Rude Hand Gestures of the World by Romana Lefevre is a photographic guide to the many ways of using hand gestures to offend people in different parts of the world. The book’s photography is by Daniel Castro, and published by Chronicle Books of San Francisco.

A hand gesture is arguably the most effective form of expression, whether you’re defaming a friend’s mother or telling a perfect stranger to get lost. Learn how to go beyond just flipping the bird with this illustrated guide to rude hand gestures all around the world, from asking for sex in the Middle East to calling someone crazy in Italy. Detailed photographs of hand models and subtle tips for proper usage make Rude Hand Gestures of the World the perfect companion for globe-trotters looking to offend.

Chin Flick

Meaning: Get lost
Used in: Belgium, France, Northern Italy, Tunisia

In France, this gesture is known as la barbe, or “the beard", the idea being that the gesturer is flashing his masculinity in much the same way that a buck will brandish his horns or a cock his comb. Simply brush the hand under the chin in a forward flicking motion. While not as aggressive as flashing one’s actual genitalia, this gesture is legal and remains effective as a mildly insulting brush-off.

Note: In Italy, this gesture simply means “No.”

Idiota
Meaning: Are you an idiot?
Used in: Brazil

A South American gesture indicating stupidity, this requires improv skills and an actorly flair. To perform, put your fist to your forehead while making a comical overbite. The gesture is most effective when accented with multiple grunts. When executed correctly, you will be rewarded with appreciative laughs, though not, perhaps, from your subject.

Moutza
Meaning: To hell with you!/I rub **** in your face!/I'm going to violate your sister!
Used in: Greece, Africa, Pakistan

The Moutza is among the most complex of hand gestures, as elaborate and ancient as a Japanese tea ceremony. Perhaps the oldest offensive hand signal still in use, the Moutza originated in ancient Byzantium, where it was the custom for criminals to be chained to a donkey and displayed on the street. There, local townsfolk might add to their humiliation by rubbing dirt, feces, and ashes ("moutzos" in medieval Greek) into their faces.

Now that the advent of modern sewage systems and anti- smoking laws means that these materials are no longer readily available, the Moutza is a symbolic stand-in. In Greece, it is often accompanied by commands including par’ta (“take these”) or órse (“there you go”). Over the years, the versatile Moutza has acquired more connotations, including a sexual one, in which the five extended fingers suggest the five sexual acts the gesturer would like to perform with the subject’s willing sister.

Five fathers
Meaning: You have five fathers, i.e., your mother is a whore
Used in: Arab countries, Caribbean

If you are looking to get yourself deported from Saudi Arabia – possibly amid a riot – you can do no better than the Five Fathers gesture. The most inflammatory hand gesture in the Arab world, this sign accuses the subject’s mother of having so many suitors that paternity is impossible to determine. To execute, point your left index finger at your right hand, while pursing all fingers of the right hand together. The insult is extreme and almost certain to provoke violence.

Pepper mill
Meaning: crazy
Used in: Southern Italy

In southern Italy, craziness is indicated by this gesture, in which one mimics the grinding of a pepper mill. The implication is that the subject’s addled brain is whirring as fast as the mill's blades.

Corna

Meaning: Your wife is unfaithful
Used in: The Baltics, Brazil, Colombia, Italy, Portugal, Spain

Informing a friend that his wife has been unfaithful is an unhappy and delicate task. Fortunately, in many countries, it is simple to do: one simply gives him the Corna. A very old sign, the Corna dates back at least 2,500 years and represents a bull’s horns (bulls were commonly castrated to make them calmer).

Be warned that while the gesture is used throughout the world, its meaning varies greatly from country to country.Should you be on the receiving end of the gesture, before you cast out your wife, remember that your pal may simply be saying she is a fan of American college football or heavy metal bands.

Write-off
Meaning: I am ignoring you
Used in: Greece

The literal translation of st’arxidia mou, the phrase that accompanies this gesture, is “I write it on my testicles.” And while there may well be people who, out of a strange psychological compulsion or simply boredom, actually write on their testicles, here the threat is simply metaphorical and tells the subject you’re ignoring him. One needn’t possess testicles to use the gesture, which is employed by men and women alike.

Cutis
Meaning: Screw you and your whole family
Used in: India, Pakistan

Should you find yourself in India or Pakistan, wishing to insult not just your host but your host’s entire family, look no further than the Cutis gesture. Its origins are unknown, but its effect is swift and severe. Simply make a fist then flick the thumb off the front teeth while exclaiming "cutta!" (“Screw you!”). In short order, you will find himself ejected from the premises, your mission to offend thoroughly accomplished.

Tacaño
Meaning: You're stingy
Used in: Mexico, South America

Just as the heart is associated with love, so, in many Latin American countries, is the elbow with stinginess. In Mexico the two are so closely linked that a miser is described as "muy codo" (very elbow), the idea being that he rarely straightens it to pay the check. If your compadre makes a habit of failing to pick up the check, you may wish to correct his behaviour with this sharp gesture. For extra emphasis, bang your elbow on the table.

Note: In Austria and Germany the same gesture means “You’re an idiot,” suggesting that the elbow is where the subject keeps his brain.

Fishy smell
Meaning: I find you untrustworthy
Used in: Southern Italy

In business, it is important to let your associates know you can’t be taken advantage of. This gesture informs them you are on to their attempts to deceive. To perform, move your nose side to side with the index and middle finger. The movement suggests that something stinks, and you are trying to rid yourself of the odor.

