The Weather Around Us
How much do we really know about the weather around us? Here are just some fun facts.
What causes a red sun? The red or orange color of the rising or setting sun is caused by the increased distance through our atmosphere its rays must pass before reaching our eyes. Our thick impurity-laden lower atmosphere only allows the red tones to pass through it. As the sun rises higher in the sky, its light passes through a shorter distance of thick atmosphere. It loses its redder tone and takes on its characteristic yellow color.
How far away is lightning? During a storm, count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, then divide by two. The answer reveals how many miles away the lightning is.
Can lightning strike twice in the same place? Yes! The old adage of lightning never striking twice in the same place is totally false. Lightning is not limited to a one-bolt action. Many lightning flashes are of a multiple variety and may strike repeatedly in a few seconds. Up to 22 consecutive lightning strokes have been observed in a multiple flash.
Tree crickets are called the poor man’s thermometer because temperature directly affects their rate of activity. Count the number of chirps a cricket makes in 15 seconds, then add 37. The sum will be very close to the outside temperature!
Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera
It’s small enough to fit in a pocket, but why would you ever want to put it there? Whether out on the town or just hanging with friends, the Kodak Zi8 Pocket Video Camera captures every experience in stunning 1080p HD video. Stay in focus while you’re on the move with integrated image stabilization. Then kick back and watch all the action on your HDTV or share your scene on YouTube with the built-in USB. The Zi8 pocket video camera has all you need to define yourself in high definition.
Product Features that you’ll surely love are: Take full HD 1080p videos wherever you go. Get sharper videos and less blur thanks to built-in image stabilization. Premiere your videos in the palm of your hand with the vivid 2.5-inch color LCD. No cables to worry about–just swing out the USB arm to upload, share and charge. Get a new perspective–take amazing 5 MP 16:9 widescreen HD still pictures. Share on Facebook and YouTube with ease–built-in software makes editing and uploading simple. Compatible with PC and MAC (Use with Apple iLife Suite of products) operating systems. Compatible with iTunes for syncing with Apple TV, iPhone and iPod Devices. Plenty of room for more–record up to 10 hours of HD video (Record ~20 min per 1 GB at 720p HD at 30 fps) with the expandable SD/SDHC Card slot that can hold up to 32 GB. Capture your friends in their best light with smart face tracking technology. See more details and accurate colors in low light. Make audio awesome–the external microphone jack lets you record in stereo. Be ready for the big screen right out of the box with complementary HDMI cable. Record from a distance or play back on your TV with ease with available remote control. Grab attention and define your style with the ultra-compact design, stunning looks, and a range of colors.
Paying bills online saves you money
In the old days, paying your bills meant sitting down at the kitchen table with a hot cup of coffee, a calculator, a checkbook and a roll of stamps. If the post office did its job, the companies to which you owed money would receive your check two or three days later. Today’s bill paying session is a little more high-tech, and it cuts the post office out of the loop. Even if there’s no other advantage, the fact that you save on postage–and there’s no possibility of a payment getting lost in the mail–is good enough for most people. Another advantage is the bookkeeping aspect–your bank’s online bill payment portal won’t let you make a payment if you don’t have money in the bank. The best portals will, however, allow you to schedule a payment for a later date.
Many banks now offer online bill paying as a free value-add to account holders, although many other major creditors, such as utility companies or credit card companies, allow you to pay directly online. The reason banks have come to offer this service for free is simply because of the demographics. People who pay bills online are more loyal, and have more money. They’re also more likely to use other bank products, such as loans and credit cards, from which the bank derives revenue. That’s the first lesson–if your bank isn’t offering online bill pay for free, they’re not giving you the best deal.
Using your bank’s online bill pay gives you the convenience of paying all your bills in a single online session. Some users still prefer to pay some bills directly at each site, despite the fact that it is less convenient, because by visiting the biller’s web site directly, the payer can gain access to detailed transaction reports. This can be especially useful if you’re cautious about the details–suppose you have a large phone bill, and want to review the individual call list. You have to visit the phone company’s site directly to get the detail, the bank site will only provide a summary. Also, if you’re paying close to the due date, paying directly at the biller site will get your account credited faster than paying at a bank’s online bill pay portal. Some forward-looking banks are trying to compete by offering account detail as well.
There is also the question of security, although banks have been quick to address this concern. Virtually all online portals are password protected and use encrypted sessions, and some even use a hardware token, which makes it nearly impossible for an attacker to steal your account information. Beware however, of rogue emails claiming to be from a bank, requesting your account information. If you get such an email, call your bank directly to verify the email’s authenticity. Banks seldom send out such requests via email.
Turning 40
Turning 40 set me off into panic and made me face up to the reality that I was getting older— chronologically, at the very least. I feared that the signs of aging would soon manifest in my skin a health. But I managed to allay my fears by taking a proactive route in trying to maintain my gener well being. I made an effort to exercise, eat right, get enough sleep and de-stress when I had to.
One of my main concerns was als maintaining a youthful glow supple, wrinkle-free skin through a consistent ft care regime. As a re I tried countless, not to mention, expensive beauty products that only made me break out. For the first time in my life, I even had to visit dermatologist to repair all the damage wreaked by the creams I used.
Thankfully, I discovered new Pond’s Age Miracle during a rec visit to the Pond’s Institute in New York City. I learned about the importance of Retinol as the best-proven anti-aging technology. A form of Vitamin A, Retinol stimulates skin collagen and elastin production. Forth new Ponds Age Miracle, which contains CLA4 technology (a combination of CLA, AHA, Retinol and Retinol boosters), the Pond’s Institute developed breakthrough Retinol boosters that further increase the efficaciousness of retinol.
In a study done by an independent research firm, the new Pond’s Age Miracle cream even bested some prestige beauty brands in various attributes like fighting the signs of aging, product satisfaction and quality perception.
All this data meant nothing without results though. So, I tried new Pond’s Age Miracle range and was completely satisfied outcome. My skin felt more supple and even-toned in just days, and after a longer period of use, I noticed a reduction in lines.
Turning 40 doesn’t seem like a daunting dilemma anymore. With the help of products like the new Pond’s Age Miracle, a healthy lifestyle coupled with a positive attitude, age is nothing but a number, really.