Tattooed man obsessed with Guinness World Records has teeth removed to fit 500 straws in mouth

A man obsessed with setting Guinness world records has had all of his teeth remov
ed to fit nearly 500 straws and more than 50 burning candles in his mouth.

Har Parkash Rishi also had 366 flags tattooed on his body as part of the act.

The 74-year-old, who's set more than 20 records, calls himself Guinness Rishi.

He broke his first in 1990 when he rode a scooter for 1,001 hours with two pals.

His love of records has led him to perform bizarre acts, including delivering a pizza from New Delhi, India, to San Francisco, US, and gulping down a bottle of tomato ketchup in less than four minutes.

Rishi, who was born in a cinema in New Dehli rose to fame for having more than 500 tattoos on his body.

But the record holder, who is an auto parts manufacturer by profession, says his toughest feat was stuffing the straws in his mouth.

'Ghost' girl spotted in teenager's Snapchat selfie might give you nightmares

Bethany Harvey was taking a Snapchat image of herself and her nephew, but says she never expected a creepy presence to pop in for the snap

This spooky Snapchat selfie could be enough to put you off social networking for life.
It seems ghosts are quite the fans of cropping up on the photo-sharing app - and another has cropped up in the background of this picture.

Bethany Harvey was taking a Snapchat selfie of herself and her nephew, but says she never expected a creepy presence to pop in for the snap.

Bethany, from Northern Ireland, explained: "I was taking a picture on Snapchat of my nephew and I, but my sister jumped into the background so I captioned the picture 'photo bombed!'

"I set the picture as my story so everyone could see it."

But Bethany didn't notice anything amiss with the sweet snap until later that evening, reports the Irish Mirror.

"A friend of mine came to my house that night and pointed out what looks to be a woman with her hands folded on her knees in the background, baring in mind the picture was taken facing the living room door.

"Although we can't see the face of the figure the rest of it is as clear as day."

And Bethany is adamant that there was no one else in the room when the picture was taken: "There was nobody else in the living room at the time, except for the ghost girl in the purple dress."

She added that other weird occurrences have left her feeling spooked: "A lot of creepy things have happened in the house, I don't go into the living room in the dark anymore because I fear I might see something."

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/weird-news/ghost-girl-spotted-teenagers-snapchat-5313058#rlabs=4%20rt$category%20p$4

US government study suggests link between phones and cancer

Smartphones are the defining accessory of 21st century life. In spite of all the good work they have done, it appears they might be bad for our health.

A major multi-year study carried out by the US government and published on Thursday by the US National Toxicology Program found a potential link between smartphones and cancer. The study looked at how radio frequency radiation at frequencies used in US wireless networks affected rats. It has also reignited a debate that has raged on quietly for years as to whether phones are making humans ill.

Groups of rats used in the study were exposed to different intensities of radio frequency radiation. Some male specimens were found to exhibit low incidences of two different types of tumors, one in the brain and one in the heart. The more radiation they were exposed to, the more likely, it seemed, they were to develop cancer.

If you're among the 92 percent of Americans who own a mobile phone, your first instinct might be to become wary of your device. But there's no need to don your tinfoil hat just yet.

The study validates the concerns some scientists have expressed, but ultimately the question as to whether phones can cause cancer remains unresolved. This is far from the first time people have proposed the link. For every study claiming that phones are harmful, there is another suggesting just the opposite.

There are three main reasons that phones could be responsible for certain types of cancer, according to the US National Cancer Institute. Firstly, phones emits radio waves. It's thought that tissues near the antenna can absorb the energy from these waves. Then there is the exponential growth in smartphone use, which has raised concerns, as well as the increase in the number and length of calls people make.

"Given the widespread global usage of mobile communications among users of all ages, even a very small increase in the incidence of disease resulting from exposure to RFR [radio frequency radiation] could have broad implications for public health," reads the study.

The many studies that have been carried on this subject have ultimately been inconclusive, and experts like the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which is part of the World Health Organization, are yet to be persuaded definitively one way or another that phones are carcinogenic to humans.

For now, it's important to keep in mind that brain tumors are rare and there is no upward trend that shows a correlation between the growth in smartphone use and the number of tumors seen by doctors. In fact, according to the National Cancer Institute, the rates for the number of new brain cancer cases have actually been falling slightly every year for the last ten years.

7 Tricks For How To Learn Any Language In 7 Days

Do you really have to travel to another country to learn the language? The 10-language twins undertook the challenge of learning a language in a week in Berlin, their city of residence. What can we learn from how they learned?

 What’s possible in a week? If you dedicated seven days to the achievement of one goal, how ambitious could you make this goal? These were the questions that the multilingual t
wins Matthew and Michael Youlden posed themselves when they determined to learn Turkish in one week. They would attempt to liberate themselves from the distractions and responsibilities of modern-day life in order to cram eight hours of study time into their daily routine. Here are the seven things that I learned by observing some of the world’s most capable language learners.

1. Get To Know Why

Lesson learned: Clearly define your goal at the very beginning and then plot a route towards this goal’s achievement.
The twins set themselves the challenge of learning a language in a week in order to stretch themselves, and then it was a question of choosing which language to learn. Turkish presented itself as a natural option; there are nigh on 300,000 Turkish speakers in Germany’s capital, and the areas of Kreuzberg and Neukölln are dotted with stores adorned with signs in Turkish. Truly understanding one’s environment in these neighbourhoods requires one to first understand Turkish.

2. Get Sticky

Lesson learned: Map and label your immediate environment in the new language from the very first moment. You’ll build and reinforce associations passively while going about your daily life.
The first operational step in the twins’ learning process was to decorate the entire apartment with sticky notes. This had an almost ceremonial touch to it as the twins delved into dictionaries and proceeded to label everything with its corresponding Turkish name. Within the space of about an hour it was impossible to carry out any menial task, be it making a coffee or flicking off a light switch, without first being presented with at least three different words related to this action.

3. Get A Partner

Lesson learned: There are few better motivations than a peer with the same goal. Whether you’re motivated by competition or a sense of mutual responsibility, the mere presence of a learning partner is likely to exert just the right amount of pressure to keep you on track.

The importance of the other twin’s presence became immediately apparent as Matthew and Michael delegated responsibilities for rooms to decorate with sticky notes. This simple task was augmented by continuous little tests that they would spring on one another, and the fact that they split up their day slightly differently and studied different topics meant that each twin became a source of knowledge for the other; the question how do you say that again? was met surprisingly often with an answer.

The most extraordinary moment came towards the end of the week when the twins simply switched
their everyday conversations to Turkish, asking one another if they wanted tea or coffee, were ready to cook dinner or when they were going to leave the house the next day.

