FitSugar

Are Polarized Sunglasses a Must For Protecting Your Eyes?

FitSugar — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:00:00 PDT

When exercising outside, sunglasses are a must. Personally, I can't stand to have the sun blinding my eyes. Not only that, but UV rays can cause cataracts and glaucoma. Two more reasons to slip on some shades. Last year, I bought a pair of expensive polarized sunglasses, thinking that "polarized" meant they blocked out those harmful UV rays.Unfortunately, polarized lenses act as a filter to absorb light waves, which helps to reduce glare that bounces off smooth surfaces like pavement or water. This filter action is great when biking or boating but unfortunately has nothing to do with how well shades protect your eyes from UV rays. Unless the pair you wear is labeled as blocking 99 to 100 percent of UV rays (or the label may say "UV absorption up to 400nm") then all your sunglasses are doing is looking pretty. While it's possible that lenses can be both polarized and UV blockers, you can't just assume that so read the labels. If you want even more UV protection, go for wraparound sunglasses since they'll block sunlight from getting to the sides of your eyes.

Fit's Tip: When choosing sunglasses, you also want to make sure the lenses screen out 75 to 90 percent light. Try them on in front of a mirror and if you can see your eyes easily then the lenses are probably too light.

Source

It's a Snow Day For Siku

Sara Yoo — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:00:00 PST

You'd think a baby polar bear would be ready for a tumble in the snow from day one. Not so for Siku, the adorable orphaned baby bear from the Scandinavian Wildlife Park. His first venture into a cold white world took place this week at just under 4 months old! But clearly this little one has taken to it like . . . well, polar bears to snow. Check out Siku's winter wonderland and other baby photos you may have missed.

Source: Hilmer & Koch for Scandinavian Wildlife Park

Sugar Shout Out: See Siku the Polar Bear's First Snow Day!

Katie Henry — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 23:55:34 PST

Source: Hilmer & Koch for Scandinavian Wildlife Park

Linguine With Sea Urchin and Caviar

OnSugar Blog — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 06:01:25 PST

Sea urchin is often a polarizing ingredient. Yoo Eatz encourages us to muster some courage and embrace this culinary adventure in the form of pasta.

What's so gross about sea urchin? Even some of the most adventurous eaters I know will make the most horrific faces when the topic comes up.

I asked my husband about this - he generally recoils when I suggest that we share a pair of nigiri at the sushi bar - and he offered that it's a textural thing. Some people say it resembles phlegm (or worse), and I heard one person characterize the briny bits as "little orange tongues" (although, let's face it: the truth of what uni is may actually be harder to stomach!). But a lot of these same people will tell me that the flavor doesn't bother them; in fact, they find it quite pleasant.

For more, plus a recipe, keep reading!

Cute Alert: Baby Polar Bear Rocking a Bucket Hat

PetSugar — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 09:35:17 PDT

Looking for your daily dose of all things adorable? You're in luck. Here is an inspired performance from Augo, a baby polar bear, born six months ago at the Aalborg Zoo in Denmark. We have to hand it to Augo - the blue bucket makes quite a fetching fashion statement.

Goodbye, Knut: Our Favorite Polar Bear Passes Away

Mandy Harris — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:32:55 PDT

We fawned over him as a baby, rooted for him to find love, sympathized when he lost his caretaker, and celebrated birthdays with him. But our favorite polar bear, Knut, passed away on Saturday.

Most polar bears can live for up to 30 years in captivity, but Knut was only four when he died; zoo officials aren't yet sure what caused his death. We'll miss following his adventures, but for now, let's take a look back at some of our favorite Knut moments.

Going to the Dogs: the Best Super Bowl Animal Commercials

Sara Yoo — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 10:30:00 PST

Advertisers once again turned to man's best friend (and other animal pals) for a $3 million dose of funny during yesterday's Super Bowl. And while it was a giant of a day for one group of gridironers, we think the trophy should go to Weego, the smartest (and cutest) rescue dog of them all! Which was your favorite? Check out the menagerie below!

There's no dog quite like a rescue dog.

These sled dogs are living the good life thanks to Suzuki.

Read on for more funny animal commercials.

Polar Bear Siku Guzzles Milk and Melts Hearts

Sara Yoo — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 04:00:00 PST

The loss of Knut the polar bear last year left a trail of broken hearts among animal lovers worldwide. Thankfully, the good people at the Scandinavian Wildlife Park in Denmark have brought us Siku, and our hearts are once again replete. At just 49 days old, the orphaned baby polar is already an Internet sensation, simply for sucking on a bottle and passing out in a food coma. But so long as this little guy is willing to feast and snooze for us, we won't complain!

And be sure to check out oodles of Siku's adorable studio head shots below!

Source: Hilmer & Koch for Scandinavian Wildlife Park

The Oscar Nominations: Snap Judgments

Shannon Vestal — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 13:24:33 PST

The Oscar nominations were announced this morning, and now that we've had time to digest the news, we have a few reactions to share. From the positive and excited to the slightly disappointed, check out our thoughts on the 2012 Academy Award nominations, and be sure to share yours too.

It's rare for a comedy to be able to compete with all of the heavy dramas of award season, especially an R-rated comedy, but Bridesmaids impressed us by not just nabbing a supporting actress nomination for Melissa McCarthy, but for best original screenplay for Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo. Nice work, ladies!
We were happy to see acting nominations for Nick Nolte in Warrior and Gary Oldman for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy. Both men have been left off a lot of lists (like the Golden Globes), but we're so glad that they pulled in Oscar nominations since these were two performances we felt strongly about.
The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo may have been passed over in most major categories, but its lead actress, Rooney Mara, was still recognized. The Academy seems to love its ingénues, and we're glad they chose Rooney for her brave breakout role.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has suffered from some bad reviews, but not from the Academy: it scored a best picture nomination and a nod for supporting actor Max von Sydow. We liked him in the role, but it's still a surprise to see the movie come up so strongly.
The Tree of Life was a similar surprise, since the Summer release had polarized reviewers and audiences and didn't seem to have much award season steam. But the movie still managed to join the race with nods for best picture and best director for Terrence Malick.

To read some more of my Oscar snap judgments, just keep reading.

A Chilly Reception For a Polar Bear Birthday Party

Sara Yoo — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 04:00:00 PST

Walker the polar bear hams it up for the cameras on his third birthday at Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland, noshing on a healthy meal of salmon, apples, and carrots. Sadly, no candles topped his frozen sardine cake, but who needs them when you have a plastic hard hat to play with?