A Pound of Butter

There was a farmer who sold a pound of butter to the baker. One day the baker decided to weigh the butter to see if he was getting a pound and he found that he was not. This angered him and he took the farmer to court. The judge asked the farmer if he was using any measure. The farmer replied, amour Honor, I am primitive. I don't have a proper measure, but I do have a scale." The judge asked, "Then how do you weigh the butter?" The farmer replied "Your Honor, long before the baker started buying butter from me, I have been buying a pound loaf of bread from him. Every day when the baker brings the bread, I put it on the scale and give him the same weight in butter. If anyone is to be blamed, it is the baker."

An Unexpected Life Lesson From A Cab Driver

A taxi driver taught me an unforgettable lesson in customer service and satisfaction. I realized that motivational speakers charge hundreds of dollars to share this kind of lessons to corporate staffs. However, it only costs me a $10 cab ride.

I had a business trip to Dallas that time so my plan included a fast trip to and from the airport. A neat white cab pulled up and the taxi driver rushed to open the passenger's door for me. He also see to it that I was comfortably seated before he gently closed the door. As he got into the driver's seat, he told me that a neatly folded newspaper can be used. He then showed me several CDs and asked me what genre of music I would like to listen to.

How to cut down on sugar in your diet

Our love affair with sugar can mean that many of us are getting too many calories, which is one of the causes behind our ever-expanding waistlines.
Most of us could do with eating less sugar, particularly added sugar. But many habits, especially ones we like, are so hard to kick.

Dietitian Alison Hornby says: “Identify the sources of sugar in your diet, and decide what to cut out completely and what to cut down on.
“You don’t need to cut down on sugars found in fruit or dairy products because these foods contain lots of nutrients that are good for us.
“It’s the food high in added sugar, such as fizzy drinks, which contain lots of calories but few other nutrients that we should be trying to consume less of.”

Caffeine: The Silent Killer of Success

This week's tip for improving yourself is the most simple and straightforward method I've provided thus far. For many people, this tip has the potential to have a bigger impact than any other single action. The catch? You have to cut down on caffeine, and as any caffeine drinker can attest, this is easier said than done.
For those who aren't aware, the ability to manage your emotions and remain calm under pressure has a direct link to your performance. TalentSmart has conducted research with more than a million people, and we've found that 90 percent of top performers are high in emotional intelligence. These individuals are skilled at managing their emotions (even in times of high stress) in order to remain calm and in control.

Top 5 Reasons That Make The Skin Oily

People with oily skin often blame it on the greasy food they ate last night. But eating oily food has absolutely nothing to do with oily skin!!

Everybody loves shiny hair, shiny cars and glittery jewellery! But a shiny face doesn’t receive the same appreciation. Yes, oily skin not only affects your beauty, but can be frustrating too. It can easily ruin your makeup and can be a big pain to deal with. At times, it is embarrassing too and can shatter the self-confidence. There are many people who have oily skin, and even don’t know the reason behind it, and always look for the perfect solution to get rid of it.

But, do not let oily skin keep you down and spoil your appearance, here are the top 5 common reasons that makes the skin oily.

This What Happens When You Leave Bottled Water in the SUN.

As if you needed another reason to avoid bottled water except in cases of, say, a history-making drought or a poisonous algae bloom in your municipal water supply, you can start worrying about how long that bottle’s been sitting around in the sun.

A recent University of Florida study has found that the plastic most commonly used in water and soda bottles can release antimony and bisphenol A (the dreaded BPA) if it’s exposed to heat over a long period of time.

BPA became a popular bogeyman about five years back when scientists discovered that some plastic containers could leach the compound into their contents. Although the FDA claims that it is continuing to study BPA for potential health risks, it has currently concluded that “BPA is safe at the current levels occurring in foods.”

Buying Guide: Fragrances & Perfumes

Shopping for new perfumes and fragrances can be tricky if you're not sure how to explain the scents you like. Talking about a fragrance can be as difficult as describing a glass of wine, with so many different layers of scents becoming noticeable as you enjoy it. This fragrance buying guide from BambooNaija.com will show you how to identify the fragrances you are looking for and understand eau de parfum and eau de toilette concentrations, too.
We are trying to make buying perfume and cologne easier, even when you're shopping online and can't physically smell the scents.

Ten (10) Ways To Stay On Top Of Emerging Technologies

The pace of change in the technology sector seems to accelerate at an ever-increasing rate. Here are 10 ways to keep up with new and upcoming technologies.

1: Watch the consumer space

Most of the recent innovation is happening in the consumer space, particularly around what could broadly be called mobile (smartphones, tablets, consumer-oriented cloud services, connected cars, gaming, etc.). It's no longer appropriate to ignore consumer technologies as not "enterprise grade." Everything from the iPhone to personal cloud storage got its start in the consumer space and then migrated to the enterprise. Ignore the consumer space at your peril.

6 Reasons Men Should Watch Where They Look

Men like to look at pretty ladies. Groundbreaking discovery, I know…
For a Christian guy – i.e., a man who follows Christ wholeheartedly and seeks to live with integrity as a result – this desire presents problems. When a pretty lady passes us on the sidewalk, something inside drives us to look – once, twice, even thrice, or more.
This looking “twice, thrice, or more” is cause for concern. It seems harmless (you’re not touching or having an affair, right?), but what’s at the heart of it? Before you label me prudish or legalistic, read on.

Get Low: Deep Squats Are the Best Squats

The humble squat might just be the most effective exercise you can do: It engages the entire lower half of the body, including the hips, glutes, quads, hamstrings, and calves, while also hitting the core, shoulders, and back. A perfect squat is a symphony of muscular coordination throughout the entire body, achieving the rare feat of simultaneously building muscle and burning fat thanks to its high metabolic demand (read: it burns a lotta calories because it works a lotta muscles). But how low should you go?

