5 biggest brain myths busted

5 biggest brain myths busted - It’s often said that we use only 10% of our brain, but imaging studies show a different picture. True or false: The brain’s hippocampus contains an “Oprah neuron” that lights up when we see pictures of Ms. Winfrey or even hear her name. If you guessed “false,” check out British neuroscientist Rodrigo Quian Quiroga’s quirky research, which not only found specialized Oprah neurons, but also brain cells devoted to Jennifer Aniston, Halle Berry, basketball great Michael Jordan, and even Luke Skywalker. There was also a brain cell that preferred watching “The Simpsons” to Madonna and Quiroga, researchers found.

Archaeologist traces Pocahontas wedding site

Archaeologist traces Pocahontas wedding site - Pocahontas wedding site found? An archaeologist says he has discovered the remains of America's oldest Protestant church. Archaeologist William Kelso is certain he's discovered the remains of the oldest Protestant church in the United States, standing between two holes he insists once held wooden posts.

Tricks to finding more dates at parties

Tricks to finding more dates at parties - How to find more dates at parties. When you’re a single looking to mingle, parties are golden opportunities: After all, where else can you find such a concentrated cluster of people looking to meet new people and have a good time? But if you tend to get tongue-tied or stuck in the corner talking to friends rather than scoping out fresh dating prospects, try some of these tricks below to expand your romantic opportunities — you’ll be swapping phone numbers in no time.

Body language expert Patti Wood, M.A., C.S.P., author of Success Signals, says when you enter a room, you should go in slow motion. When you pause at the door, it frames you and attracts attention. Next, strike a pose: “Put your shoulders back,” Wood recommends. “Keep your head up and centered. Make eye contact with people in the room and smile.” She says when you smile and others smile back, this creates positive feedback that will energize you for the duration of the party.

Many partygoers end up talking to people who’ve approached them — but if you’re looking for love, you’re much better off having a say in who you talk to, don’t you think? So for starters, “never talk to someone before you ‘graze’ the party. This means looking around the room to see who’s looking back. Find the people who are interested in you,” advises R. Don Steele, author of Body Language Secrets: A Guide During Courtship and Dating. Then narrow your focus to the three people whom you’d like to get to know. Go up to them one by one and introduce yourself. When you shake hands, note how firm their handshakes are. Do they just offer the tips of the hands and give a weak grip? This means they’re not interested, according to Steele. “But if they cup the palm of your hand and give a genuine squeeze, this means they’re into you,” he says.

They say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. Lissa Kelly, 35, of Honolulu, HI, definitely agrees. When she goes to a party, she always hangs where the snacks are. “Food is a great icebreaker for most people,” she says. “I’ll ask guys if they’ve tried a certain food, or ask them how the punch is — stuff like that. In fact, I met my last boyfriend by offering him a chocolate chip cookie at a party!”

Most people bring a pal to a party — but when you go alone, you’re forced to talk to people you don’t know. (If you feel self-conscious, remember that you do know the host, so there’ll be at least one friendly face in attendance!) Laurie Puhn, J.D., author of Instant Persuasion: How to Change Your Words to Change Your Life, says flying solo gives you the opportunity to use what she considers to be the perfect self-introduction: “I don’t really know anyone here, so I just thought I’d say hello.” After all, Puhn notes, “That’s such a sweet and benign line that anyone can use in any situation.” Still nervous? Give yourself a time limit, like vowing to stay one hour. Even if you’re not having the best time, 60 minutes will pass in a flash.

If you’re with some friends at a party, don’t be afraid to split off from the pack. After all, if you’re glued to chums the entire time, you won’t meet anyone new — and that should always be a top priority at a party. If they’re equally interested in meeting people, turn it into a game by saying, “OK, let’s disperse and only reconvene once we’ve each spoken to at least three new people.” That way it’s not like you’re abandoning each other for the entire night, you’re just egging each other on to get out there!

Think about it: Everyone at that party has to come through the door at some point. That’s why Puhn recommends hanging by the door or even occasionally opening it for people and saying, “Hi! The host appointed me part of the welcoming committee.” Explains Puhn, “People will be impressed that you’re so comfortable with yourself and outgoing, and they’ll have a better time at the party because you’ve been so sweet.” Plus, you have a great opening line later: “Hey, remember me? I met you by the door!”

There’s always one at every party; a loner hanging out in the corner, looking rather ill at ease. Most people’s natural instinct is to avoid wallflowers, but Puhn says it’s smart to make contact. Just because someone is shy doesn’t mean that person is not engaging, and a wallflower is bound to be grateful you’ve made the first move. Just say, “I saw you standing here and wanted to say hi.” If the conversation goes nowhere, simply use one of the getaway lines described below to make your escape.

