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What are the 'non-obvious' signs someone is super smart? Here are 15 that people notice.

You can tell by the way they interact with people and ideas.

intelligence, signs of intelligence, smart people
via Associated Press/Wikimedia Commons

Albert Einstein writing on a blackboard.

There are some obvious ways to determine if someone is highly intelligent, like when you see them work out a complex trigonometry problem on a blackboard or when they can easily explain the science behind mRNA vaccines or dark matter.

But there are also those we meet at social gatherings who immediately make us think they are very smart. Usually, it isn’t because they are making a long-winded speech about the fall of the Roman Empire or explaining quarks. We know they are intelligent because of the way they interact with people and ideas.

A Redditor named SomethingAbout2020 asked people on the AskReddit forum to share the “non-obvious signs” that people are intelligent. Many of their responses centered around how highly intelligent people are open-minded, curious and don’t waste their time arguing with others.

Brilliant people are confident in what they know, consider other people’s opinions and readily admit when they don’t know the answer.

Here are 15 of the best responses to the question: What are the non-obvious signs of a smart person?

1. They know what they don't know

"They acknowledge areas where they lack knowledge."

"'Never pretend to know something when you don't' is something I always teach. It covers lying and ignorance."

2. They consider other people's ideas

"They’ll listen to the other's facts and points and take them into account when giving an objection."

"One of the best developers at my last job and manager of a project I was at is an extremely intelligent person. ... One thing I noticed is how he would take everyone's opinion into account. He would take my opinions into consideration even if I'm not a smarter person or know less about development."

3. They make you feel smart

"Talking to a dumb person will make you feel smart. Talking to a smart person will make you feel dumb. Talking to a very smart person will make you feel smart."

4. They see patterns

"Part of the reason smart people throughout history are well-known is because they discovered something new and figured out how to maximize its potential. Darwin was a guy who discovered a bunch of islands with slightly different animals. He then collected and analyzed that data to come up with the theory of evolution, which was largely correct. Einstein’s theory of relativity was based off of his observation that physics acted on everything equally. He figured out that “exceptions” were because of the way high-speed objects interact with the universe’s speed limit (the speed of light). He recognized these exceptions by gathering them and recognizing the pattern between them all, then created his theory of relativity based on that."



5. They consider multiple intelligences

"They realize not everyone is smart the same way. Your 'stupid hick neighbor' might have dropped out of school in 8th grade, but he can drive your car once and tell you exactly what's wrong, then fix it. That a**hole in school that had no empathy for anyone and showed no emotion made that sci-fi sh*t you thought would never be real. Yeah, she's dingy and her worldview is tiny, but she's the best teacher you've ever met and inspires tons of kids to go on and do great things with themselves. There's no one-size-fits-all answer here, really."

People who are super smart are probably familiar with Howard Gardner's theory of multiple intelligences. The theory suggests that people have more than just one type of just one type of intelligence, like being good at mathematics. Gardener says there are several, including musical, spatial, linguistic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and kinesthetic intelligence. This theory opens the door for people to appreciate different forms of intelligence that may not be of the academic variety.

6. They choose their battles

"When another person is not able to process something and, therefore, sticks with his opinion, after a few tries, the smart person just gives up. There is no use in trying to make someone understand something while they already have an uneducated opinion."

7. They speak to their audience

"They know how to explain concepts on just about any level, tailoring that level to their intended audience, and without coming across as condescending in any way."

"I heard a saying that went 'you have to be an expert to explain it simply.'"

8. They're confident in their intelligence

"Not constantly bragging about their intelligence. If they truly are smart, people can figure that out pretty quickly without them doing anything to show it."

"You generally only brag about things you're insecure about because you seek validation. If you are very comfortable with your intelligence then you may not care if someone misinterprets you and makes you look dumb or something. You have nothing to prove. That's not just for intelligence but for anything."

9. They're funny

"I think the smart people are even more funny than stupid people because smart people understand the complexity behind humor and can make their jokes reflect that."

Scientific studies show that people who are funny, especially those who have a dark sense of humor, are more intelligent than their not-so-funny peers. Researchers argue that it takes cognitive and emotional ability to make people laugh, and analysis shows that funny people have higher verbal and non-verbal intelligence.



10. They mind their own business

"This is a big one. They keep to themselves and deal with their own drama."

