8 Ways to Make Money Online Without Quitting your Day Job

Want to make money online? Want to rake in millions almost effortlessly? Sure, most silver-tongued marketers might lead you to believe that the good life is just a few keystrokes away. They tell you that your path to online riches is just around the corner using this newly discovered, untapped secret. The best part? They're only sharing it with you as part of their inner circle. Yes, that's right. You're the chosen one. Part of the lucky few. 

We all know how this story plays out, don't we? The allure for wanting to generate an income and leave that corporate life-sucking 9-to-5 job is strong. So strong, in fact, that this so-called easy money-making system was just too alluring that you had to pull the trigger and scoop it up. But what happens after the fact? You made the decision and you took action. Now, you have this course just sitting there at the ready. All you need to do is consume and implement. 

But that's often not the case, is it? We don't consume. And we certainly fail to implement. Yet, we hear most people preach about hustling. Work hard, they say. Toil. Grind. Stay up all hours of the night. Sure. It comes from our well-intentioned parents. They want to equip us with the best tools for success. Yes, they mean well. But hustling and working hard doesn't equate to success. You might make a bit of money on the internet if you can hustle tirelessly. But will you be truly free from the tethers of corporate life? Probably not. 

Abandoned house for 40 years untouched

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Why Does Cilantro Taste Like Soap to Some People?

Of course some of this dislike may come down to simple preference, but for those cilantro-haters for whom the plant tastes like soap, the issue is genetic. These people have a variation in a group of olfactory-receptor genes that allows them to strongly perceive the soapy-flavored aldehydes in cilantro leaves.

Some 156 people in 10 states infected with E. coli from ground beef

A total of 156 people in 10 states have been infected with E. coli after eating tainted ground beef at home and in restaurants since the beginning of March. No deaths have been reported but 20 people have been hospitalized after they were infected with the strain E. coli O103 since March 1. A investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the contaminated ground beef that was supplied to grocery stores and restaurants.

I have no topic to post today

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Viking Origins

A Viking Chant: Listen

The Vikings originated in what is now Denmark, Norway and Sweden (although centuries before they became unified countries). Their homeland was overwhelmingly rural, with almost no towns. The vast majority earned a meagre living through agriculture, or along the coast, by fishing. Where did the Vikings come from originally? Scandinavia: Most Vikings originated in Scandinavia, among the Norse population of present day Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Some of the most famous Vikings were Danes, who established the Danelaw in England. The Norwegians raided Scotland, and founded Iceland.

Viking Leaders You Should Know

1. Rollo: First ruler of Normandy.
2. Erik the Red: Founded Greenland's First Norse Settlement.
3. Olaf Tryggvason: Brought Christianity to Norway.
4. Leif Eriksson: Beat Columbus to the New World by 500 years.
5. Cnut the Great: England's Viking King.
6. Harald Hardrada: The Last Great Viking Leader.

Did Vikings really exist?
According to the Icelandic sagas, many Norwegian Vikings also went to eastern Europe. In the Viking Age, the present day nations of Norway, Sweden and Denmark did not exist, but were largely homogeneous and similar in culture and language, although somewhat distinct geographically.

What was the Viking population?
This household size suggests that at the end of the settlement era, Iceland had a population of about 60,000 people. Settlement patterns in late Viking age Iceland suggest there were about 4,000 farms, of which 1,500 were estates and large farms, while the remainder were smaller settlements.

Was Ragnar Lothbrok real?
That man was Ragnar Lothbrok. Ragnar is the first real Viking personality to emerge from the hazy accounts of the period but in many ways he still belongs more in the fable-filled pages of the sagas than amongst the sober entries in the chronicles.

Are Vikings Irish or Scottish?
They emerged in the Viking Age, when Vikings who settled in Ireland and in Scotland adopted Gaelic culture and intermarried with Gaels. The Norse–Gaels dominated much of the Irish Sea and Scottish Sea regions from the 9th to 12th centuries.

Was Ragnar Lothbrok a king?

Ragnar Lodbrok or Lothbrok (Old Norse: Ragnarr Loðbrók, "Ragnar shaggy breeches", contemporary Norse: Ragnar Loðbrók) was a historically dubious Norse Viking hero and legendary king of Denmark and Sweden, known from Viking Age Old Norse poetry and sagas.

Was Ivar the Boneless real?
Ivar the Boneless (Old Norse: Ívarr hinn Beinlausi; Old English: Hyngwar), also known as Ivar Ragnarsson, was a Viking leader and a commander who invaded what is now England. According to The Tale of Ragnar Lodbrok, he was the son of Ragnar Loðbrok and Aslaug.

What was the largest Viking settlement?
Hedeby (Danish pronunciation: [ˈheːð̩byːˀ], Old Norse Heiðabýr, German Haithabu) was an important Danish Viking Age (8th to the 11th centuries) trading settlement near the southern end of the Jutland Peninsula, now in the Schleswig-Flensburg district of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany.

Who were the Vikings afraid of?
Vikings were members of tribes, originally from Scandinavia, of Norse ancestry, who gained a reputation for their raids and piracy in many parts of Europe, especially England, Ireland, and Frankish territories. The term "Viking age" refers to the period roughly from 793 AD to the late 11th century in Europe.

Did Vikings have blue eyes?
New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. Scientists have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6,000-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye color of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.

When did Ivar the Boneless die?
873 AD

Did Vikings discover America?
Half a millennium before Columbus “discovered” America, those Viking feet may have been the first European ones to ever have touched North American soil. Exploration was a family business for the expedition's leader, Leif Eriksson (variations of his last name include Erickson, Ericson, Erikson, Ericsson and Eiriksson).

Where did the Vikings conquer?
The Vikings who invaded western and eastern Europe were mainly pagans from the same area as present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden. They also settled in the Faroe Islands, Ireland, Iceland, peripheral Scotland (Caithness, the Hebrides and the Northern Isles), Greenland, and Canada.