4. Prepare Mini-Motivations

Lesson learned: You need landmarks on your route towards your goal. These landmarks can consist of small challenges - real life interactions in the language, for example - which force you to prepare areas of vocabulary to overcome them. The gratification that will come with their completion will serve to spur you on to ever greater heights.

Matthew and Michael had numerous micro-challenges throughout the week. On the first day they were visited by a Turkish friend who greeted them in Turkish and complimented them on how quickly they’d picked up their first words and phrases.

They then learned the names of fruits and the numbers from one to a billion so that they could visit the Turkish market in Kreuzberg (although they refrained from purchasing nine hundred thousand kumquats). Displaying their haul after their first functional exchange in Turkish, they beamed with pride and a palpable sense of accomplishment before marching back home to study further.

read more: http://metropolmagazine.blogspot.com/2016/05/the-8-hair-mistakes-that-make-you-look.html

5. Eat The Language

Lesson learned: Find a way to tie everything you do to learning. Surround yourself with the food, the music and the films, so that even in your downtime you can prime your mind towards the language and perhaps trigger further areas of interest and motivation.

On our second visit to the brothers’ apartment 24 hours into the week, we found them sampling dozens of different kinds of Turkish snacks. Like kids staring at the backs of cereal packs before heading to school, the nutritional information and various special offers and competitions on the packaging were analysed during snack breaks. There was no moment of complete removal from the language learning process during the eight hours that the twins had allotted to it. The intensity ebbed and flowed, but it never dissipated entirely.

6. Use What You Already Know

Lesson learned: The greater the depth of processing, the more likely the information will be remembered. Find pleasure in drawing parallels and making comparisons between the language(s) you already know and your new language.

One of the twins’ most common phrases was, “ah, that’s a bit like in … ?” They were constantly using their existing knowledge to support the ever-growing knowledge of Turkish. Not only did this spark some energetic exchanges regarding the etymology of various words, but it also ensured new words would never be forgotten once woven into their web of associations. Even if you are learning your second language, you will likely come across words that share common origins with words in your native tongue.

7. Variation is the spice of life

Lesson learned: So you have your route plotted and an idea of your favored methods, but do remember to try new things; your new language has just as many sources as your native language.

The twins spent a lot of time engrossed in books or on their computers and apps, flicking and swiping their way through exercises eagerly, but at other times they were to be found searching busily for Turkish radio stations and write-ups of Turkish football games on the web.

There is no definitive method to learn a language, nor any tool or teacher that will single-handedly deliver you to the holy grail of fluency. Language is written, spoken, read and heard. Each of these areas is considered a core skill within which there are myriad potential inputs; would you restrict yourself to one in your native language? All too often, people enter their weekly language class to converse with their teacher, but then barely have any contact with other native speakers or the media being broadcast in their target language.

Try something new every day. Listen to a cheesy song, read a newspaper article from a newspaper whose politics differ from your own, write a story for kids, attempt some improvised theatre and talk to yourself while cooking. Spice it up and add some flavour to your language learning!

 

4 Fun and Educational Things to Do With Your Kids This Summer

Children are very malleable. As a parent, this is both exciting and intimidating. The good news is that you can point them in a positive and stable direction by teaching them educational lessons at an early age. And what better time to teach them than this summer?

4 Educational Experiences Your Kids Need This Summer

In the summer, kids are out of school and have plenty of free time. They can either waste this free time with mind-numbing video games or take full advantage of it by learning new things. As a parent, you’re a key facilitator in making the latter happen.

1. Learn a New Sport


Every child should learn to explore different sports at a young age. You shouldn’
t force a child to like a certain sport, or even stress over whether or not they’re good at it, but you should expose them to sports. There’s something very educational about learning the rules of competition, being part of a team, and coming to terms with your competitive spirit. Soccer is a popular sport for young kids, but don’t forget about baseball and basketball.

2. Learn How to Water Ski

Is there anything better than being out on the water? Well, maybe water skiing behind the boat. The thing about water skiing (and other water sports) is that it’s best learned at an early age. If you teach kids how to waterski when they’re young, it’ll become second nature to them. However, if you wait until they’re grown up, they may find it challenging. There’s no better time than summer!

3. Go Camping

Have you ever taken your kids camping? Camping is very educational for kids, and most of the time they love it. There’s just something about spending time outside, cooking dinner over a campfire, and sleeping under the stars that ignites a child’s imagination. Not to mention that they’ll learn a ton of valuable life lessons from camping trips. Start with a brief one-night trip in a commercial campground. If they enjoy that, you can move on to longer trips in the future.

4. Build a Tree House

Kids like to build things with their hands. However, if we’re honest, most of the stuff they make at school comes with a one-way ticket to the trash. Not that painted handprints on construction paper aren’t great, but kids need to understand the value in building something slightly more permanent. A tree house is a great option, because it takes time to build and can be enjoyed for years.
 

How To Organize Your Move

One of the most annoying experiences in life is moving to a new residence. There is so much to plan and do, and it often seems like you are still trying to pack and clean on moving day. Many people think that all they have to do is pack up their stuff and they are ready to move.

That is not the case. There are many other little details that must be taken care of throughout the process. It is a good idea to have a binder where you can keep all of the important information you will need before, during, and after the move. Here are the things that you should have in that binder.

     

Checklists

The more you have written down, the less likely you will be to forget anything. There are lots of printable checklists online that you can use. Reference these lists as you are preparing to move to make sure that you don’t forget something important. Your lists should include everything to be done before, during, and after the move.

Utilities
Make sure that you keep track of all of your utilities, both at your current home and the home you are moving to. Make sure that all utility appointments are scheduled well in advance, and have a list of these appointments and contact information. Unfortunately, in many cases, you will have a rather long window of time when utility companies can show up, so make sure that you have something to keep yourself busy with while you are waiting for each appointment.

 

Loan Documents
You may need to access your loan documents at any time, so keep them in the binder so you have easy access to them. Once you are settled in your new home, find a permanent place to keep them, such as a filing cabinet or safe in your home office. Make sure that they are not easily accessible to others, but that you can get your hands on them quickly when you need them.

Mover Information
It is important that you have the contact information for your moving company on hand, because you never know when you will need it. Also, make sure that you have the rental contract in the binder, as well as goods in transit insurance information.

Receipts
For anything that you buy in relation to your move and your new home, keep the receipts. Create a section in the binder that is just for these receipts. That way, if you need to return something that doesn’t work or fit, you will have the receipt and there will be no issues later on.

