How To Live Frugally

Although this is not my personal list, the writer does come up with some interesting ways to live frugally.

Drive our cars to death: People who are regular visitors to this blog may be surprised that I have listed this here since I recently confessed that we bought a fairly unfrugal car. Over the long run though, our car ownership turns out to be quite frugal. We take good care of our cars (regular oil changes, get necessary repairs done as soon as we possibly can etc.,) and drive the car until the wheels fall off – literally. The car we just replaced was 14 years old and had 165K miles on it and we drove it until the engine finally quit on us. Both our current cars now are pre-owned and we plan to use them (hopefully) past the 150K mile mark too!

Hang out with like minded friends: It’s not just how frugal you are, but who you hang out with. If all the friends around you are spenders, then some time or the other you will crack up and give up being frugal. In our case, we have been fortunate enough to have friends who are fairly like-minded. Even though frugality is not the core of our conversation or anything, we still end up making choices that do not require too much expenditure, and still end up having a blast.

I go grocery shopping when I am too hungry or too tired: Basically any time that I really don’t want to be doing grocery shopping. And I go only once a week, no matter what I remember/forget to bring. Believe it or not, this is the most efficient and money-saving way to shop. At least in my case, since I am ever curious and if I have the time, I will walk through all the aisles looking for new and strange items and buy them so I can “try them out”.

We don’t buy anything at the vending machines. Neither of us have the habit of snacking, but in Texas if you spend some time outdoors, it is usually very tempting to grab a coke at the vending machine. To avoid this temptation, if we plan on staying out for long, then during the previous day, we fill a bottle of water and shove it in the freezer. Next day we take the frozen bottle of ice in the car and generally we get to drink cold water (or at least “not hot” water) for the better part of the day.

We throw away the advertising mailers left in our mailbox without even looking. We only make an exception when we need something and know that it is possible to get a discount using the coupon in the mailer (e.g., haircut coupons – (gasp!) Yep, I use a coupon to get a haircut).

At least now I know there are people who are more frugal than me in this world! :P

10 Effective Ways to Increase Your Energy Levels

It's the beginning of the week and you're already feeling tired? Here are some effective ways to increase your energy levels.

Sleep in the Dark
Light interferes with sleep, at least partly because it inhibits melatonin secretion and thus resets the biological clock. For this reason, it is very important to keep your bedroom as dark as possible to ensure full cycles of sleep. (if your room is not pitch black, I suggest using a sleeping mask)! You will only be at you most industrious when you have a solid night of sleep under your belt.

Spend One Day a Month In Complete Silence
With all that modern culture throws at us, spending one day a month in complete silence (and even solitude) is a wonderful practice to increase productivity and energy levels over the long-haul. Why? Because the little voice in your head never stops, and cultivating the ability to quiet this chatterbox, even for a little while, can do wonders for your perspective and ability to get things done! Try this one time and see how you feel.

Stretch
Regular stretching does more than keep your muscles and tendons in a healthy state; it also keeps the brain’s arteries open and unclogged. Because the brain accounts for 15% of the body’s blood flow (while being only 2% of its overall weight) maintaining a free flow of oxygenated blood to our most vital organ is an excellent way to create more vigor in your life!

Eat Bigger Meals in the Middle of the Day
A great way to pamper your body and increase energy is to get in the habit of eating your bigger meal in the middle of the day. Your digestion is much more active during the day, allowing your body to use food for energy more effectively. At night, the body naturally begins to slow down and it is harder to digest.

Say Thank You 50 Times a Day!
Gratitude yields energy. Every night before you go to bed, spend 5 minutes saying thank you out loud for all the experiences you had during the day: the people you interacted with, the work you accomplished, the food you ate, etc…As you do this, really try and feel the gratitude emanate from within. This is a wonderful practice for increasing productivity!

I don't know about you but saying thank you 50 times a day is pretty a lot!

Top 10 Scientific Breakthroughs of 2007

Although our very own research didn't make it to the top 10 scientific breakthroughs of 2007, that shouldn't stop us from knowing what the top 10 were.

8. Planet Discovered That Could Harbor Life

Astrobiology enthusiasts have had many reasons to rejoice this year, but one of them has been somewhat controversial. After Stéphane Udry and his colleagues found a pair of planets that they believed could harbor life, other researchers disputed which of the two is most habitable, but agreed that the distant solar system is worthy of further study.

