Monday, March 18, 2013

PFT: NFLPA wants inquiry into Dumervil fax snafu

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Eagles quarterback Mike Vick recently canceled his book tour due to death threats that were deemed credible.? Vick has now resumed his public effort to sell more copies of his autobiography, Finally Free.

And Vick had some strong words for those who are still upset about the fact that he engaged in a six-year habit of fighting dogs and killing dogs that were deemed unfit to fight.

?Why would you continue to bash somebody who?s trying to help make the world a better place?? Vick told Robert Klemko of USA Today.

?A lot of people are sick and tired of hearing about my past, because there are so many other problems that are going on in this world that need to have attention drawn to them,? Vick said.? ?People are dying every day, children are being killed, going to jail.? Not to say I overlook what I?ve done, but I try to do outreach as a positive.?

Actually, the people most sick and tired of hearing about Vick?s past are the ones who blindly accepted his defiant professions of innocence and then, when it turned out he was lying to them and everyone else, shrugged it all off by saying, ?It?s just dogs.?

Vick also explained the reason for postponing the book tour.

?It wasn?t so much fear, but you have to take precaution for yourself and your family, and for other people as well,? Vick said. ?I knew a lot of people were going to be at the signings, and I didn?t want to put anyone in jeopardy.

?I think the small fraction of people who are still making these derogatory comments and thinking irrationally, they?re in a league of their own.? But we won?t let it stop us from what we?re trying to do. . . .

?We?re definitely going to finish the book tour,? Vick added. ?Even if it happens again, we?re still going to move forward, but we?ll do it in a totally different way.? The book is doing great because of all the attention it?s gotten in the last couple days, so what more can I ask for??

He?s apparently asking for people to completely forget what he did, and labeling those who won?t do that as ?irrational.?? Actually, plenty of rational minds have lingering concerns about the lifestyle Vick led from 2001 through 2007 ? and which he still may have been leading if he hadn?t gotten caught.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/03/16/report-nflpa-wants-inquiry-into-dumervil-debacle/related/

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Sunday, March 17, 2013

Justin Bieber Dead, Reports Twitter User JoshuaDJ22

Justin Bieber Dead, Reports Twitter User JoshuaDJ22

NEW YORK, NY ? Canadian pop-star and school kid Justin Bieber was tragically killed today when a truck driver accidentally ran over the star in downtown New York, reports bored Twitter user @JoshuaDJ22.

In a 120-character post, @JoshuaDJ22 announced that Bieber ? singer of hits One Time, One Less Lonely Girl and Baby ? was killed shortly after leaving the Island Records office complex this afternoon.

?Awful news. Just heard that Justin Bieber is dead. Got run over by a truck just after recording a new single. Sad times.?, said the post.

Thousands of Bieber?s followers have expressed their deep disbelief at the revelation, with Juicy_Lucy48 insisting that ?this is all a bunch of bs. justins not dead,,, I know he aint. his twitter profile was updated 10 mins ago?, while a concerned MeganZZZ responded with: ?holy crap! Is Justin Bieber really dead??.

The tragic announcement comes just days after fellow bored Tweeter MazziBanter4 revealed that the 16-year-old Bieber had previously contracted AIDS from his mother and routinely ?took it up the ass from (R&B singer) Usher?.

Source: http://glossynews.com/entertainment/celebrity-gossip/201303170027/justin-bieber-dead-reports-twitter-user-joshuadj22/

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Watch Young Ryan Gosling Give a Tour of His Hometown!

The only thing more fun than watching Ryan Gosling charm his way through an interview is watching a 12-year-old Ryan Gosling ham it up for the camera. A video from the actor’s Mickey Mouse Club days has been circulating around the Internet today, and with good reason – it is adorable how much little Ryan really, really likes his hometown of Cornwall, Ontario. Watch it below!

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/hey-girl-come-visit-me-watch-young-ryan-gosling-give-tour-his-hometown/1-a-527905?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ahey-girl-come-visit-me-watch-young-ryan-gosling-give-tour-his-hometown-527905

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Saturday, March 16, 2013

Seton Hill Bus Crash: Two Dead, 24 Hospitalized In University Lacrosse Team Bus Accident

CARLISLE, Pa. -- A tour bus carrying a college's women's lacrosse team to a game went off the Pennsylvania Turnpike on Saturday and crashed into a tree, killing a pregnant coach and the driver and sending others to hospitals, authorities said.

Lacrosse players from Seton Hill University and three coaches were among the 23 people aboard when the bus crashed at about 9 a.m., turnpike spokeswoman Renee Colborn said. It's not clear what caused the crash, but state police were investigating, said Megan Silverstram of the Cumberland County public safety department.

Kristina Quigley of Greensburg, 30, was flown to a hospital and died there from injuries from the crash, Cumberland County authorities said Saturday that. They say Quigley was about six months pregnant and her unborn child did not survive. The driver, 61-year-old Anthony Guaetta of Johnstown, died at the scene of the crash.

Two other victims were flown by helicopter to Penn State Hershey Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Danielle Ran said. She did not give their conditions. Officials said all other passengers were taken to hospitals as a precaution.

The bus came to a stop upright on the side of the road with part of its left side shorn off, photos from the scene showed, though it's unclear whether that was from the impact or rescue operation.

The lacrosse team was headed to play Saturday afternoon at Millersville University, about 50 miles from the crash site in central Pennsylvania, for its fourth game of the year. The Griffins were off to a promising start at 3-1 in the young season. Both Saturday's game and a Sunday home game were canceled after the crash, and Seton Hill, a Catholic school of about 2,500 students near Pittsburgh, said a memorial Mass was planned for Sunday night on campus.

Quigley, a native of Baltimore, was married and had a young son, Gavin, the school said. She was in her second season as coach and led the Griffins to 11 wins last year. She came to the school from Erskine College in Due West, S.C., where she started the school's NCAA Division II program. She also worked as an assistant coach at Duquesne, her alma mater in Pittsburgh, the school said.

The bus operator, Mlaker Charter & Tours, of Davidsville, Pa., is up to date on its inspections, which include bus and driver safety checks, said Jennifer Kocher, a spokeswoman for the state Public Utility Commission, which regulates bus companies.

The agency's motor safety inspectors could think of no accidents or violations involving the company that would raise a red flag, she said, though complete safety records were not available Saturday.

Mlaker sent investigators to the scene, company dispatcher Kelly Hay said. The company had no information yet from the investigators and could not comment, she said.

State environmental officials were also sent to the scene because of a diesel fuel spill from the bus.

On Tuesday, another bus carrying college lacrosse players from a Vermont team was hit by a sports car that spun out of control on a wet highway in upstate New York, sending the bus toppling onto its side, police said. One person in the car died.

