THE

TIMES
MODELIA THIS MONTH'S NEWS
PROCRASTINATION
APRIL
2019
7 WAYS SUCCESSFUL
PEOPLE SPEND THEIR
FREE TIME

STRANGER PLACES IN
THE WORLD
THE MOVIE ‘FIRST MAN’
CAPTURES EARLY
SPACEFLIGHT'S TERROR
COLOMBIAN MUSIC DATES
What REALLY IN 2019
happened to the THREE WAYS TO FIGHT CORRUPTION
Titanic?
IN THE MEDIA

Study Finds Some Brains Age

AMERICAN TEENAGERS ARE DRIVING LESS
Quicker Than Others

10 Richest Soccer Players in

A SMARTPHONE. A TABLET. FOLDED INTO ONE the World

CHRONOVISOR BABIES AND PETS

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7 WAYS SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE SPEND THEIR

FREE TIME
By Bryan Lara

When you think about professional success, you think about the strategies and behaviors that
people exemplify when at work. You think about what people do during the 9-5 working hours, and
whether they extend those hours by coming in early or staying late to tackle projects. What they do
when they get home, or on weekends, when they're away from the office and away from their
computers, doesn't enter your mind. But here's the thing: it should.

How people spend their free time can actually have a big impact on their success in the
professional world. Successful people tend to spend their free time in these seven ways (and
more, of course), so read below and find out why:

1. They Exercise. Physical exercise is important for both physical and mental health. Taking a
half hour after work or on a weekend can get your blood pumping, get your endorphins flowing,
and revitalize your spirit. You'll build muscle, burn calories, and oxygenate your brain, giving you a
release after a day of stress. Exercising regularly also helps you remain disciplined, which can be
valuable in a demanding work environment, and can reduce the long-term effects of stress as well,
meaning regular exercisers tend to be less stressed about their jobs. You'll also look better and
feel better, which gives you greater confidence.

2. They Read. Reading is a lifelong skill, and successful people never stop reading new books.
Whether it's fiction or nonfiction, books help give you a greater understanding of the world around
you. They introduce you to new characters, new environments, new cultures, new philosophies,
and new ideas, and might even help you build new skills (if you're reading nonfiction, at least).
Similarly, reading regularly helps to build your vocabulary and your semantic comprehension,
giving you greater communication skills--and something to make small talk about during those
particularly awkward business meetings.

3. They Take Classes. Education shouldn't stop at college and shouldn't be restricted to
institutions. The most successful people in the world are the ones who make a commitment to
never stop learning. They're always incorporating new skills for their resumes and learning new
aspects of the world around them. Instructional courses aren't particularly difficult to find, either,
especially in the modern era. Many local colleges offer courses for free, and you can peruse local
forums or gatherings to find impromptu group workshops. And don't underestimate the value of
free online courses. If you have a free hour and an Internet connection, you can start learning a
new skill.

4. They Volunteer. Volunteering, no matter where or how you do it, is beneficial for you and your
community. Whether you're helping to clean up a highway, working in a soup kitchen, or providing
mentorship to a group of young professionals, your time goes a long way toward improving the
community around you. Professionals primed for success realize the importance of giving back to
the community and feel happier because of it. Volunteering is also a valuable networking

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experience, introducing you to other people who, one way or another, can help you drive your
career forward.

6. They Have Hobbies. Focusing exclusively on work might seem like a fast track to success.
With nothing else distracting you, you can funnel your full effort into your job and do in one week
what would take most people two. But this approach has a nasty downside; it stresses you out,
sets you up for burnout, and prevents you from developing skills in any other areas. Finding and
pursuing a hobby, on the other hand, helps you relieve stress, put your job in perspective, and
build skills that complement ones you use at work. It's a breath of fresh air that keeps you
grounded, and if it's a social hobby, also offers networking opportunities.

7. They Spend Time with Friends and Family. I implied it in the last point, but I'll reiterate it more
strongly here: your job isn't everything. Focusing too much on your career is self-sabotage, no
matter how counterintuitive that might sound. If you want to be successful in life, you have to
prioritize your personal relationships--your bond with your friends and family members. No matter
how much you want to be successful and climb the corporate ladder quickly, you can't neglect
your friends and family to do it.

If you don't spend your free time like this, it doesn't mean you have no chance of being successful.
However, picking up some of these strategies can improve your abilities, improve your mindset,
and expand your network to levels that will increase your chances for success in the workplace.
Start incorporating a few of them into your free time routines and you might just be surprised at the
results.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________

10 Richest Soccer Players in the

World
Football, or soccer in America, is one of the most popular kinds of sports with more than 3.5 billion
fans around the world. There are so many things we get attracted to soccer by, including
incredible skills, goals, strategies as well as celebrations, which differ in various countries and are
even specifically invented by players to stand out from the rest. Everything, but the most popular
directions are clothing and perfumes.

So, let’s discover who the richest soccer players in the world are and how they earned so much
money.

