Whistleblower: Facebook Is Listening - Cambridge Analytica whistleblower Christopher Wylie says Facebook is listening to people through their smartphones.
Speaking to a group of British lawmakers yesterday looking into Cambridge Analytica's influence over the 2016 Brexit vote, Wylie said Facebook tries to figure out where you are based on the ambient noise. He says it tries to determine if you're outside, watching television or in an office, for instance, in order to improve targeted advertising.
He speculated it doesn't process exactly what someone is talking about. People have been providing anecdotal evidence of seeing ads for things they've talked about but never searched for online. Facebook denies it listens in on anyone.
Warnings about Cambridge Analytica were first published in British newspapers in 2015, but fell on deaf ears until the Russian election interference scandal broke. Google, Verizon , and other companies have also been accused of “listening in.”Source: BBC
Eating Toast For Breakfast Could Boost Weight Loss
Some dieters see carbs as their enemy, but new research shows that eating toast for breakfast could actually help you lose weight. A study from Tel Aviv University, which was testing people with diabetes and obesity, found that people who ate a big breakfast - with carbs included - then a medium-sized lunch and a small dinner lost more weight than those who ate six small meals a day.
Study author Dr. Daniela Jakubowicz explains that the hour of the day when you eat and how frequently you eat are more important than what you eat and how many calories you eat. She says that starting the day with “a slice of bread leads to a lower glucose response and is less fattening than an identical slice of bread consumed in the evening.”
So when you’re trying to lose weight, this scientist recommends toast for breakfast. And of course, watching portion sizes is important and carb consumption overall, but if we get to eat more bread, we’re happy.
Source: Whimn
NATIONAL TRIGLYCERIDES DAY | NATIONAL WEED APPRECIATION DAY | NATIONAL SOMETHING ON A STICK DAY | MANATEE APPRECIATION DAY | NATIONAL BLACK FOREST CAKE DAY | NATIONAL LITTLE RED WAGON DAY
Couples Are Getting "Sleep Divorces"
Saying “divorce” sounds like the worst possible scenario for a couple. But there’s actually a kind of divorce that’s super trendy right now and might actually be good for your relationship. It’s a “sleep divorce,” and it basically means that you and your partner sleep separately. More bed for me? Yes, please!
According to a 2010 study by the National Sleep Foundation, about 25% of married couples sleep separately. It’s not that uncommon, and there’s a good reason people do it. We all need a certain amount of sleep to get through our days, and sometimes sleeping in the same bed with someone every night disrupts that!
If you have to urge to sleep separately from your husband or wife, there’s nothing wrong with that (as long as you both agree). Go through a little sleep separation and the rest will fall into place! Just make sure you’re spending time together during the day if you’re not getting your night snuggles in.
Source: PopSugar
Why Middle Schoolers Don’t Need Social Media - Kids have a lot of pressure these says, so should social media be allowed to add to it?
“Today” asked Dr. Adrian Wood and she laid out 10 reasons the tweens should’ve have social media. Here are some of them,
- Social media was not designed for kids. True!
- The maturity level isn’t developed enough yet.
- Social media doesn’t make kids smarter or prepared for a real life and job.
- Tweens have a “more is better” mentality that doesn’t mesh with online life.
- Social media can make connections with loved ones break.
Source: Today
The Average Age People Get Married Now
If you’re single and tired of your grandma asking when you’re finally going to get married, here’s a science-backed fact you can give her next time she starts in: according to the most recent data, the average age people are getting married right now is the highest it’s ever been in recorded history. Take that, granny!
The most recent numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show that in 2017, most brides getting married for the first time were 27.4 years old, on average. For men, the age is a little older at 29.5-years. And that’s the longest Americans have ever waited to get hitched. Back in 1990, the average age for women was 24, in 1980 it was 22 and in the 1950s, it was only 20.
So why are people holding off on tying the knot? Millennials are okay with exploring and experimenting in their 20s instead of feeling like they have to be searching for a life partner. They’re okay with playing the field for longer and those in relationships don’t feel pressured with the ultimate goal of getting married as soon as possible.
Another reason couples aren’t rushing to the altar today is that more unmarried couples are shacking up. In 2016, there were 18-million single Americans living with their S.O., up 29% from 2007, according to the Pew Research Center. So plenty of people are in committed long-term relationships, they just don’t feel pressured to say “I do” anytime soon.
Source: Women's Health
Going to a Concert is Better For You Than Yoga: Study
Watching live music is better for your wellbeing than yoga, a new study has found.
Experts came to the conclusion after volunteers were fitted with heart rate monitors, split up and sent to a Paloma Faith concert, a yoga session or to walk their dog.
Psychometric tests carried out before and after the activities — all of which are known stress-busters — found those who enjoyed 20 minutes of a Paloma Faith concert had a higher level of “wellness” than other participants.
Carried out by Patrick Fagan, an expert in behavioral science and an associate lecturer at Goldsmith’s University in London, the results show those who attended the live concert saw their mood boosted by 21 percent.
By contrast, the volunteers who took part in a 20-minute yoga session increased their wellbeing by just 10 percent.
And those who walked their dog saw only a seven percent hike in their happiness.
Fagan, who worked with O2 on the project, said: “Our research showcases the profound impact concerts have on feelings of health, happiness and wellbeing — with fortnightly (every two weeks) or regular attendance being the key.”
Link: https://nypost.com/2018/03/27/going-to-a-concert-is-better-for-you-than-yoga-study
Survey: only 27% of Americans cook every day
It's no secret that most Americans don't gather 'round the table for a home-cooked meal the way we used to, and now a new survey proves it.
The ready-to-eat pasta company Artisola commissioned its State of Home Cooking Survey, which found that only 27% of Americans actually get behind a stove to cook every day. 68% manage to do so four times a week.
The poll of 2,000 people also ranked which states had the most, and fewest, home cookers. Iowa had the highest number of people who say they cook at home every day, at 44%, followed closely by Connecticut with 42%, and Wisconsin at 41%.
Just 6% of those polled say they never cook at all, but of those who do, they're committed -- half of them spend an hour with meal prep.
Based on respondents who said they cooked seven times a week, here's the state-by-state breakdown of the percentage of residents who do:
1. Iowa (44%)
2. Connecticut (42%)
3. Wisconsin (41%)
4. Oklahoma (38%)
5. Arkansas (38%)
6. Rhode Island (38%)
7. Arizona (36%)
8. Missouri (36%)
9. Massachusetts (36%)
10. New Mexico (35%)
11. Alaska (25%)
12. Montana (25%)
13. Maryland (24%)
14. South Carolina (24%)
15. Louisiana (23%)
16. Georgia (23%)
17. North Carolina (23%)
18. California (23%)
19. Connecticut (21%)
20. New York (21%)