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Phone a Friend About These Classic Game Shows

April 18, 2014 by

Few television programs had viewers jumping up off of the couch in excitement as much as the game shows of years gone by. Here are three of television’s best game shows.

Jeopardy!
You may not believe it, but the ever-popular Jeopardy! first aired way back in 1964. The show’s current host, Alex Trebek, got his start in 1984, and the program is just as beloved now as it was 50 years ago. From the white handwriting against bright blue screens to the classic “What is…?” format, Jeopardy! is one of the most recognizable of all television game shows.

Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Developed from a British game show with the same name, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? is a trivia show with a $1 million prize. The questions become increasingly difficult as the contestant progresses, but the prize money attached increases in amount as well. Contestants are permitted to use a “lifeline” when they're stumped, including phoning a friend, eliminating two incorrect answer choices, and asking the audience.

Double Dare
Double Dare was a children’s game show on the Nickelodeon network. It combined trivia questions with physical challenges, and two teams of kids competed against each other for the various prizes. The show was beloved for its ridiculous antics, often humorous challenges, and, of course, its signature green slime.

Is your favorite game show on this list? If not, tell us about your favorite game show!

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4 Interesting Facts About Pop Star Jennifer Lopez

April 11, 2014 by

She may have come from humble beginnings in the Bronx area of New York City, but today, pop superstar Jennifer Lopez has sold over 50 million records worldwide and acted in a number of chart-topping blockbuster movies. Though her private life is often in the tabloids, here are a few facts that you might not know about the Latin beauty:

  1. Jennifer Lopez got her start as a backup dancer right out of high school. She danced in a number of hip hop videos, acted as a backup dancer for New Kids on the Block and Janet Jackson, and was even a member of the Fly Girls, the dance troupe on Fox’s hit show In Living Color.
  2. Her first big success came when she portrayed the late Latin-pop singer Selena in the biopic about the late pop star's life. She was nominated for a Golden Globe award for the performance. The movie also made her the highest-paid actress in history at the time, earning her $1 million.
  3. J. Lo’s acting career often intersected with her music career, leaving her with chart-topping success in both worlds. In 2001, her album J.Lo debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, while her movie The Wedding Planner was also number one at the box office.
  4. Though she always made her Latin heritage a big part of her image, Lopez didn’t release her first Spanish-language album until 2007. The album, Como Ama una Mujer, was a success on both the Latin and the pop charts.

Jennifer Lopez Biography [Rolling Stone]
Jennifer Lopez [Biography]
Jennifer Lopez Fast Facts [CNN]

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5 Facts About Legendary Golfer Arnold Palmer

April 4, 2014 by

From his days as a world famous professional golfer to his time as an incredibly successful businessman, Arnold Palmer has been a fixture in the golf world since the 1960s. Here are a few things you may not know about the legendary golfer.

1. Arnold Palmer’s career was kick-started by his win at the U.S. Open in Augusta in 1958. This win made him the youngest person to ever win the tournament.

2. Over his entire career, Palmer won 92 titles, including seven major championships. This earned him the nickname "The King."

3. Palmer was the first person to ever win the Masters four times. He won in 1958, 1960, 1962, and 1964. The 1964 tournament was his last major golf win.

4. In 1968, Palmer became the first golfer to ever earn $1 million in total winnings. He held that record for several years.

5. Today, Palmer is a savvy businessman and owns over 300 golf courses around the world, and he spearheads a number of other endeavors.

Arnold Palmer [Biography]
A Biography [Arnold Palmer]
Arnold Palmer: A Biography [Sand Hills Online]

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Track Your Exercise With These Running Logs

March 28, 2014 by

If you love running and constantly try to beat your own best time, online running logs are incredibly helpful tools. Even if you’re a beginner runner, these handy logbooks can help you to keep track of your runs and praise yourself for a week with no days off. Here are two online running logs to help you find the motivation to keep on running.

