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6 Interesting Facts about Rainbows

It’s hard to see a rainbow and not feel a little giddy inside. Some of us even pause on our track to appreciate and swoon over the beauty of the mesmerizing belt of colours.

Rainbows are naturally stunning, like Northern lights and shooting stars—they’re just magical. But regardless how much we believe that there’s a pot of gold at one end of the rainbow, there is really nothing else but a beautiful sight while it lasts. Here are some more facts that you ought to know about this candy-colored phenomenon.

1. It’s an illusion.
Same with mirage, a rainbow is formed when the light rays bend and creates an effect as if it’s visible, but cannot be approached or touched. In the formation of rainbows, light is refracted and reflected through droplets of water, separating the white light from the colors of the spectrum.

2. It can be full circles, too.
The horizon is the object that cuts the full circle shape of the rainbow in half. Without a horizon, such as when skydiving or your view from an airplane, it is possible to see the entire circumference of the rainbow.

3. It can also occur at night.
When the light produced by the moon shines through droplets of water, the result is called a moon bow. Because the moon’s light is fainter than the sun’s, the bow of colors may appear fainter as well, but advanced cameras with long exposure can catch the bow’s colors brightly.

4. Aristotle is obsessed with rainbows.
The ancient Greek scientist and philosopher Aristotle was among the first people to seriously study about why and how rainbows are formed. He even devoted a significant part of Meteorology, Book III to this topic, and stressed that rainbows are made only with three colors, which was then proven wrong by succeeding studies made after his.

5. It has no exact number of colors.
Although Aristotle insisted that rainbows are only made with three colors, the real deal is that rainbows do not have exact number of hues. Each color blends into the next color without boundary, leaving the interpretation to the person viewing it and the culture that defined it. (So, I say there are 32 colors in there, who would judge?)

6. It can occur anywhere where sunlight meets water in the air.
Rainbows can form in waterfalls, mist, fog and anywhere where light meets water droplets and the angle allows for visible formation of colorful arches. Same thing with moon bows, although our eyes see it as white instead of colored arches.

Rainbows are stunning to the sight and are great ice breaker. Wow your friends the next time you pass by a beautiful arch of rainbow with these ‘did you know’ facts.

What You Need to Know Before You Get Yourself Inked

Tattoos generally stay with you over the course of your lifetime. If you want to save yourself a painful and expensive surgery later just to remove the tattoo from your body, you might as well spend some time deliberating if it is one commitment you are willing to make.

There are things you must keep in mind and take into consideration before you get your first tattoo. This allows you to get your tattoo with ease. Not to mention, preparing yourself prior to your tattoo session will always be an advantage to your tattoo artist.

1. Know your pain tolerance
Each of us vary in our respective pain tolerance. Getting a tattoo is generally noted to be a painful experience, and with that, you might want to take your personal tolerance into consideration. There’s nothing wrong with pushing yourself, though. Your first tattoo is quite a liberating experience, but it’s also important to respect your body’s limitations.

If you’re highly sensitive to pain, avoid getting your first tattoo on your elbows, ribs, or in the groin areas.

2. Start small
You don’t need to pressure yourself into getting a huge tattoo for your first inking session. There is no shame in starting small, especially if you’re new to the art of tattooing. This allows you to learn the whole process, starting from how your skin takes the ink to how your body heals after the tattoo sets.

Small-sized tattoo designs are also convenient to hide. This comes in handy especially in formal scenarios, or when you have an upcoming job interview to attend.

3. Don’t do it on the cheap
The thing with getting a tattoo is that, you are altering your body for the rest of your life. There’s no turning back once you get yourself inked (unless you undergo through laser removal surgery). It is only fitting, then, to consider it a big investment. Go for a tattoo parlor which can guarantee safety and convenience.

Consider the prices of their services and determine if the cost is justifiable and affordable on your budget.

