What's Good for You: June 2011

Source : How to relieve eye fatigue caused by your computer screen

1. Adjust settings and your environment If glare isn't the culprit, there are plenty more tricks that will make your weary eyes thank you. Erica Dixon, Visual Neuroscience researcher at American University, suggests that trial and error can be the best method. "Unfortunately, there are so many causes of eye strain that it's impossible to say what would help everyone, but there are certainly easy solutions to try," Dixon said. "Try out different settings on your computer, spend an hour or two with the screen at a lower brightness level and see if that feels better. Just play around and find what feels best for you."

Experimenting with lighting in the environment can't hurt either — swap a bulb or move a harsh light source to find a good balance."Think of how you physically feel yourself straining to see a screen if there is too much sunlight coming in to the room and how much better it feels when you put down the shades," said Dixon. "The less competition your screen has from sources that irritate your eyes, the better."

2. Screen calibration

Calibrate your screen While there's no silver bullet when it comes to eye fatigue, Dixon also stressed the importance of calibrating your screen. "Calibrating your computer means that images are displayed as they are meant to be seen, with accurate colors, brightness, and contrast."

Many external monitors include this feature in the settings menu. If you're working on a Mac, a built-in tool called Display Calibrator Assistant walks you through this, step-by-step. You can find the tool by opening System Preferences > Displays then choosing the Color tab and clicking Calibrate. On other computers, a web tool called Screen Check can perform the same function. Don't be afraid to explore the settings to decide what looks right for you.

3. Take a break

Beyond screen calibration, there are even more basic, simple tricks to give your eyes a break. If you wear contacts, switch to glasses while you're on the computer to keep your eyes from becoming dried out and irritated. One trick called the "20-20-20 rule" suggests that every 20 minutes you should look at an object 20 feet away for 20 seconds.

If you can't commit to such a strict routine, just taking short, frequent breaks from your screen can do wonders for your straining vision. If you're prone to getting absorbed in work, simply set a recurring alarm on your phone that reminds you to get up, take a stroll, and get away from the computer — your eyes will thank you.

Source : 10 Signs Your Child May Be Gifted

1. Retains Information: The term "in one ear and out the other" seems to apply to most children. Those who are a cut above when it comes to intelligence actually retain a wide variety of information and are able to recall it at a later time. An example from the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) is: "One six-year-old returned from a trip to the space museum and reproduced an accurate drawing of a space rocket he had seen."

2. Wide Spectrum of Interests: Gifted kiddos display an interest in a wide variety of topics. They may like dinosaurs one month, space the next month, and so fourth.

3. Writes and Reads Early: If your tot is a smarty pants, she may be able to read and write very early on and without having had any real formal teaching.

4. Is Musically or Artistically Talented: Children who display an unusual talent for music and/or art are often considered gifted. Tots who can draw things to perspective, have perfect pitch, or display any other higher perception of forms of art usually fall into the gifted category.

5. Shows Periods of Intense Concentration: Children are not known for their long attention span, but gifted wee ones are able to have longer periods of intense concentration.

6. Has a Good Memory: Some gifted tots are able to remember things from when they were smaller. For example, a two-year-old may remember and bring up (unprovoked) an occurrence from when he was 18-months.

7. Has an Advanced Vocabulary: A tot who's early to speak is not a sign of giftedness alone, but if your lil talker is using advanced vocabulary and sentences, then he or she may be as bright as you think. According to the NAGC, "Children at age two make sentences like: 'There's a doggie.' A two-year-old who is gifted might say, 'There's a brown doggie in the backyard and he's sniffing our flower.' "

8. Pays Attention to Details: A gifted child has a keen eye for details. An older child may want to know specific details about how things work, while a younger child will be able to put away toys exactly where he got them from or notice if something has been moved from its usual spot.

9. Acts as His Own Critic: In general kids are not too worried about themselves or others, unless their friend has something they want. Gifted kids are the opposite and are concerned with others, but are most critical of themselves.

10. Understands Complex Concepts: Tots who are highly intelligent have the ability to understand complex concepts, perceive relationships, and think abstractly. They are able to understand problems in depth and think about solutions.