Never Tell a Women these 10 Things

There are few guarantees in life, but this much we can say with certainty: The sun rises in the east, death comes to us all and you will, at one time or another, suddenly find yourself in the midst of a blazing fight with your girlfriend without even realizing it.

Many of us have been there. One minute you’re having a conversation, maybe a minor argument, but that’s OK, it’s all under control. Then you say something -- a word or passing comment, something relatively harmless, or so you think -- and it sets her off. As soon as it leaves your lips, the air changes and there’s no easy way back.

There are some things men should never say to their women -- conversational land mines that appear insignificant on the face of it, but are anything but. The good news is that we know, for the most part, what they are. Many men have suffered before you. It would be wise to heed their counsel.

1. “Are you really going to eat all that?”

Your girlfriend is, by definition, as light as a feather and nimble as a dancer. To so much as whisper a hint of the notion that she might be, you know, otherwise, is to risk paying a price as heavy as you suspect her to be. In fact, avoid the topic of food altogether if you can. Eating is an emotional, often obsessive business for women, and occasionally an actual disorder. It’s tied up with their identity, their self-image, their fantasies… So the answer is, yes, she's really going to eat all that. All that dancing must have given her an appetite.

2. “B*tch”

The B word is like the N word: Unless you’ve been appropriately oppressed, you don’t get to use it. You might be able to pull off an ironic Snoop Dogg-style “beeeyatch,” so long as you’re smiling as you say it. But to say “b*tch” with any kind of intent is to pull the pin out of a grenade.

3. “My ex used to…”

Anything you say with the words “my ex” in it will be held against you in a court of law, as well it should. Of course it’s natural to compare your girlfriends, but keep it to yourself. There are inside thoughts and outside thoughts. This belongs firmly to the former category.

4. “You always do that.”

One sure way to escalate a minor tiff into a nuclear showdown is to use words like “never” and “always”. They’re too sweeping to be true, so you’ll not only upset her, you’ll give her the opportunity to prove you wrong and seize the higher ground. And it tends to drag every other argument you’ve had into your present one, which is like rehashing all the worst parts of your relationship all at once.

5. “You sound just like your mother.”

Don’t compare her to her mother. Or her sister, for that matter. You don’t know those people like she does, and you don’t know the full complexity of their relationships. And anyway, everyone wants an independent identity, separate and distinct from their family members.

6. “Yeah, she’s hot.”

Chances are she lured you in with an innocent question, like, “Do you think she’s cute?”, shrugging her shoulders like it wouldn't matter either way. But don’t be fooled. You must lie quickly and reflexively. Whether it’s a girl in a magazine, a Facebook friend, a waitress -- whoever -- the answer is always no. In fact, you win extra points for casually finding fault in her the closer you look. Watch your girlfriend light up as you say, “Is it me, or is her nose a bit weird?”

7. “What’s up with your hair?”

Her hair looks great and it suits her perfectly. She’s allowed to have a bad hair day, but you’re not allowed to notice. For girls, hair isn’t just hair.

8. “Relax.”

The thing about “relax” is it dramatically reduces the chances of her relaxing. The same goes for “chill” and “calm down.” Here’s an alternative: “I can see how you would feel that way.” It takes a Zen master to actually use it in the heat of combat, but it's there if you need it.

9. “Is this your time of the month?”

Even if it is, you’re not to mention it. Your role is to pretend that her menstrual cycle has no effect on her tendency to shriek and stamp and then burst into tears for no reason whatsoever. In this matter, you must occupy the high ground and show pity -- indulge her delusion that she is not in fact deranged by hormones and that she’s making a valid point. The moment will pass.

10. “I love you.”

I know what you’re thinking. This is supposed to be the magic pill, the cure-all, the instant fix. But the thing about the L word is that it sends women into a heightened sense of awareness. As soon as they hear it, they can tell whether you mean it or not. Misuse the force and it may destroy you. Or as the saying goes, if you play with fire, you might get slapped in the middle of a restaurant.

Sanjiv Bhattacharya a frequent contributor to Men's Life Today, writes for Esquire (UK) and is the author of Secrets & Wives: The Hidden World of Mormon Polygamy. He blogs at sanjivb.com.

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Latest Tech Gadgets...Straight from the Movie Screen

By Joe Neumaier for our Content Partner: Style + Tech for Men

True story: I once thought I could order a portable hovercraft from the back of a Marvel comic for $10.

This was in the mid-1970s, when I was 8, and such things seemed within the realm of possibility. I remember the issue (“Spider-Man Meets Daredevil”), the black-and-white ad (right under the equally respectable one for X-ray Specs) and the fact that the hovercraft looked about the size of a bathtub.

I also recall my mother’s exasperation when I pleaded with her to order it for me. “If they were really selling a hovercraft that could fly,” she said, “do you think you could get it from a comic book for $10?”

Since I haven’t seen many hovercrafts on the open highway, I guess mom was right … and I’ve even begun to suspect that the X-ray specs were a scam, too.

Comic books may not have carried me into my future fantasies, but movies and TV have more than followed through on their pop-culture promise. In fact, from wireless communicators to personal satellite tracking, the super-tech stuff we saw on the big and small screens are now largely a part of our everyday lives.

Here’s a run-down of just a few that have gone from outrageous to obvious, and from “No way!” to everyday.

Big Screen Gadget: 007’s Aston Martin Db5 Dashboard Map, Goldfinger (1964)
Any list of movie gizmos has to include the spy-daddy of them all. For simple “it-was-wild-then, we-got-it-now” nostalgia, the car-tracking system included in 007’s Aston Martin DB5 in Goldfinger is still the one that seems most on the money. The tracking device that Bond uses to follow the baddie around the Swiss Alps is shown as a dashboard map -- much like the one you used to get to your girlfriend’s parents’ house for the first time. You decide which is scarier.

Real Gadget: GPS Systems

Today’s GPS systems offer text-or-speech guidance, 3-D mapping perspectives and multi-destination routing. These days, a digital dame with all the answers in your dashboard is pretty much a standard option. No word yet on when we’ll get our licenses to kill.

Available at TheGpsStore.com
Big Screen Gadget: The Autonomous Reconnaissance Intelligence Integration Analyst (ARIA), Eagle Eye (2008)

Photo Credit: Getty Images

Tasked with world-wide surveillance in the eye-in-the-sky government thriller, this super-computer tracked Shia LaBeouf’s every move. Remember? Well, start watching your back.

