10 Gifts You Should Never Give a Friend

Did You Know?
Gifting a knife, or scissor for any occasion is considered bad luck, as it is believed that gifting sharp objects causes relations with the recipient to 'cut' into half. Often, on receiving sharp objects, the gift recipient returns the person a coin to avert ill luck.
You have to admit that giving strange gifts to your friends as a prank is always the highpoint of a birthday celebration. Sometimes - rather most of the time, people don't know where to draw a line and where the seemingly funny gifts turn into plain awkward ones. Now, it goes without saying that gift items that are considered superstitious in various cultures should be avoided at all costs; but what about those which you should not even think of buying?

The following article includes such gift ideas that you should be running away from, no matter how good they sound in your head. So, let's make sure you don't fall into trouble and scratch the following items off your list - forever.

Note: The gifts can and will vary depending on your friendship and how well you know him/her. The ones included in the article are solely from the author's point of view.

10 Gifts You Should Never Give a Guy
10 Gifts You Should Never Give a Girl


It is often said that it's the thought that counts and not the gift; but a majority of the population agree to disagree. Expressing your love, or friendship is always coupled with a perfect gift, and while that becomes increasingly tough, I hope this article has made the task a tad easier.

Did You Know?
Gifting a knife, or scissor for any occasion is considered bad luck, as it is believed that gifting sharp objects causes relations with the recipient to 'cut' into half. Often, on receiving sharp objects, the gift recipient returns the person a coin to avert ill luck.
You have to admit that giving strange gifts to your friends as a prank is always the highpoint of a birthday celebration. Sometimes - rather most of the time, people don't know where to draw a line and where the seemingly funny gifts turn into plain awkward ones. Now, it goes without saying that gift items that are considered superstitious in various cultures should be avoided at all costs; but what about those which you should not even think of buying?

The following article includes such gift ideas that you should be running away from, no matter how good they sound in your head. So, let's make sure you don't fall into trouble and scratch the following items off your list - forever.

Note: The gifts can and will vary depending on your friendship and how well you know him/her. The ones included in the article are solely from the author's point of view.

10 Gifts You Should Never Give a Guy
10 Gifts You Should Never Give a Girl


It is often said that it's the thought that counts and not the gift; but a majority of the population agree to disagree. Expressing your love, or friendship is always coupled with a perfect gift, and while that becomes increasingly tough, I hope this article has made the task a tad easier.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

How to Know If a Person is Emotionally Unavailable?

In the initial stages of your relationship you assume your partner is an introvert. You think to yourself, over time, he/she will change and be more open to publicly accepting you. Headstrong that you are, you decide to change this person with your love. But does this really happen? Well, if you are lucky enough, this miracle may be a reality. Just in case you have fallen for someone who is evasive and has emotionally shut him/her to the world then you are in hard luck. Sweetie, brace yourself, this person is just not that into you.

Does your partner avoid questions regarding...
... the past
... the plans for the future
... problems in the family
... relationship with the family

Does your partner share with you his/her...
... feelings about work or people in particular
... thought process
... opinions

Are you perpetually...
... giving more than you receive
... the decision maker
... the communicator

If you've answered yes to most of these questions, you already know the answer. Your partner has provided you with an incomplete picture and there is no guarantee that this will ever get complete. You might never get to see the other side of him/her and yes, this person will continue to evade your questions, ignore your emotions and present you with a plethora of excuses.

Honey, I'm busy. We'll talk later
How often does this happen?
You: Baby, can we go out for dinner tonight?
You partner: No darling, not today I'm a bit occupied.

You: Sweetie, you know I'd be worried. Why didn't you call?
Your partner: Oh sorry honey, I got stuck with something.

Okay people, here's your cue to probably quit thinking about this Miss/Mr. perfect. You do not want yourself to be left with an achy-breaky heart, do you? (P.S. You can pardon the occasional excuse of not being available.)

Besides, if it's always you who is making the effort of keeping in touch then what's the use?

In the initial stages of your relationship you assume your partner is an introvert. You think to yourself, over time, he/she will change and be more open to publicly accepting you. Headstrong that you are, you decide to change this person with your love. But does this really happen? Well, if you are lucky enough, this miracle may be a reality. Just in case you have fallen for someone who is evasive and has emotionally shut him/her to the world then you are in hard luck. Sweetie, brace yourself, this person is just not that into you.

Does your partner avoid questions regarding...
... the past
... the plans for the future
... problems in the family
... relationship with the family

Does your partner share with you his/her...
... feelings about work or people in particular
... thought process
... opinions

Are you perpetually...
... giving more than you receive
... the decision maker
... the communicator

If you've answered yes to most of these questions, you already know the answer. Your partner has provided you with an incomplete picture and there is no guarantee that this will ever get complete. You might never get to see the other side of him/her and yes, this person will continue to evade your questions, ignore your emotions and present you with a plethora of excuses.

Honey, I'm busy. We'll talk later
How often does this happen?
You: Baby, can we go out for dinner tonight?
You partner: No darling, not today I'm a bit occupied.

You: Sweetie, you know I'd be worried. Why didn't you call?
Your partner: Oh sorry honey, I got stuck with something.

Okay people, here's your cue to probably quit thinking about this Miss/Mr. perfect. You do not want yourself to be left with an achy-breaky heart, do you? (P.S. You can pardon the occasional excuse of not being available.)

Besides, if it's always you who is making the effort of keeping in touch then what's the use?

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

50 Unbelievable Facts

If you talk about Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, together they were responsible for the deaths of more than 40 million people. Yet, at some point of time, both were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize!
Things happen all the time, most that are meant to, many that aren't, while a lot of stuff that takes place may be superhuman, ridiculous, funny, weird, or plain unbelievable. The world is such a big place, and there are so many facts about anything and everything, that it is impossible to know all of them.

Here, we won't be talking about great feats that make their way into the record books, rather we'll have a look at 50 unbelievable facts that are true to the core, but still makes one wonder in disbelief!

Amazed! I bet you are. Though, I hope you enjoyed reading these overwhelming facts as much as I enjoyed writing about them. Here's one for the road - How big do you think your lung is? In terms of proportionate area as compared to other parts of the body, it may not be much. But the surface area of a human lung is equivalent to that of a tennis court. Game, set, match!

If you talk about Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin, together they were responsible for the deaths of more than 40 million people. Yet, at some point of time, both were nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize!
Things happen all the time, most that are meant to, many that aren't, while a lot of stuff that takes place may be superhuman, ridiculous, funny, weird, or plain unbelievable. The world is such a big place, and there are so many facts about anything and everything, that it is impossible to know all of them.

Here, we won't be talking about great feats that make their way into the record books, rather we'll have a look at 50 unbelievable facts that are true to the core, but still makes one wonder in disbelief!