11. They aren't necessarily great students

"Believe it or not 'average' or 'above average' students are often smarter than those with straight A’s on the report cards. They do enough to pass well and get what they want but don’t let the academic system control them. Life isn’t all about booksmarts. This shows they are independent thinkers and don’t get wrapped up in designed systems. Not all, but many. Many kids who are forced to always be exceptional in school can end up the worst off and can develop deeper issues."

12. They are good listeners

"They actually listen to who they are talking to as opposed to waiting for their turn to talk."

13. Curiosity

"It really does seem to be one of the single greatest differentiators between average and smart."

14. Comfortable in silence

"Being comfortable enough to allow a moment of complete silence while you think when the natural instinct of most is to immediately start replying tells me that you are, at the very least, mindful of what you want to say."

15. Unattached to their opinions

"Most of the smart people I know are not pushy with their opinions; by contrast, most of the opinionated people I know are flaming morons. I don't know if there's a correlation there, but my anecdotal experience has always been that the more eager someone is to state their opinion, the less that opinion is probably worth."

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Family

School is back in session. Here are 5 simple lunch ideas to keep you sane while you keep your family healthy.

With O Organics, it's easy.

Photo credit: Canva

Yes, school lunches CAN be easy, healthy and inexpensive.

Parents, let’s face it: prepping school lunches can feel like trying to solve a complex math equation. It's got to be nutritious, appealing, fast, and let's not forget…within budget. But what if we told you there’s a secret weapon that can make this whole ordeal a breeze? Enter: O Organics from Albertsons.

O Organics offers a wide range of affordable, USDA organic goodies that are perfect for school lunches. From crunchy apple slices to delicious, creamy greek yogurt, they've got you covered. Plus, their prices won’t break the bank, proving that healthy eating doesn’t have to be a luxury.

Now, let’s get down to the good stuff: the food! Here are some simple, kid (and wallet) friendly lunch ideas—made entirely with O Organics ingredients—to help you ditch the processed junk and give your kids the fuel they need to conquer the classroom:

1. Pasta Salad

  • Main: A cold pasta salad made with O Organics whole-grain rotini pasta, O Organics chopped vegetables (like cucumbers, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes), and Italian dressing. Add protein with chickpeas or a three bean blend.
  • Side: O Organics apple slices.
  • Snack: A serving of O Organics Greek yogurt, with some granola for a fun topping.

2. Egg Salad Sandwich

  • Main: A sandwich using whole wheat bread filled with a mixture of O Organics hard boiled eggs, mayo (or Greek yogurt for extra protein), mustard, dill, onion powder, salt and pepper.
  • Side:O Organics tortilla chips and salsa.
  • Snack: A pack of O Organics fruit strips.

3. Peanut Butter Apple Wrap (great for toddlers)

  • Main:O Organics peanut butter spread on a couple of flour soft taco tortillas, topped with thinly sliced apples. Drizzle some O Organics honey, roll it up and voila!
  • Side:O Organics baby-cut carrots with a side of hummus.
  • Snack:O Organics cottage cheese.

4. Quickie Quesadilla

  • Main: A tortilla filled with O Organics Mexican Style Shredded Cheese, black beans, and a sprinkle of chili powder.
  • Side: A couple of hard boiled O Organics eggs.
  • Snack: Ants on a log.

5. A Hot Dog…that stays hot

  • Main: You know the drill. Hot dog (we recommended the O Organics Beef Franks). Mustard. Cheese. Bun.
  • Side: A colorful side salad with spring mix, cherry tomatoes, and vinaigrette dressing.
  • Snack:O Organics banana chips.

But how the heck do you keep the hot dog hot? We’ve got just the tip, courtesy of Allrecipes.com:

Step 1

  • Preheat an insulated beverage container by filling it with boiling water. Let stand for 15 to 20 minutes. Right before leaving, dump out water and replace with more boiling water. The preheating keeps it hot for a longer time. Place the hot dog into the water and close the lid.

Step 2

  • When your child is ready for lunch, they can take the hot dog out of the container and place it on the bun.

Remember: This list is just a starting point. You can totally customize it to your kid’s needs and preferences. You can even involve your kiddos in the lunch-packing process to make it more fun for everyone. Let them help choose the menu, make a shopping list, pack their lunches…even grow their own veggies! If you’re feeling ambitious, that is.

No matter how you choose to give your kids the best possible start to their day, making small changes and taking advantage of resources like O Organics can help make it happen in a sustainable and enjoyable way.