10 Frank Lampard
Total wealth: $90 million

Our list starts with Frank Lampard, a former soccer player. Being one of the key players of
Chelsea soccer club, he earned about $6.7 million a year and was the highest paid player in the
Premier League. In New York City, he became one of the MLS top earners with the wage of $6
million. Moreover, Lampard collaborated with many brands, among which are Nike and Adidas
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9 Ronaldinho
Total wealth: $93 million

Ronaldinho hasn’t played soccer at the professional level for already 2 years, but he will always
remain a legend of Brazilian soccer. That’s why, the player participates in various advertising
campaigns, including the ones for Coca Cola, Nike, Danone and Lenovo. Also, he collaborates
with Italian businessman Fabio Cordella and together, they launched a “wine of champions”
range with 11 different labels of the drink.

8 Raul
Total wealth: 95 million

Being a star of Real Madrid club, Raul earned $8.5 million a year. But the retired soccer player
earns much more, having common business ventures with Scar Sport Europe (renewable energy),
Luri (a property company) and Cadmus (an energy company).

7 Samuel Eto’o
Total wealth: $98 million

At the peak of his career, Samuel Eto’o earned $12 million at Barcelona and $10 million at Inter
Milan. In 2011, he became the world’s highest-paid soccer player after signing a $24.5 million deal
with Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala. At the moment, the 37 year old player represents Turkish
club Konyaspor, but his salary isn’t revealed. In addition, Samuel has the endorsements deals with
Puma and Ford.

6 Kaka
Total wealth: $108 million

Though Kaka retired from soccer in late 2017, he is still considered as one of the richest
players. His salaries at AC Milan and Real Madrid were pretty high before he moved to Orlando
City and became the highest-paid player in the MLS history with the salary of $6.6 million as well
as a guaranteed compensation of $7.2 million per year.In addition, he has endorsement deals with
Adidas, Pepsi, Samsung, Gillette and some other well-known brands

5 Wayne Rooney
Total wealth: $112 million

At the moment, Wayne Rooney earns almost $11 million per year at Everton soccer club, which is
just a half of his salary at Manchester United team. However, the athlete also gets much money
from various advertising campaigns. He has endorsement deals with Nike, Nokia, Ford and Coca-
Cola.

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4 Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Total wealth: $114 million

Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who has recently become a player of the LA Galaxy, will have rather a modest
salary at his new club, which is a bit more than $1 million per year. However, the athlete earns
more by cooperating with many companies, including Volvo, Nivea, Xbox and
Samsung. Moreover, he has his own sportswear and perfume brand.

3 Neymar
Total wealth: $148 million

Neymar is the brightest star of the Brazilian soccer at the moment.Representing PSG soccer
club, he gets more than $44 million a year. But it’s just a small part in comparison with the
player’s endorsement deals.Neymar collaborates with many famous brands, including Nike,
Panasonic, Red Bull, Volkswagen and many more. Moreover, the soccer player participates in
various humanitarian and social campaigns. In 2017, he was called one of the most influential
people in the world by Time 100.

2 Lionel Messi
Total wealth: $218 million

Being a magician of soccer, Lionel Messi also knows how to earn big money. His salary at
Barcelona club is $50 million per year, but it’s rumored to rise to $100 million. And, in addition,
the soccer player is often seen in various advertising campaigns. For example, he collaborates
with Adidas, Samsung, Gillette and Dolce & Gabbana.

1 Cristiano Ronaldo
Total wealth: $230 million

Undoubtedly, Cristiano Ronaldo is a legendary player. Playing for Real Madrid soccer team, he is
paid more than $20 million per year. Moreover, he receives bonuses for scored goals and other
privileges. Besides soccer, Ronaldo earns money in other ways, advertising products, having his
own clothing line and being an investor of a hotel chain.

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A Smartphone. A Tablet. Folded into

One.
Galaxy Fold is in a category of its own. It delivers a new kind of mobile
experience allowing users to do things they couldn’t do with an ordinary
smartphone. Users now have the best of both worlds; a compact device that
unfolds to reveal Samsung’s largest-ever smartphone display. Galaxy Fold brings
together material, engineering and display innovations, developed over eight
years following the debut of Samsung’s first flexible display prototype in 2011.
The unique UX built just for Galaxy Fold, provides new ways to get the most out
of your smartphone:

 Multi-Active Window: The possibilities are virtually endless with Galaxy

Fold – designed for the ultimate multitasker. You can open up to three
active apps simultaneously on the main display so you can surf, text, work,
watch and share without losing a beat.

 App Continuity: Make intuitive, seamless transitions between the cover

and the main displays. As Galaxy Fold opens and closes, apps will
automatically show up where you leave off. When you’re ready to take a photo, make in-
depth edits, or have a closer look at the feed, open the display for a big screen and fuller
canvas.

