MING Chat Monitor - log AIM, log MSN, log Yahoo, log ICQ, log chats
MING Chat Monitor
MING Chat Monitor can monitor and record all AOL, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ conversations on your LAN stealthily. It is a simple and affordable software solution for users who want to control, monitor, and archive unlimited IM traffic on the company or home network. The manager can view instant messages in the database, search the conversations by key word, watch top users, and so on. It is able to record conversations automatically in real time. It's easy to use, and it can monitor all conversations on your Local Area Network in stealth mode.
[Download] [Buy Now] [Detail...]
MING Network Monitor - log Instant messages, log emails, log websites, log FTP, log traffic
MING Network Monitor
MING Network Monitor can monitor and record everything your employees or kids do on the Internet stealthily, including IMs, email, website, FTP and Traffic. It is a simple and affordable software solution for users who want to control, monitor, and archive unlimited Internet traffic on the company or home network, including instant messages (AOL, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ and QQ), emails sent and received, web sites visited, and files downloaded. The manager can view records in the database, search by key word, watch top users, monitor bandwidth and so on. It is able to record everything your employees or kids do online automatically in real time. It's easy to use, and it can run in stealth mode.
[Download] [Buy Now] [Detail...]
MING Bandwidth Monitor - monitor Internet and Intranet connections
MING Bandwidth Monitor
MING Bandwidth Monitor can monitor and control traffic to and from your computer or network. It is a powerful bandwidth meter, monitor and traffic controller, which measures, displays and controls all traffic to/from your computer or on your network. MING Bandwidth Monitor can display bandwidth data in a real-time graph, a numerical display, or both. It records all network traffic and includes extensive logging (hourly, daily, weekly, and monthly). And it can alert you of dangerous or unexpected network activity.
[Download] [Buy Now] [Detail...]
MING Chat Spy - log AIM, log MSN, log Yahoo, log ICQ, log chats
MING Chat Spy
MING Chat Spy can monitor, block and record all AOL, MSN, Yahoo, and ICQ conversations on any LAN stealthily. It is a simple and affordable software solution for users who want to control, monitor, block and archive unlimited IM traffic on the company or home network. It can work in any network environment. The manager can view instant messages in the database, search the conversations by key word, watch top users, and so on. It is able to record conversations automatically in real time. It's easy to use, and it can monitor all conversations on your Local Area Network in stealth mode.
[Download] [Buy Now] [Detail...]
MING Network Spy - log Instant messages, log emails, log websites, log FTP, log traffic
MING Network Spy
MING Network Spy can monitor, block and archive Internet usage on any computer in a network, including instant messages (AOL, MSN, Yahoo, ICQ and QQ), emails sent and received, web sites visited, and files downloaded. It is able to record everything your employees or kids do online automatically in stealth mode. The manager can view records in the database, search by key word, watch top users, monitor bandwidth and so on. It is very easy to use, and it will monitor all internet activities in your Local Area network without the use of client software installed on the remote computer.
[Download] [Buy Now] [Detail...]
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
10 Things You Shouldn't Buy New
Why waste money on shiny packaging and a fancy store when you can find it online and 'pre-owned' for a fraction of the cost? Here are your best buys.
By Liz Pulliam Weston
Few people really enjoy wasting their hard-earned money, but many of us do it every day by buying new. We could do our pocketbooks, and the environment, a big favor by opting to be the second owner of some of the stuff we buy.
Obviously, some things are best purchased new; lingerie pops to mind (see my companion piece, "10 things you should never buy used" for more). But lots of other stuff depreciates quickly while still having plenty of useable life left. Here are 10 items where the cost vs. use equation strongly tilts toward buying used.
Books, books, books. Now this is awkward, because I wrote a book. (Warning! Shameless plug ahead!) It's called, "Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve and Protect the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future," and of course, I'd love for you to go out and purchase a new copy. (End of shameless plug.)
But the reality is that most books don't get read more than once, if that, and they're astonishingly easy to find used at steep discounts -- if not absolutely free.
Your local library, for example, may allow you to reserve titles online and then deliver them to your nearest branch for pick-up. Used book stores abound, both in your town and online. If you're looking for a potboiler to get you through your next cross-country flight, just stop by almost any yard sale and pick up four for $1.
Exception: Reference books you'll use again and again. For example, I bought a deeply-discounted copy of Cheryl Mendelson's excellent "Home Comforts." That was after checking the book out at the library and running up a small fortune in fines because I couldn't bear to part with it.
DVDs and CDs. Some online retailers, like MSN Shopping and Amazon.com, now surface used versions of many of the DVD movies they sell new. You can find similar deals for online CDs (yes, Virginia, some of us dinosaurs still buy CDs). Other good hunting grounds for purchase of used items: movie rental chains like Blockbuster; used record stores; yard sales.
Exception: When you simply must have the latest release by your favorite singer/director/actor, right now. It can take a few days or weeks for the used versions to show up, and perhaps a few months for the price to get discounted enough to compensate for the greater hassle you might face trying to return a defective or unsatisfactory purchase.
Little kids' toys. Parents know: it's all but impossible to predict which toy will be a hit and which will lie forlorn at the bottom of the toy box. So rather than gamble at full price, cruise consignment shops and yard sales for bargains. My husband's latest score: a plastic Push, Pedal 'N Ride Trike (retails for $28, he paid $10) that looks like new after a brief scrub.
Better than cheap, though, is free. Some parents set up regular toy-swapping meets, or you might be lucky enough to score hand-me-downs from friends and relatives.