Amazed! I bet you are. Though, I hope you enjoyed reading these overwhelming facts as much as I enjoyed writing about them. Here's one for the road - How big do you think your lung is? In terms of proportionate area as compared to other parts of the body, it may not be much. But the surface area of a human lung is equivalent to that of a tennis court. Game, set, match!

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Physical Effects of Falling in Love

What happens when you fall in love? Words cannot do justice when it comes to explaining how a person feels when he/she is in love. When you are in love, you are willing to do anything just to get a glimpse of that person. No wonder those chance meetings happen all the time. However, when he/she comes around, you do make a fool of yourself by fumbling for the right words, and saying all the wrong things.

When you bump into the person you are attracted to, you go weak in the knees and your heart begins to race. You can't eat, you can't sleep; everything changes when you are in love. Be ready for the oh-so-many awkward moments that are going to happen. Yes, love does that to you.

Love can be very addictive, and when you fall in love, all the other so-called important things take a backseat. Even the most mature and logical people end up behaving in a way that defies logic.

Ever wondered why life suddenly seems to be beautiful when you fall in love? Scientists believe that the physical, as well as the emotional effects of love have a lot to do with hormones and neurotransmitters. Let's delve into the chemistry of love, and find out what love does to you.

It all starts with attraction, and soon anything that is remotely rational goes flying out of the window. Yes, you do all crazy things just to be with the person you have fallen for. Caught up in an unending train of thoughts, you are most likely to spend most of your time daydreaming. Love simply takes over, pushing every other part of your life under the carpet.

When you are in love, you make it a mission to bring love in most of your conversations. Reruns of the conversations, or the meetings with your love interest, are being telecast in your mind all the time. At times, you even think about conversations that may happen in the future.

When you are attracted to a person, and falling in love, your hormones are running wild. The sight of the person you are attracted to activates certain pathways in the brain. It's the release of certain neurochemicals that is responsible for so many physical effects that are experienced by those who are falling in love.

What's making your heart beat faster is the adrenaline rush. Neurotransmitters, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, are secreted when you are stressed or scared. The fight-or-flight response is triggered when you perceive a threat.

The release of neurochemicals causes the heart to beat faster. The feeling of butterflies in the stomach also results due to the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol. These neurochemicals are also the culprits behind the jitters that people get before an interview or a presentation.

Where's the time for other things when you are in love! Love can be an all-consuming affair, which can completely change the way you think and behave. Since most of your time is spent in thinking of ways to please your love interest, you cannot concentrate on other things.

Dopamine and norepinephrine are the neurochemicals responsible for the feelings of euphoria in the 'lovey-doveys'. Love becomes the driving force behind everything, and lovers can spend hours talking to each other.

When love takes over, other things suddenly seem inconsequential. Some people even lose their appetite. Most of their time goes into thinking how to get his/her attention. You are in a room full of people, but all you can see is the person you have fallen for.

Dilated Pupils May Tell Your Tale!
Yes, your eyes may be telling your story. Though our pupils dilate to allow more light to enter the eyes in a dark room, various studies have revealed that our pupils dilate when we look at someone or something we are attracted to.

According to Eckhard Hess, a biopsychologist from the University of Chicago, the pupils dilate when you look at something that sparks interest. Similarly, pupils may contract when you come across something or someone you dislike or don't approve of. The study of pupil size as an indicator of emotion is referred to as pupillometrics.

Love invokes the moon gazer in you. When you are in love, you can spend hours gazing at the moon or watching the sunset. Not only do lovers daydream, they toss and turn in their beds, as unending thoughts about their love interest keeps them awake.

Phenylethylamine is one of the chemicals believed to be responsible for making a lover feel the way he/she does. This chemical causes the release of epinephrine and dopamine. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that regulates the sleep/wake cycle, mood, and appetite. Scientists believe that lower serotonin levels cause people to obsess about their love interest.

If the person you have fallen for reciprocates, you are on the moon. If he/she doesn't, you sink into an abyss. Does he love me? Does he love me as much as I love him? There are so many questions that keep popping up in one's mind.

When we long for someone, we do indulge in obsessive thinking. Lovers are infamous for making mountains out of a molehill. Even the most trivial of the things can make you edgy.

Jealousy, the green-eyed monster, raises its ugly head, even if you see your love interest talking casually with another person of the opposite sex. Many people become extremely possessive, and act unreasonably. Desire, fear of rejection, and a host of other emotions, make you behave the way you do.

Love is one of the most written subjects, but there's no single definition that can capture its essence. Since time immemorial, love has caught the fancy of poets, novelists, songwriters, movie makers, and others from the media industry, and will continue to do so forever. However practical you consider yourself to be, when love wages a war against your sanity, the practical you will disappear into oblivion. You will find yourself singing and dancing to mushy songs. You will forget your meals and even your sleep, and behave in a way that's unlike you, but that's what lovestruck people do. Yes, love makes you do the unthinkable, but it certainly is worth it.

What happens when you fall in love? Words cannot do justice when it comes to explaining how a person feels when he/she is in love. When you are in love, you are willing to do anything just to get a glimpse of that person. No wonder those chance meetings happen all the time. However, when he/she comes around, you do make a fool of yourself by fumbling for the right words, and saying all the wrong things.

When you bump into the person you are attracted to, you go weak in the knees and your heart begins to race. You can't eat, you can't sleep; everything changes when you are in love. Be ready for the oh-so-many awkward moments that are going to happen. Yes, love does that to you.

Love can be very addictive, and when you fall in love, all the other so-called important things take a backseat. Even the most mature and logical people end up behaving in a way that defies logic.

Ever wondered why life suddenly seems to be beautiful when you fall in love? Scientists believe that the physical, as well as the emotional effects of love have a lot to do with hormones and neurotransmitters. Let's delve into the chemistry of love, and find out what love does to you.

It all starts with attraction, and soon anything that is remotely rational goes flying out of the window. Yes, you do all crazy things just to be with the person you have fallen for. Caught up in an unending train of thoughts, you are most likely to spend most of your time daydreaming. Love simply takes over, pushing every other part of your life under the carpet.

When you are in love, you make it a mission to bring love in most of your conversations. Reruns of the conversations, or the meetings with your love interest, are being telecast in your mind all the time. At times, you even think about conversations that may happen in the future.

When you are attracted to a person, and falling in love, your hormones are running wild. The sight of the person you are attracted to activates certain pathways in the brain. It's the release of certain neurochemicals that is responsible for so many physical effects that are experienced by those who are falling in love.

What's making your heart beat faster is the adrenaline rush. Neurotransmitters, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine, are secreted when you are stressed or scared. The fight-or-flight response is triggered when you perceive a threat.