Samsung worked with Google and the Android developer community to ensure that apps and
services were available for the Galaxy Fold’s unique experience

Do it All with Galaxy Fold

Galaxy Fold is more than a mobile device. It’s a portal to an entire galaxy of
connected devices and services that Samsung has developed over the
years to make it easier for consumers to do the things that they couldn’t do
before. Pair with Samsung DeX[3] for even more productivity power with a
PC-like experience. Bixby is supported with new personal intelligence
functionalities like Bixby Routines to help anticipate your needs, and
Samsung Knox will keep your data and information safe. From using your
phone to make purchases with Samsung Pay, to using Samsung Health to
manage your health and wellness, the Galaxy ecosystem is there as you
pursue the things you’re passionate about.

Galaxy Fold will be available in the U.S. through AT&T and T-Mobile in the second quarter of
2019. Suggested retail price for Galaxy Fold in the U.S. starts at $1,980.00.
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AMERICAN TEENAGERS ARE DRIVING LESS

American teenagers are driving less than ever before. Surveys of American youngsters show that
young people in America prefer to spend their time online, chatting with their friends or playing
games on the Internet rather than cruising around in their cars. The car as a status symbol is not
as important for them as it used to be.

For generations cars have been a symbol of freedom and America’s most important pastime. You
had to have a car at an early age if you wanted to be cool. Today, many teenagers have to choose
between getting a car and buying the latest smartphone or tablet. As gas prices are increasing car
driving is becoming more expensive. For almost half of the generation between 18 and 26 having
good Internet access is more important than owning a car. Young adults of today don’t meet their
friends in person but via Facebook. There they can chat, exchange photos and play games
together.
The golden age of the 50s and 60s, in which teenagers drove around just for the fun of it, are
gone. In those days a shiny new car was something to boast about, it showed who you were.
Among the baby boomers of the post-World War II era 85% wanted their own car. In 1978 about
half of all 16 year olds got their driving license as soon as they had reached that age. In 2010
the figure dropped to only 30%.
Today driving is not as much fun as it was in the 50s and
60s when there was not so much traffic and you didn't
have to pay so much attention on the roads. In the golden
age cars were everything young people had so they just
got into them and drove off as soon as they got home from
school.
Another reason for the decrease in teenage driving may
be stricter driving tests and the fact that 16 year olds must
be accompanied by licensed drivers over 21.
But not only teenagers have been driving less.
A study shows that Americans of all ages have cut
down car use, mostly because gas prices have been
going up since 2007. America, however, remains a country of
automobiles. It has more cars per capita than any other country in the world. And because it is
such a vast country cars are often the only way to get to remote areas.

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Babies and pets – a guide for new

parents
By Mauricio Ceron

It goes without saying that having a baby is a life changing event. Thankfully, there is a wealth of
information about how best to raise this new tiny human and get through the early days in one –
albeit sleep deprived – piece. However, there is relatively little information on how to prepare four-
legged family members for the new arrival.
While there is anecdotal evidence that dogs may know before their owners that a baby is on the
way, this doesn’t mean they have any concept of what is to come. To help prepare them for this
big change, parents-to-be need to consider what their new domestic life will look like – from a pet’s
point of view.

Safety barriers

The top priority is safety. Pets and children can grow up to have amazing relationships, but this
ideal should not be assumed or taken for granted. Given that you should never leave dogs and
young children alone together, it is wise to get your pets well accustomed to a new level of
separation.

It isn’t fair to come home from hospital one day with a new baby and suddenly shut your dog away
in the kitchen. That’s not to say you can’t shut your dog out of a room – indeed it can be the safer
option. But they need to be taught in advance that being separated from you is totally fine and an
opportunity to relax. Stair gates are a good way to create a physical barrier between rooms without
shutting the dog out completely.

Walkies

If your dog tends to pull on a lead, it is worth training them in advance to walk politely on a loose
lead alongside a buggy. This way, after the baby is born, they already know what is expected of
them and are happy to trot alongside. The risk of them pulling you and the buggy over is greatly
reduced – and the walk becomes an altogether more pleasant experience.
Getting them used to you carrying a baby is also important. Start by carrying – and talking to – a
small bundle of blankets. Bear in mind that we tend to talk to our pets in the the same way we talk
to babies, so it would be reasonable for our pets to assume we are talking to them. Your dog might
jump up to have a look at what you’re talking to and it is this which could be dangerous when
you’ve actually got a newborn baby in your arms. Therefore we need to teach them not to jump up,
and that good things happen when they don’t (such as a tasty treat being tossed to the floor).

Privacy

Like humans, dogs and cats need their own space – somewhere they can retreat to for some
peace and quiet. Cats often like to be up high, so create ways for them to reach the top of a
wardrobe or bookshelf, and provide some comfy bedding there, too.

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For dogs, a covered crate in a quiet area of the house works well, but ensure it is easily accessible
and large enough to stretch out in. By adding these spaces early on, pets will learn that if they
need an undisturbed, safe space, it is available.

Desensitize

Babies can make a lot of noise – with some cries reaching up to 120 decibels. For animals new to
these sounds (and with an acute sense of hearing) this can be stressful. Teaching them it’s a
noise they can ignore is very beneficial.

Recorded clips of babies are easily found on the internet – and unlike with a real baby, you can
adjust the volume. To begin with, play the sound quietly when your pets are relaxed.
Ideally, the pet will notice the sound, but then ignore it. If they do get up to investigate, you can
drop some treats on the floor and leave the sound running quietly.

