When it comes to smartphone dash mounts, magnetic solutions have dominated the sales charts over the last year or so. But if you don’t want to obstruct a vent, or use a case with your phone, a these deals might bring you back into the suction cup camp.
Microsoft’s Build conference is always full of news about Windows, Office, Xbox, and other Microsoft products, and Build 2016 was no exception. We got a look at the newest Windows 10 update coming this summer, new features for the Xbox One, and updates the Windows Store. Here’s the best new stuff we saw.
Jim PaullHeresy I say. Bacon should be flavored like bacon. Purist.
I think we can all agree that bacon is pretty irresistible as is. That crispy, crunchy texture and smoky flavor can liven up breakfast plates and add an extra oomph to salads and sandwiches. Which is precisely why it’s time to up the ante on your next batch of bacon with the help of a few rich, sweet, spicy, and savory upgrades. Even though it doesn’t necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas.
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If you’ve ever wanted to learn a variety of new exercises for specific muscle groups, check out MuscleWiki. It’s free, easy to use, and even calculates your macronutrients and calories .
Jim PaullStarting to look like this.
Motion graphics designer and cinematographer Tyler Sparks sent over this shot of his space-saving workspace in his Brooklyn apartment, and we love it. It’s a great space to do work, uses vertical space well, and has plenty of personality as well as tools for productivity.
Jim PaullQuick answer: No.
I can’t start the day until I’ve had my java but I rarely have time to make breakfast. Perhaps there’s a way to kill two early birds with one stone. Today we’re trying to make both at the same time—in the same cup.
Everyone should have an instant read thermometer in their kitchen, as it gives you better control over everything from chicken thighs to caramels. The Thermapen may be the last cooking thermometer you’ll ever need , but it has a less expensive, perfectly serviceable sibling.
Jim PaullWhy would anyone put books that high up?
From Apartment Therapy → Little Details, Big Impact: Design Choices That'll Make Your Kitchen Stand Out
Jim PaullBlackie v Phats in dog form.
From Apartment Therapy → 10 Minute Project: A Super Fast & Fresh Dishwasher Facelift Idea
Jim PaullThis would be a good tool in the office, it'll stop people from using words that they shouldn't be using.
Mac: Last year, XKCD’s Randall Monroe released Simple Writer, a web app that restricted your writing to the top 1,000 most commons words in the English language. If web apps aren’t your thing, Cleartext is a free Mac app that does the same thing.
I don't live in the big city. Which is to say that grocery delivery hasn't been the norm in my small town since the '60s (although I do vaguely remember my mother getting a milk and dairy delivery as late as the '80s). Still, it's been a minute. So as a parent who has a regular job, and a few side jobs too, I was beyond ecstatic when I heard grocery delivery was finally coming to Columbia, South Carolina. (Clearly, I don't have much excitement in my life!) I did worry that the service was for fancy people with money to burn. In reality, though, having food delivered has helped me cut my grocery bill.
Jim PaullAwwww
Anker makes a ton of the most popular tech accessories that we post, and Amazon’s discounting a whole bunch of them today as part of a Gold Box deal.
PETALING JAYA: Weddings are supposed to be joyous occasions with the families of the bride and groom, and those attending coming together to celebrate.
However, a wedding ceremony in Kuala Lumpur ended up with the families of both parties resorting to fisticuffs – over a mere RM5,000 in dowry.
Malay tabloid Kosmo reported the incident happened over the weekend at the Masjid Jamek Al-Khadijah in Pantai Dalam.
The bride’s family had asked for a dowry of RM15,000, but the groom, a 27-year-old security guard, had only managed to raise RM10,000, which he had settled before the wedding.
The man said he would settle the remaining RM5,000 after the wedding, but the 21-year-old bride’s family refused to accept this offer.
They insisted on having the money on the table before they gave away the girl.
When the groom and his family decided to walk away, all hell broke loose and blows were exchanged.
The video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, also shows the bride, still in her wedding gown, “in action”.
The groom is drawing a monthly salary of RM1,500 as a security guard. The couple had been in a relationship for the past three years.
Jim PaullHaha, right on time.
NEW YORK: Love at first whiff is the idea behind Smell Dating, a New York matchmaking service that promises to help single people sniff out their perfect match by breathing in the odors from dirty T-shirts.