Was Bjorn Ironside a real person?
The Hervarar saga from the 13th century tells that Eysteinn Beli was killed by Björn and his brothers as told in Ragnar Lodbrok's saga, and they conquered all of Sweden. When Ragnar died Björn Ironside inherited Sweden. He had two sons, Refil and Erik Björnsson, who became the next king of Sweden.

Was Lagertha a real person?
Lagertha was, according to legend, a Viking shieldmaiden and ruler from what is now Norway, and the onetime wife of the famous Viking Ragnar Lodbrok. Her tale, as recorded by the chronicler Saxo in the 12th century, may be a reflection of tales about Thorgerd (Þorgerðr Hölgabrúðr), a Norse deity.

Are Irish Vikings?
The history of Ireland 800–1169 covers the period in the history of Ireland from the first Viking raids to the Norman invasion. ... Viking ports were established at Dublin, Wexford, Waterford, Cork and Limerick, which became the first large towns in Ireland.

Are the Scottish and Irish related?
Irish-Scots are people in Scotland who are of immediate or traceably distinct Irish ancestry. ... However, with centuries of heavy Irish immigration to Scotland, it is generally believed to be over 1.5 million people may have some Irish blood, even if very distantly.

Do shetlanders consider themselves Scottish?
Many regard themselves as Shetlanders or Orcadians first, and then British. They emphatically do not see themselves as Scots. However, if Scotland does become independent, then the islanders will be left attached to a country to which many do not wish to belong.

How did Ragnar Lothbrok really die in history?
This sort of ambiguity pervades much that is thought to be known about Ragnar, and it has its roots in the European literature created after his death. ... According to Saxo's legendary history, Ragnar was eventually captured by the Anglo-Saxon king Aella of Northumbria and thrown into a snake pit to die.

Did Ivar the Boneless have any children?
Sigtrygg Ivarsson
Son
Sichfrith Ivarsson
Son
Ivar the Boneless/Children

What was Viking life like?
There were farmers, who kept animals and grew crops, and skilful craft workers, who made beautiful metalwork and wooden carvings. Everyone lived together in a large home called a longhouse. The Vikings also brought with them their way of life and beliefs.

These Hilarious Restaurant Signs Will Make You Cry With Laughter

It’s amazing how creative restaurants can be when it comes to luring potential customers with welcome signs. Sometimes though, they can actually have the opposite effect. You’ll be rolling on the floor in stitches after reading these hilarious restaurant signs.

Let’s Add Some Seasoning!

One particular restaurant that is consistently churning out funny signs is Austin, Texas’s very own El Arroyo. Take this sign, for example, which used the seasons to comedic effect! For this person, winter fat was gone, but spring rolls were just around the corner!

Sorry for the Incontinence

It’s a normal thing: many independent restaurants close for a brief period of time for a variety of reasons. Some owners/chefs choose to go on vacation, which means that all systems shut down. This restaurant simply closed for a brief period due to renovation. We think that the writer of this sign meant “sorry for the inconvenience.” Then again, maybe they got complaints that the food was giving customers actual incontinence. In that case, sorry for the actual inconvenience!

Beatable Feast

Like McDonald’s, KFC is right up there at the forefront of fast food restaurants and is probably the most iconic deep-fried chicken outlet on the planet. So you would expect them to be able to get their welcome signs right. Of course, they meant to write on this sign “Unbeatable Feast.” However, all it took was the omission of one valuable letter, “B” in “unbeatable,” and this restaurant becomes an instant laughing stock. We’re still going to eat there though, without question.

Wendy’s Want You!

It seems like fast food chain Wendy’s also doesn’t take itself too seriously these days. There was a time when working in these culinary institutions was held in much higher regard. Nowadays, there is a stereotype that only certain types of people work at these sort fast-food joints. In fact, the stigma is also bleeding into restaurants, in general. At least Wendy’s are aware of this stereotype and are prepared to hire people who appreciate a little bit of sarcasm.

Want Some Over-Time?

Many restaurants like to pride themselves on the fact that they stay open for six days of the week, or maybe even every single day of the week. However, we have come across a restaurant that claims to be open for not six, not seven, but EIGHT days of the week. Not only that, but they also manage to close every Sunday too! It appears that this restaurant has one more day in their week than others, it is called “Not-a-day.”

Not Exactly Soup

We only have two explanations for why this ended up happening. Either 1) the cook who usually makes the soup of the day at this restaurant was sick that day. No one else could make soup quite like him, so they poured a few bottles of whiskey into a pot, heated it up and served it. Or 2) they have an award-winning recipe for a whiskey soup that defies expectations. Because, let’s face it, we’re expecting the worst.

Mind Blown

Not only are the writers of El Arroyo’s welcome signs masters of the cheeky pun, as well as the silly dad jokes; they also like to delve into philosophy every once in a while. Many have come out of the Austin-based restaurant feeling like they have learned a thing or two. When you think about it, they are right: clapping is a little bit like hitting yourself because you like something. Make sure you don’t like it too much though, otherwise you might break your wrist.

Why Not Good, Cheap and Fast?

This sign clearly demonstrates a problem with the fast-food industry. Restaurants pride themselves on delivering their meals fast that they sometimes forget to maintain the quality of their food. It’s safe to say that a lot of fast food is both fast and cheap. However, whether it is good or not is often up to debate. Why can’t restaurants tick all three boxes? To be honest, as long as the food is good, we don’t care if it’s cheap or fast.

No Soup For You!

It looks like somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed today. This restaurant must have a tendency to have a daily special. However, we just caught the one day that the chef decided that there would be no special on the menu. Maybe he was fed up with the customers, so it was his way of punishing them. We just want to reassure all regular eaters at “GNTRBT” that you are special, and you deserve better than this.