You could also have some treats ready and start feeding them when you play the clip, so they
learn that the sound is an indicator of good things happening. If your pet is worried about the
sound, even on the quietest volume, it would be worth consulting a qualified behaviorist.

Routine

Trying to keep your pets’ routine as predictable as possible in the early days can help reduce their
stress levels. During the very early days, walking the dog might seem like an epic task, so it might
be worth enlisting friends and family – or a local dog walker – to help.

With a little bit of effort, you can help prepare your pets for the arrival of a new family member. It
will still be a time of adjustment, though, so be alert. Never punish your dog for coming near the
baby – instead, encourage calm, polite interactions (where safe) while teaching them alternative
behaviors, such as settling on their bed.

If you are worried at all about your pet’s behavior, don’t leave it to chance. Seek advice from a
qualified animal behaviorist who can advise on the best way to make bringing home a new baby
as stress-free as possible for your pets.

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Chronovisor
By Peter Shelley

The chronovisor was allegedly a functional time viewer described by Father François Brune in his
2002 book Le nouveau mystère du Vatican ("The Vatican’s New Mystery"). Brune is the author of
several books on the paranormal and religion.

In the book, Brune relates that the chronovisor was built by Pellegrino Ernetti (1925–1994), an
Italian priest and scientist. Although Ernetti was a real person, the existence or functionality of the
chronovisor has never been confirmed; its alleged capabilities are strongly reminiscent of the
fictional time viewer which features in T. L. Sherred's 1947 science fiction novella, E for Effort.

Background

In the early 1960s, Ernetti began to study the writings of François Brune, himself a Roman
Catholic priest and author. Ernetti allegedly ended up helping Brune construct the machine as
members of a team which included twelve world-famous scientists. He identified two of them as
Enrico Fermi and Wernher von Braun. The chronovisor was described as a large cabinet with a
cathode ray tube for viewing the received events and a series of buttons, levers, and other
controls for selecting the time and the location to be viewed. It could also locate and track specific
individuals. According to its inventor, it worked by receiving, decoding and reproducing the
electromagnetic radiation left behind from past events. It could also pick up the audio component
or sound waves emitted by these same events.

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Ernetti lacked hard evidence for these claims. He said that he had observed, among other
historical events, Christ's crucifixion and photographed it as well. A copy of this image, Ernetti
said, appeared in the 2 May 1972 issue of La Domenica del Corriere, an Italian weekly news
magazine. A near-identical (mirror-image) photograph, however, of a wood carving by the sculptor
Lorenzo Coullaut Valera turned up and succeeded in casting doubt upon Ernetti's statement.

Using the chronovisor, Ernetti said that he had witnessed, among other scenes, a performance in
Rome in 169 BC of the lost tragedy, Thyestes, by the father of Latin poetry, Quintus Ennius. Dr.
Katherine Eldred of Princeton University is the author of an English rendition of the text which is
included as an appendix to the U.S. printing of Peter Krassa's book on the Chronovisor (see
below). Eldred believes that Ernetti actually wrote the supposedly ancient play himself. As
provided by an anonymous relative of Father Ernetti, there was a deathbed confession, included in
the U.S. edition of the play, that Ernetti had written the text of the play himself and that the "photo"
of Christ was indeed a "lie". According to the same "source", however, Ernetti also affirmed that
the machine was genuinely functional.

Brune, however, does not believe Ernetti's "confession" and is convinced that the authorities had
coerced Ernetti into making a false confession.

The alleged existence of the chronovisor has fueled a whole series of conspiracy theories, [who?]
such as that the device was seized and is actually used by the Vatican or by those who secretly
control governments and their economies all around the world.

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COLOMBIAN MUSIC DATES IN 2019

By Federico Plazas

The La Leyenda del Vallenato festival desfile.

If you don’t know your gaitas from your bambuco, this might be the year
to get to grips with the many forms of Colombian music.

In 2019 Colombian music trends will see a rise in fusion groups that mix traditional music with
electronic music such as Mitú, la Payara, and Ghetto Kumbé among others. This year traditional
tropical music artists such as Abelardo Carbonó and Colombian groups such as Monsieur Periné
and Aterciopelados hope to build on the success of recent album releases.

Diary dates

In January and February the Festival Centro in Bogotá will invite tropical music bands —that is,
bands playing cumbia and accordion-based vallenato music mostly from the 50s, 60s, and 70s—
as well as DJs and a diverse range of Colombian artists.

On February 16, the Jamming Festival in Ricaurte will feature Colombian reggae and ska bands.

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The Festival Nacional de la Música Colombiana will be held during March 18-25 in Ibagué,
Tolima. A national heritage event since 2003, this festival assembles the best practitioners of
Colombian folk music and dance to perform on stage and in the streets.

From April 5 to 7, in Bogotá, the Estéreo Picnic festival will showcase a range of Colombian
bands from diverse genres alongside the heavy-hitters from overseas. See the likes of Mitú,
Apache, and La Payara among others.