Say you’re talking to someone who decides to go into a 30-minute play-by-play about a recent gall bladder surgery. Instead of standing there nodding with a fake smile plastered on your face, have a well-rehearsed “getaway line” you can whip out for just such an occasion. “Say you need to go check in with the host, get something to drink or a snack, or go to the bathroom,” Puhn says, “then politely excuse yourself.” Puhn says having go-to getaway lines ready will encourage you to approach more people — just knowing you have an escape hatch will give you the confidence and freedom to take more chances.

Puhn says a fun way to break the ice is to concoct a wild and crazy story about how you met the host. For instance, you could say you were once first- and second-runners up in a yodeling contest — the more outrageous your story, the better! Then, when the other person says, “Are you serious?” you can ’fess up and say, “Oh, no, we’re just coworkers — but the other story is more fun, don’t you think?” That can be an unexpected way to get conversation flowing if you’re a person who’s comfortable with that kind of banter — try it and see.

via: yahoo

Houses with unbelievable garages

Houses with unbelievable garages - Homes with Unbelievable Garages. Jay Leno likes cars. That’s why he owns about 100 of them (plus about 90 motorcycles). To house his huge inventory, the ‘Tonight Show’ host bought two warehouses totaling 17,000 square feet. The Big Dog Garage even has its own website.

Leno is one auto enthusiast who has spared no expense on his sleek collection of four-wheeled and two-wheeled rides and the means to store them. But there are a number of homes currently for sale peddling amazing, outrageous garages as well. We whipped up a selection of some such properties, with the help of the folks at Realtor.com, Sotheby’s International Realty, Coldwell Banker Previews International, Prudential Douglas Elliman and others helped us compile the list. We included homes ranging in price from $625,000 up to $50 million.

Auto enthusiasts have been known to pour anywhere from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars into this area of the home. Southern California may be most famous for celebrities but it’s also quite the hot spot for car collectors. Montecito’s $20 million Glass Pavilion has a glass and walnut wood lined showroom capable of displaying up to 32 cars. To thoroughly protect the car collection in Malibu’s $44.5 million Cliffside Drive estate, a 7,000-square foot auto “museum” was built, equipped with sound absorbent walls, Micron level filtration and de-humidfication, and a thermally sealed envelope.

Many garages include hydraulic lifts. These are handy for storage in tight spaces, for maintenance work, and for hefting vehicles from one floor to another. A condo building in New York City’s Chelsea neighborhood takes the lift a step further: a car elevator hauls your ride up the side of the building to your floor where a parking space just outside your apartment door awaits. The building’s penthouse palace is currently on the market, asking $16.5 million.

Jeff Sulkin and Leo Damian, the architect and designer duo behind Los Angeles, Calif.-based Calida Design Build, create and remodel homes in southern California and among their clients, top-notch car and motorcycle spaces are commonly sought after.

“There is also a type of garage that’s almost a man cave where men can show off their car to other men,” says Damian. “Man caves” tend to include kitchenettes, bar areas and seating areas, like the $2.1 million Cornelius, NC house whose auto showroom includes a kitchen with bar seating and a lounge area to sit, chat and observe the cars. Overstuffed couches, flat screen TVs, and billiards tables are common furniture choices for these types of spaces.

Garages can add thousands of dollars or more to the value of your home. And a clean, updated garage can give the illusion of more space, as is the case with other rooms in the house. But if you are debating whether to add a new garage, remember that it can run the risk costing more to build than it would be worth when the house is sold. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2010-2011 Cost Versus Value Report, a garage addition has a 59.2% cost recoupment value. An upscale garage recoups even less – 53.6%.

Have an existing auto area you want to upgrade but lack the hefty funds to create “museums” and climate-controlled galleries? There are still some basic ways to spiff the space up without breaking the bank. “The garage is the ideal place to try some DIY,” suggests Lee Klancher, author of books that include How To Build Your Dream Garage and Dream Garages International, which hits shelves this December. “If you screw it up, it’s unlikely to cost a lot, and it doesn’t have to be perfect.” He suggests covering the floor in colored epoxy or even vinyl squares, a job that can cost as little as a few hundred dollars. Consider refinishing the walls in sheetrock, diamond plate metal or plain corrugated sheet metal. Integrate some cabinets and work benches into the space. Hang old car parts from the rafters or old posters to the walls to add personality too.

Here are five upscale homes with the most amazing car garages currently on the market:

Montecito's modernistic Glass Pavilion home touts a walnut wood-lined art gallery capable of housing and displaying up to 32 autos.

This "car aficionado's compound" boasts 9,500 square feet of living space, grounds hosting a bocce ball court, and an 8,000-square foot auto gallery capable of displaying more than 20 cars within its picture-bedecked walls.

via: yahoo