1. Women Think About Food More Than Sex

A "survey of 5,000 people shows that women crowd out their sexy thoughts with worries about what they're eating. The British survey found that 25 percent of women think about food every 30 minutes, while only 10 percent report thinking about sex that often."

So far, so good. But read on for the sadder finding: "They may actually be thinking more about what they're not eating. Four in 10 women say they're always either dieting and/or concerned about their weight, and more than 60 percent confess that they don't like to eat in front of their partners. And it seems like a few of us haven't yet gotten over our high school cafeteria habits: When ordering in front of a date or even a long-term mate, 13 percent of respondents confess to choosing something lower-calorie than what they really wanted."

2. 25% Of People Answer The Phone During Sex

A "poll by British company MyPhoneDeals.co.uk recently tracked customer phone use to obtain some stats. They took numbers on pretty interesting questions, and we'll just say the answers were 'interesting' as well. One survey question asked users whether or not they had ever taken a phone call in the middle of sex. A ridiculous 25 percent of people admitted to answering a call while doing the deed. Yes, that is one in four."

3. College Students Prefer Compliments To Sex

"People might associate college life with pizza and promiscuity, but according to a paper published in the Journal of Personality, students would rather receive an ego boost (from compliments or good grades) than have sex. Incidentally, ego boosts also trump favorite foods, which actually makes sense considering how closely hunger and sexual compulsions are linked."

4. How Easily A Woman Orgasms Depends On Her Lip Shape

"In today's kooky love news, Stuart Brody, a psychology professor at the University of the West of Scotland, claims that you can discern a woman's ability to achieve orgasm just by looking at her lips. His paper, titled 'Vaginal Orgasm Is More Prevalent Among Women with a Prominent Tubercle of the Upper Lip,' names the plump spot below your cupid's bow, called the tubercle, as the best indicator of sexual satisfaction. But if you have a thin mouth, don't despair. While full lips are commonly associated with sexual prowess, Brody says to focus on that small bump instead of overall lip shape."

5. College Students Would Rather Give Up Sex Than Carry Textbooks

"College campuses may be notorious for promiscuity, but don't forget that most students are actually there to, uh, study. According to a survey released by software company Kno, Inc., one in four college students would give up sex for a year in exchange for electronic textbooks. Granted, the sample size was pretty small: just 506 students in various four-year institutions were surveyed, meaning that less than 130 students actually conform to the claim cited by the results. Who knows how much sex these kids are having in the first place?"

6. One In Five Women "Like" Facebook More Than Sex

"Picture yourself surrounded by your four closest girlfriends. According to a survey of 2,000 women by Cosmopolitan magazine, one of you would rather "like" status updates, post funny videos and stalk her exes on Facebook than get freaky between the sheets. Yes, that's right, 20 percent of women would rather give up sex than Facebook for a week."

7. Women Get More Bisexual As They Grow Older

"A new study reveals that women's sexual preferences tend to be a gray area (yep, identity confusion wasn't just for those college dorm days). In fact, researchers at Boise State University found that in a group of heterosexual women, 60 percent were physically interested in other women, 45 percent made out with a woman in the past, and 50 percent had fantasies about the same sex."

8. Laptops Can Be Bad For Sperm

"A new study in the journal Fertility and Sterility has found that men who place their laptops on their laps are toying with the quality of their sperm. Officially, researchers say, 'Our data suggest that the use of a laptop computer wirelessly connected to the Internet and positioned near the male reproductive organs may decrease human sperm quality.' Yikes! Researchers came upon this discovery by testing semen samples from 29 healthy men. They placed drops of sperm under a laptop that was connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Then, they downloaded something. Within four hours, a quarter of the samples were no longer swimming around; only 14 percent of semen samples stored away from the computer suffered the same fate. What's worse? Nine percent of the Wi-Fi subjected sperm showed DNA damage!"

9. Nerdy Women Have More Sex, Better Relationships

"Ladies who play games on Facebook, cell phones and computers have quite the sizzling social life. Even better, they have sex more frequently than women who don't game, according to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of GameHouse. Not only are these 'nerdy' girls getting more action in the bedroom, but they're likely happily committed to a serious relationship as well (probably with a fellow nerd). Sixty-four percent of women who game online are married or living with a partner. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being 'completely satisfied'), 71 percent of these women rated their current relationship at 6 or above."

While in Lyon (France) for the Festival of Lights 2011, we had the chance to admire the Urban Flipper designed by Carol Martin and Thibaut Berbezier who form the collective CT Light. The Urban Flipper is a giant interactive pinball created by 3D projection mapping, projected onto the facade of the Célestins theater in Lyon.

It uses the relief of the facade such as windows, balconies and columns as part of playable pinball, all complemented by the sounds of the pinball! The public has been able to try out the pinball, a very good experience! Congratulations to the creators!

In 2011, one word came up again and again: No. No form-fitting jeans, no baggy jeans, no toys with fast food, no fast food condiments in schools, no homemade lunches either. No cheerleaders in class. No service dogs in class. No dogs on planes. No babies on planes. No babies in restaurants. In fact, no baby photos either.

Here's a look back at everything that's gotten a great big X in the past 12 months.

