Bite an aluminum fruit or paint a robot green?

Ready, set, go! iOS or Android? Apple or Google? Snickers or Mars? Okay, that last one wasn't supposed to be in there. No, at Things De Jour we have appreciation for simplicity, therefore answering any of those questions in a definitive way is the last thing we'll ask from you. Instead we want to share something that will hopefully help you decide which door it is you'd like to open. You...

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This season on Big Brother 14...

I don't normally watch TV, but when I do, I watch Big Brother. Yes, I watched all most of the seasons, but you won't hear me whine about how sucky the current season is comparing to all the rest. I don't get attached to players, except maybe Ian because he is my soul-mate (Those glasses and that brain make my heart skip a beat every time). One thing I've always wondered though -- how...

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What I really think about Anastasia Steele from "Fifty Shades of Grey"

Wow! It's been nearly a month since our last post. We must truly apologize to our readers. The writers of this blog are going through some major changes in their lives! Promise we will be back on track soon. Now, to my post. Warning: depending on what you call a spoiler, this post may or may not contain such. So, about a month ago, I was strolling through Chapters. I came upon "Fifty Shades of...

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BlackBerry to be reborn?

We've got a new toddler in town. Get ready to show him full respect or he might just feel hopeless and cry. No, no folks, it isn't quiet as dramatic (or painful) as that. I'm talking BlackBerry. As you may or may not have heard BlackBerry is strongly focusing on BlackBerry 10, its next mobile operating system which will incorporate tablet & smartphone devices. This is a very critical and a...

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To all women on a hunt for "the one"

Oh, the beauty of being a writer. I can dish out about my dating life to you, and nobody can stop me. Not even that one crazy ex. Ha! Jokes aside, I will never use the term "the one" ever again, simply because I don't believe in it. Dating is like getting an entry-level job, you just can't be too picky unless you are a Marilyn Monroe (you have to compromise sometimes). However, I've learned from...

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Opinion: modern women, sex and opression

I am aware that men serve as “market niches” through video games, car branding and sports attire. Men also suffer from the beauty myth (introduced by Naomi Wolf), which ventures more muscle, cleanliness, manliness and other related bullshit. However, I would like to speak about women (oh, how ironic!). After reading some Naomi Klein, I am faced with the reality of women’s history and culture....

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Why do we drink coffee?

Whether I am yawning or completely awake, I cannot start my day without a cup of coffee. In a way, this addiction is very much like cigarette smoking, because I associate coffee with my morning routine. But could there be some sort of a scientific explanation for this? Coffee has various addicting characteristics, never mind the caffeine drug. It is physically warm or cold and can either make us feel warmer during the winter, or cool us down during the summer. It also has a crisp, burnt smell,...

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Québec City est magnifique

Before I begin here, I would like to thank all of our new TDJ followers. You guys have inspired us so much! We want to write more and more. So, thank you! Now, I haven't done a picture or a travel blog in awhile, so here we go. Over the Easter weekend, I had the pleasure of visiting a really beautiful city in Canada—Québec City. If you live in Canada or at the border of U.S. and Canada, you should...

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World At War: Robots vs Apples

Duck down! There's a war being fought out there! Alright, now that you've looked out of your window and made sure your street was still alive and standing, let's get right to the point: do you own a smartphone? Chances are, you do (or at least someone you know does, heck it's 2012!). Now to the real question, which phone? Today you will almost always get an answer that is either 'Android' or 'iPhone'....

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Be a better writer: why and how

Here is a quote from The Business Style Handbook (a book with tips from Communication Experts at the Fortune 500): "In today's wired business environment, everyone writes for a living." What does this mean? This means that almost every job description involes some sort of writing: emails, memos, reports, letters, proposals, etc. Major companies like Nike, AT&T and Wal-Mart voted for good writing skills. In fact, good writing skills are associated with career growth in such companies....

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What we can learn from men

Sometimes I like to travel to Mars, step back, and appreciate what men do and have to offer. The following observation isn't meant to depict a good man, rather it is meant to reflect on what quite a few men do. Lesson 1: Keep it to yourself When women face a problem, or a moment of excitement, they go and surround themselves with girlfriends, gossip and Facebook/text messaging. It usually ends...