Builder Information
If you are having a new home built, or are renovating the home you are moving into or out of, you need to make sure that you have all of the contact information, warranties, and other information about your builder on hand.

Inventory List
Print out a “moving inventory list” online and fill it out. This list should include every item in your home. It is a good idea to break the list down into categories, such as by room. That way, you have a list of what needs to be in each room after you move.

Schedules
There is going to be so much going on during your move that you could end up forgetting about important appointments. Make a section in your binder for your appointments, your schedule, moving company schedules, etc. You can create a calendar as a Word document and then print it out. Then, all you have to do is write the appointments in the appropriate blocks.

Why Praising Kids For Their Abilities Is The Most Evil Act Ever

Telling people that they are intelligent and praising their natural talents might be doing more harm than good. What was once thought to be cute, natural encouragement
might actually be more detrimental towards how people act. Praising people and nurturing their intellect is important, but there are ways to do that it that make it evil and counterproductive.

  

Why You Should Never Say A Child Is Intelligent

Praising a kid for being naturally smart might sound like the right way to encourage the child, but in fact it is not really a productive way to talk with children in the first place. Carol Dweck — a psychologist with 35 years experience in child motivation — has done plenty research on the harm that praise can have on children. When praising them for their traits, children will stop to seek out challenges, instead only continuing what to do what they are ‘good’ at. The child will then be afraid of failure and lose the current appraisal they are receiving. Instead of learning, these kids will begin thinking that intelligence is just a naturally inherited trait, so if they only seek tasks to prove their intelligence instead of focusing on how to learn. This fixed mindset can lead students to ultimately fail after a while when they are introduced to something that actually challenges them. This is one of the ways that praise can backfire on a child’s learning process.


How To Reward Children Effectively

Praising people cannot all be bad, right? When done incorrectly, nothing can be worse for the peoples — especially children’s motivation. There are, however, ways to successfully praise children and people for their efforts. That’s the key, it has to be for the efforts shown and not the outcome of whatever it is they did. When it comes to children and taking tests, say a person got a three out of ten on the exam. Instead of telling them to work harder or praise them for getting three right, it is actually best to point out that the work they did and the efforts they paid to get the right answer.
If a child is motivated and focused on their work ethic they will not worry about making too many mistakes, because they will seek out the best way to successfully fix it. As Carol Dweck noted in her research, “process praise keeps students focused, not on something called ability that they may or may not have and that magically creates success or failure, but on processes they can all engage in to learn.”

Drunk women brawled at 50 Shades of Grey cinema screening after making sexually explicit comments during bondage scenes

Three women who attacked cinema goers at a Valentine's Day screening of 50 Shades of Grey escaped serious punishment by a judge today.

The fight kicked off at a tea-time showing of the racy movie - when the trio began making 'sexually explicit' comments about the bondage scenes.

People nearby began to complain that they were spoiling their enjoyment of the film.

Isabel Munro, Carolanne Munro and Phyllis Ross had all been out drinking with other female friends before visiting the Grosvenor Cinema in Glasgow.

At Glasgow Sheriff Court today, Isabel Munro, 52, was ordered to carry out 90 hours of unpaid work.
She had earlier admitted attacking three people in the cinema. She dragged one of her victims to the ground by her hair and hit her on the head and body.

Nursery assistant Carolanne Munro, 32, was fined £200 after she admitted shouting, swearing and behaving in an aggressive manner. Ross, also 52, was fined £450 for attacking a man.

The three defendants had been sitting near Jacqueline Coia and her husband Martin.

Prosecutor Stephen Ferguson said some women in the group were making “sexually explicit” remarks and were asked to stop as it was spoiling the film for others.

After the movie ended, the women stayed in their seats downing wine.

Mrs Coia struggled to get past Munro, who was sitting with her legs outstretched.

Comments were made about Mrs Coia complaining during the movie before Isabel Munro hurled wine at her, grabbed her hair, pulled her to the ground and laid into her.

Ferguson said: “Mrs Coia received a bloodied nose and she became aware that hair appeared to have been removed from her scalp. She also had bruising on her nose and torso.”

Isabel Munro, of Blairdardie, Glasgow, scratched Mr Coia when he stepped in.

He was also dragged to the ground before Isabel Munro and Ross, of Partick, attacked him. Martin suffered a burst nose, scratches and bruises.

As Isabel Munro was being taken away by police, she grabbed another cinema-goer, Nicola Doris, by the hair, claiming she was laughing at her.

Carolanne Munro, also of Blairdardie, shouted and swore as she was hustled into a police car.

This is all you need to do to get an upgrade on a plane, according to flight attendants

Hollywood makes it look so easy. You just swan up to the check-in looking winsome and - ta da! - you've been upgraded to first class.

Unfortunately, this rarely corresponds with reality.

But what if there was something you could do - and it was in fact just a simple tweak to your normal booking process?

Apparently such a tweak exists, and someone's even done the field research to get it.
Fed up of constant rebuttals and no success, writing for Cosmopolitan , Catriona Harvey-Jenner stuck her neck out for holiday-goers everywhere and asked the question we're all dying to know the answer to.

IS there one sure-fire way of getting an upgrade to first class?

On a flight a trip on British Airways' new flight route from London Heathrow to San Jose, Catriona "decided to corner the flight attendants and find out how it actually works."

Not only was there an answer, but it doesn't require a super-human amount of effort - and it's something we should be doing at either the booking or checking-in stage.

Even if Catriona has yet to try it out, it seems plausible.

Apparently all you do is NOT pre-select a seat when you check in online before your flight (or when you book).

Of course, there are variables, such as if the flight's full.

But the reasoning is that if you already have an allocated seat, the airline see you as being sorted out for your journey.

If you don't, there's a chance they could bump you up to first or business class if there are empty seats there.

A cheeky upgrade would be the icing on the cake.

4 Ways To Design An Environmentally Friendly Home

Fresh air, clean water, and perfect weather are what all of us living on planet earth crave. We look forward to summer, to stepping on beaches with crystal clear blue waters, and we love the feeling of warm wind. The ability to enjoy nature, clean and pure, constitutes the vision of paradise that most of us have.

However, this won’t be possible if the planet continues toward global warming and our bodies of water continuously fill with plastic and waste products due to our ignorance and neglect. We need to form a global community of people who care about the environment. To care for the environment begins at home. Here are four ways we can all be more aware of Mother Nature and help make the world a better place right from the comfort of our own homes.


1. Choose products that encompass style and integrity.

Style is an important factor in our lives. So is being socially conscious. It’s why Kylie Jenner’s lipsticks are vegan. We need to carry along this stream of consciousness when it comes to decorating our homes.