LogYourRun
If you’re simply looking for a straightforward, no-nonsense running log, this one is for you. LogYourRun offers an exercise log where you can enter your runs, track your weekly times, distance, and pace, and even keep track of your weight. It offers maps of the best running routes in your area, and the impressive import feature allows you to import data from your mobile device or other websites.

MapMyRun
Specifically tailored toward your area, MapMyRun is a mobile app and online website that helps you train for an upcoming race or simply compare your personal runs. It allows you to create a challenge and alerts you once you’ve met your goal, and it also includes pre-made training plans that act just like a running coach. With a simple interface and a handy mobile platform, MapMyRun is a great tool for any tech-savvy runner.

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Organize Your Bookshelves With These 5 Easy Tips

March 21, 2014 by

If you’re a bibliophile with an ever-expanding book collection, it can be difficult to store all of your books in your home. A simple bookshelf works well, but it doesn’t always look pretty. Here are some helpful tips for organizing your bookshelves with ease.

  1. Consolidate your collection. Have you owned it without reading it in the last few years? Get rid of it (and we don’t mean throw it away – there area number of charities that take used books, and you can always give it to a fellow bookworm friend).
  2. Organize by color. If you have a large book collection, you can make things look less cluttered by organizing books by color. When you look at the bookshelf from across the room, you’ll see a rainbow of your favorite literary classics instead of a jumbled mess.
  3. Incorporate decor. Add a few funky bookends to divide up the space, or place some personalized picture frames in between your book collection to make things look a bit more stylish.
  4. Alternate stacking methods. Line some books across the shelves horizontally, and then alternate by stacking some vertically. The changing direction looks purposeful and more appealing to the eye.
  5. Create mini book displays. Rather than attempting to stuff large, coffee table books onto your standard bookshelves, pull them out and place them strategically around the home. Stack a couple large books on a dresser and place a plant on top, or place a few in your living room to give your guests something to flip through while visiting.

    Tips for Arranging & Organizing Bookshelves [BHG]
    How to Tame Your Overstuffed Bookshelves in 48 Hours [Oprah]

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Where Are Your Favorite Child Stars Today

March 14, 2014 by

Some child stars go on to careers as TV and movie stars as adults, while others shy away from the spotlight. Wondering what your favorite child stars are up to today? Here's a rundown of some of the most famous:

Macaulay Culkin
Culkin first came onto most people's radar as the resourceful young Kevin in Home Alone in the 1990s. Then, at the age of 14, he announced his retirement from acting. Today, he mainly tries to stay out of the spotlight, popping up in movies from time to time and working on his writing career.

Keisha Knight-Pulliam
We fell in love with Keisha as Ruby Huxtable on The Cosby Show. These days she can be seen in movies like Tyler Perry's Madea Goes to Jail. She also starred in a reality show on Oxygen.

Candace Cameron
Cameron starred as D.J. Tanner on the hit sitcom Full House. At the age of 20, she decided to escape Hollywood's spotlight. Today she is the happy mom to three kids, and she sometimes makes movie and TV appearances.

Fred Savage
We watched as Savage grew up on The Wonder Years. While his adult acting career never took off, he found success behind the scenes when he made the switch from acting to directing.

Molly Ringwald
In the 1980s, Ringwald starred in many classic John Hughes films like The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles. Now, Ringwald stars in the ABC Family hit Secret Life of the American Teenager.

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Brain-Training Exercises You Can Do Online

March 7, 2014 by

When you’re at work, you likely only utilize certain parts of your brain. Accountants utilize the mathematical side, artists use the creative side, and whichever part you don’t use as frequently may become sluggish and underutilized. If you want to maintain full brain function, the fun activities on these websites will help you stay as sharp as a tack.

Games for the Brain
This simply designed website features a variety of brain-training exercises for every type of thinking. NumberHunt improves your basic math skills, Colored Lines uses logic and special reasoning, and Memocoly improves your memory by asking you to remember a series of colors in the order in which they appear on the screen. Games for the Brain even allows you to rack up points to monitor your improvement over time.