January
Baby photos: A Maryland hospital banned baby photos in the first five minutes after a child is delivered. The hospital explained that family photographers were causing risky distractions, though those in opposition to the policy believed it was put in place to avoid malpractice lawsuits.


Elton's baby photos: When proud parents Elton John and David Furnish posed with their new baby on cover of Us Magazine, a supermarket in Arkansas deemed the content not safe for shoppers. The totally G-rated magazine was placed behind a "family shield."

Service dogs: A 12-year-old epileptic boy was banned from coming to school with the service dog trained to save his life.

April
Burqas: The controversial ban on women wearing the traditional Muslim head-to-toe covering went into effect in France. Police arrested or fined at least 60 women attempting to preserve their religious freedom by protesting the ban.

Brown-bag lunches: A Chicago public school banned kids from bringing food from home, forcing them to eat the cafeteria lunches or nothing at all. The school says it's healthier for kids but not all parents agree. They're also not in agreement on the price-point, considering home-made leftovers are a lot less money than the daily cafeteria fee.

May
Baggy pants: Schools districts from Florida to Pennsylvania banned students from wearing baggy pants. In Orlando an actual "baggy pants" law suspended students who "exposed underwear or body parts" with a little loose hanging fabric.

June
Babies on planes: When Malaysia Airlines banned babies from some first class flights, the hospitality industry took note.

July
Babies everywhere: Pretty soon babies and young kids were persona non grata at restaurants, hotels, movie theaters and more.

Babies with the name Lucifer: New Zealand courts decided to crack down on parents' rights, banning the name from the baby books because of it's satanic association.

Kids expressing themselves creatively: It really sucked to be a high school student in Florida this year. By the summer, Lake County's school district decided to ban "extreme" "unnatural" hair color and "bold" makeup, citing such mainstays of teen culture as causes of class distraction.



Faces expressing their lines falsely: Another big ban this year? Airbrushing. The British Advertising Standards Authority banned two makeup ads because they were overly airbrushed.

August
Teachers-student Facebook friends: Social networking has been a minefield for teachers. In Missouri, state senators came up with a band-aid solution. Fire any teacher who accepts a student's friend request on Facebook. They probably shouldn't retweet anything from a student either, just to be safe.

September
Fur: Don't hunt for your fox vests or mink coats in Los Angeles. Purchasing fur apparel is now illegal in the City of Angels.

Cheerleader uniforms: At a San Jose high school, cheerleaders are required to buy a micro-mini uniform if they make the squad. But they're also required to take it off when they go to class, because it's way too short. Paging the office of mixed messages.

Saying 'bless you': A teacher said his class got so out of hand with sneeze follow-ups he banned the verbal courtesy from his classroom.

October
Tanning teens: First no fur, now no leather skin. That's probably a good thing. California passed a law banning the use of tanning beds by anyone under 18.


America's favorite condiment: While burgers seem to pass the health boards in France, the country put its foot down when it comes to kids dousing them in ketchup. The Los Angeles Times reported: "In an effort to promote healthful eating and, it has been suggested, to protect traditional Gallic cuisine, the French government has banned school and college cafeterias nationwide from offering the American tomato-based condiment."

November
Choosing your birth date: Hospitals in Massachusetts, New York, Arizona, Texas and California ban elective C-sections and inductions before 39 weeks gestation due to serious health risks.

Dakota Fanning holding a bottle of perfume: The British Ad Council banned this ad suggesting it's borderline pedophilia.


Having eyes: Saudi Arabia's Committee for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice sought the right to ban women from possessing "suggestive" eyes. What are suggestive eyes? According to one Saudi journalist, any woman whose eyes have a "nice shape" could be in deep trouble.

December
Skinny jeans: At Brigham Young University-Idaho, students are getting turned away from their exams on the grounds that their jeans are far too form-fitting.

Happy meals: In San Francisco, fast food joints can no longer bribe kids with toys. (Unless their parents want to spend an extra 10 cents.)

Happy couples: A Kentucky church actually voted to ban interracial marriages and prevent mixed-race couples from becoming members. Can you believe this really happened in the year 2011? Here's to a few more welcome signs in 2012.

Will Ferrell as a over-sized, hyperactive, sugar-devouring Elf just seems all too natural in this movie. While his consumption of sweets makes us ill (spaghetti with chocolate syrup?) we love it when he confuses maple syrup with liquor.

The Ref (1994)
15 years ago, Denis Leary made this film about a dysfunctional Connecticut couple and their bat-shit crazy family, which will definitely make you feel better about your own. It's the funniest he's ever been, but he still gets upstaged by Judy Davis, Christine Baranski and some really mean old lady.

Trading Places (1983)
We could all use a little Wall-Street-revenge fantasy right now! Might as well be hilarious!

Scrooged (1988)
By far one of the best adaptations of the classic Charles Dickens story, featuring Bill Murray as Scrooge. Who doesn't like to see smarmy, evil TV executives learn how to be nice?

Bad Santa (2003)
Billy Bob Thornton does the most twisted version of Santa you've ever seen, complete with a foul-mouthed, criminal midget sidekick. A lot of the funny can be attributed to Thurman, the 8-year-old whose adorable naivete makes bad Santa seem so much worse.

