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What is the toll of the quest for perfection?

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In general, most people often like to fantasize. We like to imagine worlds where toil and poverty doesn’t exist, where diseases, eradication and wars are a thing of the past; worlds where we are the controllers of our lives, without the presence of any over-bearing individuals pushing us around. That’s one of the main reasons behind why we like playing video games, watching movies (even though it’s the same Hollywood themes and lines each time) and reading books. However, after we come down from this high, reality slaps us in the face with a resounding thud. We continue the  endless cycle of eating, sleeping, working etc. and if we’re lucky, we realize that we’re stuck in a never-ending loop with no way out. To alleviate boredom in our regular lives, we often set our sights on perfect goals and figures, that are not so perfect in reality. In our mind’s eye, we often shape people into how we want to see them as, and proceed from there. For example: most people look towards celebrities and public figures as the epitome of perfection and derive a sense of joy from admiring them and seeing them succeed. However, humans are imperfect beings and when celebrities act or behave in a certain way (good or bad) that’s off from people’s perceptions of them, people are outraged and shocked…while not realizing that placing people on pedal-stools never ends well. “Realizing that the people around us are human and capable of moral turpitude will go a long way towards warding off any prospects of disillusionment…” or disappointment in the future. Aside from celebrities, our search of perfection in others (ones whom we can moon over) has negative connotations for that chosen person as well. Living under extreme pressure from people’s expectations can cause undue stress and an eventual breakdown.

People are, and always will be, riddled with flaws, and trying to seek for a perfect human being (i.e. in one’s child) is not feasible or advisable. In order to create an immaculate world, its major inhabitants (humans) need to be faultless as well. Simple acts that bring us happiness such as arts and culture will need to be abolished as it excites the creative processes of the brain…when all is needed is a functional body with a brain meant to focus on only one task. The truth of the world itself needs to be secreted away as the truth can open many minds to the possibilities of another life being there for them.  Science, technology, religion, and relationships, among other things, need not be in a perfect world filled with peerless individuals. However, in getting rid of the things we so hold dear (human companionship and interests), we are destroying the inherent things that make us human beings. An identity lost can be a terrifying thing indeed. All humans, regardless of ethnicity, race, gender or sex, need love, respect and creativity and if the basic things that make us human are taken away, then we are left nothing but a shell…a dreary existence indeed.

As George Orwell best puts it, “The essence of being human is that one does not seek perfection.” To seek perfection is not advisable, as it results in sacrificing the basic principles and ideas that define our humanity, and results in unhappiness from all around us.  In the end, the best thing we can hope to be at the end of the day is ourselves, and embrace our humanity as tightly as we can for our life is a wonder in itself.

Featured picture taken from flickriver.

Calgary’s best Boba: Chinatown’s Pearl House

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My favourite, taro coconut :)
My favourite, taro coconut 🙂

Those who know me will know that my favourite summer drink is not a slurpee or slushie of any kind. Rather, my all time to die for favourite is bubble tea, or boba, a Taiwanese tea-based drink which is commonly made using black or green tea, milk, and either fresh fruit or powder for flavour. Bubble tea usually comes with “pearls” in the beverage, that is, tapioca balls or sometimes jelly cubes are used instead. While to some this may sound a little weird, bubble tea is actually quite similar to a slurpee, in that it is served cold and has the same slushy consistency. Bubble tea comes in a variety of fruity and delicious flavours, including popular favourites such as mango, strawberry, honeydew and more. While the “pearls” may seem a little daunting to some, most of my friends who I’ve compelled to try boba end up liking them in the end. However, if you’re still not convinced, you can always ask to have them left out.