So, what are you waiting for? Shop O Organics now exclusively at Albertsons, Safeway or any sister store. Your kids' bodies (and taste buds) will thank you.

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Millennial mom asks her own mom about raising a kid in the 80s and is mortified

"What did you do without Google?!"

@thedailytay/TikTok

"My anxiety could not have handled the 80s."

Raising kids is tough no matter what generation you fall into, but it’s hard to deny that there was something much simpler about the childrearing days of yesteryear, before the internet offered a million and one ways that parents could be—and probably are—doing it all very, very wrong.

Taylor Wolfe, a millennial mom, exemplifies this as she asks her own mother a series of rapid-fire questions about raising her during the 80s and the stark contrast in attitudes becomes blatantly apparent.

First off, Wolfe can’t comprehend how her mom survived without being able to Google everything. (Not even a parent, but I feel this.)

“What did we have to Google?” her mom asks while shaking her head incredulously.

“Everything! For starters, poop!” Wolfe says. “Cause you have to know if the color is an okay color, if it's healthy!”

“I was a nursing mom, so if the poop came out green, it was because I ate broccoli,” her mom responds.

…Okay, fair point. But what about handy gadgets like baby monitors? How did Wolfe’s mom keep her kid alive without one?

“I was the monitor, going in and feeling you,” she says.

@thedailytay My anxiety would have hated the 80s. Or maybe loved it? IDK! #fyp #millennialsontiktok #parenttok #momsoftiktok #comedyvid ♬ original sound - TaylorWolfe

Could it really be that easy? It was for Wolfe’s mom, apparently. Rather than relying on technology, she simply felt her child and adjusted accordingly.

“If you were hot, you slept in a diaper. If you were cold, you had a blanket around you.” Done and done.

Wolfe then got into more existential questions, asking her mom if she ever felt the stress of “only having 18 summers” with her child, and how to make the most of it.

Without missing a beat, Wolfe's mother says, “It's summer, I still have you.”

Going by Wolfe’s mom, the 80s seems like a time with much less pressure.

From feeding her kids McDonald’s fries guilt-free to being spared the judgment of internet trolls, she just sort of did the thing without worrying so much if she was doing it correctly.

That’s nearly impossible in today’s world, as many viewers commented.

“Google just gives us too much information and it scares us,” one person quipped.

Another seconded, “I swear social media has made me wayyyy more of an anxious mom."

Even a professional noted: “As someone who has worked in pediatrics since the 80s, the parents are way more anxious now.”

I don’t think anyone truly wants to go back in time, per se. But many of us are yearning to bring more of this bygone mindset into the modern day. And the big takeaway here: No matter how many improvements we make to life, if the cost is our mental state, then perhaps it’s time to swing the pendulum back a bit.


This article originally appeared on 8.24.23

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Couple who rescued German shepherd left as 'bear bait' have a message for its previous owners

The couple found the dog chained up to one side of the house.

@mandy_and_mason/TikTok

Thanks goodness they got to him in time.

On Sept 9th, 2023, Amanda Pidruchney and her husband Darren had arrived at a house to rescue six German shepherds from a seemingly responsible breeder who simply couldn’t continue her program after her husband passed away.

Amanda and Darren told “Newsweek” that their plans were to take the dogs and enter them into Schutzhund competitions, which are popular for the breed. Those plans however got quickly “derailed” when they arrived to find the dogs severely malnourished and in “horrific conditions.”

And it was the runt of the litter, named Dorel, that had the worst treatment of all.

"Dorel was chained up to one side of the house all by himself—no food, no water, filthy with an infected wound—completely unprotected from bears…in a bear-filled area…during bear season.

In essence, Dorel was “bear bait.”

Even after being rescued and taken to a vet, Dorel’s plight was dire, since he was dealing with a ton of inconclusive, yet serious symptoms, including a dilated colon and inflamed lymph nodes.


@mandy_and_mason Dorel ❤️ This little guy still has a long way to go but he’s a fighter. To think that this precious boy was chained up outside as bear bait breaks my heart. He’s the most loving, gentle, snuggle bug ever 🥰 #dog #dogsoftiktok #dogtok #doglover #puppy #germanshepherd #fyp #doglovers #doglife #gsd #ilovemydog#foryou #doglove #igp#dogtrainer #dogphotography #dogmom #ipo #dogtraining #mydog#workingdog #protectiondog #protection #protectiontraining #guarddog #schutzhund #yeg #germansheperdsoftiktok #dogoftheday #doglife #doglover #canada #workingdogs #lifeofadog #heeling #howto #competition #dogsport#rescue #rescuedog #humanesociety #help #sickpuppy #sickdog ♬ original sound - Kelsey Hennessey


But through Amanda and Darren’s tireless efforts, Dorel not only survived, but is now thriving.