The release of neurochemicals causes the heart to beat faster. The feeling of butterflies in the stomach also results due to the release of norepinephrine, dopamine, and cortisol. These neurochemicals are also the culprits behind the jitters that people get before an interview or a presentation.

Where's the time for other things when you are in love! Love can be an all-consuming affair, which can completely change the way you think and behave. Since most of your time is spent in thinking of ways to please your love interest, you cannot concentrate on other things.

Dopamine and norepinephrine are the neurochemicals responsible for the feelings of euphoria in the 'lovey-doveys'. Love becomes the driving force behind everything, and lovers can spend hours talking to each other.

When love takes over, other things suddenly seem inconsequential. Some people even lose their appetite. Most of their time goes into thinking how to get his/her attention. You are in a room full of people, but all you can see is the person you have fallen for.

Dilated Pupils May Tell Your Tale!
Yes, your eyes may be telling your story. Though our pupils dilate to allow more light to enter the eyes in a dark room, various studies have revealed that our pupils dilate when we look at someone or something we are attracted to.

According to Eckhard Hess, a biopsychologist from the University of Chicago, the pupils dilate when you look at something that sparks interest. Similarly, pupils may contract when you come across something or someone you dislike or don't approve of. The study of pupil size as an indicator of emotion is referred to as pupillometrics.

Love invokes the moon gazer in you. When you are in love, you can spend hours gazing at the moon or watching the sunset. Not only do lovers daydream, they toss and turn in their beds, as unending thoughts about their love interest keeps them awake.

Phenylethylamine is one of the chemicals believed to be responsible for making a lover feel the way he/she does. This chemical causes the release of epinephrine and dopamine. Serotonin is another neurotransmitter that regulates the sleep/wake cycle, mood, and appetite. Scientists believe that lower serotonin levels cause people to obsess about their love interest.

If the person you have fallen for reciprocates, you are on the moon. If he/she doesn't, you sink into an abyss. Does he love me? Does he love me as much as I love him? There are so many questions that keep popping up in one's mind.

When we long for someone, we do indulge in obsessive thinking. Lovers are infamous for making mountains out of a molehill. Even the most trivial of the things can make you edgy.

Jealousy, the green-eyed monster, raises its ugly head, even if you see your love interest talking casually with another person of the opposite sex. Many people become extremely possessive, and act unreasonably. Desire, fear of rejection, and a host of other emotions, make you behave the way you do.

Love is one of the most written subjects, but there's no single definition that can capture its essence. Since time immemorial, love has caught the fancy of poets, novelists, songwriters, movie makers, and others from the media industry, and will continue to do so forever. However practical you consider yourself to be, when love wages a war against your sanity, the practical you will disappear into oblivion. You will find yourself singing and dancing to mushy songs. You will forget your meals and even your sleep, and behave in a way that's unlike you, but that's what lovestruck people do. Yes, love makes you do the unthinkable, but it certainly is worth it.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

What is the Streisand Effect?

Reverse psychology can certainly be one of the most commonly occurring and entertaining mental phenomenon. If performed right, one can get almost anything done from others. The same principle applies when one tries to hide something, or tries to defend oneself from seemingly menial remarks. Why do you think WikiLeaks is hailed by the public and attacked by the Government? Because WikiLeaks forms one of the biggest examples of the act of trying to reveal something that is desperately hidden. Now that is only an indirect example of the Streisand effect. A full blown analogy would be where the entire public itself tries to uncover something that someone doesn't want you to see.

Definition of the Streisand Effect
A phenomenon in which attempting to suppress information attracts even more unwanted attention, thereby increasing its magnitude of exposure.Although the degree of the original exposure doesn't matter, a lot of cases that fall under the Streisand effect can be considered to be small and irrelevant in the long run, if they had gone uncontested. It is only after the attempt to hide, that the matter is blown ridiculously out of proportion. In the Age of the Internet where the public wants to know (and the media gladly complies and encourages) everything from celebrity underwear to the secret NASA space programs, the Streisand effect has found a permanent place, thanks to people who underestimate it.

Streisand's Incident

We can find similar examples throughout history, to be frank. Yet why is it that this phenomenon is named after one of the contemporary celebrities? Well it has a lot to do with the celebrity's fame, and the fact that the incident happened with comedic results.

It all started in 2003. Photographer Kenneth Adelman was given the responsibility of clicking photos of the California coastline for signs of coastal erosion. Image 3850 on the California Coastal Records Project is just one of the 12,000 such photos taken by Kenneth. It just so happened that the photo included the Malibu beach house of Barbra Streisand. Her lawyers found out about the photo and immediately sent a cease-and-desist letter to the respective office and ordered them to take the photo off their site. The site refused, and Barbra sued. The court dismissed the case, but the issue became instantly popular, and now everyone wanted to see the photograph.

What makes the story even more remarkable is the fact that the image was previously downloaded from that site a mere six times, two of which were by Streisand's lawyers! And after the lawsuit the photograph was viewed by more than 420,000 visitors. And that is why Mike Masnick from Techdirt called the phenomenon, the Streisand effect.

Psychology Behind the Streisand Effect

There really isn't much to debate here. This class act of reverse psychology takes the cake simply because although it's so obvious, it flawlessly occurs every time. I mean come on(!), if I told you don't see what's in the secret shiny box wrapped in gift paper, you're going to do everything in your power to do exactly that! If a kid tells his playground bullies to stop calling him a name, they are going to yell it out at him. Just realizing that knowing something about someone is detrimental to their status and respectability, we will want to know that piece of information. This is one bit of human nature that lawyers should be well-acquainted with, but a few of them fail to grasp it.

Examples

There is no shortage of examples of the effect. You may personally try to recollect such instances in your own life, or the life of an acquaintance. Here are some examples with relatively simple beginnings and rather hellish outcomes. At least for the targets.

Nine-year-old schoolgirl Martha Payne created a simple blog called 'NeverSeconds'. She intended to make posts about the meals that her school served everyone. For her first post, she took a photo of what was barely a filling meal by anyone's standards. With the photo, she filled a comment, "The good thing about this blog is Dad understands why I am hungry when I get home." It was not her intent to 'expose' the problem, in fact I don't even think she saw it as an actual problem. But as the blog got a few hits from family and neighbors, they demanded the authority concerned, the Argyll and Bute Council, for a full briefing of the problem. The incident became local and successively international news. But it did not go too far, until the Argyll and Bute Council banned little Martha from taking pictures of the school meals and posting it on her blog. Once the media found this out (Martha had posted a supposedly final post called 'Goodbye', explaining everything), things went from bad to worse for the council. Meanwhile, the blog now has more than 9.5 million page views. Martha even got to meet the famous chef Jamie Oliver. She expanded her blog by including pictures of school meals taken by other kids from all over the world, like Germany and Japan.