My absolute all time favourite place to get bubble tea, and believe me I will come all the way to Chinatown from the south solely for this purpose, is a place in Chinatown’s Dragon City Mall called Pearl House. Located on the main floor right next to the staircase, Pearl House has been my first choice for bubble tea since I first tried theirs in Grade 8 (thats going on five years now). Even after having bubble tea at countless cafes, vendors and Vietnamese restaurants over the years (I

Pearl House's extensive boba menu
Pearl House’s extensive boba menu

went through a phase where I had bubble tea at least once a week!) Pearl House remains my all time favourite. I swear they have virtually hundreds of choices, and when I first bring a friend to Pearl House they usually just stare at the menu, mouth agape, while I go up and order my all time favourite combination- taro and coconut, which until recently I had only ever come by at Pearl House. Pearl House’s selection is phenomenal, as is the quality of the product they serve. As a seasoned bubble tea enthusiast, I have experienced an assortment of mediocre bubble tea; drinks that were too milky, had too much powder, too little powder, had hard, stale pearls, pearls that had beenpearl house soaked in honey or sugar (too sweet, bleh!), and even one time pearls that had been soaked in coffee (I’ll never forget this bubble tea, I got it in West Ed; the pearls made the entire drink taste faintly of coffee. I like coffee, just not in my bubble tea!). Every time I have been to Pearl House, my drink has had a lovely, smooth sweet taste, with ice blended to the right consistency (no large chunks) and fresh, chewy pearls, unflavoured and unobtrusive, hail: the perfect bubble tea!

Welcome to Fort McMoney – Remember to Breathe

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An image used on Fort McMoney – Remember to Breath campaign (From Indiegogo)

No, this is not an actual Travel Alberta Campaign. It’s a parody all about the Alberta Oil sands. You probably know, as Albertans, oil is the biggest thing in our economy. Travel Alberta’s real slogan is “Remember to breathe,” but with our tar sands and the pollution it leaves behind, do we really want to breathe all that in?

Andy Cobb and Mike Damanskis are film makers in Los Angeles who are raising money for a documentary about the reality of the tar sands and what is actually happening behind the scene. Do we actually know what’s happening in our backyard? With all the destructive mines growing and expanding every day, how can we protect our environment?  Should the government be promoting Alberta to the world to come see our beautiful environment, while trying to hide the messes rich companies leave behind?  What do you think?

Want to help them or donate or read more?  Click HERE now! (Welcome to Fort McMoney – Remember To Breathe!)

Want to read more about all that mess?

Law Firm Behind Removal of YouTube Tar Sands Satire Fundraiser Tied to Big Oil (Desmog Canada)

Big Oil Just Can’t Take a (Tar Sands) Joke (HUFF POST)

Top 10 Facts About the Alberta Oil Sands (Desmogblog.com)

Video: Toxic Tar Sands (Forest Ethice)

 

Alberta’s Tar Sands, Before and After (Photo Credit: Garth Lenz)

tar_sands_before_after

 

 

 

 

 

Three reasons why PC gaming is better than console

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What do you think is better, playing your favourite game on a PC or console (like Xbox, Playstation or the Wii)? I have three reasons that lead me to believe that PC Gaming is better than console.

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1.  PC hardware: Keyboards and mice are compatible to different hot keys. For example, you can change the controls from the arrow keys to a WASD setup in a first or third person shooter. On a console, keys are welded onto their set button and can rarely be changed. Another bonus of this is mouses and keyboards with extra programmable keys can even be used to control not just where you are aiming, but also movement in an first or third person shooter. There are endless possibilities of different controls with  modifiable and programmable keys. Lastly but not least many games are compatible with Xbox as well as PS3 controllers.

137588104813610762. Games can be purchased and downloaded without requiring you to go to a  store like EB games. Games can be purchased through programs like Steam, which allow you to buy a game and download it. Steam also hosts a few online servers for their games and allows for you to communicate with friends through chat as well as voice chat. Another program similar to this is Origin. Origin is a program very similar to steam but only contains games made by Electronic Arts. Origin also allows for voice chat. The main positive thing about these programs is that games are much cheaper on them and also save you the time and effort of having to go to a store.download (2)

3. For many games, modifications are created by players. This cannot be done on console due to the lack of modification software. There are lots of mods available online for poppular games. For example, Minecraft contains many mod-packs created by players that still require you to purchase the game. Skyrim has mods that range from weather and lightning to building your own house. The best thing about these mods is that they are all free.