Real Gadget: Phone Tracker Spy Gadget App



Now you can be tracked the same way by suspicious bosses, ex-girlfriends or the folks at NetFlix who want their copy of Showgirls back. Just enter any phone number and the app scans the globe to pinpoint that phone’s location, complete with graphics that zero in on the target on a mini map. Sadly, you won’t hear the ’60s hit “Secret Agent Man” as you use it -- music isn’t part of the package, despite the app being available on iTunes. But hey, for a 99-cent download, you can just hum it.

Available at Dealnay.com

Big Screen Gadget: Videophone, Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982)

Hey Captain Obvious! Forget about Star Trek laying down the matrix for cell phones -- we’re locking our pop-culture tractor beam on the stylish videophones that provided crucial plot points in 1982’s prescient Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan.

Real Gadget: Skype Online Services and iPhone’s FaceTime


Get Star Trek-worthy service with Skype (sadly without the Shatner shtick and shag carpeting) or the soon-to-materialize FaceTime video calling feature, which will be available for the fourth-generation of the iPhone. This could be an upgrade from the jumpy two-second delay that Skype can’t seem to shake. Catch up with us for a little face time when you join the 21st Century.

Available on Skype.com and Apple.com/iPhone

Big Screen Gadget: Wristwatch Videophone, Dick Tracy (1990)
In Warren Beatty’s comic-book flick Dick Tracy, the Depression-era private eye faced down Clayface, Flattop and a frighteningly eyebrow-less Madonna using an unthinkable assortment of crime-fighting gadgets. Among the most famous -- and least believable to 1930s comic-book fans -- was his wristwatch videophone.

Real Gadget: Touch-screen Cell Phone Wristwatch

Hold it right there, Johnny Luddite! The Touch-screen Cell Phone Wristwatch is now armed and dangerous! As Tracy would say, here’s the keen low-down: The whole shebang’s a jacked-up timepiece that lets you make calls and even watch movies on a 1.3-inch screen with 176 x 128 pixel resolution. It also features MP3 files and a built-in speakerphone, so you don’t have to hold your wrist up to your mouth. Higher-end models have a camera, a Flash interface and quad-band network capabilities. Prices fall anywhere between $75 for a basic model and $300 to $800 for a higher-end model.
LightInTheBox.com

Big Screen Gadget: Mini Rocket-launching Pen, Never Say Never Again (1983); Sodium Pentothal-fueled Ballpoint, Stormbreaker (2006)
Then:

Every big-screen secret agent from Bond to Bourne has made his mark in spy-flick history with some variation on the multipurpose pen. The pen has often been mightier than the sword -- and a lot easier to fit into your pocket.

Real Gadget: Spy Pen

The already-on-the-market Spy Pen -- priced at $100 -- offers up to three hours of video-recording time via a pinhole camera that’s located near the back of the pen. You can also store 32 hours of footage on 8 GB of memory. You can then download it all to your computer via a USB cable and instantly watch videos of your housekeeper stealing thirty winks thanks to the 1.3 megapixel camera with a 1280 x 960 resolution. And, yes, you can use it to write. Here’s a piece of advice before you decide that this device can solve all your problems: Crossword puzzles are still best done in pencil.

DynaSpy.com

Big Screen Gadget: Manual Telephone-voice Changer, Hopscotch (1980)
In the Reagan-era comedy gem, Walter Matthau plays a retired-but-disgruntled CIA agent -- which is really the most dangerous kind -- who calls his ex-cohorts and nearly strangles himself trying to disguise his voice to sound like Eleanor Roosevelt’s. Today, such risks are completely unnecessary: We have sophisticated equipment to make us sound like dead presidents’ wives. Want to try it yourself?

Real Gadget: TVC-2 Voice Changer and Software

Powered by three AA batteries, it lets you alter your voice eight different ways at the press of a button. (Think of the possibilities: Man! Woman! Child! Eleanor Roosevelt!) Software is also available for your PC, which can throw in background noises if you prefer. If it wasn’t for that damn phone-tracking device we loved a few paragraphs ago, we’d be making Bart Simpson-style prank calls right now!

Recorder: $60 at DefenseProducts101.com
Free software at ScreamingBee.com

Joe Neumaier Joe Neumaier is the film critic and film editor at the New York Daily News. He’s written about movies and entertainment for The New York Times, Entertainment
Weekly, USA TODAY, the London Observer and Fortune.

Voice Control Technology and Driving Safety -- How does it go hand in hand?

By Luigi Fraschini for our content partner: Driving Today
Voice control can reduce driving distractions and promote driving safety.

How do we know?

A new Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study shows that drivers can minimize visual distractions by using voice-controlled vehicle systems like Ford SYNC instead of operating hand-held cell phones and tuning music systems manually. The study by VTTI was released in Detroit at the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) World Congress during a panel discussion titled “Human Factors in Driving and Automotive Telematics.”

In the new Ford-commissioned study, 21 drivers, ages 19 to 51, who were familiar with SYNC drove a Mercury Mariner while initiating a call, selecting music tracks and having phone conversations using the hands-free, voice-controlled system. For the purpose of comparison, the participants also completed the same tasks manually using their own mobile phones and portable music players in the same vehicle. The study concluded that drivers were able to dial and complete other tasks more quickly and with less eyes-off-road time when using voice-activated SYNC system.

At the same time, drivers manually operating phones and digital music players steered more erratically and looked away from the roadway for longer periods of time.

“This study suggests that keeping drivers’ eyes on the road as much as possible is important for maintaining safe vehicle control, which is in line with recent naturalistic driving research,” said Shane McLaughlin, research scientist, Center for Automotive Safety Research, Virginia Tech Transportation Institute.

When study participants initiated a call, hand-held operation required more than two and a half times as many glances away from the road and more than four times longer in total eyes-off-road time than when drivers used the voice-activated system. For MP3 player song selection, hand-held operation required more than six times as many task-related glances than SYNC and took more than 10 times longer in total eyes-off-road time.

VTTI’s new study is consistent with the groundbreaking 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study, completed in 2005 for the U.S. Department of Transportation. The study followed 109 drivers for one year and tracked more than 42,300 hours of driving data collected with over 2 million miles driven. It concluded that manually dialing a hand-held device while driving -- a task that requires looking away from the road -- was almost 2.8 times riskier than normal driving. The study also showed that talking and listening on a phone while driving has a similar risk to normal driving.