Exception: Some parents get away with giving used toys for birthdays and holidays, but most of us (and our kids) have been fairly well brainwashed into believing that gifts should be purchased new. Try to opt, though, for classics, like sturdy wooden toys.
Jewelry. Fat markups on most gems (100% or more is fairly common) means that you'd be lucky to get one-third of what you paid at a retail store, should you ever need to sell.
So let somebody else get socked with that depreciation. Find a pawn shop that's been in business for awhile, get to know the owner and ask him or her for recommendations. Some readers have had good results buying via newspaper ads, but I'd want to take the piece to a jeweler for an appraisal first.
Exception: You want something custom-made. Even then, consider buying used stones and getting them reset.
Sports equipment. We may buy everything from badminton rackets to weight sets fully intending to wear them out, but too often they wind up collecting dust. Buy someone else's good intention and you'll save some bucks.
Happy hunting grounds: yard sales, newspaper and online ads, resale stores like Play It Again Sports.
Exception: Shoes, baseball mitts and anything else that will mold to the wearer's body. In addition, some people shun buying anything used if it has a motor, like a treadmill. They worry they won't get enough use out of the piece before it dies. Given how little use most such devices get before they're sold, though, you might want to take the chance.
Timeshares. You could call these a notoriously lousy investment if you could call them an investment at all, but you can't -- because what real investment is guaranteed to lose 30% to 70% right off the bat?
That is, unless you buy used. There's a huge number of folks who caved in to three hours of hard sell and are now desperate to dump their shares.
Exception: Some of the higher-end properties in exclusive resorts don't lose much value, and may offer benefits like frequent-flyer miles that could be worth the extra money if you buy from the developer. Before you buy, though, check resale values online; don't take an agent's word for how much depreciation to expect. Also, a relatively new type of expensive time share, called a fractional interest, may actually gain in value over time.
Cars. The average new car loses 12.2% of its value in the first year, according to Edmunds.com; on a $20,000 car, that's $2,440, or more than $200 a month. Some cars depreciate even faster, depending on demand, incentives offered and other factors.
Why not let someone else take that hit? Not only will you be able to save money (or buy more car), but you'll pay less for insurance. Cars are better-built and last longer than ever before, which means you're less likely to get a lemon. Companies like CarFax allow you to trace a car's history. Many late-model used cars are still under warranty, and a trusted mechanic can give your potential purchase the once-over to spot any problems. Take a look at the Used Car Research section of MSN Autos for a lot of great information.
Exception: You can pay cash and you really, really want that new-car smell.
Software and console games. Buy used, and you'll pay half or less what the software cost new. Console games like those for the Xbox and Sony PS2 that list for $50 new, for instance, can often be purchased used for $20 or less a year after release.
But it's more than just a matter of economy. Letting someone else be the early adopter also allows you to benefit from their experience. You'll find more reviews and information on software that's been out a year or more (and you won't be that far behind the leading edge). The bugs will have been identified along with any workarounds, although you may have to live with some problems that are fixed in later versions.
Exception: If you do a lot of work with graphics, multimedia or image editing and you have a newer, more powerful computer, you'll probably want the state-of-the-art version. Finally, some software restricts the number of computers on which it can be installed, which can make it difficult (but not impossible) to transfer the product license to a new owner.
Office furniture. Built to take a beating and last a lifetime, good-quality office desks, filing cabinets and credenzas are relatively easy to find even when a recession isn't cratering the local economy.
Exception: Some people balk at buying used chairs for the same reason they won't buy a used catcher's mitt -- it's had too many hours to mold to someone else's body.
Hand tools. Well-made tools with few or no moving parts -- like hammers, wrenches, shovels, hoes, etc. -- can last decades with proper maintenance and are relatively easy to find at yard sales. If you're not going to use a tool frequently, you may be able to rent it or borrow from a friend or neighbor rather than buying something else to clutter up your garage. (Some neighborhoods even run tool-sharing cooperatives.)
Exception: You're a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and you need power tools, especially cordless versions. These have a relatively limited life span and you may not know how much time they've got left. If the tool is cheap enough, of course, that may not matter, but most often you'll want to buy new if the power tool will get substantial use.
Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.
By Liz Pulliam Weston
Few people really enjoy wasting their hard-earned money, but many of us do it every day by buying new. We could do our pocketbooks, and the environment, a big favor by opting to be the second owner of some of the stuff we buy.
Obviously, some things are best purchased new; lingerie pops to mind (see my companion piece, "10 things you should never buy used" for more). But lots of other stuff depreciates quickly while still having plenty of useable life left. Here are 10 items where the cost vs. use equation strongly tilts toward buying used.
Books, books, books. Now this is awkward, because I wrote a book. (Warning! Shameless plug ahead!) It's called, "Your Credit Score: How to Fix, Improve and Protect the 3-Digit Number that Shapes Your Financial Future," and of course, I'd love for you to go out and purchase a new copy. (End of shameless plug.)
But the reality is that most books don't get read more than once, if that, and they're astonishingly easy to find used at steep discounts -- if not absolutely free.
Your local library, for example, may allow you to reserve titles online and then deliver them to your nearest branch for pick-up. Used book stores abound, both in your town and online. If you're looking for a potboiler to get you through your next cross-country flight, just stop by almost any yard sale and pick up four for $1.
Exception: Reference books you'll use again and again. For example, I bought a deeply-discounted copy of Cheryl Mendelson's excellent "Home Comforts." That was after checking the book out at the library and running up a small fortune in fines because I couldn't bear to part with it.
