Natural Beauty Secrets

1. Drink 8 glasses of water per day
Lots of clean, filtered water will give you a beautiful and youthful complexion. Carry around one or more bottles and aim to finish them off, every day.

2. Don't wear make-up
Read the labels of your average make-up carefully. It is safer and kinder to your skin to wear none. Not only do many of them contain harmful toxins, but they also clog up your skin. Take good care of your skin - it's the largest organ you have!
3. Moisturize your skin with food
The best moisturizer comes from the food we eat. Treat your skin with regular raw certified organic salads. You'll not only look better but you'll also feel better!
4. Have early nights
Going to sleep by 10pm and waking around 6am, provides will relax you so much, that you'll wake up with clear skin and sparkling eyes.
5. Rinse your hair with apple cider vinegar
Dilute 1 tablespoon of ACV in 2 cups of water. Use as a final hair rinse and leave it in your hair. Your hair will be beautiful and shiny.

6. Bathe in the sun
The early hours of the morning before 10am are the most beneficial to our overall health and wellbeing. When you feel good, you'll look good.
7. Wear colors that suit your skin tone
Wearing the right colors for your skin tone, will always bring out your natural beauty. If unsure, seek the advice of a professional color consultant.
8. Exercise
Walking the dog or doing more strenuous exercise stimulates the body's metabolism. This will in turn create a more youthful complexion and body shape.

Make Natural Beauty Masks

Honey and Milk Face Mask
Blend 2 tablespoons honey with 2 teaspoons milk. Smooth over face and throat. Leave on for 10 minutes. Rinse off with lukewarm water.

Egg yolks Face Mask
Egg yolks are commonly acknowledged as one of nature's best moisturizers. Just apply the raw yolk to your face and neck for 30 minutes and rinse with cool water. Egg yolks are high in vitamin A. The mask is very useful in healing blemishes.
Tomato Pulp Mask
When you make tomato pulp mask squash some tomatoes, drink up the juice and extend the pulp all over your face. It tightens up your skin, and closes the pores. The tomato juice is for refining your skin from inside.
Banana Mask
You make banana mask squash 1/4 banana until very creamy and apply on face and leave for 15-20 minutes. Rinse with lukewarm water, and then use cold water to close the pores.

Vinegar Mask
Vinegar renovates the acid balance of skin and also acts as a mild exfoliant. Try adding 1 cup of raw apple cider vinegar to a warm bath to ease the separation of peeling skin.
Clay masks
Choose the right clay for your skin type. Add plain water or floral waters or struggle wetting agents such as fruit purees. Make a thick paste of the clay. Apply the mask to your skin and let it dry for 20 minutes. Rinse fine with warm water and pat dry. Repeat weekly.
Clay masks are extended on the skin surface. They soak up excess oil and dust particles while they dry. They tighten the skin and help to stimulate blood circulation.
Gel Mask
A gel mask however is spread on a clean skin and tolerateed to dry. In about 10-20 minutes, you can roll it off like a second skin. These masks are peeled off starting from the chin and lifted upwards. With these masks you lift out dead cells and even facial hairs and blackheads. These are practical for all types of skins from normal to dry as well as combination skins.
Oatmeal Mask
Oatmeal is great for soothing sunburn as fine as for exfoliating. Plug an old sock with oatmeal and swish it in your bath water; once it's softened up, you can then scrub your body with it.

1. Get a good cut.
This is hardly a secret but it is true that some women take a good haircut for granted. They do not know is that a trim is able to ensure that your hair is free from damaged split ends that can make it look dull and dreary. Having regular trims will keep your hair looking great and healthy at all times.
2. Hydrate your hair.

Some people are not probably aware that drinking water is not only essential for hydrating one's body and skin but it also does the same thing for your hair. Drink plenty of water and healthy fluids every day to keep your hair from drying up.
3. Avoid using too many products.
Limit your use of hair products to two to three items-shampoo, conditioner, and mousse or styling gel. Use only high quality items that have rich moisturizing formula that will not leave your hair dull and dry. Moreover, find a product that will be suitable for your hair type and texture. Go for those that have mild and gentle formula.
4. Protect your hair against heat.
Heat can also be a great hazard to your hair. Avoid going out into the sun in the hours of 10 am to 2 pm because this is when the UV rays are strongest and most harmful. Don a hat or bandana to avoid exposing your hair to the heat of the sun.

