GeekSugar

New Seven Wonders Of The World Google/YouTube Mashup

GeekSugar — Thu, 12 Jul 2007 11:00:39 PDT

The new Seven Wonders Of The World were just announced in an official ceremony last week, but the Google mashups have begun!

Mibazaar has created a Google Maps View (along with video from YouTube) of the new wonders, which include India's Taj Mahal, Great Wall of China, Petra in Jordan, Brazil's statue of Christ the Redeemer, Peru's Machu Picchu, Mexico's Chichen Itza pyramid and The Colosseum in Rome. You can explore all the wonders without hopping on a plane (although I suggest you do that too!) by watching the videos accompanying each site.

The map and video mashup is particularly absorbing in the case of Machu Picchu and Chichen Itza because you can check out the surrounding areas and revel in their wild architecture and existence.

5 Strange Ways Chocolate Keeps You Healthy

Prevention — Mon, 13 Feb 2012 04:02:26 PST

We are excited to share one of our fave stories from Prevention here on FitSugar!

This sweet treat may also boost brainpower, help you relax, and more!
By Mara Betsch, Prevention

Show your heart some love this Valentine’s Day by nibbling a few chocolates - and making them a regular treat throughout the year. A recent study found that those consuming the highest levels of chocolate had a 37 percent reduction in cardiovascular disease and a 29 percent reduction in stroke compared to those with lower chocolate intakes.

Though experts are quick to clarify that we should stick to moderate consumption of high-calorie chocolates, it’s hard to deny the cold, hard facts that chocolate can be a healthy addition to our diets.

Seven Surprising Ways to Sharpen Your Mind

Hundreds of studies have shown that dark chocolate is packed with antioxidants that promote heart health and may prevent many cardiovascular-related conditions, but we’ve dug up five more surprising health benefits. Read on for five new ways to justify your chocolate craving.

1. Chocolate May Help You With Math
Flavonols, compounds in chocolate with antioxidantlike properties, are thought to improve circulation, including blood flow to the brain. A 2009 study asked participants to count backward in groups of three from a number between 800 and 999. After drinking hot cocoa filled with flavonols, the participants were able to do calculations more quickly and accurately and were less likely to feel tired or mentally drained.

Learn a four more things chocolate can do for you after the break.

The Pros and Cons of Office Romance

Anna Monette Roberts — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 03:15:37 PST

Dating a co-worker can be a thrilling and wonderful thing - that is until the relationship falters. Here are seven pros and cons of dating (and breaking up with) a co-worker so you know what to expect before you decide to get involved.

Pro: Forbidden love can be hot and passionate.
Con: You might have to keep your relationship a secret from co-workers. If the office does find out, it can quickly turn into a awkward situation, and if you do eventually break up, it can become even more unpleasant and humiliating.

Pro: You have an insider's understanding of their work ethic and how they communicate with others. You can talk openly and honestly about current projects or co-workers.
Con: You might not agree with their business decisions or attitude towards co-workers.

Pro: You have the rare opportunity to see each other when you are the most energetic, motivated, and sharp.
Con: If you get in a fight or break up, you'll have to conceal your personal feelings toward one another at the office.

Read on for more pros and cons.

The Benefits of Homeschooling Your Kids

LearnVest — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 03:05:49 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

In the past, LearnVest spoke to parents who chose not to use diapers with their children and dove into the stay-at-home parent debate. This time, one mother shares why she has decided to homeschool her children.

In 2002, we had our third child, 10 years after our second was born. Our eldest two boys were in a private school, but we began to consider the best way to educate our newest addition. Although we loved the school our boys attended, each year cost us about $10,000. We questioned how feasible it would be to put additional kids through there, too.

We had three more children in the following years for a total of six, and with each new baby came further confirmation that putting our four youngest through private school was out of the question financially. Our two eldest were approaching college age, which put even more pressure on us.

The decision was simple. We elected to educate our four youngest at home.

Why Public School Wasn’t an Option

We always knew that we wouldn’t send our children to public school. Parents who opt out of public school do so for many reasons: safety, quality of education, religious conviction, and many others. My husband and I both went to public school, but that was a long time ago, and I don’t know what schools are like today. For us, religion was the main reason. We believe that God gave parents the responsibility to raise, train, and educate their own children. Many parts of the Bible talk about training your children - to us, that includes education.

For more, read after the jump.

How to Get Your Metabolism Moving

Health — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 03:03:06 PST

We are pumped to share one of our favorite stories from Health.com here on our site.

Does your metabolism grind to a halt after 35? Can certain foods rev it up? Answers ahead — and they're good.
By Paige Greenfield

Here's something to feel good about: your body is a calorie-burning machine. You'll even torch a few while reading this article. The point is, every single thing you do — from breathing to eating to sleeping — uses energy. The number of calories it would take just to lie in bed all day is called your resting metabolic rate. And just like your curly hair or warm personality, yours is unique.

"There are so many factors that determine your metabolic rate," says Janet Rankin, PhD, professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise at Virginia Tech. Among them: your height and weight (bigger people burn more calories), your gender (women have slower metabolisms than men), your age (your metabolic rate declines as you get older), how much muscle or fat you have (muscle burns more calories than fat does), and your DNA.

Health.com: Little Ways to Lose Big Pounds

Although you can't rewire your double helix or switch back the clock, there's still plenty you can do to be a fast burner, Rankin says. All you need to do is remember these four research-backed truths.

Cardio Revs Your Metabolism For Hours Afterward
Resistance training often hogs the metab-boosting spotlight. It's no wonder, since a pound of muscle at rest fries three times as many calories as a pound of fat. However, cardio is every bit as crucial for keeping your metabolism humming.