The Festival de Música Religiosa is planned for Popayán during April 7-19, and will feature
orchestras, soloists, and choral and chamber groups from around the world who will arrive to
perform in theatres and churches throughout Colombia’s ‘white city’.

From April 26 to 30 the Leyenda Vallenata Festival in Valledupar is the place to go if you are a
fan of fast-fingered accordion players and spirit-soaked voices. This annual music festival has
been preserving and promoting its distinctive rhythms, instrumentation, and traditions for more
than 50 years. At the end, the next king of vallenato will be named, to go down in history.

Next up is Valle del Cauca’s Festival de Música Andina Colombiana Mono Nuñez in June – a
celebration of Andean music, with several of the performers going on to Latin Grammy fame.

In June and July the Bambuco Festival in Neiva and the Torneo Internacional del Joropo in
Villavicencio will highlight the best artists in both genres of music. Bambuco is OK,
but joropo really is something you need to get into. Also in July, Bogotá will host the Colombia al
Parque festival which will highlight new and traditional Colombian music.

In August Cali will host the Petronio Álvarez Pacific Music Festival, featuring traditional Pacific
music showcasing marimba and the best that Afro-Colombian culture in the Pacific has to offer.
Also in August is the Festival de Gaitas in San Jacinto, which is a popular celebration of the
gaita, a traditional bagpipe.

In September Bogotá’s annual Jazz al Parque is coming up, and in Quibdó the Fiestas de San
Pacho, highlighting Chocoano folkloric music.

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In October the Festival de Gaitas in Ovejas and the Festival de Tambores in Palenque will
feature cumbia and Caribbean folk music. Meanwhile Medellín will host Circulart, a music market
featuring a range of bands, and Bogotá will host its annual Hip Hop al Parque.

November is the 25th anniversary of Bogotá’s Rock al Parque and Salsa al Parque, presenting
Colombian bands from both genres. Lastly, in December you can’t miss the Feria de
Cali followed by the Feria de Manizales in January.

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PROCRASTINATION: A SCIENTIFIC GUIDE ON

HOW TO STOP PROCRASTINATING
By Eliana Basto

Procrastination is a challenge we have all faced at one point or another. For as long as humans
have been around, we have been struggling with delaying, avoiding, and procrastinating on issues
that matter to us.

During our more productive moments, when we temporarily figure out how to stop procrastinating,
we feel satisfied and accomplished. Today, we're going to talk about how to make those rare
moments of productivity more routine. The purpose of this guide is to break down the science
behind why we procrastinate, share proven frameworks you can use to beat procrastination, and
cover useful strategies that will make it easier to take action.

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Why Do We Procrastinate?

Ok, definitions are great and all, but why do we procrastinate? What is going on in the brain that
causes us to avoid the things we know we should be doing?

This is a good time to bring some science into our discussion. Behavioral psychology research has
revealed a phenomenon called “time inconsistency,” which helps explain why procrastination
seems to pull us in despite our good intentions. Time inconsistency refers to the tendency of the
human brain to value immediate rewards more highly than future rewards.

The best way to understand this is by imagining that you have two selves: your Present Self and
your Future Self. When you set goals for yourself — like losing weight or writing a book or learning
a language — you are actually making plans for your Future Self. You are envisioning what you
want your life to be like in the future. Researchers have found that when you think about your
Future Self, it is quite easy for your brain to see the value in taking actions with long-term benefits.
The Future Self values long-term rewards.
Option 1: Make the Rewards of Taking Action More Immediate

If you can find a way to make the benefits of long-term choices more immediate, then it becomes
easier to avoid procrastination. One of the best ways to bring future rewards into the present
moment is with a strategy known as temptation bundling.

Temptation bundling is a concept that came out of behavioral economics research performed by
Katy Milkman at The University of Pennsylvania. Simply put, the strategy suggests that you bundle
a behavior that is good for you in the long-run with a behavior that feels good in the short-run.

 Only listen to audiobooks or podcasts you love while exercising.

 Only get a pedicure while processing overdue work emails.
 Only watch your favorite show while ironing or doing household chores.
 Only eat at your favorite restaurant when conducting your monthly meeting with a difficult
colleague.
Option 2: Make the Consequences of Procrastination More Immediate

There are many ways to force you to pay the costs of procrastination sooner rather than later. For
example, if you are exercising alone, skipping your workout next week won’t impact your life much
at all. Your health won’t deteriorate immediately because you missed that one workout. The cost
of procrastinating on exercise only becomes painful after weeks and months of lazy behavior.
However, if you commit to working out with a friend at 7 a.m. next Monday, then the cost of
skipping your workout becomes more immediate. Miss this one workout and you look like a jerk.

Another common strategy is to use a service like Stickk to place a bet. If you don't do what you
say you'll do, then the money goes to a charity you hate. The idea here is to put some skin in the
game and create a new consequence that happens if you don't do the behavior right now.