And last month, a bus carrying 42 high school students from the Philadelphia area and their chaperones slammed into an overpass in Boston, injuring 35. Authorities said the driver had directed the bus onto a road with a height limit.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/16/seton-hill-bus-crash_n_2891932.html

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Selena Gomez Got 'Uncomfortable' With 'Wizards Of Waverly Place' Costume

MTV 'Awkward.' star Beau Mirchoff opens up about shooting with Gomez on 'The Wizards Return: Alex vs. Alex' to MTV News.
By Jocelyn Vena


Selena Gomez
Photo: John Lamparski/ Getty Images

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1703803/selena-gomez-wizards-of-waverly-place-movie-costume.jhtml

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Friday, March 15, 2013

'God Particle' Discovery Disappoints Some Physicists

Scientists working with data from a large particle accelerator in Europe are now almost certain they have pinned down the elusive subatomic particle known as the Higgs boson.

Copyright ? 2013 NPR. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.

AUDIE CORNISH, HOST:

From NPR News, This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED. I'm Audie Cornish.

MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

And I'm Melissa Block.

Scientists in Switzerland have reinforced a huge discovery they announced last summer. They said today that they've almost certainly found the Higgs particle, the long-sought missing link that helps explain the basic nature of our universe. This firms up similar results they unveiled with great fanfare in July.

But NPR's Richard Harris reports, it's actually disappointing news for some scientists.

RICHARD HARRIS, BYLINE: Nearly 50 years ago, scientists predicted that there is a particle out there that literally gives substance to our universe. It's now called the Higgs Boson, and it makes stuff have mass. Physicists at the Large Hadron Collider, which straddles the border of France and Switzerland, won't actually come right out and say they have proof that the Higgs particle exists. But Mark Sher, at the College of William and Mary, says that's not really in question anymore.

MARK SHER: A Higgs Boson has been found, period. I don't think anybody doubts that anymore.

HARRIS: The bad news for Sher and other theorists is the particle so far looks exactly as it was predicted to look. That's a problem because after all this effort, it doesn't tell us anything new about the universe. Sher was desperately hoping for something odd to come out of this multi-billion dollar experiment.

SHER: So there are no anomalies, no surprises. And that's a little disturbing because if there's something a little bit wrong, then we can have new physics to learn.

HARRIS: Sher has been publishing scientific papers about the Higgs particle since 1978. And for the time being, at least, he's stumped.

SHER: It's sort of weird. We've been looking for this for 35 years. And now that we found it, it behaves just like we expect. Now what? It's like the cat that finally catches the mouse and isn't sure what to do with it.

HARRIS: Across the country, at the University of California Santa Barbara, Steve Giddings sings high praises to the experimentalists who have nailed down the Higgs Boson. Discovering the Higgs could lead to a Nobel Prize. But when pressed, Giddings - a theorist, not an experimentalist - also feels let down.

STEVE GIDDINGS: Well, it is a little disappointing that we haven't gotten some more hints about the fundamental structure of nature beyond things that were more expected.

HARRIS: Happily for these scientists, there are plenty of theories hinting that unexpected results could lie just around the corner.

GIDDINGS: We have strong indications that something else should be there beyond the Higgs. And one of the things we've really been scratching our heads about is where is that new physics.

HARRIS: Giddings says we need some new physics. The Higgs Boson is the final discovery needed to complete a theory called the Standard Model, which makes sense of the quarks and leptons that atoms are built out of. But the Standard Model still doesn't explain some pretty basic things about our universe. For example, the universe is full of a mysterious and invisible substance called dark matter, and the Standard Model doesn't tell us what that's made of.

GIDDINGS: The amount of dark matter, the total mass in is much larger it appears than the amount of mass in ordinary matter. So that's a huge puzzle.

HARRIS: It may take a while to find more clues about that and other puzzles. The Large Hadron Collider is now shut down for upgrades. Over the next two years, it will get juiced up to be about twice as powerful as it is now. The new improved machine may probe new realms of the subatomic world. And that cheers up Mark Sher at William and Mary.

SHER: There still will always be hope that in the next round of running, and starting in two years, that they will see little deviations which will then tell us a lot.

HARRIS: If not, well, the high-energy physics community is now contemplating a vastly more powerful machine to spit out Higgs Bosons. That could be up and running in around 2025, giving theorists plenty of thinking time.

Richard Harris, NPR News.

Copyright ? 2013 NPR. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to NPR. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.

Source: http://www.npr.org/2013/03/14/174342951/god-particle-discovery-disappoints-some-physicists?ft=1&f=1007

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FuzeBox Hires Google's Amritansh Raghav And Skype's Eran Shtiegman To Lead Product And Engineering

fuzebox logoVideo conferencing company FuzeBox is announcing two big hires today ? Amritansh Raghav, former engineering director for Google Compute Engine, and Eran Shtiegman, a former director of product management at Skype (where he worked on social products and ads). Raghav is the company's new chief security officer and senior vice president of engineering, while Shtiegman will be the vice president of product and user experience.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/euVTC7FW1iY/

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Rights groups: Syrian rebels often kill captives

FILE- In this Jan. 11, 2013 file photo, in this citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian rebels walk past of dead Syrian soldiers loyal to Syrian president Bashar Assad, at Taftanaz air base that was captured by the rebels, in Idlib province, northern Syria. Syrian rebels are killing captured regime fighters and suspected informers with impunity, human rights groups say, pointing to mounting war crimes committed by those trying to topple President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN, File)

FILE- In this Jan. 11, 2013 file photo, in this citizen journalism image provided by Edlib News Network, ENN, which has been authenticated based on its contents and other AP reporting, shows Syrian rebels walk past of dead Syrian soldiers loyal to Syrian president Bashar Assad, at Taftanaz air base that was captured by the rebels, in Idlib province, northern Syria. Syrian rebels are killing captured regime fighters and suspected informers with impunity, human rights groups say, pointing to mounting war crimes committed by those trying to topple President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Edlib News Network ENN, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 15, 2012 file photo, Free Syrian Army fighters look at the identity of a government troop killed during heavy clashes with government forces at a military academy besieged by the rebels north of Aleppo, Syria. Syrian rebels are killing captured regime fighters and suspected informers with impunity, human rights groups say, pointing to mounting war crimes committed by those trying to topple President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Narciso Contreras, File)

FILE - In this Dec. 16, 2012 file photo, Free Syrian Army fighters remove the body of a Syrian Army Soldier after heavy clashes with government forces at a military academy besieged by the rebels, in Tal Sheer, Syria. Syrian rebels are killing captured regime fighters and suspected informers with impunity, human rights groups say, pointing to mounting war crimes committed by those trying to topple President Bashar Assad. (AP Photo/Manu Brabo, File)

BEIRUT (AP) ? Syrian rebels routinely kill captured soldiers and suspected regime informers, human rights monitors said Thursday, warning of mounting war crimes committed by those trying to topple President Bashar Assad.

Reports of rebel abuses come as the Syrian opposition appears to be gaining momentum in a 2-year-old conflict that, according to the U.N., has killed more than 70,000 people.

Abuses by the Assad regime remain far more deadly, systematic and widespread, particularly attacks on civilians with imprecise battlefield weapons, including widely banned cluster bombs, the London-based group Amnesty International said.

