the study, the researchers evaluated 503 babies with likely signs of allergies to eggs or milk, based on skin-prick tests, or food-allergy related skin rashes. 140 of the babies had a strong sensitivity to peanuts, with this reaction strongly linked to peanut consumption by their moms during pregnancy.

However, the researchers point out a need for further research. “Our study looked at sensitization, not peanut allergy,” study researcher Scott H. Sicherer, MD, of New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine told WebMD. “It is going to be a few years before we know whether these children really do develop true peanut allergies.” Dr. Sicherer doesn’t see a need to update the AAP guidelines, because there still not enough evidence to tell for sure if eating peanuts during pregnancy causes kids to develop lifelong allergies, as opposed to temporary sensitivity.

via: yahoo

Interesting Farm Animal Advertising

 UK-based farmer James Metcalfe is the crafty salesman behind these “baaaa-ffling” sheep billboards. Metcalfe appealed to authorities to advertise his turf company by putting a billboard on his property and was denied as it would be a safety hazard. Therefore, the only sensible thing to do was to not act sheepish, but create living sheep billboards.

Interesting Farm Animal Advertising