Using a Canadian space telescope and the European Southern Observatory in Chile, Udry inferred that the most promising object is slightly larger than earth, circles its sun in 18 days, and may be rocky. In a late April issue of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the University of Geneva professor provided details about his sophisticated search. Both of the celestial bodies orbit the red dwarf star Gliese 581, which is only 20 light years from earth. Although prospects for the two planets may be less hopeful than Udry and his associates projected, the methods that they used to locate the small planet could be used to make many more discoveries.

4. Enzymes Convert Any Blood Type to O

Several major Type O blood shortages, including crises at the National Institutes of Health this fall and throughout Georgia in late summer, highlight the importance of creating a versatile blood type. In the rare instance that someone receives a transfusion of the wrong type, deadly reactions (caused by sugar molecules on the surfaces of red blood cells) can cause the immune system to go haywire.

In April, Henrik Clausen, a professor at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, published research in Nature describing a way to convert any kind of blood into Type O -- the type that almost anyone can tolerate. He discovered enzymes that shear the problem-causing sugars from the surfaces of A, B and AB type red blood cells. Produced by bacteria, the molecular machines could theoretically turn any kind of blood into Type O. Clausen and his colleagues described their search for the pacifying proteins in the April 1 issue of Nature Biotechnology.

ZymeQuest, a startup company from Massachusetts, is now developing a device that hospitals can use during blood shortages.

1. Researchers Turn Skin Cells to Stem Cells

Using a virus to reprogram skin cells, two teams of scientists managed to skirt the greatest ethical issue facing regenerative medicine -- the destruction of human embryos. Groups led by Shinya Yamanaka of Kyoto University and Junying Yu of the University of Wisconsin coaxed a type of skin cell called fibroblasts into forming muscle, heart, fat and nerve tissues without using any eggs. Unfortunately, the hijacked cells often became tumors. Following up on his initial discovery this November, Yamanaka told Nature Biotechnology that by inserting three growth genes instead of four, the lab-grown flesh can be controlled without becoming cancerous.

Maybe with more hard work and staying over at the lab, one of us could make it to the 2008 list! :P

Bar Codes on Fishes

Seriously, this article really caught my attention. Bar codes on fishes? Definitely a new tagging system I've not heard of until now.

Most of us are familiar with bar codes, those small black stripes with numbers below, known as the Universal Product Code or UPC label, that appear on commercial products. We scan them at the grocery store or to check a price, or have to cut them out and send them in for a rebate.

Now imagine scanning a DNA barcode on the piece of fish you just bought for dinner to instantly verify the species, where it came from, its nutritional value, and other valuable information. NOAA researchers are helping to make this scenario a reality.

Maybe they can be used at the supermarket checkout counters too! :P

Tips for Staying Productive and Sane While Working From Home

Everyone loves working from home but there can also be distractions that will drive a wedge into your productivity and even cause your sanity to drop a few notches. Here are some tips on how you can stay productive and sane while working from home.

8. Keep three lists of three. The first list has three things you will do today. The second is three things you’d like to get done, but aren’t essential. The third is three things that need to be done at some point. That way, when you’ve trogged through your days work, you don’t end up sitting twiddling your thumbs.

16. Be careful what music you listen to while you work. Music, TV, the weather… Just about everything will influence your mood. Some you can’t change, some you can. Make sure that you surround yourself with things that will give you the best frame of mind for whatever you’re about to do.

27. Don’t allow work to consume your life. Easier said than done when working from home. Make sure you set limits for the amount of time you will work.

Have a productive week ahead!

3GB Community

Networking is very important in this time and age. No man is an island. That's the reason why social networking sites are flourishing at the moment. I'm sure all of you have heard of Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, Orkut, Hi5 and a handful of other social networking sites. Now, let me introduce you to another networking site called 3GB Community.

This new social networking site enables you to do very much like the other social networking sites out there like meet new friends or even old ones, upload photos to your very own photos albums, join groups, blog, chat with other members and hear mp3 hits.

It doesn't exactly boast the most members at the moment (about 500 members or so only) but every such site has to start from somewhere, right? In fact, it pales in comparison to the millions of members each of the top 3 social networking sites out there at the moment.

Registration is quite straightforward so you need not worry about lengthy and confusing registration processes. The site is quite responsive too although it remains to be seen how they will cope when their membership increases.

You're not going to get all the information you need just by reading a paid review as there is just so much they can tell you. My advice to you is to hop on over to their site and browse around. If you think it's worth registering, go ahead.