Lumosity
You’ve likely heard of the Lumosity website, but it’s worth the hype. This attractive site allows you to create a profile and build a personalized training program, specifying the areas of the brain you want to work on. It incorporates memory, speed, problem solving, attention, and flexibility into its simple games and tests, and it tracks your improvement in each area along the way.

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Business and Economics Lesson Plans for Teachers

March 4, 2014 by

Teachers often hear the question, “When am I ever going to use this?” when teaching things like fractions, chemistry or other subjects. Learning about economics and money management, however, is obviously important for the world outside school. These online guides will help educators to develop lesson plans that will keep students interested in business, taxes, and economics:

Understanding Taxes for Teachers
Teaching students about taxes may seem intimidating to anyone who isn’t an accountant, but this helpful guide from the IRS presents it in an easily intelligible form. Here you’ll find a custom resource list, lesson plans, educational standards and even downloads and PowerPoint presentations describing the basic components of filing taxes.

Federal Reserve Education
The educational division of the Federal Reserve’s website offers classroom resources for students ranging from kindergarten to 12th grade. You can browse the website by lesson plans, activities or publications, and even search by topics on everything from financial fundamentals to monetary policy.

Investor.gov’s Classroom Resources
Investor.gov states that the best time for kids to learn about money is when they’re young, and that teaching children about managing their finances can help them be wise with money in the future. This website provides key topics and suggested activities for teaching kids about credit, savings and investments to help them make smart money decisions as adults.

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Learn About Chess Variants Online

February 28, 2014 by

Chess variants are other games derived from or inspired by the game of chess. Most of these games use different pieces, have different game boards, or use different rules from traditional chess. Whether you already play and love chess or you simply can’t get into the game, just about anyone will love to play these exciting and logical alternatives to the historical game of chess.

Chess960
Chess960 is a chess variant that uses the same pieces and the same game board, but the pieces in the first rank are randomized, with opposing pieces mirroring them. This is a great game for expert chess players, because it makes it impossible to memorize opening lines.

Glinski’s Hexagonal Chess
This derivation of chess uses a unique hexagonal board instead of the standard square chess board. The board contains 91 cells in three different colors, and it uses the usual chess pieces, with the addition of one extra bishop and one extra pawn. Glinski’s chess is an incredibly popular variant, especially in Eastern Europe.

Apocalypse
Apocalypse is played on a much smaller scale than regular chess, using only a 5×5 board and two horses and five footmen on each team. The two players make their moves simultaneously, and the game is over when one player captures all of the other player’s footmen.

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4 Heart-Healthy Desserts That Won’t Ruin Your Diet

February 28, 2014 by

Even when we’re dieting, it can be hard to resist having dessert every now and then. The key isn’t cutting out dessert completely; it’s about changing the desserts you decide to indulge in. These decadent-tasting recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your diet.

Frosted Cake
Perfect for birthday parties or family dinners, this sweet frosted cake tastes just like the original, without all of the added sugar. By using things like low-fat cream cheese and skim milk, this cake becomes a smart alternative to the traditional bakery variety.

Tropical Fruit Compote
Because it has a fruit base, this fresh and summery dessert is a much smarter option for an after-dinner treat that’s also low in calories.

Crunchy Pumpkin Pie
Serve this traditional treat for Thanksgiving dinner and your guests won’t be able to tell the difference from its high-calorie original. Whole wheat flour and ground almonds make for a healthier crust, while canned pumpkin is a nutrient-rich base for its creamy middle.

Mousse a la Banana
If you’re looking for a delicious dessert that’s also low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium, this is just the thing. At under 100 calories per serving, this sweet banana mousse is one dish that won’t make you feel guilty for indulging. 

For more healthy dessert recipes, visit the NIH website here.

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