If the constant buzz of electronics during your holiday gatherings bothers you more than you’d like to admit, and your calls for a peaceful Christmas dinner have been ignored, don’t resign yourself to an evening of screen-gazing at the dinner table. Take control instead!

Here’s a practical guide with five effective strategies to help your loved ones unplug this Christmas. Use these tips to reclaim the festive, tech-free family time you cherish. And remember, it’s okay to enforce a digital detox – they’ll thank you later!

Silent Mode: Activate

Let’s start small by giving everyone the benefit of the doubt that they can control their urge to check their phones every five minutes. As guests arrive at your home, ask them to put their phones and devices on silent. Ideally, they would turn off all notifications, but let’s keep them reachable in case of emergencies.

You might want to schedule short periods for them to check their phones for urgent emails or messages. Remember, this isn’t a full-on tech detox, and you certainly don’t want a meltdown in the middle of your gathering.

Change the Wi-Fi Password

If you’re dealing with family, there’s a high chance your requests for silent devices will be ignored. And if your relatives include avid gamers who can’t stop playing mobile games, merely silencing their devices won’t cut it.

The solution is simple: disconnect them from your Wi-Fi. You can change the password or, in desperate situations, turn off the router entirely. Then, prepare to politely dodge the inevitable question, “What’s the Wi-Fi password?” throughout the holiday.

By cutting off Wi-Fi access, you’ll compel them to use their cellular data. For those who are cautious about their data usage, this might deter them from using their phones too much.

Gadget Collection Time

The next step is to collect all gadgets, but be strategic – don’t do this right after they’ve silenced their phones or asked for the Wi-Fi password. You don’t want them suspecting your master plan for a tech-free dinner. Imagine uninterrupted conversations while everyone enjoys the roast turkey you’ve meticulously prepared.

Initiate this at the start of the meal. Simply pass around a box or a bag where everyone can deposit their devices. This move also serves as a playful announcement that dinner is served, ensuring that screens stay away from the dining table.

Score!

Secure All Gaming Consoles

You’ve addressed the adults and teenagers, but there’s still one more group: the kids. With their usual digital distractions out of reach, boredom will strike fast. To prevent a scavenger hunt for electronics, it’s crucial to also hide the gaming consoles and any laptops.

Remember, the aim of this de-teching is inclusive – it’s for the kids too. Collect all PS3s, PSPs, GameBoys, Nintendo DSes, Wiis, and even laptops. Lock them in a secure room along with their chargers. Consider unplugging any other non-portable devices as a precaution. You can unplug the TV as well, but let’s not leave the house in complete darkness.

Implement Fun Penalties

Now for the fun part! It’s likely someone will feel the itch to reconnect with their technology, especially before it’s time for gifts. There’s a chance they might try to sneak their phone out of the designated collection box or bag – tech dependency can bring out the kid in us all!

Counter this by announcing that the first person caught reaching for their gadget will have to perform a penalty. You’ll need some creative ideas here. Penalties should be just embarrassing enough to discourage most from caving to their cravings, yet amusing enough to entertain the determined few. Consider tasks like doing the dishes, performing a viral dance challenge, or drinking a bizarre concoction you’ve whipped up. The sky’s the limit – just keep it ethical!

Keep a list of penalties on hand, because the first transgressor might not be the last. The goal is to keep everyone engaged until it’s time to open gifts.

Time to Reconnect

After the gifts are unwrapped, it’s time to ease up on the no-gadgets rule and let everyone regain their digital comfort. Remember, for those used to being glued to their screens, this digital detox can be a real challenge. While it’s important to encourage real interactions, remember that the spirit of Christmas is about cheer and togetherness. Avoid being too strict; the goal isn’t to spoil the festive mood.

Enjoy your tech-free holiday time, but keep it light and fun!

The post Disconnect Tech to Reconnect: Family Time During the Holidays appeared first on Hongkiat.

But does granting more vacation days truly lead to greater productivity?

The internet is rife with articles (including one from our own website) advocating that less work leads to more productivity. However, these claims often lack comprehensive data or focus too narrowly on a single country. To provide a broader perspective, we decided to delve deeper into this topic.

Our Research Approach

Amidst discussions on productivity, Switzerland is frequently cited as the pinnacle of efficiency according to the Global Competitiveness Report. This report relies on the Global Competitiveness Index (GCI), described as “an appropriate estimate of the level of productivity and competitiveness of an economy.”

Thus, a country’s position on this index is indicative of its productivity levels.

We selected the top 30 countries from the Global Competitiveness Report for our analysis, comparing the following data points:

• average working hours per week
• minimum annual leave mandated by law
• days of parental leave allocated for each country
• parental leave mandated by law

Working Hours and Leaves By Countries

• *doe – depending on employer
• *yos – year of service

Sources:

1. Top 30 Most Competitive Countries, Global Competitive Report
2. List of statutory minimum employment leave by country, Wikipedia
3. *Average annual hrs actually worked per worker, OECD
4. Workweek and weekend, Wikipedia
5. Parental leave, Wikipedia

Leaderboard

Now, we understand that the table above is contains a truckload of data and who has the vacation time to go through the data cell by cell, right? In this section we will just give you the summary for each category, in what we will call the leaderboards.

Let’s start with the working hours in a week.

Countries With The Most Working Hours:

• 48 hrs – Saudi Arabia
• 44 hrs – China
• 42 hrs – South Korea
• 40 hrs – Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates,
• 36 hrs – Israel, Estonia

Countries With The Least Working Hours:

• 27 hrs – Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Denmark
• 29 hrs – France
• 30 hrs – Switzerland, Belgium
• 31 hrs – Sweden, Austria
• 32 hrs – Luxembourg, Australia

If you are looking for the country that tops the chart in highest number of mandated annual leave, check this out:

Countries With The Most Annual Leave (days):

• 30 days – Finland, France, Denmark, Austria
• 28 days – United Kingdom, Estonia
• 24 days – Germany, Iceland
• 25 days – Sweden, Norway, Luxembourg
• 21 days – Saudi Arabia

Countries With The Least Annual Leave (days):

• 0 days – United States
• 5 days – China
• 7 days – Taiwan, Hong Kong
• 8 days – Singapore, Malaysia
• 10 days – Israel, Canada, Japan

If you wonder if vacation days actually have the influence on productivity in the workplace, then these are the leaderboards you want to see.

Countries With The Most Paid Vacation Days:

• 30 days – Austria
• 28 days – United Kingdom
• 25 days – Finland, Sweden, United Arab Emirates, Denmark, Luxembourg, France
• 24 days – Iceland
• 21 days – Norway

Countries With The Least Paid Vacation Days:

• 0 days – United States
• 5 days – China
• 7 days – Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia
• 10 days – Japan, Canada, Israel
• 15 days – Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea

Parental leave, a controversial topic for many countries including the United States. Here are the countries that give parents a whole lot of time off, and those that didn’t.

Countries With The Longest Parental Leave:

• 480 days – Sweden
• 56 weeks – Norway
• 52 weeks – Denmark
• 50 weeks – Canada
• 26 weeks – Ireland

Countries With The Shortest Parental Leave:

• 45 days – United Arab Emirates
• 50 days – Qatar
• 8 weeks – Taiwan
• 60 days – Malaysia
• 10 weeks – Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia

Lastly, here are the leaderboards on paid public holidays, also known as holidays that you get to take a break while still on a payroll.

Countries With The Most Paid Public Holidays:

• 25 days – Taiwan
• 19 days – Malaysia
• 13 days – Austria
• 12 days – Iceland
• 11 days – Singapore

Countries With The Least Paid Public Holidays:

• 0 days – United States
• 1 day – France
• 2 days – Norway
• 5 days – Canada
• 8 days – United Kingdom

Visual Aid

For those who prefer a quick summary, we’ve created an infographic with the help of Piktochart to visually present the data discussed in this post.

Editor’s note: You can find and use this infographic for free at Piktochart.

Conclusion

Although our approach may not be strictly scientific, the data doesn’t clearly show that more vacation days lead to increased productivity or competitiveness across countries. However, all the information is presented for you to examine and draw your own conclusions.

Note: This post was originally published on May 18, 2015.

The post Can More Vacation Time Boost Productivity? An Analysis Across 30 Countries appeared first on Hongkiat.

If you are the latter, you’re going to hate the flowers, chocolates, and the lovey-dovey display around every corner you turn. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Who says you need to have a significant other to be happy this Valentine’s Day?

Life is too short to waste your time searching for the one just so that when this day comes around every year, you can be like everyone else who seemingly has it all together. Instead, why not take this day (or any other day, really) to celebrate your singleness?

Love Yourself

The first thing anyone should learn to do is to love one’s self. That’s easier said than done as most of us are too hard on ourselves, preferring to hate ourselves for all our flaws, particularly after surviving a breakup.

Don’t think that this is an exercise where you have to love yourself first before someone else will (the world doesn’t work like that), but there is some merit in getting to know and to be kinder to yourself, more so when you are not feeling your best.

By loving yourself, you can learn to be by yourself and to take pleasure in it. By taking care of yourself, you can rest and not crash and burn when submitting to the world’s demands. By appreciating yourself, you’ll be in a better position to understand others and a bit more empathetic in identifying with them, especially when they are going through a tough time themselves.

Treat Yourself

One of the best ways to love yourself is to treat yourself to beautiful things every once in a while because you deserve it. So go ahead and have that ice cream cone (in the flavor you like) on a hot day or a whole tub of it when you are feeling down. You can afford to have a tummy now — no one is going to complain.

Don’t be afraid to splurge on that beautiful clothing you see at the window display or have a nice sit-down dinner after doing an excellent job at work. Grab candy that reminds you of your childhood, without feeling childish about it.

Treating yourself can also mean doing things for yourself and by yourself. You don’t need approval from anybody either. There is no greater joy than to watch that movie you have been waiting for since the first trailer release instead of being dragged to yet another horror film or chick flick you have little interest in.