Artist Tega Brain, who teaches at New York’s School for Poetic Computation, and Sam Lavigne, an editor and researcher at New York University, created Smell Dating, which they describe as an art project.
Each of its first 100 clients received a T-shirt to wear for three days straight without bathing. The clients then mailed the T-shirts back to Brain and Lavigne’s “Sweat Shop” at NYU, where they were cut into swatches. Smell Dating then sent batches of 10 mixed swatches back to the clients to sniff this week.
A match will be made if one client likes the scent of another and the olfactory attraction is mutual. In other words, if “Client 55″ likes “Client 69″ and vice versa, put a heart around it, Brain said.
The idea is based on the science of pheromones, the chemical signals that creatures from gerbils to giraffes send out to entice mates.
Clients, who pay a one-time fee of $25, dive in nose-first, unaware of a potential smell-mate’s age, gender or sexual orientation.
“Most normal dating services, you rely on profile pictures, assumptions that come from visual information,” Brain said. “You either really like the smell of someone or you don’t. It’s much more innate.”
On Wednesday, 25-year-old NYU graduate student Jesse Donaldson excitedly opened the package of white swatches in individually numbered plastic bags that had arrived at his apartment in Brooklyn.
He said he hoped Smell Dating could help where other popular matchmaking services had failed.
“I’m like so many other people in New York City, using Tinder, using OK Cupid,” Donaldson said, “and my main issue with these things is you feel like you’re shopping for somebody as opposed to making a genuine connection with another human being.”
Brain said she and Lavigne consulted “a lot of smell researchers” about their art project, which explores whether a person’s body odor can trigger Cupid’s arrow.
“We wanted to see if people would be interested in meeting other people just based on this one bit of information rather than this avalanche of information that you usually get,” said Lavigne as he watched volunteers wearing hooded white jumpsuits and blue rubber gloves cut up the worn T-shirts at the Sweat Shop.
“Whoa! This one is ready to go!” said a worker, wincing as he sniffed a swatch before putting it into a plastic bag marked #34.
In Brooklyn, Donaldson tore into the first plastic bag, removed the swatch and sniffed. “Fresh-done laundry,” he said.
He opened another and inhaled. “Oh. That is nutty. I’m just going to seal that back up.”
Then he brought yet another swatch to his nostrils, nodded and said, “Oh.” He savored a second whiff and added, “That’s my match.”
– Reuters
Generally speaking, we’re quick to toss out food that’s still perfectly edible. On the other hand, leftover takeout doesn’t come with an expiration date, and you don’t want to take your chances. This infographic offers a quick breakdown of the lifespan of ten common take-out meals.
The alkaline diet: Banish acidity
The alkaline diet seeks to reduce the effects of foods that increase acidity levels in the blood when digested. The program claims to rebalance the body through a diet comprising two-thirds alkalizing foods (like green vegetables) and one-third acidifying foods (meat, cheese). Alkaline dieters can eat carbohydrate, protein and fat, but the focus is firmly on raw, seasonal produce, green vegetables and fruit.
Chrono nutrition: Four meals a day
Chrono nutrition is based on the idea of respecting the body’s natural rhythms. Followers can eat what they like, but only at fixed times of day. So rather than cutting out certain foods, this diet — developed by French nutritionist Dr Delabos — puts different food groups in different meals. The day starts with a hearty breakfast including animal fats, followed by a dense, protein- and carb-based lunch, a sweet snack in the afternoon and a light meal in the evening to prevent excess calories being stored overnight. Dark chocolate is allowed every day, but not after 5pm.
Detox diets: Cleanse and purify
A detox is more of a short-term program than a long-term diet. Detoxing aims to flush toxins out of the body. This generally takes around a week, and often starts with a phase of around three days where detoxers eat just one kind of food, usually with unlimited fruit, and lots of water and herbal teas. Cooked vegetables are progressively reintroduced, followed by protein (meat, fish, eggs) over the last two days.
The Dukan diet: Go for protein
This diet is very strict in the foods it allows followers to eat, but these can be consumed in unlimited quantities. This controversial diet is a high-protein and low-calorie program that cuts fat and carbohydrate intake. This encourages the body to use up its fat stores (adipocytes) to get the energy it needs to keep muscles functioning. As fat stores are used, fatty acids are released into the bloodstream, making the liver and kidneys work harder. Weight loss can be very quick in the first phase of the diet — the attack phase — which lasts around seven days (approximately 5kg).