Moreover, use only high quality hair equipment such as CHI irons, Babyliss hair dryer, and so on. These products come with adjustable temperature setting so that you can control the heat and prevent your hair from getting cooked. Do not forget to use a heat protection spray prior to using any heat appliance.
5. Get plenty of sleep.
It is during sleep that a body recuperates to repair any damage including hair damage. Getting adequate sleep and rest will contribute to a healthier hair. It is a good idea to sleep on a satin pillowcase to avoid waking up to a fly-away hair.
6. Moisturize intensively.
Using an intensive conditioner once a week is effective in rejuvenating your hair and keeping it soft, moisturized and looking great. For a more efficient treatment, wrap your hair with a plastic shower cap after application of the conditioner and leave it on for ten to fifteen minutes before you rinse it out thoroughly.
7. Eat a proper diet.
Having a well balanced diet that consists of protein and essential amino acids is another great way of maintaining a healthy and glowing hair.

8. Use hair equipment properly.
Just because you bought a reliable Babyliss hair dryer does not mean you can do whatever you want with your hair because there is no risk of damage. Even the most advanced pieces of hair equipment need to be used carefully to ensure safety and efficiency. So make sure you read and understand the manual of the hair equipment before using.
A healthy hair is not something that only rich people or the celebrities from Hollywood can achieve. If you follow these terrific tips, you will be on your way to having a hair that is radiant and healthy.

1. The Pinta Island tortoise - Without argument, this turtle is one of the few species of Giant Galapagos tortoises and the rarest animal in the world since there is only one left alive. Lonesome George is the sole surviving member of the Pinta Island race, the giant tortoise being a symbol for the fragility of the Galapagos islands, and a constant reminder for vigilence and conservation of the species.

The species was considered extinct until 1971, when a lone example was located by rangers. Since then, the Charles Darwin Research Station has been searching for a female tortoise, even posting a reward of $10,000 to those that find one.
 2. Baiji (Yangtze River Dolphin) - With no more than a few tens of individuals, the dolphin is one of the world’s rarest mammals, and a victim of China’s breakneck economic growth, competing for food with the human beings. It has been driven to extinction due to the activity in 50 years,

this being the fourth time when an entire evolutionary line of mammals has vanished from the face of the Earth since the year 1500. The main reason for this fact are the numerous dams and barrages, built starting in the 1930’s, that have fragmented the population and reduced the amount of available habitat. There are news that the species is functionally extinct, experts still searching for members of the species. Fingers crossed!
3. The Vancouver Island Marmot - This marmot is found only in the high mountainous regions of Vancouver Island, in British Columbia, the Canadian Species at Risk Act listing it as endangered in May 2000. In 1998, the population reached an all-time low of 75 individuals, a captive breeding programme being started during that time.

In captivity, there are around 90 Vancouver Island marmots in four breeding facilities, while an estimated 30 members of this species live in the wild ibn 2004. The ultimate goal is to restore a sustainable population of 400-600 Vancouver Island marmots in the wild, so there’s still much to be done. 2005 was a successful year, with 150 individuals in captivity and over 44 pups born.
4. Seychelles Sheath-tailed Bat - Inhabiting the central granitic islands of the Seychelles Islands north of Madagascar,the bat is part of our list, being one of the most endangered animals since fewer than 100 are believed to exist in the world. It was once commonly found in Seychelles, but the species has undergone a dramatic decline in population during the mid to late 20th century.

More research needs to be done in order to understand how the species behave and what needs to be done in order to save them. Scientists believe that, with a heavy amount of effort, 500 individuals may be sufficient to guarantee long-term persistence of the population.
5. Javan Rhino - This scarce animal is one of the rhino species with fewer than 60 animals surviving in only two known locations: one in Indonesia and the other in Vietnam. Though once widespread throughout Asia, by the 1930’s the rhinoceros was nearly hunted to extinction in Peninsular Malaysia, India, Burma and Sumatra.

It was poached for its horn, that is believed to have medicinal uses, and driven to extinction to the intense agricultural practices. Even with all the conservation efforts, the Javan rhinoceros’ chance of survival is small: the population is reduced, hence there are risks of disease and inbreeding.