Improve Yourself

As mentioned before, there’s nobody and nothing holding you back from doing things for yourself. Likewise, you are in the best position to improve yourself as a single. Of course, improving yourself is subjective, like advancing your career, changing your job, or giving back to the world by volunteering.

But it can also be the little things like learning how to cook (the handy skill to have regardless of your sex) or how to do your plumbing. It can be taking up a new, challenging, or obscure hobby. It can be learning to play an instrument or a new language. Heck, you can even go back to school to pursue that course you like.

You have all the time in the world to enhance yourself. As they say, YOLO and your single life is the best time to do everything you’ve always dreamed of.

Find Yourself

As you go about on your quest for self-improvement, you will eventually “find” yourself. I can’t guarantee that it will be a straightforward road, but in due time you’ll find out. Somewhere down the road, you will find that you have changed from your past self and perhaps emerged as a better, stronger, wiser you.

Take the opportunity to travel because what could be a better way to experience the world, tick off your bucket list, and find yourself, than a soul-searching journey into the unknown? Nothing is holding you back from exploring the world. You have no ties and being unattached; you don’t have to report in every two seconds or reply a message when you’re dead tired from a great day outdoors.

Be Yourself

Embrace your looks, your quirks, your thoughts, your beliefs, whatever it is that makes you, you. Find that which defines you. Do things that you know you will enjoy based on your interest instead of what others want or expect from you. If that includes bingeing on a snack and a 5-season series, on your couch, in your pajamas, do it unabashedly and unapologetically.

As a single person, you have no one to impress, and you do not need to meet other people’s expectations. You do not have to dress up for anyone but yourself — choose to do it on the days you feel like it for yourself—Scratch that. Dress however you want as you think best reflects yourself.

Remember, you are your person. Be so busy being yourself as you go about finding, improving, treating, and loving yourself that you realize that being single is just as fun, if not better.

The post How To Rock Being Single On Valentine’s Day appeared first on Hongkiat.

Unfortunately, group chat brings about its own set of problems, particularly what we should or should not do when we are part of one. As much as a group chat can make sending a message so much easier, it is important to also not abuse those privileges. Here are 10 tips on how to have better group chat etiquette when on messaging apps.

1. Don’t Create Massive Groups

Most messaging apps that let you create groups have a member limit in the double digits. But don’t take that as a challenge you need to fulfil. Even if WhatsApp caps it at 50, WeChat at 99, doesn’t mean we should add just about any Tom, Dick and Sally into the group.

Even if you are using the group chat to send notifications or bulletin updates, can you imagine if everyone posted a note of acknowledgement for every notice released? A "Meeting next Friday at 9.30pm" may get 99 "Got it"s and "Okays". And while we’re on the subject…

2. Don’t Include Unknown People Into Groups

It is best to only include people who everyone else in the group chat knows. I don’t know about you but I most definitely do not want an unknown person having access to my number.

While it may help save you time from having to send the same message to multiple people, there is no stopping an acquaintance from piggybacking on this new list of numbers you conveniently offered him, and what’s to stop him from offering a bank loan, insurance or any other product he is selling to the rest of the group?

(Image source: SAYS Tech)

3. Don’t Talk To Just One Person

You know why you made this chat right? To talk to everyone, not just to that one person who shared your inside jokes from last night’s party where you were both wasted. We don’t care what goes on between the both of you.

If you have something specific to bring up with one person, you are better off having a separate chat outside of the group. Spare the rest of us all the nitty gritty details, thank you. Plus, if you want to ignore the rest of the group, do consider shutting down the group chat – don’t make us an audience to a concert we didn’t want to see in the first place.

(Image source: India Times)

4. Don’t Bring Up Irrelevant Topics

On a separate but related note, keep to the purpose of the chat. Is the chat made to discuss a group project? Stick to the scope of your assignment until the job gets done; you can fool around once the goal has been achieved.

Are you discussing on a possible college class reunion? Stick to that and leave news of how everyone is doing for your gathering. Anything else outside of the chat’s purpose can be dealt with in a private chat, or better yet, in person.

5. Don’t Send Dubious And Unnecessary Content

As you are chatting, do keep in mind to keep your content clean, appropriate and more importantly spam-free. Seriously, keep all those NSFW jokes for private chats and quit sending us forwarded messages that "have not been checked but are forwarded – just in case".

Chain mail has been reincarnated into email, SMS and now via messaging chats. Don’t make it worse by spreading this via group chats as well.

(Image source: India Times)

6. Don’t Spam. Period.

Seeing as how a group chat is supposed to help you type fewer instances of the same message, don’t make the purpose redundant by repeating the same thing over and over aka spamming the rest of the group.

On the other side of the fence, read through the whole chat to find out if there is already an answer to the question you want to ask the group. This will prevent repetition of the same points while proving you understand the concept of group chat history.

(Image source: Naldo Tech)

7. Don’t Stay Silent

Make sure you say something if you are added into a group. You are added there for a reason, perhaps for your input and contribution on an issue. Try to be part of the group by adding in your opinion.

Also, understand that although opinions may differ and disagreements will probably pop up, staying silent means you take yourself out of the decision-making process – so don’t complain when things do not happen your way if you prefer to keep your opinions to yourself.

8. Don’t Send One-Word Answers

As an extension from #7, don’t just leave one-word or one-letter answers, k? Ok – or k for short – can mean a lot of things. Ok, you saw the message, or Ok, you agree with the statement, or Ok, the direction we’re heading at is good? Which k are you okaying?

This image perfectly describes the frustration with single-word answers.

(Image source: Daily Edge)

9. Don’t Message At Unearthly Hours

If you’re not going to call someone at 3.30am in the morning, why in the world would you send everyone a message in such an ungodly hour? If you know it is not okay to text someone off working hours, then apply the same logic to messaging apps as well.

Unless it’s an emergency that involves life and/or death, don’t distrupt everyone’s sleeping hours just because you can’t wait until the next morning to send your text.

(Image source: Behind The Basics)

10. It’s Time To Say Goodbye

Once the reunion is over, or the company event has ended, it is time to take your leave and exit the group. Group chats don’t really last forever especially once college is over or you have switched jobs. As much as you want the camaraderie to last, sometimes it is better to meet up face to face, than to hide behind a screen and express your emotions… via emoticons.

Oh yeah, I don’t care if you think emotions should be a language, don’t overdo the emoticons just because messaging apps make it ridiculously easy for you to do so.

The post 10 Things We Should Stop Doing in Group Chats appeared first on Hongkiat.

These ones are normally made by programmers playing around with code and algorithms. Some even call themselves Internet artists like Darius Kazemi who comes up with strange and interesting bots.

Out of these experiments, actual helpful Twitter bots have emerged. So we scoured the Twitterverse to compile and categorize 8 things Twitter bots can do.

1. Natural Disaster Alert

Perhaps one of the most useful bots, these accounts tweet natural disasters such as storms, earthquakes, and tsunamis as they happen.

They normally draw their information from an official source like the earthquake one below which gets its data from the US Geological Survey.

The bot is further programmed to tweet earthquakes that are at 5.0 and above on the Richter scale.

A 6.6 magnitude earthquake occurred 87.61mi WNW of Tobelo, Indonesia. Details: https://t.co/kQRkrHecaV Map: https://t.co/bMruB1nGhP

— Earthquake Robot (@earthquakeBot) December 21, 2014

Some go a step further by being interactive such as Wave Glider Holoholo. The account is linked to a robot that collects data from the ocean around the Big Island of Hawaii.

By asking it certain questions, it can tell you the weather report which can help you prepare for the weather.

#robotics #drone @Aust_Ocean Current Weather: Temp=25.0˚C (77.0˚F), Press=1015.6mb, Wind Speed=7.26kt, Wind Dir=268.8˚

— Wave Glider Holoholo (@Holoholo_WG) November 6, 2014

2. Online Conversations/Debates

Twitter bots can also be made to pose as humans. No, we’re not talking about the bot that just followed you because you tweeted about eating pizza.

What we are referring to is Olivia Taters, the bot who tweets uncannily like a teenage girl. So life-like is she that other Twitter users end up talking to her without realizing she’s a bot.

this time last year was 100% different a year ago and i love how much i’ve changed for the better #sooohappy

— olivia taters (@oliviataters) December 22, 2014

How the bot works is that the algorithm picks words used around the Twitterverse. Using that same premise, DevOps engineer Randi Harper built a bot that helps her debate with GamerGate supporters when she got tired of them harrassing her on the microblogging site.

The bot does this by plucking randomly assembled phrases from her main account.

@GRIMACHU at least you’re using a pseudonym so you have to eat in the dark.

— Generic Gamer Girl (@randi_ebooks) December 9, 2014

3. Monitoring Censors

When MH17 was shot out of the sky, many pointed fingers at the Ukrainian pro-separatist group and the Russians.

Suspicions were further raised when reports of the exchanges between the leader were revealed. But what really sealed the deal that the proceedings were fishy was when Twitter bot @RuGovEdits exposed that the Russian government has been editing Wikipedia.

Статья в Википедии Кривоносов, Сергей Владимирович отредактирована из ФСО https://t.co/opygIQCAhh

— Госправки (@RuGovEdits) December 23, 2014

The bot works by tracking Wikipedia anonymous edits made by Russian government IPs. It is not the first of its kind as the US counterpart @congressedits came before it and there are others like the UK’s @parliamentedits.

All these bots however aim to do the same thing which is to keep the government in check and inform them that the people are watching them too.

4. Generate Poetry

It’s amazing that despite the 140 character limit Twitter imposes, users are creatively coming up with short stories and poetry.

Even bots are getting in on the game with their algorithms searching high and low the Twitterspace to retweet tweets accidentally written in iambic pentameter which is what @pentametron does.

Good times… Enjoying Christmas… Shopping done!

— Eric Currie (@ecurrie1970) December 23, 2014

Or even like this account that finds tweets that were accidentally (or coincidentally) written in haiku structure.