Luigi Fraschini Cleveland-based Driving Today Contributing Editor Luigi Fraschini writes frequently about driving safety issues.

Worried about your Dental Health? Try these 7 Super Foods

By Jenna McCarthy for our content partner: Charge Up For Good Health

Want a camera-ready smile and cavity-free dental health? Brushing and flossing are merely the beginning. Turns out there are a host of incredible edibles that fight bacteria, attack plaque and build enamel with every bite, says Wendy Bazilian, a registered dietitian and author of The Superfoods Rx Diet. Here, her surprising foods for a healthier grin.

1. Whole Grains

You know whole grains are filled with cholesterol-lowering fiber. But were you aware that the B vitamins and iron they contain will help keep your gums healthy too? According to a study of 34,000 men conducted by Canada’s McMaster University, those who ate three daily servings of whole grains -- think brown or wild rice, barley, oatmeal and whole-wheat bread -- were 23 percent less likely to suffer from periodontitis, a severe form of gum disease.

2. Carrots

They’re not just good for your eyes: Carrots are packed with beta-carotene, a powerful antioxidant that is key to building and maintaining strong, healthy teeth. Sweet potatoes and pumpkin are also excellent sources of this wonder nutrient.

3. Celery

Water-rich vegetables like celery cleanse the teeth, washing away sugar and starches that can cause cavities and plaque. In addition, munching on crunchy veggies massages your gums, which increases circulation and can help remove bacteria.

4. Dairy products

Dairy products such as yogurt, low-fat or nonfat milk and cheese are all rich in calcium, a mineral essential for preserving and rebuilding tooth enamel. Calcium also aids in saliva production, which helps kill the bacteria that cause cavities and gum disease.

5. Sesame seeds

Another great calcium source, sesame seeds have a gritty texture that acts like a hundred tiny toothbrushes to tackle plaque buildup. Try them sprinkled on cereal or vegetables, or blend them into into yogurt, soups, and homemade breads and muffins.

6. Lean protein

Eggs, poultry and lean beef are rich in phosphorous, a mineral critical to maintaining strong tooth enamel. In addition, phosphorous helps balance pH levels in the mouth, discouraging the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.

7. Water

Substituting water for sugary sodas and sports drinks may be the tooth-friendliest move you can make. Frequent exposure to liquid sugars allows cavity-causing ingredients to reach the most remote surfaces of teeth and gums. Sugary drinks also contribute to the formation of decay-causing acids in the mouth. (If you must indulge your cola cravings, be sure to sip through a straw to reduce exposure.) Water, on the other hand, contains no harmful ingredients and helps wash away bacteria from food, making it one of the cheapest, best dental health boosters around.

Jenna McCarthy has covered nutrition, fitness
and general health for a variety of national publications, including Allure, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Ladies’ Home Journal, Real Simple, Self, Men's Fitness and Shape.

More on gum disease from our sponsor

The health benefits of having an active sex life

By Michael Castleman for our content partner: Live Right Live Well

Years ago, Marvin Gaye’s hit, “Sexual Healing,” touted the emotional benefits of lovemaking. But research shows sex can improve physical health as well. So what are the health benefits of sex?

Boosts Immune System
Sex is moderate exercise. Since regular moderate exercise is known to boost immune function, researchers at Wilkes University in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., wondered if lovemaking might do the same. After asking 112 college students how often they had sex, the scientists analyzed samples of the students’ saliva for immunoglobulin A (IgA), a key component of the immune system that helps fight infection. The result: Those who had sex once or twice a week showed significantly higher levels of IgA than those who had sex less often. “Moderately frequent sex enhances immune function and may help prevent illnesses, such as the common cold,” concludes lead researcher and professor of psychology Carl Charnetski.

Lowers Blood Pressure
In a study conducted by the University of Tubingen in Germany and the University of the West of Scotland, researchers asked 51 healthy men and women how often they had sex. After the researchers measured the participants’ blood pressure, they found that as sexual frequency increased, blood pressure decreased. Another study from the University of the West of Scotland showed the same result.

Reduces Risk of Heart Attack
Many men worry that having sex might trigger a heart attack. British researchers at the University of Bristol followed 914 men for up to 20 years and found the opposite. “Middle-aged men should be heartened to know that frequent sexual intercourse … [offers] some protection from fatal coronary events,” concludes lead researcher Shah Ebrahim.

Lowers Risk of Prostate Cancer
National Cancer Institute researchers tracked 29,342 men and found that the more often the men ejaculated, the lower their risk of prostate cancer. Those who reported 21 or more ejaculations a month during their 20s were 33 percent less likely to develop prostate cancer later in life than those who reported only seven ejaculations per month.

Relieves Pain
Sex helps relieve pain in two ways: First, it’s an enjoyable distraction that helps people focus less on their pain. Second, as a form of gentle exercise, sex releases endorphins, the body’s own pain-relieving compounds. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation recommends regular sex to help manage the pain of osteoarthritis, one of the nation’s most prevalent causes of chronic pain.

Deepens Relaxation
Meditative relaxation has been shown to help treat an enormous number of physical ailments, including pain problems, asthma, high blood pressure, heart disease, depression and arthritis. What does this have to do with sex? Sex-related deep-breathing and orgasms are deeply relaxing. So is the whole-body sensual massage that is a part of good sex. In fact, the deep relaxation obtained through sex is very similar to the physiologic relaxation that results from meditation, yoga, tai chi and other stress-management regimens, says Marty Klein, a certified sex therapist, licensed marriage and family therapist, and nationally recognized sex educator based in Palo Alto, Calif. As a result, regular sex with a loving partner offers health and relaxation benefits that are similar to those of massage and other relaxation techniques, he concludes.

Improves Longevity
Immune enhancement, deep relaxation, lower blood pressure and reduced risk of heart attack and prostate cancer are all associated with longer life. Does this mean regular sex can extend life? Yes! At least that’s what British scientists at the University of Bristol concluded from a study of some 900 middle-aged men with no significant differences in age, weight, blood pressure or history of smoking or heart disease. The only real difference was how often the men had sex -- and those who had sex twice a week had half the death rate of those who had sex once a month or less. The researchers’ conclusion: Sex helps prevent death in middle-aged men.