Gold rich rivers where you can still strike it lucky

There's still gold in these hills

The gold rushes of the 19th century have long since ended, but there are still plenty of places you can hunt for the precious metal using a shovel, pan, metal detector and more. In fact, recreational gold mining is a pastime for many people these days, and for good reason: the largest nugget ever found in California was discovered by an amateur. Here are some key locations worldwide that you can still prospect for the yellow metal – you never know, you may get lucky and strike it rich. 

Reed Gold Mine, Charlotte, North Carolina

In 1799, Conrad Reed was walking along Little Meadow Creek when he noticed a shiny, gold substance in the water. It turned out to be a 17 pound gold nugget, and was the first documented authentic gold claim in the US. 

You can still pull gold out of the water to this day with panning at $2 per person. Visitors to the area can also learn about other ways of finding gold from the land. 

Crow Creek, Alaska

If you are in Alaska and want to look for more than just incredible scenery and wildlife, you might want to try your hand at panning for gold in Crow Creek. The first claims of gold are said to have been made in 1897 near the mouth of the stream and panning has taken place here ever since. 

Amateur gold hunters can get private excursions and a practice bag of rocks mixed with gold to make sure that they are panning correctly, before heading half a mile down stream to test their gold hunting skills. Panning costs $24 per person. 

Black Hills Forest, South Dakota

In 1876 the gold rush swept across the Black Hills of South Dakota after gold deposits were found in Deadwood Creek, with people panning for gold ever since. 

Much of the Black Hills are encompassed by public land and panning is available to whoever fancies wading through the waters. You will need to rent or bring your own panning equipment and the cost depends on where you want to go panning. 

American River, California

Rules and regulations differ slightly from state to state, but recreational gold prospecting tends to be permitted in the USA in designated public areas and on private land as long as the landowner gives permission.

The California Gold Rush began in 1848 when gold was discovered at Sutter's Mill on the banks of the American River in Coloma. The surrounding area is still rich in gold deposits, and recreational panning is permitted these days at the south fork of the river in Coloma and at two forks in the Auburn State Recreational Area. 

Cosumnes River, California

The Cosumnes River that flows through California's Eldorado National Forest is also known for its deposits of the yellow stuff. A great place to prospect, several camping grounds within the forest allow for gold panning. 

The most popular gold panning sites include the areas around Cache Rock and the Pi Pi Campground, which is located along the middle fork of the Cosumnes, as well as the area around Capps Crossing. 

This swathe of land near near the Majuba Mountains is renowned for its chunky chevron-shaped gold nuggets, which are much sought after by collectors. The gold deposits are situated in soils to the west of the reservoir, so you'll have to dry pan or search with a metal detector here. 

Jamestown, California

There are many places to mine for gold in California, as it is rich with gold mining history, and Jamestown is no exception. The gold panning tours available here make this a popular choice

Prices for prospecting here vary and it can be a little steep, but then again, you are going gold mining. For a family you can get equipment, instructions and a five-hour time slot for $160. 

Rye Patch, Nevada

In Nevada, as long as you discover gold on federal land – and it hasn't been claimed by someone else – you can stake a mining claim and keep or sell your booty. Similar rules apply in other US states, including California, Colorado and Alaska. 

Clear Creek, Colorado

A gold-hunter's paradise, this river in Colorado is hands-down the best place in the state for recreational prospecting. Panning and sluicing for gold is permitted on the river bed at Arapahoe Bar in west Denver, and digging is allowed on the north side of the river there. 

There's also a large stretch of river about 10 miles upstream from Arapahoe Bar at Clear Creek Canyon where gold panning, sluicing and even suction dredging are permitted. You may even have better luck here given the location is up-river. Guided tours cost $100 for adults and $50 for children. 

Dahlonega, Georgia

North Georgia saw an American gold rush in 1928. People have long since been hunting there and the Consolidated Gold Mine is the place to go. 

Costs range between $6 and $11 per pan for you to have a go at finding your own fortune here, which seems like a decent price for finding gold. Instructions are also provided for beginners. 

Chena River, Alaska

The discovery of gold near the Chena River in Fairbanks set off the Fairbanks Gold Rush of the early 1900s and the yellow metal is still found in relatively impressive quantities in Alaska's ice-cold watercourses. 

Several tourist companies that are based in Fairbanks offer gold panning courses on the river. Recreational panning is also allowed at the narrower Pedro Creek to the north of the Alaskan city. 

Klondike River, Yukon, Canada

The Klondike Gold Rush kicked off in 1896 when gold was found in Bonanza Creek (then called Rabbit Creek), a tributary of the Klondike River, attracting hundreds of thousands of prospectors to this remote part of Canada. 

Gold panning and sluicing are permitted on the Klondike River and other watercourses in Canada with some exceptions. If the land is federal-owned or belongs to First Nation people, you'll have to obtain permission before you prospect. 

Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada

This river in British Columbia is noted for its reserves of gold and attracts many a recreational prospector. Tranquille Creek in Thompson county is one of the best spots to pan for gold on the river. 

Fraser River is awash with gold left behind by prospectors over decades, and there's a good chance you'll find small nuggets here rather than tiny specks or grains of gold among the rich alluvial deposits, as it is one of the largest gold producing mines in Canada . 

Other gold mining areas around the globe

• Dolgellau, Gwynedd, Wales
• Elvo River, Piedmont, Italy
• Arrow River, Otago, New Zealand
• Suisgill Estate, Sutherland, Scotland
• Warrego, Northern Territory, Australia
• Gold Mines River, County Wicklow, Ireland
• Wanlockhead, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland

Secrets Netflix Doesn’t Want You To Know

Currently, some 139 million subscribers around the world rely on Netflix for all their binge-watching needs. And while you probably feel like you know Netflix like the back of your hand we're guessing most of us could recite the entire "Popular on Netflix" bar by now there's always more to learn.

For example, did you know you could pull up all of the romantic comedies on Netflix simply by entering a secret code? What about the fact that all of your favorite Marvel and Pixar titles are about to disappear? To make sure you're in the know on some mega-secrets this multi-billion dollar company holds dear, we've rounded up the shocking Netflix secrets only insiders know. So read on, happy binging, and for more help navigating Netflix.