Picked up a branch with / a husky spider in it. / I almost passed out. / #accidentalhaiku by @More__Reece

— Accidental Haiku (@accidental575) July 18, 2014

5. Generate Art

Twitter bots don’t just dabble in poetry, they make pieces of artwork too. These bots are pretty interactive as well as their algorithms will transform any image you tweet to it.

Take for example @a_quilt_bot which turns your images into quilt or as quilt-like as it can.

❦@ShirouSaber pic.twitter.com/G6EQLycvTI

— Quilt Bot (@a_quilt_bot) November 23, 2014

Sometimes, the various bots interact with one another whether by programming or by direct manipulation from their creators like the incident where @pixelsorter and @badpng were pitted against each other.

The bots continuously mesh the images over and over before the creator stepped in to stop the never-ending exchange.

6. Teach English/Educate

The Internet needs more of these bots with the amount of grammar and spelling faux pas it always commits.

These bots save the day (and irritate the offenders) by correcting their English like the now defunct @StealthMountain which tweets back at people who misspelled the phrase “sneak peek”.

Some are relatively simple although no less uninformative such as the ever-celebrated @everyword which tweets a word from the dictionary everyday.

It recently completed its cycle on June 7, 2014 after faithfully performing its task for 7 years. I’m puzzled why this is the last word though.

étui

— everyword (@everyword) June 7, 2014

7. Send Notifications

Similar to the weather Twitter bots and the ones monitoring Wiki edits, these bots can be used for any basic alerts that would make life easier.

One good example is the Netflix account. Yes, it is a bot and it tells you when a show is available for viewing. You know, when you are expecting that latest episode or for your binge watching needs.

Star Trek: Generations is now available on Netflix Instant – https://t.co/FkwgUeUcG3

— Netflix Bot (@netflix_bot) December 18, 2014

Now that may seem like a relatively simple bot but sometimes the simplest of things are the most useful. Such as this bot which sends out announcements on whether a school is closed or delayed in Central Ohio.

No more frustrations for parents and students!

Closed: Fairbanks Local SD/St. Paul Lutheran in Union County.

— CentralOhio.com (@OHClosings) December 15, 2014

8. Respond

Much like the Wave Glider Holoholo, these bots are interactive. The best example would be @DearAssistant which answers questions that you direct at it.

It is considered as a “mini version of Siri” by its creator as it is based on the same data source.

.@FuturisticHorse 1317 miles

— Dear Assistant (@DearAssistant) November 15, 2014

There are various less complex bots that merely respond to a certain catchphrases or key words like @Betelgeuse_3 (it’ll respond if you type Beetlejuice 3 times) and @DBZNappa (which tweets back “WHAT?! NINE THOUSAND?!” anytime someone tweets “over 9000”).

@RedScareBot however responds to any tweet that contains the word “socialist” or “communist” in the spirit of Joseph McCarthy because politics.

Dekulakization? RT @graylanee If you didn’t like The Interview you’re the communist

— Robot J. McCarthy (@RedScareBot) January 2, 2015

Have you come across other interesting Twitter bots? Let us know in the comments below!

Now Read: 80 Twitter Tools for Almost Everything

The post 8 Ways Twitter Bots Are Actually Useful appeared first on Hongkiat.

Rather than send Christmas cards via post or invite friends over for the Christmas party with a call, we now drop emails and invite them via Facebook Events.

While you may bemoan over how technology has changed the traditional Christmas spirit (curses!), it is time to observe the change of time. So in lieu of this festive season, we present to you 6 ways social media has changed the way we celebrate Christmas.

Spruce Up Your Accounts

If you have the time, the first thing to do to get into the festivities is to dress up your accounts. Like updating your Facebook cover picture with a Christmassy wallpaper or giving your Twitter display photo a Santa hat.

And why stop at one social network when you have multiple? Change your Tumblr theme colors and take a new selfie for Instagram; update them all!

Construct Your Wishlist

Because sometimes (or most times) people just don’t know what to get you for presents and end up giving you the boring old mug to add to your collection. It ends this Christmas and with the power of technology.

It can be as simple as a Facebook status with a picture of the object of your desire or an entire Pinterest board with everything you want in it. Complete your not-so-subtle hints with the hashtag #ChristmasWishlist or #IWantThis.

All I want for Christmas is…what? #ChristmasFail pic.twitter.com/Egi7QritZS

— Country 101.1 (@country1011fm) December 3, 2013

Send Season’s Greetings

With 1000+ followers/friends, ain’t nobody got time to wish them all. So a festive tweet would have to do when the clock strikes midnight and you take a little more time to craft a touching and thankful Facebook status because you are #deep.

Then you spend the next hour or so refreshing and going back and forth between social media to reply, retweet, and check for likes.

Oh and you can’t forget to mass WhatsApp your contact list. Or LINE them. Or send them a KakaoTalk. Or WeChat. And then there’s that Skype call you have to make…

Document The Festivities

You put in a lot of effort wrapping that present for your bestie by customizing the wrapping paper and carefully tying the ribbon with add-ons. It’s a piece of art (!) so you Instagram it. Heaven knows how much time you took to put up tinsel and baubles and lights all around the house and the Christmas tree. You stand back to admire your handiwork and Instagram it.

Your mom spent close to 8 hours cooking up the Christmas feast that now sits on the dining table. Before anyone could dig in, you take a picture and Instagram it. And hashtag your post with #Christmasdinner, #turkey and #blessed.

A photo posted by Anna Aromin (@seldabelda) on Nov 11, 2014 at 8:09pm PST

Just Take All The Photos/Videos

Vines are the new family videos. Vine the carollers who stop by your front door with their sweet voices. Vine everyone’s reactions when they open their presents. And when you run out of moments, do it (read: make some up) for the Vine.

Besides, you can send a couple of the decent ones as Season’s Greetings to far off relatives who are “joining” the festivities via WhatsApp.

Count Down Till Midnight

…to be the first to wish/tweet all your followers Season’s Greetings and have a Happy New Year. Hey, it’s much more comfortable doing it in your warm house and in your jammies than counting down out in the streets and in the cold with too many people singing too loudly for your liking.

But if you’re out there because life is too short to stay holed up at home and because YOLO, you have got to take that selfie.

Have a #MerryChristmas!

The post 6 Ways Social Media Has Changed Christmas appeared first on Hongkiat.

In this post we will be looking at 2014 as told by hashtags. These are the topics that were abuzz in Twitterverse throughout the year, you may have used some of these hashtags yourself.

The list is, of course, not exhaustive – we can only do so much in a single write-up – but we hope to have captured the gist of how 2014 was with these hashtags.

#Sochi2014

February 7-23, 2014: The 2014 Winter Olympics began on February 6 in Sochi, Russia and eventually became the most expensive Olympics in history, with expenses amounting to US$51 billion. Controversies and problems riddled the event as documented by athletes and members of the press under the hashtag #SochiProblems and #SochiStrays.

Hey @SochiProblems do I get a little credit for solving one? https://t.co/gyKi1gORXA pic.twitter.com/r7tXzBtE2z

— Steve Politi (@StevePoliti) February 7, 2014

Wolf in my hall?!? #SochiProblems #SochiFail https://t.co/ZMqZFC40jp

— Kate Hansen (@k8ertotz) February 20, 2014

#Oscars2014

March 3, 2014: This year, the Oscars broke Twitter with an epic selfie.

If only Bradley's arm was longer. Best photo ever. #oscars pic.twitter.com/C9U5NOtGap

— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 3, 2014

The host, Ellen DeGeneres, who made the selfie happened, also ordered pizza to be delivered, and tipped the pizza delivery guy quite generously. On the red carpet, Benedict Cumberbatch photobombed U2.

#Oscars PHOTO: Actor Benedict Cumberbatch jumps behind U2 (REUTERS/Mike Blake) pic.twitter.com/kXCei8UoGt

— ABS-CBN News Channel (@ANCALERTS) March 3, 2014

#MH370

March 8, 2014: Even as we are entering 2015, there is still no word about the fate of flight MH370, except that authorities are still searching for it. While bound for Beijing, China from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, with more than 200 passengers and crew members on board, the plane disappeared without a trace, sparking an unprecedented massive multinational effort to find the plane.

These are MH370's crew boarding to Beijing last Saturday night. May they return home safely. #PrayForMH370 pic.twitter.com/YAJBYMQtb4

— Tunku Iman Mukhlis (@imanmukhlis) March 9, 2014

Dear flight #MH370, we here always waiting you. Please come back safely. #PrayForMH370

— azlym (@azlymination) March 9, 2014

#mh470 World's first 16 ctries' 13 warships, 300yds apart 20knts, searching every inch of big ocean till it's found pic.twitter.com/J97X15miUe

— Edphi (@sgify) March 11, 2014

#Ebola

March 25, 2014: It was announced that there was an outbreak of Ebola, a rare but deadly virus, with cases in Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, it was only on September 30 that #Ebola started trending when Liberian Thomas Eric Duncan was diagnosed in the United States. To date, 17, 145 cases have been reported and 6, 070 people have died of the disease, the largest Ebola epidemic so far.

Nigeria is Ebola-free: Here's what they did right https://t.co/J8wgnV1KDA pic.twitter.com/zksNDsN9rv

— TIME.com (@TIME) October 20, 2014

Ebola, The Global Perspective pic.twitter.com/3Vx7761aeu

— ian bremmer (@ianbremmer) October 7, 2014

Obama hugs Nina Pham, nurse who is now Ebola-free https://t.co/LtJ2czH7Gp pic.twitter.com/yaqij3xpl6

— Washington Post (@washingtonpost) October 24, 2014

#BringBackOurGirls

April 15, 2014: 276 girls were kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram from their school in Chibok, Borno at Nigeria. The Twitter hashtag campaign was to pressure authorities into taking swift action against the terrorists and to bring the girls back to safety.

