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Showing posts from January, 2019

Finally! Here’s When to Use “Everyday” Versus “Every Day”

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Every day you wake up, hop in the shower, get dressed, drive to work, and eat the same everyday breakfast of a bagel with cream cheese.  This sentence exhibits the proper usage of both every day and everyday .  From context clues, someone might be able to glean each definition, but a refresher is always appreciated. “Everyday” vs. “every day” have their own unique usages, and both belong to different parts of speech. If you’re already confused, read up on these other  confusing rules in the grammar world . Everyday is an adjective used to describe something which is standard, commonplace, or habitual. You may say that a peanut butter and jelly sandwich is an everyday meal, but that doesn’t necessarily make it literally something that you eat every day. Generally speaking, everyday is going to precede a noun in a sentence. For example, “His everyday headband was reliable, always keeping the sweat off his brow.”  Every day is an adverbial phrase referring to something which is

23 Vitamin D Benefits That Can Save Your Life

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Let the sunshine vitamin in Vitamin D is called the sunshine vitamin because our bodies produce it in response to sunlight. Given valid concerns about skin cancer and premature aging, we tend to slather on sunscreen—which protects skin, but also limits the ability to produce vitamin D. This also limits the vitamin D benefits we absorb. “Most doctors recommend spending about 15 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen to give your body a chance to create its daily dose of vitamin D,”  Michael Holick, MD , professor, and director of the Vitamin D, Skin and Bone Research Laboratory at Boston University Medical Center says. You can also get it from milk and other types of dairy, and some breakfast cereals which are fortified with vitamin D.  The post 23 Vitamin D Benefits That Can Save Your Life appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2S1Qxfx

13 Conditions You Think You Have—But Probably Don’t

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Gluten sensitivity A spate of celebrities may swear otherwise, but gluten isn’t the devil. In fact, one recent study found that 86 percent of people who thought they had a gluten sensitivity—characterized by gastrointestinal issues like bloating, diarrhea, joint pain, fatigue, and “brain fog”—didn’t actually have one. Only around 6 percent of the population has a sensitivity to this protein found in wheat and many processed foods, while a very small 1 percent have celiac disease. So, if it’s not gluten, what is it? Some possibilities include lactose or fructose intolerance, an overgrowth of bacteria in the small intestine, gastroparesis from diabetes, IBS, or another underlying health condition. The post 13 Conditions You Think You Have—But Probably Don’t appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2ShLKFX

17 Breads You Can Make in a Cast-Iron Skillet

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Jalapeno Buttermilk Cornbread If you’re from the South, you have to have a good cornbread recipe. Here’s a healthier version of my mom’s skillet cornbread. —Debi Mitchell, Flower Mound, Texas Get Recipe The post 17 Breads You Can Make in a Cast-Iron Skillet appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2GcgiT4

This Is the Best Time of the Week to Buy a Car

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Buying a new car isn’t a purchase you should take lightly. It’s a big investment, and doing your research can help you be more confident in your decision. One of the things you should make sure to take into consideration is the day of the week you head to the dealership. To get the best deal possible, you need to have the salesperson’s full attention. You’ll want to go look at cars when the showroom isn’t crowded. Since most people have off on the weekend, Saturdays and Sundays tend to be very crowded. That means the middle of the week is the best time to buy a new car. Try to get to the dealership on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. If you’re nervous about the car salesmen giving you a hard time, here’s how to outsmart them . “Saturdays are notoriously high-traffic days at dealerships, as many people are off from work,” says Richard Reina, product training director at the aftermarket auto retailer  CARiD.com and experienced car salesman. “Mondays can also be busy and are often ref