Of course, no one makes love simply to improve health. But the health benefits of sex are an undeniable bonus. And if you like making love to music, play “Sexual Healing.” It’s a catchy tune -- and it’s true!

Michael Castleman has been a sex educator and sex counselor since 1973. He is the publisher of greatsexafter40.com and the author of Sexual Solutions: For Men and the Women Who Love Them and Great Sex: A Man's Guide to the Secrets of Whole-Body Sensuality.

Movies which will inspire you to get a better personality and to be a better man

By Mike Hammer for our content partner: Men's Life Today, India

Looking for a get-smart shortcut? The right mix of flicks will serve as a veritable Cinema U: You can really learn something by watching them. Here’s our brain-boosting lineup.

Where can you find a better blueprint for life than the movies? These days we look to cinematic fiction for answers to life’s most perplexing questions, such as, Where else can an over-the-hill fat dude like Jack Nicholson be paid zillions to parody himself again?

Ah, but we digress. Educationally speaking, the movies don’t just lecture you like a burned-out, tenured professor: They put you in the action. Plus the movies can out-multimedia just about any lecture class. Watch enough of the right flicks, and you may just qualify for a degree in business, politics, sociology -- even grifting. And think how far all that will go when time comes to make career choices, sound witty at social mixers and impress a worthy lady.

Yes, Cinema U is officially in session. These flicks are packed with smart bombs that’ll serve you well for the rest of your life. Watch and learn:

Shanghai

Check It out:
John Cusack is a U.S. intelligence operative desperately trying to find his missing American buddy in Shanghai just days before the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor. As he frantically tries to find his friend, the search is complicated by local gangsters, Japanese invaders, a Chinese chick (Gon Li) who runs sweet and sour on him, and the realization that he’s not sure he can trust his own government.

The Smart Bomb
Cusack’s undercover navigation of pre-war Shanghai reveals a fascinating, culturally rich -- but also slightly seamy -- melting-pot community we never knew existed. The film shows that pre-World War II Shanghai was an international community of refugees, artists, spies, and best of all, breathtakingly beautiful Gon Lis.

Also …
Creativity cannot be stifled. Shanghai’s international community was the birthplace of China’s thriving film industry, which was squashed by the Japanese occupation during the war. The industry clandestinely slipped out of what became Red China and off to Hong Kong to give birth to the careers of our favorite imports: Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan.

Whiteout

Check It out:
Based on the wildly popular 1998 graphic novel, Whiteout is the story of the world’s hottest United States marshal (Kate Beckinsale), who is, um, hot on the trail of the first and only serial killer in the world’s coldest place, Antarctica. The problem? Winter is only three days away (so forget about seeing Kate slip into a bikini at the polar ice cap). Also, with winter come six months of darkness … in which she would be stuck with the Abominable Snowciopath.

The Smart Bomb
Geography meets criminal justice studies meets ice-onography. The story offers the eye-opening and groin-freezing scenario in which we see how U.S. marshals are the only law enforcement agency charged with protecting the world’s largest and least inviting continent. When Carrie Stetko (Beckinsale) is sent to the most isolated, barren and scariest landmass on earth to shut down a serial killer terrorizing a U.S. research base, she has to do it in temperatures that drop to 120 F below 0, winds that will rip your skin off at up to 200 mph and a serious absence of backup when the bodies begin to pile up -- all of which leads us to wonder who her high school career counselor was.

Also …
In the original graphic novel, Stetko was a little overweight and got a bit of help from a female U.N. investigator … with whom (it was implied) she melts a little ice. In the film, though, the investigator is a dude (actor Garbiel Macht). Maybe we should go back to using comics as reference books.

The Informant

Check It out:
Mark Whitacre (Matt Damon) was bored working at an Illinois food processing company. So, more to make himself feel important than to actually help anybody, Whitacre goes undercover for the FBI to uncover his company’s massive price-fixing scandal -- while he’s in the midst of stealing $9 million bucks himself. True story.

The Smart Bomb
Aside from focusing on Whitacre’s clueless efforts to be a hero, this story offers riveting detail about how the food industry holds not only your tummy hostage but also your wallet. In real life, Whitacre wore a wire for three years and helped record video footage of high-level meetings, where execs conspired with each other to set food additive prices well above market value so they could stuff their pockets as you stuff your face.

Also …
Elaborate FBI stings follow white-collar crime everywhere -- even in boring industries. That’s right: Somebody’s making dough by charging too much for, um, dough. So if you’re jacking up the sugar packets at your local 7-Eleven, watch your back, Jack. And if you’re going to be an informant, you may want to avoid being a thief while working for the man. Whitacre’s prison term was three times longer than that of the guys he helped nab.

Capitalism: A Love Story

Check It out:
Michael Moore, that hefty dude with the baseball cap and suspicious nature, celebrates the 20th anniversary of his breakout film Roger & Me -- about the suspicious collapse of the auto industry -- with a new film about the suspicious collapse of the overall economy. The new flick takes a comical look at the corporate and political high jinks that culminated in what Moore has described as “the biggest robbery in the history of this country”: the massive transfer of U.S. taxpayer money to private financial institutions to bail out fat guys with billion-dollar bonuses.

The Smart Bomb
Forget smart bomb -- this one’s an all-out genius bomb: A study of economics, politics, business and thievery all in one! Were this one to translate to college credits, you could cash it in for a quadruple major.

As in his previous documentaries, Moore blindsides his targets when they least expect it. Here, he corners top corporate and banking executives as they fly to their private islands on personal jets that they bankrolled with bonuses they set aside for themselves -- despite managing funds that bankrupted investors. Then Moore gets them to not explain how they can live with themselves on our money.

Also …
Moore details how these guys siphoned funds, pensions, savings and more while the people who trusted them with their life savings went broke. So if you’re up to no good, you may want to stay on Moore’s good side.

More Than a Game

Check It out: 
This documentary follows five poor kids from Akron, Ohio, through their high school hoop careers. Not unusual, except when you consider that one, LeBron James, has gone on to become the world’s best player and that they wind up playing for the national championship.