Our home is a place where we experience a full range of emotions and what life has to offer. It’s where one’s day begins and ends. That’s why most people want their home to suit their personal style. Many products on the market these days encompass style but lack integrity and care for the environment. This is where taking the time to research environmentally friendly products can make all the difference in the world.

You don’t necessarily have to be as environmentally thoughtful as one man in Thailand who built his home using natural materials, but we all need to start somewhere. Of course, the commitment to respecting Mother Nature also has to be evident in the corporate world if we as global citizens are to make any significant progress.


2. Incorporate pleasure and functionality.

After a long week, all you want to do is to have a small gathering with a group of friends. Drinking beers, sipping wine, and dancing the night away with great music is always a great time. However, the era of socializing with no boundaries has long gone, we now live in the era of modern consideration. One of these considerations is noise.

These days, soundproofing allows people to have fun while at the same time encouraging the avoidance of noise pollution. Echo panels have become one of the great ways to reduce noise pollution. Some companies even produce these panels by recycling plastic bottles.

There really is no better way to own being socially and environmentally responsible than recycling harmful plastic materials into something that’ll keep the neighbors from shutting down the good times.


3. Make DIY your best friend.

Creativity has now made a comeback. Many individuals are now looking forward to following their passions and using their talents to create change in the world. In architecture, you learn many ways to produce eco-friendly malleable creations. However, you don’t need to be an architect to DIY your home decor whilst being eco-friendly.

A community that practices zero waste has recently emerged, and many of us are astonished by the concept. People who commit to zero waste production also commit to the DIY way of getting things done. From creating curtains out of nylon waste to making pottery out of glass bottles, you can find everything you need on YouTube and the Zero Waste community forum. Using a DIY approach, you will not only save the planet but also have a unique style for your unique personality .


4. Opt for a zen environment.

A healthy mind equates to a healthy body and soul. Nowadays, what’s trendy in home decor is a more natural, monotone, and calm environment that offsets the busyness and the hustle of the city. An environment where nature becomes the priority and balanced elements become the key materials used to enhance the beauty of the home are key.

Some societies believe that bamboo wood is crucial to the Feng Shui of a home. Bamboo is one of nature’s wonders. It offers longevity and strength that other natural materials don’t. If you’ve watched many Jet Lee or Jackie Chan movies, you know that bamboo often becomes a weapon during battle. It has a level of toughness mixed with natural beauty that makes it a great fit for the home.

Change the way you design your home and do it yourself using the four tips above. It’s the best way to guarantee a beautiful sense of home decor with a mindfulness of what’s important to our planet. These are just a handful of ideas from a mountain of possibilities to help conserve and create a safe and enduring environment for future generations to enjoy.

 

One Thing to Never Say to Your Daughter

Here's the thing about our daughters. They are beautiful, lively, smart, fun
ny, engaging and very often connected to us, their moms. But they can also be provocateurs. By that I mean they like to wind us up and get us going, especially around things that make them feel really bad. Things like their bodies.

For instance, you could have a daughter who is healthy, athletic and well-proportioned, and she might say something to you like, "I was trying on jeans the other day, and my stomach is so flabby."
RELATED: Why This Photo of a Daughter Cutting Off Her Fat Is So Powerful

And you might say, "Flabby? No! You have a nice stomach, and without your stomach you wouldn't be able to digest your food. Stomachs are good."

At which point she might say, "No! You don't understand. My stomach is huge. I don't look good in any clothes. I have the fattest, flabbiest stomach in the world. I REALLY HATE IT!" She might even start pummeling her not-fat stomach trying to make it go away. She might even start pummeling you.

And here's where you have to do at that point:

 

You have to squash every urge you may have to say, Well, if you didn't eat quite so much ice-cream, you might like your stomach better. Or, Maybe you just need to exercise more, so why don't I sign you up for basketball? Or, I could help you slim down a bit if that's what you really want.

 

Seriously, don't say it. Don't say anything that sounds like you are trying to fix your daughter's body. Because there's a good chance she'll hear this: Yep. Even my mom thinks I'm fat.

My husband Mark is a psychologist on an eating disorder unit in psychiatric hospital in Boston. He sees young women ages 16 to 26 that are dealing with bulimia, anorexia and other disorders that are ruining their lives.

These young female clients tell him that they are bombarded on a regular basis, as most girls and women are, with comments about how they look. But the ones that really affect them are the comments that come from their parents. They are particularly aware of the praise and criticism, often around their weight, that comes from their mothers.

So, in that moment when your daughter is determined to keep hating her stomach or hips or thighs or all of the above, this is what you can do: You can lovingly reflect back the beauty you see, the beauty that has nothing to do with a number on a scale, the fit of her jeans or the screwed up idea of body image that society has brainwashed us with. If your daughter insists on screaming about her stomach some more, you can let her rant, still showing her the loveliness you see.

Then, THEN, at some point when she is calmer and open to talking, you can have a relaxed conversation about things that make her feel healthy. Ask her what activities make her feel good about her body. Does she like dancing? Skiing? Walking with friends? If she is old enough, you can ask her what she thinks of those advertising images with emaciated models. If she wants to talk with you about food, you can help her realize that everything in moderation is a pretty good rule, and even treats now and then are fine.

 

As my friend Liz likes to say, nutrition isn't rocket science, it's common sense. And demonstrating your own common sense can go a long way toward helping your daughter establish good eating habits.

If your daughter starts talking about dieting, don't just go down that road with her, even if you think she needs to lose a few pounds. Instead, talk with a doctor or nutritionist and get some professional guidance. If eating issues are showing up, this isn't the time to just wing it and hope for the best. While you're at it, get some clarity about your own issues around food.

Another thing my husband said he hears from female clients is that they learn early from their mothers who have their own food issues. They see the diet drinks stored in the pantry, and the maniacal focus on losing weight for an event. So when you start talking about how fat you are or how you just need to lose 10 pounds, you are teaching your daughter to judge herself harshly, too.

There are so many things we can say to our girls at almost anytime: I love you. You're beautiful. I feel so lucky that you're my daughter.

The 8 Hair Mistakes That Make You Look Older

A bad hairstyle isn’t always so easy to identify—and, chances are, if you don’t have a total hacksaw job, you probably think you are doing everything right with your current look (hello, high school yearbook photo).
But, according to Aaron Grenia, owner at IGK salons, which recently opened its first Manhattan outpost at the Dream Downtown, there are certain mistakes you may be making without even knowing it. Scarier still? These strand snafus may be making you look a lot older.
Here are eight mistakes that might be costing you.