The frequency and scale of such attacks has increased in recent months, the group said in twin reports released Thursday. The reports detail the conduct of the regime and rebel fighters. Previous reports about regime abuses received wide coverage.

Still, rebel fighters, who have generally enjoyed public sympathy in the West, must also be held accountable, said Cilina Nasser of Amnesty. "It's time for the armed opposition groups to know that what they are doing is very wrong, and that some of the abuses they committed amount to war crimes," she said.

U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the U.S. has protested human rights violations by the opposition and demanded that rebels abide by accepted standards of conduct.

"We've also made that a condition of our support," she said. The U.S. and Europe refuse to arm the rebels for fear weapons could end up in the hands of Islamic extremists.

The main Western-backed rebel group, the Free Syrian Army, denied that rebels often kill captured soldiers.

"We do not deny that it's happening, but these are individual cases, people who take revenge because their father or relatives have been killed by the regime," said Bassam al-Dada, a Turkey-based FSA official. "This happens in wars all over the place."

The FSA introduced a code of conduct for fighters, but it holds no sway over many of the armed groups, particularly the al-Qaida-linked Jabhat al-Nusra group, which dominates in key battle fronts.

The Syria conflict erupted two years ago with a largely peaceful uprising against Assad. A regime crackdown triggered an armed insurgency that by last summer had turned into a full-scale civil war.

The fighting between tens of thousands of armed men on both sides has devastated large parts of the country and forced some 4 million of Syria's 22 million people from their homes.

In a review of rebel conduct, killings of captured government fighters and suspected regime supporters emerged as the main type of abuse, Amnesty said.

Rebel groups, including some affiliated with the FSA, "are summarily killing people with a chilling sense of impunity, and the death toll continues to rise as more towns and villages come under the control of armed opposition groups," it said.

A slew of amateur videos emerged in recent months, purportedly showing such killings or their aftermath. Several show captured men being killed in a hail of gunfire.

A video said to have been taken March 9 in Raqqa, a city overrun last week by the rebels, showed three bodies lying in a city square in pools of blood. One of the dead was face down, his hands tied behind his back.

"The dogs of military security were executed in clock square," said the narrator.

Rami Abdul-Rahman of the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said he has received dozens of such videos and is growing increasingly concerned about the behavior of opposition fighters.

"Human rights are human rights. You cannot differentiate," said Abdul-Rahman, who relies on a network of opposition activists to provide daily updates on fighting and casualties.

Both Abdul-Rahman and Peter Bouckaert of the international group Human Rights Watch said summary executions appear common.

"Rebel abuses pale in comparison to the level of executions and other atrocities committed by the regime, but it is an issue of serious concern," Bouckaert said. "We do see quite regular cases of executions of captured soldiers and suspected regime supporters."

Investigators acknowledge that videos can be manipulated and that witness accounts and other corroborating evidence are needed.

Al-Dada, the rebel army official, alleged that videos purportedly showing rebels killing captives had been doctored, and that some in fact showed regime soldiers executing defectors or dissidents. He did not elaborate or provide examples.

Amnesty said it investigated one of the most shocking videos of recent months ? what appears to show the beheading of two Syrian army officers abducted by rebels in August in the eastern town of Deir al-Zour.

Nasser said researchers contacted the families of the two men, Col. Fuad Abd al-Rahman and Col. Izz al-Din Badr.

The relatives said the kidnappers, identifying themselves as members of the armed opposition group Osoud al-Tawhid, contacted the families shortly after the abductions and demanded ransom. Negotiations ensued, but the kidnappers eventually informed the families that the two men had been killed, Amnesty said. Video of the purported killing first emerged in November.

Amnesty's Nasser said she believes the video is authentic, noting that the families identified the slain men. She said a witness in Deir al-Zour confirmed that the killing took place and provided a location, while other Syrians confirmed that those in the video spoke the local dialect.

Amnesty said there has been an increase in summary executions since the start of the conflict, but that it is impossible to estimate how many people have been killed this way.

A medical relief worker in Douma, a suburb of the capital of Damascus, told the group that in the summer of 2011, he was called to retrieve about one body every two weeks, but that by the summer of 2012, that number had risen to several a day.

Nasser quoted local rebel commanders as saying that when the regime began intensifying airstrikes last summer, summary killings increased. "In the battlefield, they felt captured soldiers would slow them down, so they would kill them," she said.

Amnesty's second report, on regime conduct, said Assad's military has intensified indiscriminate air and artillery attacks on civilian populations in recent months.

Unguided air-delivered bombs, ballistic missiles and cluster bombs are among the weapons used by the regime, "in utter disregard for the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law," the group said.

Cluster bombs explode in the air and drop dozens of "bomblets" that often do not explode on impact. They remain explosive, increasing the threat of later injury to civilians. A majority of countries have banned their use, though not Syria.

In a recent two-week period, an Amnesty researcher visited 17 towns in rebel-held areas of northern Syria and counted more than 310 people killed in regime attacks, including 157 children and 52 women, the report said. This included more than 160 people killed in three ballistic missile attacks on the city of Aleppo, Syria's largest.

The regime either attacked civilians directly, with no obvious military targets in the area, or fired indiscriminately, the group said.

___

Associated Press writers Zeina Karam in Beirut and Bradley S. Klapper in Washington contributed.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-03-14-Syria-Abuses/id-141a17aa55a741a7babb753c74b4b4a8

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Sci-Fi Science: Attack of the Cabbage Clones

Growing green clones: Grow new cabbage plants from an old cabbage plant. Image: George Resteck

Key concepts
Plant biology
Cloning
Reproduction
Asexual reproduction

Introduction
Around Saint Patrick's Day the color green seems to be everywhere?from hats to shamrocks. For this Saint Paddy's Day, you could show off your own green creation?by cloning a plant! Many sci?fi tales of cloned organisms have been based on the actual scientific method for cloning animals or plants. In the real world the cloning of plants is often used in modern agriculture. How do you clone a plant? In this activity you will get to find out by making your own cabbage clones!

Background
Unlike most animals, plants commonly use two different ways to reproduce, depending on conditions. These two different types of reproduction are sexual reproduction and asexual reproduction. Many plants we're familiar with, such as flowering plants, undergo sexual reproduction by making seeds, where each seed contains an embryo that will grow into a mature plant under the right conditions. Sexual reproduction requires both male and female parts of a plant, which mix to form the embryo, bringing different sets of genes from both parent plants.

Asexual reproduction in plants is when new plants are made without male and female parts mixing, and it can be done without making seeds. The new progeny plant is a genetic clone of the parent plant. Although asexual reproduction usually produces plants with relatively less diversity compared with those created via sexual reproduction, asexual reproduction can be quite useful. Cloning plants is very common in agriculture because a plant can often be made relatively quickly this way, and it allows a farmer to grow more reliable produce, harvesting essentially the same plant from one year to the next.