Flash forward to a year later, and Amanda posts another video, where she writes a message in Dorel's POV to his former owner: "What you missed since leaving me chained up as bear bait."

In it we see the amazing dog life Dorel has now—one filled with Christmas light ride, frolicking through spacious backyards, enjoying “endless snuggles,” chomping on toys, going on walks—everything a dog wants and deserves.


@mandy_and_mason This trend was made for Dorel 😭 So grateful to call him mine ❤️ #dog #dogsoftiktok #dogtok #doglover #puppy #germanshepherd #fyp #doglovers #doglife #gsd #ilovemydog #foryou #doglove #igp #dogtrainer #dogphotography #dogmom #ipo #dogtraining #mydogworkingdog #protectiondog #protection #protectiontraining #guarddog #schutzhund #yeg #germansheperdsoftiktok #dogoftheday #doglife #doglover #canada #workingdogs #lifeofadog #heeling #howto #competition #dogsport#rescue #rescuedog #rescuegsd #humanesociety ♬ Possibility - Lykke Li

Unsurprisingly, the clip quickly racked up millions of views, with a ton of comments showing support.

“Bear bait! Omg my heart broke into a million pieces. Thank you momma for saving him. He deserves the world,” person wrote.

Another echoed, “Australian here: ummm as bear bait is wild! Evil! Thank you for reducing and giving the life this beauty deserves.”

Still another said, “My stomach is turning and my eyes are filled with tears. Love him extra for me. Precious boy.”

Indeed, there are few cruelties as unfathomable as mistreating animals. Thank goodness Amanda and Darren were willing and able to turn Dorel and the other doggos’ lives around.

Darren and Amanda have since reported the breeder, and were able to help rescue the other dogs that were kept there (yes, there were more). Many of course are in dire need of help, particularly vet care, which is why the couple set up a GoFundMe page, which you can check out here.

You can also follow along on their whole adventure on TikTok.

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Man shares the 'one sound in the entire world' that separates everyone born before and after 1998

You'll have a visceral reaction or feel nothing.

via TheGlassSniper/TikTok and 30pin Pictures/Flickr

The Glass Sniper is taking people back to 1998.

A popular TikToker known as The Glass Sniper is going viral with a video that struck a chord with people who remember the early days of the internet.

In the video, he teases a specific sound that was everywhere before it suddenly disappeared into the collective memory of those born before the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal hit the news.

“There is only one sound in this entire world that will forever separate the old generation from the new one,” Glass Sniper in the viral video. “'For when the new generation hears it, they'll have no idea what we're talking about. But when the old generation hears it… We cringe!”

The sound, of course, is the squeak of a dial-up modem connecting with an Internet service provider or ISP, as they were known back in the day.

New year. New Generation. What year is the line drawn? Lol

@theglasssniper

New year. New Generation. What year is the line drawn? Lol

One of the biggest problems with dial-up internet was that if you were online, no one in your home could use the phone, which caused some big domestic problems. Also, if you used a long-distance phone number for your dial-up number, you could be in for a hefty phone bill.

"I can hear my mom yelling 'IM ON THE PHONE!'" — MacksMom1990 wrote in the comments. "Followed by...You've got mail," DawnMichel added.

"I can already hear my sister yelling at me to get off the computer so she can call her friend," Uncle B wrote.

Although they’re uncommon, people still use dial-up modems in 2023. For some comparison, in 2002, 55 million people in the U.S. used dial-up internet but that number quickly dropped to 51 million in 2003. As of September 2023, 400,000 people in the U.S. still have dial-up internet.


This article originally appeared on 1.23.24

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Mom tirelessly preps her son for the perfect school picture. He had other ideas.

Good luck topping this one.

@thedorestantfamily/Instagram

He's a a master of the ol' bait and switch

No parent knows what they're going to get when they open up their kid’s school pictures. Even if they’ve practiced their smile a million times that morning, something could (and let’s face it, probably will) go awry.

But more often than not, these bouts of chaos make for a delightfully entertainment parenting monet.

Just take Vially Dorestant’s word for it.