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I believe PC gaming is much better than console gaming. What do you think?

After the “happily ever after”

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Many of the Disney princess movies were based on tales from the Grimm brothers’ popular folk tales, such as “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Rapunzel,” and “Cinderella.” The brothers (Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm) were born in the late 1700s to a large family undergoing difficult times (as lots of families were). Adding to the extenuating circumstances, when the brothers penned their fairy tales, Germany was undergoing a period of political chaos and revolts from the proletariat, which added extra gruesomeness to the original tales (when compared to the unrealistic situations/characters the Disney franchise creates for its fairy tale movies).

In this new perspective on Disney princesses by Dina Goldstein, the seemingly perfect female figures from the popular Disney tales face real life problems, and are placed in a more realistic situation that today’s audience can identify with.

snow white“Snow White struggles to keep her head above water with several kids, and a prince who can’t find work.”

rapunzel“Rapunzel, famous for her long blond locks, lost her hair after she was diagnosed with cancer.”

belle“Belle, from ‘Beauty and the Beast,’ is obsessed with looking younger.”

cinderella“In real life, perhaps Cinderella never would have found her prince.”

ariel“Ariel from ‘Little Mermaid’ trades a vast ocean for an aquarium.”

little red“Little Red Riding Hood faces real issues such as obesity.”

pocahontas“Pocahontas is placed as a lonely ‘cat lady’.”

princess and the pea“The princess (Princess and the Pea) is perched atop a stack of mattresses in a polluted landfill.”

sleeping beauty“Princess Aurora sleeps soundly as Prince Philip lies on her beside, old and weary.”

jasmine“Princess Jasmine  is depicted as a modern warrior carrying a huge gun in the middle of a war zone.”

Sources:
Daily NewsMail OnlineList Verse

Is Las Vegas youth friendly?

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Beautiful Evening In Vegas
Beautiful Evening In Vegas

When you first hear “Las Vegas” you automatically think of sin city, but is that really the case? Is Las Vegas just for adults 21 and over? Is the city just for gambling, drinking and partying?

After travelling back to Vegas for another thrilling family trip, I was determined to find an answer: Is Las Vegas Youth Friendly? 

In the first five minutes of arriving in Vegas, I had already passed by dozens of slot machines just in the airport. But along with the smell of cigarette smoke, that’s to be expected in Vegas. As I began to take everything in, I realized there were a lot of families with teens at the baggage claim, and that is when the question arose in my head… Is this a popular family destination? Is Vegas youth friendly after all? 

As my vacation went on, I began to believe that it is. There are many family-friendly activities like incredible shows (for all ages), attractions, shopping and more.

Amazing Cirque Du Soliel shows take place daily and vary from the creepy, pins-and-needles Zarkana at Aria to an uber-popular, new Michael Jackson tribute show at Mandalay Bay. Without a doubt, it is thrilling to watch the acrobats in action. It almost seems unreal, like you have entered another universe.

MJ Live, a Michael Jackson impersonator with an uncanny resemblance to the King of Pop himself in looks, attitude and talent performed at the Rio. He blew me off my feet and brought me to tears while I took a moment to reflect on the original MJ’s talent. It was an outstanding show.

Michael Jackson Impersonator... MJ LIVE
Michael Jackson Impersonator… MJ LIVE

What else can teens do in Vegas? Walk on the strip, of course! The strip is full of tourist activities and walking through the hotels themselves take you to a different country, planet or world.

The architecture is beautiful. The Paris Las Vegas has an Eiffel Tower replica, which you can take a ride on. From the top you can see all of Vegas, take pictures and enjoy the breath-taking site. Pictures and selfies are an epidemic that runs through all teens. What can be better than taking a selfie on an imitation of the Eiffel Tower?

