Bright Side

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Or do you know, for example, that number seven meant a lot for the Statue's creators? It's easy to notice the Statue has seven spikes on its crown, symbolizing universal liberty across the seven oceans and continents. But there are less obvious references to the number seven. Btw, you can see this monument not in NYC only!

- It's really hard to picture it, but the Statue actually arrived from France on June 17, 1885, in over 300 copper pieces. The precious cargo was traveling in 214 crates on the French ship, Isère.

- Then, American newspaper magnate Joseph Pulitzer stepped in. Even though 80% of the donations were small ones from middle-class citizens, Pulitzer managed to collect the necessary amount from over 120,000 donors.

- The Statue of Liberty is made of copper, so it was originally about the same color as a penny. According to the New York Historical Society, it turned completely green because of oxidation by 1920.

- The statue was originaly supposed to serve as a lighthouse for ships sailing into New York Harbor. And, two years after it arrived in the US, it actually became one.

- There are 16 leaves around the torch, and the monument itself is 151 feet tall. The sum of both those digits is seven as well. Clearly, that number meant a lot for the Statue's creators.

- Famous engineer Alexander Gustave Eiffel helped design the steel internal framework to keep the statue stable. It's strong enough to withstand around 600 bolts of lightning a year.

- Most people are positive it's a representation of the Roman goddess of freedom, Libertas. The widely accepted story is that Bartholdi modeled her face after his mother.

- Author and journalist, Elizabeth Mitchell, however, claims that the sculptor actually used his brother's face as a model!

- Another theory was presented by French writer Nathalie Salmon, who claims Lady Liberty was modeled after her ancestor Sarah Salmon.

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In his research, psychologist William F. Chaplin found that people with a weak handshake are instantly judged as being shy, anxious, uninterested, or even completely incompetent.

If you place your hands on the table, don’t squeeze them too tight or lay them flat with your palms down. This makes people feel like you want to control them. Also, don’t forget about the role that culture plays here.

A 2007 study showed that people who maintain eye contact during a conversation are often seen as more confident, attentive, intelligent, and trustworthy. Try not to focus the conversation only on yourself and your issues. It’s always a good idea to be attentive to your conversation partner.

Tapping can indicate nervousness, irritation, or impatience. People might even think that you’re purposely trying to irritate others or draw attention to yourself. And while cracking your knuckles can help relieve stress, it’s one of the most annoying sounds according to a survey by The New York Times.

A study from the University of Essex showed that even just having one’s phone on the table next to them reduces a conversation’s quality and the participants’ engagement. So leave it in your bag or in your pocket.

Running late to a meeting with people you don’t know or have a formal relationship with will shed a guaranteed negative light on you. You’ll seem like an unreliable and unorganized person that doesn’t respect people enough to value their time.

-If you wanna give the right impression of confidence and capability, remember to grip the other person’s hand firmly and for no longer than 2 seconds.

-Put your hands on your lap if you want, but never keep them in your pockets because this gives the impression that you’re hiding something.

-Chewing on gum makes you look immature, self-centered, and somewhat low-brow.

-Don't be afraid to lock eyes with another person from time to time instead of constantly looking around, especially when you meet them for the first time.

-If you tend to play with your hair when you’re nervous, try to kick this habit, you could be sending them the wrong message.

-Play it safe and avoid the general “taboo” topics out there. They include health problems, money, religion, politics, or personal problems and complaints.

-When it comes to meeting someone for the first time, keep a minimum of 4 feet between the two of you.

-It can be nearly impossible to control nervous tapping, but you have to try, especially during important meetings or presentations.

-Even if you’re just checking the time on your screen, it comes off as extremely impolite when you do it during a conversation.

-Immediately repeat someone’s name after you’ve been introduced. In case you forget the name, just play it cool and try to avoid using phrases where you have to name the other person.

-Leave your house in enough time so that you don’t have to run to your meeting. You’ll be all disheveled and unfocused, and that looks bad too.

-If you’re meeting somebody for the very first time, again, especially in more formal situations, try to be conservative in your choice of clothing, be polished, and don’t use heavy perfume or tons of makeup.

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- Surveys agree: guys really do pay attention to how a woman smells. Just don't go too crazy with your favorite scents. Too much of a good thing can be a little too pungent!

- There's one thing most men agree on: extremely long nails or super bright polish aren’t that attractive. Most of us prefer nails painted in a nude color or the simple but elegant French manicure.

- Beautifully-done eyebrows can frame a face nicely and bring out your eyes. But from our point of view, there's no need to stress out about them.