The Smart Bomb
The kids are shown dealing with the pressures of poverty, publicity that comes with competing in the national media spotlight and the heat from that spotlight intensified 100 times because James has been earmarked by the media -- and NBA scouts -- as the best high school player in the cosmos. But despite everybody wanting to get their hands on James, nobody is able to pull these five guys apart. Even when James is banned from a game for allegedly accepting the gift of a car (a no-no he was later cleared of), the kids rely on the bond they formed in Akron to keep them together and help them achieve their individual goals -- as a team.

Also …
Be true and loyal to your friends, and teamwork will always win out. (Of course, it’s easy to win games with LeBron James on your team.)

Mike Hammer is a writer and former editor of Maxim, Stuff and Shock. He can glean profound lessons just by watching a bubble gum commercial.

Take control of your fat belly -- Use these tips to get a trim stomach

By Ethan Boldt for our content partner: Men's Life Today, India

You've tried it all: cutting down the carbs, eating endless amounts of chicken breast, exercising like mad. So why are those infernal love handles -- not to mention that below-the-belly-button roll of fat -- still there?

In part, we (as in the fitness media) are to blame. There are hundreds of different ways to put muscle on the body, and these workouts are what fitness and muscle magazines love to feature; it sure beats snore-inducing cardio with another shot of someone running on the beach. But unless you want to look like a bodybuilder (and even those guys do plenty of cardio come cutting time), it’s time to step up the cardio. “You’ve got to train like an athlete to look like an athlete,” says Tom Seabourne, Ph.D., a professor of exercise science at Northeast Texas Community College.

In other words, 30 minutes of slow cardio a few times a week is not enough -- unless you’re happy with your current level of fat stores. If you want to access that fat, says Seabourne, you’ve got to do the right kind of cardio (intervals twice a week), the right kind of weight training (focusing on each muscle group twice a week), and long slow distance (LSD) cardio two to three times a week -- all while eating enough to support your metabolism.

Each form of exercise is essential if you really want to chisel your body down. You need LSD cardio because after your body burns through the glycogen in your muscles, it burns your fat stores next. And while interval training doesn’t burn as much fat during exercise, it burns more calories afterward -- just like strength training does.

Seabourne points out that some guys over-train on LSD cardio while eating too little and neglecting intervals or weights -- therefore slowing their metabolisms and holding on to that stubborn fat. Other guys do a lot of weights and short bouts of cardio, then eat tons of food in order to build muscle -- so their fat stores remain steady or even increase.

The following program was designed by Seabourne to give you the best of both worlds (i.e., recruit more than enough muscle while forcing those stubborn fat stores to surrender, at last).

Follow this program six weeks on and one week off, depending on your body’s ability to avoid over-training mode (in which gains come to a screeching halt while muscle soreness and overall fatigue increase). For some, three weeks may be all you can handle without a break. For others, 12 weeks works.

Weights
You probably have this covered, but here’s a guideline: Lose the bodybuilding program with all the isolation lifts and the absurd amount of exercise sets per body part (e.g., 15 sets of chest). Instead, go with upper-body on Monday and Thursday, then lower-body on Tuesday and Friday -- but only with about 20-30 minutes for each weight-training workout. Aim for two to three sets of two exercises for the major body parts (chest, shoulders, back, quadriceps and core) and two to three sets of one exercise for the smaller body parts (triceps, biceps, hamstrings and calves).

Interval Cardio
Complete two 20- to 30-minute bouts of cardio per week. Always start with a warm-up and end with a cooldown. Examples include:

• On a heavy bag: Three minutes of effort + one-minute recoveries
• On a stationary cycle: 10 cycles of 15-second sprints + 45-second recoveries
• On a treadmill or outside on a grass field: 10 cycles of 10-second sprints + 50-second recoveries

LSD Cardio
Because of the length of each session (60 to 90 minutes), Seabourne’s preference for LSD is nonimpact. “For some, impact LSD, like jogging, can cause unhelpful muscle breakdown -- whereas cycling will not,” he explains.

An LSD cycling, elliptical or stair-climbing program can begin with an hour. Add two minutes a week until you’re moving for 90 minutes. Any more than 90 minutes and you'll need a snack to replenish glycogen stores.

Ethan Boldt writes for Men's Health, Self, and Maximum Fitness. A former certified personal trainer, he co-authored 5-Factor Fitness with celebrity trainer Harley Pasternak.

The best SmartPhone applications for the money minded

From the Editors of our content partner: Everyday Connected

With your smartphone, you can spend money on just about anything these days. But instead of letting your device drain your bank account, why not turn it into a money-management tool? There are tons of great apps out there for managing and maximizing your hard-earned money -- and many of these apps are free.

Here are some of the best money-management apps to help you handle your cash:

	Money App No. 1: Mint Helps you … Manage all your accounts The app version of Mint.com offers a free solution for managing your accounts, creating budgets, and setting and meeting financial goals. Sync Mint with your bank, credit card, loan and retirement accounts, and it can download, categorize and monitor all your transactions. For example, if you’re looking to spend no more than $200 each month on eating out, Mint will tell you how much you have left to spend in that category or -- whoops! -- how badly you’ve already blown your budget. It’s free and it’s safe: Mint promises to “always transmit personal and financial information securely.” Just be sure to set the app to request your passcode each time you launch it -- this is not the sort of app you’d want easily accessible on your stolen phone. Available on: iOS and Android devices
	Money App No. 2: TripLog/1040 Helps you … Save tax money One of the easiest ways to lower your taxes each year is to deduct your year’s worth of mileage. But in an audit, the IRS asks for an expense log. TripLog/1040 makes it easy to track it all: For only $4.99, you can track mileage in four categories (business, charity, medical and other) for three different cars. Start tracking now to avoid a mad dash on April 15 next year. Available on: iOS devices. For Android devices, check out Cashbook
	Money App No. 3: Pay Off Debt Helps you … The name says it all! If you’re paying down debt like many people these days, you can save time and money by prioritizing your payment schedule. Pay Off Debt, a $2.99 app, sets priorities based on your balances and their interest rates, and it even shows how long it would take you to pay down debt if you weren’t following its “snowball” repayment method. Best of all, it shows your magical debt-free date, helping you stay motivated and on track. Available on: iOS devices. For Android devices, try Debt Payoff Planner
	Money App No. 4: Bloomberg Mobile Helps you … Monitor investments If you’re invested in stocks or mutual funds, financial news giant Bloomberg has you covered. Its free apps, available for just about every platform out there, offer news, stock quotes, trends and analysis. You can also follow a custom list of stocks, so as long you’re not faint of heart, you can monitor every spike and dive that your dollars take. Available on: All major mobile platforms
	Money App No. 5: Simple Loan Calculator Helps you … Estimate payments This free app serves a simple, but important, function: It estimates your monthly payment when you enter an amount to borrow, the years you’ll take to pay it off and the interest rate. Or, enter what you can afford to pay monthly, and the app will tell you how much you can borrow. It also offers a repayment schedule. Available on: iOS devices. For Android devices, try Loan Calculator