1. Netflix gets some of its best ideas from movie pirates.

For years, Netflix has been closely monitoring BitTorrent sites like Pirate Bay, where movies are illegally downloaded and shared. And that’s not because they want to catch criminals in the act—they simply want to use their illegal downloads as inspiration for new releases.

The revelation came in 2013 from the company’s then-vice president of content acquisition, Kelly Merryman. “With the purchase of a series, we look at what does well on piracy sites,” Merryman told a news site in the Netherlands after the service rolled out in that country.

Prison Break is exceptionally popular on [local Netherlands] piracy sites. And so Netflix acquired the rights to Prison Break in the Netherlands. And if you’ve ever wondering how much your shared subscription costs this tech-giant, you’ll want to learn How Much Money Netflix Is Losing to Subscription Mooching.

2. Where Netflix’s DVD warehouses are located.

Believe it or not, around 3.4 million Netflix customers still subscribe to the company’s DVD delivery service. But where are all those discs coming from? We have no idea, and neither do most people. Last year, Netflix had 17 distribution hubs across the country, but you’d be hard-pressed to find any of them. Along with appearing on absolutely zero maps, the buildings have no signage to identify them as anything more than anonymous factories.

The secrecy is mostly so customers won’t be inclined to visit, according to one Chicago Tribune reporter who was allowed access to one warehouse. Netflix told the reporter that when customers learned the location of a warehouse, they tended to drop by and leave their DVDs at the door.

3. They’ll be losing all their Disney content soon.

As you may have heard already, Disney is launching its own streaming service later this year called Disney. It promises to be less-than-awesome news for Netflix, and not just because they’ll have another competitor. Disney will also be pulling all Disney-produced or owned titles, which includes everything related to Pixar, Star Wars, and Marvel.

That’s a lot of movies and TV shows that are going away. So enjoy The Incredibles 2 and Star Wars: The Last Jedi while there’s still time! 

4. There are secret Netflix codes to help you find new titles.

If you don’t know exactly what you’re looking for, Netflix’s massive library of titles can seem intimidating. But it gets easier if you know the shortcuts. Netflix has a selection of nearly 76,000 sub-genres and the simplest way to find them is with secret codes. Whether you’re in the mood for slapstick comedies (code 10256), political documentaries (7018), or tearjerkers (6384), there’s a specific series of digits that will take you to everything Netflix has in that genre.

You can find all the various codes right here. Once you find a genre you want to explore, go to www.netflix.com/browse/genre/XXXX. Those X’s are where you fill in the code. Get ready for a world of content to open up.

5. They’ve been criticized for giving short shrift to closed captioning.

The controversy began in 2011, when the National Association of the Deaf filed a lawsuit against Netflix, accusing the company of not offering a closed-captioning option for the majority of its movies and TV shows. Netflix responded by promising to caption at least 80 percent of its library before the year’s end and all of its library by 2014.

In 2018, the NAD contacted Netflix lawyers again over complaints that the captions for their hit Queer Eye weren’t up to par, leaving out random dialogue and even censoring language. Last November, there were angry tweets about captions on the Netflix series She-Ra, with some customers claiming that the subtitles were “missing like 10 percent of the words.”

6. You can minimize “Netflix originals” recommendations

The “My List” section is designed to let you create a customized row of shows and movies you want to watch. Once you add several titles to your “My List,” Netflix will sort it for you and put the titles you’re most likely to enjoy up front. But you might also notice that they tend to slip in a few Netflix originals, too.

Preventing that is as simple as making a quick change to your “My List” settings. Just follow this link, uncheck “Netflix Suggests” and select “Manual Ordering.” Now, you and you alone can decide your viewing itinerary, with no more “helpful suggestions” from Netflix.

7. Some of the synopses have been written by people who haven’t actually seen the movies.

Or at least that’s the accusation of one former Netflix writer. “As I’m sure you have noticed, [the synopses] don’t always actually match the content of the film very well,” former Netflix employee Ealasaid Haas said in an interview with The Outline. “Which is because they did not pay us well enough for us to actually watch the movies.”

Instead, Haas claims, they would write each synopsis “based on what we found online.” Netflix never responded to the accusation, which doesn’t necessarily mean it’s true. And as The Outline pointed out, the former Netflix writer hasn’t worked for the company in more than a decade.

8. Hundreds of Netflix accounts are sold on the dark web.

According to a report in The Atlantic, cybercriminals could have access to your account. And the issue isn’t just that they’re watching Stranger Things while pretending to be you. As the Atlantic reporter found out, getting access to your Netflix account “can be a foothold for large-scale identity fraud,” including getting the names of your family members, billing zip codes, and much more. And many of these Netflix passwords are being sold for “mere cents.” The hackers typically get ahold of the credentials through phishing schemes and fake websites that masquerade as Netflix.

9. Netflix wants you to stop binge-watching.

Well, not exactly. They just might want you to stop referring to it as that. At least that’s what actor Guy Pearce said in an interview with The Empire Film Podcast, in which he talked about his new Netflix series The Innocents. He said that he and other cast members from the show “were strictly sort of instructed beforehand [by Netflix] not to talk about ‘binge-watching.’”

Then, he and podcast host Chris Hewitt tried to come up with alternatives, suggesting “marathon watch” or “elongated entertainment” as more Netflix-friendly terms for binge-watching. No one is entirely sure why Netflix is opposed to binge-watching, or at least using those words, but it may be because one study published in the journal Circulation (as well as several other similar studies) found that binge-watching even 2.5 hours of television a day increased the risk of dying from a pulmonary embolism by 70 percent.