Eiffel Tower Ride
Eiffel Tower Ride
View Of Vegas, from the mini Eiffel Tower.
View Of Vegas, from the mini Eiffel Tower.

The best part is all the hotels have themes, and most have shops and mini-malls within them, along with a buffet that matches the theme. It’s like you are travelling to several different countries by just exploring the strip.

Teens love to shop, there isn’t any place better than Vegas’ outlet malls! I spent two entire days shopping. Everything was so cheap and affordable and the best part was… it’s designer! There is no better place in the world to shop for back to school clothing than Vegas. I brought back a whole new wardrobe… ooops! 😛

Without a doubt Las Vegas is youth friendly. You get be spontaneous and explore. I didn’t want to leave, and if I had the chance I would hop on the next flight back. Love you Vegas.

The works behind the fire

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Some of you may have been fortunate enough to enjoy the fabulous array of fireworks Sunday night at the grand finale of GlobalFest 2013. But have you ever stopped and stared at those pretty lights in the sky and wondered how these fireworks actually work?

GlobalFest 2013

I am not just talking about the meager firecrackers or the ever-so traditional sparklers that we see at almost every birthday party. The fireworks that I am referring to are the pyrotechnics of the aerial sort; the ones that grace us with their emphatic presence and leave us all with our jaws gaping down to our knees. Any type of fireworks have the same foundation. Gunpowder, most often including potassium nitrate or any other type of oxidizer, is employed to create the explosion or the much acclaimed “bang” upon ignition. The vibrant colors that we see are the cause of inflamed metal salts. These compositions may include, aluminum, zinc, magnesium, iron, or zinc. This method also creates the ‘sparkling effect’ that is displayed.

Check out this cool video of the burning of different metals/elements to create different colours.

What makes aerial fireworks unique from the structures of fire crackers, sparklers, etc. is that they have an exterior shell. Four elements conform this shell: a container, stars (like the ones you see on sparklers), a bursting charge (similar to the source in a firecracker), and a fuse. For a more detailed description on each of these individual segments, check out http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/fireworks1.htm. This shell is then projected into the air by a mortar that contains a lifting charge. Even though the shell may be ignited, it is delayed from lighting up fully due to the fuse in the shell that allows the firework to explode at just the right altitude. Besides the rudimentary workings of the shell, there are different types of shells as well. For example, a simple shell may just be a single tube filled with a multitude of stars. The exterior of these stars will burn once the shell explodes. This causes the wonder wheel of light that we commonly see. Multibreak shells break in several phases. This simply allows for more controls on the visual effects of the fireworks (i.e. brightness, color, etc.).

Diagram of simple firework
Diagram of simple firework

In order to construct the various patterns of the fireworks in the sky, the ratio of stars and their organization within the shellhas to be contemplated accordingly. To see the assortment of the diverse types of multibreak shells and how they appear in the night sky, go to http://science.howstuffworks.com/innovation/everyday-innovations/fireworks2.htm.

From the composition used to establish the exuberant colors and brightness to the wondrous shapes of the fireworks, the workings of fireworks are clearly a ‘banging’ performance in and out of itself.

Other featured links include: http://www.planet-science.com/categories/over-11s/technology/2011/11/how-do-fireworks-work.aspx

To the left, to the left

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Interesting facts about being left-handed

I guess it could be called being “left” out of the loop when I say I only recently became aware of International Left-handers Day, which occurred on Aug 13. Though it’s been a few days since, I’d thought it be interesting to share some interesting facts about all the lefties out there.

To start with the basics, lefties makes up 15 per cent of the population, with males being more likely to be left handed.

On a biological level, left handed people have an advantage with brain development. Both sides of the brain develop in greater equality, allowing for increased flexibility in information processing.

Tying in with the biological advantage, there is also a lot of research stating that due to this, left handed people are also smarter than right handed people. However, “smart” is a subjective term- many lefties are found to be more creative than righties, though not necessarily more intelligent scholastically.