10 Migraine Remedies That Are Proven to Work

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Works for nearly everyone: A very low-fat diet It is possible to find migraine remedies within your diet. In an  study  published in the journal of Nutrition, Metabolism, and Cardiovascular Disease , participants followed an extremely low-fat diet (where less than 10-15 percent of their calories came from fat each day) for 12 weeks. At the end, nearly all reported having at least 40 percent fewer headaches. When they did experience pain, it was 66 percent less severe, and the migraines were about 70 percent shorter. That said, other research and studies also show there might not be as much of a significant difference in migraine relief between low-fat and moderate-fat dieters. Other diets could also potentially work well including low-carb or omega-3-rich diets, per the National Headache Foundation . The post 10 Migraine Remedies That Are Proven to Work appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2xdXShF

This Is the Safest (and Fastest!) Way to Remove Snow from Your Car

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Nothing’s worse than having to wake up early on a snow day to clear the buildup off your car. But if you’ve got to do it, you might as well do it right and do it fast. Here’s how. You should also know the things you should never, ever keep in your car in the winter . Step 1: If you park your car in the driveway, prepare for the storm before it starts by backing out as close to the street as possible (without blocking the sidewalk, of course). That way, you’ll have less driveway to shovel out in order to get on the road. Step 2: Shovel the wheels out before moving on to the rest of the driveway. While you’re focusing on the lower half of the car, check that your tailpipe is clear of snow. A blockage could cause deadly carbon monoxide gas to fill the interior once the car is turned on. Step 3: Grab a foam brush or non-abrasive snow broom and start removing snow from the car gently. “Common damage from improper snow removal are scratches in the paint,” Bryan Burgess, owner of a det

12 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Use Butter

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Keep mold off cheese Why waste good cheese by letting the cut edges get hard or moldy? Give semi-hard cheeses a light coat of butter to keep them fresh and free of mold. Each time you use the cheese, coat the cut edge with butter before you rewrap it and put it back in the fridge. The post 12 Ways You Didn’t Know You Could Use Butter appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2GiTykF

10 Things in Your House That Could Be Making You Sick

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Your dirty bed sheets There’s something delicious about falling into a cozy bed after a long day, but the icky details about dust mites dwelling in your bed sheets may leave you opting for the couch instead. According to refinery29.com , the average person sheds roughly half an ounce of dead skin every week, which stays in your sheets and becomes prime feeding material for dust mites. The fecal matter and other debris they leave behind can lead to some scary effects, exacerbating eczema, seasonal allergies, skin irritations, and more. To keep these critters out of your snooze space, be sure to wash your bed sheets in 60-degree water at least once a week. The post 10 Things in Your House That Could Be Making You Sick appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2UuMzZv

The Oxford English Dictionary Forgot to Include This Word for 50 Years

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The dictionary is probably your go-to source for checking facts and spelling. But these little (or rather, big!) books have a surprising history of inaccuracy. Now, there’s one more thing that dictionary devotees need to watch out for: missing words. Take the first edition of the Oxford English Dictionary ( OED ), for example. Assembling the OED was a chaotic and disorganized process, and the staff spent nearly 70 years cataloging and defining all 414,825 words. As a result, many terms were misplaced in the shuffle. It’s somewhat of a miracle, then, that only one word managed to slip through the cracks completely: bondmaid, which means “a slave girl.” If you’ve never heard of it, we don’t blame you; this word is not commonly used today. The term was most popular in the 16th century, dating all the way back to a 1526 translation of the Bible. But when the first volume of the Oxford English Dictionary was published in 1888, this ancient word was mistakenly omitted. Check out these

A Total Stranger Braided This Woman’s Hair in the Hospital, and Now the Story Is Going Viral

10 Secrets of People Who Age Gracefully

Experts reveal tricks to keeping your youthful glow with each passing year.  from Beauty - Health.com http://bit.ly/2Sll1bC

Is Lip Balm Addiction a Real Thing? We Asked Dermatologists

Almost Half of U.S. Adults Have Heart Issues

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The increase from the figure reported a year ago is largely due to the change in the official definition of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association reports. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2DMBttg The increase from the figure reported a year ago is largely due to the change in the official definition of high blood pressure, the American Heart Association reports.

