Bad brushing habits that harm your teeth

Are you hurting instead of helping your teeth when you brush? We pinpoint common brushing mistakes—and how to protect your pearly whites.

It’s not exactly a newsflash that one of the most important reasons to brush your teeth is to fight off cavities (not to mention prevent bad breath). But what if the way you brush your teeth actually makes you more susceptible to cavities, tooth decay and gum disease? Scary.

Turns out, there are a host of common mistakes that many of us make morning and night that can damage teeth and turn a healthy smile upside-down. Find out what you’re doing wrong—and how to break these bad habits for better teeth.

You don’t brush for long enough
Most people don’t spend nearly enough time brushing their teeth, notes prosthodontist Michael Lenchner. Most dentists recommend brushing for two or three minutes, but few people ever make it to that. Next time, check your watch see how long your routine takes. Chances are, whether you’re rushing to get to work or ready to collapse into bed, you’re only brushing for a minute or so. To go the distance, bring an egg timer into the bathroom and set it for two or three minutes before you get started, or use an electric toothbrush (like Sonicare) with a two-minute timer.

You’re not watching what you’re doing
Make a point to look in the mirror while you brush your teeth and see where the brush is actually going. It’s easy to miss the area right at the gum line, which is the most important part. That’s where plaque, tartar and bacteria can build up, which cause the gums to become inflamed and infected (aka gingivitis). Also keep a close eye on the back molars. If the brush head hits your cheek before you get to them you could miss them completely. Bonus: Paying better attention to your chompers will increase the likelihood that you’ll notice if something is awry, like chips, cracks or “bruxisms,” which are cupped out or overly shiny areas where your upper and lower teeth might be wearing into one another. Wearing away can also be a sign of TMJ problems, clenching or sleep apnea. Mention any unusual observations at your next dentist appointment.

Your technique needs a major makeover
Enamel is made of tightly packed, glass-like rods that extend out toward the surface of the tooth. When you brush side-to-side, these brittle rods can break, leading to cracks and weakening teeth. Dr. Lenchner likens it to sawing down a tree. Remember: Teeth are not trees. Hold the brush so the bristles are at a 45-degree angle to the surface of the teeth and brush in small circles. Focus on a few teeth at once, then move on to the next set, continuing around from one side to the other, top and bottom, front and back. It’s okay to brush in straight lines on the chewing surfaces. After completing your circles, brush away from the gum line to clear off loosened plaque and bacteria.

You’re brushing too hard
The chances of enamel breakage are greater when you brush too hard. And if you have a tendency to clench or grind, the stakes get even higher. Those habits combined with hard sideways brushing can cause notches near the gum line called abfraction lesions. With continued pressure, they can deepen into the tooth’s inner dentin and cementum layers. What’s more, aggressive brushing can be traumatic for sensitive gums, causing irritation and recession.

You’re using the wrong brush
Be sure to buy soft or ultrasoft brushes to minimize damage. Lenchner warns, though, that even soft bristled toothbrushes can cause abrasions if used incorrectly. He recommends Oral B or Sonicare soft brushes. “All of the electric toothbrushes are great tools if they help you brush longer and get you to the right places,” he says. If you’re willing to invest—to the tune of nearly $189—he is a big proponent of the newly released Emmi-Dent, which looks like an electric brush, but uses ultrasound pulses to kill bacteria without any brushing at all.

If you have a Water Pik, keep it on the lowest setting, even if it doesn’t feel like it’s doing much. Anything higher can erode your gum line. If your dentist gives you a special brush for cleaning implants or crowns, only use it as directed so you don’t disrupt proper gum growth.

As horrifying as it may sound, your toothbrush can be a veritable haven for germs, including strep and staph. You should replace a regular toothbrush every three months—sooner if the bristles look worn, frayed and bent. Over time, the bristles get damaged, like split ends in your hair, and bacteria nestle in those tiny tears. To minimize germs’ day-to-day growth, rinse your brush with hot water after use and allow it to dry completely.

SUGAR: THE SWEET POISON

Having high amounts of sugar in your daily diet can affect a lot more in your body than just your growing stomach. We as American’s already know that we have a weight problem, but we are still consuming astronomical amounts of sugar each year.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that American’s consume 76.7 pounds of sugar a year. Keep in mind though that this is only cane sugar and beet sugar, this doesn’t even touch the amount of high fructose corn syrup we consume each year.