Supporting the notion that lefties are more creative than righties, of the first Mac designers, four out of the five of them were left handed. Props to the one right handed designer – he certainly still had the right idea, though! (Excuse the pun).

Left handed people also have the upper hand (ha, ha) when it comes to sports- because the two sides of their brain were more well balanced during development, they are at a greater chance of experiencing ambidexterity, or the ability to use both hands proficiently. This also makes them better at video games, which to a teenager would be great, but to a parent (or opponent), would be quite the opposite.

However, like anything, there are some downsides to being left handed. For starters, writing on a whiteboard or with an extremely soft pencil leaves nothing behind but, well, nothing. Lefties are also more apt to be alcoholic and be accident prone. This would be a wonderful time to blame my overuse of puns in this post as an example of an accident associated to being left handed. Except, there’s only one problem- I’m not left handed. Too bad. I’ll blame it on lack of sleep and too much internet for now.

Information sources:

Cool, Lisa C. “Weird Facts About Lefties.” Weird Fact About Lefties. Yahoo! Health, 6 June 2013. Web. 23 Aug. 2013.

“Dr. Oz Answers Your Questions.” Oprah.com. The Oprah Winfrey Show, 1 Jan. 2006. Web. 23 Aug. 2013.

Jay. “Left Handed Facts and Statistics [infographic].” Daily Infographic RSS. N.p., 2 June 2011. Web. 23 Aug. 2013.

 

 

 

 

Video of the Day: Chris Koch

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVW5nMNUS8w

He might not be as popular as Nick Vujicic, but Chris Koch isn’t someone to sneeze at. The Nanton man recently climbed all 802 Calgary Tower steps under half an hour, in order to raise money for the Calgary Zoo to rebuild after the devastating floods. The 34 year old was born without arms and legs, but that didn’t stop him from attempting this personal challenge. When I saw this story on the news, I was immediately humbled and felt a boost of determination towards my future prospects. If Chris can attempt a task that may seem of gargantuan proportions to him, then why can’t one attempt something that might seem like a far stretch to them? There’s no harm in trying and as Chris re-quotes the old English adage, “Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”

Chris’s donation page is accepting donations till Sept 1, 2013 after which donations can be given directly to the Calgary Zoo’s donation page.

Featured image was taken from the Calgary Sun.

The Timelapse Tales: A Blessing from the Rockies

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One of Western Canada’s tourism magnets, the Canadian Rocky Mountains attract great admiration for its pristine images. They are exhilarating, and so is this video –

This timelapse was shot by Doug Urquhart in Vancouver and in Banff, Jasper, and Yoho National Parks. You can watch other timelapses I’ve shared by clicking here. Enjoy. 🙂

Pictures of the Day: Dominican Republic

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Here in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, the beach and coastline is just one word: beautiful. While we saw some of the poverty that is common throughout the Dominican Republic, I just wanted to take a moment to show readers some of the gorgeous views of the ocean that we have here. Each night, I hear the waves splash into the beach beside my balcony; this is such a good location to be blogging to my friends back home.

DR3 DR2 DR1

Subs n’ Bubbles under the sun

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SunsNBubbles

Subs N’ Bubbles under the sun…. well, cross out the bubble part. As I mentioned in my Sunfest post, I’m going to be chronicling how I ended up eating a Bulgogi (in this context, Korean marinated pork) Vietnamese submarine sandwich despite already had a snack at the volunteer headquarters… nah, that’s wasn’t what I said. Now that you’re here though, let’s go ahead with the review and of course induce hunger with close-ups of a Viet sub, food truck style.

Subs 'n' Bubbles on Urbanspoon

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I love the cartoon characters because their humourous actions draws attention from passerbys!
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Too bad the butter chicken sub wasn’t available.
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Yes, that’s our star for the day!