- Half of us think that false eyelashes or extensions are outstanding and make a woman look more feminine and sweet. Yet, according to surveys, the other half say that they look too obvious and unnatural, which is a complete turn-off.

- Surveys show that guys who say they prefer no makeup at all are actually drawn to the so-called “no makeup” makeup look: real eyelashes with carefully and minimally applied mascara, natural eyebrows, a hint of blush, and soft-colored lips.

- Some men (and, let’s be honest, women too!), automatically associate serious skin issues with poor hygiene.

- For most of us, it doesn’t really matter whether or not they’re smooth visually or to the touch. So if you're not a big fan of shaving your legs frequently or your leg hair grows faster than bamboo, don’t stress about it!

- Dirty shoes don’t evoke any strong feelings of irritation among men. So if it's not something completely out of the ordinary, we won’t pay attention to it.

- Just like with dirty shoes, we usually don't focus our attention on whether or not you ironed your clothes today. But that doesn't mean your crush won't notice it if it happens regularly!

- A lot of guys admit that they’ve never even thought of it before and that it’s not necessarily something they notice. Others, however, say that they interpret wearing old clothes as a sign that a woman doesn’t really care about how she looks.

- If stretch marks are something to be ashamed of according to society’s rulebook on “how to be perfect,” then we guys sure aren’t aware of it. Some men out there don’t even have a clue as to what stretch marks are because they don’t even notice them!

- Of course, a lot of men do appreciate a woman that takes care of her figure, but a perfectly flat stomach isn't that big of a deal for us. All body shapes and sizes are beautiful as long as you feel comfortable and confident in your own skin!

- If you took a shower the day before but your hair still looks fresh and clean, then there’s no problem. But, of course, if it appears really greasy and obviously overdue for a wash, then we’ll definitely notice this (just like the rest of the human population).

- Not too many guys would be appalled by beautiful lingerie! But that doesn’t mean you need to go out and buy the most expensive little Victoria’s secret number you can find; it just needs to look nice.

- When it comes to swearing, every man has his own opinion. Some guys feel that cussing doesn’t really suit women.

- Smoking, like cursing, is another bad habit for both men and women. So it may come as no surprise that almost 80% of guys confess that they don't like it when a woman smokes.

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Here is a riddle for you: red jackets, unsmiling faces, and huge black furry hats. Who are they? The University of Houston Marching Band? Well yeah but, I’m talking about those other guys! Those are the Queen's guards in London, the capital city of the UK! These easily recognizable and regularly photographed guys may always be in the limelight, but there are some curious things about them you definitely didn't know!

For example, if an absent-minded tourist doesn't stay out of their way, the guards have all the rights to knock them over. So, watch out! Or have you ever thought why the hat strap is below the guard's nose? The thing is that the hat is so heavy that if it's struck or shot in combat, it would easily break the soldier's neck if the strap was positioned under the chin.

- It's a fact that no-one is allowed to touch the guards or threaten them. But it’s a widespread myth that they can't speak no matter what.

- Even when a guard faints, he has to do it in a particular way. As soon as he feels dizzy, he must remain at attention and keep this position even when he falls, most often ending up face down.

- Royal guards have strict instructions to do their necessities right on the spot. Luckily, their heavy woolen trousers are black enough to cover their embarrassment.

- Since staying still for too long is bad for their health, every 10 minutes the guards leave their spot, turn, march several paces, then turn around, and go back to their place to stand still for the next 10 minutes.

- The Queen's guards wear red jackets in spring and summer and long grey coats during the fall and winter months. The coats are long and warm enough to allow the soldiers to stay motionless for a long time.

- If a superior notices a guard stretching his lips in a smile, the guard will face a fine of up to a week's pay! In most cases, the overly cheerful guard should be ready to part with about $260.

- It turns out that when the drill boots stay in direct sunlight for too long, the polish on them starts to melt. It means that every time after their shift, the guards have to re-polish their footwear.

- Hats made from the real fur are impressively heavy: one can weigh from 4.5 to 9 lb (2 to 4 kg). And when it rains or snows, the Bearskin collects all the liquid and gets even heavier!

- To become one of the Queen's guard, you have to take the BARB, which stands for the British Army Recruit Battery test. It's a half-an-hour-long computer-based test which checks your problem solving, analytical, and logical skills.

- The red color was chosen because the red pigment was one of the most available at those times. Also, this color needed only one stage in the process of dyeing.

- If you’re lucky enough, you can hear them perform the Imperial March from Star Wars or even Indiana Jones and Game of Thrones theme songs!