The fact that we consume so much sweet stuff a year (I’m guilty of this also) should have us alarmed. But because many people don’ know what this stuff does to you, beside make you gain weight, let me provide you with a little bit of interesting information.
Sugar in Your Daily Diet Increases the Risk of Type II Diabetes

Okay, so this one is already well known. But I wanted to point out not that sugar causes diabetes, but the symptoms of diabetes because people don’t seem to be afraid of this as much as they should be.

Early signs of diabetes:

• Increased thirst and hunger
• You feel more tired than usual, but you haven’t changed your diet or physical activity
• Blurred vision
• Skin and gum infections that keep coming back
• Injuries take longer to heal
• Frequent trips to the restroom to pee
• Tingling in hands, feet or legs that happen even when you haven’t done something to cut off the circulation

These are just the first symptoms of type II diabetes. I have experienced a number of these myself very recently. But as soon as I started exercising and cut most of the sugar out of my diet, the symptoms started to reverse themselves. So you can quickly reverse type II diabetes if you are still in the beginning stages.

If you don’t take action, still eat the way you have been and stay on your ever widening butt you can expect to enjoy the following:

• An increased chance of a heart attack
• An increased chance of having a stroke
• Pain in the eye and loss of vision from the blood vessels in the back of the eye swelling and leaking
• Kidney damage which causes swelling from the knees down and in the hands, blood in the urine, shortness of breath, decreased oxygen in the blood, nausea and vomiting

Sounds like fun doesn’t it?

Sugar in Your Daily Diet Makes you Look Older

Not only does too much sugar cause significant damage internally, it also shows on the outside. When you have too much sugar in your bloodstream they attach to proteins to create harmful molecules that damage collagen and elastin.

You need collagen and elastin to keep your skin firm and springy, so when they are damaged you end up with wrinkles and saggy skin. (Prevention Magazine)

Sugar in Your Daily Diet Makes You Sick

Not only can too much sugar make you sick to your stomach, it can actually increase your chance of picking up a virus or bacteria. This increased vulnerability is because sugar suppresses your immune system and it can’t fight off even the simplest bacteria for up to 6 hours.

How much sugar will affect your immune system? Per WebMD.com your immune system can be affected with as little as 75 to 100 grams of sugar. This is the equivalent of drinking 24 ounces of soda.

As you can see sugar affects almost every part of our body. So before you reach for that 2nd slice of pie or that jumbo soda at the convenience store think about what you are doing to your body.

10 Things You Might Be Doing That Could Hurt Your Career

Takeaway: If your job isn't going as well as you’d hoped, you may unwittingly be doing something that’s holding you back. Here are some of the less obvious ways people sabotage their careers.


1: Portraying the wrong image

Take a critical look in the mirror and ask yourself if what you see is the image you want to present to the world. If you dare, ask a true friend for his or her honest opinion. What you see may not be what others see:

If your desk is a mess — you are disorganized.
If your shoes are unpolished — you lack attention to detail.
If you interrupt — you don’t listen to others and lack patience.
If you have poor hygiene — you are lazy.
Even the wrong body language can be sending the wrong messages. Slouching in your chair might be telling others that you are tired and lacking ambition.

2: Asking when you should have been silent

In many situations, your wisest course of action is to keep quiet:

Asking for a transfer – If you have any value at all, your manager will not be happy to hear that you want a transfer. I have seen it too many times. A quality employee telegraphs that he or she is looking for greener pastures. If the transfer never comes, and it almost never does, your manager becomes wary. Not only is your career hurt, but your job may be at risk.
Asking for a raise — Aggressively asking for a raise when times are tough may be seen as inappropriate. Each manager is different, so knowing his or her preferences will give you a good idea whether you should ask for that raise you think you deserve. If you are unsure, it is better to concentrate on demonstrating your worth and just keep quiet.
Asking for permission — It can be annoying to a manager to have a subordinate who continually asks for approval. Your manager may view you as an employee unwilling to take responsibility and lacking leadership skills.
Asking for forgiveness — It’s better to ask for forgiveness than to ask for permission — but it is even better to take responsibility.


3: Failing to be a team player

Becoming a member of a team, especially if the team is successful, can bring you exposure and new opportunities. But if you bring along a “do it all yourself” or “lone wolf” mentality, you may be labeled as a person who isn’t a team player. You may believe that hoarding information, code, or documentation will give you job security, but it will first give you a reputation as someone who is unwilling to work with others.