Here in Cowtown, satay beef/chicken or lemongrass chicken tend to be the most common meat options for what is known as a Bánh Mì sandwich. With that in mind, a bulgogi sub option sounded like a food truck innovation to me, especially since I’ve never seen Korean and Viet cuisine fused together (I could be wrong).

In terms of sizes, your sub comes with the option of having a 6-inch or a footlong sub, something you don’t see often in restaurant offerings, although I think that the small price difference more or less justifies getting the bigger size. The available toppings like pickled carrots are mostly everyday fare, but in addition, jalapenos are added into the mix as well (just don’t blame me for not having the guts to try it).  The only gripe I have though is that cheese costs extra; I believe it was $1 more, but the price escapes me at the moment.

Yes, let’s get to showing you the real footlong deal instead of having you read my nondescript text description.

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Through the first bite, the baguette was toasted to perfection with a nice balance, although they don’t appear to carry an option of having white or brown bread. As I got to the meat, however, despite being very flavorful, it didn’t quite taste like bulgogi, lacking the sweet taste and aroma (from the pear sauce in the marination process). I would personally say that it leans closer to a satay flavor more than anything. This one isn’t necessarily a bad buy; it’s just that it falls short slightly of its name. The toppings are excellent as always with Viet subs.

I read on their Facebook page that they offer Saskatoon berry bubble tea, so I guess it’s just that I wasn’t lucky enough and should try to chase them down. Anyways, here are the ratings

Service – 4/5 – Above average service.

Food – 3.5/5 – In terms of how it fared as a bulgogi sub, I would give it a 2.5. On the other hand though, in terms of the sub as a whole and putting that fact aside, I enjoyed the sub to its fullest and would give it a 4, so I suppose the 3.5 reflects a bit of both.

Value – 4/5 – The average price point for a Vietnamese sub that I’ve seen is around $6, so while this is slightly more expensive, it’s not a deal breaker or anything.

Food truck character and design – 5/5 – I wanted to showcase you the food first, but the cartoon creations on the truck who are eating subs and have cups of bubble tea on their hands are adorable! I enjoy the humorous almost caricature-like figures, especially the astronaut who has a worried look on his face in the first picture. With a lighthearted name comes a lighthearted image, I suppose. 🙂 This is one of the more creative designs I’ve seen, simliar to the Family Fry Guy truck design where the food they offer is cleverly featured.

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Online media is making us stupid

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In this 21st century, it is uncommon that we, the younger generation, ever encounter situations in which we really need to engage the mind. With the obvious exception of schoolwork, instead of going outside and using our imaginations as we did in our early youth, we spend most of our leisurely time using the internet, video games, and our cell phones.

What happened to a brain that was not engaged for an extended period of time
What happened to a brain that was not engaged for an extended period of time

I am an avid Vsause watcher on YouTube. Michael’s newest video tackles the curiosity of the human state of boredom. In that video, he mentions the case of a girl whose father negligently and cruelly locked her in her room  for the first 13 years of her life, while restricting human contact of any sort (resulting in excruciating extended boredom). I was intrigued, so I further researched the girl. She was unable to learn language, because the receptors and neurotransmitters in her brain shut off. I immediately linked this to our modern society.

Although not as severe as the poor girl’s case, we often find ourselves bored and disengaged with the world. I find that the smartest of my friends, who seem to never be distracted from schoolwork and simply get it done, are the ones who limit their internet usage. I did some more research on this topic and learned quite a lot.

According to Nicholas Carr of BigThink.com, the brain likes to be efficient. As it’s strengthening the paths that you’re exercising, it’s weakening the connections that supported old ways of thinking. We begin to lose the facilities that we don’t exercise. Our brain is qualitatively neutral;  it doesn’t care what it’s strengthening, as long as it adapts to the things we do the most often.

