8:44PM Thursday
November 22, 2012

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THREE SMARTPHONE APPS THAT LET YOU WIN STUFF BY LOSING WEIGHT

You can download all these apps for free on an iPhone or Android phone.

1.  Nexercise.  It rewards you for keeping track of your workouts.  Every two minutes you spend exercising equals 10 points.  Then you can redeem the points for things like Amazon gift cards.  (Check it out on Nexercise.com.)

2.  GymPact.  This one actually charges you money if you don't work out.  But if you DO, you WIN money.  First you decide how much to penalize yourself for each workout you miss.  Then you have to "check in" every time you exercise.  If you DON'T, you lose your money for that day.  But you get a few bucks when you DO meet your workout goals.  And it all comes from users who DIDN'T work out that week.  (Check it out at Gym-Pact.com.)

3.  HealthRally.  It lets your friends and family pledge money for rewards like iPads and running shoes.  And you only get them if you reach your goal.  If you DON'T, then none of their credit cards get charged.  You can also pledge money to help friends with stuff like quitting smoking.  (Check it out at HealthRally.com)

 

 

 

8 THINGS THAT MAKE YOUR HOME A TARGET FOR BURGLARS

1.  Leaving a ladder in the yard.  Burglars can easily get around a lot of home security systems by getting into a second-story window that isn't wired in.  So don't leave a ladder sitting outside in your yard, where anyone can get to it.

2.  Leaving new appliance and electronics packaging out on the curb.  When you get a new TV and leave the box outside next to your garbage, EVERYONE knows you just got a new TV.

The week after Christmas, burglars basically get to pick what they want to steal.  The houses with boxes on the curb and no cars outside are just ASKING to be cleaned out.

3.  Having flimsy wood-panel doors on back or side entrances.  Burglars often get in by just kicking a hole in a back or side door.  So every door should be steel-wrapped and deadbolted, or at least it should be solid wood that can't be kicked in.

4.  Hanging a mirror in your entryway.  Think about it:  A mirror FACING your front door allows people to look in through a window, and see whether your alarm is set.  If you need to have a mirror by the door, hang it where it can't be seen from outside.

5.  Leaving the grass uncut.  Never go on a long vacation without getting someone you trust to maintain your yard, and pick up mail and newspapers.

Also, don't leave the garage door opener in your second car, if it's going to stay in the driveway or on the street.  If your garage is attached, a burglar can break your car window and use the opener to walk right into your house.

6.  Using a fire safe.  Don't put your valuables into a lockbox or fire safe and leave it sitting in the closet.  That's like putting everything the burglars want into a convenient carry case for them.  Use a wall safe, or get a safe deposit box at the bank.

7.  Updating your Facebook status.  Think about all the "friends of friends" nearby who'll know exactly where you are when you post something online.  And don't upload your vacation photos until you get BACK FROM VACATION.  If you're using Foursquare or any other GPS-based apps that let you "check in" at a certain location, keep track of your security settings and only allow trusted friends to see your posts.

8.  Selling things on Craigslist.  When you're selling something locally, the worst thing you can do is invite complete strangers INTO YOUR HOUSE to look at it.  If they like it, they can just pick it up and run with it.  Or worse, steal it at gunpoint.  If you don't know the buyers, arrange to meet them in a public place.

 

 

 

 

5 USELESS PRODUCTS IN YOUR BATHROOM RIGHT NOW

ACNE CLEANSER
The soaps and scrubs marketed for acne problems will probably do more harm than good.  They're often too agressive and drying for your skin, which doesn't really help.  Your skin is irritated enough as it is.  While serious acne requires an antibiotic, normal acne can be cured by washing 2-3 times a day with warm water and mild soap.

MOUTHWASH THAT CONTAINS ALCOHOL
The alcohol in mouthwash isn't for killing bacteria.  It's for keeping the menthol and eucalyptus oils mixed.  Otherwise, your mouth would smell best when you're drunk (and we know that's never the case).  Alcohol leaves your mouth dry and you need saliva to fight bacteria.  So a better option is to brush and floss regularly (including your tongue) and drink lots of water.  Use alcohol-free mouthwash as much as possible.

EXFOLIATING CREAMS
They actually make you age faster!  When you peel off the top layer of skin, you might look better at first, but that's only because the skin underneath is fresh and shiny.  But it's also more vulnerable.  Later on you'll have more sun damage and more wrinkles.

CUTICLE TRIMMERS
Your cuticles protect your fingernail beds from infection.  So if you cut them regularly to make your fingers look better, they might end up looking worse in the long run (as in, nail fungus or other nasty conditions). 

SHAMPOO
First off, you can't do anything to actually 'revitalize' your hair.  It's made of dead cells.  And shampooing removes your hair's natural protection:  oil.  That makes it dry and brittle.  Then you need the conditioner to replace the oil you just stripped off.  You're better off washing with water and using shampoo as little as possible, or not at all.  However, Laura is not buying this one at all!!