Santa's Slay (2005)
Christmas films that earn top spots on annual lists of Best Holiday Films usually feature some brilliantly-executed synthesis of humor, sentimentality, originally, and tradition--but none of these things are what earned "Santa's Slay" the top stop on UGO's list of Funniest Christmas Movies. No, this nonpareil holiday film instead combines the murder, Satan, and the horror tactics of Santa as played by professional wrestler Bill Golberg. But don't worry--it's all in campy good fun. What's not to like?

A Christmas Story (1983)
Perhaps one of the only films given an annual 24-hour marathon, "A Christmas Story" is still fresh even on hour 20. Did you know they now actually make the leg lamp?

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)
Gonzo (as Charles Dickens) narrates this Muppet version of "A Christmas Carol," with Michael Cain as Scrooge. It's cruel of him to make Bob Cratchit work on Christmas, but what do you expect from someone who hires a frog as an accountant?

MST3K: Santa Claus Conquers The Martians
The geniuses of Mystery Science Theater 3000 did an episode with great riffs on this terrible/amazing Christmas movie. Watch the MST3K version, or if you can get it, watch the original and observe the ridiculousness for yourself.

Santa Claus The Movie (1985)
Yeah, this movie is awesome. Dudley Moore + evil John Lithgow + a sled that runs on candy canes and hope = unintentionally hilarious. You must rent this-so-bad-it's-fabulous film.

National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation (1989)
This holiday comedy classic proves the Griswolds don't need to leave home to have a disastrous time. It has all the quirky mishaps only Chevy Chase could pull off, and like all good Christmas movies, ends with a SWAT team raid!

Christmas In Connecticut (1945)
Arnold Schwarzenneger was so enamored with Christmas In Connecticut that he adapted the 1945 "snowball comedy" into his own film in 1992, but as with any attempt to remake the classics--especially one starring the hilarious Barbara Stanwyck as an impostor food critic--the original is far superior than its successor. Sure, the film lacks the special effects and gross-out gags of newer comedy classics, but the sharp dialogue and screwball scenarios should earn this one a spot among the funniest holiday films.

Jingle All The Way (1996)
This 90s action/Christmas comedy only gets better with time. First of all, any movie starring both now-Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and now-nobody Sinbad wins our kitsch-loving hearts. Secondly, Phil Hartman plays a snooty, neighbor's wife-coveting yuppie, which makes us miss him dearly. Third of all, just look at the photo. Just look at it. Now laugh.

Comfort And Joy (1984)
They may not gorge themselves on Thanksgiving food or flatten themselves for sales items on Black Friday, but lets not forget that our friends across the pond have holiday spirit too. If you feel like doing a little celebrating UK-style, make sure to check out "Comfort and Joy," the 1984 comedy directed by Bill Forsyth which follows the Christmas crusades of a DJ just dumped by his girlfriend. Plus there are rival ice cream gangs--enough said.

Home Alone (1990)
The movie that made all 90s children want a TalkBoy for Christmas (now they just want iPads) is still hilarious even 20 years later. From little Macaulay Cullkin's notorious yell to Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern being seemingly impossible to kill (seriously, how many concussions does it take?) there are plenty of genuine and ironic reasons to give this Christmas comedy a re-re-watch.

Brazilian condom company Olla has found a novel way of promoting its product while also scaring the stuffing out of young men: sending them Facebook friend requests from their potential progeny with the tag ”Avoid unexpected surprises like this. Use Olla condoms.”

Take a look at the video below which describes how Olla’s ad agency AGE Isobar created the campaign:



Now there is some debate about whether this is an intelligent tech-savvy approach to getting sexually active young men using condoms, or if it constitutes a violation of privacy (and, indeed, Facebook’s Terms and Conditions).

Indeed one YouTube user commented on the ad page:

That’s not advertising. It's spammish behaviour. No brand shall friend request me, without a life time hatred called upon them.

Others, though, think it’s a good idea:

You should appreciate the creative thinking and take it as humour. It's not spamming.

This isn’t the first time companies have sort to use social media beyond the usual banner ads we have become familiar with. For instance last year KLM Airlines began using passenger’s social networking profiles to tailor special free gifts and has since looked at other unique ways to use social media to engage with customers.

However, Olla condoms seems to be going one further here. It is specifically pushing its product through Facebook in a way that, by its nature, is hard to ignore.

care2.com

A fan of the festive season in Round Rock, Texas has rigged up a series of 25,000 Christmas lights - all set to an interpretation of the theme tune to popular smartphone game Angry Birds.

The impressive minute long display - seen here being tested in advance of Christmas - is set to a cover version of the theme song by artist Pomplamoose, and is just one of a number of musical spectacles arranged by the US household.

Using sequencing software, thousands of lights and many metres of wiring, John Storms is able to rig any song he chooses to the resplendent display.

However, the Angry Birds inspired tune is a slight departure for homeowner Mr Storms who normally lights up Christmas hits.

According to his website, listentoourlights.com, which contains a handy 'how-to' guide for those aspiring to emulate the festive flourish, Mr Storms says he chose the Angry Birds song because of his love for the novelty game.

As well as posting his creations on YouTube, passers-by are able to experience the full effect of Mr Storms yuletide arrangements; the music is transmitted on low-power FM so they can watch and listen from their cars.

Some online viewers are happy to remain just that however, one commentator jokingly remarking: "I would hate living near you".

Vienna, Austria is the new home to the World’s first international applied sex school, which claims to teach its students how to become better lovers.