Materials
? Three paper towels
? Three small, sealable plastic bags
? Scissors (optional)
? Water
? Fresh head of cabbage. Napa cabbage is recommended, because it is longer than the more common round cabbage, is less dense, easier to pick apart and has a longer stem.
? Cutting board
? Knife
? Camera (optional)
? Permanent marker

Preparation
? Fold a paper towel in half and then fold it in half again so that it can fit into a sealable plastic bag. Slip the folded paper towel into the bag so that the last fold you made is at the bottom of the bag. (If the folded paper towel is too long to fit into the bag, trim it to fit using scissors.)
? Add water to the bag so that the paper towel is damp, but do not add so much water that it is dripping wet. Pour out any extra water.
? Repeat these steps with the other paper towels and sealable plastic bags so that you have prepared three sealable plastic bags with damp paper towels inside.
? Remove the leaves from your cabbage. Beginning with the outer leaves, gently pull all of the leaves of the cabbage off of the stem. Do not worry if you don't get the entire leaf removed?it is better to leave some of the leaf attached than to risk damaging the stem.
? You should have an adult's help to use the knife when cutting the stem in the Procedure.

Procedure
? Place the cabbage stem on a cutting board and, with an adult's help, use a knife to carefully slice the stem crosswise into three pieces. Try to make each piece about the same length. You should have a top, middle and bottom piece, where the bottom piece would be closest to where the roots were (they should already have been removed) and the top piece would be at the top of the plant. How are the pieces different from each other? How are they similar? What color(s) are they?
? If you have a camera handy, you can take pictures of the stem pieces.
? Put one stem piece into each bag you have prepared. Put each piece in the middle of the folded layers of the paper towel (with two layers above the piece and two below it). Blow a tiny bit of air into each bag before sealing it.
? Once sealed, use the permanent marker to label each bag (as "top," "middle" or "bottom") based on which piece is inside.
? Place the three bags near a window at room temperature.
? The next day open the bags and observe the cabbage stem pieces. Do the pieces seem to have changed? Do some look like they're becoming clones? How can you tell?
? Reseal each bag, again blowing a tiny bit of air into each one before doing so. Place the bags back near the window.
? Continue observing the cabbage stem pieces each day like this until you have observed them for at least a week. How do the pieces change over time? Do some pieces sprout green leaves or develop small green spots? Do some seem to rot?turning brown, slimy and smelly?
? Did one piece (top, middle or bottom) become the best clone? How can you tell? Did a certain piece not clone at all? If some pieces became better clones than others, why do you think this is?
? Extra: You can try to continue growing the clones you started in this activity. To do this, remove the clones from the bags after they've been growing for about 10 to 12 days, have an adult help you carefully use a knife to cut off and discard any rotting pieces, and put the clones onto damp potting soil in a pot or other container. Keep the soil damp and observe how the clones grow and change over time. Do the leaves grow? Do they sprout roots? Do they turn into plants like the original cabbage you used or are they different somehow?
? Extra: You can try cloning other crops as well, such as celery stem parts, tubers of potatoes, slices of carrot, lettuce stems, separated garlic cloves, etcetera. Do clones come from the same part of the plant? Do other crops need different conditions to be cloned? Are some crops cloned much more easily than others?
? Extra: Try comparing the time it takes to produce a mature cabbage by cloning to growing it from a seed. How much faster is cloning a vegetable than growing it from seed? What is the yield from each method?


Source: http://rss.sciam.com/click.phdo?i=6a1af5e7104f50428fa5899ceb3b6f1e

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Another Prohibitionist Is Blind to the Drug War's Costs (Atlantic Politics Channel)

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The Daily Roundup for 03.13.2013

DNP The Daily RoundUp

You might say the day is never really done in consumer technology news. Your workday, however, hopefully draws to a close at some point. This is the Daily Roundup on Engadget, a quick peek back at the top headlines for the past 24 hours -- all handpicked by the editors here at the site. Click on through the break, and enjoy.

Comments

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/03/13/the-daily-roundup-for-03-13-2013/

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Top House Chairman Optimistic About Afghanistan

U.S. military leaders and the American ambassador favor a residual force of 13,600 in Afghanistan after combat troops leave at the end of 2014, the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee said Wednesday as President Barack Obama faces political and military pressures on his upcoming decision on the size of the force.

A day after wrapping up his third trip to Afghanistan, Rep. Howard "Buck" McKeon, R-Calif., said a U.S. force of 13,600 combined with coalition troops of some 6,000 would be "the one that has the least risk going forward." McKeon said he met with Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, the top commander in Afghanistan, during the trip and he favors a residual force of that size as does Ambassador James Cunningham.

"I think we dropped the ball on Iraq," McKeon said in an interview with a small group of reporters. "I don't want to see that happen in Afghanistan."

Obama is expected to announce in the coming weeks the size of the U.S. force after combat troops leave Dec. 31, 2014, with political pressure from a war-weary nation for the United States to end its involvement in Afghanistan. More than 2,000 Americans have died since 2001, more than 18,000 have been wounded and billions of dollars have been spent.

The 13,600 plus the additional 6,000 is far more than what U.S. and NATO leaders discussed last month at a NATO meeting in Brussels. Officials said then that they may keep a total force of between 8,000 and 12,000 troops in Afghanistan. Former Defense Secretary Leon Panetta acknowledged that was the range being considered, but insisted that no final decision had been made.

Since then, military officials have made it clear that they prefer a more robust residual force, pushing back against the lower number in advance of Obama's announcement. Last week, Gen. James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, said he personally recommended the U.S. leave 13,600 troops in Afghanistan and that he assumed the NATO allies would probably contribute "around 50 percent" of the U.S. total, which would be roughly 6,500.

"We have to send a message of commitment," Mattis told the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Republican lawmakers who have traveled to Afghanistan and met with U.S. military leaders have strongly expressed their support for that number. McKeon and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., have indicated their support for a significant presence.

Defense hawks in Congress such as McKeon are up against tea partyers and other fiscal conservatives determined to cut defense spending as the U.S. winds down the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. McKeon said estimates show that the residual force would cost around $25 billion.

The chairman said it was critical that the United States work out a bilateral security agreement with Afghanistan quickly as well as settle on the size of the residual force. He said those concrete steps would help him in the May-June time period as the House works on a defense policy bill and he pushes back against the growing calls for immediately ending U.S. operations in Afghanistan.

During his trip, McKeon did not meet with Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, who this past weekend accused the Americans of working in collusion with Taliban insurgents to keep Afghanistan weak. McKeon said Dunford has told Karzai to direct his frustration at him and added that the Marine has the right temperament to deal with the mercurial Afghan president.

McKeon did meet briefly with newly minted Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel during the trip, and he said the two were in agreement on the imperative of working out a bilateral security agreement.

???

Donna Cassata can be followed on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/DonnaCassataAP

Also Read

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/top-house-chairman-optimistic-afghanistan-172006313.html

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Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Mystery of 'zombie worm' development unveiled

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

How do bone-eating worms reproduce? A new study by Norio Miyamoto and colleagues from the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology sheds light on this question through a detailed observation of the postembryonic development and sexual maturation of Osedax worms, also known as "zombie worms." These worms typically inhabit vertebrate bones on the seafloor. The study is published online in Springer's journal Naturwissenschaften - The Science of Nature.