DVDs and CDs. Some online retailers, like MSN Shopping and Amazon.com, now surface used versions of many of the DVD movies they sell new. You can find similar deals for online CDs (yes, Virginia, some of us dinosaurs still buy CDs). Other good hunting grounds for purchase of used items: movie rental chains like Blockbuster; used record stores; yard sales.
Exception: When you simply must have the latest release by your favorite singer/director/actor, right now. It can take a few days or weeks for the used versions to show up, and perhaps a few months for the price to get discounted enough to compensate for the greater hassle you might face trying to return a defective or unsatisfactory purchase.
Little kids' toys. Parents know: it's all but impossible to predict which toy will be a hit and which will lie forlorn at the bottom of the toy box. So rather than gamble at full price, cruise consignment shops and yard sales for bargains. My husband's latest score: a plastic Push, Pedal 'N Ride Trike (retails for $28, he paid $10) that looks like new after a brief scrub.
Better than cheap, though, is free. Some parents set up regular toy-swapping meets, or you might be lucky enough to score hand-me-downs from friends and relatives.
Exception: Some parents get away with giving used toys for birthdays and holidays, but most of us (and our kids) have been fairly well brainwashed into believing that gifts should be purchased new. Try to opt, though, for classics, like sturdy wooden toys.
Jewelry. Fat markups on most gems (100% or more is fairly common) means that you'd be lucky to get one-third of what you paid at a retail store, should you ever need to sell.
So let somebody else get socked with that depreciation. Find a pawn shop that's been in business for awhile, get to know the owner and ask him or her for recommendations. Some readers have had good results buying via newspaper ads, but I'd want to take the piece to a jeweler for an appraisal first.
Exception: You want something custom-made. Even then, consider buying used stones and getting them reset.
Sports equipment. We may buy everything from badminton rackets to weight sets fully intending to wear them out, but too often they wind up collecting dust. Buy someone else's good intention and you'll save some bucks.
Happy hunting grounds: yard sales, newspaper and online ads, resale stores like Play It Again Sports.
Exception: Shoes, baseball mitts and anything else that will mold to the wearer's body. In addition, some people shun buying anything used if it has a motor, like a treadmill. They worry they won't get enough use out of the piece before it dies. Given how little use most such devices get before they're sold, though, you might want to take the chance.
Timeshares. You could call these a notoriously lousy investment if you could call them an investment at all, but you can't -- because what real investment is guaranteed to lose 30% to 70% right off the bat?
That is, unless you buy used. There's a huge number of folks who caved in to three hours of hard sell and are now desperate to dump their shares.
Exception: Some of the higher-end properties in exclusive resorts don't lose much value, and may offer benefits like frequent-flyer miles that could be worth the extra money if you buy from the developer. Before you buy, though, check resale values online; don't take an agent's word for how much depreciation to expect. Also, a relatively new type of expensive time share, called a fractional interest, may actually gain in value over time.
Cars. The average new car loses 12.2% of its value in the first year, according to Edmunds.com; on a $20,000 car, that's $2,440, or more than $200 a month. Some cars depreciate even faster, depending on demand, incentives offered and other factors.
Why not let someone else take that hit? Not only will you be able to save money (or buy more car), but you'll pay less for insurance. Cars are better-built and last longer than ever before, which means you're less likely to get a lemon. Companies like CarFax allow you to trace a car's history. Many late-model used cars are still under warranty, and a trusted mechanic can give your potential purchase the once-over to spot any problems. Take a look at the Used Car Research section of MSN Autos for a lot of great information.
Exception: You can pay cash and you really, really want that new-car smell.
Software and console games. Buy used, and you'll pay half or less what the software cost new. Console games like those for the Xbox and Sony PS2 that list for $50 new, for instance, can often be purchased used for $20 or less a year after release.
But it's more than just a matter of economy. Letting someone else be the early adopter also allows you to benefit from their experience. You'll find more reviews and information on software that's been out a year or more (and you won't be that far behind the leading edge). The bugs will have been identified along with any workarounds, although you may have to live with some problems that are fixed in later versions.
Exception: If you do a lot of work with graphics, multimedia or image editing and you have a newer, more powerful computer, you'll probably want the state-of-the-art version. Finally, some software restricts the number of computers on which it can be installed, which can make it difficult (but not impossible) to transfer the product license to a new owner.
Office furniture. Built to take a beating and last a lifetime, good-quality office desks, filing cabinets and credenzas are relatively easy to find even when a recession isn't cratering the local economy.
Exception: Some people balk at buying used chairs for the same reason they won't buy a used catcher's mitt -- it's had too many hours to mold to someone else's body.
Hand tools. Well-made tools with few or no moving parts -- like hammers, wrenches, shovels, hoes, etc. -- can last decades with proper maintenance and are relatively easy to find at yard sales. If you're not going to use a tool frequently, you may be able to rent it or borrow from a friend or neighbor rather than buying something else to clutter up your garage. (Some neighborhoods even run tool-sharing cooperatives.)
Exception: You're a hard-core do-it-yourselfer and you need power tools, especially cordless versions. These have a relatively limited life span and you may not know how much time they've got left. If the tool is cheap enough, of course, that may not matter, but most often you'll want to buy new if the power tool will get substantial use.
Liz Pulliam Weston's column appears every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions in the Your Money message board.
10 Mysteries of the Mind
What is in our mind?
Much of what we don’t understand about being human is simply in our heads. The brain is a befuddling organ, as are the very questions of life and death, consciousness, sleep, and much more. Here’s a heads-up on what’s known and what’s not understood about your noggin. —Jeanna Bryner
10. Sweet Dreams
If you were to ask 10 people what dreams are made of, you’d probably get 10 different answers. That’s because scientists are still unraveling this mystery. One possibility: Dreaming exercises brain by stimulating the trafficking of synapses between brain cells. Another theory is that people dream about tasks and emotions that they didn’t take care of during the day, and that the process can help solidify thoughts and memories. In general, scientists agree that dreaming happens during your deepest sleep, called Rapid Eye Movement (REM).