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Why is rice white and what is the hype with it?

First cultivated by Asian farmers in 3000 BC, rice is a hot commodity and one grain that requires real mass production. An average North American consumes 22 pounds a year, while residents in some Asian countries consume as much as 300 pounds a year! If rice was on the hotness scale, it would definitely be a 10. Why? Because wandering around the grocery store, you will find shelves filled with...

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The Siren: why art thou so complicated?

Did you have your Caffè Americano? Perhaps you wanted to caramel your morning and settled down for a Macchiato? Or maybe, just maybe you share the same preference as me and went with a Vanilla Latte? Only you can tell. Not just you, however, your wallet as well. Your phone too, if you complete your Starbucks purchases through your handset (iPhone & Android), in which case you win an extra point...

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Why We Love & Hate Valentine's Day

As we know, Valentine's Day started off with a Christian legend. Once upon a time, there was a boy with a bow and an arrow... just kidding! Basically, Mr. Valentine (whoever he was) was 'beheaded' on February 14 and the world decided to celebrate love. On February 15, Ancient Roman priests created Lupercalia celebration and established its customs which involved a  (Lupercal) cave and the...

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One fruit that never goes bad

Stop me if you've seen that white, shining fruit before. Yup, chances are you see it several times a day.Apple. You either love it or hate it. For the most part, that's how it is today. What you can't deny however, is that Apple has become one of the most influential brands of our time, and moreover has developed into something greater than just a brand - it became a culture.On its successful road...

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Freshman versus Graduate

Sometimes the Uber Frosh or the Sheltered College Freshman memes do your first year in college no justice. As a graduating student, one of my current favourite hobbies is to poeticize about my last few years in university (okay, not really). Basically, university was a general waste of time if I were to analyze the career from my freshman mindset - college didn't get me a job or make me any smarter....

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Why you shouldn't read sexy magazines

Dear TDJ, your expert in love-o-logy is back and is about to put certain sexy headlines to shame in an open letter. Just to put it out there, I haven't picked up any sort of magazine for maybe over a year. Even when I would waste money on that type of stuff (usually to appear cool on the beach or to cut out some pictures for my room), I never took anything to heart and only followed my intuition...

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Why do men like beer?

Believe it or not, this question has not been answered concretely. My suggestions do not measure up as an answer, but I can assure you that this habit has nothing to do with gender or any type of beer-loving-gene. Every time I visit a bar or a pub, I see a few bros drinking the fizzy drink. Of course, I've also seen business partners (and the like) share a bottle of wine. However, these wine drinkers...

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How to live, love and work like a superstar Part I

Here are a few starting tips to help you boost your work ethics, re-think your approach to relationships and gain peace in life. This is not research based but they say experience and observation can go a long way. Save Energy: I'm not talking about Earth Hour. I mean YOUR energy. Whether you are at work or with your partner or looking for a place to rent. I will give you an example: penguins waddle because it is the most efficient way for them to move around with short legs and big feet. Like...

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Being critical 101: academics, aliens and media.

What does being critical mean and what does it entail? The not-so-secret secret I learned from a few of my university professors is that the academic institution makes one weighty promise to the Canadian government. That promise is to teach students critical thinking. Just like that, like it is so easy to learn in the four years of their undergraduate studies. Unfortunately, academic essays and...

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Chinese herbal medicines ruled out by Europe

Nature, the international weekly journal of science, reports that there is a growing dependence on herbal medicines within the Western populations. These are medicines which are considered tradtional within Eastern populations and have existed for hundreds of years. For example, we use echinacea for colds, St John's wort for depression and anxiety, and feverfew for migraines.In US, herbal products...

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The better and underrated perfumes on the market

While I was wandering around the shop with drugs (Drug Mart, what did you think I was talking about?), I was seduced by powders, lipsticks and pretty bottles of perfume and cologne. Perhaps, this is why it goes by the name of Drug Mart. For people who are outside of Canada, this is your pharmacy/snack/beauty superstore. I came in with no intention to buy anything. I came out with no purchases (surprisingly)...

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