Osedax is Latin for "bone-devourer," which refers to how the worms bore into the bones of whale carcasses to reach enclosed fats and oils, on which they rely for sustenance. The first two species of Osedax were discovered by scientists in 2002. To date, information about the postembryonic development of these marine worms, Osedax species, is lacking. In order to understand their development and maturation, Miyamoto and team induced settlement of the bone-eating worm's larvae (Osedax japonicus specifically) by adding small pieces of whale bone to the petri dishes in which they were cultivating the larvae. After a period of time, they dissected the bones to observe the juvenile worms.

The researchers witnessed the whole development process of the worms, including the duration of the larval stage, the development of typically small, dwarf males and the maturation time in this species. They found that females started to spawn eggs six weeks after settlement. This rapid sexual maturation of females, alongside the male dwarfism which was observed, enables the worms to reproduce effectively in the food-rich, but highly isolated habitat of whale bones.

Dr. Miyamoto said, "Our findings provide essential information on the reproductive strategy of Osedax worms. Osedax japonicus are a promising model organism with which to address the evolution and development of these so-called bone-eating worms."

###

Springer: http://www.springer.com

Thanks to Springer for this article.

This press release was posted to serve as a topic for discussion. Please comment below. We try our best to only post press releases that are associated with peer reviewed scientific literature. Critical discussions of the research are appreciated. If you need help finding a link to the original article, please contact us on twitter or via e-mail.

This press release has been viewed 36 time(s).

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/127272/Mystery_of__zombie_worm__development_unveiled

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Characteristics of the most useful SEO Company growing Your ...

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Listed below are the top 3 characteristics of a best Search engine optimization company if you are a enterprise in Parramatta, Sydney

1. Any best Search engine optimization company must have a healthy standing in the industry and have a vast expertise. Not only that but leading SEO businesses offer various SEO services with the excellent customer relation that are willing to lover with you to provide best Search engine optimization results for your online marketing campaign.

Only two. A top Search engine optimization company doesn?t have to be very costly but good feedback coming from previous customers are best indicators it?s a reliable Search engine optimization company. Don?t depend upon how many links they can perform but how nicely they understand your current niche to be able to deliver the very best rankings and also the most relevant visitors for potential prospects.

3. The very best SEO company should have representatives that could be reached effortlessly for questions and assistance. SEO services should also be individualised every customer or per site to make sure correct and appropriate SEO strategies are implemented. Be sure that your SEO technique is a whitened hat Search engine optimization and the links are coming from relevant site for your niche to take benefit from the link popularity factors.

Don?t forget these simple characteristics of the finest SEO businesses in choosing who you can lover with in developing your business and becoming ahead of the sport.

Joseph Smith is a professional coach for over 12 yrs and been studying masterful improvements in seo basics as part of her involvement with New Ideas Team ,a new innovative team for developing people. Find out about her website to learn All about her search engine optimization service ideas over the years.

Source: http://www.adsbehind.com/blog/affiliates-tips/search-engine-optimization/characteristics-of-the-most-useful-seo-company-growing-your-business/

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Restaurant Review: Beer Kitchen | The University News

Westport dive serves up Americana-style food,boasts extensive drinks list

Walking in from the cold, I was immediately greeted by a smiling hostess and the warm, relaxing ambiance at Beer Kitchen, 435 Westport Road.

Custom order Mac and Cheese with grilled chicken Photo by Andreina Byrne

Custom order Mac and Cheese with grilled chicken
Photo by Andreina Byrne

I was seated in the middle of the dining area, and my server quickly took the drink order and returned within a few short minutes.

At this point, I was feeling positive, but when the server brought back the first drink order?? water and lemon??I was somewhat disappointed that she only returned with half of my request?? the lemon was missing! Not a huge deal, but it gave a slightly negative impression.

An assortment of ?feel-good? snacks and starters on the menu include deviled eggs, pretzel twists, black-eyed pea hummus and nachos.

As tempting as they seemed, I decided to skip the snacks and starters. Instead, I decided to choose from the multiple styles of hand-cut and cheese fries as an appetizer. There are also seven styles of dipping sauces, so there is little worry of choosing the same thing twice.

After ordering a basket of Belgian Style fries with Sweet Thai Chili sauce, I decided that I would skip my love for breakfast entrees in the evening, at the request of the server, and build my own macaroni and cheese. It sounded too good to be true, but it does exist! The macaroni and cheese runs $11, but even for a student, this meal was worth it money-wise.

There are also build-your-own omelet and lunch box sections, where patrons can choose an appetizer and main course for less than $10. Patrons may select from a variety of meats and veggies, and the choices are anything but boring.

This was a meal suited for a hungry student, like myself, who tries to buy economical meals where leftovers will be an option.

Beer Kitchen also has a great happy hour options and prices, including beer, cocktails and food.

At an establishment like Beer Kitchen, it?s known that you?re getting yourself into something good, as they say, the minute you walk in and are greeted by multiple hanging tap handles enticing patrons from the dining area.

Not a beer drinker? The drink choices are also fantastic and not too steeply priced.

The only problem I had with the meal is that it was definitely not something you want to eat if you have things to do later on ? it will knock you out!

Perhaps one of the burgers or salads would have been better choices, considering that I passed out from a carbohydrate takeover once I left.

Overall, things went smoothly; the Americana-style food, delectable beer and drink lists were enough to entice another round.

abyrne@unews.com

Source: http://unews.com/2013/03/11/restaurant-review-beer-kitchen/

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Tuesday, March 12, 2013

13 Hurt in D.C. Shooting, Suspects Remain at Large

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2013/03/13-hurt-in-dc-shooting-suspects-remain-at-large/

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Irish Food and Drink Exports Pass ?9 Billion

Markets Featured Articles

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Irish food and drink exports have passed ?9 billion for the first time and the country has seen its food exports to Asia rise by 75 per cent since 2010, according to a new report from Bord Bia, the Irish Food Board.

According to new figures released today by Bord Bia, the value of Irish food and drink exports in 2012 surpassed ?9 billion for the first time. This builds upon, and consolidates, the food industry's exceptionally strong performance over the past three years, with exports currently valued at ?2 billion, or 28%, ahead of 2009 levels. The strongest performing categories were meat and livestock (?3 billion), seafood (?493 million) and beverages (?1.26 billion).

Commenting on the figures, Aidan Cotter, Chief Executive, Bord Bia stated "despite falling global commodity prices, lower output in some sectors and the continued weakness in consumer spending in established markets, the Irish food industry has delivered another robust export performance. The continued diversification into new and emerging markets, benefitting further from favourable exchange rates, is particularly welcoming with exports to Asia up by 75% since 2010."

Bord Bia Chairman Michael Carey added "Irish food and drink was a major contributor to the economy's strong export performance in 2012 and I would like to commend the industry for its performance in what remains a challenging and competitive environment. Many of the major categories recorded increases, led by meat and livestock which increased by ?128 million; seafood exports increased by 18%, or ?75 million, while beverage exports recorded growth of ?37 million."