9. Slumber Sleuth
Fruit flies do it. Tigers do it. And humans can’t seem to get enough of it. No, not that. We’re talking about shut-eye, so crucial we spend more than a quarter of our lives at it. Yet the underlying reasons for sleep remain as puzzling as a rambling dream. One thing scientists do know: Sleep is crucial for survival in mammals. Extended sleeplessness can lead to mood swings, hallucination, and in extreme cases, death. There are two states of sleep—non-rapid eye movement (NREM), during which the brain exhibits low metabolic activity, and rapid eye movement (REM), during which the brain is very active. Some scientists think NREM sleep gives your body a break, and in turn conserves energy, similar to hibernation. REM sleep could help to organize memories. However, this idea isn’t proven, and dreams during REM sleep don’t always correlate with memories.
8. Phantom Feelings
It’s estimated that about 80 percent of amputees experience sensations, including warmth, itching, pressure and pain, coming from the missing limb. People who experience this phenomenon, known as “phantom limb,” feel sensations as if the missing limb were part of their bodies. One explanation says that the nerves area where the limb severed create new connections to the spinal cord and continue to send signals to the brain as if the missing limb was still there. Another possibility is that the brain is “hard-wired” to operate as if the body were fully intact—meaning the brain holds a blueprint of the body with all parts attached.
7. Mission Control
Residing in the hypothalamus of the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or biological clock, programs the body to follow a 24-hour rhythm. The most evident effect of circadian rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle, but the biological clock also impacts digestion, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone production. Researchers have found that light intensity can adjust the clock forward or backward by regulating the hormone melatonin. The latest debate is whether or not melatonin supplements could help prevent jet lag—the drowsy, achy feeling you get when “jetting” across time zones.
6. Memory Lane
Some experiences are hard to forget, like perhaps your first kiss. But how does a person hold onto these personal movies? Using brain-imaging techniques, scientists are unraveling the mechanism responsible for creating and storing memories. They are finding that the hippocampus, within the brain’s gray matter, could act as a memory box. But this storage area isn’t so discriminatory. It turns out that both true and false memories activate similar brain regions. To pull out the real memory, some researchers ask a subject to recall the memory in context, something that’s much more difficult when the event didn’t actually occur.
5. Brain Teaser
Laughter is one of the least understood of human behaviors. Scientists have found that during a good laugh three parts of the brain light up: a thinking part that helps you get the joke, a movement area that tells your muscles to move, and an emotional region that elicits the “giddy” feeling. But it remains unknown why one person laughs at your brother’s foolish jokes while another chuckles while watching a horror movie. John Morreall, who is a pioneer of humor research at the College of William and Mary, has found that laughter is a playful response to incongruities—stories that disobey conventional expectations. Others in the humor field point to laughter as a way of signaling to another person that this action is meant “in fun.” One thing is clear: Laughter makes us feel better.
4. Nature vs. Nurture
In the long-running battle of whether our thoughts and personalities are controlled by genes or environment, scientists are building a convincing body of evidence that it could be either or both! The ability to study individual genes points to many human traits that we have little control over, yet in many realms, peer pressure or upbringing has been shown heavily influence who we are and what we do.
3. Mortal Mystery
Living forever is just for Hollywood. But why do humans age? You are born with a robust toolbox full of mechanisms to fight disease and injury, which you might think should arm you against stiff joints and other ailments. But as we age, the body’s repair mechanisms get out of shape. In effect, your resilience to physical injury and stress declines. Theories for why people age can be divided into two categories: 1) Like other human characteristics, aging could just be a part of human genetics and is somehow beneficial. 2) In the less optimistic view, aging has no purpose and results from cellular damage that occurs over a person’s lifetime. A handful of researchers, however, think science will ultimately delay aging at least long enough to double life spans.
2. Deep Freeze
Living forever may not be a reality. But a pioneering field called cryonics could give some people two lives. Cryonics centers like Alcor Life Extension Foundation, in Arizona, store posthumous bodies in vats filled with liquid nitrogen at bone-chilling temperatures of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit (78 Kelvin). The idea is that a person who dies from a presently incurable disease could be thawed and revived in the future when a cure has been found. The body of the late baseball legend Ted Williams is stored in one of Alcor’s freezers. Like the other human popsicles, Williams is positioned head down. That way, if there were ever a leak in the tank, the brain would stay submerged in the cold liquid. Not one of the cryopreserved bodies has been revived, because that technology doesn’t exist. For one, if the body isn’t thawed at exactly the right temperature, the person’s cells could turn to ice and blast into pieces.
1. Consciousness
When you wake up in the morning, you might perceive that the Sun is just rising, hear a few birds chirping, and maybe even feel a flash of happiness as the fresh morning air hits your face. In other words, you are conscious. This complex topic has plagued the scientific community since antiquity. Only recently have neuroscientists considered consciousness a realistic research topic. The greatest brainteaser in this field has been to explain how processes in the brain give rise to subjective experiences. So far, scientists have managed to develop a great list of questions.
