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LIFE

9 Lies Unproductive People Love to Tell

1. I can’t.
Truth be told, the only person who can tell you “you can’t” is you. If you hear these words echoing in the back of your mind, tune them out.

Your faith can move mountains and your doubt can create them. Self-doubt is the number one enemy of personal growth. It is only when you shed your apprehension about your own capabilities and self-worth that you realize how much you are capable of, and that YOU CAN in fact do it.

In the end, your doubts and your faith have something in common. They both ask you to believe in something you can’t see; you simply have to decide which one you want to believe. Read more here.

ENVIRONMENT

Adding Calcium to Soil Can Heal Forests Damaged by Acid Rain

When we hear about calcium, it usually has to do with our bones and teeth and pregnancy… But trees also need the soft gray, alkaline earth metal to grow. A new study published today in Environmental Science and Technology Letters shows that adding calcium to the soil can help reverse the decades-long decline of forests suffering from the effects of acid rain. The paper reports on 15 years of data from an ongoing field experiment in the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest in New Hampshire:
Read more here.

TECHNOLOGY

California Legally Approves Peer-to-Peer Ridesharing

The California Public Utilities Commission voted unanimously on Thursday to legally approve peer-to-peer ridesharing as provided by companies like Lyft, Sidecar, and UberX.

The decision has been long-awaited by many in the state of California as the CPUC dealt with how best to regulate these new transportation services. The ridesharing companies will be allowed to operate legally under CPUC jurisdiction, and will now fall under a newly created category called Transportation Network Company.
Read more here.

HEALTH

Grilled Okra with Spicy Sumac Seasoning Salt

Okra lovers and haters, rejoice. Grilled okra with spicy sumac seasoning salt is an untraditional and finger lickin’ good recipe that will make you fall in love with okra all over again, or, for the very first time.

Okra is rarely described as addictive. All it takes, though, is a few minutes on a hot grill and a tart and spicy seasoning salt to transform okra into finger food that will fly off the table. Crispy, salty, spicy veggies hot off the grill are better than a bowl of chips, any day. Set them out as an appetizer or snack and eat as many as you like without worrying about spoiling your dinner or your waistline. Read more here.

We never would have suspected any of these to be vegan. From apple pie to oreos, the Huffington Post has put together a eye-popping list of 12.

We do not recommend any of these foods while pursing a vegan diet….enjoy the list HERE!

LIFE

Google Is Waging War on Apps That Attack and Steal From Your Phone

Google made sweeping changes late last month to its policies for developers on Play, the official store for apps that run on Android, Google’s smartphone operating system.

The changes, which among other things affect how ads are displayed and permissions sought, are meant to make Android safer so users can download and use apps with confidence. Developers have until later this month to make the changes. Those that run afoul of the new rules after the deadline will find their apps deleted.Read more here.

TECHNOLOGY

Why Big Tech Companies Are Going After Smart Watches

After two years of seeing smaller companies dabble with smart watches, the big tech companies have decided it’s time to enter the market.

Samsung and Qualcomm both unveiled their first connected watches this week, Sony recently updated its SmartWatch product and Google and Apple are both rumored to be prepping their own releases in the next year or so.

The smartphone war is heating up, but what exactly are these companies fighting for?
Read more here.

ENVIRONMENT

Germany Breaks World Solar Power Generation, Leaving U.S. in the Dust

Germany’s not a very sunny place, yet yet it leads the world in solar power, showing that you don’t have to be in the middle of the Sahara desert to generate lots of clean power from the sun. In July 2013, it set a new world record, producing 5.1 terawatt-hours, a mindbogglingly big number that leaves the U.S. far behind with its 0.764 TWh record for May 2013 (we don’t have data more recent than that). The only thing that comes close is other solar record by Germany, and Germany’s world wind power record of 5 TWh in January earlier this year.
Read more here.

HEALTH

Sweet and Spicy Grilled Eggplant Over Rice [Vegan]

Eggplant is a wonderful vegetable to use for grilling because it soaks up the flavors of a marinade like nobody’s business. If you have a great marinade you want to really show off, eggplant is an ideal platform. And that’s just what this recipe does — a wonderfully sweet and spicy sauce, with just a bit of smokiness from paprika and cumin, is grilled into the eggplant. Served over steamed rice, this is an incredibly simple and oh-so-delicious meal.

Folks differ on whether or not the chewiness of the skin is acceptable. Personally I don’t mind it but others in the house disagree. If you want a soft texture all around on the eggplant, cut off the skin after grilling the slices, and cube just the “meat” of the eggplant.Read more here.