2013 Prospects

The immediate prospects for Irish food and drink exports in 2013 remain positive, with increased output in some key sectors, most notably beef, combined with more stable global commodity prices expected. However, feed and other input cost developments in the livestock sector will again play a key role in determining farm level performance, following a difficult year for farming due to poor weather conditions and rising costs.

The results of the annual Bord Bia industry survey, completed in December 2012, also show continued confidence among food and drink manufacturers and a strong positive outlook for the year ahead. In total, 77% of exporters reported increased sales over the past 12 months, while 75% expect export sales to increase again in 2013.

Bord Bia's Key Initiatives

Among Bord Bia's key initiatives this year will be the continued development, global promotion and marketing of its Origin Green initiative, designed to establish Ireland as a world leader in sustainability and enhance export performance. Since launching in June 2012, some 164 companies accounting for almost 60% of Irish food and drink exports have signed up to the programme. These companies are currently working with Bord Bia to develop, and commit to, sustainability plans setting out clear targets in key areas such as emissions, energy, waste, water, biodiversity and corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. Individual sustainability commitments submitted by major players within the Irish food industry include a 20% reduction in energy use by 2015; the implementation of rainwater harvesting by 2014 and a 30% reduction in emissions by 2020.

Today, Bord Bia also announced plans to recruit ten new 'Global Ambassadors', to be jointly funded by Bord Bia and the food industry, as part of a major drive to communicate and promote Ireland's sustainability and green credentials under the Origin Green umbrella. Regions to be targeted include Africa, South East Asia, India, and Russia. It is envisaged that the 'Origin Green Ambassadors' will specifically target the top global companies around the world, including in Europe and in the US, customers or potential customers, to engage in a two-way dialogue on sustainability. The initiative will be linked to the Bord Bia Marketing Fellowship programme.

"As the Origin Green programme is implemented its success will ultimately be measured by the extent to which it acts to enhance the value of Irish food and drink in the global marketplace" commented Aidan Cotter. "Working in conjunction with Bord Bia, food companies, embassies and consulates, the specific role of the Ambassadors will be to promote Origin Green, including the development of networks, leveraging the diaspora, and helping to open doors for Irish food and drink companies."

In the year ahead, Bord Bia also plans to promote Origin Green, and Ireland's green reputation, by hosting a Global Sustainability Conference at the Dublin Convention Centre in September; participating in excess of 25 overseas trade shows and delivering a comprehensive sustainability communications campaign to key stakeholders across Ireland.

Export Reach

The broadening of the food and drink industry's export reach evident over recent years continued throughout 2012, helped by ongoing demand and a more favourable exchange rate. The weakening of the euro relative to sterling helped boost trade to the UK, where the value of exports increased by 5% (?170 million) to reach ?3.8 billion, representing 42% of total Irish food and drink exports in 2012.

Ongoing weakness in many economies across the euro zone combined with more favourable exchange rates with both sterling and the US dollar impacted on trade levels to other EU markets in 2012. For the year exports are estimated to have fallen by 8%. However, following growth of 20% in 2011, Irish food and drink exports to International markets put in another strong performance during 2012 with trade estimated to have increased by 8%, or almost ?200 million, to exceed ?2.4 billion. As a result, the region now accounts for 27% of total exports. The growth in exports was led by Asia, Africa and North America.

Export Performance by Sector
Sector2011 - ?M2012 (e) - ?M% change
Meat & Live Animals 2,862 2,987 +4%
Dairy & Ingredients 2,724 2,658 -2%
Prepared Foods 1,416 1,382 -2%
Beverages 1,221 1,258 +3%
Seafood 418 493 +18%
Horticulture & Cereals 238 243 +2%

Meat & Livestock

The combined value of meat and livestock exports increased by 4% or almost ?130 million to reach almost ?3 billion. This equates to a third of food and drink exports and shows growth running at twice that of total exports. A combination of stronger prices in some categories, most notably beef and pigmeat, helped offset lower finished cattle supplies.

The value of beef exports is estimated to have increased by 2% despite a drop of 11% in output. As a result, exports were valued at ?1.9 billion helped by a 13% rise in average cattle prices.

A rise of 2% in pigmeat production during 2012 combined with a slower domestic consumption and a rise of 10% in average pig prices helped to boost the value of Irish pigmeat exports by 16% or ?60 million.

The poultry sector continued to face a competitive export market environment with little scope for price increases while volumes were marginally higher. For the year, the value of Irish poultry exports is estimated to have declined marginally to reach an estimated ?208 million.

A strong increase in export availability, reflecting a jump of 11% in output and a slower domestic demand in the latter half of the year, helped offset some easing in lamb prices. This led to the value of Irish sheepmeat exports rising by 7% to reach ?205 million.

A drop in the level of live cattle exports was more than offset by a change in the mix of animals exported. Pig exports to Northern Ireland were stable while sheep exports continued to decline. Overall, the value of livestock exports is estimated to have increased by 6% to ?217 million.

The prospects for the meat & livestock sector in 2013 remain broadly positive with tight supplies across Europe for most species expected to match demand levels. However, feed price developments will play a critical role, particularly in the pig and poultry sectors.

Dairy Products & Ingredients

Despite the drop in global product prices, the Irish dairy sector performed strongly during 2012. Overall, it is estimated that the value of Irish dairy and ingredient exports for the year fell by around 2% to stand at ?2.66 billion.

2012 marked a more difficult year for the global dairy market as a supply response to the strong price prevailing over the previous 18 months led to a significant softening in prices over the course of the spring and early summer with product prices easing by 20% to 25%. However, from late summer and during the autumn, a good recovery in international dairy prices was evident. Since November, the recovery in international prices has slowed considerably with declines reported in US prices in particular. This may reflect a slow down in import levels in key regions.

Milk deliveries in Ireland felt the effects of poor weather conditions for much of the year, which impacted on average yields. For the 10 months to October deliveries were running 2.5% lower according to the CSO.

Mixed trends were evident among the key export destinations for dairy products during 2012. Shipments to international markets and the United Kingdom recorded increases while trade to other European markets declined. The prospects for Irish dairy exports in 2013 remain generally positive with global demand likely to keep exports well ahead of historical averages. Global stock levels, demand in key regions and the relative strength of the euro will largely determine price prospects.

Prepared Foods

The market environment remained challenging as higher input costs and competitive pressures were evident across key markets. Much of this competitive pressure was driven by customers trying to maintain and grow share by offering enhanced value for money offerings to consumers.

Overall, exports of products covered under the prepared foods category fell marginally to an estimated ?1.38 billion. If value added meats and poultry are included, exports were in the region of ?1.75 billion.

The strongest performing categories during the year were value added dairy products, pizza, sauces, bakery and sugar based confectionery. These helped to largely offset a slower trade in other categories.

Irish prepared food manufacturers have shown very strong resilience over recent years and reacted positively to the challenges faced. This has left a sector that is efficient, innovative and focused on developing a wider portfolio of customers and markets. As a result, it is well positioned to identify and develop market opportunities as they emerge.