Yes #BringBackOurDaughters #BringBackOurGirls declared by @obyezeks and all people at Port Harcourt World Book Capital 2014.

— Ibrahim M. Abdullahi (@Abu_Aaid) April 23, 2014

First started by Ibrahim M. Abdullahi, the hashtag eventually snowballed as various individuals in Nigeria began to pick it up as a way to inform the world about the plight of the girls. Advocaters for the hashtag include Malala Yosafzai, Hilary Clinton, and Michelle Obama.

Our prayers are with the missing Nigerian girls and their families. It's time to #BringBackOurGirls. -mo pic.twitter.com/glDKDotJRt

— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 7, 2014

#Malala stands in solidarity with Nigerians & people around the world calling for action to #BringBackOurGirls pic.twitter.com/VbnRePSDhd

— Malala Fund (@MalalaFund) May 3, 2014

#Sewol

April 16, 2014: En route from Incheon to Jeju, a South Korean ferry with 476 passengers, most school students, capsized and sunk. Only 174 were rescued. To date, 295 bodies have been recovered, with 7 still missing. The tragedy prompted national outcry for the captain of the ferry to be prosecuted, for deserting the ship. In November, it was reported that he escaped the death penalty and was sentenced to a 36-year sentence for willful negligence.

Many post-it messages displayed at the entrance of #Sewol memorial service area. #PrayForSouthKorea pic.twitter.com/jagySEVJn9

— Jaehwan Cho 조재환 (@hohocho) April 23, 2014

“@SeoulSync: High school classroom of ferry victims.Incredibly heartbreaking. #Sewol #PrayForSouthKorea pic.twitter.com/5iWjPor2vl“

— 시모나 ♥ (@Simo_4M) April 29, 2014

RT @/Pray4SouthKorea: "Student's last message stirs uproar over rescue operation" #PrayForSouthKorea #Sewol #Ferry pic.twitter.com/VnfYttx7ac

— JollyBee89 (@89_JollyBee) April 29, 2014

#YesAllWomen

May 23, 2014: Elliot Rodger, 22 killed 6 people and injured 13 others on a killing spree near University of California, Santa Barbara in Isla Vista, California. He also shot himself. His motivation for his actions came to light in a series of Youtube videos detailing his hatred for women for scorning him and for men who stood in his way. This prompted women to share their stories of harrassment, sexual assault, and fear online through the hashtag #YesAllWomen. It sparked further debate when men responded with the hashtag #NotAllMen.

#yesallwomen because apparently the clothes I wear is a more valid form of consent than the words I say

— Ryuk (@ghirah1m) May 26, 2014

#YesAllWomen know it's #NotAllMen but when you don't speak up about sexism and violence against women your silence condones it.

— Julie (@julieklippnich) May 26, 2014

RT: #YesAllWomen Because so many men say "#NotAllMen do that" but almost NEVER say, "Hey, man, don't do that!"

— Jean Johnson (@JeanJAuthor) May 26, 2014

#RIPMayaAngelou

May 28, 2014: Celebrated author and poet Maya Angelou passed away peacefully at home. Best known for her book "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings", Angelou was widely regarded as an outspoken and prominent voice for black people and women. Many took to Twitter to pay their respects.

"If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." #RIP Maya Angelou pic.twitter.com/Yb1F7TaLDn

— Arianna Huffington (@ariannahuff) May 28, 2014

"If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be." Maya Angelou – who was utterly amazing.

— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) May 28, 2014

"Nothing can dim the light which shines from within." —Maya Angelou pic.twitter.com/oR11k7rwxk

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) May 28, 2014

#WorldCup2014

June 12-July 13, 2014: The 20th FIFA World Cup in Brazil was another major sports event of the year, which saw riots and protests over corruption and ballooning costs for delayed construction of facilities. During the games, Twitter was abuzz with US goalkeeper Tim Howard’s amazing 16 saves, Luis Suarez’s bite, Brazil’s terrible performance on home soil and Germany meeting Argentina for the finals, both waiting to bring home the Cup.

Hey @luis16suarez. Next time you're hungry just grab a Snickers. #worldcup #luissuarez #EatASNICKERS pic.twitter.com/3RAO537HjW

— SNICKERS® (@SNICKERS) June 24, 2014

#ThingsTimHowardCouldSave pic.twitter.com/oIKOfWQO9K

— Rob Tornoe (@RobTornoe) July 8, 2014

"Stop! Stop he's already dead!" #WorldCup2014 #BrazilvsGermany pic.twitter.com/C0kG0pLPRb

— SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) July 8, 2014

In the end, the Germans emerged victorious as this celebratory selfie shows:

AHA! pic.twitter.com/iK5hbfm7Hr

— Lukas-Podolski.com (@Podolski10) July 13, 2014

#GazaUnderAttack

July 7, 2014: The relationship between Israel and Gaza has always been rocky but this year, conflict erupted when Israel retaliated with Operation Protective Edge when Hamas launched rockets at them. Since then, social networks has been rife with pictures of casualties and death, articles detailing the conflict, and declarations of solidarity on both sides.

This is in my area. I can't stop crying. I might die tonight #Gaza #GazaUnderAttack #ICC4Israel #AJAGAZA pic.twitter.com/DdDBIO7Q4B

— Guess What (@Farah_Gazan) July 28, 2014

Anti-Israeli and pro-Palestenian protests go global #GazaUnderAttack #ICC4Israel pic.twitter.com/hoSiRunV3j

— Layan.Baker (@LayanBaker) August 10, 2014

"1043 soul candles: 1000 #palestinians 43 #Israelis their death is our failure" peace demo in #TelAviv #Gaza #c4news pic.twitter.com/CcbplbXgdc

— Thom Walker (@thompwalker) July 26, 2014

#IceBucketChallenge

July 14, 2014: The Ice Bucket Challenge dominated social feeds for weeks as celebrity after celebrity dunked themselves with ice water in an effort to raise awareness for ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), a disease which affects neuro cells in the brain and spinal cord, leading to paralysis. By the end of August, the challenge helped raise $100 million for research.

#MH17

July 17, 2014: It’s a tough year for Malaysia’s national carrier. Around 4 months after the MH370 tragedy, Malaysian Airlines flight MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur was reportedly shot down from the air while flying over the Ukraine-Russia border. All 283 passengers and 15 crew members on board perished in the crash. Retrieval of the passengers’ bodies were hampered by the conflict happening in the area but eventually the bodies were identified and sent home for burial. To date, 6 bodies remained unidentified.

"If it disappears, this is what it looks like": #MH17 passenger's chilling Facebook message https://t.co/dv710fAQ0a pic.twitter.com/HxmFMHnSnS

— Nikhil Bhardwaj (@nibhar) July 17, 2014

Now at the #Dutch embassy in #Kiev. Ukrainians showing their support. Thank you. #mh17 #ukraine pic.twitter.com/r5RfteE0So

— Christian Vermont (@FollowChris) July 17, 2014

1 plane still missing. 1 plane crashed. Very challenging and tough year for MAS, Malaysia and Malaysians

— Typical Malaysian (@TypicalMsian) July 17, 2014

#RIPRobinWilliams

August 11, 2014: The world grieved when news about Robin Williams, beloved actor and comedian, being found dead in his home hit the air. Widely known for his iconic movie roles and his comedic genius, tributes poured all over Twitter as fans paid their respect to Williams via the hashtag #RIPRobinWilliams. The tragic circumstances surrounding William’s death ignited talk and discussions about depression and suicide.

He made us laugh. He made us cry. He ended up touching every element of the human spirit. #RIPRobinWilliams pic.twitter.com/kbEq7OwPOf

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 12, 2014

#Ferguson

August 12, 2014: Protests over the death of 18-year-old Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri on August 9 is still ongoing today. Many on Twitter called for justice for Brown who died after being shot by police officer, Darren Wilson, on top of highlighting the issue of how black people are racially profiled and treated with suspicion automatically. #IfTheyGunnedMeDown carried photos of themselves and asked the question of how the media would use their photos to profile them.

If you died, which picture would the media use? #IfTheyGunnedMeDown #MikeBrown https://t.co/lJMM9a0owk pic.twitter.com/YYxIbPB0xA

— The Root (@TheRoot) August 11, 2014

#IfTheyGunnedMeDown they'd say i was a thug pic.twitter.com/JsLxga0uwv

— Dev (@DevinDinero) August 11, 2014

#IfTheyGunnedMeDown what young black girl would they see pic.twitter.com/NWx9MYfHOs

— Brie Nurse (@BriannaChevonne) August 11, 2014

Protests took a turn for the worse when the police force decided to confront the protestors instead of investigating Wilson. The media were not spared either when they were arrested for doing their job.

By the end of November, the verdict came in: Wilson walks. This prompted uproar and fueled more protests which now include the deaths of Tamir Rice and Eric Garner.

"#Ferguson is Everywhere" sign at #EricGarner protest in Oakland pic.twitter.com/mS8DYZqNBQ

— Vivian Ho (@VivianHo) December 4, 2014

Over a hundred New York City #EricGarner protesters silently perform chokehold pose in protest. pic.twitter.com/zCkejmKlMa

— Patrick deHahn (@patrickdehahn) December 7, 2014

#RIPJoanRivers

September 4, 2014: After complications from a throat proccedure, comedienne Joan Rivers passed away at age 81. Known for her sharp tongue and humor, Rivers was never one to hold back on her comments or her self-deprecating jokes. Her death was another blow to the comedy industry.

"I succeeded by saying what everyone else is thinking." -Joan Rivers #RIPJoanRivers pic.twitter.com/1nKSVnENKD

— Elite Daily (@EliteDaily) September 4, 2014

RIP Joan Rivers. Being publicly told that my dress is hideous will never feel quite as awesome. You will be truly missed.