Best Tech Gadgets to Impress Or Gift Your Girlfriend/ Valentine

By Tim Jarvis for our content partner: Style + Tech for Men

You scraped by last year, but if you do the chocolates and roses thing one more time, you know you’re going to get “the look.” So surprise her this year with a cutting-edge piece of technology. Once she gets over her shock, she’ll be psyched you bought her a present that is lasting and useful -- and that won’t end up going straight to her hips or dying a slow, smelly death on her dresser. “Many people still think of high-tech gifts as cold and unromantic,” says gadget guru Eric Schlissel, owner and CEO of GeekTek.com, an IT services and tech support company based in Los Angeles. “But technology is opening up a whole new gateway to romance.”

Wine Her, Dine Her and Catch a Movie -- At Home Light some candles. Open the wine. Then order your favorite takeout and cuddle up to a double feature, courtesy of a Roku XD set-top digital media receiver, starting at just $59.95. According to Schlissel, the Roku XD rivals the Apple TV box, which sells for $99.00. It’s easy to set up, and it offers a comprehensive content list ranging from Netflix and Hulu Plus, to Pandora and Amazon Video on Demand. With her favorite flicks just a button-push away, this hot little gadget is sure to put some spark into your evening. And if she’s really moved, she just might let you watch a hockey game next -- via the NHL GameCenter LIVE that’s also included.

Kindle Her Affection If your girl is the book-reading kind, then an e-reader makes a perfect Valentine’s Day gift -- especially when it’s preloaded with the latest steamy romance novel, hot off the digital presses. But you can do even better than that. Schlissel points out that Project Gutenberg has more than 33,000 classic titles that can be downloaded onto most portable devices for free. So once you’ve preloaded her new Kindle -- $139.00 from Amazon.com -- with a couple of best sellers, score extra points by adding romantic classics like The Phantom of the Opera and Pride and Prejudice.

Mix up Your Mutual Love of Music “If music be the food of love, play on,” wrote William Shakespeare in Twelfth Night -- and we think he was on to something. To feed her affection, load up a candy-colored iPod with her favorite songs. For a retro twist on the same theme, check out the Mixtape Memory Stick for $15.99. The USB Mixtape Memory Stick is designed to look like an old C90 cassette. It stores up to 90 minutes of music and you can handwrite your track list on the liner. “It’s an unusual and clever way to send your significant other a romantic message,” says Schlissel.

Stimulate Her App-etite If your relationship is a little too new for serious gifting, try sending her a box of personalized virtual Sweethearts candies. “The iPhone app is free and allows users to send up to five custom Sweethearts candy messages via Twitter or email,” says Schlissel. Romantic creativity not included. Available at the App Store, iTunes.apple.com.

A Decent Proposal If, on the other hand, you’re ready to pop the question, there’s no better time than Valentine’s Day to do it. And there’s no cooler way to do it than with a multimedia ring box. The Euricase Ring Box, $98.95, operates on a single rechargeable lithium battery. The unit includes an illuminated ring bed, a 2-inch LCD screen with a built-in speaker, and a generous amount of onboard memory that allows you to store up to 500 photos or 60 minutes of video. Just keep it clean, Romeo, and she just might say yes.

Be sure to present your Valentine’s Day gift over a romantic dinner for two (using these tips from aphrodisiac-food authority Amy Reily, on The Style Glossy) -- and don’t forget to prepare yourself for the big night: Scent-sibility for Success The Skinny on Getting Gleaming Man-skin

Tim Jarvis Tim Jarvis is a freelance health, technology and entertainment writer who contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine and the men’s grooming and lifestyle site Men’s Life Today. He is also currently working on a book about the mysteries of quantum mechanics.

The best tech accessories/ gadgets for your car

By Tim Jarvis for our content partner: Style + Tech For Men

Today’s cars come packed with technology that can do anything from analyzing your braking system to adjusting the cabin temperature. But even the most modern cars-about-town can stand a little personalization. STM shopped around for the latest must-have car accessories to make your driving experience truly auto-erotic … in a PG kinda way.

Fingerprint Immobilizer

Did your brother borrow your car for a road-trip reunion with his college roommates? Or did your girlfriend steal your sedan for an all-day salon treatment? It’s time to put your ride into lockdown with the Fingerprint Car Security System, manufactured by Poly-Supreme Technology Co. Ltd. This ain’t your father’s average immobilizer/car alarm. It comes with an advanced anti-carjacking feature, voice-input control and a fingerprint-recognition system that ensures only authorized drivers can crank the engine. It’s easy to add or delete drivers’ prints from the database, so if your brother ponies up enough scratch to make the ride worth your while, simply add his mitts to the list.

Price: $689.00

Multimedia Car Receiver

A car radio that is equipped with Internet apps AND actually listens to you has just pulled into the parking lot. The voice-activated Parrot Asteroid Car Receiver pumps out music that’s sourced from your iPhone, iPod, USB drive or SD card … and it makes phone calls for you. It automatically synchronizes your mobile phonebook and directly dials using those numbers or voice activation. We can’t even get our mom to do all that stuff when she’s in our car.

Price: Will be available in the U.S. later this year.

Instant Engine Self-diagnosis

Is your car mechanic as credible as a Lindsay Lohan deposition? If you really want to know how sick your ride is, it’s time for you to pick up the CarMD. The TV-remote-sized gizmo downloads data directly from your auto’s on-board computers. And when it’s done, you simply connect it to your PC and the included software generates an easy-to-read report that lets you know exactly what’s going on with your wheels and generates an estimated a repair bill.

Price: $119.85

Talk to Your Apps

Can’t stop working when you’re travelling? This voice-interactive text messaging system allows you receive, send and browse text messages while you drive, without reaching for your phone. It reads written messages and appointments aloud, translates your spoken messages into text and even lets you chat to your Facebook account and update your status while you’re on the road. “Single … and looking!”