10. There are sites that navigate Netflix so you don’t have to.

Open Netflix and it’ll have plenty of suggestions for what you should watch next. But sometimes, you don’t want to be bullied into watching whatever content they’re peddling this week. In that case, you could let ReelGood’s Netflix Roulette find something for you. It’s not completely random; the spinner asks for your favorite genres and a ballpark IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes rating (as in, are you willing to watch something with less than a two-star review, or not?).

11. You can get even better video quality with the click of the button

Most Netflix users don’t realize that their account’s default playback settings are to the lowest video quality possible. To watch everything in HD, simply go to netflix.com/HdToggle and select “High.” And if you tend to watch Netflix on WiFi and don’t have an unlimited data plan, beware: Watching in this setting uses between three and seven gigabytes of data per hour.

12. Some workers don’t like working there.

In a 2018 Wall Street Journal story that included interviews with 70 past and present employees, the prevailing opinion was that Netflix work culture was “ruthless, demoralizing, and transparent to the point of dysfunctional.” When one public relationships executive admitted during a Netflix meeting that he lived with the fear of losing his job, the vice president of publicity Karen Barragan purportedly told him, “Good, because fear drives you.”

13. Netflix’s origin story is up for debate.

Reed Hastings, CEO and one of the co-founders of Netflix, has a favorite story about how he was first inspired to start the company. As he tells it, he received a $40 late fee for a rental from Blockbuster and was so frustrated by the charge that he decided to create a service that wouldn’t punish customers for taking a little extra time to finish their movies.

It’s a nice story, but it might also be a fairytale. Netflix’s other co-founder, Marc Randolph (who left the company in 2002), says Hastings concocted the tale as a way to simply explain how the company worked and to give himself more credit for dreaming up the business, according to Gina Keating, author of the book Netflixed, who’s interviewed Randolph and others in the co-founders’ orbits. According to Randolph, the pair met at a time when Amazon was dominating the book market and the two wanted to be the “Amazon of something.” The truth? Who knows.

6 Things You Should Make with Butter and 6 You Shouldn’t

What's the big deal with butter?

Some people swear by baking with margarine, lard or vegetable shortening, but there's no substitute for the flavor and texture of butter. While there are more than a few foods that need butter to turn out, there are also a couple where it's better to give butter a pass. (In case you didn't know, it is safe to leave butter on the kitchen counter most of the time.) 

Works well: Baking

When it comes to baking, butter is the only way to go. It has a richer flavor and gives the cookies and cakes a luxurious mouthfeel. Baked goods made with margarine have a softer texture, thanks to all the added water

Works well: Swirling into sauces

In classical French cooking, swirling a pat of cold butter into a sauce or soup is called monter au beurre. It gives any sauce a glossy finish and a rich mouthfeel, amping up its flavor with little to no effort at all. Give it a try the next time you make tomato sauce. 

Works well: Creating flaky layers in pastries

Have you ever noticed how croissants have thousands of flaky layers? You can thank butter for that! Butter is mostly fat, but it also contains water. If the butter is cold when it hits the oven, that water will quickly evaporate, creating steam that gets trapped inside the dough. Voila: flaky croissants and biscuits! And that's why chilling cookie dough is the one step you should never skip! 

Works well: Buttercream

Technically, anything called frosting is made with shortening or cream cheese whereas buttercream is made with (you guessed it) butter. If it's up to us, we'll choose the latter every day of the week. It's richer, smoother and more full-flavored, so skip the store bought stuff and make your own.

Works well: Brown butter

Just typing the word makes me drool! Brown butter is the easiest sauce to make: simply heat butter over medium-high heat until the milk solids start to brown and the water evaporates. Since margarine and shortening don't contain any milk solids, this one just won't work without butter! Use your brown butter in almost any recipe that calls for regular butter, or serve it over ravioli or pasta for a savory treat. 

Works well: Topping steaks

I'm not the type to cover up an expensive cut of meat with sauce, but I do love a pat of butter on top of a perfectly cooked steak! Here's how to master the technique. Whip up a compound butter recipe to give steaks an extra boost of flavor. You can slather any leftover butter onto dinner rolls or use it to dress vegetables, too. It's decided: These recipes are definitely better with butter. 

Doesn't work so well: High-temperature searing

Every type of cooking oil has a smoke point the temperature at which it starts to smoke and taste scorched. Since butter's smoke point is relatively low (350ºF), it's best to use another type of oil for searing steaks, pork chops or chicken breasts. 

Doesn't work so well: Tortillas and tamales

If there's one reason to have a tub of lard in the fridge, it's for flour tortillas and tamales. I've tried making these with butter, but its moisture content ruins the batch every time. Lard has a perfect consistency and neutral flavor to make the best tamales and tortillas. 

Doesn't work so well: Sous vide meat

Sous vide-or water bath-cooking is all the rage right now. This technique gives you the opportunity to infuse flavors with your favorite steak or pork chop. Citrus and herbs work especially well, but butter isn't the right fit for this method. Cooked this way, meat won't absorb those butter flavors. Instead stick with adding butter in a sauce or on top of your steak post-cooking. 

Doesn't work so well: Vegan desserts

If you're trying to make plant-based desserts, you can't exactly use butter-it's an animal product! In those cases, it's better to use vegetable shortening or margarine for baking. You can also use creative swaps, like using avocado in fudge recipes. 

Doesn't work so well: Greasing pans

When it comes to greasing pans for cakes or other treats, you might want to stick with oil or cooking spray. Butter contains about 20 percent water. When that water evaporates away from your greased pan, it gives your batters the opportunity to stick. Oil, however, doesn't contain water. It won't evaporate meaning that wherever it's sprayed, it's staying. 

Doesn't work so well: Breakfast potatoes

I love the way butter flavors scrambled eggs and omelets, but it makes breakfast potatoes soggy. There's a trick to making crispy hash brown potatoes, but if you cook them in butter it won't matter. So skip the butter on this one and use oil instead. 