Let’s end the suspense: The perfect squat is a deep squat, with the hip crease going all the way past the knees (or “ass to grass,” as some eloquently put it). Deep squats recruit more muscles, burn more calories, and are particularly good for building a nice, strong butt. (And who doesn’t want that?) But there’s a lot more to this exercise than one might think. It’s not just important to stretch—without a strong core, loose shoulders, an engaged back, and high mobility, the risk of injury multiplies.

10 Signs You Are Enjoying And Not Enduring The Single Life

1. You wake up and sleep alone without feeling miserable. You love having the bed all to yourself and not being awakened by someone else’s snore or noise.

2. You would rather hang out with your friends, or visit a family member than go out on a date with someone you don’t see a future with.

3. You are genuinely happy for your friends who are getting married or having a baby. You know that you too will have your time. It may not come soon, but you are confident and you trust in God’s perfect timing.

4. You have been in some not so good relationships, but you never lose hope in love. You know you have made mistakes in the past like everyone else. You know too, that these mistakes are nothing but
lessons to make you a better partner in the future.

Ten (10) Inspirational Marriage Quotes

1. “Unless it’s mad, passionate, extraordinary love, it’s a waste of your time. There are too many mediocre things in life. Love shouldn’t be one of them.” – Dreams for an Insomniac

2. A Husband can love his wife BEST when he loves God FIRST.

3. I love you. You annoy me more than I ever thought possible. But I want to spend every irritating minute with you.

4. “A Perfect Marriage” is just two imperfect people who refuse to give up on each other.

The Handwriting on The Wall

A weary mother returned from the store,
Lugging groceries through the kitchen door.
Awaiting her arrival was her 8 year old son,
Anxious to relate what his younger brother had done.

"While I was out playing and Dad was on a call,
T.J. took his crayons and wrote on the wall!
It's on the new paper you just hung in the den.
I told him you'd be mad at having to do it again."

Garden Egg Useful for Weight Reduction – Nutritionist

Hajiya Jummai Hassan, a nutritionist with Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, has said that garden egg also known as eggplant could help to reduce body weight.

According to Hassan, eggplants also referred to as “aubergine’’ had low calorie, low sodium and low protein, was high in dietary fibre and potassium.
“Egg plant is a fruit but it is classified under vegetables, if you really want to lose weight you should eat fresh garden egg.”


“When you take garden egg, it fills the tummy because of its fibre content and it helps reduce the food you consume, thereby reducing the calories and body weight.’’

Insider Threats Still Pose Major Problems For Enterprises

A survey sponsored by SpectorSoft shows that insider threats are one of the most challenging security issues to deal with for a majority of enterprises. 

SpectorSoft, a user activity monitoring and analysis software firm, recently commissioned a survey to identify the top issues surrounding "insider threats" and identify some best practices to deal with those threats. The SpectorSoft 2014 Insider Threat Survey revealed some interesting facts about how enterprises are dealing with the challenges associated with insider threats.

One of the most reveling aspects of the survey is that the majority of enterprises can neither detect nor deter insider threats, making them especially vulnerable to fraud, data breaches, and intellectual property theft. The survey, which tallied the opinions of some 355 IT professionals, showed that some six in ten respondents are not adequately prepared to deal with insider threats.

Energy level: Boost your energy

If you are feeling tired and sluggish lately (go to bed tired and struggle to get up in the morning), your energy level is low metabolism needs a boost. The National Institutes of Health defines metabolism as “all the physical and chemical processes in the body that convert or use energy.” To improve your stamina and general health, avoid trendy supplements and energy drinks that claim to perform metabolism miracles. Instead opt for these time-tested tips to keep your body’s engine humming:

Belly fat: How to lose belly fat fast

Belly fat is the most dangerous type of fat. Belly fat is linked with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. Specifically it is the deepest layer of belly fat —the fat you can’t see or grab — that poses health risks. That is because these “visceral” fat cells actually produce hormones and other substances that can affect your health (e.g. increased insulin resistance and/or breast cancer risk).

The fact that “visceral” fat cells are located right next to and in-between organs in your abdominal cavity doesn’t help. For example, fat next to the liver drains into it, causing a fatty liver, which is a risk factor for insulin resistance, setting the stage for Type 2 diabetes.

CARROTS: Healthy Habit that Keeps You Trendy

Carrots provide the highest amount of beta-carotene -Vitamin A- among the list of vegetables . Carrot is an edible root vegetable. It gains high respect in Western and African countries as it has been regarded for its outstanding nutritional and medicinal values.
Carrot offers an excellent source of beta-carotene. Many studies have shown that carrots provide us the highest amount of beta-carotene among the list of vegetables we always consume every day.

In our body, beta-carotene is converted into Vitamin A, which assists in improving our eyesight and the functioning of our immune system, strengthening our bones and teeth, along with preventing possible problems with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Vitamin A also has positive effects on our hair, nails and skin.

Bionic Arm Restores Sense of Feeling

Igor Spetic and his new prosthetic hand

Advances in bionic hands have restored a sense of touch to two patients for more than a year, report US scientists.

The men can now delicately pluck the stalks out of cherries.
Sensors on the artificial hand are used to send signals directly to the nerves, the study, published in Science Translational Medicine, said.
Meanwhile, a Swedish team has made a separate breakthrough in artificial limbs - anchoring bionic arms directly on to the bone to improve control.

4 Practical Steps for Changing Mental Habits

We are essentially a collection of habits. That sort of statement is not intended to minimize our complexity, but when human beings become "human doings" our thinking and behavior is informed more by structure and ritual than randomness. At times we can find these patterns to be somewhat unproductive and, at others, wholly destructive. When confronted with either circumstance, we are also provided with an invitation to change.