However, there are a number of factors outside the direct control of exporters that are likely to have a significant impact on export performance. These include developments in input costs, trends in consumer sentiment and the potential to deliver higher food prices.

Beverages

The global market for beverages showed further growth in 2012 with a renewed focus on premiumisation and growth in the travel retail sector helping market growth. However, the sector continues to face challenges, none more so than the challenging economic climate in many developed markets.

The Irish beverage sector put in another strong performance in 2012 as ongoing growth in whiskey, combined with a stable performance by cream liqueurs and beer, increased exports by 3% in 2012 to reach ?1.26 billion.

Growth in exports was led by trade to International markets, which showed a double digit increase to reach ?550 million. A good increase to the United States - led by whiskey ? and strong sales to emerging markets such as Russia, Canada, Australia and Asia also boosted trade.

The prospects for Irish beverage exports in 2013 continue to be positive with ongoing growth expected in whiskey exports while prospects for cider, beers and cream liqueurs look reasonably good. The key to trade will be the ability of the sector to continue to develop new markets and innovative products for developed markets.

Seafood

Seafood exports in 2012 continued to show good growth with increased volumes evident. The value of seafood exports was also boosted by an increase in pelagic prices which were historically high in 2012.

Overall for the year, the value of seafood exports is estimated to have increased by 18% to an estimated ?493 million.

The prospects for Irish seafood exports in 2013 remain positive with good demand anticipated from emerging markets while core markets across Europe also look set to hold reasonably firm. However, across Europe much will depend on the level of consumer demand, exchange rate developments and movement in fuel prices, which have been impacting strongly on transport costs.

Edible Horticulture & Cereals

Improved mushroom exports combined with ongoing strong grain prices helped boost the value of edible horticulture and cereal exports in 2012. Despite lower cereal volumes, the value of edible horticulture and cereals exports increased by 2% to reach ?243 million.

The strength or weakness of the euro will continue to be a major factor influencing exports of edible horticulture and cereals in 2013. If current trends continue, it will help create a most positive market environment for Irish mushroom exports in the UK. However, the strong switch to value mushrooms - which seems set to continue in 2013 - is putting strong pressure on profitability in the sector.

January 2013

Source: http://www.thebeefsite.com/articles/35/markets/3487/irish-food-and-drink-exports-pass-9-billion

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The Economy of Staying Home ?

Reallocating money for prepping demands some sacrifices. Freeing up the money you need to prepare means that you can?t necessarily keep up with the Joneses. ?Trust me, though, the time will come when the Joneses would trade their big screen TVs, their brand new SUVs and their fancy gym memberships in order to keep up with you.

One of the easiest ways to save money is also one of the simplest. ?For some people, it?s one of the most difficult.

Stay home.

That?s it ? nothing fancy at all. ?Just stay home more.

Now, before the flurry of emails begins, I?m not suggesting that you become a mad hermit up on a mountain, only trekking to the village on foot once a year to buy salt and sugar. ?In fact, as I write this, I?m on vacation with my daughters. ?(The first one in five years!)

Actually being on vacation is what inspired me to write this. ?I noticed some of the little things we spend money on when we?re out and about. ?Because I work from home, I am not ?tempted? by all the things there are to spend money on very frequently. ?While I don?t think that we should stop living and enjoying life, during your everyday, non-vacation life, there are a lot of financial benefits to finding most of your entertainment, companionship and solace from the comfort of your home.

Transportation

The first big savings of staying home more frequently is the cost of your transportation. ?With fuel prices skyrocketing, you?ve probably noticed the pain each time you go to the pumps.

Group your errands. Obviously, you have to go to work and run errands. ?By grouping these things into fewer outings, however, you will save money on fuel. ?Stop by the grocery store on the way home from work instead of making a special trip on the weekend. If you go to a gym, go on the way to work and use the showers there. ?If your kids are involved in activities, consider doing some errands while they are engaged instead of dropping them off, going home, and going out again to pick them up.

Walk. ?Are you within walking distance of any of the things you have to do? ?If so, walk to the Post Office on your lunch break. ?Walk to work and school if you?re near enough. ?Not only will your wallet thank you, so will your health.

Food and Beverages

We live in a pretty rural area. ?We do our grocery shopping once a month because it?s a drive of an hour and a half. ?While we always take some drinks and snacks, nearly every single time we end up buying something during our time away. ?Maybe it?s a treat like ice cream in the summer or hot chocolate in the winter or even lunch at a restaurant. ?Since it?s only once a month, I plan this into the budget. ?However, when you?re out every day, these treats really begin to add up.

Bring your lunch, your drinks and your coffee. ?When I worked outside the home, I always brought my lunch and refilled my water bottle at the cooler. ?Many of my coworkers went out for fast food every day at lunch. ?They came in with a drive-thru coffee cup in their hands, went to the vending machine for a coke and a bag of chips. ?When you hit a drive-thru every time you go out the door, the price of leaving home goes up.

When you grocery shop, make a plan. ?When you go out for the explicit purpose of buying food and beverages, it?s best to make a list. ?Bring a drink with you, so you aren?t tempted to grab an overpriced bottle of water. ?Eat before you go so that everything in the store doesn?t looks so delicious that it makes its expensive, full-price way into your cart.

Entertainment

It seems like a lot of people can?t have fun at home anymore. ?Maybe I have a warped perspective of fun, but I really enjoy gardening, doing arts and crafts with the kids, making popcorn and watching a movie together or just reading a book. ?Our society has become so overstimulated that people constantly require more and greater stimulation in order to not feel ?bored?. ?Take for example the folks who are glued to their iPhones?while spending time at a place that should be entertaining in and of itself. ?We once saw an entire family at a restaurant, each with their own device out, eating food and ignoring one another. ?Because we don?t go out that often, I guess it?s more of a treat, so we are fully engaged in it. ?I?ve noticed that going to the backyard to play is no longer interesting enough ? it has to be a water park or an amusement park for many kids to be excited about it.

By learning to entertain ourselves simply we can get a lot more happiness out of a lot less money. ?By developing some productive hobbies, we can be creative while meeting needs. ?By being active in our pursuits instead of passively entertained, we can be healthier in mind and body.

And while we?re on the topic of entertainment ? shopping should not be ?entertainment?. ?When you shop as ?something to do? you are bound to spend money on something you don?t need. ?I have daughters, and they really don?t love my theory on this, but we shop when we need to get something. ?We don?t just go hang out at the mall. ?If it?s time to buy some school clothes, I allot a certain amount of money and time, and when it?s gone, it?s gone. ?I do the same thing with Christmas shopping. ?The mall is fraught with ways to drain your money ? you get thirsty and buy a bottle of water or another drink. ?You weren?t hungry but the smells from the food court are so tantalizing you can?t resist. ?That display in front of the store has doohickeys that are ONLY a dollar.