— Anna Kendrick (@AnnaKendrick47) September 4, 2014

Only Joan Rivers would plan a funeral like this pic.twitter.com/4ZePQ6HuSI

— Trish! (@Trish_a_licious) September 5, 2014

#Bendgate

September 19, 2014: The iPhone decided to grow big with the introduction of iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 plus but within days of its launch, #iPhone6 was soon replaced by #Bendgate. Horror stories about the slim and large phone bending in pockets began to surface and the competition decided to jumped in on the action with their own jokes about bending and flexing phones.

Bend it like Beckham! #BendGate #iPhone6 @DavidBeckhamWeb pic.twitter.com/PHYzdEBYlQ

— Robin Israelson (@grapoluponape) September 24, 2014

#bendgate LEAKED: new iPhone Dali Edition! pic.twitter.com/0aOi9bteOX

— Phone Designer (@PhoneDesigner) September 24, 2014

Our phone doesn't bend, it flexes…on purpose. #bendgate pic.twitter.com/d1DudxDQgf

— LG USA Mobile (@LGUSAMobile) September 24, 2014

#UmbrellaRevolution

September 26, 2014: Starting out as #OccupyCentral, the protest was to call for China to give the people of Hong Kong their right to elect and vote for their own leader. University students and their peers took to the streets prompting news, discussions and footage of their conduct. The protests became violent when police shot rubber bullets and tear gas at the protestors prompting them to shield themselves with umbrellas, bringing about the #UmbrellaRevolution.

New day begins in Hong Kong with protesters still defying police. The Umbrella Revolution? https://t.co/6GGEn1UHPc pic.twitter.com/Quz9ppxjmh

— Philip P. Pan (@panphil) September 29, 2014

Relax, it's just my umbrella #UmbrellaRevolution #UmbrellaMovement #hongkong #OccupyHongKong @hkdemonow pic.twitter.com/282yQFjzVm

— leungfaye (@leungfaye) September 29, 2014

Watch Hong Kong police beat back protesters as students launch the latest round of demonstrations. https://t.co/8wn3DjnDr2 #OccupyHK

— Deborah Kan (@debkhk) December 1, 2014

[Update: This post was originally released on Dec 11, 2014. The following are incidences that occur after that date.]

#SydneySiege

December 16, 2014: A lone gunman took 18 people hostage in a cafe in Martin Place, Sydney, Australia, in an intense 16-hour standoff. The incident left two hostages dead (the cafe manager was one) and a few others injured. The gunman was shot dead. The site of the crisis later on became a field of flowers as people paid their tributes to the victims. Many also reflected on why the gunman, who had been charged with 40 counts of battery against women, was out on bail when he decided to terrorize the city.

The moment a Muslim bride interrupted her wedding day to pay tribute to #sydneysiege victims https://t.co/jsiGpes7ym pic.twitter.com/ROkeT6ao3A

— The Independent (@Independent) December 23, 2014

Maybe if we took violence against women seriously this guy would have already been in jail. #sydneysiege

— Captain Turtle (@Captainturtle) December 15, 2014

#QZ8501

December 28, 2014: #AirAsia Indonesia #QZ8501 bound for Singapore from Surabaya lost contact with the control tower 50 minutes into the 5.30am flight. The manifest listed 155 passengers and 7 crew on board the Airbus A320-216; the majority were Indonesians. The pilot had requested a change in flying altitude to avoid bad weather, before losing contact. While a search-and-rescue operation is already initiated, authorities believe that the jet is "at the bottom of the sea".

QZ8501: Family members wait for updates #AirAsia https://t.co/mYrYqDTTjL pic.twitter.com/qetuR0JDbG

— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) December 29, 2014

QZ8501: Plane likely at bottom of sea: Search chief https://t.co/TqGRSVxlmo #AirAsia pic.twitter.com/XZY0o7r4xP

— New Straits Times (@NST_Online) December 29, 2014

The post 2014 As Told By Hashtags appeared first on Hongkiat.

This selfie was more than just a photo; it provided a rare glimpse of Earth from space and showcased the risks astronauts take to capture such moments. But space selfies are just the tip of the iceberg. Astronauts like Reid Wiseman and Chris Hadfield regularly share breathtaking photos from space on social media.

So, we’ve curated a collection of 20 awe-inspiring photos taken by astronauts, complete with the stories behind them. Enjoy!

Photo #1: The Moon’s Grand Exit

The Sun isn’t the only celestial body that rises and sets. The Moon does too, as captured in this photo. This phenomenon is known as Moonset.

Photo #2: The Supermoon of 2014

Missed the Supermoon on August 13, 2014? Don’t worry, American astronaut Reid Wiseman has you covered with this stunning photo.

Photo #3: Sunset Over the Indian Ocean

Witness the Sun setting over the Indian Ocean, as seen from the International Space Station (ISS).

Photo #4: The New Moon Over the Pacific

Catch a glimpse of the New Moon over the southeast Pacific Ocean. Notice the thin crescent at the bottom where the Moon reflects sunlight.

Photo #5: The Stark Contrast Between North and South Korea

This photo starkly illustrates the differences between North and South Korea. South Korea is ablaze with city lights on the right, while North Korea remains in darkness. A brighter spot indicates the location of Pyongyang.

Photo #6: The Aurora Borealis from Space

The Aurora Borealis is already a mesmerizing sight from Earth. Imagine its splendor when viewed from space! This photo was taken from the ISS over the eastern North Atlantic, featuring city lights from the UK and Ireland.

Photo #7: Rocket Attacks Over Israel and Gaza

This night view might look like a regular cityscape until you notice bursts of light, which are actually rocket attacks over Israel and Gaza. The photo was taken by German astronaut Alexander Gerst.

Photo #8: Dubai’s Nighttime Splendor

Dubai’s nighttime landscape is a favorite subject among astronauts, and it’s easy to see why. The man-made Palm Island is visible at the top left corner.

Photo #9: Bolivia’s Golden River

This winding river in Bolivia appears like a golden thread due to the reflection of sunlight. The Sun is situated off to the right, illuminating the river.

Photo #10: Mount Vesuvius from Above

Here’s how Mount Vesuvius in the Gulf of Naples, Italy, appears from space. It’s unsettling to see how closely towns and cities are situated around this active volcano.

Photo #11: Japan’s Majestic Mount Fuji

Astronauts also capture stunning images of mountains, like this one of Mount Fuji, Japan’s highest peak.

Photo #12: Life Blooms in the Ocean

This photo captures the growth of phytoplankton, a plant-like organism, off the coasts of Oregon and Washington. The milky green trail is a sign of life flourishing in the ocean.

Photo #13: Hawke Bay, New Zealand’s Oceanic Beauty

The ocean always looks stunning from above, as evidenced by this part of Hawke Bay in New Zealand.

Photo #14: Typhoon Haiyan Engulfs the Philippines

Remember Typhoon Haiyan? This is how it appeared from space—a massive swirl of clouds engulfing the Philippines.

Photo #15: Lightning Flashes Over West Africa

From space, lightning flashes appear even brighter than city lights. This photo captures such a moment over West Africa.

Photo #16: The Eye of Sahara, Mauritania

Also known as the Richat Structure in Mauritania, the ‘Eye of Sahara’ is a landmark for astronauts.

Photo #17: The Grandeur of the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef truly lives up to its name, as seen in this section off the east coast of Australia.

Photo #18: A Glimpse Beyond Earth

Astronauts occasionally turn their gaze away from Earth, and the view is equally magnificent. Here, the ATV fires its boosters to adjust the ISS’s orbit.

Photo #19: Spacewalk Maintenance on the ISS

Astronauts also capture moments during spacewalks, especially when performing maintenance on the ISS.

Photo #20: Star Trails Captured in Long Exposure

Astronaut Don Pettit used long exposure to create this mesmerizing photo of star trails.

The post 20 Amazing Photos Taken From Space by Astronauts appeared first on Hongkiat.

Take these 10 cool dads who use their skills to make costumes for their kids for instance. These are the dads who won’t settle for a store bought costume, choosing instead to give their kids a unique outfit that would be the highlight of their childhood. There’s no doubt that a father’s love and creativity knows no limits when it comes to these costumes.

Dad Builds Daughter Mech Suit

Many were jealous when they saw what this Japanese father built for his daughter: a fully functioning mech suit. And no, it’s not made out of cardboard. It actually looks like an honest-to-goodness robot complete with metal and wires. Whatever this dad does for a living, he definitely has skills as you can see from this video, where his kids are gleefully playing with what looks like a plane machine and a shooting tic-tac-toe game. This dad is cool personified.

Dad Creates LED Costume For Daughter

Glowy Zoey is the nickname given to this precious little girl in a LED costume her dad made. This year he decided to up the ante by improving the costume with Minnie Mouse ears and lights that change colors. That’s not all there is to the costume as apparently the lights respond to sound. Who knew watching a little girl running around as a stick Minnie Mouse in the dark could be so adorable?

Dad Makes Iron Man Suit For Baby

Technically, Eric Hart only constructed Iron Man’s mask but it was definitely well-done. Born premature, Eric’s son Collier has been hooked up to tubes and wires since birth. As a way to instill some courage in that little body and to celebrate Halloween, the professional propmaker set about constructing Iron Man’s mask out of foam which you can watch the process here. Stay brave there, young Collier.

Dad Builds LEGO Movie Costume

At first glance, I thought this was a life-sized LEGO minifig until I saw the kid inside the costume. Drawing inspiration from the LEGO Movie, this boy’s dad, who works as a factory machinist, painstakingly crafted this extraordinary costume in time for Halloween. Although when wearing the costume his son can’t bend his knees, you have to admire this father’s amazing craftmanship. Check out this article for more pictures of the LEGO costume.

(Image source: The Daily Dot)

Dad Turns Son’s Wheelchair Into Army Tank

Stepdads are dads too and contrary to popular belief, not all of them are out to make life miserable. In fact, the ones worth mentioning make life worth living. Like this dad who wanted his wheelchair-bound stepson to enjoy Halloween at its fullest. So he poured all of his love and time to constructing a tank costume around his son’s wheelchair. A father’s ingenuity knows no bounds.