8 Low-Calorie Cocktails That Will Help You Stick to Your Healthy Eating Goals

Could Gut Bacteria Be Linked to Dementia Risk?

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The study found only that a group of dementia patients had different gut microbes from dementia-free adults, one expert noted. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2Sm4m7K The study found only that a group of dementia patients had different gut microbes from dementia-free adults, one expert noted.

Generic for Popular Asthma Inhaler Gets FDA OK

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The new inhaler is approved for twice-daily treatment of asthma in patients 4 and older. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2RWYfHE The new inhaler is approved for twice-daily treatment of asthma in patients 4 and older.

Medical Scribes Could Help Improve ER Care

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Medical scribes do administrative tasks, such as documenting visits while a doctor evaluates the patient, printing out paperwork and arranging tests and appointments. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2BbZ2KG Medical scribes do administrative tasks, such as documenting visits while a doctor evaluates the patient, printing out paperwork and arranging tests and appointments.

7 Mediterranean Diet Dessert Recipes to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

How to Get Rid of Excess Skin After Weight Loss

What Works to Help Teens Quit Vaping?

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Teens addicted to vaping must rely on methods that have been shown to help tobacco quitters, but it's not clear that those methods will be useful when it comes to e-cigarettes. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2ScVjWQ Teens addicted to vaping must rely on methods that have been shown to help tobacco quitters, but it's not clear that those methods will be useful when it comes to e-cigarettes.

Study: Breakfast Not Key to Weight Loss After All

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Eating a hearty breakfast doesn't help people eat less later in the day, and those who have breakfast end up eating more calories each day, the review found. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2GewCTi Eating a hearty breakfast doesn't help people eat less later in the day, and those who have breakfast end up eating more calories each day, the review found.

FDA Fast-Tracks OTC Naloxone for Opioid Overdose

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It is the first time the FDA itself produced a drug facts label and performed safety testing to help rush a product to market. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2Uxuryq It is the first time the FDA itself produced a drug facts label and performed safety testing to help rush a product to market.

A Bottle of This $8 Blemish Solution Sells Every 8 Seconds

10 Unfortunate Typos You Won’t Believe Were Actually Printed

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In an ad for kids’ learning software… An ad displayed in shopping malls for Creative Kids Software read: “So Fun, They Won’t Even Know Their Learning.” Don’t miss these 10 funny typos found in famous books . The post 10 Unfortunate Typos You Won’t Believe Were Actually Printed appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2zfYb8P

These Were the Four Words Princess Diana Said Before She Died

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The horrifying car accident that killed Princess Diana in 1997 shook not only her country, but the world. As rumors swirled about what   caused the crash, eyewitnesses came forward to share their stories. The final words they heard from the princess emphasize how tragic that fateful night was. (But it’s only part of the timeline of what really happened in the last weeks of her life .) In one of the first detailed accounts in the wake of the accident, French doctor Frederic Mailliez told the Times of London that he’d started treating Princess Diana, not realizing at the time that he was in the presence of royalty. As Diana struggled to breathe, she let out cries of pain and kept repeating how much she hurt until losing consciousness, Dr. Mailliez said. Other reports at the time specifically claimed she’d shouted, “Oh my God, leave me alone.” Meanwhile, rumors like these 18 conspiracy theories about the royal family started circulating. Even today, new stories are still emerging.

Here’s How Queen Elizabeth II Found Out About Princess Diana’s Death

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Queen Elizabeth II and Princess Diana had their fair share of ups and downs that were much like an actual mother/daughter relationship. Even though Prince Charles and Princess Diana had officially divorced the year before, it didn’t mean that Diana’s death was any less of a loss for Britain’s monarch. British author, Ingrid Seward, who covered the royal family for 18 years, unearthed the heartbreaking details of what went down in the royal household on the tragic morning of August 31, 1997, in her book The Queen & Di . Here’s how Princess Diana really spent the final few weeks of her life . The Queen was soundly asleep at Balmoral Castle, her summer home in Scotland, when she was awoken in urgency by one of her aides during the wee hours of the morning. She wrapped herself up in her old-fashioned sleeping gown to meet her son, Prince Charles, in the corridor. He informed her that Princess Diana and her lover at the time, Dodi Fayed, had gotten into a horrific car accident in Pa