 6. Hispid hare - Also called the “bristly rabbit”, this hare has been recorded along the southern foothills of the Himalayanmountain chain, Nepal, , Bengal, and Assam. Deforestation, cultivation, and human settlement had the most negative impact on the species, isolating the rabbits in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,

West Bengal and Assam. This animal was feared extinct in 1964, but in 1966, one was spotted. There were an estimated 110 hispid hares worldwide in 2001, numbers continuing to plunge due its unsuccessful adaptation to captivity.
7. Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat - In the 19th century this species of wombat was present in New South Wales and Victoria but now can only be found in a small national park near Epping Forest Station in tropical Queensland. While this area has been protected as a National Park, the native grasses that the wombat eats are overtaken by non-indigenous plants.

The Northern hairy-nosed wombat is the rarest Australian marsupial, and probably the world’s rarest large mammal. In the latest population study, there are an estimated 113 (range 96 to 150) individual. A major recovery program is underway, funded by the Queensland and Commonwealth governments to the tune of $250,000 per year.
8. Tamaraw (Dwarf Water Buffalo) - Found in the the island of Mindoro in the Philippines, the tamaraw is the onlyendemic Phillipine bovine. In 1900 there were an estimated 10,000 tamaraw on Mindoro, 120 in 1975, 370 in 1987 . It was declared critically endangered species in 2000 by the World Conservation Union and remained so until today,

being threatened by agriculture, hunting or disease brought by domestic species. The current population was estimated in 2002 at a number between 30 and 200 individuals. Although protected by law, the illegal capture and killing of this species continues to occur.
9. Iberian Lynx - The Lynx, the most endangered of the world’s 36 cats, stands on the edge of extinction. This lynx was once distributed over the entire Iberian Peninsula but now its area is severely restricted in Andalusia. Threatened by destruction of habitat and of its prey, the cat was killed by traps set for rabbits or hit by cars as the number of roads increase.

The Spanish Government is now in the process of developing a national conservation effort to save the Iberian Lynx. Studies from March 2005 have estimated the number of Lynx to be as few as 100, down from about 400 in 2000. On March 29, 2005, the birth of 3 cubs, the first born in captivity, was announced, a hope for the future reintroduction of the species.
10. Red Wolf - This wolf is a smaller and a more slender cousin of the gray wolf, historically ranging from southeasternUnited States to Florida and Texas. Now, their home is the 1.7 million acres throughout northeastern North Carolina, including Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge and Pocosin Lakes National Wildlife Refuge.

Only 20 pure red wolves were estimated in 1980, however the number increased to 207 captive red wolves, found in 38 captive breeding facilities across the United States. With the successful breeding programs, over 100 red wolves currently live in the wild.

Calculate more
At first glance the Windows 7 calculator looks just like Vista's version, but explore the Mode menu and you'll see powerful new Statistics and Programmer views. And if you're clueless about bitwise manipulation, then try the Options menu instead. This offers many different unit conversions (length, weight, volume and more), date calculations (how many days between two dates?), and spreadsheet-type templates to help you calculate vehicle mileage, mortgage rates and more.
Don't take any Windows 7 applet at face value, then - there are some very powerful new features hidden in the background. Be sure to explore every option in all Windows applets to ensure you don't miss anything important.

Starting Explorer from
“My Computer”. If you spend more time manipulating files outside of the documents folders than inside, you might want to change the default starting directory for Windows Explorer so that it opens at the Computer node:
To do this, navigate to Windows Explorer in the Start Menu (it’s in the Accessories folder). Then edit the properties and change the target to read:
%SystemRoot%\explorer.exe /root,::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}

Desktop slideshow
Windows 7 comes with some very attractive new wallpapers, and it's not always easy to decide which one you like the best. So why not let choose a few, and let Windows display them all in a desktop slideshow? Right-click an empty part of the desktop, select Personalise > Desktop Background, then hold down Ctrl as you click on the images you like. Choose how often you'd like the images to be changed (anything from daily to once every 10 seconds), select Shuffle if you'd like the backgrounds to appear in a random order, then click Save Changes and enjoy the show.