Mistake 1: Letting it Grow Out too Long

According to Grenia, there is one common style mistake that he sees women make time and time again: not getting a haircut often enough. “Even just a trim will keep hair in its best shape. Split ends climb up the hair, so, for long hair especially, I recommend a trim every seven weeks.”


Mistake 2: Sporting a Color That Washes You Out


Sure, color is a totally separate category that could go on for endless contents in the story of hairstyles, but the ultimate way you can add years to your look: sporting hair color that is way too blond.
“It can wash out a woman’s skin tone,” Grenia says. “Having a natural root base with subtle balayage highlights around the face and ends will bring out your eyes and skin.”

Mistake 3: Out-of-Date Do

Even if you’ve kicked your hairspray obsession and mile-high bangs to the curb, chances are you may still be making a very common hair mistake that looks more tired than on trend.
The biggest don’t, according to Grenia: a dated, over-layered haircut and bad, stripy highlights.


Mistake 4: Not Refreshing Your Bangs

What is the fastest thing you can do to update your hairstyle? Change your fringe. “It is an easy fix for updating your hairstyle,” Grenia says. “Or, simply switch up how you part your hair—it can change the feel of a cut.”

Mistake 5: Trying to Recreate the Look You Got at the Salon—Minus the Proper Tools

This one is a little hard to get your head (or hair, literally) wrapped around. If you like the look you get at the salon, you should still like it when you get home and do the same thing, right? Jasmine Anna Galazka, leading stylist at the Warren Tricomi Flagship Salon in the Plaza Hotel, NYC and educator for Shu Uemura and Kerastase, says it's not that simple—especially when it comes to operating the almighty hot tool.

"The biggest mistake people make is when they try to recreate what their stylists have done in the salon at home without being taught the proper way, especially when it comes to using hot tools. Those perfect hair-sprayed-to-death 'prom curls,' as I like to call them, are a complete no-no. Not only are they circa '92, but they are super unnatural. Instead, use a curling iron to create a bend to the hair, instead of an actual curl from roots to ends."

Mistake 6: Not Properly Drying Your Hair in the Morning

Galazka says doing a bad blow-dry can sometimes really backfire. "It can leave your ends looking frizzy or lead to unwanted volume if you have curly hair. Having the right tools—the proper brush, blow-dryer and product—and being patient will lead you to success."

Mistake 7: Faded Color

It's not really new information that color can be really hard to keep up with. "Faded color might appear aged," Galazka says. "Instead, opt for revitalizing your shade by going to your colorist for a gloss in-between visits. But we also walk a fine line between wanting a rooted color and then, not coloring your hair for three-months-plus." Her tip: If your natural root color exceeds more then four inches, it's aging and it's time to color that mane.

Mistake 8: Ends That Are Fried

Keeping the ends of your hair fresh will always make you look younger and more polished. "A lot of times we do so much mechanical damage to our hair, we forget to treat it," Galazka says, and suggests that, if you aren't ready for a trim, revitalizing the midshaft to ends by going to the salon once a month and doing a deep-conditioning treatment. "Not only will this keep your strands looking shiny but younger-looking as well."

The Snack That Will Shrink Your Waistline

A new study recently published in the Journal of the American Heart Association has given us another solid reason to support one of our favorite snacks.

The wholesome treat? Almonds.

During the study two groups of participants who all had high LDL (bad cholesterol) levels each followed a healthy diet for 12 weeks. During the first six weeks, one group enjoyed a 1.5-ounce portion of almonds for a snack, while the other group ate a carbohydrate-rich muffin for a snack. Aside from the snack, the two groups had the same diet. The groups switched snacks for the second six weeks but again otherwise followed the same diet.

Researchers found that when the two groups snacked on the almonds rather than the muffins, they reduced both their LDL and total cholesterol levels. Plus, eating the almonds raised their HDL (good) cholesterol levels, while eating the muffin decreased HDL levels.

What’s more is that even though overall body weight did not change when participants were snacking on almonds versus muffins, their belly fat and waist circumference went down.

And get this: both the muffin and the portion of almonds contained nearly the same number of calories (273 and 253, respectively) and both diets had the same overall number of calories.

This evidence shows strong support for the argument that it’s the quality of calories that make for a healthy diet, not just quantity.

The fact that almonds are rich in protein, fiber, and vitamin E —nutrients muffins score much lower in—most likely played a role in the results of this study. So next time you reach for a snack, think: nutrient-rich!

Clever invention lets you drink beer and save the environment at the same time

Biodegradable rings for a six-pack of beer are the latest invention designed to help save wildlife and protect the environment .

The edible can casings were developed by a Florida-based Saltwater Brewery out of leftover barley and wheat. So rather than chocking marine wildlife, they get a snack instead.

Even if not eaten, the rings are 100% compostable and won't stick around for years on the bottom of the sea or by the side of the road like their plastic counterparts .

The brewery teamed up with an ad agency for the project. Although it's small to begin with, Saltwater hopes larger brewing organisations will embrace the idea in time.

The brewery says it plans to use the edible rings on all the cans it produces - which amount to about 400,000 a month.

Ocean pollution is something that other companies are trying to tackle. Adidas recently made a pair of trainers out of recycled ocean trash .

The reasons for doing so are pretty obvious. Eight million tonnes of plastic waste is dumped into the oceans every year - the equivalent of one truckload every minute.

According to the World Economic Forum in Davos, 95% of plastic packaging (worth between £65-£92 billion) is lost after one single use.

If more isn't done to stop this trend, then there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans by the year 2050.

6 Wedding Stress Relievers

Organization Is Your Friend

Even if you’re the type who’s never made a list in your life―and you’re proud of it―now is the time to change that. There will be hundreds of details to pin down, and trying to keep track of them all will seriously fray your nerves. “It may seem like a daunting task to monitor it all, but there are some wonderful online organizers that include timetables, budget spreadsheets, and the like,” says Yifat Oren, an L.A.-based wedding and special events planner. (For a good starting point, try the Ultimate Wedding Planning Checklist.)

Stay Within Your Comfort Zone

Many stressed brides schedule “relaxing” activities that are out of their usual routines. “Don’t reinvent the wheel here,” says Julie Pryor, an event coordinator and owner of Pryor Events in Los Angeles. “Do whatever relaxes you ordinarily: whether it’s meditating, getting a massage, or hanging out with your best friend. But if you’re not a person who’s into yoga, the day before the wedding isn’t the time for some elaborate yoga class.”

 

Don’t Try to Wear Too Many Hats

Your role in the wedding is to be the bride―not the caterer, the florist, or the bandleader. “Interview your vendors carefully, get references―from people you know, if possible―and once you’ve hired them, let them do their job,” advises Oren. “Communicate clearly via e-mails and keep records of your arrangements, but trust that they will deliver what you’re paying them for without micromanaging.”