This Is How Long You Should Be Keeping Your Tax Returns

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Everyone is trying to cut down on clutter, but some paperwork is important to keep—at least for a while. Take tax returns, for example. How long should you hold on to them to avoid running afoul of federal authorities? Well, it depends. The general rule is that you should keep those tax returns—and all their supporting documentation—until what the Internal Revenue Service calls “the period of limitations” runs out. “Tax documents can include receipts, bank statements, 1099s, and more,” Dr. Cozette M. White, an accountant and tax resolution expert at White Tax Services LLC in Oxnard, California, tells Credit Karma . “If you’re one of the unlucky few to be audited, these records will be vital to fending off the IRS.” So what’s a period of limitations? That’s the time frame during which you can either amend your tax return to claim a refund or when the IRS can charge you an additional tax. The period of limitations can differ depending on your circumstances, but here are some guidelin

The Truth Behind So Called “Negative Calorie Foods”

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For someone attempting to lose weight, there’s no legend more alluring than the notion of negative calories. We investigate this unicorn diet trend… and find the truth. What are negative calories? The idea is simple: eat something crunchy enough that the act of chewing it burns more calories than are consumed—or eat something that’s mostly water so just digesting it offsets the calories. From this information springs the idea that it’s possible to feast on certain foods free of guilt—negative calorie foods. What foods are allegedly negative calorie? Forums across the Internet promote various snacks as “negative calorie foods,” among them celery, grapefruit, and chili peppers. The reality The truth? Like most glaringly attractive weight loss schemes, it’s fictitious. You simply can’t burn net calories by eating. It’s much easier to burn calories doing other activities such as exercising. According to the Mayo Clinic, our body only spends 5 to 10 percent of its total en

10 Reasons Apple Cider Vinegar Weight Loss Works

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Apple cider vinegar helps to control blood sugar There are all sorts of suggestions out there for how to lose weight—and adding apple cider vinegar (ACV) to your diet might be one that actually works. How? An apple cider vinegar weight loss plan affects how blood sugar is regulated, according to a study by Carol Johnston, PhD, at Arizona State University. “Her research provides evidence that drinking vinegar before eating actually led to a decrease in change of blood glucose post meals,” says Tanya Zuckerbrot MS, RD, New York City-based registered dietitian, best-selling author, and founder of the F-Factor Diet . “Drinking apple cider vinegar before a carbohydrate-filled meal can reduce blood sugar spikes that would usually occur after eating.” And that’s not just good for weight loss—it’s good for your overall health, too. Learn some more amazing health benefits of taking apple cider vinegar . The post 10 Reasons Apple Cider Vinegar Weight Loss Works appeared first on Reader'

Vaping Beats Patch, Gum in Helping Smokers Quit

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Going “cold turkey” with no nicotine can make it difficult to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Having some kind of nicotine replacement improves your chances of quitting, a study author said. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2DKRu32 Going “cold turkey” with no nicotine can make it difficult to deal with withdrawal symptoms. Having some kind of nicotine replacement improves your chances of quitting, a study author said.

Great Workouts Boost Brains, Even in the Young

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Researchers found that aerobic exercise increased participants' overall fitness as well as their so-called executive function -- thinking skills that are key to reasoning, planning and problem-solving. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2Us8K2D Researchers found that aerobic exercise increased participants' overall fitness as well as their so-called executive function -- thinking skills that are key to reasoning, planning and problem-solving.