5 Truly Bizarre Historical Theories

All of us have our share of bizarre theories. Here are some truly bizarre (and discredited) historical theories that are so unbelievable.

1. Trepanation

Ouch. In one of the oldest known medical interventions, a hole is drilled in the skull of a patient who is suffering from defects such as seizures or migraine headaches. The idea was to relieve pressure in the head which was believed to be causing the ailment. Today, trepanation is used on a very limited basis as a mechanism to access the brain for necessary surgery. Some people practice recreational or spiritual trepanation, presumably because they need modern medicine like they need a hole in the head.

2. Female hysteria

Women in the Victorian age were said to be suffering from female hysteria when they were moody or a little more “difficult” than usual. Fortunately for them, the treatment was something called pelvic massage. We can’t laugh too hard at this one, though. Many years later, it directly caused vibrating devices to be widely available for, um, home treatment.

3. Expanding Earth

As bizarre theories go, this one doesn’t sound that far-fetched. Expanding Earth is the idea that the planet was once a lot smaller and completely covered in one continent. If you mentally shrink the globe and try to fit the continents together like a puzzle, you could almost start to believe this theory.

Do you have any crazy stories you would like to share? ;)

Dangerous Foods

There are just some things you shouldn't consume even if they look absolutely scrumptious. Here are some potentially deadly foods you should be aware of.

Mushrooms.
Most people know that certain types of mushrooms can be deadly. The more common poisonings come from the Death Cap (often confused for the Paddy Straw mushroom), Destroying Angels, and Deadly Webcap. Death Caps alone contain over seven toxins and one bite can lead to a nasty death. Watch out for the Gyomitra, which is often confused for Morrel.

Blowfish (Fugu).
This fish is deadly on its own, and highly regarded as a Japanese and Hong Kong delicacy. It’s poison, tetrodotoxin, is 1,200 times more potent than cyanide. Around one hundred diners die each year from it. Preparation is the key; make sure a licensed chef prepares your Fugu. Becoming a licensed Fugu chef is a long and intensive process, culminating in the chef preparing a Fugu meal and eating it himself. The most deadly parts of Fugu include the liver, muscles, ovaries, and skin.

Potatoes.
Potatoes contain glycoalkaloids (solanine and chaconine), toxic compounds which are more prevalent in the wild potato varieties. Cooking at high temperatures mostly removes the toxin, although headaches, diarrhea, and cramps—and in severe cases, coma and death—can occur in rare cases. Ever wonder why we’re told to keep potatoes away from light? It’s to prevent higher concentrations of solanine. So don’t eat potatoes after they have turned green.

Tomato.
Although the fruit itself is safe (more technically a berry), tomato plants contain glycoalkaloids, which are indeed toxic.

Chocolate.
Chocolate contains the alkaloid theobromine, which in unusually high doses can be toxic to humans. However, it would take an unholy amount of chocolate to achieve this. But other species react much worse: dogs, parrots, horses, and cats can be killed by ingesting chocolate.

Can you imagine potatoes, tomatoes and chocolates being that deadly?

Casino Tropez Review

There are just so many online casinos out there at the moment. We depend on reviews to help choose the right casinos that suit our needs. Casino Tropez Review offers a review of the world famous CasinoTropez.com. It is reportedly the #1 online casino. Playtech software powers Casino Tropez and new players are welcomed with a nice casino bonus up to $300 free. You'll be able to play more than 180 online casino games which is definitely more than enough to keep you busy for awhile. Games include blackjack, slot machines, video slots and many more.

Casino Tropez also has loyalty programmes to reward their loyal players. Cash bonuses come like clockwork at the Casino Tropez. Utilise these rewards to enhance your gaming experience with them by trying out spanking new games, learning new gaming strategies and having a chance at the big jackpots!

As a rookie player, your first deposit can be matched 100% up to $100, multiplying your account money by an automatic two! For instance, if you put down $75 worth of casino chips, you’ll be able to play with $150. Buy $80 and you play with $160! Isn't that just great?

There is just so much we can learn from a paid review. I would suggest you pay their site a visit and judge for yourself how good their reviews really are.

Eating Eggs Raises Death Risk

This is scary indeed. For all egg lovers out there, please have a read of this article regarding recent findings that eating seven or more eggs a week raises risk of death! It's even worse for diabetic patients!