Exercise Rehearsal Dinner Restraint

Hosting back-to-back blowouts is twice the headache: “You shouldn’t be planning the equivalent of two weddings,” says Pryor. “Keep the rehearsal dinner very simple and different from the actual event―just cocktails and hors d’oeuvres, or a barbecue.” (Better yet: Let the groom and his clan handle the whole event.) And as tempting as it may be to stay out late catching up with out-of-towners, set yourself a curfew and stick to it. “Nothing good happens after midnight, and you’ll pay for it the next day,” says Karena Bullock Bailey, a wedding and special events planner in NYC. “Grab a couple of bridesmaids and exit gracefully―you don’t have to say goodbye to everyone.”

Designate a Wedding-Day Contact

Give someone the authority to make last-minute decisions and insulate you from snafus. If the chandelier plummets into the wedding cake ten minutes before the reception, you’re the last person who should be hearing about it. “Pick someone who you trust completely and empower her to make decisions in your stead, whether it’s a problem with the caterer or rearranging seating for a guest who’s a no-show,” says Anna Post, author of Do I Have to Wear White? Emily Post Answers America’s Top Wedding Questions ($12, amazon.com).

 

Eat!

 

“Not eating on your wedding day is the worst thing you can do for your nerves,” says Bailey. Yes, it’s natural to be focused on how you’re going to look in your dress, but face it: At this point in the game, what you put in your mouth isn’t gonna make or break your silhouette. “As soon as you wake up, have a reasonable breakfast with protein and some carbs―because once you’re wound up and nauseous, it’s too late,” advises Bailey. Continue noshing throughout the day and into the reception; having a nourished, well-tuned body will help your psyche follow suit.

How to get rid of dark circles under your eyes fast with our beauty tips

Can there be a more annoying beauty problem than dark circles?

Not only do they make you look pooped, other people comment on them in a way they’d never dream of doing about any other flaw in your appearance. "Ooh, look at those dark rings, you look like death," they’ll chirp. "Big night, was it?"

We’d laugh along if we’d actually earned those damn rings, but often we’ve done nothing to deserve them.

So what’s a sleepy-eyed girl to do? From quick camouflage tricks to more long-term treatments, we reveal your best chance of escaping the circles of hell...


How to cover them

We asked Pixiwoo.com vlogging stars Nic and Sam Chapman to share their camouflage secrets.

1. Choose cream not cake

Solid concealers give coverage but the moment you blink they’ll begin caking and settling into lines.
"You’re just swapping one problem for another," says Sam. "You’re better off using a cream concealer, they may still crease a little but you can pat them away a minute or so later."

You don’t have to spend a fortune either – Collection Lasting Perfection, £3.99, has become a cult fave among beauty editors and make-up artists.

2. Don't go too light too soon

Simply piling pale concealer on top of purple under-eye rings just creates a weird grey tone.

"I’d recommend covering dark circles in two stages instead," says Sam. "Start with a concealer that exactly matches the rest of the face, so you’ve got a good even base. Then apply a second, slightly lighter shade of concealer (not a highlighter-type pen – not enough coverage) over the top to brighten everything up."

3. Watch where you apply

Only apply the lighter concealer directly on to the dark circles themselves, not all over the under-eye zone.

"Blend inwards, and use a brush or fingertip to push the concealer right into the very inner corner of the eyes," says Nic. "Don’t drag concealer to the outer corners of the eyes. You don’t need it there and it will just emphasise crows’ feet."


How to treat them

Circles can arrive at any age, but they become a particular issue for women over 40. As dermatologist Dr Benji Dhillon at the Phi Clinic explains, "A complaint I often hear is, “I look tired all the time”. A lot of women feel the combination of dark circles and under-eye wrinkles is very ageing."

● Dark circles tend to get worse with time. "Dark discolouration shows up more through thin skin,’ says Dr Dhillon. "Also, as we lose volume in the cheeks, this pulls down the lower eye area and creates shadowy hollows. The supportive structure beneath the eyes itself also weakens. The whole area looks darker, and it’s harder to counteract that with concealer alone."

● Creams can brighten dark circles caused by pigmentation. "Ingredients such as vitamin C, kojic acids and hydroquinone can really help reduce melanin production," says Dr Anjali Mahto at Cadogan Cosmetics.

"You have to commit to applying it twice a day, every day though. I like Eucerin Even Brighter, £28.50, for pigmentation, plus Skinceuticals Mineral Eye Defence, £24.95, for UV protection. Fruit acid peels can be useful for removing darkened skin cells."

● Fillers can smooth out shadows caused by sunken contours. "We can use an ultra-fine filler to inject the ‘tear trough’ just below the eyes to make them look brighter," says Dr Dhillon. "However, it takes a lot of skill to do, and if filler is injected too close to the skin surface here, it can look bumpy and unsightly. Make sure you find somebody experienced."


You saw it here first It's not launching for another fortnight but we've had a sneak preview of Clinique Pep-Start eye cream, £22, and reckon it's a must try for anyone saddled with dark circles. It has an instant brightening and de-puffing effect and it makes concealer glide on really smoothly too. 

Nintendo developing movies based on its iconic games like Super Mario Bros

Move over the Marvel Comics Universe, because Mario (and friends) are coming for your crown.

Nintendo is planning to break into movies in a big way, Nintendo CEO and president Tatsumi Kimishima has revealed.

This could mean big screen adventures for Mario, Zelda, Star Fox and many more iconic video game franchises.

Kimishima has also revealed his hopes that Nintendo will produce all future film projects.

"We want to do as much as we can by ourselves," he tells Japan's The Asahi Shimbun.
"We'd like to use IP that is popular with everyone.

"I can't say, 'It'll be Mario' - just that we'll do things that people will be familiar with."

He also says that he hopes the company will launch the film projects within the next five years and that they're likely to be either 3D animation or anime.

He insists Nintendo will not be venturing into live action movies and says there were put off by the failure of Super Mario Bros in 1993.

Woman drives straight into lake after following SatNav instructions

A motorist in Ontario, Canada, was following GPS instructions on a particularly
foggy night when, she took a wrong turn - or a right turn, depending on her SatNav - and ended up driving down a boat launch in Lake Huron.

The woman, thankfully, was able to escape with her handbag and swam to shore. Her Toyota Yaris, however, sank to the bottom of the lake and had to be fished out the next day. The unnamed 23-year old woman managed to get help from a nearby hotel.

Local police admitted that the boat launch where she drove off can be deceptive, especially in foggy weather like the night in question. As for the woman, she's admitted to being more than a little embarrassed by the whole situation.