Arctic Blast A Threat to People With Alzheimer's

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"This type of weather can be hazardous for everyone, but even more so for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, who may have difficulty noticing temperature and weather changes or knowing who to call for help," said Charles Fuschillo Jr., CEO and president of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America. from WebMD Health https://wb.md/2B7guj5 "This type of weather can be hazardous for everyone, but even more so for individuals living with Alzheimer's disease, who may have difficulty noticing temperature and weather changes or knowing who to call for help," said Charles Fuschillo Jr., CEO and president of the Alzheimer's Foundation of America.

Finally! A Definitive List of What Those F1 – F12 Keys Do

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Haven’t you always wondered what those little keys at the top of your keyboard do? You’ve probably only used them to adjust your volume or screen brightness, but they actually do a lot more. Keep in mind that some of these keyboard shortcuts are different depending on the type of computer you have. You are also able to change these features, and some computers come with pre-set functions for these keys that you have to change manually. Here are 9 hidden symbols you never knew you could text . So before slamming the keyboard in frustration trying to get them to work, go into your settings and see how your computer has been set up. Pressing the fn button with the F keys will typically enable them to work. These 11 other keyboard shortcuts will make your life easier . Here’s the answer to the mystery of those F keys. You’ll be surprised by how much they can do. F1 Opens help menu when pressed with Windows button Hides/displays ribbon menu in Excel and Word when hit with Control but

Here’s Why Trader Joe’s Bananas Only Cost 19 Cents

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If you’re ever looking for a cheap snack, Trader Joe’s bananas  do not  disappoint. Their 19-cent bananas are certainly a steal of a deal, on the same caliber as Costco’s $4.99 rotisserie chicken and their $1.99 slice of pizza. Nineteen cents for a snack is pretty hard to beat, and it’s all thanks to one honest customer. In an episode of the new podcast “Inside Trader Joe’s,” the company’s CEO Dan Bane shares a story of a short conversation he had with an older customer in Arizona. Before the birth of the 19-cent banana, Trader Joe’s used to package up bananas in bags containing four or five bananas. Here are 9 other things that you should really only buy at Trader Joe’s . One afternoon a woman was looking at the packaged bananas but decided to not take a bag for herself. Dane stopped the customer and asked, “Ma’am, if you don’t mind me asking, I saw you looking at the bananas, but you didn’t…put anything in your cart.” “Sonny,” she replies, “I may not live to that fourth banana.”

9 “Facts” About Bed Bugs That Just Aren’t True

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Bed bugs are microscopic Just because you don’t catch bed bugs crawling around on your blankets doesn’t mean they’re too small to see with the naked eye. In fact, the reddish-brown pests are about the size of an apple seed, says Natalie Bungay, a technical officer with the British Pest Control Association . The real reason you normally can’t spot them is because they don’t want to be seen. “They’re quite evasive and good at hiding in cracks and crevices,” says Bungay. “Initially they might be hard to detect because they’re hiding away.” Watch out if you live in the city with the worst bed bug infestation in America . The post 9 “Facts” About Bed Bugs That Just Aren’t True appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http://bit.ly/2S1lHDR

Case Closed: This Is the Cola Brand That Tastes the Best

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The Coke vs. Pepsi Debate It seems like the Coke vs. Pepsi debate is one that will never be solved. Everyone has their favorite and they tend to stick to it. But, when was the last time you actually tried the other brand? Did you always just drink what the people you grew up with drank, or have you actually tried both and decided that one is far superior? This is the real difference between Pepsi and Coke . Our sister site, Taste of Home , set out to find some clarity. They formed a panel of  Taste of Home  testers to give all of the brands a try. For this blind test, they gave eight cola brands a try: Blue Sky Cola Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, Mexican-style (there is a difference!) Faygo Cola Fentimans Curiosity Cola Pepsi RC Cola Sam’s Cola (from Walmart) Let’s see how all these colas stacked up and settle the debate (hopefully) for good! The post Case Closed: This Is the Cola Brand That Tastes the Best appeared first on Reader's Digest . from Reader's Digest http