It?s Not You, It?s Them

Don?t feel bad if you?ve read the suggestions above and recognized yourself. ?People go to college for 4-6 years just to learn how to part you and your money. ?Advertising is a multi-billion dollar industry. ?Western society is based on commercialism.

A 2007 article in the New York Times said that the average city dweller is subjected to more than 5000 ads every single day. ?It?s a barrage that hits you not only when leaving your house, but when turning on the radio, surfing the internet and watching television.

Add this to the endangered list: blank spaces.

Advertisers seem determined to fill every last one of them. Supermarket eggs have been stamped with the names of?CBS?television shows. Subway turnstiles bear messages from Geico auto insurance. Chinese food cartons promote Continental Airways.US Airways?is selling ads on motion sickness bags. And the trays used in airport security lines have been hawking Rolodexes.

Marketers used to try their hardest to reach people at home, when they were watching TV or reading newspapers or magazines. But consumers? viewing and reading habits are so scattershot now that many advertisers say the best way to reach time-pressed consumers is to try to catch their eye at literally every turn.

?We never know where the consumer is going to be at any point in time, so we have to find a way to be everywhere,? said Linda Kaplan Thaler, chief executive at the Kaplan Thaler Group, a New York ad agency. ?Ubiquity is the new exclusivity.?

Recognizing that you are the target of commercialism run amok is the first step in resisting the marketing schemes. ?Your awareness that you are being manipulated makes you less likely to think, ?Wow, that sounds great! ?I have to have it!?

Be sure that you are the one who decides where your money should be spent. ?Identify your priorities (preps, your stockpile, a better location, lessons that will improve your chances when/if the SHTF) and avoid the marketing machine as much as possible.

By centering your life around your home, ?you can stay focused on your goals. ?You can begin to see your home as a retreat from the stressors of the world instead of a grim place you?re trapped.

Source: http://www.theorganicprepper.ca/the-economy-of-staying-home-03112013

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Monday, March 11, 2013

Does winning an Emmy, an election, or entry to the Baseball Hall of Fame mean you will live longer than those you beat?

Mar. 11, 2013 ? Research has long linked high socioeconomic status with better health and lower mortality. But what's remained unclear is whether this association has more to do with access to resources (education, wealth, career opportunity, etc.) or the glow of high social status relative to others. Scholars call the latter "relative deprivation."

To tease apart these factors, a team of investigators at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health led by Dr. Bruce Link, studied Baseball Hall of Fame inductees, Emmy Award winners, and former Presidents and Vice Presidents, comparing each to nominated losers in the same competition or election. The result: There were no consistent advantages for winners. The association between winning and longevity is sometimes positive, sometimes negative, and sometimes nonexistent, though the specifics are revealing. Overall, the results suggest that access to resources and opportunity is more important than relative status.

Findings are published online in the American Sociological Review and will appear in the April 2013 print edition.

Dr. Link and his associates found the following effects of winning vs. losing in the three groups:

? Emmy-winning actors enjoyed 2.7 more years of life than nominees who did not snag the trophy. Though Emmy-winning screenwriters were, mysteriously, at a 3-year disadvantage.

? Baseball Hall-of-Famers enjoyed no advantage in longevity over non-inducted nominees ? Presidents and Vice Presidents lose, on average, 5.3 years from their lives compared to the candidates they bested. While some of this is due to the impact of assassination, the disadvantage persists even when assassination is taken out of the equation.

"The relative deprivation theory would predict that losers would consistently be at a disadvantage for health and longevity compared to winners, but this is not what we see," says Dr. Link, a professor of Sociomedical Sciences at the Mailman School.

A more likely explanation, he notes, is that the advantages and disadvantages of winning depend on the mix of opportunities and stresses that they bring. Winning an Emmy often leads to significant career opportunities that might not have been otherwise available. (The paper quotes actor John Larroquette saying, "There's no doubt that having an Emmy precedes you through the door.") On the other hand, Baseball Hall of Fame induction occurs after playing careers are over and therefore has little bearing on career opportunities and earnings.

As for presidential and vice presidential candidates, life circumstances do change for members of this elite club, but winning also brings significant risks: assassination threats and extreme stress from two of the world's most demanding jobs. The 15 men who led our country during the 20th century but died by the year 2008 lived an average of 1.9 years less than the average American male of the same age.

"Our findings provide an important correction to an overemphasis on relative deprivation as an explanation of health inequalities," said Dr. Link. "Relative deprivation likely plays some role in health inequalities, but it is not as important as the life circumstances and opportunities that result from one's socioeconomic position."

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Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/sFiE-FUt78U/130311090700.htm

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Bahamas gov't to allow offshore oil exploration

(AP) ? Offshore oil exploration will be allowed off the Bahamas, the environmental minister said Sunday, adding that a voter referendum on whether to go forward with full production will be held only after it is determined whether the island chain has commercially viable reserves.

The exploratory drilling will not likely produce enough information to make a decision until late 2014 at the earliest and the referendum could be held the following year, Environmental Minister Kenred Dorsett said.

Offshore drilling is sensitive in the Bahamas, where many fear a spill could devastate the fishing and tourism industries. The previous Bahamian government had delayed issuing exploration permits. Prime Minister Perry Christie, who was voted back into office in May, has said he supported exploration.

Dorsett said the government would seek new regulations to protect the environment and cannot ignore the potential economic benefits of oil for a country that now imports fuel. "The discovery of oil in the Bahamas would almost certainly prove to be economically transformative for our nation for many generations to come," he said in a statement.

The announcement came after a delegation of Bahamian officials, including Dorsett, recently returned from neighboring Cuba, where he said they discussed that country's exploration efforts and the "need for enhanced environmental vigilance and protection," in an environmentally sensitive region just off the southeastern coast of the U.S.

Geologic surveys say 5 billion to 9 billion barrels of oil may lie off Cuba's coast. Three exploratory wells proved nonviable in 2012, a blow to a government eager for an injection of petrodollars to boost its struggling economy. In December, a Norwegian-owned platform arrived in waters off Cuba's north-central coast for exploratory drilling by the Russian oil company Zarubezhneft for operations expected to take six months.

Dorsett said the fact that Cuba is pursuing exploration so seriously suggests there are likely substantial reserves so the Bahamas must move quickly to decide whether it wants to pursue offshore oil and adopt the necessary regulations. The minister said the proposed new regulations are nearly finished and will be presented to the Cabinet soon.

He said it makes sense to have the regulations in place and to determine if there is indeed offshore oil before going to the public for a vote. "Obviously, we are not going to have a referendum on a hypothetical proposition," he said.

The private Bahamas Petroleum Company hopes to begin exploration in a block about 60 miles from (97 kilometers) from where the Russian company is drilling off Cuba, according to CEO Simon Potter. The company still needs to find a drilling partner but hopes to begin what will likely be a year-long exploration before the 2014 hurricane season.

"With today's announcement, we have been granted the opportunity to do precisely that. And for that opportunity, we are genuinely excited," Potter said.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-03-10-CB-Bahamas-Offshore-Oil/id-034667196847486c9bb87633f76a7b8b

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