4: Acting unprofessionally

Failing to be professional in your behavior and demeanor can stall or hurt your career. I recently listed 10 things that define a true professional, which you should practice on a daily basis if you want your career to prosper.


5: Working with friends or relatives

A recommendation by my brother led to us working together at the same company. He then became manager of a new development project and as an experienced developer, I was assigned to that team as technical lead. I reported directly to an intermediate manager and indirectly to my brother. It was a difficult if not impossible situation. I believed that I wasn’t treated as well as I should have been to avoid the impression of nepotism. No doubt, my peers felt that I got the technical lead role and was treated better than they were because of the familial relationship. One contentious situation came to a head and my technical lead position was taken from me.

I have learned that any situation where you are working with family is almost always a no-win situation. Working with friends is more doable, but it’s still like negotiating a minefield. Working with family did hurt my career, but I am grateful for the opportunity and for the lesson I learned the hard way.


6: Being unprepared

You are asked to travel to the other side of the country to present your team’s work in an important conference meeting. When you set up a demonstration of the new and wonderful system you have developed, it fails miserably. I have personally witnessed this and I felt bad for the guy. But bottom-line, he was unprepared.


7: Being unavailable

I know of one employee who was the first to go during a layoff. He missed too much work due to sick days. He may have actually been sick, but he was absent too many times when he was needed. Turning down the boss for special assignments or opting out of weekend duty when asked are other good examples of being unavailable in your boss’s eyes. If you are missing in action too often, you’ll be considered unreliable and a liability instead of an asset.


8: Not using/improperly using networking opportunities

Failure to attend company-sponsored events, share a round of golf with colleagues, or show up at family picnics and other social venues with coworkers and bosses may be the reason that others are moving ahead and your career is stagnant.

There is also the all-important world of social networking on the Internet, which should be used but not abused. It amazes me, but some people are still using social networking sites like Twitter to speak ill of an associate or boss. Your credibility will be dinged if someone from your company runs across one of your online rants. And these social blunders seem to live and follow you forever.


9: Lacking ambition

Perhaps you are unwilling to take risks. Perhaps you are satisfied with the status quo. Perhaps you like the routine of daily life. Failing to aggressively tackle new challenges can be comfortable and safe, but it won’t score you any points and it won’t advance your career. But being too ambitious can be hazardous to your career as well, so you need to find a happy medium that best fits your manager’s expectations.


10: Using company assets for personal gain

I have more than once seen an employee copying their personal documents on the company copy machine or using the computer to do their personal work. I have even participated myself. I don’t remember how I justified behavior I knew was wrong — perhaps it was the fact that I was printing out my tax documents on my own time after hours. But sneaking the occasional copy sends the wrong message to your manager: What else might you be capable of?


The bottom line

One of my managers’ favorite sayings was “Perception is reality.” I didn’t like it, but he was right. IT professionals tend to overlook the more subtle messages they are sending with their behavior and body language. When these messages are perceived negatively, they can wreak havoc on your career — and then perceptions do become reality. And it is more complicated than that, because everyone’s view of the world is different. But if you keep that in mind — and try to avoid the 10 behaviors listed here — you’ll be better able to create the right perceptions and keep your career on track.

Source: Techrepublic

ReadyBoost: Using Memory In Your Storage Device To Speed Up Your Computer

Did you know ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by using storage space on most USB flash drives and flash memory cards but it's required that your system be running at least WINDOWS VISTA OPERATING SYSTEM most windows OS after vista support ReadyBoost. Also your USB flash drive or flash memory cards must be ReadyBoost compatible  . When you plug a ReadyBoost-compatible storage device into your computer, the AutoPlay dialog box offers you the option to speed up your PC using ReadyBoost. If you select this option, you can choose how much memory on the device to use for this purpose.

When you set up a device to work with ReadyBoost, Windows shows you how much space it recommends you allow it to use for optimal performance. For ReadyBoost to effectively speed up your computer, the flash drive or memory card should have at least 1 gigabyte (GB) of available space. If your device does not have enough available space for ReadyBoost, you'll see a message telling you to free some space on the device if you want to use it to speed up your system. 