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Option 3: Design Your Future Actions

One of the favorite tools psychologists use to overcome procrastination is called a “commitment
device.” Commitment devices can help you stop procrastinating by designing your future actions
ahead of time.

For example, you can curb your future eating habits by purchasing food in individual packages
rather than in the bulk size. You can stop wasting time on your phone by deleting games or social
media apps. (You could also block them on your computer.)

Similarly, you can reduce the likelihood of mindless channel surfing by hiding your TV in a closet
and only taking it out on big game days. You can voluntarily ask to be added to the banned list at
casinos and online gambling sites to prevent future gambling sprees. You can build an emergency
fund by setting up an automatic transfer of funds to your savings account. These are all examples
of commitment devices that help reduce the odds of procrastination.
How to Avoid Chronic Procrastination With Visual Cues

Visual cues remind you to start a behavior. We often lie to ourselves about our ability to
remember to perform a new habit. (“I’m going to start eating healthier. For real this time.”) A few
days later, however, the motivation fades and the busyness of life begins to take over again.
Hoping you will simply remember to do a new habit is usually a recipe for failure. This is why a
visual stimulus can be so useful. It is much easier to stick with good habits when your environment
nudges you in the right direction.

Visual cues display your progress on a behavior. Everyone knows consistency is an essential
component of success, but few people actually measure how consistent they are in real life.
Having a visual cue—like a calendar that tracks your progress—avoids that pitfall because it is a
built-in measuring system. One look at your calendar and you immediately have a measure of your
progress.

Visual cues can have an additive effect on motivation. As the visual evidence of your progress
mounts, it is natural to become more motivated to continue the habit. The more visual progress
you see, the more motivated you will become to finish the task. There are a variety of popular
behavioral economics studies that refer to this as the Endowed Progress Effect. Seeing your
previous progress is a great way to trigger your next productive action.

Two of my favorite strategies that use visual cues are The Paper Clip Strategy, which is helpful for
beating procrastination day-after-day, and The Seinfeld Strategy, which is great for maintaining
consistency over longer periods of time.

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STRANGER PLACES IN THE WORLD

By Catalina Carvajal

Chocolate Hills of Bohol Island, the Philippines

Bohol’s 1700-odd conical hills dot the middle of the island; they range in height but are so regular
in shape that they could be mistaken for being man-made. However, according to UNESCO they
are the uplift of coral deposits and a result of rainwater erosion. The hills only earn their 'chocolate'
nickname in the dry season when the foliage goes from lush green to brown.

The Catacombs, Paris, France

The deeply creepy catacombs are a network of old quarry tunnels beneath Paris and the final
resting place of around six million Parisians. Most are anonymous, skulls and bones taken from
the city’s overcrowded graveyards during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries; it wasn’t until
the authorities realized its potential as a tourist attraction that the bones were arranged in the
macabre displays seen today.

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The Bermuda Triangle, North Atlantic Ocean

Long shrouded in myth and mystery, the infamous 500,000 square miles also dubbed the Devil’s
Triangle is roughly the area between Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. Although the US
Coastguard disputes any such area exists, conspiracy theories thrive on stories about unusual
magnetic readings and ships, planes and people who have disappeared here without a trace.

The Silfra Rift Iceland

The Silfra Rift separates two continents and two tectonic plates, namely the North American and
Eurasian plates. It occupies an area of approximately 600 by 200 meters. It is touted to be one of
the most unique phenomena on Earth. Snorkeling is Silfra Rift is one of Iceland’s awesomest
experiences. Make sure to indulge in it on your trip to Iceland. You will be blown away by the the
beauty of this natural marvel. Prepare to be bedazzled.

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Study Finds Some Brains Age Quicker

Than Others
By William Sierra

The brain, like any other body part, gets old. However, not all brains age the same way. For example,
women's brains may age more slowly than men’s. That is the finding of a U.S. study from Washington
University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri.

Researchers there wanted to find out how the brain uses sugar. To do that, they studied just over 200
brains of men and women aged 20 to 80. They used PET scans to look at the flow of oxygen and sugar in
the brains.

The researchers found that the brains of women looked nearly four years younger than the brains of men
who were born in the same year. Their findings suggest that the brains of men and women may use sugar
differently as they age.

But the researchers do not know why. Some scientists suggest that hormones could play a part.

The lead author of the study, Manu Goyal, is an assistant professor of neurology and of neuroscience. In a
statement published on the website Science Daily, Goyal explained why the work is important.

How the brain uses fuel, he wrote, “might help us understand some of the differences we see between men
and women as they age."

What happens as our brains age?

Parts of the brain get smaller, “especially those important to learning and other complex mental activities.”
Communication between neurons may decrease. Blood flow may lessen and inflammation may increase.

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All these changes slow our cognitive abilities. We have trouble remembering things, finishing complex
tasks or paying attention.

Given what scientists already know about aging, the recent study about sex differences in the brain has
raised some questions. For one, if women’s brains age more slowly than men’s, why do more women get
Alzheimer’s disease?

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder that cannot be stopped. It slowly destroys memory,
thinking skills and, eventually, the ability to carry out the simplest of tasks.

