2012/05/27

As if you were at home

What it is, is a restaurant in Amsterdam called Basis (dutch for basic). When I say restaurant I realize it's not quiet right, as they're not serving anything you can eat. Basis is a setting where you can take your own food to and eat there. The restaurant ownes the furniture and forks, knives, spoons anything you might need to eat. Also you can use a micro-wave or oven. After eating, you go home, they do the dishes, you've eating your own choice of food and more importantly: you have payed a normal meal you would eat normally so going out dining is not as expansive as it usually is.

Why it is cool, do I have to explain? It's a place to eat with friends/family while being out and you can choose to eat whatever you want. Also, after dinner you don't have this massive dishes to do! It's affortable and personal and that's what most restaurants lack.

2012/05/24

Loose weight, win money

What it is, is loosing weight in a fun way. A while ago, as he was lunching with some friends, Michael Paolini realized that he had gained some weight. His friends had the same problem and they decided althogether to lose some pounds. Being great fans of the Honda Hybride (a car that adjusts to the driver and feels whenever something is changing in the way of driving) they came up with the idea of making a fun system to lose weight. The Honda Hybride has a meter that shows direct consequences when something changes in the drivers behavior. All friends agreed this was something great and also something that people who diet miss along the way. They used that insight to create a system that judges eating habits. For example, when you eat a salad you earn 0,50 p, but when eating something not quiet so healthy, you'd earn nothing or even loose money. Paolini has made this way of dieting into an app so more people can succeed in their weight loss plans.

Why it is cool, is because loosing weight is no fun. At all. Millions of people strugle with it every day and things like this can really change that. Making it into a game also makes it easier to discuss weight problems with friends and family and make it less taboo to talk about. I think this is the way we're going to see health coaching in the future. It makes people realize they're not living healthy and at the same time it entertains them and encourage them to 'loose it together' with friends and family.

2012/05/16

Feedback the world

What it is, is a great new way of charity accessible for anyone! Feedback is a site against hunger in the world. Using social networks, the site claims this is the future of charity. I tried just tried myself and I can say it's no more than 2 minutes of work and you've done good so you can be proud of yourself. What you do is signing in with eiter Facebook or Twitter, after that you can make an account and start the good work. First, you type in your favorate dish along with the cost, then the site calculates how many hungry people this sum would save. You can than click to donate that amount or multiply it before you do so.

Why it's cool is because it feels very personal, it's not just a sum of money you donate, it really has a meaning to you. Also, you don't have to be rich to donate, I'm a student and not very fortunated at the moment. Still I can at least donate some money without becoming a hungry person myself. I think it's true this is the new way of charity because it's easy and possible for anyone. The connection with social media also makes it worth it because you're kept in touch with the site and your friends can see you're a generous person on your Facebook page. This way, other people read about it without the site having to do any promotion.

More information at www.wefeedback.com