The McLibel case, officially known as 'McDonald's Corporation v Steel & Morris', was the longest-running case in English history. The whole thing started in 1986 and ended in 2005.

Members of the London Greenpeace, Helen Steel and David Morris, along with a few others, began distributing pamphlets titled What's Wrong with McDonald's: Everything they don't want you to know. It revealed certain aspects of the fast-food chain that could be considered bad for their image. Indeed, two of the allegations were 'torture and murder of animals' and 'exploitation of workers and banning of unions'. McDonald's Corporation did not like it, and sued them for libel.

The original reach of the campaigners was almost nothing: they were distributing pamphlets at just one outlet in the U.K., out of thousands. It would barely have turned the heads of about a handful of people who the pamphlets were handed out to. But thanks to some witless "assistance" by McDonald's, the allegations got international coverage. Now everyone knew about what the complaints were. In fact, the ruling judge concluded that some of the points on the pamphlet were quite true. McDonald's and its army of lawyers were up against two people who could barely come up with enough money to fight their case, and the whole world knew about it.

The Super Bowl Halftime Show in February 2013 had Beyoncé performing some of her most famous tracks. Now when press photographers take pictures at live events, it's obvious that some photographs are not really meant to be shown to the public. Stars in unflattering light is never appreciated by the stars, but can be made into something weirdly popular by the media. So when a site posted all such awkward photos of Beyoncé's performance, her promoters hated them, and ordered the site to take them down. But wouldn't you know it, the public thronged the page to see all that Beyoncé was not supposed to look like.

Trafigura is a Dutch trading company, which was involved in a toxic waste dump case in Ivory Coast, West Africa. The company openly claimed that the waste was harmless and would pose no threat. Soon, thousands of people started getting sick and a reported 17 people died of poisoning. Trafigura was sued for negligence and a legal battle followed. The issue was largely unnoticed by the media except for The Guardian. Trafigura thought it would be smart to file for a "secret" super-injunction against The Guardian, banning them from ever mentioning the incident in their paper. The press agency complied, but proceeded to publish an article that revealed that they were unable to provide hidden information to the public about a "certain company" and a "certain incident". Other papers quickly deduced that the culprit was Trafigura. What followed was a large-scale information distribution of everything that Trafigura was trying to hide. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

Art, literature, and music have always given prime examples of the Streisand effect. If your parents tell you not to listen to Judas Priest, you're going to listen to them. One of the best examples include the rock band Scorpions.

In 1976, Scorpions came out with an album called "Virgin Killer". The cover album included a model under 18 years of age, posing nude. The Wikipedia article for the same album included this cover image. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) put the Wikipedia page in their child pornography blacklist. When the IWF displayed the list in 2008, the album's page became one of Wikipedia's most popular one. The IWF acknowledged this effect and immediately removed the page from their list.

The final example in the article is actually a reversal of the Streisand effect. The movie's lead character, Charles Foster Kane, was largely based on William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was a very powerful and influential newspaper tycoon. When he found out about Citizen Kane, he flipped, and wanted the movie to be shut down. But of course, telling people not to watch the movie would only make them want to watch it even more, is what William Hearst thought. So instead of banning the movie, he forbade anyone to publish reviews and photographs in the newspaper, or even mention the movie's name in public. It worked quite well; Citizen Kane bombed, thanks to Hearst's considerable reach. Despite that, the movie did gain favorable reviews in papers Hearst had no control over, and as history has it, the movie became one of the most important works in all of cinema.
Man has experienced the Streisand effect ever since the birth of mass communication. Indeed, one of the oldest known ones was when the Vatican banned Copernicus' book, 'De revolutionibus orbium coelestium' in 1616, and instantly a reprinted version was issued. Some people even try to manipulate the results of the Streisand effect, trying to achieve defamation by higher peers and the consequent attention. Well, if you can't be famous, you can still be infamous!

Reverse psychology can certainly be one of the most commonly occurring and entertaining mental phenomenon. If performed right, one can get almost anything done from others. The same principle applies when one tries to hide something, or tries to defend oneself from seemingly menial remarks. Why do you think WikiLeaks is hailed by the public and attacked by the Government? Because WikiLeaks forms one of the biggest examples of the act of trying to reveal something that is desperately hidden. Now that is only an indirect example of the Streisand effect. A full blown analogy would be where the entire public itself tries to uncover something that someone doesn't want you to see.

Definition of the Streisand Effect
A phenomenon in which attempting to suppress information attracts even more unwanted attention, thereby increasing its magnitude of exposure.Although the degree of the original exposure doesn't matter, a lot of cases that fall under the Streisand effect can be considered to be small and irrelevant in the long run, if they had gone uncontested. It is only after the attempt to hide, that the matter is blown ridiculously out of proportion. In the Age of the Internet where the public wants to know (and the media gladly complies and encourages) everything from celebrity underwear to the secret NASA space programs, the Streisand effect has found a permanent place, thanks to people who underestimate it.

Streisand's Incident

We can find similar examples throughout history, to be frank. Yet why is it that this phenomenon is named after one of the contemporary celebrities? Well it has a lot to do with the celebrity's fame, and the fact that the incident happened with comedic results.

It all started in 2003. Photographer Kenneth Adelman was given the responsibility of clicking photos of the California coastline for signs of coastal erosion. Image 3850 on the California Coastal Records Project is just one of the 12,000 such photos taken by Kenneth. It just so happened that the photo included the Malibu beach house of Barbra Streisand. Her lawyers found out about the photo and immediately sent a cease-and-desist letter to the respective office and ordered them to take the photo off their site. The site refused, and Barbra sued. The court dismissed the case, but the issue became instantly popular, and now everyone wanted to see the photograph.

What makes the story even more remarkable is the fact that the image was previously downloaded from that site a mere six times, two of which were by Streisand's lawyers! And after the lawsuit the photograph was viewed by more than 420,000 visitors. And that is why Mike Masnick from Techdirt called the phenomenon, the Streisand effect.

Psychology Behind the Streisand Effect

There really isn't much to debate here. This class act of reverse psychology takes the cake simply because although it's so obvious, it flawlessly occurs every time. I mean come on(!), if I told you don't see what's in the secret shiny box wrapped in gift paper, you're going to do everything in your power to do exactly that! If a kid tells his playground bullies to stop calling him a name, they are going to yell it out at him. Just realizing that knowing something about someone is detrimental to their status and respectability, we will want to know that piece of information. This is one bit of human nature that lawyers should be well-acquainted with, but a few of them fail to grasp it.