The “hands on” syllabus will cost students a cool £1,400 per term and will see students living in mixed sex dormitories, where, they are expected to practice their homework. Hmmm, I wonder what type of applied sexuality homework that is!

Ylva-Maria Thompson, Swedish-born headmistress of the college says that their core education is not theoretical, but very practical.

“Sexual positions, caressing techniques, anatomical features. And we teach people hands on,” explains Thompson.

So let’s get this right, you pay to stay in a college where you have sex with other students and maybe even your instructors. This simply sounds like a legitimate orgy house or adults-only sex haven!

Would you enrol?

In 2010, Mark Zuckerberg went down in history as one of the youngest people ever to be deemed Times “Person of the Year” and is also one of the world’s youngest self made billionaire. This year, Sebastian Vettel went down in history as the youngest driver to ever win two consecutive Formula 1 titles alongside a large number of “world’s youngest” achievements he already has under his belt. All great stories, but when it comes to the world of business, these rich twenty-something year-old success stories have been rather outdone by the protagonist of this story. His name is Harli Jordean and he’s reached business success at just eight years of age.

Further more, saying Harli Jordean earned his title of tycoon in just 8 years doesn’t tell the full story. The man, pardon me, boy is not only the youngest ever person to have a successful business, he’s also the first to give his mother a proper job.

Harly Jordean, the young tycoon, hit his success by doing what ever good business should, identifying a market and then covering it to his best abilities. The market in question was marbles. We may live in a world where man has bettered everything from air-flight to games, but nostalgia still lives within us and everybody has at least considered playing with marbles beyond their infancy. Believe it or not, plenty still do, some even collect marbles and this is why Harly Jordean became the “Marble King” so quicly. After all, collectible sets do reach prices come in close to 1000 dollars.

Some prohibitively priced products are far from cramping the Marble King‘s business as even with most of his family (all older than him) employed, he’s still struggling to cope with the orders he’s getting. Apparently, the eight year old has Sir Alan Sugar for a role model which makes sense. The British billionaire is also a self-made man, only he started his first business venture at sixteen. Sure, it’s early, but the Marble King has nearly a decade jump on him.

Police in Sydney may be close to unraveling the mystery of a man who left a lot of dough at an upscale pizzeria and cafe – nearly 1 million Australian dollars ($1 million).

Police say a man wearing shorts and a tank top left a suitcase at Cafe Marco on Tuesday morning. Staff at first thought it might contain a bomb but it turned out to be stuffed with 50-dollar notes.

Officers arrested a man in connection with the incident Tuesday afternoon, said Senior Constable Chris Nash, a A New South Wales police spokesman. Nash said the man then suffered an unknown medical problem and was taken to a local hospital where he remained under police guard Wednesday.

Nash said detectives probably will have to wait until the man recovers before asking him more questions about the cash. Police wouldn't say whether they think the arrested man is the one who left the case in the cafe.

A worker at the cafe said Wednesday that the man who left the case was "a bit nervous. He was really nervous."

"It's crazy, it's scary. Now we can laugh about it, but yesterday I was scared. I called the police," she said. She ended a telephone call to serve a customer before a reporter could ask her name, and a subsequent phone message left at the cafe was not immediately returned.

Nash said that if the money legitimately belongs to the man it would be returned to him. If the cash is proceeds from a crime it will likely be forfeited to the government. If the owner of the cash is not found, whoever discovered it could make a claim on it after three months.

You're Too Buddy-Buddy With His Buds

A recent study of more than 3,000 people published in the American Journal of Sociology suggests that when a woman cozies up with her partner’s pals, it can make a man jealous and actually lead to erectile dysfunction — especially in older men. These men "are more likely to have trouble getting or maintaining an erection and are also more likely to experience difficulty achieving orgasm during sex," study authors Benjamin Cornwell, a professor of sociology at Cornell University, and Edward Laumann, a professor of sociology at the University of Chicago, explained in a press release.

What’s up with that? “Your guy probably wants to feel that he’s got the goods (you) and his friends don’t have the same access to them as he does,” says Gilda Carle, PhD, a psychologist and author based in New York.

You're Hotter Than He Is

“Men like to feel lucky, but they don't want to feel insecure,” explains April Masini, a dating and relationship columnist and author of Date Out of Your League. In fact, researchers from the University of Valencia studied the levels of cortisol (the “stress hormone”) in men when they were in the presence of a beautiful woman, and their stress levels tended to skyrocket. Since stress is one of the main triggers of erectile dysfunction in men, it’s no surprise the researchers found a link in the bedroom.

But he shouldn’t hate you because you’re beautiful, right? “If you're an attractive woman and you're attracted to a man whose beauty is not skin-deep, make sure he knows how hot you think he is,” suggests Masini.

You Went Overboard on the Eau de Cologne

In truth, a strong scent may turn a man off for a number of reasons. A survey from the University of West Georgia found that nearly 30 percent of participants consider scented products irritating. Not to mention, perfume can set off an allergy attack or trigger a pounding headache — which could lead to erection problems.

“Ask him how he feels about your scent,” says Carle. “Everyone has different olfactory senses, so don’t take it personally if he requests that you change it.

You're a Snorer

Research proves it’s true: Snoring has zapped couple’s sex lives and ruined relationships. According to the National Sleep Foundation, about 24 percent of married couples end up sleeping in separate rooms because of earsplitting zzzs, and about 17 percent of them say snoring takes a toll on their sex life.

