Today's Daily Brain Teaser (Sep 01, 2013)

Name That: Famous Pair



Each of the clues below describe a famous pair (example: Salt & Pepper). Can you name each pair?



1. Jingly sound makers & accompanying sounds heard on the Seven Dwarfs commute

2. Corny phrase used by photographers & thin crisp wafers

3. Small spherical play toy & a letter propagated to many people threatening bad luck unless forwarded

4. Mayberry's deputy sheriff & hollow round percussion instrument

5. A cheery, cheerful or joyous disposition & a unit of company stock

6. Long slender conifer leaf & message board continuous chain of postings

7. Kevin of "Six Degrees" trivia fame & chicken predecessors

8. Writing implement loaded with ink & bank employee that receives or pays out money

9. A paste made from ground goober peas & sweet spread prepared from Concord Grapes





Check Braingle.com for the answer.

Today's Daily Trivia Quiz (Sep 01, 2013)

Song: "Holiday"

This song was on Green Day's album "American Idiot".



Take the Quiz at Braingle.com

Vocabulary : Word of the Day : Potentate

po-ten-tate



noun :: One who possesses great power or sway; a prince, sovereign, or monarch.



"I said that if that potentate must go over in our ship, why, I supposed he must --but that to my thinking, when the United States considered it necessary to send a dignitary of that tonnage across the ocean, it would be in better taste, and safer, to take him apart and cart him over in sections in several ships." --Twain, Mark

Memory : Neurotransmitters

A neurotransmitter is a chemical in the brain that helps regulate the electrical signals between neurons. Neurotransmitters exist in little pockets, inside the nerve cells, called vesicles. When an electrical signal triggers the neuron, these vesicles float to the cell membrane and release their neurotransmitters. The neurotransmitters then jump across the synapse and bind to receptors on adjacent neurons.



How the adjacent neuron reacts to the neurotransmitters depends on a number of factors. There are many different types of neurotransmitters produce different results. Some cause the adjacent neuron to trigger and others suppress triggering. It is the combined effect of all the neurotransmitters that determines what happens to the signal.

Creativity : Opposite Point of View II

People tend to classify a situation quickly, which causes us to think and respond to it in predictable ways. A creative thinker will think about situations from different angles.

Try this exercise to think of these situations from the opposite point of view.



1. You just found a $10 bill on the ground. List five reasons why this is unfortunate.

2. You just had a fight with your best friend. List five positive things about this.

3. Your sink is full of dirty dishes. List five reasons why this is good.

4. Your significant other surprises you with a romantic dinner. List five reasons why this is bad.

Stress : Meditation

Meditation is a contemplative practice that calms or focuses the mind. Although meditation is commonly associated with Eastern religions, it is practiced in nearly every religion and is frequently used outside of the religion context for personal development and relaxation.



Relaxation Response and Progressive Muscle Relaxation are examples of non-religious meditations used to calm the mind and body. There are many different types of formalized meditations that follow a specific routine. Beginners will probably find these easier to start with because there are rules to follow. Once you become adept at focusing your mind, you can easily create your own routines.



A basic goal of meditation is to reach a mental state where your mind is free of thoughts. Beginners will probably find it difficult to meditate for more than a few minutes without having distracting thoughts entire their minds, but with practice and determination it is possible to silence the mind.



One technique used to help quiet the mind is to turn your attention to a single object, such as your breathing. Breath awareness and breath counting is used in many meditations. Some people find it helpful to have a mantra, which is a sound, word or phrase that you can repeat to yourself. In the Relaxation Response meditation, the word "one" is used as a mantra.



If you want to start meditating to reduce stress or for some other reason, it is advisable to pick one or two routines and stick with them. Set aside 15-20 minutes every day to practice and you will quickly improve.

Obama Seeking Congress Approval For Syria Strike

President Obama said he was ready to take military action against Syrian President Bashar Assad, but he is seeking the approval of Congress before carrying out an attack.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/history/obama-seeking-congress-approval-syria-strike-130831.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Amazing Animals of the Week: Photos

A super-cute baby, swimming pigs, and observant monkeys grace this week's collection of amazing animals.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/animals/amazing-animals-of-the-week-pictures-130830.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

A plastic ball stuffed with remote-controlled sensors and motors? Yes, please. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/apps/sphero-2-0s-gyroscope-guided-gigglefest-130831.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

5 Surprising Cultural Facts About Syria

Syria has been a cradle of civilization for at least 10,000 years.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/human/life/surprising-cultural-facts-about-syria-130831.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

For Polar Bears, Some Places Better Than Others

Polar bear populations are in decline -- but not everywhere. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/earth/oceans/polar-bears-some-places-better-130831.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Infrared Car System Detects Wildlife

On their 2014 S-Class cars, Mercedes will debut Night View Plus, an infrared system that identifies people, cows, moose, horses, deer, camels and even wild boar. Continue reading →



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/infrared-car-system-detects-wildlife-130830.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1

Stunning Maps Help Visualize Complex Data

After application programming interfaces became available, suddenly everyone was customizing online maps.



via Discovery News http://news.discovery.com/tech/apps/stunning-maps-visualize-complex-data-130831.htm#mkcpgn=rssnws1