(Image source: Bored Panda)

Dad Becomes Princess Leia

Tom Burns’ costume-making skills may not seem like much compared to the other fathers on this list, but he deserves all the awards for instilling an important lesson in his daughter: She can be anyone she wants to be. This came about when he was watching Star Wars with his daughter when she turned around and asked, “Do you think I could be Han Solo for Halloween?” Tom said yes, helped put together her Han Solo outfit, and became Princess Leia to accompany her. There’s nothing better than a father who actually walks the talk. In style.

(Image source: Upworthy)

Dad Turns Son’s Wheelchair Into Ice Cream Truck

Dads who create costumes around their child’s wheelchair all deserve special mention. Take little Carter’s dad for example. Inflicted with spina bifida, Carter has to use a wheelchair to get around. And that includes trick-or-treating for Halloween. Thus, Carter’s ice cream truck costume that comes with back wheels and even an elaborate window display. Watch little Carter wheeling himself happily to collect his sweets here.

Dad Transforms Son Into Transformer

Humans can’t be a Transformer, you say? Well, this dad just proved you wrong as he sets about turning his son into Bumblebee. It’s an impressive construction piece made from cardboard complete with flashing lights. Make sure you watch the video to see how this little dude transfrom from unseeming car to an extra-terrestial robot. Michael Bay, sign this kid up (and his dad) for your next movie!

Dad Makes Elaborate Wheelchair Costumes For Daughter

Reddit user bzzltyr has been creating elaborate wheelchair costumes for his daughter who has a rare condition called schizencephaly. He has been doing it for years so that she could join in the Halloween fun. This year was no different as he decided to go with the theme of Pixar’s movie ‘Up’. The girl’s brother, who has been her constant Halloween partner, dresses up as Russel to her Mr. Fredrikson while her wheelchair is a spectacular mobile house complete with balloons.

(Image source: Parent Dish)

Dad Makes Aliens Costume For Two

Dads don’t only bond with their kids by making their costumes, they share costumes with them too. Just take a look at Jason Smith and his baby daughter. Taking inspiration from the movie Aliens, Jason set about building this Power Loader robot suit with space for his daughter to sit comfortably in the front. This creative dad is creative as he is practical, designing the suit for mobility and a quick exit in case of emergencies. Watch the suit in action as Jason and his daughter strolling along the streets here.

The post 10 Cool Dads With Awesome Costume-Making Skills appeared first on Hongkiat.

There are plenty of viral videos and stories online that have captured that notion so beautifully, giving many dads out there a second chance at redeeming themselves (and perhaps be rid of those terribly biased parenting jokes, forever).

While we’re not sure which of the following dads deserve the Father of the Year award for 2014 (can’t they ALL win?), it’s not too much to say that they all deserve to be the apple of their kids’ eyes.

The Dad Who takes His Kid drifting

Toxa Avdeyev from Kazakhstan took his 4-year-old son, Timofey for a spin on a closed racing track, and of course filmed his kid’s face. There is nothing but pure joy and excitement in young Timofey’s face while his dad sped away. In fact he liked it so much that Toxa lamented that his son demanded, “Once again.”

Toxa did deliver, a year later and again he has the video to prove it. My, my how quickly do children grow.

The Dad Who CGIs His Kid’s Home Videos

Like any doting father, Dreamworks animator Daniel Hashimoto likes taking videos of his son, James. Unlike any other father however, Daniel gives his videos of James the magical touch, turning home videos into stunning action movies, like having a working lightsaber, playng the game “the floor is lava” and speeding through a collapsing bridge (Watch out, James!). For more adventures of the Action Movie Kid, click here.

The Dad Who Sings

Damn you, tear glands! This one made headlines that you would definitely have come across. After a complication during a C-section, Chris Picco’s wife Ashley passed away, leaving premature son, Lennon to Chris’ care. Before the incident struck, Ashley had told Chris of how Lennon loved listening to music while in the womb, so the father did what any father could, sing to Lennon in his incubator. Unfortunately, Lennon, 4 days old, joined his mother shortly, but you don’t have to be a father yourself to know how much was lost.

The Dad Who Raps

Anyone remember Derek Clerk rapping with his boys while driving last year? Since then, other dads began to drop sick beats as an opportunity to bond with their children. Like this father-daughter duo lip syncing along to Iggy Azalea’s Fancy.

And this dad who decided to shorten story time by rapping out Harry Potter to his son. The little guy is having none of it though.

But all those dads probably got nothing on Ricky Weems and his girl, Kayliyah. Watch them kickin’ it together as they bring their A game here.

The Dads Who Did The Twist

Dads love to dance, as this Tumblr shows, especially with their daughters. It’s what happens when mothers leave the kid to their fathers at home. They do the Shake (it off)…

… and sometimes choreograph their own routine (Dad’s keeping up pretty well).

Some dads like it so much, they do it when they get home from work every day!

But not everyone can get up on stage like Mike Carey here. In his daughter’s beauty pagent, he got up on stage, picked up his daughter McKenzie, who suffers from mobility problems from mitochondrial disease, and waltzes with her to the tune of Miley Cyrus’ “The Climb”. You Sir, are doing parenting right.

The Dads Who Make Music

Of course, a father’s musical talents don’t just stop at song and dance. They can play instruments too. But making music is always more fun when you do it with your kids, again, when mom is not home.

Sometimes, when you don’t have instruments, you have to improvise, like this dad who turns his son into his personal drum set.

The Dad Who Made It Snow

Eric McGehearty lives in Dallas, Texas where the annual snowfall is a measly 1.3 inches so when a sudden snowstorm hits, a father has to do what a father’s got to do: take the kids sledding! Eric strings 3 laundry baskets together, has his 3 sons sit in them, and tows them down the snow-covered pavement. Just hear them scream in delight!

The Dad Who Loves Halloween (& His Kid)

Being a mere 6 months old, baby Geraint is much too young and small to go trick-and-treating. Ryan didn’t want his son to miss out on the celebrations though so he thought up a costume that would allow Geraint to go out trick-or-treating, in style. Lo behold, the Sunder mech costume Ryan built for his son. Check out the video to see it in action.

There are plenty of other dads who like to build cool things for their kid, like the dad who constructed a roller coaster in the backyard for his kid.

Or the dad who made a spaceship simulator in his son’s bedroom.

And here’s one who built the ultimate treehouse.

The Dads Who Don’t Mind Dressing Up

Mark Wilson’s son has cancer and the doctors gave him only one more year to live. So for his son’s 5th birthday party, he dressed up as none other than Spiderman, Jayden’s favorite superhero and swung by to wish him a happy birthday. As you can tell from Jayden’s face, it was totally worth it.

Other dads play dress up in different forms, like the one who came home from the war in time for his son’s birthday and came in dressed up as Captain America.

This dad helped his 5 daughters release their inner Elsa (and his too). Awww!

This dad gets mad props for dressing up as “Princess Leia” to accompany his daughter, “Han Solo” for Halloween.

The Dad Who Cooks For His Kids

When your dad is a professional illustrator, he might turn your food into works of art, which is what Nathan Shields does… with pancakes! Talk about delicious designs.

Other cool dads like this one make lunches for their kid, then doodles on the sandwich bags.

And there is no stopping this dad who turned food into cartoon characters to get his kids to eat their veggies.

This is one lunchbox made with love.

The Rest Of The Cool dad Gang

Some dads are not good with making food or building costumes, or even dancing but every dad has their own way of showing their kid how much they love them. There’s:

… this dad who embarrassed – sorry, waved goodbye to his son as he boards the school bus, in various costumes for 170 days. Because nothing says “I love you” more than embarrassing your kid by giving him a memorable send-off.

… and the dad who wore skirts and dresses with his 5-year-old son in public because his son prefers them. Way to show solidarity for your son and his choices, sir.

… and this dad who wrote 826 lunch notes for his 14-year-old daughter to last her till high school, in case he doesn’t (from kidney cancer).

… and the dad who hacked Donkey Kong for his 30-year-old daughter, so she could play as the damsel-in-distress, Pauline — only this time, Pauline gets to save Mario instead.

… and this is the dad who spent 13 years making and personalizing this graduation present for his daughter. Ever since she graduated kindergarten, her father had reached out to her teachers, coaches and principals to pen something about her in her most favorite book in the world, Dr Seuss’s Oh, The Places You’ll Go. He finally handed it to her on her high school graduation day.

You know what would be a good idea, right about now? Giving dad a call.

The post 30 Coolest Dads Ever (And What They Did) appeared first on Hongkiat.

One of the biggest conversations that is rife in cyberspace is about the ratio of women in tech. The issue wasn’t that there aren’t great women in tech but that there aren’t enough of them. And as the diversity reports from each tech giant show, the imbalance needs some rectifying.

Google decided to lead the way by establishing Made With Code to teach girls coding but their endeavor isn’t the only one.

These nine initiatives aim to break down the stereotype that women are not interested in coding and computer science. And they do this by reaching out to girls and inculcating in them a love for coding.

Many of these initiatives started small and localized but have since expanded across the nation and gained a global presence.

1. Made With Code

We’ll start by highlighting Google’s initiative which was launched in June 19, 2014. Made With Code is a community-based site filled with fun projects to encourage girls to learn coding.

The site also hosts additional resources for parents and teachers and a notice board for events. There is also a Mentors, and Makers section: both highlight stories of women who code for a living. [Visit site]

2. Girls Who Code

Reshma Saujani founded Girls Who Code, which can be considered America’s national coding initiative for girls, back in 2012.

Still going strong, the non-profit organization conducts summer camps and helps start computer science clubs to train high school girls to code. Tech giants back the camps, and their participants get to meet key people in the tech industry. [Visit site]

3. Hackbright Academy

The Hackbright Academy markets itself as a software development program exclusively for women. Founded by Christian Fernandez and David J. Phillips, Hackbright Academy organizes proper coding courses throughout the year.