You Pick Fights (Just to Pick ‘Em)

Nothing zaps a man’s sex drive faster than constant bickering and squabbling. And though there’s always the chance of makeup sex, the damage could already be done: Research shows that men in unhealthy relationships are more at risk for erectile dysfunction.

You Brush Off His Blues

The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) estimates that nearly 6 million U.S. men have depression each year. However, many guys stay hush-hush about their blue mood (one study from the University of Akron found that a man was less likely to see a therapist for depression if he agreed with “traditional” gender roles, like all men should be tough).

What’s more, depression is often linked to sexual health problems, such as erectile dysfunction.

You Try to ‘Fix’ Him

Women often have a compulsion to improve their men and their relationships, but if you go overboard, you could deep-six his sex drive.

“This makes a guy feel he’s not good enough just as he is, and that raises all kinds of insecurities for him,” says Carle. “Love your guy ‘as is.’ Ladies, perfection doesn’t exist — either in your guy or you!”

We’re not talking about whether organic food is worth the money, or how much junk food you should eat. Instead, we’re focusing here on how to best navigate your local supermarket to avoid money traps and unsafe foods.

Our list of fourteen tips for navigating the grocery store will help you know what to watch out for the next time you shop. If nothing else, this list may make you lose your appetite for a while, saving you some money on food this week.

1. Shopping Carts Are Not Clean
What’s dirtier than a public bathroom, and you touch it right before handling your food? Well, I guess the title gives away the answer. Grocery store shopping carts have more germs than public restrooms. Don’t believe us? A 2007 University of Arizona study, “found that shopping carts were loaded with more saliva, bacteria and even fecal matter than escalators, public telephones and even public bathrooms.” So make sure you minimize your direct contact with shopping carts, and if you have to use one, don’t touch your fresh foods directly without sanitizing your hands.

2. Your Children Can Get Sick (Or Get Others Sick)
If you want to take your child with you to the store, consider buying a shopping cart cover to insulate them from the germs and bacteria. It may sound silly, but children with less developed immune systems are even more susceptible to picking up an infection. Plus, they may spread their own cooties onto the shopping cart, too.

3. Healthy Foods Are Hard to Get
Grocery stores want you to buy junk food, so they place more healthful foods in harder to reach spots. The most eye-catching foods—usually candies and other colorful items that are bad for you—are placed in coveted locations at the forefront of each aisle or at eye-level. But this rule extends to all sections in the store. If you want whole wheat pasta, you generally have to dig through the less healthful variety in front. For more tips on finding what you really need in the store, read the next post.

4. Store Layouts Are Designed to Trick You Into Buying More
Have you ever wondered why most grocery stores put milk as far away from the entrance as possible? Supermarkets hope to lure shoppers into buying other goods in the store on the way to the products they really need. That’s why baked goods and meats are usually far away, too. If you don’t want to make impromptu additions to your grocery list, just shop around the edges of the store so you aren’t baited into the candy section.

5. The Salad Bars Are a Germ Buffet
Given all the horror stories that have taken place at salad bars in restaurants across the country, it should come as no surprise that salad bars in grocery stores are disease-ridden places. Still, shoppers buy many of their items in that section each week. Bacteria like e-coli and salmonella are common inhabitants of these high-traffic areas.

6. Dangerous Meat
Unfortunately, even packaged food has its share of risks. In 2006, Dateline reporters used a hidden camera and found meat products that were weeks old and still on the shelves. They even saw fruit flies nesting on the produce. In one chain of Asian stores in Houston, rats had chewed through packaged products, leaving droppings behind.

7. Contaminated Fruit
You’ve probably heard it before, but you should always wash your fruits and vegetables after you buy them because they may be covered in pesticides. Peaches alone may have a combination of up to fifty-three pesticides on them, while apples (supposedly nature’s cure-all) have as many as fifty different pesticides. There are even pesticides in your fruit drinks.

8. Don’t Trust Expiration Dates
We’ve written about this before but it bares repeating. Eggs and other perishables may be good weeks after their expiration dates. This is definitely good news for many shoppers out there. But it’s the sell-by date that matters. If you buy meat in a store with a sell-by date three or four days away, be careful, the meat may stay good for less time in your refrigerator than the heavy duty refrigerators used in super markets.

9. The Dangers of Imported Foods
Approximately 15 percent of all food sold in America is imported. Yet, as of 2007, less than 2 percent of that food was properly inspected for health hazards by the government. We’ll do the math for you here: that means a lot of your food goes unchecked. If you’ve got 10 items in your shopping cart, chances are at least one of them is suspect.

10. Food Gets Sliced Into Pieces and So Does Your Wallet
According to some estimates, you may pay twice as much for meats that are cut up into pieces compared to buying it unprepared. For that much of a price difference, you might as well just buy yourself two full chickens and eat with your hands, barbarian style.

11. Nothing Is Exactly What It Claims to Be
Baked Goods may not really be that fresh. Whole wheat bread may not be entirely made of whole wheat. And bargain items aren’t so much of a bargain. Read product boxes carefully for ingredients, learn to feel fruits and baked goods for freshness and do price comparisons online before you are fooled into buying a crate of so-called bargain goods. Also be sure to look at unit prices (the cost per value), which better represent the real prices of items.