You can enable or disable ReadyBoost for a specific flash drive or other removable storage device. 

The ReadyBoost tab lets you decide how much storage space on a removable device to use for boosting your system speed.

Turn ReadyBoost on or off for a storage device

ReadyBoost can speed up your computer by using storage space on most USB flash drives and flash memory cards. 

1. Plug a flash drive or flash memory card into your computer. 

2. In the Autoplay dialog box, under General options, click Speed up my system.

3. In the Properties dialog box, click the ReadyBoost tab, and then do one of the following:

• To turn ReadyBoost off, click Do not use this device.

• To use the maximum available space on the flash drive or memory card for ReadyBoost, click Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost. Windows will leave any files already stored on the device, but it'll use the rest to boost your system speed.

• To use less than the maximum available space on the device for ReadyBoost, click Use this device, and then move the slider to choose the amount of available space on the device you want to use. 

4. Click OK. 

Move the slider to choose how much space you want to designate for boosting your system speed.

Notes

• If AutoPlay doesn't open, it might be disabled.

• For ReadyBoost to effectively speed up your computer, the flash drive or memory card should have at least 1 gigabyte (GB) of available space. If your drive or card doesn't have enough available space for ReadyBoost, you'll see a message telling you to free some space on it. For best results, use a flash drive or flash memory card with at least double the amount of available space as the amount of memory (RAM) in your computer.

What to look for in a flash memory device

Here are some tips on what to look for when selecting a USB flash drive or flash memory card to use with ReadyBoost:

• The minimum amount of available space recommended for ReadyBoost to effectively speed up your computer is 1 GB.

• For best results, use a flash drive or flash memory card with available space of at least double the amount of memory (RAM) in your computer, and preferably four times as much memory. For example, if your computer has 1 GB of RAM and you plug in a 4 GB USB flash drive, set aside at least 2 GB on the flash drive to get the best performance gain from ReadyBoost, and preferably the entire 4 GB. How much memory you need depends on how you use your computer. Keeping a lot of programs open at once uses more memory.

• Give ReadyBoost 2 GB to 4 GB of space for best results on most computers. You can reserve more than 4 GB of space for ReadyBoost on most flash drives and flash memory cards. (Storage devices formatted with the older FAT32 file system can't store more than 4 GB.) You can use a maximum of 32 GB of available space on any single removable storage device with ReadyBoost and up to 256 GB total per computer (by inserting up to eight USB flash drives or flash memory cards into the same computer).

• To work with ReadyBoost, a USB flash drive must support USB 2.0 or higher. Your computer must have at least one free USB 2.0 port where you can plug in the flash drive. ReadyBoost works best if you plug the flash drive into a USB port directly on the computer, rather than into an external USB hub shared with other USB devices.

• If you want to be sure a USB flash drive works with ReadyBoost, look for a note from the manufacturer that the flash drive is "Enhanced for ReadyBoost." Not all manufacturers list this on their packaging. If there is no mention of ReadyBoost compatibility, the flash drive still may work with ReadyBoost.

• There are many different kinds of flash memory cards, such as CompactFlash and Secure Digital (SD) memory cards. Most memory cards work with ReadyBoost. Some SD memory cards don't work well with ReadyBoost due to issues with the SD card interface. ReadyBoost will display an error message if you attempt to use one of these cards.

Notes

• If your computer has a hard disk that uses solid-state drive (SSD) technology, you may not see an option to speed up your computer with ReadyBoost when you plug in a USB flash drive or flash memory card. This is because some SSD drives are so fast they're unlikely to benefit from ReadyBoost.

• In some situations, you might not be able to use all of the memory on your device to speed up your computer. For example, some flash memory devices contain both slow and fast flash memory, but ReadyBoost can only use fast flash memory to speed up your computer.

10 Things BlackBerry Z10 Does That iPhone Can't

The first BlackBerry 10 smartphone, the BlackBerry Z10 is now available in the United States, and overall, it has been relatively well-received - in North American and overseas. The device just went on sale last week, and U.S. wireless carriers have not yet released any official sales numbers. But if non-U.S. shipments during the first couple of months following the Z10's release are any indication, BlackBerry may see even more Z10 shipments than the million devices it moved it in the company's fiscal fourth quarter. 

