Money really does buy happiness. At least that’s the results according to one survey, in which more than 125,000 people around the world participated. Across the board, regardless of age, gender, or location, people with more money felt happier about their lives than those with less money. This is the largest study of its kind to investigate the relationship between money and happiness.

The survey, which measured a person’s sense of well-being based on factors such as feeling respected, having friends and family to rely on, and having a sense of control over one’s own life, may indicate more what money offers than the power of money in and of itself.

University of Illinois professor emeritus of psychology Ed Einer led the study. He explained, “Yes, money makes you happy – we see the effect of income on life satisfaction is very strong and virtually ubiquitous and universal around the world, but it makes you more satisfied than it makes you feel good. Positive feelings are less affected by money and more affected by the things people are doing day to day.”

While previous studies have indicated a connection between money and happiness, work in the area has never been conducted on such a global scale. This is the first broad-scale international study to make an effort to identify the differences between emotions and satisfaction in life and how money interacts with those differences.

Fellow researcher Daniel Kahneman, professor emeritus of psychology at Princeton University, says this study brings psychologists into a “new era” of well-being analysis.

Kahneman explained, “When people evaluate their life, they compare themselves to a standard of what a successful life is, and it turns out that standard tends to be universal: People in Togo and Denmark have the same idea of what a good life is, and a lot of that has to do with money and material prosperity. That was unexpected.”

What the researchers have discovered is that beyond money, what makes people everywhere feel “happy” are universal feelings, making it easier for psychologists to identify what components it might take to have a content life.

“What we didn’t know before is the extent to which life evaluation and emotional well-being are so distinct. When you look at the books about well-being, you see one word — it’s happiness. People do not distinguish.”

The survey was conducted by Gallup and has been referred to as the “first representative sample of planet Earth.” The study was designed to be statistically representative of the world, and represents almost 96 percent of the population.

Using a list of measures designed to determine the person’s life happiness, including such basic needs as food and shelter and such complex components as to whether or not they smiled the previous day, the study showed that overall life satisfaction was correlated with income.

Most of us have a fairly normal, perhaps even mundane bathroom. Some locations, however, have taken bathroom design to a whole new level. Take a look at some of these weird and wonderful bathroom creations from around the world:

The Safe House in the American city of state of Milwaukee, Wisconsin is a spy-themed restaurant which sounds like great fun. Getting around the building requires passwords and there are hidden rooms and disappearing ink. Could be a bit annoying if it’s the ink on the menus! Don’t leave it until you’re bursting though as the journey from table to toilet takes around 15 minutes as you navigate complicated mazes and a trick door.

The world’s largest restroom is located in Chongqing, China at a staggering 32,290 square feet. I wouldn’t want to clean it though as it has 1000 toilets! It can be found on ‘Foreigners Street’ and is designed with an Egyptian theme. The reason for its existence is the hope that it will attract tourism to the city. The bathroom plays calming music, has TVs and uniquely shaped urinals. Not sure the Great Wall has got anything to worry about just yet!

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Columbia Tower in Seattle, Washington boasts some of the highest toilets in the world and at the 76^th floor, each cubicle offers fantastic views of the Seattle Skyline. Imagine that as a view as you spend a penny? Your bathroom might not have that kind of view but you can still make the window a lovely sight to behold with new blinds. For Waterproof Blinds, visit http://www.ucblinds.co.uk/PVC-Waterproof-Roller-Blinds

The Bulletproof Bathroom of Beijing, China is a design that resulted in anti-terror feelings after 9/11. If you’re stuck in Beijing during any trouble then head for this loo in Zhong Guan Village Plaza as its most likely the safest one in the world. The toilet is immune to TNT and weighs 15 tonnes!

The Aquarium Bathroom in Akashi, Japan sounds delightful and you’ll want to take your time in this one. Found in the Mumin Papa Café, you can relieve yourself surrounded on three sides by a real aquarium. It cost a considerable $270,000 to construct and is for ladies only – apart from the male giant sea turtle!

Dolce and Gabbana’s Gold Room in Milan can be found in the restaurant ‘Gold’. Most of us will never relieve ourselves here as it’s more for the likes of stars such as Kylie Minogue and Paris Hilton. It is luxury itself, with marble counters, golden bamboo and giant mirrors. Rather bizarrely, the Bond theme ‘Goldfinger’ plays in every cubicle on a plasma screen!