Examples

There is no shortage of examples of the effect. You may personally try to recollect such instances in your own life, or the life of an acquaintance. Here are some examples with relatively simple beginnings and rather hellish outcomes. At least for the targets.

Nine-year-old schoolgirl Martha Payne created a simple blog called 'NeverSeconds'. She intended to make posts about the meals that her school served everyone. For her first post, she took a photo of what was barely a filling meal by anyone's standards. With the photo, she filled a comment, "The good thing about this blog is Dad understands why I am hungry when I get home." It was not her intent to 'expose' the problem, in fact I don't even think she saw it as an actual problem. But as the blog got a few hits from family and neighbors, they demanded the authority concerned, the Argyll and Bute Council, for a full briefing of the problem. The incident became local and successively international news. But it did not go too far, until the Argyll and Bute Council banned little Martha from taking pictures of the school meals and posting it on her blog. Once the media found this out (Martha had posted a supposedly final post called 'Goodbye', explaining everything), things went from bad to worse for the council. Meanwhile, the blog now has more than 9.5 million page views. Martha even got to meet the famous chef Jamie Oliver. She expanded her blog by including pictures of school meals taken by other kids from all over the world, like Germany and Japan.

The McLibel case, officially known as 'McDonald's Corporation v Steel & Morris', was the longest-running case in English history. The whole thing started in 1986 and ended in 2005.

Members of the London Greenpeace, Helen Steel and David Morris, along with a few others, began distributing pamphlets titled What's Wrong with McDonald's: Everything they don't want you to know. It revealed certain aspects of the fast-food chain that could be considered bad for their image. Indeed, two of the allegations were 'torture and murder of animals' and 'exploitation of workers and banning of unions'. McDonald's Corporation did not like it, and sued them for libel.

The original reach of the campaigners was almost nothing: they were distributing pamphlets at just one outlet in the U.K., out of thousands. It would barely have turned the heads of about a handful of people who the pamphlets were handed out to. But thanks to some witless "assistance" by McDonald's, the allegations got international coverage. Now everyone knew about what the complaints were. In fact, the ruling judge concluded that some of the points on the pamphlet were quite true. McDonald's and its army of lawyers were up against two people who could barely come up with enough money to fight their case, and the whole world knew about it.

The Super Bowl Halftime Show in February 2013 had Beyoncé performing some of her most famous tracks. Now when press photographers take pictures at live events, it's obvious that some photographs are not really meant to be shown to the public. Stars in unflattering light is never appreciated by the stars, but can be made into something weirdly popular by the media. So when a site posted all such awkward photos of Beyoncé's performance, her promoters hated them, and ordered the site to take them down. But wouldn't you know it, the public thronged the page to see all that Beyoncé was not supposed to look like.

Trafigura is a Dutch trading company, which was involved in a toxic waste dump case in Ivory Coast, West Africa. The company openly claimed that the waste was harmless and would pose no threat. Soon, thousands of people started getting sick and a reported 17 people died of poisoning. Trafigura was sued for negligence and a legal battle followed. The issue was largely unnoticed by the media except for The Guardian. Trafigura thought it would be smart to file for a "secret" super-injunction against The Guardian, banning them from ever mentioning the incident in their paper. The press agency complied, but proceeded to publish an article that revealed that they were unable to provide hidden information to the public about a "certain company" and a "certain incident". Other papers quickly deduced that the culprit was Trafigura. What followed was a large-scale information distribution of everything that Trafigura was trying to hide. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot.

Art, literature, and music have always given prime examples of the Streisand effect. If your parents tell you not to listen to Judas Priest, you're going to listen to them. One of the best examples include the rock band Scorpions.

In 1976, Scorpions came out with an album called "Virgin Killer". The cover album included a model under 18 years of age, posing nude. The Wikipedia article for the same album included this cover image. The Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) put the Wikipedia page in their child pornography blacklist. When the IWF displayed the list in 2008, the album's page became one of Wikipedia's most popular one. The IWF acknowledged this effect and immediately removed the page from their list.

The final example in the article is actually a reversal of the Streisand effect. The movie's lead character, Charles Foster Kane, was largely based on William Randolph Hearst. Hearst was a very powerful and influential newspaper tycoon. When he found out about Citizen Kane, he flipped, and wanted the movie to be shut down. But of course, telling people not to watch the movie would only make them want to watch it even more, is what William Hearst thought. So instead of banning the movie, he forbade anyone to publish reviews and photographs in the newspaper, or even mention the movie's name in public. It worked quite well; Citizen Kane bombed, thanks to Hearst's considerable reach. Despite that, the movie did gain favorable reviews in papers Hearst had no control over, and as history has it, the movie became one of the most important works in all of cinema.
Man has experienced the Streisand effect ever since the birth of mass communication. Indeed, one of the oldest known ones was when the Vatican banned Copernicus' book, 'De revolutionibus orbium coelestium' in 1616, and instantly a reprinted version was issued. Some people even try to manipulate the results of the Streisand effect, trying to achieve defamation by higher peers and the consequent attention. Well, if you can't be famous, you can still be infamous!

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Everyday Things People Do to Ruin their Cars

Did you know that...
... driving your car with the music very loud, with heavy bass, loosens the nuts and screws of your car frame, invariably making your car weak and noisy!

While talking about cars, we must take the transmission into consideration too. The car world is split into two basic species, cars with manual transmission, and cars with automatic transmission. The technique of driving a manual or an automatic car is different, and often we tend to do things unknowingly, which may seem small, but ends up hampering the performance of the vehicle.

It is very important to identify where you go wrong in maintaining cars, and that is why I have compiled a list of the everyday things people do to ruin their cars, and tips on how to avoid them.

The parking brake either is a small pedal located on the left or right side of your accelerator-brake setup, or a lever between the two front seats. It is also known as the handbrake, emergency brake, and parking brake. A lot of people tend to park their cars in 'drive' or 'park', and completely forget to deploy the parking brake. What happens when you do this is, pressure is put on the transmission of the vehicle to keep it in place, thus prematurely aging your car.

You should always use the parking brake whenever you park your car, be it on a slope or an even surface, and you must remember to disengage it before you start driving.

Shifting from 'reverse' to 'drive' while in motion is something that we all do when we are in a hurry to get somewhere. The thing is, inside our simple looking transmission lies a very complex set of gears, and when we shift without stopping the car completely, we put pressure on the gears, forcing them to change roles and work as brakes. We also miss out on the fact that we tend to damage the driving shafts while changing from reverse to drive when the car is still in motion, leading to bad suspensions and an even worse and worn-out transmission.

It takes about 5 seconds to stop the car completely and just shift from reverse to drive, but we do tend to disregard those 5 seconds and just shift in a hurry.