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Do you ever wish that you could make people agree with you, like you, or remember you with a snap of your fingers? Believe it or not, it's actually possible — you just have to know a couple of tricks. They work on a subconscious level and help you win another person’s trust or get somebody’s approval. Bright Side will share 10 tips that work every time and can be useful in any situation.

- If you want someone to like and trust you, mirror their body language — especially their poses and gestures. The most important thing is to be smooth about it.

- During a heated discussion, every opinion has to be heard, but only one will be chosen as the final one. If you want it to be yours, simply use the word “because” with your reasoning!

- If you want them to remember what you said and really think about it, add a pause after the statement. This simple trick will help you put all the right emphases in your speech.

- If you want to get everything out of another person, you shouldn't insist or be too demanding about it. Simply stay silent, and they'll tell you everything!

- If you're doing an important interview, try to arrange things so that you’ll be the first or last person seen.

- Let's say you know that your colleague or boss plans to lash out about your work skills at an upcoming meeting. How can you prevent a total disaster? Sit right next to them!

- Ask someone for a favor to change their perception of you. This psychological trick is also known as the Benjamin Franklin effect.

- One of the most popular psychological manipulation techniques is to ask for something way bigger than what you actually want.

- To get the positive response you need, nod slightly while asking the question. Remember to maintain eye contact with your opponent!

- Look your opponent in one eye, then in the other one, and then at their forehead. Keep “drawing” this triangle shape for the rest of the convo. They'll soon get the message on the subconscious level and say their goodbyes.

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The Bermuda Triangle, the point of no return, the scary place between Bermuda, Puerto Rico, and Florida. There are loads of stories of ships, boats, and planes disappearing into this mysterious realm. Some were found years later and some disappeared off the face of the Earth, lying undiscovered at the bottom of the ocean. We know one thing for sure: we have no clue what’s going on over there! 

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Scientists believe that people, when trying to make sense of their lives, tend to focus on three main questions: Who am I? Who do others think I am? And who do I want to be?

Personality tests help us find out the answers to these serious fundamental questions in a fun way. Answering the questions in this test will help you find out more about your personality!

- Your total score is 70 to 110. Although you aren't susceptible to depression or mood swings, the people around you often suffer from your irritability. You are determined and persistent, and you try to do everything to reach your goals. You have impressive ambitions and dream of a bright future. Luckily, your hardworking nature makes your success highly probable.

- Your total score is 120 to 150. All of your friends are aware of your fickle character. Your mood can swing from wonderful to dreadful in a matter of minutes. At the same time, you're an outgoing and sociable person. Thanks to your extroverted side, you're referred to as friendly, upbeat, and assertive.

- Your total score is 160 to 210. You're an incredibly optimistic person. You don't lose heart even on the darkest days. You adore new experiences. You're active and energetic and try not to stay inside for too long.

- Your total score is 220 to 280. You have a stoic and calm personality. You rarely get really angry, and not many things in this world can irritate you. At the same time, you're a bit introverted and shy. You prefer staying at home and spending time with your closest friends to loud parties and big groups of people.

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The amount of sleep a person needs depends greatly on their age. Knowing how much you should be sleeping can help you figure out if your sleep routine works or if it needs tweaking. Babies normally sleep for most of the day (around 16 hours), teenagers require about 9 hours a day, and adults require 7 to 8 hours a day.

- According to the American Sleep Association, 50–70 million US adults suffer from sleep disorders. It’s estimated that around 20% of people worldwide suffer from sleep deprivation.

- Insomnia can be common if people are under a great amount of stress, experiencing big life changes, or having emotional difficulties.

- If you suffer from insomnia, a lack of sleep can cause hormonal imbalances, which lead to weight gain, slower reaction times, irritability, memory problems, depression, and headaches.

- Lie face up in bed. Relax your facial muscles, including your tongue, jaw, and the muscles around your eyes. If you realize you have a frown, really focus on releasing the area in the center of your forehead.

- Drop your shoulders as low as possible. This will also help you stretch and release the tension in your neck. Then relax your upper and lower arm on one side, and then try it with the other arm.

- Breathe out, and relax your chest. Feel your lungs fill up with air.

- Relax your legs. Release the tension from your thighs first, and then let the relaxation travel down to your calves. Finally, focus on your feet and ankles.

- Now that the muscles in your body are relaxed, it’s time to clear your mind completely.

- When the pilots were trained in this exercise, they performed it sitting down on a chair. In those exercises, they put their feet flat on the floor, placed their hands on their laps, and let them go limp.

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