1) BlackBerry Z10's Micro HDMI Out, Standard Charging Ports

One of the single favorite features found in the BlackBerry Z10 smartphone is the HDMI-out port, which lets you easily connect your device to any TV, monitor or display with an HDMI-in port. The HDMI support lets you watch HD video, stream music or share anything else on your device by mirroring its screen on your HD display. HDMI-out support is not an exclusive BlackBerry Z10 feature; a number of Android phones from Motorola have micro HDMI ports. But you won't see any such port on any Apple gadget.

Unlike any of Apple's products, the BlackBerry Z10 has standard charging ports. That means you can use any microUSB power cord or sync cable you may have on hand. And you get access to a larger number of third-party accessories that aren't necessary built just for the Z10 and, therefore, are often cheaper than Apple-specific cords and accessories.

2) BlackBerry 10 and TimeShift Camera

An awesome new camera feature in BlackBerry 10 is the TimeShift camera setting, which helps you capture better pictures of groups of people - particularly children, who may have trouble sitting still. TimeShift takes a rapid series of images and lets you isolate the faces of the subjects in your photos. You can then tap the faces in the picture and "fast forward" or "rewind" them to find the best facial expressions. TimeShift is unique to BlackBerry 10 - you won't find anything like it built into iOS or Android - and it works very well.

3) Expandable Storage up to 64GB

The BlackBerry Z10 supports microSD memory cards up to 64GB, which boosts the device's overall storage capacity to 80GB at a time. (The Z10 only comes in one 16GB model.) I use one 64GB memory card in my device, and I carry around another pair of 64GB cards for a total of more than 200GB of storage at any given time. I have a massive music collection, and I can fit almost all of it on these three media cards. I could also carry additional memory cards if I wanted more storage space. The iPhone doesn't support expandable storage, and the largest storage capacity for iPhone is 64GB.

4) BlackBerry Z10 Removable Battery

Even more valuable than support for microSD media cards is the fact that you can swap out the BlackBerry Z10's 1800-mAh battery. I have yet to find a single smartphone that will last a full day of travel, with heavy use, without charging multiple times. That's why support for removable batteries is an absolutely necessity for meanyone who travels frequently. Spare Z10 batteries can be purchased for less than $25 each on Amazon.com. And BlackBerry offers a cool Battery Charger Bundle that comes with a spare battery and a charging dock for simultaneously powering up your Z10 and an extra battery.

5) BlackBerry Z10 Runs Android Apps

The BlackBerry Z10 and its BlackBerry 10 OS may have only a fraction of the applications as iOS, but the Z10 can run not only native BlackBerry apps, but also repackaged or "ported" Android apps. Some official versions of ported Android apps are available in the BlackBerry World app store, but many more can be found online and then manually sideloaded onto your device. You can even repackage your own Android apps if you're willing to put in time and effort - though not all apps will work the way they do on Android.

The quality of Android apps on BlackBerry 10 varies widely, depending on the complexity of the apps and how much effort the developers put into making them BlackBerry 10 compatible. But support for Android apps provides BlackBerry 10 users with a wider base of applications while BlackBerry improves developer support and builds its catalogue of quality native BlackBerry apps.

6) BlackBerry Z10 Screen Share during BBM Video Chat

BlackBerry Messenger (BBM) app got a significant upgrade in BlackBerry 10. You can now use BBM in BlackBerry 10 for video calls, in addition to voice and text chats, over Wi-Fi and 4G cellular networks. BBM in BlackBerry 10 also lets you share your device's screen with video-chat participants, so you could initiate a video chat with a colleague to show them a presentation or chat with a long-distance loved one while showing them pictures of your recent travels. (Note: BlackBerry 10 is required for video chats; you cannot chat with users of older BlackBerrys or non-BlackBerry devices.)

I know of some screen sharing software for iOS, but BBM screen sharing lets you quickly switch back and forth between sharing and a video chat, and you can continue your voice chat while sharing your device's display.

7) The BlackBerry Z10 and BlackBerry 10 Virtual Keyboard

My single favorite feature in BlackBerry 10, and on the Z10, is the virtual keyboard. It's the best touch-screen, virtual keyboard I have ever used, hands down. When it comes to accuracy, ease of use and predictive-text features, it puts the stock iOS keyboard to shame.

The on-screen keys are large, and the keyboard's rows are separated by virtual "frets," which add some space and provide more touchable area per key. The keyboard literally "learns" your typing behavior and adjusts accordingly. For example, if you have large hands and you constantly hit the "P" key when you're trying to tap the letter "O," the keyboard learns your pattern and adjusts itself.