In a clip posted to her Instagram, Dorestant is seen trying to prep her son Corey for his big picture day happening at preschool the following week.

“Are you gonna smile?” she prompts. Corey replies, “yes!” He even shows off an adorable grin.

Dorestant tries to confirm, “That’s how you’re gonna smile?” Corey, with the same smile, says “yes!”

Because of the magic rule of threes, mom really tries to clench the deal by asking a third time, saying “when they say ‘cheese’ what are you gonna do?”

Corey demonstrates an impressive “cheeeeeese” with a classic tooth-showing smile. So of course Dorestant can feel safe knowing that that’s exactly how he’s gonna do it for picture day.

Spoiler alert: that is NOT how he did it for picture day. But arguably…he did something way better.

Watch:

Um, okay. The pure, unadulterated swagger of this kid. Eyes squinted, one hand in his pocket, the other holding his chin, posed more like he’s coming out with a new hip-hop album than a school portrait. So cool, and so unexpected.

“Nothing could’ve prepared me for the ending 😂😂,” one viewer wrote

Another surmised that “Dad must have gave him a different prep talk 😂😂”

There are even more fun comments where that came from:

“Corey at home: 😁Corey at school: 😏”

“Let him cook”

“Lied straight to your face 🤣”

“These baddies at the playground need to know.”

“Definitely make this a poster size for his graduation party lol!!! 🤣🤣🤣🤣”

“He made a business decision 😂”

“Hand in the pocket too, come on man, this the hardest elementary pic of the year 🔥🔥”

“🙌🏾 My boy understood the assignment! 😎🤣❤️🔥”

The greatest part of this story is that Dorestant mainly wanted to practice Corey’s smiling with nhim because she was concerned he would be shy on the day.

“He tends to get shy and freeze up around others,” she told Newsweek. “Since this was his first picture day at a new school, I wanted to ensure he felt comfortable and confident.”

But Corey’s amazing bait and switch became a heart warming lesson.

"As parents, we often feel the need to shield our kids and prepare them for the world, which can make us anxious about their readiness, but we need to trust in their abilities and give them the space to shine on their own.”

Indeed, kids can teach us things too.

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Ryan Reynolds filmed his colonoscopy after losing a bet—it turned out to be 'lifesaving'

If anyone can motivate people to get this medical procedure done, it's Reynolds.

Ryan Reynolds/YouTube

Sometimes when you lose, you win.

Cancer is serious. Ryan Reynolds is not. Luckily his characteristic sense of humor—along with being true to his word—has helped shine a light on a sobering topic in a fun way.

After apparently losing a bet to friend and “Welcome to Wrexham” co-star Rob McElhenney of “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” Reynolds agreed to get a colonoscopy … while broadcasting it to the entire world, of course.

Reynolds is an actor famous for hilarious hijinks. From his intense fictional feud with Hugh Jackman to performing epic pranks on talk shows, he is often the best thing on the internet for a good laugh.

However, he is also not one to shy away from difficult conversations, particularly when it comes to health. So raising awareness about the importance of colonoscopies was, as he quipped, “enough motivation for me to let you in on a camera being shoved up my ass.”

Reynolds might have lost the bet, but his actions paid off. The procedure turned out to be lifesaving.

The video shows the “Free Guy” actor getting the news that an “extremely subtle” polyp was discovered and cut out. Reynolds had previously shown no symptoms.

“I’m not being dramatic,” his doctor told him. “This is exactly why you do this. You are interrupting the natural history of a disease, of something of a process that could have ended up developing into cancer and causing all sorts of problems. Instead, you are not only diagnosing the polyp, you are taking it out.”

Ever the expert marketer, Reynolds smoothly slid in a quick plug for his alcohol brand, joking that “I can’t believe you pumped all that Aviation Gin into my IV. I was out like a light” before thanking the doctor.

Reynolds got his colonoscopy at 45, which is the recommended age to begin routine screenings. Though it’s a preventable cancer, colorectal cancer is the third most common cause of cancer-related deaths for men and women combined, and it is predicted to be the top cancer killer for people under 50 by the year 2030.

Because of the inherent invasiveness of the procedure, many people feel uncomfortable even talking about colonoscopies, let alone getting one, despite early detection being so vital. But now, thanks to Reynolds hilariously riffing on his experience, the whole thing might not seem so daunting after all.

Thanks for the delightfully silly PSA, Ryan.


This article originally appeared on 9.16.22

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