Much of what we don’t understand about being human is simply in our heads. The brain is a befuddling organ, as are the very questions of life and death, consciousness, sleep, and much more. Here’s a heads-up on what’s known and what’s not understood about your noggin. —Jeanna Bryner
10. Sweet Dreams
If you were to ask 10 people what dreams are made of, you’d probably get 10 different answers. That’s because scientists are still unraveling this mystery. One possibility: Dreaming exercises brain by stimulating the trafficking of synapses between brain cells. Another theory is that people dream about tasks and emotions that they didn’t take care of during the day, and that the process can help solidify thoughts and memories. In general, scientists agree that dreaming happens during your deepest sleep, called Rapid Eye Movement (REM).
9. Slumber Sleuth
Fruit flies do it. Tigers do it. And humans can’t seem to get enough of it. No, not that. We’re talking about shut-eye, so crucial we spend more than a quarter of our lives at it. Yet the underlying reasons for sleep remain as puzzling as a rambling dream. One thing scientists do know: Sleep is crucial for survival in mammals. Extended sleeplessness can lead to mood swings, hallucination, and in extreme cases, death. There are two states of sleep—non-rapid eye movement (NREM), during which the brain exhibits low metabolic activity, and rapid eye movement (REM), during which the brain is very active. Some scientists think NREM sleep gives your body a break, and in turn conserves energy, similar to hibernation. REM sleep could help to organize memories. However, this idea isn’t proven, and dreams during REM sleep don’t always correlate with memories.
8. Phantom Feelings
It’s estimated that about 80 percent of amputees experience sensations, including warmth, itching, pressure and pain, coming from the missing limb. People who experience this phenomenon, known as “phantom limb,” feel sensations as if the missing limb were part of their bodies. One explanation says that the nerves area where the limb severed create new connections to the spinal cord and continue to send signals to the brain as if the missing limb was still there. Another possibility is that the brain is “hard-wired” to operate as if the body were fully intact—meaning the brain holds a blueprint of the body with all parts attached.
7. Mission Control
Residing in the hypothalamus of the brain, the suprachiasmatic nucleus, or biological clock, programs the body to follow a 24-hour rhythm. The most evident effect of circadian rhythm is the sleep-wake cycle, but the biological clock also impacts digestion, body temperature, blood pressure, and hormone production. Researchers have found that light intensity can adjust the clock forward or backward by regulating the hormone melatonin. The latest debate is whether or not melatonin supplements could help prevent jet lag—the drowsy, achy feeling you get when “jetting” across time zones.
6. Memory Lane
Some experiences are hard to forget, like perhaps your first kiss. But how does a person hold onto these personal movies? Using brain-imaging techniques, scientists are unraveling the mechanism responsible for creating and storing memories. They are finding that the hippocampus, within the brain’s gray matter, could act as a memory box. But this storage area isn’t so discriminatory. It turns out that both true and false memories activate similar brain regions. To pull out the real memory, some researchers ask a subject to recall the memory in context, something that’s much more difficult when the event didn’t actually occur.
5. Brain Teaser
Laughter is one of the least understood of human behaviors. Scientists have found that during a good laugh three parts of the brain light up: a thinking part that helps you get the joke, a movement area that tells your muscles to move, and an emotional region that elicits the “giddy” feeling. But it remains unknown why one person laughs at your brother’s foolish jokes while another chuckles while watching a horror movie. John Morreall, who is a pioneer of humor research at the College of William and Mary, has found that laughter is a playful response to incongruities—stories that disobey conventional expectations. Others in the humor field point to laughter as a way of signaling to another person that this action is meant “in fun.” One thing is clear: Laughter makes us feel better.
4. Nature vs. Nurture
In the long-running battle of whether our thoughts and personalities are controlled by genes or environment, scientists are building a convincing body of evidence that it could be either or both! The ability to study individual genes points to many human traits that we have little control over, yet in many realms, peer pressure or upbringing has been shown heavily influence who we are and what we do.
3. Mortal Mystery
Living forever is just for Hollywood. But why do humans age? You are born with a robust toolbox full of mechanisms to fight disease and injury, which you might think should arm you against stiff joints and other ailments. But as we age, the body’s repair mechanisms get out of shape. In effect, your resilience to physical injury and stress declines. Theories for why people age can be divided into two categories: 1) Like other human characteristics, aging could just be a part of human genetics and is somehow beneficial. 2) In the less optimistic view, aging has no purpose and results from cellular damage that occurs over a person’s lifetime. A handful of researchers, however, think science will ultimately delay aging at least long enough to double life spans.
2. Deep Freeze
Living forever may not be a reality. But a pioneering field called cryonics could give some people two lives. Cryonics centers like Alcor Life Extension Foundation, in Arizona, store posthumous bodies in vats filled with liquid nitrogen at bone-chilling temperatures of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit (78 Kelvin). The idea is that a person who dies from a presently incurable disease could be thawed and revived in the future when a cure has been found. The body of the late baseball legend Ted Williams is stored in one of Alcor’s freezers. Like the other human popsicles, Williams is positioned head down. That way, if there were ever a leak in the tank, the brain would stay submerged in the cold liquid. Not one of the cryopreserved bodies has been revived, because that technology doesn’t exist. For one, if the body isn’t thawed at exactly the right temperature, the person’s cells could turn to ice and blast into pieces.
1. Consciousness
When you wake up in the morning, you might perceive that the Sun is just rising, hear a few birds chirping, and maybe even feel a flash of happiness as the fresh morning air hits your face. In other words, you are conscious. This complex topic has plagued the scientific community since antiquity. Only recently have neuroscientists considered consciousness a realistic research topic. The greatest brainteaser in this field has been to explain how processes in the brain give rise to subjective experiences. So far, scientists have managed to develop a great list of questions.