Price: $149.00 for in-car device; $9.99 per month. Currently works with BlackBerry phones. Android will be available later this year.

Remote Car Locator/Starter

It’s a cold day, and you’re wandering through a mall parking lot the size of the Pacific Ocean with no clue where you left the car. You’re an idiot -- but now there’s hope for the clueless. You can hunt down your ride, and even warm it up before you reach it, by starting the engine from almost anywhere with the Viper SmartStart. The device is incorporated into your car’s security system and is powered by an app on your smartphone that will even pop the trunk to let out your little brother when you think he’s finally learned his lesson. If he tries to get out on his own, it can send you an alert that security -- and the trunk -- has been breached. Stupid kid!

Price: Complete systems are $399.00; $49.99 per year. You can add SmartStart to existing Viper systems for $299.00. Compatible with iPhone, BlackBerry and Android platforms.

Tim Jarvis Tim Jarvis is a freelance health, technology and entertainment writer who contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine and the men’s grooming and lifestyle site Men’s Life Today. He is also currently working on a book about the mysteries of quantum mechanics.

A look at the best E- Readers

By Simon Munk for our content partner: Style + Tech For Men

Books have taken a backseat to e-readers in the digital era. But with a bewildering range of gadgets -- from the Apple iPad to the upcoming BlackBerry PlayBook -- how do you know which one offers the best story for consumers? Our head-to-head e-book bash-up will give you a great read on the situation.

Apple iPad

from $499 | Apple.com

If you're looking for something more than just an e-reader, then read no further. Wait, we have more to tell you! It fares brilliantly on its reading assignments … if you don't mind a little screen-glare. Any LED screen is going to fare badly compared to e-ink on that score. But the iPad is capable of so much more than its e-reader rivals. First, it’s agnostic to any bookstore. It takes in apps from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and its own iBooks resource. Second, along with being able to surf the Web, it serves up games, comics and thousands of apps. Third, in terms of raw power and storage, it's got more on those scores than any competitor. The price is another weak point, but since it’s the most fully-featured e-reader, it's still tough to beat.

Verdict: Best all-around tablet that beats most e-readers.

Rating: FIVE BOOKMARKS

Amazon Kindle

from $139 | Amazon.com

Absolutely the best e-reader on the bookshelf -- that is, if you're not looking for any bells and whistles. The Kindle boasts an exceptional 6-inch e-ink screen, as well as a reduced size and weight that bring it close to a digital paperback in portability. According to Amazon, its storage capacity has also doubled to 3,500 books. Plus, the Kindle now comes in Wi-Fi, or Wi-Fi and 3G flavors -- so you can instantly buy, download and read books just about anywhere. There's also a new experimental Web browser, but the Kindle is really best for e-reading. Its page interface is easier and more pleasurable to read than any competitor’s, and the access to the Amazon store makes your reading list almost endless.

Verdict: Just looking to read? Look no further.

Rating: FIVE BOOKMARKS

NOOKcolor

$249 | BarnesAndNoble.com

The first mainstream color e-reader makes your mandatory reading list just in time for the holidays. Barnes & Noble's NOOKcolor features Wi-Fi, an eight-hour reading battery and a 7-inch color screen that can display not just books, but also magazines, the Web and videos. It'll even display some Android apps. It’s more than a standard e-reader, but also a bit less than a fully-featured tablet computer. Screen-wise, it suffers the same problems as the iPad: glare and a lack of smoothness in its text display. On top of that, it struggles to reconfigure larger magazines and newspaper pages (as well as many websites that haven’t formatted for mobile viewing) to its smaller, more pocket-friendly screen. Ultimately, the NOOKcolor is good for reading books and some other things -- but until B&N sorts out a proper app store to support it, it's not as much of a multimedia marvel as some of its competitors.

Verdict: Halfway between e-reader and tablet, but not quite either.

Rating: FOUR BOOKMARKS

Blackberry PlayBook$TBA | Us.Blackberry.com

Due out this spring, the PlayBook will be BlackBerry's effort to produce fresher fruit than the iPad. It's more powerful than the iPad on paper -- with a 1 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB memory and full Web support for Flash and HTML5. But it's got a smaller, 7-inch screen and entirely new operating system software … so no existing BlackBerry apps will run on it. Even more troubling, Blackberry doesn't have a great reputation for multimedia and user-friendly features, so it's a bit of a leap for them to move from hardcore email and smartphones to mainstream consumer tablets. How good is it as an e-reader? We'll have wait and see.

Verdict: The dark horse in the e-reader race, the PlayBook will have to amaze in order to gain top tablet honors.

Rating: THREE BOOKMARKS

Photo Credits: iPad, Kindle, NOOKColor, Blackberry PlayBook - Getty Images

iPad Image Courtesy of Apple Inc.

Simon Munk Simon Munk is an award-winning journalist that specializes in consumer technology, video games and outdoor-product coverage for men. He's written for Stuff and Blender magazines and was launch editor in chief of Stuff Gamer.

Understanding Girls/ Women -- How to analyze their body language and talks

By Reed Tucker for our content partner: Men's Life Today -- Handpicked for you by our team

Ever think, "It's like women speak some other language!" Well, they sort of do. Here are some tips for understanding why women communicate the way they do and how to handle it.

God has played some cruel tricks on us men. He has made manly foods far too fattening and handed over Megan Fox to Brian Austin Green. But in perhaps His most diabolical move yet, He’s seen fit to make sure men will never, ever be able to understand what the hell women are saying.

Sure, that communication gap has fueled lame comedy routines and sitcoms for eons, but there’s definitely more than a nugget of truth behind it. So why do men and women have such a problem figuring each other out?
For one thing, women are just plain different. And we’re not talking about their propensity to wear bikinis. They actually communicate differently. Here’s why, and what to do about it:

Why They Talk … and Talk and Talk While men tend to bond by exchanging information, women bond simply by opening their gobs; what she’s saying isn’t nearly as important as the fact that she’s saying it. “This is something guys don’t understand,” says Stephen Simpson, author of What Women Wish You Knew about Dating: A Single Guy's Guide to Romantic Relationships. “Just sharing any information is bonding to women.”