Denosumab Injection? what is it and how do you use this drug

Denosumab is a monoclonal antibody. Monoclonal antibodies are made to target and destroy only certain cells in the body. This may help to protect healthy cells from damage. The Prolia brand of denosumab is used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women who have high risk of bone fracture.

Why is this medication prescribed?

Denosumab injection (Prolia) is used
to treat osteoporosis (a condition in which the bones become thin and weak and break easily) in women who have undergone menopause (''change of life;'' end of menstrual periods) who have an increased risk for fractures (broken bones) or who cannot take or did not respond to other medication treatments for osteoporosis.

• to treat men who have an increased risk for fractures (broken bones) or who cannot take or did not respond to other medication treatments for osteoporosis.
• treat osteoporosis that is caused by corticosteroid medications in men and women who will be taking corticosteroid medications for at least 6 months and have an increased risk for fractures or who cannot take or did not respond to other medication treatments for osteoporosis.
• to treat bone loss in men who are being treated for prostate cancer with certain medications that cause bone loss,
• to treat bone loss in women with breast cancer who are receiving certain medications that increase their risk for fractures.

Denosumab injection (Xgeva) is used Denosumab injection is in a class of medications called RANK ligand inhibitors. It works to prevent bone loss by blocking a certain receptor in the body to decrease bone breakdown. It works to treat GCTB by blocking a certain receptor in the tumor cells which slows the tumor growth. It works to treat high calcium levels by decreasing bone breakdown as the breakdown of bones releases calcium.

• to reduce the risk of fractures in people who have multiple myeloma (cancer that begins in the plasma cells and causes bone damage), and in people who have certain types of cancer that began in another part of the body but has spread to the bones.
• in adults and some adolescents to treat giant cell tumor of bone (GCTB; a type of bone tumor) that cannot be treated with surgery.
• to treat high calcium levels that are caused by cancer in people who did not respond to other medications.

How should this medicine be used?

Denosumab injection comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected subcutaneously (under the skin) in your upper arm, upper thigh, or stomach area. It is usually injected by a doctor or nurse in a medical office or clinic. Denosumab injection (Prolia) is usually given once every 6 months. When denosumab injection (Xgeva) is used to reduce the risk of fractures from multiple myeloma, or cancer that has spread to the bones, it is usually given once every 4 weeks. When denosumab injection (Xgeva) is used to treat giant cell tumor of bone, or high calcium levels caused by cancer, it is usually given every 7 days for the first three doses (on day 1, day 8, and day 15) and then once every 4 weeks starting 2 weeks after the first three doses.

Your doctor will tell you to take supplements of calcium and vitamin D while you are being treated with denosumab injection. Take these supplements exactly as directed.

When denosumab injection (Prolia) is used to treat osteoporosis or bone loss, your doctor or pharmacist will give you the manufacturer's patient information sheet (Medication Guide) when you begin treatment with denosumab injection and each time you refill your prescription. Read the information carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions. 

Before receiving denosumab injection,
tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva), any other medications, latex, or any of the ingredients in denosumab injection. Ask your pharmacist or check the Medication Guide for a list of the ingredients.
you should know that denosumab injection is available under the brand names Prolia and Xgeva. You should not receive more than one product containing denosumab at the same time. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are being treated with either of these medications.

Tell your doctor and pharmacist what other prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking or plan to take. Be sure to mention any of the following: angiogenesis inhibitors such as axitinib (Inlyta), bevacizumab (Avastin), everolimus (Afinitor, Zortress), pazopanib (Votrient), sorafenib (Nexavar), or sunitinib (Sutent); bisphosphonates such as alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax), etidronate, ibandronate (Boniva), pamidronate, risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia), zoledronic acid (Reclast); cancer chemotherapy medications; medications that suppress the immune system such as azathioprine (Azasan, Imuran), cyclosporine (Gengraf, Neoral, Sandimmune), methotrexate (Otrexup, Rasuvo, Trexall, Xatmep), sirolimus (Rapamune), and tacrolimus (Astagraf XL, Envarsus, Prograf); steroids such as dexamethasone, methylprednisolone (A-Methapred, Depo-Medrol, Medrol, Solu-Medrol), and prednisone (Rayos); or medications used to lower your calcium levels. Your doctor may need to change the doses of your medications or monitor you carefully for side effects.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had a low level of calcium in your blood. 

Your doctor will probably check the level of calcium in your blood before you begin treatment and will probably tell you not to receive denosumab injection if the level is too low.
tell your doctor if you have or have ever had anemia (condition in which the red blood cells do not bring enough oxygen to all the parts of the body); cancer; any type of infection, especially in your mouth; problems with your mouth, teeth, gums, or dentures; dental or oral surgery (teeth removed, dental implants); any condition that stops your blood from clotting normally; any condition that decreases functioning of your immune system; surgery on your thyroid gland or parathyroid gland (small gland in the neck); surgery to remove part of your small intestine; problems with your stomach or intestine that make it difficult for your body to absorb nutrients; polymyalgia rheumatica (disorder that causes muscle pain and weakness); diabetes, or parathyroid or kidney disease.
tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. You will need to have a negative pregnancy test before starting treatment with denosumab injection. 

You should not become pregnant while you are receiving denosumab injection. You should use a reliable method of birth control to prevent pregnancy while you are receiving denosumab injection and for at least 5 months after your final treatment. If you become pregnant while receiving denosumab injection, or within 5 months of your treatment, call your doctor immediately. Denosumab may harm the fetus.

You should know that denosumab injection may cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ, a serious condition of the jaw bone), especially if you have dental surgery or treatment while you are receiving this medication. A dentist should examine your teeth and perform any needed treatments, including cleaning or fixing ill-fitted dentures, before you start to receive denosumab injection. Be sure to brush your teeth and clean your mouth properly while you are receiving denosumab injection. Talk to your doctor before having any dental treatments while you are receiving this medication.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

If you miss an appointment to receive an injection of denosumab, you should call your healthcare provider as soon as possible. The missed dose should be given as soon as it can be rescheduled. When denosumab injection (Prolia) is used for osteoporosis or bone loss, after you receive the missed dose, your next injection should be scheduled 6 months from the date of your last injection.