Everyday Greetings
Everyday greetings
1. はい Hai = Yes ええ Ee = Yes 35. 一つだけで結構です Hitotsu dake de kekkô desu = Just one is good (we'll share)
2. いいえ Iie = No いい Ii = Good 36. お水 一杯 O-mizu ippai/nihai = One/two glasses of water
3. どうぞ Dôzo = Here you go 37. 一杯/本 Ippai/Ippon = A glass/bottle
4. お願いします Onegaishimasu = Please 38. をください ... o kudasai = Please give me ...
5. ありがとう Arigatô, 2 = Thanks 39. なまビール Nama bîru = Draft beer
6. どうもありがとうございます 40. 大/中/小 ジョッキビール Dai/chû/shô jokki bîru = Large/med/small beer
Dômo arigatô gozaimasu, 2 = Thank you very much 41. ビールを飲みたいのですか Bîru wo nomitai no desuka = Would you like to drink beer?
7. おはよう Ohayô = Good morning 42. ... は ありますか
8. おはようございます ... wa arimasuka = Do you have ...
Ohayô gozaimasu, 2 = Good morning 43. 郵便局 は どこ です か
9. こんにちは Kon-nichi wa, 2, 3 = Good day Yûbin kyoku wa doko desu ka = Where is the post office?
10. 今晩は Konban wa, 2, 3 = Good evening 44. トイレ は どこ です か
11. お休みなさい Oyasuminasai, 2 = Goodnight Toire wa doko desu ka = Where is the toilet?
12. さようなら Sayônara, 2, 3 = Goodbye 45. 写真とって いい ですか Shashin totte ii desuka = May I take your photo?
13. じゃあ、またね Jâ, mata ne = See you 46. これは何ですか
14. じゃあ、また明日 Jâ mata ashita = See you tomorrow Kore wa nan desu ka = What is this?
15. みなさん Mina san = Everyone 47. それをかいます
16. 初めまして Hajimemashite, 2 = Nice to meet you Sore o kaimasu = I'll buy that
17. どうぞ よろしく 48. 上手ですね
Dôzo yoroshiku = Pleased to meet you Jôzu desu-ne = Skillful, no?
18. 暫くですね 49. これが私の切符です
Shibaraku desu ne = Long time, no? Kore ga watashi no kippu desu = This is my ticket
19. お元気ですか O-genki desu ka, 2 = OK? 50. 何めえい様ですか Nanmei-sama desu ka = How many are you?
20. はい、元気です Hai, genki desu = Yes, I'm fine 51. ひたり【ふたり】です Hitari (futari) desu = one (two) person(s)
21. あなたは Anata wa = And you? 52. お飲み物は O-nomimono wa = What would you like to drink?
22. 私も元気です Watashi mo genki desu = I'm fine, too 53. 何を飲みたいですか Nani o nomitai desuka = What would you like to drink?
23. 今日は いい お天気 ですね 54. ビール、コヒー、おみずです Bîru/kôhî/(o-)mizu o kudasai = Beer please
Kyô wa ii o-tenki desu ne = Nice weather isn't it? 55. 私の名刺です
24. ちょっと待って下さい Watashi no meishi desu = My name card
Chotto matte kudasai = Just a minute 56. お名前は何ですか
25. ごめん なさい Gomen nasai = I'm sorry O-namae wa nan desu ka = What's your name?
26. すみません Sumimasen = Excuse me, I'm sorry 57. お会計 をお願いします
27. お邪魔します Ojamashimasu = Excuse me for disturbing you O-kaikei o o-negai shimasu = Check please
28. 失礼しました Shitsurei simashita = Excuse me, I'm sorry 58. お勘定をお願いします
29. 分かりません O-kanjô o o-negai shimasu = Check please
Wakarimasen, 2 = I don't understand 59. X こちら は Y-さん です
30. 大丈夫です Daijôbu desu = It's OK X-san kochira wa Y-san desu = X this is Y
31. メニューを(見せて)下さい Menû wo (misete) kudasai = May we see a menu? 60. さあ 私は しりません
32. 戴きます Itadakimasu (before meal) Saa, watashi wa shirimasen = Well, I don't know
33. ごちそう さま でした 61. これはいくらですか
Gochisô sama deshita (after meal) Korewa ikura desuka, 2 = How much is this?
34. もう結構です Mô kekkô desu = No more thanks 62. すみません、あなたは ミラーさん ですか
Sumimasen, (anata wa) miraa san desu ka =
Excuse me, are you Mr. Miller?
63. はい、私は アラン ミラー です 83. 当たり Atari = Success
Hai, watashi wa aran mirâ desu = 84. よく出来ました Yoku dekimashita = Well done!
Yes, I'm Alan Miller 85. 月 火 水 木 金 土 日曜日 Monday to Sunday
64. メアリー ミラー は 私の家内 です 86. 一月 十ニ月 January to December
Mearî mirâ wa watashi no kanai desu =
Mary Miller is my wife 87. 何を買いますか Nani o kaimasu ka = What will you buy?
65. 私は 教授 の 工学 です 88. 何をしますか Nani o shimasu ka = What will you do?
Watashi wa Kyôju (no Kôgaku) desu = 89. 音楽は好きですか Ongaku wa suki desu = Do you like music?
I'm a professor (of Engineering) 90. 今日は何日ですか Kyô wa nannichi desuka = What day is it today?