12. Just Because It’s In a Can Doesn’t Mean It’s Safer
We all feel hesitant to eat canned foods that have been sitting in our house for decades, but what about cans you find on store shelves?

Turns out many canned goods (as well as bottled products) contain dangerous amounts of Bisphenol A (better known as BPA), an organic compound found in plastics. BPA is used as lining for cans and bottles, but acts as a hormone and in high quantities is linked to breast, testicular and ovarian cancers. According to a 2007 report from the Environmental Working Group, baby formulas and chicken soup have some of the highest BPA levels. Some companies have since started to produce BPA-free bottles and containers. So rather than keep your goods in cans for years, try storing them in these containers instead.


13. Soda Cans Are Risky Too
BPA is also found in soda cans. But that’s not the only thing you may find. Last month, one customer popped open his can of diet Pepsi, gulped down some of it and started gagging. When he emptied the can down a sink, he noticed something heavy stuck inside. It turned out to be a dead frog. Moral of the story: Don’t scarf down your drink too fast.

As a side note, it’s also not a bad idea to wipe off the top of your can before you drink. Since the tops of the cans are exposed in factories, super markets, soda machines and who knows where else, they often collect dust, dirt and worse (droppings).

14. The Crazy People Who Shop There
As scary as some of the above risks may sound, save some fear for your fellow customers. You’re bound to have some crazy confrontations in the supermarket aisles. Take the example of the child who tagged along with his grandma grocery shopping. The boy started teasing a man’s “helper monkey.” That’s right. There was a guy shopping with a monkey. The monkey could only tolerate so much and eventually attacked the boy.

A stroke turned a butch British rugby player gay, the Daily Mail claims.

Chris Birch, 26, a Welsh bank clerk, broke his neck while attempting a back flip and then suffered a stroke, the Daily Mail reported Tuesday.

When he woke up, he told his family he had changed.

"It sounds strange, but when I came round, I immediately felt different," Birch told the paper. "I wasn't interested in women any more. I was definitely gay. I had never been attracted to a man before - I'd never even had any gay friends."

He quit his job, dropped his old friends, and began studying hairdressing, the Daily Mail reported.

Birch lost 110 pounds, cut his hair and started dating men.

The London Mirror, which first carried the story in September, said Birch’s accident took place in 2005 after Birch broke up with his fiance.

Birch spent months in recovery.

“I had to learn to walk, eat, even speak again and all my family were supporting me, hoping they would see the old Chris come back soon enough,” he told the Mirror.

“My old friends would come round and visit me but the conversation would dry up straightaway. I wasn’t interested in the rugby scores, going down the pub to watch football or anything else I used to do.

“Suddenly, I hated everything about my old life. I didn't get on with my friends, I hated sport and found my job boring.

“Everyone said I was more sarcastic, behaved differently and that even my mannerisms had changed, but to me the way I felt was natural. So I started avoiding seeing my old friends who wanted me to be someone I wasn’t,” he said.

Instead he began going to local dance clubs and made new friends, including one special man.

“I continued seeing this man and then one night we slept together. I knew then that I wasn’t interested in women any more. I was definitely gay,” he told the Mirror.

For the last 18 months he has been living with a 19-year-old lover above the hair salon he works in, the Mirror and Daily Mail said.

Neither paper interviewed any of Birch’s family members or friends, or any of his doctors or neurologists.

Fashion crimes are committed every day, but this Boobie Trap campaign depicts why certain offenses qualify as truly horrific for everybody involved. It is one thing to have an unusual taste in clothing, but another to self-inflict chest discomfort that makes your fellow women empathetic.

This misdemeanor is wearing a brassiere of the wrong size, and more often than not, too small. Breasts squeezed into relatively tiny cups can produce what these two print ads portray as the dreaded “Shelf,” “Sagging” or the undesirable “Quadraboob.”



The Target Marketing advertising agency of Canada has designed the Boobie Trap campaign for an intimates store that strives to fit women with well-matched lingerie. But first, to adequately communicate the abomination that is a bulging bust line, the studio worked this unmentionable subject into mock horror film posters.

We should feel good when we wake up, not tired and exhausted," said Michael Decker, Ph.D., an associate professor at Georgia State University and spokesman for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. "That may indicate that something is happening during sleep that we're not aware of."

Sometimes it's not just an issue of not getting enough sleep -- it's a matter of getting good quality sleep, Decker said. Poor sleep quality has been linked in studies to increased inflammation (which can lead to heart disease and stroke), high blood pressure, and increased blood glucose levels and insulin resistance among people with Type 2 diabetes. Getting good, quality sleep -- on the other hand -- is linked with a longer life, PsychCentral reported.

Sleep quality "is important -- it's not not just the duration of sleep, but the quality that determines health outcomes," he said. "We feel better when we sleep for the right amount of time. That's the foundation of where to start."

Take a look at some everyday factors that could be impacting how well you sleep.

Loneliness
Loneliness isn't just an issue of the heart and mind -- it's also an issue of sleep, a new study shows.

The small study of 95 adults in South Dakota shows that people who perceived themselves as lonely had more fragmented sleep (which affects sleep quality, but not total sleep amount) than people who didn't think they were lonely. The findings mirror a 2002 study that showed that college students who felt lonely also had more fragmented sleep.