Denosumab injection may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

• red, dry, or itchy skin
• oozing or crusty blisters on skin
• peeling skin
• back pain
• pain in your arms
• swelling of arms or legs
• muscle or joint pain
• nausea
• diarrhea
• constipation
• abdominal pain
• headache

Skipping Heartbeat: Nuisance or Danger?

We've all felt it: our heart skipping a beat in a moment of excitement or anxiety. Sometimes it happens randomly, and sometimes it's more than just one skipped beat. But is it dangerous? When should we worry? The concern is understandable,  after all, we only have one heart. I've found that understanding how cardiologists think about the problem of the skipped beat can be helpful in reducing some of the worry associated with palpitations and in deciding when it makes sense talk to your doctor about your condition.

What is a skipped beat? 

To understand what a "skipped beat" is, it's helpful to know about normal electrical conduction in the heart. Normally, there is an electrical highway from the top chambers (atria), through a gate between the top and bottom chambers, and then through the bottom chambers (ventricle) of the heart. The most common reason for a skipped beat is when something triggers either the top or the bottom chamber to activate early. As a result, you feel your heart beat early, and the heart briefly pauses to reset the electrical system. That brief pause is what you feel as a skipped beat. Almost all of these early activations (called premature atrial contractions – PACs – or premature ventricular contractions – PVCs) are because the heart is irritated by something. Dehydration, hunger and emotional or physical stress are the most common factors. 

Are skipped beats dangerous?

Isolated PACs and PVCs are never dangerous,  they're just a sign that your heart is responding to something. If we correct the underlying trigger, the skipped beats will go away. If they are a nuisance, we'll sometimes use a medication to make you feel the palpitations less, but this is mainly to improve your comfort.

So, when should I worry?

There are two features that raise our level of concern. First, if the palpitations continuously last a long time  more than 10 minutes, for example – that suggests that the extra beats may be stringing together into a sustained rhythm. Second and more importantly, if you have worrisome symptoms  severe dizziness/lightheadedness, episodes of passing out or profound shortness of breath – this is a sign that the condition is something more than PACs or PVCs.

What happens if I have those symptoms?

It depends. Certainly, if you have one of these two features (or even if you're worried and want to talk it through), it's a good idea to have a conversation with your doctor. Based on your unique circumstance, physicians may choose to do additional testing like a Holter monitor (a monitor you wear for 24 to 48 hours to measure every heart beat) or even a longer-term monitor. Or your doctor may decide to start you on a treatment. Alternatively, you may decide together that additional testing or treatment is not needed.

Do I need an EKG (electrocardiography) device? 

There may be some circumstances when using one of those devices makes sense. But it's important to discuss this with your doctor first. Every device has its strengths and limitations, and using a device without understanding those limitations as they apply to your circumstance could result in data that we can't interpret. Or worse, it could result in a "false positive"  a faulty result by the machine. This could mean significant unneeded testing or therapies without any benefit to you.

Most of the time, a skipped beat is just your heart reacting to something external. If it feels like something more, a quick conversation with your doctor can usually help you figure out if the skipped beat is a nuisance or something that requires more attention.

Do You Need a "Friendship Cleanse"? Here's How to Know When to Say Goodbye

I'm no stranger to walking away from friendships, there have been other times in my life where I had to walk away from friends. Sometimes dramatically, and sometimes by just distancing myself. Either way, there are signs that a person is no longer serving a purpose for your life because, let's be real, friends are here to serve a purpose in your life. It's not a selfish thing  you give each other something. But, sometimes it gets to the point where there is no benefit anymore. 

While it may be hard to figure out whether you and your friend are just getting on each other's nerves and need some space, there are some things that shouldn't be overlooked when you are thinking about cutting ties. 

Is There Resentment?

Funny, but most of my friendships have disintegrated because of resentment. Resentment ruins all types of relationships. Once you let it get to that point, it's easier to just let it go, or have open and honest communication about how to work it out and if it's worth it. 

Is It Worth the Maintenance? 

I used to have a friend that was really high-maintenance. She wanted to have long phone conversations (especially on her way home from work, whereas I was either still working or had just gotten in the car, which is my decompress zone) and would get upset when plans would change or when I wasn't able to reconfigure my life or responsibilities to fit her needs, even when I would offer up a solution. We hit the end when plans changed (as stated before, even when I offered up a solution) and she got upset. Neither one of us reached out after that, although, I sense we were drifting apart before that incident. It was just an easy way out for both of us without confrontation. 

If someone is too much work and you don't have the capacity, it isn't worth it to keep them around. As good of a person as they are, it will just be a strain on your emotional well-being. Imagine being stressed out that your friend is going to be mad at you for not picking up the phone? 

Is There Trust?

There are times in my life where I was not the most trustworthy friend, especially when I was younger. To be honest, there are probably too many examples to give because I spent a lot of my high school and early college years just trying to fit in. It's not an excuse, but a lot of times, I either wasn't honest with people or I would spill secrets because I just wanted to feel included or special with the people I was with. After this all unraveled, I realized that I needed to be better at gaining and keeping trust. If you knew the secrets I kept now, you would be amazed. But, I keep them because they are important to the people I care about. 

If you can't trust your friend, what's the point? Your friend is supposed to be a sounding board for you, someone who is supposed to help you when things get tough, guide you, and frankly, tell it like it is, even when you don't want to hear it. 

Are You Listening to Your Gut?

I'm not sure about you, but every time I meet someone, I try to pay attention to what my gut tells me. I have friends now that I know I won't be friends with later in life. I have people who I keep at an arm's length because even though we get along, I don't always like the vibe. I have friends that are amazing,  I would bend over backwards for them and they would do the same for me but I can only take them in small doses. And I have those people who I love absolutely and would trust with anything. Sometimes I feel the connection instantly, sometimes it takes awhile. 