66. 私は米国 の ニューメキシコ 州 から きました。 91. ええ、大好きです Ee, dai suki desu = Yes, I like it very much
Watashi wa Beikoku no New Mexico Shû kara kimashita = 92. 楽しいです Tanoshii desu = It's fun
I'm from New Mexico, USA. 93. 天ぷらが食べたいです Tenpura ga tabetaidesu = I want to eat tempura
67. もう一度いってください 94. 窓側の席をお願いします Madogawa no seki o onegaishimasu = A window seat please
Mô ichido itte kudasai, 2 = Please say once more 95. 禁煙席をお願いします Kin'enseki o onegaishimasu = A no-smoking seat please
68. ゆっくり話してください 96. 電話番号は何番ですか Denwabangô wa nanban desuka = What is the phone number?
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai, 2 = Please speak slowly 97. スーツケースはどこですか Sûtsukêsu wa doko desuka = Where are the suitcases?
69. どうかもう少しゆっくり話してください
Dôka mô sukoshi yukkuri hanashite kudasai = Please speak more slowly 98. これは桃です Korewa momo desu = This is a peach
70. 私は日本語 が 少し 話せます 99. これはももではありません Korewa momo dewa arimasen = This is not a peach
Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemas = I speak a little Japanese 100. 手紙を書いています Tegami o kaiteimasu = Write a letter
71. 大丈夫です Daijôbu desu = It's OK 101. 私は東京へ行きます Watashi wa Tôkyô e ikimasu = I am going to Tokyo
72. いいえ、結構です Iie, kekkô desu = No thanks 102. 何がいいですか Nani ga ii desuka = What is good?
73. やっぱり【やはり】 Yappari, Yahari = After all, Again 103. これは私の本です Kore wa watashi no hon desu = This is my book
74. 猫です Neko desu = It's a cat 104. 私は車を買いました Watashi wa kuruma o kaimashita = I bought a car
75. 犬です Inu desu = It's a dog 105. 私は友達に合いました Watashi wa tomodachi ni aimashita = I met a friend
76. 魚です Sakana desu = It's a Fish 106. これは安いです Kore wa yasui desu = This is cheap
77. 羊です Hitsuji desu = It's a Sheep (?) 107. これは丈夫です Kore wa jôbu desu = This is strong
78. 蜘蛛です Kumo desu = It's a Spider 108. 何がいいですか Nani ga ii desuka = What is good?
79. ライオンです Lion desu = It's a Lion 109. 一つが来ましたか Itsuga kimashitaka = Did one come?
80. これは月です Korewa tsuki desu = This is the moon 110. 今手紙を書いています Ima tegami o kaiteimasu = Write a letter now
81. これは雲です Korewa kumo desu = This is a cloud 111. あの人は頭はいい Ano hito wa atama wa ii = That person is smart
82. これは雷 Korewa kaminari = This is Thunder (Lightning) 112. ご返事有難うございます Gohenji arigatô gozaimasu = Thank you for the reply
113. 分かりやすい Wakari-yasui = It is easy to understand
1. はい Hai = Yes ええ Ee = Yes 35. 一つだけで結構です Hitotsu dake de kekkô desu = Just one is good (we'll share)
2. いいえ Iie = No いい Ii = Good 36. お水 一杯 O-mizu ippai/nihai = One/two glasses of water
3. どうぞ Dôzo = Here you go 37. 一杯/本 Ippai/Ippon = A glass/bottle
4. お願いします Onegaishimasu = Please 38. をください ... o kudasai = Please give me ...
5. ありがとう Arigatô, 2 = Thanks 39. なまビール Nama bîru = Draft beer
6. どうもありがとうございます 40. 大/中/小 ジョッキビール Dai/chû/shô jokki bîru = Large/med/small beer
Dômo arigatô gozaimasu, 2 = Thank you very much 41. ビールを飲みたいのですか Bîru wo nomitai no desuka = Would you like to drink beer?
7. おはよう Ohayô = Good morning 42. ... は ありますか
8. おはようございます ... wa arimasuka = Do you have ...
Ohayô gozaimasu, 2 = Good morning 43. 郵便局 は どこ です か
9. こんにちは Kon-nichi wa, 2, 3 = Good day Yûbin kyoku wa doko desu ka = Where is the post office?
10. 今晩は Konban wa, 2, 3 = Good evening 44. トイレ は どこ です か
11. お休みなさい Oyasuminasai, 2 = Goodnight Toire wa doko desu ka = Where is the toilet?
12. さようなら Sayônara, 2, 3 = Goodbye 45. 写真とって いい ですか Shashin totte ii desuka = May I take your photo?
13. じゃあ、またね Jâ, mata ne = See you 46. これは何ですか
14. じゃあ、また明日 Jâ mata ashita = See you tomorrow Kore wa nan desu ka = What is this?
15. みなさん Mina san = Everyone 47. それをかいます
16. 初めまして Hajimemashite, 2 = Nice to meet you Sore o kaimasu = I'll buy that
17. どうぞ よろしく 48. 上手ですね
Dôzo yoroshiku = Pleased to meet you Jôzu desu-ne = Skillful, no?
18. 暫くですね 49. これが私の切符です
Shibaraku desu ne = Long time, no? Kore ga watashi no kippu desu = This is my ticket
19. お元気ですか O-genki desu ka, 2 = OK? 50. 何めえい様ですか Nanmei-sama desu ka = How many are you?
20. はい、元気です Hai, genki desu = Yes, I'm fine 51. ひたり【ふたり】です Hitari (futari) desu = one (two) person(s)
21. あなたは Anata wa = And you? 52. お飲み物は O-nomimono wa = What would you like to drink?
22. 私も元気です Watashi mo genki desu = I'm fine, too 53. 何を飲みたいですか Nani o nomitai desuka = What would you like to drink?