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How about a bathroom that’s out of this world? Literally. The bathroom on the International Space Station has no gravity to keep the water in the toilet bowl so NASA had to build pumps and use airflow to create a usable, hygienic bathroom. It doesn’t sound very comfortable though as having the entire system reliant on air, creating a tight seal between the user and the toilet bowl is essential. Foot straps and pivoting bars anchor the astronauts to the ground, and an intricate network of tubes, pipes and ducts handles the waste.

When you think of silicone, you most likely think about the industrial uses such as sealants in plumbing and coatings for electronic components. Did you know that silicone is found in personal care products? They are widely found in skin care products, cosmetics and hair products.

Some silicones are great for conditioning purposes. They can improve the feel of hair, lessen frizz and make hair feel soft and smooth. The silicones that are used in hair products are called amines and are effective for use in dyeing industries. These amines are also found in many drugs in the pharmaceutical industry, including antihistamines, chlorpheniramine, clomipramine and desipramine. Controlled substances that contain amines include amphetamine, methamphetamine and opiates such as morphine, codeine and heroin!

Phenyltrimethicones are another family of silicones that are used in colour-correcting hair products as they increase shine and help to make the hair glossy. Shaving foam is another personal care product that contains this material. For Silicone Hose Manufacturers, visit https://www.goodflexrubber.com/pages/silicone-hose-manufacturer

In skin care products, the unique fluid properties of silicone give it a great feel and it can make skin feel like silk, increase emollience and acts as a good water-binding agent even when skin becomes wet. Leave-on skin care products and hair-care products use numerous forms of silicones. Silicones remain on the skin and the other active ingredients are able to seep through into the lower layers of the skin. Silicone forms the base formula in which other ingredients can be suspended and then absorbed. The creams don’t feel heavy or cloggy because of its molecular structure. Silicones have large molecules with wide spaces between each one which helps it to feel light.

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Silicones are also used in lubricants and greases for applying on things like cycle chains, engines and any other type of moving mechanism. It is great for this purpose as it evaporates after application and doesn’t attract dirt like other oil-based or wet lubricants. It’s also used in more personal types of lubrication! Silicone rubber is the best material for adult toys too as its soft, cleanable, durable and doesn’t degrade with the use of lubricants.

Silicone is also safe enough to be found in baby bottle teats. It offers cleanliness and is easily moulded into aesthetically pleasing shapes. As baby bottles need to be sterilized, silicone offers great resistance to high temperatures so won’t be damaged during the sterilization process. Teats come in different sizes and with differing flow rates based on the age of the baby. The teats either have more or larger holes as the baby gets older.

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The properties that allow silicone to be used for so many different applications include:

• Low toxicity
• Ability to repel water and form water tight seals
• Low chemical reactivity
• Low thermal conductivity
• Does not support the growth of microbes
• Resistant to UV light
• High gas permeability (useful in medical applications but not for anything requiring a gas-tight seal)

Thankfully such a useful material is also safe for the environment. There have been no findings of silicones causing a harmful effect on organisms or the environment.

Nearly 85% of Brits have visited a car boot sale in the last 12 months. What is it about car boot sales that we love so much as a nation? Many people opt to forgo their weekend lie-in to get up at the crack of dawn in the hunt for a bargain. Whether you’re looking to buy or clearing out your unwanted goods, there is clearly money to be made here.

Many people enjoying car booting as a hobby and it seems to offer something more than just a money saving or money making activity. It’s a great way to recycle items as something that you might think should be headed for the landfill, could be another person’s treasure! Recycling and upcycling are the latest trends, which make sense in a cash-conscious time. It’s also far better for the environment too.

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It is believed that car boot sales were brought to the UK in the 1970s by Father Harry Clarke, a Catholic priest from Stockport. He had seen similar events in Canada and decided to try one of his own as a charity fundraiser. A love affair had begun! Indeed, the thrill of the chase for a bargain is enough to spur many people to regularly attend car boot sales most weekends. We are definitely a nation of bargain hunters and there are plenty of daytime TV shows dedicated to bargain hunting too. So, clear out your garage and make some extra cash. It’s also a great excuse for a bit of life organising. For Garage Shelving, visit https://www.garage-shelving.co.uk

Top tips for car boot sales

• Make sure you get there super early. If you’re not there by 8am then you run the risk of missing the very best bargains.
• Bring plenty of small change whether you’re buying or selling as people will undoubtedly have just got notes from the cash machine.
• If you’re selling then make sure your items are clean and presentable – you’ll make more this way.
• See if you’ve got these items lying around your home as they are the best sellers:

DVDs and box sets

Plants

Books

Tools

Children’s toys

Prints and pictures

Collectible toys

Board games

Video games and consoles

Gardening items

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• Be prepared to haggle and be prepared to accept a bit less than you originally asked for. You’re not running a shop and people are looking for a good deal.
• Come ready for all weathers. Wellies and cardboard to stand on are great for muddy fields and some waterproofs and sheets to cover your goods are perfect for our very changeable British weather!
• If you’re a buyer then don’t be afraid to politely haggle. If there is no budge by the seller, consider returning towards the end of the sale to see if the item is still there.
• Know what you’re looking for and don’t just buy things because they are cheap. Have a plan.
• Keep an eye out for things of value that look like junk. Developing an eye for these things can mean grabbing a bargain and selling on to the right buyer.

A restaurant owner is responsible for a lot of different things. They are responsible for ordering the right amount of food and making sure that the food is prepared and cooked properly, and they also need to make sure that the premises are always hygienic and clean.

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Some of the responsibilities are very specific, such as cleaning the restaurant grease trap. The grease trap must be cleaned on a regular basis; if it isn’t, the restaurant may face unnecessary interruptions, and it is also more likely that the restaurant will become unsafe for customers and employees.

Here’s everything you need to know about cleaning your restaurant grease trap.

Why You Need to Clean Grease Traps

According to Small Business, the kitchen is one of the most important areas in the restaurant to keep clean, as it is exposed to a wide range of contaminants. A grease trap can quickly start to harbour contaminants, so you should make sure that it is always clean and not clogged up.

Cleaning Your Grease Trap

Some restaurants produce a large amount of grease in a short amount of time, and if the grease isn’t removed it could potentially end up closing your restaurant due to hygiene standards.

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If your restaurant deals with large amounts of grease, oils and fats, it is important to make sure that you clean your grease trap at least once a week to avoid a build-up of grease. You can check on the grease levels every day by simply inspecting the grease trap for build-up.

If you want to buy new grease traps for commercial kitchens, check out websites such as http://www.ukgreasetrapsdirect.co.uk/.

Of course, not every restaurant deals with a large amount of grease. If your restaurant only produces a low amount of grease, you can check the trap every week for build-up instead. You should also arrange a monthly cleaning system to make sure that the grease trap is cleaned. If you think you may forget to clean the grease trap, try creating a restaurant cleaning rota.

You can clean the grease traps yourself by unclogging the drain with heavy-duty cleaning products. You may also need to physically remove large chunks of grease and fat, as they could damage the drains. However, it is recommended that you hire a cleaning team if the drains are badly clogged.

It’s a nightmare no car owner ever wants to face, leaving your home to jump in your car only to discover it has been stolen. Cars are expensive items and the loss of one to thieves can be a devastating experience.

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Now, though, there is a tool that car owners can use to fight back against the thieves, and that is the trusty GPS car tracker. Simply by looking at their phone, a car owner can locate the position of their vehicle anywhere in the world and increase the chances of their car being found and returned.

How Do They Work?

Vehicle tracking devices use a Global Positioning System transmitter to pinpoint the location of your car. The tracker receives information from a satellite and then calculates the distance between the vehicle and satellite to determine its position on the earth.

Easily Installed

GPS tracking devices can be easily installed in vehicles without anyone knowing they are there. Companies like http://www.vehicle-accessories.net/Vehicle-Tracking can offer a vehicle tracking service.

Top Five Tracking Devices

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1. Spark Nano

The Spark Nano vehicle tracker is one of the most popular devices on the market as it is easy to install and has a simple web based interface. This affordable tracker allows the owner to set pre-determined areas, with a text message sent to the owner should their vehicle travel outside the area.

2. Zoombak Advanced A-GPS

This tracker can be attached to your car battery and can also run on its own power. Buyers seem to love its convenient features, like SMS and email alerts if the car strays where it shouldn’t.

3. Escort Entourage PS

This model allows live monitoring of your vehicle. Owners can track their car’s whereabouts by paying a monthly subscription, while the devices also have advanced features like geofencing.

4. Garmin GTU 10

The Garmin GTU 10 is one of the more affordable trackers in this list. It comes with a one-year subscription and will keep a history of your car’s whereabouts for seven days

5. LoJack

Owners of this device will need deep pockets, as you’ll need your original dealer to install the device in your vehicle. The LoJack is unique in that it uses radio frequencies to inform the police directly of a stolen vehicle. This device is perfect if you own a collectable or expensive car.

