Personalized cuff links – more than an accessory

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There’s a saying that a man is known by the collar he keeps. The sense of style and sophistication in a man can be quite transparent in the way he wears a shirt. However, there’s yet another item that can be very reflective of a man – personalized cuff links.

Cuff links have shed their wrongly attributed stature as an accessory to dressing. Lately, they could be worn as a piece of jewelry by the metrosexual or can be used as a tool to make a statement. With the choices available in styles, material and designs, the choice is abundant.

For instance, the most personal of all personalized cuff links, it would seem, would be the ones that carry the man’s initials. However, it’s time to get more creative – you can find cuff links made to order, in gold, silver and even diamonds! The corporate-oriented man could even have the logo of his company engraved on his cuff links, thus yielding a very professional image.

Tennis shoes – what’s special about them?

Now that we’re in thick of Australian Open Tennis Championships, and with the TV cameras focusing on the players’ shoes all the time, one can’t help wonder what’s special about them – if any.

Tennis shoes offer a number of benefits to the player – the first and foremost among them being providing good balance, which is a crucial factor when negotiating long volleys as well as 120 miles per hour serves.

They must also provide much more flexibility than ordinary shoes for the simple reason that the feet can tend to twist and sway in different angles and directions. The flexible fit will prevent the sudden twists and turns, and help prevent injury.

Also, they must be cozy and fit comfortably. The last thing you want on your mind when facing Rafael Nadal is discomfort in your shoes.

Getting a handsome, rugged look for your home

They say a home reflects the character and personality of the owner. The parameters extend to colors, stone, glass, upholstery, flooring and, of course, furniture.

One style that will be love and appreciated by all is the traditional look and feel of rustic furniture. Modern furniture could, at times, look a bit ‘edgy’, especially after a long day at work, but if it’s beautiful, soft wooden furniture with all its grains and spots, it’s bound to relax you.

Rustic furniture will stand out in any surrounding. For instance, a rustic dining table will add an extra ‘homely’ touch to the dining area, while rustic patio chairs can instantly charm and impart a relaxed atmosphere.

One-fifth Americans prone to psychiatric issues

About 20 per cent of American adults reported having had a mental illness during the preceding year, according to a new government survey.

The figure hits nearly 30 per cent of those in the 18 to 25 age group, compared with 14.3 per cent of patients 50 and older, according to researchers from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

And of the nearly 46 million US adults who reported having had a mental, behavioral, or emotional disorder when surveyed in 2010, some 60 per cent didn’t receive any treatment for the condition.

The most common reason for not getting mental healthcare was not being able to afford it.

The researchers noted that although the 20 per cent figure is “relatively high,” just 5% reported having serious issues that interfered with their normal activities. Although more of those with serious mental illness reported receiving treatment, a large proportion – 39 per cent — didn’t receive any mental health services.

The unemployed, Medicaid beneficiaries, and those living below the poverty level were more likely to have mental illness in the preceding year, as were younger patients. Women appeared to be at greater risk than men.

Substance use disorders were more common among those with mental illness than among those reporting no disorders, and the prevalence was even higher among patients with serious mental illness.

SOURCE Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

Is the next ice age here yet?

Relax. The next ice age is not likely to hit for a minimum of 1,500 years thanks to high levels of carbon dioxide emissions in the atmosphere, according to Nature Geoscience.

The UN’s weather department said that the main gases blamed for global warming reached record levels last year and will linger in the atmosphere for decades even if all emissions were stopped today.

An ice age referred to a period when there is a long-term reduction in the earth’s surface and atmospheric temperature, which leads to the growth of ice sheets and glaciers.

According to scientists, there have been at least five ice ages on earth. During ice ages there are cycles of glaciation with ice sheets both advancing and retreating.

Officially, the earth has been in an interglacial, or warmer period, for the last 10,000 to 15,000 years, and estimates vary on how long such periods last.

The study based on variations in the earth’s orbit and rock samples was conducted by academics at Cambridge University, University College London, the University of Florida and Norway’s University of Bergen.

The world is forecast to grow hotter as greenhouse gases continue to rise, increasing threats such as extreme weather events and sea level rise.

Scientists have warned that global temperature rise should be limited to within 2 degrees Celsius to avoid the worst effects of climate change but delays in curbing emissions growth are putting the planet at risk.