The BlackBerry 10 keyboard's predictive-text features are what truly set it apart from other touch-screen keypads. When you start typing, the software predicts what it thinks you'll type next. But unlike other keyboards, the predicted words appear directly above the next letter in the word you're typing. To finish the word you just slide your finger upward from above the letter you're on.

The Z10 virtual keypad also takes predictive text a step further. In the past week, I've send a lot emails to PR people and sources, and I closed many of these messages with a standard: "Thanks very much for your assistance." Now, when I start typing "Thanks," on my Z10, it not only predicts that word, but "very" automatically appears above the "V" key. And if I slide my finger up to type "very," the word "much" appears above the "M" key and so on.


8) The BlackBerry Hub

The heart and soul of BlackBerry 10 is the BlackBerry Hub, and it's a standout feature. The BlackBerry Hub shows all of your messages and notifications in a single place. And you can easily access it, when you're using a specific application or while you're navigating home screens, by sliding your thumb up from the bottom of the display and then to the right, to pull the active page to the side and "peek" at your Hub. If you want to open a message or notification you just continue your thumb's leftward motion until the Hub takes up your entire display and click on the message or notification of your choice. If there are no pressing messages, you can slide your thumb back to the right and return to whatever you were doing.

BlackBerry Hub also lets you filter messages and notifications so you see only the items you want. For example, when you're in the Hub you can pick Email to see only email messages, or you could choose Facebook to see only messages and notifications from Facebook Friends. Developers can build applications that integrate with the Hub, and the more Hub-compatible apps you use the richer the information you find there. BlackBerry Hub is unlike anything in iOS, and though it takes some getting used to, it works very well.


9) BlackBerry 10 and Active Frames

BlackBerry 10 can keep up to 8 applications running at one time, and each app is represented with its own Active Frame that appears on your main home-screen pane. Active Frames are dynamic windows that update themselves periodically with new information. Different apps provide different levels of information via Active Frame, depending on the software's integration with BlackBerry 10. But a deeply integrated app can provide a wealth of information just by viewing its Active Frame.

A couple of examples: The Active Frame for the BlackBerry World store rotates through popular and spotlighted apps, noteworthy films and music to show you what's hot at a given time without actually opening up the app store; and the BeWeather 10 app shows rotating weather information and graphics for your pre-set locations in its Active Frame.


10) BlackBerry 10 and BlackBerry Balance

BlackBerry Balance is a technology built into the BlackBerry 10 OS that lets IT administrators create two separate personas on your smartphone: one for work; and one for personal. While Balance sounds like a feature designed specifically for IT, it also benefits users because it keeps all personal information separate from corporate data, so IT never has to access personal files - or delete them in case of a security scare. Balance couldn't be more unobtrusive for the user, so it doesn't affect the overall experience. And it provides piece of mind for both IT and Z10 users.

BlackBerry recently announced Secure Work Space features that will bring Balance-like dual personas to iOS and Android, but the security features won't match those available via BlackBerry 10 and BES 10. And the user experience will likely be less smooth.

Source: http://www.cio.com

Top Ten MOST Valuable Companies on Planet Earth...............

You've probably heard that two corporate heavyweights, Apple (AAPL) and ExxonMobil (XOM), are fighting for the distinction of being the most valuable company on the planet. That made me curious about who the top ten are, and what lessons could be learned.

To determine the top ten, I used market capitalization to measure the value of the companies. That's simply a matter of multiplying the number of shares they have outstanding by the price of their stock, and here they are:

It turns out that the top ten produced some interesting statistics:

Their combined value is over $2.1 trillion, or about 12 percent of the U.S. national debt.

Nine are based in the United States while one is based in China.

Apple and ExxonMobil have large leads on the others.

Four are tech, three energy, and one each are retail, diversified, and a holding company.

Will Apple or ExxonMobil still be number one at the end of the decade? Will one of the next eight take over? Perhaps the new champ won't even be a top ten today.

I went back to the beginning of 2000, when Microsoft and GE were fighting for the top slot and Apple wasn't a contender. Hard as it is to imagine now, you may not have even heard of Google at that time. In fact, half of today's top ten weren't in the top ten back then.  Further, Intel was number seven on the charts in 1999 -- today, it barely breaks the top 50 at #48.