4. Choose wisely
Be sure to choose a design which you can stand for the rest of your life. Getting a tattoo removed isn’t easy, and it might cost you more than the accumulated fees you spent over first getting your tattoo done. You don’t necessarily have to choose the “perfect” tattoo design, instead, choose a design which will leave you unbothered even if it becomes a sore to the sight at some point.

The Truth Behind Tattoo Removals

At this point, you are most likely in the tattoo regretting phase. Chances are the initials of your ex-lover might be too painful to see every day, or you just want your tattoo to fade so you can cover it up more easily for formal settings.

Regardless, there are things you must be aware of if you’re thinking about undergoing a tattoo removal process. Your expectations must also be set in the right direction for you to fully prepare yourself.

1. Set your expectations
Probably the most important thing to consider, it’s crucial to keep in mind that there is no tattoo removal process that is 100% guaranteed. The best thing to do about setting your expectations right is to speak with an expert. There are tattoos which only fade (partially) after several treatments, while other tattoos leave a permanent scarring. Others may still leave a ghost image of your tattoo even after your sessions are over.

2. Once is not enough
Unfortunately, one treatment isn’t going to magically remove your tattoo for good. Multiple sessions will be required to completely fade away your tattoo. This cannot be easily predetermined in the initial stages of your consultation because sessions may vary according to how effective the process is. The standard ranges from at least 10 treatments, but the number could end up so much higher.

3. Tattoo location
When it comes to laser tattoo removal treatments, the location of your tattoo matters a lot. For one, the closer your tattoo is to the heart, the better results you’ll likely have (thanks to better blood circulation in the surrounding area). Fading is notably slow in areas down the arms and legs because of their far location from the heart.

4. Post-treatment symptoms
Right after the session is over, there is no need to panic if there are immediate symptoms you can observe. These includes swelling, blisters, redness, or even temporary darkening. These are some of the common post-treatment symptoms which are believed to subside shortly after a couple weeks. Don’t hesitate to consult with an expert ASAP if there are any other urgent concerns.

5. Potential side-effects
You must also be aware of potential side-effects which may only fade after long stretches of time. Two of the most common tattoo removal side effects include hyperpigmentation, the darkening of the skin, and hypopigmentation, which is the lightening of the skin. This is noted to correct itself naturally only after 6 months to a whole year after treatment. Other potential risks include burns, infection, and scars.

Top 6 Tax-Friendly Places

Taxes are like the fuel of a country. It keeps everything smoothly running. Taxes are an important indication of the success and growth of a nation.  However, it does not escape anybody that paying taxes can take away a big percentage of your monthly salary. Planning to relocate somewhere where the cost of living is not too big? We’ve provided the top cities that do not have big tax burdens. See the list below.

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  • Mumbai, India

With a Total Tax Index (tax burden measurement) of 49.7, India is the top 1 tax-friendly country worldwide. In India, the most tax-friendly cities are Chennai and Mumbai, which are part of the top five cities with the lowest TTI.

 

  • Toronto, Canada

Next to India, Canada is the second country with the lowest Total Tax Index of 59.1. Among the top cities, Toronto placed fifth of the tax-friendliest cities.

 

  • Saint Petersburg, Russia

Russia is fifth in the list of countries that have very light tax burdens. It is one of the least draining tax systems with a TTi score of 67.8.

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  • Shanghai, China

Coming in at top 3 is China, with a total score if 68 TTI. Shanghai, on the other hand, placed eleventh among the tax-friendly cities around the world.

 

  • Manchester, United Kingdom

With a score of 66.8 TTI, Manchester is ninth in the tax-friendliest cities in the world. London is just behind it with a score of 79.8 TTI. Meanwhile, United Kingdom topped fifth in this list.

 

  • Atlanta, United States

When it comes to taxes, Atlanta is one of the tax-friendliest places in the United States. Scoring 86.7 TTI, Atlanta is the 19th city with the least tax burden.

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