The unfortunate, true modern spin on Maslow's hierarchy of needs.
The unfortunate, true modern spin on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

The use of online media enhances our visual cognitive abilities so that we are able to keep track of lots of things at once, but we lose the ability to pay deep attention to one thing for a sustained period of time and filter out distractions. The ability to pay attention is also connected to our ability to built memories. It is a physical process, but it translates directly into your emotions and day-to-day activity. He mentions that deep concentration is important, and is the deepest and most distinctly human way to contemplate, as opposed to multitasking.

So, even if it may be in a miniscule way, are we losing what makes us human? The age of enlightenment did not require the use of Google or Bing (hahaha just kidding; who uses Bing?); in fact, if Galileo was able to access Google, he may have been lazier and not as inquisitive and brilliant as he was. Maybe we’re doomed to not have another age of enlightenment ever again, just due to the fact that we don’t need to be enlightened—heck, all the information ever known to man is available at your fingertips, why bother learning anything new?

So, to conclude, my Internet addiction probably explains my mild ADD and inability to do math problems for more than 10 minutes at a time. If you’re really willing to make a change in your life for the better, I would suggest turning off your screens for good and opening up those textbooks. Stay smart my friends.

 

Harvard graduate Nicholas Carr explains:

Michael from Vsause tackles boredom

TLC documentary on Genie the Wild Child; skip to 9:15

SourceFed: 7 signs you’re addicted to the Internet

Understanding LoL #2: Starting Items

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Hello summoners! New to the game? Have no fear!

Understanding LoL (League of Legends) is a series of posts that I will create in the next few weeks talking about small aspects of the game rather than mechanics. This includes champions or items to buy. Today, we’re talking about starting items in the game.

League-of-legends-logo

Following the starting items that Riot tells you to build is usually a good idea, but since League is a constantly adapting and evolving game, the starting build that Riot gives you won’t always work. Read below as I explain the most common starting builds and how useful they are.

Terminology:
MS – Movement Speed.
Farming – The act of amassing gold (killing minions, champs, etc.)
Summoners – Short for Summoner Spells.
Ganking – Essentially the act of ambushing an enemy to kill them.
ADC – Attack Damage Carry.
AD/AP – Attack Damage/Ability Power.
MR – Magic Resist.
Trading – The act of taking and recieving damage (since you are “trading” damage), basically a skirmish.
Pots – Usually short for Health Pots since Mana Pots aren’t often bought. The Red/Blue Elixirs are not called Pots, they are called Elixirs.
Snowballing – Getting a huge advantage early game to “snowball” uncontrollably into late game.
Sustain – How much you can sustain yourself (ie. HP regeneration, armor, lifesteal, etc.)

Starting Item

Boots + 4 Pot
Boots_of_Speed_itemHealth_Potion_item
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An okay start but MS isn’t needed early game because early game is all about farming. There’s not really anywhere to travel early and you can get to most places with just your base MS and summoners, so I would opt for a different build unless your champ already has damage, sustain and great ganking potential already (ie. Renekton.)

Cloth Armor + 5 Pot
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A fairly safe build for champions going Top OR in some cases, such as against an AD assassin, Mid. This start is what most beginners should choose. The Cloth Armor can be built into a lot of useful items and you get a ton of sustain with 5 pots.

Doran’s Blade
Doran's_Blade_item

The go-to build for all ranged ADC’s. You should always be building this on every single ranged ADC to win trades and farm safely with the passive. One of the best starting and filler items in the game. You can also choose to build this on some AD’s if you feel aggressive.

Doran’s Ring + 2 Pot
Doran's_Ring_itemHealth_Potion_item
Health_Potion_item

Not a very commonly seen start because Mid Lane doesn’t have as many early game fights and trades as in Bot Lane. When playing in Mid, you should opt for other builds that will get you into Mid Game safer, but Doran’s Ring + 2 Pot has decent sustain and can win you some early trades if needed.

Doran’s Shield + 1 Pot
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Not really a good start. The health it gives is easily trumped by the much cheaper and efficient health pots in other builds. The damage block is very rarely used and the Doran’s Blade is usually much better in terms of sustain. You should only build this on certain champions such as Garen who already begin with great damage and sustain.