High Altitude
High altitudes can also impact sleep, leading to "increased awakenings, frequent brief arousals, marked nocturnal hypoxemia [low blood oxygen], and periodic breathing," according to a 1999 review article in the journal Sleep and Breathing.

Even though most of us don't live in extremely high-altitude areas of the world, nor are we all world-class climbers who regularly scale tall mountains, some people will still experience fragmented sleep if they are spending just a few days in a higher-than-normal altitude area (say, Denver, Colo.) or trying to sleep on an airplane, Decker said.

Sleeping With Fido
Veterinarians already advise against sleeping with pets because of the risk of contracting diseases. But sleeping with pets can also take a toll on your sleep quality.

A 2002 study conducted by researchers from the Mayo Clinic shows that 53 percent of pet owners reported they had disrupted sleep every single night, although only 1 percent of the pet owners said that their sleep was interrupted by more than 20 minutes a night because of the pet, ScienceDaily reported.

In addition, 21 percent of the pet owners said their dogs snore at night, and 7 percent said their cats snore at night.

"Pets in the bedroom can disrupt sleep because of the noise they make," Decker said.

Working The Night Shift
Decker explained that the problems that come with working during the nighttime and sleeping during the daytime occur because of our body's sensitivity to light, and the cues we take from light to signal sleep time.

"Light and dark are cues that help synchronize our circadian system to our environment," Decker said.

The same concept goes for why people experience jet lag -- when you're crossing time zones, your brain is preparing to fall asleep because it's dark in your time zone. "But if you're suddenly waking up and receiving new light, your brain's sleep-wake cycle becomes desynchronized, and it takes several days to be resynchronized," Decker said.

Decker recommends shift workers wear eyeshades when they sleep in the daytime to simulate darkness.

Room Temperature
In the evenings, our core body temperature begins to drop, Decker said, and that drop in temperature is the signal that it's time to go to sleep. Taking a hot bath or drinking something warm raises their core body so that it's able to drop and people are able to get that physiological cue for sleep, he said.

As the night goes on and the morning begins to approach, our body temperature begins to gradually increase, until it reaches the room temperature and signals our brains to wake up, Decker explained.

"So if a room is too warm, our body temperature can actually increase," and can lead to us waking up, he said. "Keeping the room cool helps ensure that we have a better quality of sleep and that we allow our brain temperature mechanisms to do what they're supposed to do."

PCB Creations calls this toilet they made from recycled circuit boards “The Royal Data Throne.”

At just 12-inches tall, and 5-inches wide, this circuit board toilet is way too small to sit on, so unless you’ve got a really small (and well-padded) ass, don’t get any funny ideas about actually taking a dump in it.

If you’ve got $500 (USD) to waste, go hit a casino and bet it all on number 2 on the roulette wheel. Then bet your winnings all on the same number again. If you still have $500 left afterwards, you can grab this oddity over on Etsy now.

Steve Jobs biography preliminary review indicates this book is very interesting. Jobs biography was said to be a rich portrait of one person with the best minds of his era. Here are some startling facts about Steve Jobs in the biography.

1. Where did the name Apple originate?

Executek, Matrix, to Personal Computers Inc. are the names that had considered Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak for technology companies that will they founded. Jobs express the name Apple after returning from an apple farm and eventually the name was used. "This name sounds fun, vibrant and not intimidating," said Jobs.

2. Bill Clinton asked for advice to Jobs about Monica Lewinski scandal

Bill Clinton's scandalous affair with Monica Lewinski had horrendous United States in the decade of the 1990s. Clinton who looked confuse, asked Jobs for advice. "I do not know you had an affair, but if it is true, you must tell that thing to (citizens) this country," advices of Jobs to Clinton.

3. Why Jobs is always wearing a black sweater?

Jobs appearance identically with a black sweater, it started when Jobs visited the Sony factory in Japan and meet employees there in uniform. He loved it and had thought that Apple employees were in uniform too. Although it was not so accomplished, Jobs decided to create a unique outfit for himself. So he always wore a black sweater, designed by Japanese designer Issey Miyake.

4. Jobs disillusioned with Barack Obama

Jobs is a supporter of President Barack Obama. But he was disappointed with some of Obama's policies and at the time the two met, Jobs are expecting Obama will serve only one period. Jobs argued the government should be more friendly to business circles and reforming education.

5. Jobs initially refusing cancer surgery

At first Jobs refused a cancer operation that could potentially save his life. Jobs apparently did not like if someone ‘open’ his body . "He really not ready to 'open' his body," said Jobs's wife, Laurene Powell.

6. Jobs had rejected the idea of ​​an application for Apple devices

Application services are Apple's key success factors. But who would have thought at first Jobs does not like the idea of ​​a third party may make application for Apple devices due to various reasons such as the possibility of virus attacks. But finally, Jobs was convinced to allow the application on the Apple device.

7. Jobs felt depressed during the launch of the iPad first generation

Various criticisms lunged at the launch of the Apple iPad though ultimately this gadget is successful. This device was considered lack features. "'I seem to get depressed today," Jobs said in Isaacson, night after Jobs introduced the iPad.

8. Jobs wrath on Google

"I'll spend my last breath if necessary and I would spend all the Apple money of USD 40 billion in the bank, to correct this error. I will destroy the Android because it is a stolen product," said Jobs on Android. He did not accept Google's stealing iPhone ideas on Android.