There is no age limit for enrolment, and participants are between the ages of 20 and 40. Classes are conducted hands-on with a qualified instructor from the tech industry. [Visit site]

4. Rails Girls

Rails Girls, which was started in Helsinki, Finland in November 2010, holds events all over the world, to equip girls and women with tools and technical knowledge.

Being a non-profit that caters to the international community, their site hosts materials for organizing workshops and also guides in various languages. It also carries events listings and there is a blog that details its activities.

5. Girl Develop It

Girl Develop It is a non-profit that provides coding classes for women founded by Sara Chipps and Vanessa Hurst back in 2010. Classes are made to be affordable and are available at many cities across America. In fact, each city has its own chapter, which organizes hackathons and tech-related events on top of classes.

6. Vidcode

Vidcode, a Kickstarter project, is a web app that helps girls to learn code by applying effects to video. Creators Alexandra Diracles and Melissa Halfon came up with the concept after discovering that girls like to pair up programming with their hobbies.

The app they created teaches code by displaying the code when the effects are applied on the video and explaining the code in simple language on a sidebar.

7. Code First: Girls

For ladies living in the UK, this is for you. Code First: Girls aims to help young women currently attending university as they enter the workforce after their studies. They also offer courses for graduates but it’s only limited to the general London area at the moment. Other events that they organize include hackathons and tech career talks.

8. Girls Teaching Girls to Code

Now this deserves special mention for the way it conducts events. Girls Teaching Girls To Code is a program where female students from Standford’s Computer Science Department teach computer science to high school girls

Not only do they help pass on the love for coding to their younger peers, but these university students also serve as mentors to the younger girls. Sisterhood for the win.

9. Black Girls Code

Like most of the initiatives, Black Girls Code not only wants to bridge the gender gap in tech but also the wage gap.

Founder Kimberly Bryant launched the initiative in April of 2011, introducing coding to girls aged 7-17 through workshops and after-school programs. Black Girls Code also organizes workshops on robotics and throw hackathons which is inclusive of hosting talks from women already working in tech.

The post Here Are The 10 Coding Initiatives That Prove Girls Can Code Too appeared first on Hongkiat.

Lucky for you we have an ever-expanding series of wonderful acts found on the Internet that will do wonders to your faith in humanity. If you like to see earlier parts of the series, check out our previously published compilations, or if you have a story to share with us, let us know in the comments.

1. Lost and Found: Mother

If you don’t hold Redditors in high regard, perhaps this story will change your mind.

One afternoon in April 2014, Josh Goldberg discovered that his 59-year-old mother, May Goldberg with advanced Alzheimer’s, was missing. Mayhad apparently had walked out of her apartment and didn’t return. After searching and contacting the necessary authorities to no avail, Josh decided to ask Reddit for help.

It worked.

(Image source: Josh Goldberg)

Josh’s mother was eventually found by fellow Redditor geryorama, who had chanced upon Josh’s mother wandering around the street, recognized who she was, double checked her photo to confirm that it was her, then took her to a hotel lobby to contact authorities. He also contacted Josh to tell her that his mother has been found safe and sound. A grateful Josh duly rewarded geryorama for his kindness.

2. Reddit talked teen out of suicide

Here’s another one about Redditors, only this time they were saving one of their own. What would you do if you come across an actual suicide note online? While you think about that, let me tell you what a group of Redditors did when faced with the same situation.

Redditor NotARomanGuy has been suffering from depression for 8 years. He seeked solace by playing Minecraft (as CaesarOctavius) and by contributing to the Minecraft subreddit. But life happens and eventually he couldn’t stand it anymore and one day he decided to take his own life.

As a farewell to the other Minecraft Redditors, he posted a heartbreaking suicide note on subreddit r/UltraHardcore.

(Image source: Mashable)

Some Redditors recognized the name CaesarOctavius and immediately responded with kind words and anecdotes detailing the good times they had with him. But the support didn’t stop there.

50 other community members joined a TeamSpeak room — which allow users to send voice calls to each other — to talk him out of his plans. There was also intervention by Redditors from the subreddit r/SuicideWatch.

And everyone’s efforts paid off. An hour later, this was posted.

3. 9/11 Photo Returned, After 13 Years

Ground Zero is a site synonymous with the tragedy of 9/11 that shook the world in 2001. It was also the site where someone found a wedding photo, one that haunted Elizabeth Stringer Keefe for 13 years. You see, Elizabeth had received the photo from a friend, who found it amidst the rubble. Her friend was moving away and had asked that Elizabeth do something meaningful with the photograph.

(Image source: E. Stringer Keefe)

She decided to return it to its rightful owner, in spite of what she might find on the receiving end. Every year on September 11, she would share it on various social media sites.

Every year on #911 I post this photo hoping 2 return 2 owner. Found at #groundzero #WTC in 2001. Pls RT pic.twitter.com/mZ9LdQqE7x

— E. Stringer Keefe (@ProfKeefe) September 12, 2014

Yet, no one came to claim the photo. Still, Elizabeth persisted. And that persistence paid off when one of the people in the photo, Fred Mahe, came across the retweet by country singer Blake Shelton. Fred went on to thank Elizabeth and was glad to report that all 6 people in the photo are alive.

@ProfKeefe 9/11 we remember what we lost. 9/12 we remember what we have. 9/12/01, I saw the best of humanity. Elizabeth is 100% 9/12 #9/12

— Fred Mahe (@FredWMahe) September 13, 2014

4. Stand Up To Bullies!

This story is one reason why we need to teach kids that all forms of bullying is wrong and not be dismissed as “boys would be boys” or “boys being mean”.

10 year old Jetta Fosberg had beautiful long blonde hair like this:

… and a kind soul to boot. She decided to cut off her long locks and donate them to Wigs For Kids, which makes wigs for kids with cancer. For her kind act, she got bullied in school on a daily basis, being called nasty names by male students, chiding her for wanting to be a boy, all because she decided to cut her long hair short.

Her mother, Heidi approached the principal to take action against the bullies. Instead, the principal told Jetta to just "toughen up".

Eventually the bullying took a toll on Jetta, and her mother had to pull her out of school for her safety. Hoping to find support online and to cheer Jetta up, Heidi created a Facebook support page Stand With Jetta, which gained overwhelming support by visitors. Many also shared their personal stories and encounters with the bullies in their life.

Being the strong girl that she is, Jetta soaked up all the support, saying in an interview that she appreciate knowing that her haircut is cute, and that she is a good person. "It kind of helps me fight against [the bullies].”

Her Facebook page also helped spread the word for Wigs For Kids, prompting many young girls to follow in her lead and donate their beautiful hair to those who need it.

5. Grandma Celebrates 104th Birthday In Style

Betty Musker will celebrate her 104th birthday on Oct 24. She however didn’t want anything, except perhaps a card. Betty’s family and the rest of the nursing home staff decided to surprise her with as many cards as possible for her birthday, and Betty’s great-granddaughter Vicky Thomas took to work by using Facebook to ask for cards for Betty. They were hoping to get 104, but got a whole lot more.

Vicky’s post went viral and cards started to trickle in to the nursing home’s postbox in Warrington, UK. Not only were the cards from all over the UK, they were also from all over the world. There were so many cards that the local post office had to designate a special space for Betty’s cards!

(Image source: BBC News)

When October 24 came around, the staff gathered all the cards they have received to present to Betty, all 5,700(!) of them. Betty was understandably overwhelmed, and touched that so many “lovely people had taken the time out to send them”.

(Image source: BBC News)

And that, kids, is how you rock a 104th birthday.

The post How Internet Acts Restore Faith In Humanity – Part IV appeared first on Hongkiat.

Some tree tunnels are natural due to the nature of the tree branches whilst others are man-made as they are grown that way using gardening techniques. Whichever they are, tree tunnels make lovely settings for photography as these photos of 30 magnificent tree tunnels from around the world shows.

Tunnel of Love, Kleven, Ukraine

(Image Source: Oleg Gordienko)

Jacarandas Walk, South Africa

(Image Source: imgur)

Cherry Blossom Avenue, Bonn, Germany

(Image Source: Adas Meliauskas)

Hilly Autumn Avenue, USA

(Image Source: wallpaperstock)

Yew Tree Tunnel, Carmarthenshire, UK

(Image Source: Guy Stitt)

Bamboo Path, Japan

(Image Source: forwallpaper)

Wisteria Tunnel, Kawachi Fuji Garden, Japan

(Image Source: Unknown World)

The Dark Hedges, County Antrim, Northern Ireland

(Image Source: Travel And Tourism)

Ginkgo Tree Tunnel, Tokyo

(Image Source: sun-surfer)

The Tree tunnel, Halnaker, England

(Image Source: Daily Fresher)

Gormanston Fairytale Tree Tunnel, County Meath, Ireland

(Image Source: jacco)

Sena De Luna, Spain

(Image Source: BuzzFeed)

Oak Alley Plantation, Louisiana, USA

(Image Source: BuzzFeed)

Cypress Tree Avenue, Point Reyes, California, USA

(Image Source: Bored Panda)

Avenue of Oaks, Dixie Plantation, South Carolina, USA

(Image Source: Bored Panda)

Gyeonghwa Station, Jinhae, South Korea

(Image Source: Bored Panda)

Parque Francisco Alvarado, Costa Rica

(Image Source: Vytautas Šėrys)

Laburnum Tunnel, Bodnant Gardens, UK

(Image Source: Tony Shertila)

Sakura Tunnel, Tokyo, Japan

(Image Source: Masai Okeda)

Rua Gonçalo de Carvalho, Porto Alegre, Brazil

(Image Source: Stephen Messenger)

Maple Tunnel, St. Louis, Oregon, USA

(Image Source: Bored Panda)

Tunnel of Love, Kawazu-cho, Shizuoka, Japan

(Image Source: Agustin Rafael Reyes)

Jerez street, Spain

(Image Source: Aidan McRae Thomson)

Tree Tunnel, Netherlands

(Image Source: Lars van de Goor)

Tree Tunnel, Koloa Town, Kauai, Hawaii

(Image Source: Parrish Kauai++)

Smuggler’s Notch State Park, Vermont, Connecticut, USA

(Image Source: Emlii)

Natural Tree Tunnel, Mendocino County, California, USA

(Image Source: Ultimate Places)

Maple tree tunnel, Yamanashi, Japan

(Image Source: Flavorverse)

El Paseo del Espolón, Burgos, Spain

(Image Source: Vado a Spain)

Maekdo Ecological Park, Busan, South Korea

(Image Source: Busan Haps)

The post 30 Tree Tunnels That Will Take Your Breath Away appeared first on Hongkiat.

