LOSE WEIGHT BY EATING FROM A BLUE PLATE

Blue is a pleasing and comforting colour and there is so much of blue around us....blue sky, blue seas and oceans,  we wear blue coloured clothes and jewellery, we don't mind blue furniture or blue paint on the walls...hmmm, has it occured to you that there are no 'blue' food that occurs naturally, except for indigo milky mushroom while has a nice blue hue. Blueberries are deep purple. Its uncommon for one to prepare blue coloured food or be served blue coloured food in restaurants. Well, ofcourse  there are  blue Smarties,  blue coloured cakes, blue M&M, blue macaroons, blue coloured icecreams and drinks.  However, subconciously, we have an aversion towards blue colour when it comes to food. Imagine if chicken, rice, egg,  bread, yoghurt, pasta, potatoes or  fish was dyed with blue food colour and served to you. What would your reaction be? Would you find it appeasing? If you were served regular french fries or blue french fries, which would you eat more?

Research proves that eating from a blue plate will make you eat less compared to eating from a white plate or any other colour plate! The blue plate can suppress your appetite by 20% and even turn off your hunger. The mind does not create an association between blue and the desire to eat. Do you want to try it out? Go head, get yourself a blue plate if want to lose weight ....but a small blue plate and eat in moderation. 

Or better yet,  how about if  we add a bit of blue food colour to all our food for a month and eat if off a small blue plate? Now that is a sure way to lose weight.  Just kidding! ..food colours are not good for our health. Try to have natural food, less sugar, minimum fat, avoid fried foods and fast foods. Have plenty of fruits and salads, steamed and grilled foods like chicken and fish, reasonable amount of carbohydrates in the form of brown rice and brown bread and sufficient proteins - in a small blue plate!

Does the blue coloured food look appetizing? Not to me...I'd say no to them and rather have them in their natural colours. We eat more than what our bodies need because of how food looks… when it looks inviting, when it looks appetizing and we tend to eat more, and put on all that unnecessary weight.

RABBIT SPORTS TOURNAMENT IN GERMANY

Eighty rabbits competed in light-weight, middle-weight and jumping-for-points categories in the  5th Open Rabbit Sport Tournament on August 28 in Rommerz near Fulda, Germany. Kanin Hop or Rabbit Hopping is a growing trend among pet rabbit owners in Central Europe.

HOW STEVE JOBS TOOK APPLE FROM NEAR BANKRUPTCY TO BILLIONS

Steve Jobs (Apple) with Bill Gates (Microsoft)

13 years ago, APPLE was on the verge of bankruptcy. Coming to the rescue, Microsoft invested $ 150 million in Apple and had that not happened, the world probably may not have seen iPods, iPads, iPhones and iMacs. That saw Apple rise to its glory led by Steve Jobs. From $ 6 a share to $ 300, its amazing what the company has achieved over the years. For the complete amazing story of how Apple survived from near bankruptcy to Billions, visit the orignal story HERE. The original story was published in Business Insider by Alyson Shontell.

So what's to be learned from their story? (The following is an excerpt from the original article):

• Think simple - The iPad is so simple 2-year-olds can use it.

• Be different - Like the iMac.

• Be a risk taker and make tough decisions - Jobs partnered with Microsoft and nixed the Newton.

• Make great products, and package them even better - Show customers what they want, like the iPhone did.

• Create an experience - Apple did this with their stores. And hype, like Macworld does for the media.

• Be confident - don't hold focus groups and ask people what they think.

• Be passionate - Steve Jobs said in his Stanford commencement speech: "Have the courage to follow your heart and your intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become."

WORLD'S OLDEST WORKING CAR SOLD FOR 4.6 MILLION DOLLARS

Dion Bouton car produced in 1884 is the world's oldest functioning car and it  was sold for at auction for $ 4.6 million in Pennsylvania, USA. Dion Bouton car Et-A-Dos Dos Trepardoux was produced in 1884 by Count De Dion. The car has a speed of 60 km per hour.

HAPPINESS IS A CHOICE

Being inspired is a choice. Being unhappy is a choice. Being productive is a choice. Being miserable is a choice. If you do nothing, you get what most people get: a mixed bag of daily experience filled with inspiration, unhappiness, productivity and misery. If you make a decision to be consistently inspired, consistently productive, consistently happy… and take it like any skill you have learned in life like driving, or cooking, or playing guitar… you can be a master of it. - Shafine de Zane

HOME CENTER 'LIVE COOK AND ENJOY'

The new Home Center by Ali Abdulwahab Sons & Co. has a beautiful collection of home furniture for the living, dining, bedroom and kitchen. They also have a range of electronic and electrical appliances, lighting and many other items for home - bedding, linen, tableware...and lots more. Here are some pictures from their showroom.and electronics. 'Live Cook and Enjoy' is what their Home Center is about. They are located in Shuwaikh (near Tilal Complex and City Center).