23. 今日は いい お天気 ですね 54. ビール、コヒー、おみずです Bîru/kôhî/(o-)mizu o kudasai = Beer please
Kyô wa ii o-tenki desu ne = Nice weather isn't it? 55. 私の名刺です
24. ちょっと待って下さい Watashi no meishi desu = My name card
Chotto matte kudasai = Just a minute 56. お名前は何ですか
25. ごめん なさい Gomen nasai = I'm sorry O-namae wa nan desu ka = What's your name?
26. すみません Sumimasen = Excuse me, I'm sorry 57. お会計 をお願いします
27. お邪魔します Ojamashimasu = Excuse me for disturbing you O-kaikei o o-negai shimasu = Check please
28. 失礼しました Shitsurei simashita = Excuse me, I'm sorry 58. お勘定をお願いします
29. 分かりません O-kanjô o o-negai shimasu = Check please
Wakarimasen, 2 = I don't understand 59. X こちら は Y-さん です
30. 大丈夫です Daijôbu desu = It's OK X-san kochira wa Y-san desu = X this is Y
31. メニューを(見せて)下さい Menû wo (misete) kudasai = May we see a menu? 60. さあ 私は しりません
32. 戴きます Itadakimasu (before meal) Saa, watashi wa shirimasen = Well, I don't know
33. ごちそう さま でした 61. これはいくらですか
Gochisô sama deshita (after meal) Korewa ikura desuka, 2 = How much is this?
34. もう結構です Mô kekkô desu = No more thanks 62. すみません、あなたは ミラーさん ですか
Sumimasen, (anata wa) miraa san desu ka =
Excuse me, are you Mr. Miller?
63. はい、私は アラン ミラー です 83. 当たり Atari = Success
Hai, watashi wa aran mirâ desu = 84. よく出来ました Yoku dekimashita = Well done!
Yes, I'm Alan Miller 85. 月 火 水 木 金 土 日曜日 Monday to Sunday
64. メアリー ミラー は 私の家内 です 86. 一月 十ニ月 January to December
Mearî mirâ wa watashi no kanai desu =
Mary Miller is my wife 87. 何を買いますか Nani o kaimasu ka = What will you buy?
65. 私は 教授 の 工学 です 88. 何をしますか Nani o shimasu ka = What will you do?
Watashi wa Kyôju (no Kôgaku) desu = 89. 音楽は好きですか Ongaku wa suki desu = Do you like music?
I'm a professor (of Engineering) 90. 今日は何日ですか Kyô wa nannichi desuka = What day is it today?
66. 私は米国 の ニューメキシコ 州 から きました。 91. ええ、大好きです Ee, dai suki desu = Yes, I like it very much
Watashi wa Beikoku no New Mexico Shû kara kimashita = 92. 楽しいです Tanoshii desu = It's fun
I'm from New Mexico, USA. 93. 天ぷらが食べたいです Tenpura ga tabetaidesu = I want to eat tempura
67. もう一度いってください 94. 窓側の席をお願いします Madogawa no seki o onegaishimasu = A window seat please
Mô ichido itte kudasai, 2 = Please say once more 95. 禁煙席をお願いします Kin'enseki o onegaishimasu = A no-smoking seat please
68. ゆっくり話してください 96. 電話番号は何番ですか Denwabangô wa nanban desuka = What is the phone number?
Yukkuri hanashite kudasai, 2 = Please speak slowly 97. スーツケースはどこですか Sûtsukêsu wa doko desuka = Where are the suitcases?
69. どうかもう少しゆっくり話してください
Dôka mô sukoshi yukkuri hanashite kudasai = Please speak more slowly 98. これは桃です Korewa momo desu = This is a peach
70. 私は日本語 が 少し 話せます 99. これはももではありません Korewa momo dewa arimasen = This is not a peach
Watashi wa nihongo ga sukoshi hanasemas = I speak a little Japanese 100. 手紙を書いています Tegami o kaiteimasu = Write a letter
71. 大丈夫です Daijôbu desu = It's OK 101. 私は東京へ行きます Watashi wa Tôkyô e ikimasu = I am going to Tokyo
72. いいえ、結構です Iie, kekkô desu = No thanks 102. 何がいいですか Nani ga ii desuka = What is good?
73. やっぱり【やはり】 Yappari, Yahari = After all, Again 103. これは私の本です Kore wa watashi no hon desu = This is my book
74. 猫です Neko desu = It's a cat 104. 私は車を買いました Watashi wa kuruma o kaimashita = I bought a car
75. 犬です Inu desu = It's a dog 105. 私は友達に合いました Watashi wa tomodachi ni aimashita = I met a friend
76. 魚です Sakana desu = It's a Fish 106. これは安いです Kore wa yasui desu = This is cheap
77. 羊です Hitsuji desu = It's a Sheep (?) 107. これは丈夫です Kore wa jôbu desu = This is strong
78. 蜘蛛です Kumo desu = It's a Spider 108. 何がいいですか Nani ga ii desuka = What is good?
79. ライオンです Lion desu = It's a Lion 109. 一つが来ましたか Itsuga kimashitaka = Did one come?
80. これは月です Korewa tsuki desu = This is the moon 110. 今手紙を書いています Ima tegami o kaiteimasu = Write a letter now
81. これは雲です Korewa kumo desu = This is a cloud 111. あの人は頭はいい Ano hito wa atama wa ii = That person is smart
82. これは雷 Korewa kaminari = This is Thunder (Lightning) 112. ご返事有難うございます Gohenji arigatô gozaimasu = Thank you for the reply
113. 分かりやすい Wakari-yasui = It is easy to understand
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