The lesson here is that the future is very uncertain. For those who might want to put all their eggs in one of these corporate heavy hitter's' basket, it's important to consider that some of these top ten will fall from grace by the end of the decade, and other companies we've barely heard of today will become household names.

Source: Yahoo Finance

Lamborghini's New Veneno Among Most Expensive Cars Ever Made

Lamborghini has unveiled its latest prototype, the $3.9 million Veneno.

The 750-horsepower car is a one-off model made to coincide with the company’s 50th anniversary. Its multi-million-dollar price tag makes it one of the most expensive cars ever made, putting it in the same echelon as the $2.4 million Bugatti Veyron and the $1 million McLaren F1.

Veneno has a V12 engine and seven-speed “automated manual” transmission with permanent all-wheel drive and five (5!) drive modes. It can accelerate from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds and hit a top speed of 220 mph. It weighs just under 3,200 pounds, which is relatively light for a car of its power.

Veneno’s chassis is based on that of the $400,000 Aventador, but the rest of the car is unique in order to maximize extreme downforce and aerodynamism. Its rear wing is adjustable; the alloy wheels are rimmed with a carbon-fiber ring that works like a turbine to deliver additional cooling air to the carbon-ceramic brakes. Most of the car consists of carbon fiber and carbon skin composites.

As with all Lamborghinis, the name “Veneno” comes from a Spanish fighting bull. (This one was famous in the early 1900s for his fleet feet and his causing the death in Andalusia of the famous torero José Sánchez Rodríguez.) And as with all recently new Lamborghinis, this latest one is the fastest, most powerful model available.

Three of them will be made—all in grey metallic–and yes, three wealthy people have already called dibs.

Compiled by: Pee Ackun

Toothpastes That Eat Teeth

The RDA value ( radioactive dentin abrasion or relative dentin abrasivity) is figured for every FDA approved toothpaste. However, this is rarely mentioned in the marketing efforts of the manufacturers, since a few of them are quite abrasive.

The ADA (American Dental Association) has adopted a standardized test. Basically, extracted human are irradiated with mild neutrons, mounted and stripped of enamel. The teeth are then inserted into a brushing machine and brushed at a constant pressure and stroke speed. The rinse water is then measured for its radioactivity and recorded. Thus after a few calculations, a score or index is given to the toothpaste. Any value over 100 is considered to be abrasive. The ADA recommended limit is 250, whereas the FDA limit is 200. Other factors that are taken into consideration are the size, quantity, and surface structure of the abrasive itself.

The RDA table:
0-70 = low abrasive
70-100 = medium abrasive
100-150 = highly abrasive
150-250 = regarded as harmful limit

Toothpastes	RDA Value
Straight Baking Soda	7
Arm & Hammer Tooth Powder	8
Arm & Hammer Dental Care	35
Oxyfresh	45
Tom's of Maine Sensitive	49
Arm & Hammer Peroxicare	49
Rembrandt Original	53
CloSYS	53
Tom's of Maine Children's	57
Colgate Regular	68
Colgate Total	70
Sensodyne	79
Aim	80
Tooth and Gum Care	83
Colgate Sensitive Max Strength	83
Aquafresh Sensitive	91
Tom's of Maine Regular	93
Crest Regular	95
Mentadent	103
Sensodyne Extra Whitening	104
Colgate Platinum	106
Crest Sensitivity	107
Colgate Herbal	110
Aquafresh Whitening	113
Arm & Hammer Tarter Control	117
Arm & Hammer Advance White Gel	117
Close-up with Baking Soda	120
Colgate Whitening	124
Crest Extra Whitening	130
Ultra Brite	133
Crest MultiCare Whitening	144
Colgate Baking Soda Whitening	145
Pepsodent	150
Colgate Tarter Control	165
Colgate 2-in-1 Tarter Control/White	200
FDA Recommended Limit	200
ADA Recommended Limit	250

Compiled by:Pee Ackun

Top 10 Most Expensive Cars of 2012

1. Bugatti Veyron Supersport: $2,600,000

It’s the world’s fastest car and it’s also the most expensive. What more you could possibly need to know? At an astonishing $2.6 million the Bugatti Veyron Supersport is the ultimate Bugatti and a test bed of exactly how far VW engineers can push the envelope, with 1,200 hp from a quad-turbo 8.0-liter W16 engine and custom aerodynamics that help it hit 267.81 mph. Plus, unlike a lot of rough-around-the-edges hypercars, the Veyron will coddle you in luxury.