New research explains why: In a study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, people pedaled a stationary bike as hard as they could for 47 minutes.
The finding: They slashed 190 calories above their resting metabolic rate for 14 hours after their workout. Add that to the 519 calories, on average, the cyclists scorched from the workout itself, and that's one heck of a sweat session.

"If you do just two to three vigorous bouts of exercise per week for 45 minutes, you could lose a pound of fat every two weeks from the combination of calories expended during exercise plus what you burn afterward," says study author David Nieman, PhD, a professor of exercise science at Appalachian State University.

So how can you tell if you're pushing hard enough? Any sweat-inducing activity you can sustain for 45 minutes will do the trick.

More useful tips after the break.

How to Save Your Achy Party Feet

Leta Shy — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:34:56 PST

If the holiday parties have you living in heels, you've probably got some unhappy feet on your hands. Wondering how to beat the suffering? Here are some feet-relieving remedies to help you out.

Prevent injuries by keeping your ankles and leg muscles strong. After all, who wants to make a wobbly party entrance? Take a few minutes a day to add some ankle-friendly exercises to your routine, like tiptoe walking, heel walks, and balance exercises. Find out the four important exercises you should be doing if you wear heels here.
Don't stop there. If your feet are achy after a night of dancing on stilettos, relieve them while combating the muscle-shortening effects of sporting heels for an extended amount of time. Be sure to stretch them out with these seven stretches for high-heel wearers.
Feet still achy? Find more relief with these five things you can do to treat your achy feet, and try to alternate wearing heels with flats to give your feet a rest!

One Editor, One $500 Budget - See How He Spends It!

Danny Feekes — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:01:46 PST

Ever wonder how a fashion editor determines his favorite items and top picks? It's essentially our job to shop - to find the coolest of the cool, the hippest of the hip, and the most coveted pieces out there. Every day we scour shopping sites and brick-and-mortar stores alike to show you the clothes you didn't even know you needed. And, yes, sometimes we pick a little somethin' somethin' up along the way. With our newest challenge, see how our editors spend $500 on their Winter wardrobes. Next up, Danny Feekes, our associate editorial director of style. Click through to see how he spends his money now.

I'm originally from Kansas - where one truly dresses for the seasons - but since moving to San Francisco seven years ago, I've adapted to the temperate, year-round climate by wearing, what some have called, a uniform. I was quick to adopt to the casual, Northern California aesthetic, and most days you'll find me in skinny jeans, some semblance of plaid, and either a cardigan or v-neck sweater. It's a formula that works for me, and I don't stray too far, too often. With a $500 budget, I'd buy more of the same, but infuse some pop colors and unique prints. I'd like to think the following picks would look good together, or as individual items added to my tiny, already jam-packed closet. I'd gladly give a few pieces to charity to make room for the following . . .

7 Kid-Friendly Recipes For Thanksgiving Leftovers

Rebecca M Gruber — Thu, 24 Nov 2011 05:37:54 PST

Happy Thanksgiving! The smell of turkey in the oven and the sound of football on TV can only mean that the Thanksgiving feast is about to begin! We're grateful for you, our readers, the whole year through and wish you and your families a wonderful holiday!

Once the meal is through, and your dishwasher is humming, a mama's thoughts often turn to all of the leftovers crowding her fridge. Don't fret. We've got seven kid-friendly Thanksgiving leftover recipes that will keep everyone full throughout the weekend (and free up some space before the school week resumes on Monday!).

Link Time: Gisele Is a Sure Bet

BellaSugar — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:00:04 PST

Putting Gisele's face in your ads may make them outperform the Dow Industrial Average - The Cut
Seven skin-saving face masks - Real Simple
"Peekaboo" hair is the new celebrity thing - Glo
The most coveted new spa treatments for the season - InStyle
A woman sold her house to pay for plastic surgery - Huffington Post
This lip balm is made for men, but awesome enough for a woman - Refinery 29
The newest face-scanning technology comes to skin care - The Fashion Spot
Seven retinol products that work wonders - Stylelist
10 tips for making runway makeup work in real life - Fashionista
The five makeup brushes you need - Beauty Sweet Spot

Guerrilla Guide to the Holidays: Holiday Etiquette

LearnVest — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 00:15:17 PST

We're thrilled to present this smart LearnVest story here on Savvy!

As the holidays approach (just seven weeks away!), you’re only getting more prepared.

If you’ve been following our weekly Guerrilla Guide to the Holidays, you’ve already made your travel plans and selected the perfect gifts for everyone on your list.

And it’s only the first week of November.

Since you definitely don’t want to quit while you’re ahead, the next thing we’ll help you cross off your to-do list is . . . mastering holiday etiquette.

While it’s certainly a time of year to express appreciation, all those family visits and rites of gift-giving, whether with friends or coworkers, can also mean frayed nerves, stepped-on toes or general awkwardness.

But guess what? With a little preparation - and our guide to holiday etiquette - you can navigate the next few weeks with nothing but grace, gratitude and good cheer.

Handling Awkward Money Situations

Family and Money:

It’s the Murphy’s Law of Relationships: The people who love us most also have the greatest power to hurt our feelings. Combine the general sensitivity surrounding money issues with the kinds of probing questions that family members have a knack for asking, add a dose of holiday stress, and anyone can end up in an explosive situation.

But you can ward off fights with this simple, disarming tip: When someone inevitably asks, “When are you going to get a bigger house?” or “Why did you buy such an expensive purse?”, simply respond, “Thanks for your concern about my personal finances. You’ll be happy to know that I budget carefully and am in good control of my money, which is why I’m waiting to buy a bigger place/I was able to get this purse.” Then go back to eating your cookie.

Old Friends and Finances:

You come back home and want to see all of your best friends from high school-only now one makes three times what you do, while you know another just lost her job.

Here’s how to catch up with each, without letting money come between you.