Driving the car in the same gear for a long time, or driving on a low gear, affects the fuel consumption, and can cause wear and tear of the transmission. You must always drive in the right gear for the speed you're at. Laboring your car because you are in a higher gear turns your car into a fuel guzzler.

For example, you are driving in the fourth gear, and you get on a road that has a bit of an incline. You continue driving up the incline in the fourth gear, and your car starts vibrating, and in some cases, it feels as if the car is getting convulsions. This happens because the fourth gear gives the car speed, not power, and your car needs power when it's on an incline.

What happens when you drive in a higher gear is that there is some amount of unburnt fuel that gets accumulated, and this residue needs more fuel to help it burn. So the ideal thing to do is to change the gear from the fourth to the third or second, so that your car has enough power to go up the incline without laboring.

Not Pressing the Clutch Completely
Not completely depressing the clutch while changing gears totally ruins your gearbox. In most cars, one cannot change gears without depressing the clutch, but in some cars that are old, you can change gears by just depressing the clutch up to about 90%. When you do not depress your clutch fully, the shifting of the gears become very rough due to lack of clutch fluid being released. This causes considerable damage to your gearbox and clutch plate.

The only way you can prevent this damage from occurring is by depressing the clutch fully.

Improper Way of Putting the Car On and Off
The first thing that we must remember while switching on the car is to check if the radio, wipers, air-conditioner, indicators, and other accessories are switched off. Did you know that most of the engine's wear happens while switching on the car, and if these accessories are on while the engine is starting, then a big amount of load and pressure comes on the engine.

Another thing that a lot of car owners do is that they rev the car to warm up their engines. You really need not do that, as all you are doing is making the car hot - in literal terms. Revving the car does not warm the car, it just makes the engine work without a lubricant, which is actually pretty bad. Instead, go easy of the revving, and just let your car idle for about 30 seconds.

Sometimes to save on fuel, we tend to put the car in neutral and let it roll down the slope. The only flaw in this deed is that our ever-so-faithful brakes get used a little too much. The constant friction causes faster wear and tear of the brakes, causing them to become weaker with time.

The easiest way to avoid this from happening is to always drive down a slope in gear, and if you do need to slow down, press the clutch and the brake at the same time. This will help arrest any damage done to the brakes.

You should not wait till the light indicating that you need an oil change goes off. An oil change every 5000 miles is advised by most car experts to boost the performance of the car. When you do not change the oil in your car regularly, your car does not run smoothly.

Using a good quality oil really helps your car. Most car experts recommend using a good quality synthetic oil to improve a car's performance.

Due to high-pressure jet sprays, some delicate parts, rubber seals, and wiring can get dislodged or completely come off. Even oil or grease that is actually good for the smooth running of the car gets completely washed off, making your engine literally dry. Driving a car with a smooth-running greasy engine is far better than driving one with a squeaky-clean engine - that will get spoiled in no time.

Instead of using a high-pressure spray, use a garden hose to just wash off the excessive grease. That's all you need to do so that your engine is clean and still running well.

Interior maintenance is something that many of us neglect. The interiors of the car should be clean and hygienic. Whenever you open a candy wrapper and just throw it somewhere in your car, you are actually helping parasites and insects develop inside your car. Who would want to sit in a car that has fungus or cockroaches, or even flies? The thought of entering a badly kept car disgusts many people. The interior ruin of your car always starts with the first candy wrapper, or the first cigarette that you light up, and it just escalates after that.

The easiest way to maintain your car's interiors is to get it cleaned thoroughly once in two or three weeks. Vacuuming, shampooing, and polishing your car are tasks that will take a few hours of your time, but they just have to be done so that your car looks sparkling clean and well-maintained.

While fixing your car, insist on using original spare parts. It does not matter if they are a little more expensive, because original parts last much longer. Original parts are made keeping your car model in mind and are an exact fit.

When you use locally made parts instead of original parts, you might end up losing warranty on the car, and/or face insurance problems. The main problem about locally made generic parts are that they are not made and tested by the original car company, and therefore may be faulty. It is always a wiser option to spend a little more on original parts, and be worry free for a long time, rather than scrounging and buying a generic part and keep spending later for the same thing.

Regular servicing is a must for every car. A trip to the mechanic for a car checkup and service after every 5000 miles that your car has run is advisable. Prolonging your visit to the mechanic may hamper the smooth running of your car. Changing the oil, air-filter, oil-filter, etc., are some of the most basic things that need to be looked into regularly to increase the performance of the car.

Regular servicing helps in smooth functioning of the car, giving you a smoother drive, good pick-up and better fuel efficiency.

Fuel helps in cooling the fuel pump. So when you drive your car down till empty, you actually just end up cutting down the life of your car. When your car reaches one-fourth of a tankful, it is best to top it up. If you actually drive it till it's empty, your car will just stop when you are driving, and pushing it till a gas station is a tedious task.

Some car experts say that driving the car till it's empty causes the fuel injection system to get damaged. Another everyday thing that people do is filling in gas that has been adulterated. Low quality fuel is like poison to the car and should never be used.

Ignoring Tire Pressure and Car Noises
Not maintaining the right tire pressure does end up hampering the performance of your car. When the tire pressure is less, the car lags and pulls, and every bump on the road is felt. This is not good for the suspension of the car. When your car starts making noises, you should not ignore them. Noises are your car's way of telling you that some part of your car needs repairs.

Driving with the right tire pressure makes your car fuel-efficient and smooth. In general, your car should not be making any noises except the permissible noises made by the engine.

Did you know that...
... driving your car with the music very loud, with heavy bass, loosens the nuts and screws of your car frame, invariably making your car weak and noisy!

While talking about cars, we must take the transmission into consideration too. The car world is split into two basic species, cars with manual transmission, and cars with automatic transmission. The technique of driving a manual or an automatic car is different, and often we tend to do things unknowingly, which may seem small, but ends up hampering the performance of the vehicle.

It is very important to identify where you go wrong in maintaining cars, and that is why I have compiled a list of the everyday things people do to ruin their cars, and tips on how to avoid them.

The parking brake either is a small pedal located on the left or right side of your accelerator-brake setup, or a lever between the two front seats. It is also known as the handbrake, emergency brake, and parking brake. A lot of people tend to park their cars in 'drive' or 'park', and completely forget to deploy the parking brake. What happens when you do this is, pressure is put on the transmission of the vehicle to keep it in place, thus prematurely aging your car.

You should always use the parking brake whenever you park your car, be it on a slope or an even surface, and you must remember to disengage it before you start driving.

Shifting from 'reverse' to 'drive' while in motion is something that we all do when we are in a hurry to get somewhere. The thing is, inside our simple looking transmission lies a very complex set of gears, and when we shift without stopping the car completely, we put pressure on the gears, forcing them to change roles and work as brakes. We also miss out on the fact that we tend to damage the driving shafts while changing from reverse to drive when the car is still in motion, leading to bad suspensions and an even worse and worn-out transmission.