BE BRAVE

THE POWER OF SMILE

Smile often...

It takes more muscles to frown than to smile. A smile would not ony cheer up another person, it can add a special glow to your face, make you happy and even turn your attitude into a positive one.

HUMOUR - MAKING IT LOOK EASY

RESTAURANT SERVICE

Have you been to a restaurant and was infuriated by lack of service or exceptionally poor service? This picture I came across while browsing, reminded of an incident. It was 3 years ago. My son wanted to treat me at a newly opened restaurant on Mother's Day, so off we went...with huge expectations. Well, when we reached,  there were so many people waiting and we just had to wait out for about 20 minutes for table to be free. Okay...we waited ...patiently...Then we were glad we got a 'table'. We placed our order and waited...for 15 minutes...it became 20 minutes...then 25...then 30 minutes! We were shocked at their lack of 'service'. We talked to the manager and I gave him a 'sermon';  he apologised and promised we would get our order in 5 minutes and if that didn't happen, it's on the house...we don't have to pay. We looked at our watches, 10 minutes passed. Now how long did we wait for our Mother's Day lunch...more than an hour! We were upset...but didnt want the day to spoil. We did contemplate leaving several times....but we chose to stay on hoping we would get our order 'anytime now'. Well, they did bring the food finally...and we didn't have to pay for it...and we got some nice dessert on the house. It was one Mother's Day my son and I will never forget. I  would never wait in a restaurant like that ever again!

HONESTY

Honesty flower (Lunaria Annua)

Your honest word is one of your most precious and powerful possession

SPENDING TIME AT THE BEACH

One of the things I truly enjoy is being outdoors, amidst nature...it's absolutely rejuvenating. On Friday, we went to the beach near Marina Waves (Waterfront), Gulf Road, Salmiah at 4pm.The weather was fantastic. The landscaped grassy areas beside the pathways and walkways was occupied by families seated on the grass or on their folding chairs, barbecuing or eating what they brought from home or from out. On the walkways, kids were busy roller skating and cycling. Makes you want to be a child again! There were young men playing foot ball on the sand. The beach was crowded with families and children on the sand enjoying the pleasant weather and the beautiful sea. There were lots of people swimming in the waters. We took a long walk on the landscaped pavements and later walked on the sand and waited until sunset. There was a lot of activity in the sea....young men on their jet skis and motor boats zooming across the waters..On the sandy area near Marina Waves, are play areas for children where they are sure to have a lot of fun. There is an enclosed area near the walkway, where children can bring their cycles and pratise low key stunts.

It was around 5.30pm and the sun began to set . The sky looked magnificent as we watched the sunset. Being at the beach would certainly give anyone a wonderful feeling of peace and tranquility. The sea and the waves have a soothing effect on us. It's such a great feeling to walk barefoot in sand.  It's a good exercise and you connect with earth while you walk barefoot. And if you like to wet your feet or swim in the waters, what better way to relax...and enjoy! If you want to do something different...why not visit the waterfront beach. Take advantage of the wonder weather. The waterfront stretches from Scientific Centre and goes way beyond the Seif Palace. And you don't even have to pay....for a visit to the waterfront beach.

 

APPLE LOGO TRIBUTE TO STEVE JOBS BY HONG KONG STUDENT

Facial profile of Steve Jobs in the Apple logo - a design tribute by Jonathan Mak Long, Hong Kong

When Apple co-founder, Chairman Steve Jobs resigned from his post of CEO in August 2011, Jonathan Mak Long, a 19 year old Graphic Design Student in Hong Kong created a design to honour Steve Jobs in his Tumblr blog - which is to change the bite in original Apple logo by including the side facial profile of Steve Jobs to show that, "With Steve Jobs gone,  Apple is really missing a piece." Jonathan Mak Long told in Skype interview that the image was a tribute to Job's contributions to the world. 'I wanted to commemorate him. He is such an integral part of Apple'.  He reposted this homage when Steve Jobs passed away recently, which attracted a huge response from the public.