2. Ferrari 599XX: $2,000,000

                                             

Take a Ferrari 599 and then transform it into a track-only supercar and you have the 599XX. Powered by a 700-hp version of the factory V12 engine (no turbos or superchargers here folks) and you can accelerate to 60 mph in 2.9 seconds. A followup to the Ferrari FXX, it was built in limited numbers for a select few extra privileged Ferrari owners who are invited to drive their machines at exclusive track events. The only debate here is if the car looks better or sounds better. Ferrari hasn’t announced pricing, but it’s rumored to be in excess of $2 million.

3. Zenvo ST1: $1,800,000

The what? From where? Yes, it’s the Zenvo ST1 and it’s from Denmark. Now the Danes can add supercars to the list of things they are known for, including Carlsberg beer and Hans Christian Andersen stories. Powered by a turbocharged and supercharged 7.0-liter V8 engine, it makes 1,250 horsepower. Costing 1.8 million, it also comes with a free $50,000 watch!

4. Koenigsegg Agera R: $1,711,000

With a twin-turbo 5.0-liter V8, the Agera R by Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg makes 1,115 hp when running E85 ethanol. Priced at $1.5 million for the “regular” Agera, if you want that R badge it will cost an additional $211,000.It might not be the world’s fastest car (in terms of top speed), but Koenigsegg claims the best 0-200 mph time of 17.68 seconds .

5. Aston Martin One-77: $1,400,000

One of the world’s only full carbon-chassis vehicles there’s also no denying the Aston Martin One-77 is a dramatically styled vehicle as well. The new flagship machine from the legendary sports car maker it is powered by a massive 7.3-liter V12 engine making 750-hp. It also features a unique pushrod suspension setup, similar to that used on Formula 1 cars. Priced at $1.4 million, just 77 will be made – hence the name.

6. Maybach Landaulet: $1,400,000

Priced at $1.4 million, the Maybach Landaulet may actually be a bargain. The reason is that due to its rarity and the recent decision by Mercedes-Benz to axe the super-luxury brand, it’s certain to be a classic and a future Pebble Beach rarity.Based on the stretched 62S model, the Landaulet is powered by a twin-turbo V12 engine making 543 hp. But what really makes it original is the color-coded cabin with divided driver and passenger areas, as well as a convertible rear.

7. Pagani Huayra: $1,300,000

Perhaps best known for being unpronounceable, or perhaps looking most like a catfish, the Huayra is the second supercar built by Pagani. Successor to the Zonda (quite possibly the best looking car ever made), the Huayra is powered by a 700-hp twin-turbo Mercedes V12 engine and is capable of reaching speed of over 230 mph.Ultra exclusive, Pagani made just 12 Zondas a year, although Huayra production is expected to be slightly higher, especially as its the first Pagani that will be sold in America. Price: $1.3 million.

8. Hennessey Venom GT: $1,000,000

Known for building twin-turbo Dodge Vipers and other high-performance machines, the Venom GT is the first ground-up car built by Hennessey Performance. To call it all-original, however, might be a bit of a stretch, with the chassis a donated (and then stretched) Lotus Elise platform. Powering the car is a supercharged 6.2-liter GM-sourced V8 engine making 1,200-hp. Price: $1 million.

The successor to the Ultimate Aero, once the world’s fastest production car, the SSC Tuatara is priced for speed at $970,000. This new model, which is expected to go on sale in 2012, is powered by a 7.0-liter twin-turbo V8 making as much as 1,350-hp. Weighing just 2,654 lbs, SSC claims it can hit 60 mph in 2.8 seconds and reach a top speed of 275 mph. That would put it just ahead of the current top speed record holder, the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which also appears on this list.

10. Porsche 918 Spyder: $845,000

In 10th place, at $845,000 is Porsche’s upcoming flagship, the 918 Spyder. When it does arrive later this year, it will come powered by a high-revving V8 engine making more than 500 hp, mated to a plug-in hybrid system that adds over 218 hp. Porsche claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds, with an incredible 78 mpg rating.

Source: AutoGuide

Compiled by: Pee Ackun