Scandal pushes Mitsubishi Motors further behind in minicars

Mitsubishi Motors' cheating on fuel economy has ironically helped rivals in an area wher
e the automaker already lagged, casting a shadow over its prospects in a shrinking minicar market.

Sales of the four affected models have been suspended since the company's April 20 admission: the eK Wagon, the eK Space, the Dayz and the Dayz Roox. Mitsubishi Motors builds the latter two for Nissan Motor.

 

The fallout has hit domestic sales hard. The Dayz tumbled from the third-best-selling minicar in March to 11th place in April, according to the Japan Light Motor Vehicle and Motorcycle Association. The eK series sank from No. 12 to No. 19.

Sales of the nation's No. 1 minicar, the N-Box from Honda Motor, rose 14.4% on the year in April. And the second-ranked Tanto from Daihatsu Motor jumped 36.7%.
"Many customers, especially seniors, come in looking for minicars," a Nissan dealership official said.

"We may lose customers to competitors while we cannot sell the Dayz." This fear will become a reality if the suspension drags on.

The scandal is also putting the brakes on efforts by Mitsubishi Motors to improve fuel-saving technologies, where the company's failure to keep up amid intensifying competition likely led the automaker astray in the first place. Fuel efficiency is key to attracting minicar drivers, who are generally sensitive to ownership costs.

Mitsubishi Motors is investigating the matter in hopes of resuming sales soon. But the process will inevitably take time, since the company must compensate customers, dealerships and parts suppliers.
On top of all this, the minicar market is contracting. Suzuki Motor Chairman Osamu Suzuki said Tuesday that the market is expected to reach between 1.6 million and 1.8 million cars in fiscal 2016.
The industry association projected in April that the market will edge down from fiscal 2015 levels to 1.8 million units.

One headwind is the rising fuel efficiency of compact vehicles, a class larger than minicars. New-minicar sales have also been weighed down by the intense battles waged by Suzuki and Daihatsu for market share since before the April 2014 consumption tax hike. This competition has increased the supply of practically brand-new minicars sold as used.

Electric cars may not be so green in Hong Kong

The conventional wisdom that electric cars are better for the environment than gasoline-powered cars might not apply in Hong Kong.

Amid government efforts to encourage electric vehicles, a report was released in April claiming that battery-powered cars emit 20% more carbon dioxide in the city than gasoline vehicles do.

Sanford C. Bernstein, a U.S. research company, compared a sedan from leading U.S. electric-car manufacturer Tesla Motors and a popular gasoline-powered model from Germany's BMW, by considering the impact of "indirect" emissions during the process of power generation.
   
The study highlighted Hong Kong's heavy reliance on coal power. It concluded that the aggregate amount of CO2 resulting from the power generation needed to drive an electric car for 150,000km, and from car battery manufacturing, could exceed what is emitted by a gasoline-powered vehicle, even when the latter includes emissions resulting from the process of refining oil.
   
The promotion of electric cars is a key part of the government's efforts to curb the territory's severe air pollution. It has introduced tax exemptions for the registration of new electric vehicles, helping boost the number of such vehicles on Hong Kong roads from fewer than 100 in 2010 to some 4,500 in January. Tesla accounted for 70% of those cars.
   
 Neil Beveridge, a Hong Kong-based analyst at Bernstein, says in the report that "electric vehicles are increasing rather than reducing pollution, with taxpayers effectively being asked to subsidize this."
   
It does not say Tesla and other electric cars emit carbon dioxide on the road. Tesla says that according to its own analysis, emissions per kilometer from its cars are no more than half of what gasoline cars emit, even after adding indirect emissions. A customer who was visiting a Tesla dealership on Hong Kong Island was also puzzled, saying electric cars can definitely reduce carbon emissions on the streets.
   
Coal power accounts for over half of the total electricity in Hong Kong, but the government aims to significantly increase the use of natural gas, as well as renewable energy sources, by 2020. Reduced reliance on coal could enhance the contribution of electric cars to the environment.
   
The government plans to revise its current measures to promote electric cars by next March. The Bernstein report could prompt the government to explain the impact that Hong Kong's power mix has on the effort.

Smartphones can make you hyperactive

Do you get bored easily and have a hard time trying to focus, or doing silent tasks and activities? If yes, the pervasive use of a smartphone could be the reason behind these symptoms of the Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), suggests a new research.

According to the recent poll results, as many as 95 per cent of smartphone users have used their phones during social gatherings, seven in 10 people used their phones while working, and one in 10 admitted to checking their phones during sex. ‘Smartphone owners spend nearly two hours per day using their phones’, said lead researcher Kostadin Kushlev from University of Virginia in the US.

We found the first experimental evidence that smartphone interruptions can cause greater inattention and hyperactivity – symptoms of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – even in people drawn from a nonclinical population,” Kushlev said. During the study, 221 students at University of British Columbia in Canada were drawn from the general student population and were assigned one week to maximise phone interruptions by keeping notification alerts on and their phones within their reach. During another week, participants were assigned to minimise phone interruptions by keeping alerts off and their phones away.

At the end of each week, participants completed questionnaires assessing inattention and hyperactivity. The results showed that the participants experienced significantly higher levels of inattention and hyperactivity when alerts were turned on as compared to the alerts being turned off.

The results suggest that even people who have not been diagnosed with ADHD may experience some of the symptoms including distraction, difficulty in focusing and getting bored easily when trying to focus, fidgeting, having trouble sitting still, difficulty doing quiet tasks and activities, and restlessness.

“Smartphones may contribute to these symptoms by serving as a quick and easy source of distraction,” Kushlev said. The silver lining is, that the problem can be turned off.
The findings were presented at the Association for Computing Machinery’s Human-Computer Interaction Conference in San Jose, California.

 

Trump Bringing About End To Satire - Veep Star

The makers of the US TV satire Veep believe the rise of Donald Trump is making it increasingly difficult to parody American politics, one of its stars says.

Tony Hale, who plays the president's personal aide in the Sky Atlantic comedy, says if a character like Mr Trump had been created for the show, no one would have believed it.

Veep, which was created by British comedian Armando Iannucci, is set in the fictional office of a female vice president and has won numerous awards.

Mr Hale said: "There's already a comedy happening on the news. We might not need Veep any more.
"It's a little freaky. The crazy thing is if somebody came to us and gave us a character like Donald Trump and what he's said, the writers would be like, 'That's too broad'. No one would believe it. Well it's happening."

The billionaire property mogul and star of the US version of The Apprentice has sparked repeated controversy during his campaign to win the race for the Republican nomination for the presidency.