Protect your data
USB flash drives are convenient, portable, and very easy to lose. Which is a problem, especially if they're carrying sensitive data. Fortunately Windows 7 has the solution: encrypt your documents with an extension of Microsoft's BitLocker technology, and only someone with the password will be able to access it. Right-click your USB flash drive, select Turn on BitLocker and follow the instructions to protect your private files.

Windows Vista-Style Taskbar.
I wasn’t initially a fan of the Windows 7 taskbar when it was first introduced in early Windows 7 builds, but as the design was refined in the run up to the beta, I was converted and now actively prefer the new look, particularly when I’ve got lots of windows open simultaneously. For those who really would prefer a look more reminiscent of Windows Vista, the good news is that it’s easy to customize the look of the taskbar to more closely mirror the old version:
To achieve this look, right-click on the taskbar and choose the properties dialog. Select the “small icons” checkbox and under the “taskbar buttons” setting, choose “combine when taskbar is full”. It’s not pixel-perfect in accuracy, but it’s close from a functionality point of view.

The Samsung R610 is one of Samsung’s first offerings for the American market, and it makes an interesting statement. For a 16” laptop, it is relatively thin and light, measuring 1.25” at its thinnest point and weighing only 6lbs with a rather stylish design. At the same time, with a rather average Intel T5800 2.0GHz, 3GB RAM, a 250GB HDD and 512MB NVidia GeForce 9200M GS, it is lacking in features and performance that many other 16 inchers have. Read on to see if the R610 has what it takes to compete in the crowded 16-inch multimedia laptop market.

Case look and feel
The black glossy lid emblazoned with a small and centered silver Samsung logo is classy. If you can keep the fingerprints off of it, it lends an attractive air to the laptop too. A black trim surrounds the display and hides the integrated webcam almost completely. At the bottom of the display you’ll see a fairly muted Samsung logo near the even more subdued model number – Samsung has clearly gone to lengths to keep the look smooth and unmarred by too many shining logos or blinking lights. To that end, the only light above the keyboard is a small blue light on the power button, which is actually housed in one of the two speaker grills. The black edges move on to surround the keyboard but bleed into a deep garnet as they approach the far end of the wristrest, which is a nice effect. The keyboard itself is black with standard white lettering, and the touchpad is a normal looking black square bordered in silver. Along the side edges there are some dull port markings and in the front you’ll find the expected group of blue and green status lights. Overall, a sleek, but stylish effect pulled off rather well.
Size & Weight
When 16-inch laptops first started to appear with their 16:9 ratio screens, some of them were bulky models reminiscent of days yore. These days competitive models from the likes of Dell, HP, and Lenovo all weigh in the 6 lb range as the R610 does, but do it measuring as much as half an inch less. While it does seem a bit bulky when you wrap your hands around it, or if you sat it next to a MacBook or Lenovo IdeaPad Y650, Samsung was able to keep the weight down to only 6.2 lb so that it’s not too cumbersome to tote.
Keyboard and touchpad
The keyboard is full sized and, much to our joy after recently reviewing the keyboard-impaired IdeaPad Y650, even boasts a full numeric keypad. It looks like some of the keys are just a tad smaller than they had to be to make this fit, but none of the usual culprits – backspace, shift, tab – are shrunken at all, so maybe it’s just in our mind’s eye. The R610 conveniently manages to sneak in a second function key above the right arrow to go along with the one on the left side of the keyboard, but it’s not perfect, as the home/end and pgup/pgdn keys share space with the number pad. While it’s only nitpicking to complain about the size and placement of any keys, and there is little to no flex anywhere, the overall feedback on the keyboard could be nicer. The touchpad is comfortable but doesn’t support multi touch functions, and the buttons, while easily pressed, are a little on the noisy side

Display quality
With a 1366x768 resolution, the R610 is set for widescreen viewing but a far cry from the 1920x1080 found on many other 16” laptops. Resolution aside, the display quality is fine. The LCD is plenty bright, and the horizontal viewing angles are good, though the vertical viewing angles could be a little better. The screen is glossy which goes along well with the overall glossy look of the laptop, and improves the color quality as long as the brightness is high enough to counter the glare.
Connectivity
The connectivity is pretty standard fare, with an array of ports laid out in a pretty traditional fashion. The R610 gives you an HDMI port and enough USB ports, but no FireWire, Blu-ray or really anything else of much note.