It takes about 5 seconds to stop the car completely and just shift from reverse to drive, but we do tend to disregard those 5 seconds and just shift in a hurry.

Driving the car in the same gear for a long time, or driving on a low gear, affects the fuel consumption, and can cause wear and tear of the transmission. You must always drive in the right gear for the speed you're at. Laboring your car because you are in a higher gear turns your car into a fuel guzzler.

For example, you are driving in the fourth gear, and you get on a road that has a bit of an incline. You continue driving up the incline in the fourth gear, and your car starts vibrating, and in some cases, it feels as if the car is getting convulsions. This happens because the fourth gear gives the car speed, not power, and your car needs power when it's on an incline.

What happens when you drive in a higher gear is that there is some amount of unburnt fuel that gets accumulated, and this residue needs more fuel to help it burn. So the ideal thing to do is to change the gear from the fourth to the third or second, so that your car has enough power to go up the incline without laboring.

Not Pressing the Clutch Completely
Not completely depressing the clutch while changing gears totally ruins your gearbox. In most cars, one cannot change gears without depressing the clutch, but in some cars that are old, you can change gears by just depressing the clutch up to about 90%. When you do not depress your clutch fully, the shifting of the gears become very rough due to lack of clutch fluid being released. This causes considerable damage to your gearbox and clutch plate.

The only way you can prevent this damage from occurring is by depressing the clutch fully.

Improper Way of Putting the Car On and Off
The first thing that we must remember while switching on the car is to check if the radio, wipers, air-conditioner, indicators, and other accessories are switched off. Did you know that most of the engine's wear happens while switching on the car, and if these accessories are on while the engine is starting, then a big amount of load and pressure comes on the engine.

Another thing that a lot of car owners do is that they rev the car to warm up their engines. You really need not do that, as all you are doing is making the car hot - in literal terms. Revving the car does not warm the car, it just makes the engine work without a lubricant, which is actually pretty bad. Instead, go easy of the revving, and just let your car idle for about 30 seconds.

Sometimes to save on fuel, we tend to put the car in neutral and let it roll down the slope. The only flaw in this deed is that our ever-so-faithful brakes get used a little too much. The constant friction causes faster wear and tear of the brakes, causing them to become weaker with time.

The easiest way to avoid this from happening is to always drive down a slope in gear, and if you do need to slow down, press the clutch and the brake at the same time. This will help arrest any damage done to the brakes.

You should not wait till the light indicating that you need an oil change goes off. An oil change every 5000 miles is advised by most car experts to boost the performance of the car. When you do not change the oil in your car regularly, your car does not run smoothly.

Using a good quality oil really helps your car. Most car experts recommend using a good quality synthetic oil to improve a car's performance.

Due to high-pressure jet sprays, some delicate parts, rubber seals, and wiring can get dislodged or completely come off. Even oil or grease that is actually good for the smooth running of the car gets completely washed off, making your engine literally dry. Driving a car with a smooth-running greasy engine is far better than driving one with a squeaky-clean engine - that will get spoiled in no time.

Instead of using a high-pressure spray, use a garden hose to just wash off the excessive grease. That's all you need to do so that your engine is clean and still running well.

Interior maintenance is something that many of us neglect. The interiors of the car should be clean and hygienic. Whenever you open a candy wrapper and just throw it somewhere in your car, you are actually helping parasites and insects develop inside your car. Who would want to sit in a car that has fungus or cockroaches, or even flies? The thought of entering a badly kept car disgusts many people. The interior ruin of your car always starts with the first candy wrapper, or the first cigarette that you light up, and it just escalates after that.

The easiest way to maintain your car's interiors is to get it cleaned thoroughly once in two or three weeks. Vacuuming, shampooing, and polishing your car are tasks that will take a few hours of your time, but they just have to be done so that your car looks sparkling clean and well-maintained.

While fixing your car, insist on using original spare parts. It does not matter if they are a little more expensive, because original parts last much longer. Original parts are made keeping your car model in mind and are an exact fit.

When you use locally made parts instead of original parts, you might end up losing warranty on the car, and/or face insurance problems. The main problem about locally made generic parts are that they are not made and tested by the original car company, and therefore may be faulty. It is always a wiser option to spend a little more on original parts, and be worry free for a long time, rather than scrounging and buying a generic part and keep spending later for the same thing.

Regular servicing is a must for every car. A trip to the mechanic for a car checkup and service after every 5000 miles that your car has run is advisable. Prolonging your visit to the mechanic may hamper the smooth running of your car. Changing the oil, air-filter, oil-filter, etc., are some of the most basic things that need to be looked into regularly to increase the performance of the car.

Regular servicing helps in smooth functioning of the car, giving you a smoother drive, good pick-up and better fuel efficiency.

Fuel helps in cooling the fuel pump. So when you drive your car down till empty, you actually just end up cutting down the life of your car. When your car reaches one-fourth of a tankful, it is best to top it up. If you actually drive it till it's empty, your car will just stop when you are driving, and pushing it till a gas station is a tedious task.

Some car experts say that driving the car till it's empty causes the fuel injection system to get damaged. Another everyday thing that people do is filling in gas that has been adulterated. Low quality fuel is like poison to the car and should never be used.

Ignoring Tire Pressure and Car Noises
Not maintaining the right tire pressure does end up hampering the performance of your car. When the tire pressure is less, the car lags and pulls, and every bump on the road is felt. This is not good for the suspension of the car. When your car starts making noises, you should not ignore them. Noises are your car's way of telling you that some part of your car needs repairs.

Driving with the right tire pressure makes your car fuel-efficient and smooth. In general, your car should not be making any noises except the permissible noises made by the engine.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad

Quick Ways to Turn a Bad Day Around

There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them. ~ Lawrence Welk
Many of us have looked back at certain days and wished it had never come. And at times, there are situations where anything and everything we do cannot and will not make things right. It can either be the stress at work, the responsibilities at school or home, deadlines that have to be met, chores which need to be completed, argument with a loved one or a friend, not getting the right cup of coffee, or getting stuck in traffic; it only takes a minor thing to trigger things in motion. So in times like these, it is very important to know that not every day will be like this, and that there are ways to stop it from becoming worse.

Simple Tricks to a Happier You

The argument stays that even though taking some time away from the things that are bothering us may be helpful, however, the issues are still going to be there once we return. But think about it for a second - what if, by constantly thinking about the issues, we are creating or amplifying the ones that weren't even there in the first place? At times, the best thing we can do is take ourselves out of the equation and keep what's bothering us on the back burner.