Low FODMAP diet: Beat the bloat
Developed by an Australian nutritionist in 2005 for sufferers of irritable bowel syndrome, this eating program involves avoiding a family of carbohydrates called FODMAPs. FODMAPS are types of sugars that are poorly absorbed by the body. These are naturally present in certain vegetables, cereals, pulses, fruit, mushrooms, dairy products and certain “low sugar” products. Eating FODMAPs can lead to bloating and stomach ache after meals, as the sugars ferment in the intestine. Fruits allowed as part of the diet include bananas, grapes, grapefruit, kiwis, mandarins, oranges, passion fruit, pineapple and tomatoes.
Blood type diet: Each to their own
For the American nutritionist James d’Adamo, people with blood types A, B, O and AB shouldn’t eat the same things to lose weight and stay healthy. This is due to the different antibodies developed in relation to the chemical composition of each specific blood group. Four different profiles exist. The “O group” should eat meat and vegetables but avoid dairy products and carbs. The “B group” should fill up on dairy products, green vegetables, meat and eggs, while avoiding chicken, corn, peanuts and lentils. The “A group” should follow a vegetarian diet, with lots of fruit, vegetables and cereals but no meat, beer, dairy products or beans.
The Mediterranean diet or the Okinawa diet: Eating for longevity
Following the same diet as inhabitants of the Greek island of Crete or the Japanese island of Okinawa (home to the world’s highest number centenarians) is thought to increase life expectancy. The Mediterranean diet is based on the regular but moderate consumption of red wine, as well as tea, olive oil, plus fruit and vegetables rich in flavonoids and antioxidants which keep the heart healthy. The Okinawa diet is a pescetarian regime that includes vegetables, algae, wholegrains and legumes, fruit, high-calcium foods (broccoli, fish, yogurt, cheese, etc.), fish, seafood, and nuts and seeds rich in omega 3.
Paleo: Eat like a caveman
This diet, based on what humans ate in the Paleolithic era, can help dieters shed up to 1kg of fat per week. Eating paleo involves excluding all cereals and dairy products, as well as beans and legumes, starchy vegetables like potatoes, fatty meats, salt, sugar, and all forms of processed food and fizzy drinks. Inspired by our hunter-gatherer ancestors, the diet is based on lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, fruit and non-starchy vegetables, as well as all kinds of nuts and seeds (almonds, sunflower seeds, etc.).
– AFP Relaxnews
If you had to guess when the best time to score a deal on a laptop is, you’d probably be right.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money upgrading your home. If you’ve got $1,000—or even less—you can revamp your home to make it more aesthetically pleasing and more functional.
Instructables user AudriusA1 shows us how to create this unique ceiling lamp that sort of looks like the Death Star from Star Wars.
Spending just four days in North Korea left TPG contributor Daan van Rossum with enough memories to last a lifetime. These are some of the highlights of a government-controlled trip through one of the most hermetically sealed countries in the world. (All photos are by the author).
After an eventful flight on Air Koryo from Beijing to Pyongyang, we realized we had gained an extra half hour since North Korea recently instituted its own time zone, Pyongyang Time — separate from South Korea’s — giving us even more time to enjoy the country!
And enjoy we did. One of our most remarkable discoveries was just how incredibly beautiful this country is. As we were driven to and from the hotel and attractions all over North Korea, we were continuously treated to stunning views like this one, below. Mountains, fields, a bit of water here and there — the natural beauty was undeniable.
Our entourage consisted of about 10 Chinese tourists, a driver and two guides who all made sure we were never out of sight. Beyond making sure we didn’t run off — they had confiscated our passports immediately upon arrival anyway! — it was also our guides’ job to tell us the “real story” of North Korea.
The first story we heard set the tone for what was to come. Korea, the guides told us, was decimated during the war and Western media, never lacking an appetite to put down the country, said it would take at least 100 years to rebuild. Well, guess what? They did it in just 10! Bonus fact: The only road south to Seoul is aptly named Reunification Highway.