A good memory can help you ace a test, work a crossword puzzle, and figure out complex computer programs. But can your lifestyle affect your ability to remember?
"It reduces memory performance. It reduces your ability to pay attention to things," says Dr. Charan Ranganath, associate professor at the University of California at Davis.

 get enough sleep. While you rest, your brain's two memory systems -- the hippocampus and the neo-cortex -- talk to each other.
"Sleep is very, very important to consolidate information that we learned the day before," says Dr. Eric H. Chudler, associate professor in the department of bioengineering at the University of Washington in Seattle.
"Social stimulation, for one thing, will get you more alert and aroused," says Dr. Ranganath.
One report showed talking to another person for just 10 minutes led to significant improvement on memory tests. Researchers say pets count as companions, too.

Also: try neurobics.
"The truth is, the brain is like a muscle, because the more you use the brain, the more effective it is," says Dr. James McGaugh, neurobiologist at the University of California, Irvine.
The idea is to challenge it in unexpected ways. Try brushing your teeth with the opposite hand, closing your eyes to find your keys in your purse, or reorganizing your desk.
"Anything that you can do to engage the brain is going to make the brain work a little better," says Dr. McGaugh.
Researchers who followed nearly 500 people for 21 years found that ballroom dancing was the most protective physical activity. It reduced dementia risk by 76 percent.
"The adage that you can't teach an old dog new tricks really isn't true," says Dr. Chudler.
Researchers say nutrition is also important for a good memory, but there's no scientific proof that supplements like ginkgo biloba or other popular vitamin blends work.
They also say crossword puzzles and games like Sudoku can't hurt, because anything that challenges your brain and keeps it active is useful.

BACKGROUND: You spend your whole life forming memories, but your ability to remember them starts slipping away as early as age 25. Researchers say one reason is a shrinking region of the brain called the hippocampus. This area has been linked to dementia and stress disorders. In a recent study, researchers examined the size of the hippocampus in brains with Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and no memory problems. They found patients with smaller hippocampi and higher rates of shrinkage in the brain area were two- to four-times more likely to develop dementia. Only one in 200 people live past the age of 90 without developing dementia. The good news is research shows there are ways to reclaim memories.

MUSIC: A recent study found the region of the brain where past memories are supported and retrieved is also the place that links familiar music, memories and emotion. That region is called the medial prefrontal cortex. In the study, each participant recognized about 17 out of 30 music samples, and about 13 of those brought back a strong personal memory. "When you're hearing one of these pieces of music that's evoking these memories, the memory is unfolding in time," Petr Janata, associate professor of psychology, told Ivanhoe.

NICOTINE: Following earlier research showing the memory benefits of nicotine in rats, researchers conducted a small study involving 80 Alzheimer's patients who were given a pill containing a compound that stimulated nicotine receptors on the brain. After taking the pill once a day for eight weeks, the patients performed better on tests of long-term memory, working memory and speed of cognitive processing. A recent animal study also found nicotine may help dementia patients retain their memory for as long as an additional six months.

BRAIN GAMES: A study being conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California and the University of California, Irvine, suggests people who spend three hours or more of their day doing certain mentally-involved activities like card games may be at reduced risk for developing dementia. The study is one of a select few that provides scientific evidence to support the benefits of these types of games on memory.

Today, after many rumors about the release date of Zune HD (some rumors claimed that it would be launched at the beginning of September), Microsoft stopped all these speculations. The Redmond company announced to the whole world the Zune HD would be available in United States from September 15, 2009. It is not a surprise because, anyway, September was always the expected month for this launch.

Recently, many blogs and news websites have been mentioning this interesting portable media player that has captured the interest of hundreds of people around the world, due to the expected features and design. In this way, the expectation caused a lot of rumors and even a picture of a display stand was leaked yesterday on a website without having official confirmation. So, apparently, there are a lot of potential buyers.

The cost per unit of the upcoming Zune HD will be about $220 for the version that can storage up to 16GB. On the other hand, the 32GB version will cost about $290. And some people think a 64GB version could be launched too, but there is no official word about that.
At the moment, these prices are confirmed only for United States. But, of course, there will be new announcements about the launch of this gadget (and its prices) in Europe and other regions around the world.