If peace and quiet is what you need to make things right again, do that. Sometimes, when things come crashing down, all you can do is sit back and let that moment pass you by. Sit with a book you've wanted to read for a while now, go take a walk to calm yourself down, or do some breathing exercises. In order to come out of any situation, it is necessary to take a few steps back and return with a fresh outlook.

At times you may be upset about something or can't seem to concentrate on the task at hand. So to cheer you up take a little time to plan a spontaneous party for the weekend. By making plans for the weekend, you will have distracted yourself; even if it is for a little while. This way, along with handling the task at hand, on a whole, you will be excited about the coming weekend. So call all your close friends for the party and get out of that sullen mood.

If you've had a bad day at work, school, or at home, and are looking for a quick pick-me-up, watching your favorite TV show or movie can really help. Once you're done with all the work, make a bowl of popcorn or some other snack and unwind in front of the TV. Of course, do not let this turn into a habit or else you'll find yourself rushing to the couch every time you have a long, tough day. So choose this idea as the last resort.

Did you know that music can induce the production of serotonin (that makes you feel happy), alter your brain waves, reduce stress, motivate you, and elevate your mood even after you've stopped listening to it. Now if you add a little bit of dance to this, you've got yourself a flawless plan; plus, you can listen to music whenever and wherever you like. A bad day doesn't come announcing itself. But you can be prepared for it with your awesome playlist.

Penning down your thoughts about the things, people, or situations that are bothering you can really help. Sometimes, all you can do in order to feel better is to get everything out of your chest. It's not easy to find a sympathetic ear to lash out. So what's the next best option? Writing out all the things. So whenever you're feeling down, write everything that is bugging you and free yourself from all that frustration and bitterness.

After a long day at work, all we want to do is eat and retire for the day. However, studies show that playing with kids can help reduce stress. Of course, a tough day will reduce your desire to play and engage with them, but if a little effort is given, this will not only distract you from your issues, but will also help you bond with your kids. Plus, you feel a lot better about returning to work and your responsibilities as you had some downtime.

Doing cardio exercises can help increase your endorphin levels, which give you a feeling of being happy. Also, you can relieve the feelings of anxiety, depression, and anger, and in turn, boost your self-esteem and stimulate blood flow. If you can't go to the gym or find time for a quick run, do some exercises that can be done at your desk. Trust me, it helps.

Doing a good deed for someone else is a reward in itself. When you perform a selfless act, you not only feel good about yourself, but also gain a clear conscience. A random act of kindness goes a long way. So go out there and plant some seeds in the park or in your garden, feed a homeless person, or help an old lady with her grocery bags. Live a little through other people's joy.
Of course, these are just temporary fixes that can help us make the day a little less stressful. However, you may not be able to take the day off every time you feel things aren't going your way. Find a way to keep yourself relaxed in tensed situations and find solutions rather than escapes. Life is definitely not fair, but we can make it enjoyable with a little bit of effort from our side.

There are good days and there are bad days, and this is one of them. ~ Lawrence Welk
Many of us have looked back at certain days and wished it had never come. And at times, there are situations where anything and everything we do cannot and will not make things right. It can either be the stress at work, the responsibilities at school or home, deadlines that have to be met, chores which need to be completed, argument with a loved one or a friend, not getting the right cup of coffee, or getting stuck in traffic; it only takes a minor thing to trigger things in motion. So in times like these, it is very important to know that not every day will be like this, and that there are ways to stop it from becoming worse.

Simple Tricks to a Happier You

The argument stays that even though taking some time away from the things that are bothering us may be helpful, however, the issues are still going to be there once we return. But think about it for a second - what if, by constantly thinking about the issues, we are creating or amplifying the ones that weren't even there in the first place? At times, the best thing we can do is take ourselves out of the equation and keep what's bothering us on the back burner.

If peace and quiet is what you need to make things right again, do that. Sometimes, when things come crashing down, all you can do is sit back and let that moment pass you by. Sit with a book you've wanted to read for a while now, go take a walk to calm yourself down, or do some breathing exercises. In order to come out of any situation, it is necessary to take a few steps back and return with a fresh outlook.

At times you may be upset about something or can't seem to concentrate on the task at hand. So to cheer you up take a little time to plan a spontaneous party for the weekend. By making plans for the weekend, you will have distracted yourself; even if it is for a little while. This way, along with handling the task at hand, on a whole, you will be excited about the coming weekend. So call all your close friends for the party and get out of that sullen mood.

If you've had a bad day at work, school, or at home, and are looking for a quick pick-me-up, watching your favorite TV show or movie can really help. Once you're done with all the work, make a bowl of popcorn or some other snack and unwind in front of the TV. Of course, do not let this turn into a habit or else you'll find yourself rushing to the couch every time you have a long, tough day. So choose this idea as the last resort.

Did you know that music can induce the production of serotonin (that makes you feel happy), alter your brain waves, reduce stress, motivate you, and elevate your mood even after you've stopped listening to it. Now if you add a little bit of dance to this, you've got yourself a flawless plan; plus, you can listen to music whenever and wherever you like. A bad day doesn't come announcing itself. But you can be prepared for it with your awesome playlist.

Penning down your thoughts about the things, people, or situations that are bothering you can really help. Sometimes, all you can do in order to feel better is to get everything out of your chest. It's not easy to find a sympathetic ear to lash out. So what's the next best option? Writing out all the things. So whenever you're feeling down, write everything that is bugging you and free yourself from all that frustration and bitterness.

After a long day at work, all we want to do is eat and retire for the day. However, studies show that playing with kids can help reduce stress. Of course, a tough day will reduce your desire to play and engage with them, but if a little effort is given, this will not only distract you from your issues, but will also help you bond with your kids. Plus, you feel a lot better about returning to work and your responsibilities as you had some downtime.

Doing cardio exercises can help increase your endorphin levels, which give you a feeling of being happy. Also, you can relieve the feelings of anxiety, depression, and anger, and in turn, boost your self-esteem and stimulate blood flow. If you can't go to the gym or find time for a quick run, do some exercises that can be done at your desk. Trust me, it helps.

Doing a good deed for someone else is a reward in itself. When you perform a selfless act, you not only feel good about yourself, but also gain a clear conscience. A random act of kindness goes a long way. So go out there and plant some seeds in the park or in your garden, feed a homeless person, or help an old lady with her grocery bags. Live a little through other people's joy.
Of course, these are just temporary fixes that can help us make the day a little less stressful. However, you may not be able to take the day off every time you feel things aren't going your way. Find a way to keep yourself relaxed in tensed situations and find solutions rather than escapes. Life is definitely not fair, but we can make it enjoyable with a little bit of effort from our side.

reade more... Résuméabuiyad