Alzheimer’s does not have a cure. However, doctors say that between 50 to 60 percent of Alzheimer’s
cases can be prevented by simple lifestyle changes.

Ways to keep your brain young

Whether you are a man or a woman, here are some things you can do to keep your brain young and
healthy.

- Sleep is the easiest and best thing you can do keep your brain young. Experts say to try to get around
seven hours of sleep each night.

- Get aerobic exercise for 30 to 40 minutes three to four times a week. Exercise helps you grow brain cells
and improves blood flow in the brain.

- Eat a healthy diet. Doctors say any diet that is good for the heart is also good for the brain. One example
is the Mediterranean diet with lots of vegetables (especially leafy greens), fruits (especially blueberries),
nuts, whole grains, red wine (in moderation) and fish.

- Do activities that make you excited and happy.

- Spend time with family and friends.

The researchers of the brain study published their findings in February in Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences.

Goyal and his team plan to continue researching this topic. Currently, they are following a group of adults to
see if people with “younger-looking brains” are less likely to develop problems with their thinking over time.

Words in This Story

PET scan – n. medical: an image made using positron emission tomography, especially one of the brain.

Inflammation – n. medicine: a condition in which a part of your body becomes red, swollen, and painful

Cognitive – n. medical: of, relating to, or being conscious intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning,
remembering, imagining, or learning words)

Aerobic – adj. of exercise: strengthening the heart and lungs by making them work hard for several
minutes or more: technical: using oxygen

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THE MOVIE ‘FIRST MAN’ CAPTURES EARLY

SPACEFLIGHT'S TERROR
By Guillermo Castillo

In this image from First Man, Ryan Gosling as Neil Armstrong walks to the Apollo 11 spacecraft
before taking off for his historic moon landing.

Universal Pictures

Neil Armstrong is famous for being the first man on the moon. But the movie about him, First Man,
is not entirely about that. This biopic, which opened October 12, follows about eight years of
Armstrong’s life and spends only about eight minutes depicting the lunar surface. Many movies on
the space race focus on things like the triumphant ticker tape parades that hailed the men after
their successful flights. First Man focuses instead on the terror, grief and heartache that led to that
one small step.

“It’s a very different movie and storyline than people expect,” says James Hansen. He wrote the
2005 biography of Armstrong that shares the film’s name. He was also a consultant on the film.

The story opens in January 1962. It’s shortly before Armstrong’s 2-year-old daughter, Karen, died
of a brain tumor. That loss hangs over the rest of the film. It also sets the movie’s surprisingly
somber emotional tone. First Man is darker than most space movies. Colors are muted. The music
is ominous or absent. A lot of scenes include only ambient sounds. For instance, you may hear
only a pen scratching on paper, a glass breaking or a phone clicking into the receiver.

Karen’s death also seems to motivate the rest of Armstrong’s journey. As portrayed by Ryan
Gosling, Armstrong never says exactly what motivated him to apply to NASA’s astronaut program.
But he may have been trying to get a fresh start while grieving the loss of his young daughter. And
without giving too much away, a private moment Armstrong takes at the edge of Little West crater
on the moon recalls his enduring bond with her.

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Hansen’s book also makes the case that Karen’s death motivated Armstrong’s astronaut career.
Armstrong’s oldest son, Rick, was 12 when his father landed on the moon. And he agrees that it’s
plausible the death was related. “But it’s not something that he ever really definitively talked
about,” Rick Armstrong says.

Armstrong’s reticence about Karen — and almost everything else — is true to life. That’s not all
the film got right. Gosling captured the serious side of Armstrong as well as his humor. And as his
wife, Janet, Claire Foy “is just amazing,” Rick Armstrong says.

The filmmakers went to great lengths to make the technical aspects of spaceflight historically
accurate. The Gemini and Apollo cockpits that Gosling sits in are replicas of the real spacecraft.
And he flipped switches and hit buttons that would have controlled real flight. Much of the dialog
during space scenes was taken verbatim from NASA’s control room logs, Hansen says.

The result is a good sense of how frightening and risky those early flights were. The spacecraft
rattled and creaked like they were about to fall apart. The scene of Armstrong’s flight on the 1966
Gemini 8 mission is terrifying. That flight ended early when the spacecraft spun out of control and
almost killed its passengers. The 1967 fire inside the Apollo 1 spacecraft is gruesome. (The fire
killed astronauts Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee.)

“We wanted to treat that one with extreme care and love and get it exactly right,” Hansen says.
“What we have in that scene, none of it’s made up.”

Meanwhile, present-day astronauts are not immune to harrowing brushes with death. A Russian
Soyuz capsule carrying two astronauts malfunctioned on October 11. The astronauts had to
evacuate in an alarming “ballistic descent.” NASA is currently talking about when and how to send
astronauts back to the moon from American soil. The first commercial-crew astronauts, who will
test spacecraft built by Boeing and SpaceX, were announced in August.

First Man is a timely and sobering reminder of the risks involved in taking these giant leaps.