This Fast-Food Chain Invented Kids’ Meals—It’s Not McDonald’s

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Most fast-food and fast-casual restaurants have a kids’ meal or menu, but none are as iconic as the McDonald’s Happy Meal. How can you not be happy with your meal when it’s served to you in a fun-shaped box and comes with a free toy? But as recognizable as the Happy Meal is, it wasn’t the first of its kind. In fact, McDonald’s didn’t even invent the concept of a kids’ meal. The fast-food chain behind the genius idea was Burger Chef. Never heard of it? That’s not surprising. Burger Chef hit its stride back in the 1960s and early ‘70s and even gave McDonald’s a run for its money. Unfortunately, it hit a fast decline after a couple of failed lawsuits. Hundreds of locations closed, and Hardee’s bought out the remaining ones in 1982. The last Burger Chef franchise closed in 1996. Yet in its heyday, Burger Chef made drastic improvements to the fast-food industry—not the least of which was the invention of the kids’ meal in 1973. The Fun Meal, as the chain called it, included a small burg

This Is the Real Reason Grocery Store Rotisserie Chicken Is So Cheap

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It’s one of the oldest bits of kitchen advice in the books: If you want to save money, skip convenience foods and cook from scratch. This is true for a batch of brownies (about 39 cents for homemade but more than $2 for a boxed mix) and cut fruit (a pineapple is only $2.75 per pound vs. $4.28 if it’s precut), and especially for ready-to-eat meals, which tend to cost nearly twice as much as the ingredients you need to make them. But there’s one food where this rule doesn’t apply: rotisserie chicken. Here are  14 other grocery store items you’re better off making at home . That’s right: In most grocery stores, the average whole, raw chicken is actually  more  expensive than its spit-roasted equivalent. Savings aside, it seems to be a much better deal for any busy shopper to invest in a finished dinner—one that doesn’t need to be cleaned, stuffed, seasoned and roasted at home. So why are rotisserie chickens so inexpensive? Well, it turns out there’s a secret behind your pre-roasted pou

This Couple with Down Syndrome Proves That Love Has No Limits

Why Elon Musk Thinks It’s OK to Walk out of Meetings

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Elon Musk basically runs a small empire. The fact that he’s CEO of multiple successful companies ( Tesla , SpaceX , Neuralink , The Boring Company , to name a few) means that he has great time management skills and knows how to manage his employees to work as efficiently as possible. But, one of the rules Musk uses to keep everyone on schedule is something that might get you fired if you tried it at your job. See if you can solve this brainteaser that Elon Musk asks in interviews . That rule: walk out of a meeting if you’re not adding any value to it. Musk isn’t a huge fan of meetings and he believes that too many can prevent growth. He wants all of his employees to be aware of how valuable their time is. If an employee has been invited to a meeting and realizes a few minutes in that they won’t be of any help to resolve the issue at hand, they should get up, leave, and get back to accomplishing a more important task. “It is not rude to leave, it is rude to make someone stay and wast

These People Donated Millions After They Died—But No One Knew They Were Rich

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Whenever Jane Lockshin went out to lunch with her elderly aunt Sylvia, she made a point to pick up the tab. After all, Sylvia Bloom was a modest secretary, a widow of more than a decade who lived in a one-bedroom Brooklyn apartment and took the subway everywhere, including to her job at a Manhattan law firm. She worked there—
­full-time—­until she was 96. Simply put, Lockshin didn’t want Aunt Sylvia to blow her budget on lunch. So when Bloom died in 2016, at 97, it was something of a shock to discover that she’d left behind a multi­million-dollar estate. Almost as shocking: She had chosen to give $8.2 million to charity. Six million dollars went to educational programs at the Henry Street Settlement, a social services organization in New York City. An additional $2 million went to scholarship funds, including at Bloom’s alma mater, Hunter College. “She had millions,” says Lockshin, “and no one suspected it.” Bloom’s bequest to the Settlement, the largest in its 126-year history, wil