“Blasphemy!”

Okay, calm your horses. It’s no big deal. A little downtime won’t hurt. There will be fewer pings from our phones, fewer pictures to go through or statuses to like. It’s not like it’s the end of the world. Is it?

Unless you are a hit with actual downtime of your favorite social media sites, you probably would laugh at this like it was no big deal. You may even deny the existence of the 6 stages of withdrawal one would experience when their favorite social media sites go down. But mark my words, if you spend as much time on these networks like I think you do, this is probably what your meltdown looks like, starting with…

Stage 1: Denial – “This Can’t Be Happening”

(Image source: Mashable)

Hmm… something went wrong, huh? No matter, let’s hit refresh. Hmm… it’s not working. Let’s refresh again. There must be some mistake. Again, with the refresh; okay, breathe, it’s a temporary setback, a glitch. Let’s check the connection, see if it is up and running. Or it could be the browser acting up, let’s try another browser.

Refresh. Refresh. Refresh.

Well, err, maybe it’s the router, let’s turn everything off then on, multiple times. Oh, let’s not forget the wires: unplug, plug it in, restart, refresh.

Oh my god, this is for real, nothing is working. The site is down. Cue panic mode!

Stage 2: Solidarity – “I’m not the only one!”

Okay, let’s not panic yet. Take deep calm breaths, let’s check out other social network sites to see if we’re the only ones facing this bleak moment in Internet history. What’s that top trending hashtag of the day. OMG, #facebookdown.

This really is happening, now. Everyone is affected. What else is there for me to do?

Stage 3: Confusion – “Why must this happen sobs”

FACEBOOK IS DOWN!?! WHAT HAVE I BEEN DOING WITH MY LIFE?! DON'T. WANT. TO. CONTEMPLATE. EXISTENCE. *brainsplosion*

— Adam Mordecai (@advodude) August 1, 2014

Complain/cry collectively. ‘Cause that’s what we all do. And we’ll do it on good ol’ reliable Twitter. Unless (God forbid) Twitter is down too. Gasp! Oh noes, where do we go to vent our lamentable circumstances and hashtag it with #firstworldproblems?

Oh Instagram is working? Yes! We can selfie our faces of despair with the error message, to mark this as a dark day in history.

“Where were you in the Great Facebook Crash of 2014, dad?” ”On Twitter son, but I Instagramed about it”

— Simon Thomsen (@SimonThomsen) June 19, 2014

Let’s get this up on Instagram, it’s a quick fix. Maybe it can even help us outlast the downtime, unless…

(Image source: Mashable)

OH WOE IS US.

Omg Instagram is down!!?! We're all gonna diiieeeee pic.twitter.com/FfIrmUSFsQ

— Rou Reynolds (@RouReynolds) August 28, 2014

NO!! #instagramnotworking pic.twitter.com/2jysNcsm9X

— Daily ReHash (@DailyReHash) April 12, 2014

Stage 4: Sarcasm – “LOL U mad Bro?”

Well, some of us can handle social media downtimes better than others, using the power of SARCASM and by storming another popular social media network, temporarily. Cue all the memes and tweets about reverting back to the Stone Ages and going outside to enjoy real life.

When Facebook is down, i imagine a siren going off in the Facebook HQ, sprinklers going off, and people screaming everywhere #facebookdown

— Tommylandz ツ™ (@tommylandz) September 3, 2014

Even Obi Wan can sense the voices crying out in terror. #facebookdown pic.twitter.com/LPKSvqG1I2

— J. Graeme Noseworthy (@graemeknows) September 3, 2014

Thousands are roaming the streets in tears shoving photos screaming'”DO YOU LIKE THIS?! DO YOU?!” #facebookdown pic.twitter.com/OfLAqswrRB

— Pixable (@pixable) September 3, 2014

While we are on the subject, if you are part of your brand’s social media team make sure to capitalize on the situation. Because nothing sells better than making fun of social media’s downtime, amirite? Bonus points if you get more followers for your spot-on humor.

#facebookdown? May we be of service? pic.twitter.com/O5SHfeWR7M

— Red Bull Switzerland (@redbullSUI) October 21, 2013

Looks like #Facebook is having a BREAK right now. Have a BREAK, too! :) #facebookdown pic.twitter.com/rBhH4CMqKS

— Nestle KitKat PH (@kitkat_ph) June 19, 2014

#FacebookDown! maybe…it's time to go outside? :O Pic credit: https://t.co/QMttZIw9Q9 pic.twitter.com/DIBwWTxOLo

— DiGi (@DiGi_Telco) June 19, 2014

Stage 5: Desperation – “Click on all the things!”

We are done wailing. We are done trying to laugh along with everyone else. But we are not quite ready to continue being a productive member of the workforce yet. It’s been 5 whole minutes, that’s enough time for the techies to get the site back up, right?

Let’s try our luck.

Nope.

At this point, the withdrawal signs are showing, you are at the brink of calling 911 because it’s a crime for this to keep continuing. But then…

#Facebook is not a Law Enforcement issue, please don't call us about it being down, we don't know when FB will be back up!

— Sgt. Brink (@LASDBrink) August 1, 2014

Even the police want no part of this. So what’s a social media addict to do?

Stage 6: Acceptance – “Okay, back to work”

We have come to accept the fact that the site is never going back up at this moment. As this point of realization, perhaps a little work won’t hurt. Besides, your hands are getting jittery and your mind needs to be engaged.

Before you know it, you have managed to clear your inbox, complete your reports, clean your workspace, talk to your colleagues face-to-face, and get some natural D from your stroll outside the office.

For the first time in months an enormous growth in work output is about to happen #facebookdown pic.twitter.com/Jfz4B4vqqN

— Pixable (@pixable) September 3, 2014

Maybe, this downtime isn’t such a bad thing after all. Maybe this is proof that we are strong enough to not consistently check our Facebook news feed. Maybe that tweet can wait, and that selfie doesn’t need taking. Maybe now, we can focus on that startup, invent or discover something new, or even take over the world!

Wait, what’s that sound? Oh, the site is up. Ooo, 4 new notifications. Ooo, new updates. Click, click, click…

The post 6 Things We Love to Do When Social Media is Down appeared first on Hongkiat.

But surely that’s not all there is to it. What if you want to document your travels with a little bit more flair than just posing with a famous landmark in the background? What if you want to include your significant other with you but you don’t want to do it the conventional way? Maybe all you need is a litte inspiration.

Take a look at these 5 couples who document their travels creatively by going down the road less traveled.

1. Feet First

We never get to see the faces of British photographer Tom Robinson and his girlfriend, Verity. Just their feet.

It all started in 2005 when the couple were sitting on Brighton Beach, UK. Tom thought that a picture with their feet pointing out to the sea would look nice. It became a photo series from there as the pair went on to travel around the world together.

Eventually one thing led to another with Tom and Verity tying the knot. Their photo series ‘Feet First’ is still going strong… with a couple of additional legs as their family expands.

2. Follow Me

Murad Osmann has taken over Instagram the moment his girlfriend lead him to various countries by hand.

The first picture was taken accidentally when Murad’s girlfriend Natalia Zakharova became annoyed at his constant photo-taking when holidaying in Barcelona, Spain at 2011.

So, to stop him, she grabbed him by his hand to pull him forward. Murad didn’t stop and that photo went on to inspire his ongoing photo series ‘Follow Me’.

If you’re wondering how it worked out for them, just take a look at the picture below.

3. Lens Between Us

This is perfect for couples who are both photographers like Peter Sedlacik and Zuzu Galova.

Somewhere around 2013, the pair wondered how they can capture each other during their travels. They eventually came up with the idea to take each other’s photo, giving the impression that the other is always the object of their attention. It’s a fascinating and sweet concept from the Slovakian couple as viewers get to see 2 different POVs.

The series is made even more delightful as Peter and Zuzu make sure to shoot each other amidst unique backdrops instead of at conventional tourist stops in each country they travel to.

Peter and Zuzu are currently residing in Australia. For more of their adventures, check out their Facebook, Instagram or Tumblr.

4. Lego Travellers

You might have seen this Scottish couple’s cute photos of their Lego selves on Instagram or Facebook.

Craig McCartney and Lindsey Haggerty have been traveling all over the world long before their Lego personas. It all started when Craig found his old Lego collection at his mom’s place. He then got an idea to turn 2 Lego minifigs to represent himself and Lindsey.

The minifigs’ first trip was when Craig presented them to Lindsey as her birthday gift when they were at Paris, France in 2013.

Their Lego selves now come along with the couple wherever their wanderlust takes them.

5. #BrinsonBanksing

Kendrick Brinson and David Walter Banks took it up to the next level by starting a hashtag movement on Instagram.

Known as #BrinsonBanksing, the photographer couple were captured kissing candidly by a friend at Las Vegas, Nevada in 2010. Kendrick and David liked the pose so much that they decided to recreate it on their own with a self-timed camera. And they did it again, and again, and again everywhere they go as a way to document their love for each other. Even after they got married in 2012.

The post 5 Creative and Unique Ways to Document Your Travels appeared first on Hongkiat.