Among the policies he has mentioned are building a wall along the US's southern border to keep migrants out and banning Muslims from entering the country.

But since winning a much greater share of the votes in the caucuses and primaries, his rivals have dropped out and he has become the presumptive candidate.

These Irish baby names are about to become super trendy

It seems that some Irish names such as Liam and Clare continue to be popular in the United States and some Hollywood types have grabbed on to names such as Ireland and Keeva, but recently Buzzfeed.com made the prediction that 17 Irish baby names “are about to take over.”

Sounds ominous! But then again they are really beautiful names. Here we run through their list of the 17 Irish names that are set to be on-trend, and explain their meanings and origin.

 

What’s certain going through the list is that these names may take over but most likely only in the United Streets. We would reckon it’ll be a long time before you meet a young fella in Carlow town called Tierney, Bartley or Vaughn.

Quinn

This Irish baby name means wise, counsel or intelligent.
Quinn is one of the most popular Irish surnames and is to be found in every county in Ireland. The Irish original from which the surname derives is Ó Cuinn, from Conn, a popular personal name, meaning chief or leader.

Nessa

Originally a Viking name it became popular in Ireland in the 14th century. In Irish history Nessa was the mother of Conor Mac Nessa, king of Ulster. A powerful and beautiful woman, ambitious for her son, she tricked her second husband, Fergus, into giving up his kingdom to his stepson.

 Colm

(pronounced: C-uh-lum)
Colm means dove in the Irish language. The name may also be an abbreviation of the name Malcolm or Columba.

 Siobhan

(pronounced: Shev-aun)
It is derived from the French name Jeanne, which was introduced into Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in the Middle Ages. Siobhan is the Irish version of the English name Joan, which means “'God is gracious.”
The Greek name is a feminine form of the Greek Iōannēs, which is in turn a shortened form of the Hebrew Johanan, which is where the meaning “God is gracious” comes from.

 Sinead

(pronounced: Shin-aid)
Sinead is the Irish version of the name Jane or Jennifer, derived from the French name Jeanette and the Scottish name Jean. Again this name has its origins in the Hebrew name Johanan and also means "God is gracious."

 Bartley

This is the Irish form of the Hebrew name Bartholomew, meaning the Son of Tamai. It is also derived from the name Parthalon, the leaders of the first people believed to have occupied Ireland after the biblical flood of 2800BC. Legend says that he brought agriculture to the land.
Strictly this isn’t an Irish name but has gained popularity lately in the west of Ireland.

 Bradan

(pronounced: Bray-dawn)
This names comes the word bradán, meaning salmon. The name is derived from the legend of Bradán Feasa (The Salmon of Knowledge), a tale of the Irish hero Fionn MacCool.

Cliona

(pronounced: klee-na)
The name comes from the Irish clodhna, meaning shapely. In Irish mythology, Clíodhna is a Queen of the Banshees (fairies) of the Tuatha Dé Danann. Cleena of Carrigcleena is the potent banshee that rules as queen over the sidheog (fairy women of the hills) of South Munster.

In some Irish myths Clíodhna is a goddess of love and beauty. She is said to have three brightly colored birds who eat apples from an otherworldly tree and whose sweet song heals the sick. She leaves the otherworldly island of Tir Tairngire ("the land of promise") to be with her mortal lover, Ciabhán, but is taken by a wave as she sleeps due to the music played by a minstrel of Manannan mac Lir in Glandore harbor in County Cork: the tide there is known as Tonn Chlíodhna, "Clíodhna's Wave."

Finn

Derived from the legendary hero Fionn Mac Cool, a central character in Irish folklore and myth, the name means fair-headed. Fionn was incredibly strong, brave, handsome, generous and wise, a wisdom he acquired by touching the Salmon of Knowledge and then sucking his thumb.

 Tierney

(pronounced: Teer-nee)
The name means lord or chief and implies that the child lord of the household.
It comes from the 6th century saint Tierney of Clones. He had the privilege of being baptized by St. Conleth of Kildare with St. Brigid as his godmother. As a young man he was captured by pirates and taken to the English king who placed him in the monastery of Rosnat in England. He later returned to Ireland and became Bishop of Clogher, in County Down.

 Aisling

Meaning dream or vision, Aisling has I
ts origins in the 17th and 18th centuries, in Irish poetry.

Regan

This can be used for a boy or girl. The name comes from the Irish word rí, meaning king and the diminutive – ín. So the name means the king’s child.

 Caoimhe

(pronounced: Qwee-va)
Caoimhe, or the Northern Irish Keeva, is derived from the Irish caomh meaning beautiful, gentle or precious.

10 Phrases To Drop From Your Vocabulary

These verbal mistakes can cost you credibility and influence, so fix them, stat—if you want people to take you seriously.

Researchers believe that the earliest spoken language was Mayan, which was around 7,000 years ago. Imagine, in 70 centuries, we’ve progressed to, “… and I was like, really?”

Whether you are leading a team meeting, presenting to a prospective client or delivering a keynote speech to a global audience, verbal mistakes will undermine your credibility and distract from your message.

If you want to have integrity and influence, consider dropping these phrases:

1. “I’m confused,” or “I don’t get it.”
Instead of putting all the responsibility on the other person, take co-ownership. Say, “Help me understand your position,” and remain open.

2. “You know what I mean?” and “Does that make sense?”
Asking for constant validation chips away at your command.

3. “I was like…” or “She was like…”
The word “like” is an unsophisticated setup that gets in the way of your clarity and credibility.

4. “Um, ah, uh, you know.”
Watch out for overuse of filler words and practice pausing to counteract the clutter.

5. “I’ve been too busy” or “I started writing an email and forgot to send it.”
Excuses are unattractive. Say, “I apologize for the inconvenience. You will have it by tomorrow.”

6. “Out-of-the-box thinking”
… should be retired. We can’t escape all the buzzword phrases, but ones like this have become boring.

7. “You always…”
Sweeping generalizations lack insight and get in the way of healthy dialogue. Be specific and avoid using vague blame tactics.

8. “I think we should kind of do it this way.”
Tentative language waters down your presence as a confident communicator. Make a solid recommendation and own it.

9. “I hate to say this, but…” and “John is a good person, but…”

Don’t try to disguise criticism with a layer of caring or say things that offer zero value.

10. “Really?”
It’s an all-purpose complaint that sounds like whining. Try making an interesting observation instead.
If you want to have more credibility and influence, be uh, like, you know, more intentional in your communication.

Replace negative tone and lackluster words with positive tone and authentic appreciative words. Each new day is an opportunity to inspire greatness, so say something real.