Middle-aged men who ate seven or more eggs a week had a higher risk of earlier death, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

Men with diabetes who ate any eggs at all raised their risk of death during a 20-year period studied, according to the study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

The study adds to an ever-growing body of evidence, much of it contradictory, about how safe eggs are to eat. It did not examine what about the eggs might affect the risk of death.

Men without diabetes could eat up to six eggs a week with no extra risk of death, Dr. Luc Djousse and Dr. J. Michael Gaziano of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School found.

"Whereas egg consumption of up to six eggs a week was not associated with the risk of all-cause mortality, consumption of (seven or more) eggs a week was associated with a 23 percent greater risk of death," they wrote.

"However, among male physicians with diabetes, any egg consumption is associated with a greater risk of all-cause mortality, and there was suggestive evidence for a greater risk of MI (heart attack) and stroke."

They urged more study in the general population.

Eggs are rich in cholesterol, which in high amounts can clog arteries and raise the risk of heart attack and stroke.

One expert on nutrition and heart disease said the study suggests middle-aged men, at least, should watch how many eggs they eat.

I'm definitely reviewing my egg eating habits after reading this article.

Washington Mutual Savings Accounts

What are your financial needs and goals? Many would want to put enough money aside so they could retire gracefully when they finally call time to their working days. You can't expect to keep all that cash under your mattress and would definitely need the assistance of a financial institution for that very purpose. In fact, not only do they hold on to your money for safekeeping, they even reward you with interest!

One of the easiest way to benefit from such an arrangement is by having a savings accounts. You can choose from an online savings account or a statement based savings account. If you would like to earn higher interest, you can always opt for a certificate of deposit (CD) account such as the traditional certificate of deposit account, the online certificate of deposit account or a unique liquid certificate of deposit account.

If you would like the convenience of a checking facility, you can always link your savings account to a checking account and you're all set. If you're interested in other savings account options, you can even consider WaMu's money market savings account.

With the ongoing subprime mortgage crisis, one can never be too safe when it comes to financial services. There is just so much a paid review can tell you. I would suggest you drop by their website for a look and visit one of their branches even to get a clearer picture on how to fulfill your financial needs.

Tips For Preventing Colds And The Flu

The flu season is upon us. I see sick people everywhere I go. Here are some tips for preventing colds and the flu.

5. Use your knuckle to rub your eyes. It's less likely to be contaminated with viruses than your fingertip. This is particularly important given that the eye provides a perfect entry point for germs, and the average person rubs his eyes or nose or scratches his face 20-50 times a day, notes Jordan Rubin, Ph.D., author of the book The Maker's Diet.

6. Run your toothbrush through the microwave on high for 10 seconds to kill germs that can cause colds and other illnesses. You think it gets your teeth clean -- and it does. But once you're done brushing, your toothbrush is a breeding ground for germs. Sterilize it in the microwave before you use it, or store it in hydrogen peroxide (rinse well before using), or simply replace it every month when you change the page on your calendar and after you've had a cold.

14. Inhale air from your blow-dryer. It sounds nuts, we know. But one study conducted at Harvard Hospital in England found that people who breathed heated air had half the cold symptoms of people who inhaled air at room temperature. Set the dryer on warm, not hot, and hold it at least 18 inches from your face. Breathe in the air through your nose for as long as you can -- 20 minutes is best.

15. Take a garlic supplement every day. When 146 volunteers received either one garlic supplement a day or a placebo for 12 weeks between November and February, those taking the garlic were not only less likely to get a cold, but if they did catch one, their symptoms were less intense and they recovered faster.

21. Wipe your nose -- don't blow. Your cold won't hang around as long, according to a University of Virginia study. Turns out that the force of blowing not only sends the gunk out of your nose into a tissue, but propels some back into your sinuses. And, in case you're curious, they discovered this using dye and X rays. If you need to blow, blow gently, and blow one nostril at a time.

Hope you'll successfully fend off the flu virus with these tips!

Malibu Drug Abuse Rehab

Drug abuse is a horrible thing. If you know of someone with a drug abuse problem, you would understand how it is like especially if it's a family member or a close friend. Even drug abuse among celebrities nowadays are quite rampant although the known dangers of drugs is well documented. It is really sad that humans keep falling into the chasm of drug abuse.

Chronic drug abuse can have devastating effects on the user, his family, friends and business associates. Drug abuse is endemic, touching people from all socio-economic walks of life, from the mailroom to the boardroom. And while the substance of choice varies, the results of all drug abuse are usually predictable.