Why They Don’t Come out and Say It Women are also generally less direct and more polite -- not including Nancy Pelosi. “Women speak from the heart,” says Lissa Coffey, relationship expert and Web mistress of the site Coffey Talk. “We’re aware of the emotion that is involved, we’re sensitive and we don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. When we are direct, it comes across as a demand, an argument or nagging. So we say in girl speak: ‘When you have a minute, would you mind please taking out the trash?’ and of course, the man hears this, interprets it as not a priority and a minute later promptly forgets. What we really meant in man speak was ‘Trash. Out. Now.’ But that just sounds mean, and we prefer to be more lady-like.”


Why They Say “Maybe” When They Mean “No” When you ask out a woman, she may say “Let me check my schedule” as opposed to what she’s actually thinking: “You’ll see Rush Limbaugh running the ACLU before you see me naked.” Simply, the female preference for politeness is to blame.

Why They Use Body LanguageScience has shown it, and we know you’re not going to try and argue with science: Women won’t just come out and say they are interested. Instead, she’ll let you know she’s hot for you by making eye contact, touching your arm and rubbing her own neck. It’s true. What can be most maddening for men is that women are even less direct when they feel like they’re being pursued by a guy. “She’s immediately going to become a lot vaguer and use more nonverbal cues,” Simpson says. In other words, don’t expect her to come right out and invite you for a cozy weekend at her beach house.

Why They Want You to ArgueMost guys will agree with anything a hot woman says. When you don’t, she’ll know you’re being honest. Simpson says women are so jaded that, early on in relationships, they actually count on men deceiving them. “They expect any guy who’s interested to exaggerate and hide something,” Simpson says. Often, women are less direct because they’re more cautious. (If you’d been hit on by as many losers as most chicks have, wouldn’t you be cautious too?) One of the ways to show her you’re not like all those other lying Neanderthals is to disagree with her.

How to Deal So, yeah. Seems that bad comedian at the Ha Ha Hut was right. Men and women: different. She’ll continue to say vague, indirect things that you won’t understand, and the problems will persist. Solution: It’s time to put yourself in her place, gentlemen. “So often men don’t understand women because they look at the situation from their own, male point of view,” Coffey says. “Look at the situation instead through her eyes. Psychically try to put on her high-heeled pumps and feel what she’s feeling, just for a moment, even if it might seem to be illogical to you.”

And if that seems like more empathy than you can muster, try repeating back in your own words things women are saying to see if you’ve got it right. Sure, playing the parrot is a pain. But it’s not nearly as bad as swinging from your perch alone, night after night.

Reed Tucker is a writer at The New York Post. If he were to actually meet Megan Fox, he is sure he’d know how to decode her.

Keep your resolutions -- Use these tech applications to help you

By Tim Jarvis for our content Partner: Style + Tech For Men -- Handpicked for you by our team

It used to be that new year’s resolutions were as easy to stick to as Bayou beach rocks after the BP oil spill. But technology has finally caught up with your absolute lack of resolve.

Every year, losing weight and saving money top the new year’s resolution hit -- and miss -- list. The great news is that you can stick to these resolutions with an array of gadgets that amounts to a pile of high-tech superglue. The better news? Most of them are cheap -- or free -- thanks to your phone.

“We’re moving into an app-dominated world,” says Eric Schlissel, the owner and CEO of the IT tech support company GeekTek.com, based in Los Angeles. “Gadgets are integrated into what you already carry around, so why spend a lot of money on something your phone can do for the price of a $5 app?”

Here are five resolutions with apps to track ’em:

1. Bring Balance to Your Life

Photo courtesy of rememberthemilk.com

You can balance your checkbook in a way that won’t result in prosecution and make sure to keep that appointment with your defense attorney by adding a task- and time-management app to your smartphone. Schlissel recommends Remember the Milk, a free, feature-packed app that efficiently sorts, prioritizes and color-codes your to-do lists -- and keeps you focused on your goals via IM, email or SMS reminders. Upgrade to a Pro account for $25, and you’ll get priority support and more features.
Platforms: iPhone, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry and Android
RememberTheMilk.com

2. Get a Little Help From Your Friends

Photo courtesy of 43things.com

Now that you’ve got your scheduling sorted, it wouldn’t hurt to have a supportive community to help you keep your resolution. “43Things is a great online goal-setting and networking app (accessible through Facebook) with millions of users,” says Schlissel. You can itemize your goals, browse through other people’s to get ideas, post questions and even track your progress as others cheer you on to the finish line … or root for you to trip over your beer muscle.

Platforms: iPhone

43Things.com

3. Move More



Photo courtesy of runkeeper.com

It’s a novel concept if you want to lose weight: Eat less … and move more! According to Schlissel, one of the most robust and accurate GPS tracking apps for athletes is RunKeeper. Ironically, the app works just as well for cyclists, hikers, skiers, etc. It analyzes your workout and tracks your distance, time and pace. One of its strengths is its interactive website on which you can sign up for the Street Team feature and connect with other users to trade progress reports, motivate each other and even participate in online fitness classes.

Platforms: iPhone and Android

RunKeeper.com

4. Burn-notice Machine

Photo courtesy of worksmartlabs.com

CardioTrainer gets equally high marks from Schlissel. It also utilizes your phone’s GPS to track your workouts and automatically uploads the results to its website. The app is easy to set up and boasts an array of features that includes an integrated calorie-calculator, auto-pause and real-time feedback. Basic CardioTrainer (free) can be upgraded with two premium features: Weight Loss Trainer ($2.99), which lets you set up and track a weight-loss plan, and Race Against Yourself ($2.99), which records your results and sets up competition against your best times.

Platforms: Android

WorkSmartLabs.com

5. Stay Above the Bottom Line

Photo courtesy of mint.com

If you’re looking to avoid writing checks from the prison library this year, it’s time to look into a good financial app. “I think Mint.com is the best financial application out there,” concludes Schlissel. “It tracks your accounts, automatically updates transactions and is easy to use. It’s incredibly useful.” Mint pulls all your financial information into one place, allowing you to see all your balances and transactions together, on the Web or your phone. Even better? Neither the Mint.com app nor access to their website will cost you a dime.

Platforms: iPhone and Android platforms

Mint.com

Tim Jarvis Tim Jarvis is a freelance health, technology and entertainment writer who contributes to O, The Oprah Magazine and the men’s grooming and lifestyle site Men’s Life Today. He is also currently working on a book about the mysteries of quantum mechanics.