On our first night, we did a guided excursion to a larger-than-life set of statues for the President — a loving nickname that everyone uses to refer to beloved leader Kim Il-sung (the position, by the way, was actually abolished after his death) and the General — beloved leader Kim Jong-il.
It seems only reasonable to not show up empty-handed when you visit two giant bronze statues of such beloved idols of god-like status here in North Korea — note, ironically, that in his Juche manifesto, Kim Il-sung condemned any form of religion, as mankind is a conscious being, able to decide its own destiny. We were directed to a small booth selling plastic flowers that we could buy for about $5 each.
While the North Korean won is not to be distributed outside its homeland, they had no qualms whatsoever accepting any currency you may have on you. Paying in RMB for something that was quoted in won and getting your change in either USD or euro was a common occurrence. Sorry point earners but as you may expect, there are no credit card payments available anywhere in North Korea, although there have been recent reports of a local credit card system in place.
Sleeping happens in the tourist and guides-only Yanggakdo Hotel, which is built on an island in the middle of the Taedong River, ensuring tourists won’t be able to wander off on their own.
The hotel is clearly about 10 times too big for the number of people that its owner could possibly ever imagine receiving, which is in line with much of we saw and heard during our time in North Korea. Everything is about mass, greatness and scale.
While it didn’t provide us with the most comfortable beds or tasty breakfasts (yikes!), the hotel did treat us to stunning views of the river in the morning.
Even on a Monday, there was very little traffic as cars are almost non-existent in North Korea and the city coming to life mostly consisted of people starting to walk and bike everywhere.
In Pyongyang, everyone walks. For the lucky few, there are buses — without exception, the lines were dramatically long and the buses incredibly crowded.
Another key mode of transportation here is the bike. Living in Vietnam, I’m used to being surrounded by motor scooters but from what I’ve heard, it’s only been 10 years since bikes were the most common sight on the streets of Saigon. After having visited Pyongyang, I feel like I’ve gotten a sense of what that must have been like.
Spotted from the road: Band practice. Kids enjoy a mandatory 12-year curriculum where they spend the morning in the classroom learning and go outside each afternoon for extracurricular activities. That sounded quite exciting until we realized it was mostly for band practice, choir, marching and the like.
But hey, you have to be prepared for those massive Arirang Festivals, right? Our guide actually turned out to have participated in one of the mass games. It took her and her squad three full months to train for their routine — only 1,000 performers were professionals, others were volunteers like herself.
Just as we saw many employees walking down to the subway earlier that day, we now were treated to a train ride ourselves. Of course it’s easy to compare the station and its trains to other metro systems of this world, but that wouldn’t be all too fair, would it? Instead, the guides opted to compare theirs to the Moscow subway, but not without mentioning that many people in the world believe Pyongyang’s version is better, of course.
Each subway station has a certain theme linked to the country and its history. Our stop was at the reunion-themed station, where Chihuly-esque glass hanging from the ceiling represented fireworks.
Need to know which train to take? Personalized travel recommendations are issued at the press of a button!
You can’t travel in Asia without obsessing over the food. Unfortunately, the meals in North Korea haven’t changed much from what we saw in the now-infamous VICE documentary about traveling to North Korea.
Again, it’s all about showing abundance. While the photo below shows off a very common table set-up in South Korea as well, it’s good to keep in mind that that’s a country where many people can afford this level of extravagance and no one is experiencing starvation. Of course we don’t know for sure whether the opposite is the case in North Korea, but it seemed obvious that food scarcity is an issue that at least some people still have to deal with.
While most of the food wasn’t particularly tasty, it always felt sinful even sitting down at a table decked out like this. So did complaining about the food. Or leaving dishes untouched, which I have to admit, we did. Of course we did finish the beer that was supplied with every meal. After all, you can’t be too rude, right?
We end with probably the most bizarre part of our entire trip, which unfortunately is a place where we weren’t allowed to take photos once we went inside. The International Friendship Exhibition Hall is about a two-hour drive from Pyongyang, and in 150 rooms on 70,000 square meter shows off a fascinating collection of presents sent to the Dear Leaders from pretty much every country in the world, or so we were told.