While it is true that weddings follow trends, there are some traditions that have stood the test of time and date back thousands of years. The wedding ring being viewed as a symbol of eternity has been around since Egyptian times. A band of hemp or rush was worn on the third finger of the left as it was believed that the vein in this finger led directly to the heart. For a Forest of Dean Wedding Hotel Venue, visit http://www.thespeechhouse.co.uk/weddings/.

And it was the Romans who created the bridal party and the wedding veil. It is thought that the veil protected the bride from evil spirits and the bridesmaids and groom were to act as bodyguards against jealous demons. What has changed is the practice in the Middle Ages of guests tearing the bride’s dress and taking a piece. With the beautiful and costly dresses worn today, not many people would appreciate this tradition. It is thought that the act of tossing a bouquet was an alternative to the dress ripping!

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The tradition of something old dates back to the Victorian era and represents the link between the bride’s family and the past. This is why it is usual for a bride to wear a piece of her mother’s jewellery or even her grandmother’s wedding dress sometimes.

Something new represents good fortune and success in the coming years and there are many new things bought for the day that can cover this part of the tradition.

Something borrowed is to remind the bride and groom that friends and family will be there for them as traditionally married life started off with not owning very much together at all.

Something blue is a symbol of faithfulness and this dates back to biblical times as blue stood for purity. It is normal to add a cheeky little bit of blue on to the bride’s garter.

The diamond ring entered the wedding tradition during the Renaissance period. Wedding vows that we use today were first used by the Anglican Church in 1500’s and a hundred years later the European nobility brought a box of sugared almonds to the wedding and this was the birth of wedding favours.

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It was Queen Victoria who made the white wedding dress popular and it was also this monarch who introduced fresh flowers into a bridal bouquet when previously brides had carried dried herbs to ward off evil spirits. Traditionally the bride stands on the left during the vows so the groom can keep his sword arm free! Just in case he needs to fight off other suitors – how romantic!

Weddings are much more complicated affairs now. Colour schemes were unheard of, everything was white apart from the bridesmaids and you were likely to be photographed by the only photographer in your town. The Mother-in-law organised the party which would take place in the late afternoon after a church ceremony and the father of the bride paid for it all. During the afternoon, the bride would change into her smart ‘going away’ outfit and guests would wave off the happy couple as they departed for their honeymoon. Of course, these days the day has cost so much that the bride and groom stay and celebrate the whole day with their guests.

Spending time together as a family is very important for many reasons. How much time do you spend with the ones you love and that means quality time? What does quality time even mean and how can we make it better so we can really bond with our children and partner? We lead such busy lives and try to pack in as much as we can every day. There just aren’t enough hours in the day sometimes and so it’s easy to see how family time can slip down the list of priorities. Co-existing isn’t the same as spending time with someone so why is quality time so important?

It helps to make our children feel more confident for one. It fosters a greater feeling of security, builds stronger bonds and is all round better for our emotional health too. So what is quality time? It’s a phrase we hear thrown around all the time but it will mean different things to different families. For some it will involve gathering a board game on a Sunday afternoon, in-depth conversations over dinner each night or spending a weekend playing sports together. It doesn’t really matter what you do as long as you do it together and you all enjoy it.

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It won’t always be easy and building bonds can take time. Not all relationships occur naturally or instantly, even with our closest family members. If siblings argue and fight, just remember that they may not like each other right now but they will always love each other and may even appreciate their differences as they mature. Don’t just assume that family time will happen naturally, you need to set aside a time and make it happen. Whether you promise to eat dinner at the table together every night or have a regular movie night, you need to stick to the plan.

Having a special room dedicated to family time is a luxury not many people can have but if you do have a spare space then turning it over to this cause could be a great idea. Installing a home cinema system and encouraging the children to use it for gaming or playing, as well as movie time, is a lovely way to create a space for all members of the family to feel at home in. For a Home Automation Installer, visit http://digitalinteriors.co.uk/.

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It’s common to think that as we see each other all the time, we don’t need to make the effort but coexisting isn’t the same as appreciating being with someone. And while it’s important to spend time as a whole family, don’t forget that individuals will need one-to-one attention too, like your partner. Plan date nights or a movie together after the kids are in bed and having a special space dedicated to entertainment will also take your mind off all those distractions in the rest of the house that remind you of chores still to do.