Fortunately, there are plenty of rehabilitation centres around to help those facing this problem. In fact, the rehabilitation centres even look like posh hotels! One such place is the Renaissance Malibu, a world-class drug abuse rehab which employs innovative therapy programs designed to meet the individual needs and issues of their clients. A multi-disciplinary team of certified and licensed drug abuse rehab counselors, supported by a dedicated and caring staff, provides state-of-the-art drug abuse help.

The foundation for their drug abuse rehab is built upon two main objectives: giving individuals the self-knowledge and confidence to regain their lives without the use of drugs; and providing the therapeutic tools for continued long-term recovery. In order to attain these objectives, Renaissance Malibu's drug abuse programs include individual counseling, group therapy, education, family treatment, relapse prevention tools, and aftercare.

With such facilities available, I really wonder if some actually get themselves involved in drug abuse just to get into these rehabs! Anyway, there's just so much information you can get from a paid review. Pay their site a visit and you'll know what I mean.

Queenbay Mall & USM Loyalty Programme

Have you heard? Queensbay Mall and USM have linked up to provide discounts for USM staff and students when they shop at selected Queensbay Mall outlet under the Queensbay Mall & USM Loyalty Programme! Among the participating outlets are Borders and Popular!

Universiti Sains Malaysia students and staff can enjoy special discounts and deals when shopping at Queensbay Mall, Penang, following a collaboration between the two parties.

Queensbay Mall has introduced the Queenbay Mall & USM Loyalty Programme to allow its card holders utilise the many benefits and privileges offered by Queensbay.

All you need to do is bring along your student or staff identification cards when you shop at Queensbay Mall. Also, you stand a chance to win exclusive prizes when you shop over RM50!



The grand prize is a Fujitsu laptop! Anyone looking for a notebook computer? ;)

Blackjack Data Repository

Blackjack Data Repository is a strategy and rules guide to playing blackjack online. In addition to this, they offer reviews of reputable online casinos that offer fair odds for playing blackjack. Most of the blackjack casinos listed have been around for many years. All of the online casinos have been played at and approved by the team at Blackjack Data Repository.

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Blackjack Data Repository also compiles a list of blackjack calculators which provides you services like calculating the percentage of hands played at each count, calculate your hourly win rate given rules, strategy, bet spread and bankroll and many others.

Blackjack Data Repository also provide tables and charts services for various situations which they will instantly calculate for you on the site itself. Statistics always helps and this site definitely have very useful statistics for your use.

There is just so much information you can get from a paid review. So it is advisable for you to visit the site and see what they have to offer yourself.

The 5 Most Horrifying Bugs in the World

There are about 10,000,000,000,000,000,000 insects on earth at any given moment. Seriously, that's a real number. For every one of us, there are 1.5 billion bugs.

But some of them are so horrifying, just one is too many. Here are five you want to avoid at all costs.

1. Japanese Giant Hornet
2. Bullet Ant
3. Africanized Honey Bee
4. Army or Soldier Ant
5. Bot Fly

Seriously, those are some scary bugs! Visit the site to read more about them.

Best Buy Slots

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Slots machines, also known as "one-armed bandits", are an exciting form of gambling that offers you the opportunity to win several times your original bet. The rules for slot machines vary slightly, as far as payouts and any bonus rounds offered, from machine to machine, but are all very easy to learn.

Whatever it is, Best Buy Slots have the best online casino recommendations for you. They also have a review regarding certain casino banking options which will help you realise your ultimate gaming experience. The site also lists online casinos and the bonuses they offer and the softwares used.

If you're into trying new sites, the site also has a section listing all the new sites or new games offered by old sites, specialising in slot machines. I find the online casino reviews on this site to be very informative and helpful.

There is just so much information you can get from a paid review. So it is advisable for you to visit the site and see what they have to offer yourself.

New Way to Kill Viruses

Scientists have found a new way to kill viruses: by shaking them to death!

Scientists may one day be able to destroy viruses in the same way that opera singers presumably shatter wine glasses. New research mathematically determined the frequencies at which simple viruses could be shaken to death.

"The capsid of a virus is something like the shell of a turtle," said physicist Otto Sankey of Arizona State University. "If the shell can be compromised [by mechanical vibrations], the virus can be inactivated."

Recent experimental evidence has shown that laser pulses tuned to the right frequency can kill certain viruses. However, locating these so-called resonant frequencies is a bit of trial and error.

No, this is not an April Fool's joke!