Listen to what your gut is telling you. If you feel like someone doesn't fit in your life anymore, then they simply don't fit. Do what you can to minimize the hurt maybe not cut them out completely at first, but definitely take a step back, but ultimately you have to do what's best for you.

United States Navy band magazine

This Is What Flirting Looked Like 50 Years Ago

Single folks today would likely argue that flirting is an impossible feat. However, wooing the opposite sex now is a cakewalk compared to how it used to be. In the 1950s, for instance, a guy could hardly look at a girl until he had her father's permission to do so. And for women, flirting wasn't so much about finding someone who likes you for you as it was about convincing a guy that you were pretty and poised enough to make a suitable wife. (Yes, suffice it to say that these practices stayed in the past for a reason.) Keep reading to discover how people used to flirt in decades past.

Flirting advice in the 1950s was all about how to find a husband.

In the 1950s, a range of societal influences suggested women should get married as quickly as possible. Therefore, many of the etiquette books and magazine articles of the time offered advice about searching for a husband. One article in a 1958 edition of McCall’s, for instance, listed 129 ways to get a husband, with suggestions like “attend night school—take courses men like,” “get lost at football games,” and “wear a Band-Aid” because “people always ask what happened.” Oh, and if you want him to know you’re 100 percent interested, you can “stumble when you walk into a room that he’s in” or “stand in a corner and cry softly” because “chances are good that he’ll come over to find out what’s wrong.”

In the ’50s, guys were expected to ask for permission to so much as flirt with a girl.

Flirting in the 1950s really took parental guidance to a whole new level. During the decade, before a male suitor so much as thought about flirting with a female acquaintance, he was expected to first ask said female’s father for permission to get to know her. In the 1953 edition of Amy Groskamp-ten Have’s manners book, the dating expert advised that “the young man who knows his world will pay a visit to the father of the girl he feels attracted to, after meeting her a couple of times, and ask his permission to take his daughter out now and then so they can get to know each other better.”

But this didn’t stop the so-called bad boys from inappropriately hooting and hollering on the street.

While the well-mannered men of the ’50s were busy asking for permission to flirt, the bad boys of the decade were lining the streets looking for girls to catcall. “In the 1950s, [writers] scoffed at the ‘stupid chuckling, scallywag whistling, not to speak of the rest’ of what happens when a few boys meet one or more girls. Another target was a scene on the pavements of every city: boys talking to a girl while disrespectfully hanging on their bicycle, one leg over the crossbar.

Those first flirtatious moments in the ’50s and ’60s often took place in public.

In the 1950s, it was seen as improper for a guy to take a girl out without supervision of some sort, at least if they were still in their teens. As Amy Vanderbilt wrote in Everyday Etiquette: Answers to Today’s Etiquette Questions in 1952: “Is it proper for a single girl to have dinner in a bachelor’s apartment without a chaperone? …A girl not out of her teens would do better to avoid such a dinner engagement… A career girl, from her twenties onward, can accept such an invitation, but she should not stay beyond ten or ten-thirty.” According to Vanderbilt, these societal norms were put in place to protect children “from their own possible foolishness, and from destructive gossip.”

Single folks advertised themselves in the newspapers.

While today you can find your next sexual partner or significant other with the swipe of a finger—thanks, Tinder!—folks in the 1970s had to pick up a newspaper if they wanted to get lucky. Publications like Singles News and the Singles News Register were available from coast to coast, and they were filled with advertisements for men and women alike in search of a partner. One advertisement from a 1976 edition of Singles News for a girl named Kally, for instance, noted that the eligible bachelorette “loves New York City” and “would love to meet someone with the same interests she has and who loves being a single New Yorker as much as she does.”

Women were taught that they should focus on his wants and needs.

Nowadays, flirting is all about witty banter and forming a meaningful bond. In the ’50s and ’60s, though, women were taught to worry more about their appearances and getting a guy’s attention than they were about actually finding a person they connected with. In the 1958 McCall’s piece, some of the tips under the headline “How to Look Good to Him” include things like “buy a full-length mirror and take a good look before you go to greet him” and “go on a diet if you need to.

In the ’70s, women were encouraged to simply “brush off” unwanted flirtatious advances.

If a male coworker was making lewd jokes at you or getting too touchy-feely in the 1970s, the most common advice you’d hear was to ignore it and move on. In Helen Witcomb and Rosalind Lang’s 1971 book Charm: The Career Girl’s Guide to Business and Personal Success, the two authors encourage women in uncomfortable sexual situations to “act naturally, change the subject, and ignore it,” as “expressing displeasure at this stage (either by a feigned look of alarm or by coolly and quietly moving away) will probably discourage further advances.”

Similar advice can be found in Evelyn Bourne’s 1965 book The Anatomy of a Love Affair: The Guide to Sex for the Girl Who Says “Yes!” As if the title isn’t bad enough, some of the worst advice Bourne gives in her book involves unwanted advances and keeping quiet. “If you do find it necessary to shower at his place, and he makes a pass at you when you step out of the stall, soft-skinned and sweet-smelling, don’t threaten to scream,” she wrote. “With your luck all the neighbors will be stone deaf. And if you do scream, he and the police department might well ask what you were doing up there with no clothes on in the first place.”

But by the ’80s, women had more freedom to flirt and fight back.

Things changed by the 1980s. During this time, advice columns and manners books started to encourage women to both fight back against unwelcome advances and take more initiative themselves. One author at the time, for instance, wrote that “if there is no opportunity for you to get into a conversation with someone in an inconspicuous way that does not seem forced, perhaps the best thing would be simply to walk up to him/her and say you would like to make his/her acquaintance.”

Though today this advice seems silly, why wouldn’t you just walk up to a person you like and say hello? it was major for women at the time, as up until then they were expected to wait until the man approached them.