Crystalline Flask + Ward + 3 Pot
Crystalline_Flask_itemSight_Ward_itemHealth_Potion_item
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One of the best starts if you think you’re going to get dominated in lane. This build is more commonly seen in Top because it is one of the more dangerous lanes to play in because it is very vulnerable to ganks and early game harassment, but is still a very beginner friendly build that can be used in other lanes.

Machete + 5 Pot
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You usually always want to build this if you’re jungling (with an exception of some other champions like Hecarim) because it gives you sustain, damage and builds into other jungler friendly items. Completely useless anywhere else besides Jungle however.

Red Elixir + 3 Pot
Elixir_of_Fortitude_itemHealth_Potion_item
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Extremely aggressive and risky build. Never build this if you’re not confident in killing your enemy – the Red Elixir is for snowballing your lane and if you can’t get at least two or three kills on your enemy, you have wasted your gold. Usually seen Top Lane.

Special Mentions: Ruby Crystal, Sapphire Crystal + 2 Pot (only works for Ryze-ish), Null Magic Mantle + 2 Pot, Blue Elixir + 2 Pot, any combination of Mana Pots, Health Pots and Wards, Brawlers Glove + 2 Pot (only works for Tryndamere-ish), Long Sword/Amplifying Tome + 2 Pot (only works if your going stack items and you know you can pull it off)

Don’t build these.

Support Builds:
Visit a guide for your favorite support at Solomid.net or LoLpro and copy their starting builds. They’re usually a Regen Bead/Faerie Charm and a combination of Sight Wards, Vision Wards and Pots, but there isn’t really an exact static order.

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Hopefully this has given you some insight into the many varieties of starting builds you can buy at the beginning of the game. Determine which one is best for your current situation, and your early game will be that much better.

History:
Just a decent League player that’s been playing for three to four years.  Gold in Season 2, Gold in Season 3 due to laziness. Add Melonscoop if you wish.

Easy and delicious: Berries on a stick

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Hey guys, now that summer’s coming to an end, it’s time to take advantage of the sun while you still can. Today, I have one last summer snack recipe to share with you. The original idea of Berries on a Stick came from drinkthepink. It’s a delicious, simple, and nutritious recipe that you should definitely try.

All you’ll need for this recipe are fresh blueberries (or any berry of your choice), some miniature bamboo skewers, and Greek yogurt. Simply put the berries on a stick like a shish kabob and dip them in Greek yogurt to coat evenly. Place the skewers in the freezer until the yogurt coating firms up, and serve on a plate.

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Greek yogurt high levels of calcium and protein, and contains no saturated fats or cholesterol. This makes it incredibly beneficial to both the heart and the bones.

Berries are an excellent source of nutrients and vitamins and are low in saturated fats and cholesterol. Different berries contain different nutrients, but all of them are beneficial to your health.

Blueberries are a great source of dietary fiber, manganese, and vitamins C and K. This berry contains a high level of antioxidants which are great for the skin. The high vitamin K and antioxidants concentration makes blueberries a common ingredient in under eye dark circle treatment creams.

Raspberries contain high levels of phosphorous and calcium, as well as vitamins A and C. It is widely used as an ingredient in weight loss teas because of it’s high fiber contents.

Blackberries contain large amounts of potassium and copper, and is also a good source of vitamins C and K. This berry is recently noted for it’s ability to prevent cancer. Blackberries also contain a fair amount of vitamin E which is known for its positive effects on the skin.

Strawberries are noted, in a recent study, to contain more vitamin C than cucumbers. While 52g of cucumbers contain 1.5 mg of Vitamin C, 52 g of strawberries will contain 30.6 mg. Vitamin C aids collagen synthesis which slows down the aging process of the skin.

Overall, this snack is extremely healthy. Adding to the fact that it is absolutely delicious and takes almost no time to make, I suggest for you to definitely give it a try. Bon appetit!