On closer inspection, it turns out those presents mostly come from the counties, but are not sent by anyone officially linked to those countries’ political leadership — with the exception of world leaders like Vladimir Putin, Robert Mugabe, and Fidel Castro. I don’t know if you remember the scene from the movie Goodfellas where the FBI is taking down license plate numbers of mobsters attending the wedding? This was similar in that it felt like reading a who-is-who of all that’s wrong in the world between all the gifts from oil companies, trade organizations and the above-mentioned dubious characters.
Among my favorite gifts were the basketballs and jersey that Dennis Rodman presented to the Marshall (current ruler Kim Jong-un) on his visit to North Korea. Our guide was quick enough to tell us that while Dennis Rodman was already famous in the US, it was his friendship with Kim Jung-un that made him a worldwide phenomenon. It has also helped them tell the real story about the DPRK and communicate their leader’s long-cherished wish of a peaceful reunification with South Korea.
With that sight we came to the end of our tour and jetted back to Singapore via Beijing. It was certainly worth the investment in money, time and stress — we just couldn’t get used to being so restricted for days on end. That being said, I would still recommend the trip to anyone who has the chance to take it.
Have you ever been to North Korea? What has your experience as a tourist been like?
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Jim PaullWhat make them deviant? Real question, not joking. I'm wondering if they're deserving of red "evil" eyes.
KOTA KINABALU: Police are keeping observation on 50 people, including several family members, who are followers of the deviant Millah Abraham group in Sabah, said state deputy police commissioner Awang Sahari Em Hadzeer.
He said those involved comprised professionals, youths and teenagers. “The group have their own village in Tuaran, Sandakan, Tawau and some of them are in the area of Kota Kinabalu,” he said.
Sabah police would work with the Federal Territory Islamic Religious Department, JAWI, which initiated the investigations, and will take comprehensive steps against the group for carrying out practices or activities which were against Islam.
“The group originated from Peninsular Malaysia but some Sabahans are involved,” he told reporters.
Asked about the land in Tuaran which had allegedly been bought by the group, Awang said this was still being investigated.
Awang said the police were still investigating a report that the Sulu separatist movement had a warrior in every Sabah state assembly area. “Police will continue to preserve the prosperity, security and sovereignty of Sabah,” he said.
– BERNAMA
If you’ve come home after work to one too many destroyed pillows or overturned trashcans, this ingenious little gadget can help you keep an eye on your pets from anywhere.
Here are seven of the best photos that readers added to the Consumerist Flickr Pool in the last two weeks, picked for usability in a Consumerist post or for just plain neatness.
Want to see your pictures on our site? Our Flickr pool is the place where Consumerist readers upload photos for possible use in future Consumerist posts. Just be a registered Flickr user, go here, and click “Join Group?” up on the top right. Choose your best photos, then click “send to group” on the individual images you want to add to the pool.
Tough cuts of meat can be tamed into a tender meal in 40 minutes or less using pressure, instead of two to three hours of slow braising. Which means this beef stew, full of mushrooms and red wine, is a real option for dinner any weeknight.
The findings, published in the March edition of the American Journal of Nutrition, show that following a high-protein diet for several months can lead to better sleep in obese and overweight adults.
In a first pilot study, the researchers asked 14 overweight participants (11 women and three men) to follow a high-protein diet based on pork and beef or soy and legume products.
For the main study, involving 44 overweight or obese volunteers, one group followed a diet with a normal intake of protein, whereas the other group followed a high-protein diet.
After a three-week period allowing volunteers to adapt to the diet, participants then consumed 0.8g or 1.5g of protein a day per kg of body mass for 16 weeks. Each month, the researchers evaluated the quality of participants’ sleep by means of a questionnaire.
The scientists found that after three and four months, the volunteers with the highest protein intakes while losing weight reported an improvement in sleep quality.
“Short sleep duration and compromised sleep quality frequently lead to metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and premature death,” explains Jing Zhou, the study’s first author. “Given the high prevalence of sleep problems it’s important to know how changes to diet and lifestyle can help improve sleep.”
The results could see high-protein diets regain popularity, such the Dukan Diet or the Atkins Diet, or those followed by high-level athletes.
Two studies published in March 2014 in the Cell Metabolism journal found that people with the highest protein intakes were four times more likely to die from cancer than those who ate little protein. This type of diet was also found to reduce life expectancy.
– AFP
Jim PaullAnother
Jim PaullWonder how Petronas will fare.