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What REALLY happened to the Titanic?

Conspiracy theories about why the famous ship sank, from on-board fires to ancient
Egyptian curses.

Titanic sunk on April 15th, 1912 on its maiden voyage from Southampton to New York. Since the tragedy,
conspiracy theorists have complied a long list of why the vessel's journey ended in disaster.

The Titanic struck an iceberg during its maiden voyage on April 15th 1912, causing over 1,500
people to lose their lives in the depths of the North Atlantic Ocean.

With Titanic II expected to set sail in 2022, theories surrounding the tragic sinking are still rife.

Here are the most famous conspiracies, from Egyptian curses to pre-meditated planning.

Titanic was doomed by a mummy's curse

One of the most out-there theories revolves around an ancient Egyptian curse, left by a
mummified princess who caused a trail of death and devastation across England in the early
1900s, having been excavated and removed from Egypt.

The haunted mummy was sold by a British art collector to an American archaeologist, despite the
warnings of his colleagues, and he took his new item back with him on the Titanic.

Thus, believers of this theory argue that it was the curse of the mummy that caused the ship to
sink.

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However, this story has been labelled as purely fictional, after it was revealed that there was
actually no Egyptian mummy (haunted or otherwise) on board the vessel.

Titanic never actually sank at all

A popular theory is that it was actually Titanic's oldest sister, the Olympic, that sunk to the bottom
of the North Atlantic.

It was discovered that the Olympic had been in an accident a few months before Titanic's
departure, but owners White Star Line didn't have the funds to complete Titanic and fix the
damage to Olympic.

Olympic's accident was also at the fault of the ship itself, so White Star Line were unable to claim
insurance on the damage.

Instead of having to delay Titanic's journey, it is believed by some that White Star Line switched
her with Olympic, which was repaired quickly and renovated to look exactly like her younger sister.

By allowing the wounded ship to sail as Titanic, the company could then collect the insurance
payment when it struck the iceberg and sank.

Theorists believed that it was never the intention to hurt anyone on board, but to slowly sink the
ship and get everyone to safety before real danger arose.

JP Morgan planned for Titanic to sink

One of the most powerful bankers of his time, JP Morgan has been linked to the sinking of the
ship, after cancelling his journey on board in the eleventh hour.

His motive to down the vessel would have come from the fact that rival millionaires John Jacob
Astor, Benjamin Guggenheim and Isidor Straus were all passengers on board.

JP Morgan owned the IMM, which in turned owned the White Star line, but decided to skip
Titanic's maiden voyage at the very last second and instead chose to stay in Europe and buy
tapestries for his art collection.

Titanic was on fire

Approximately ten days before Titanic's departure, a fire break out in one of her coal bunkers, and
reportedly continued to burn for several days into the maiden voyage.

Whilst fires were frequent occurrences in the bunkers due to spontaneous combustion of coal,
some theorists believe that this larger outbreak of flames impacted the strength of Titanic
structure, so that when the iceberg struck, it caused more damage that it normally would have.

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What Role Does Music Play in Our Life?

In the course of history, music is the greatest creation of mankind. Creativity in the pure and
undiluted form is the true definition of Music. Music is an important part of our life as it is a way of
expressing our feelings as well as emotions.
Some people consider music as a way to escape from the pain of life. It gives you relief and allows
you to reduce the stress. Music is a powerful therapy that will make you calm down and in the
moment of joy, it will make you cheerful.
Furthermore, it develops the mind and boosts your self-confidence. Music plays a more important
role in our life than just being a source of entertainment.

Music makes us creative

As you have already read in the above paragraph that music is creativity in the purest form, so it
can also be concluded that the music is key to creativity. It helps you in improving your mind
vigorously by making it more artistic and ingenious. No matter, what the great invention is, it
requires art, creativity and imagination that is fulfilled by Music.
There is also a proven fact that music has the potential to improve your listening as well as your
understanding ability. When you hear a song, you try to understand its lyrics and try to make out
what the singer wants to convey through his song. Understanding ability is enhanced, when a
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person listens to instrumental music and he uses his brain to understand the message, conveyed
by the musician, without the use of words.

Music makes you express your emotion

When you play some instrument, then you usually play the music that reflects our thoughts or our
emotions. This way your brain convey the thoughts with the medium of music, without speaking a
word. When we try to understand the music, then as per a research, it makes our mind more
creative.

Music makes learning more pleasant

Music is an extremely unique way to develop the capability of memorising. The best example to
prove this sentence is, that you can easily learn songs rather than learning your syllabus. The
reason behind learning a song quickly is that your mind enjoys music. Whatever your minds enjoy,
it preserves it.
Thus, music is said to be a good option to learn new things quickly. In your primary classes, you
might have learned poems first. Poems are being taught to children because they find them
interesting and easy to learn and retain them in their mind. The music in the poems makes it more
enjoyable. This is the only reason that you remember those poems throughout your life. These
days, even the schools realize the importance of music, thus they are enhancing the methods of
teaching by making it interesting with the help of music.
Music has the power to change the world.

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