travel lodges: 2012

Monday, December 31, 2012

A Month-To-Month Guide For Your Allergies

1. January

During the winter, there's less pollen (if any) floating around, but cranking up the heat indoors can kick up <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies/managing-allergies/winter-allergy-symptoms.aspx">house dust, a winter allergy trigger</a>. If you're allergic to dust, winter allergies can be just as bad as in the spring and fall. To reduce dust exposure, it helps to keep your home's humidity below 55 percent, use a vacuum with a HEPA filter regularly, and encase pillows and mattresses with dust-mite-proof covers.

2. February

Mold and <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies/dust-mite-allergies.aspx">dust can cause year-round allergy symptoms</a>, but even if dust and mold don't bring on the sniffles for you, trees can cause your allergies to flare at this time of year, depending on where you live. "We can see tree pollen as early as February, even in the Northeast," says Marjorie L. Slankard, M.D., an associate attending physician and director of the Allergy Clinic at New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Medical Center. In the United States, trees that commonly cause allergies include catalpa, elm, hickory, olive, pecan, sycamore, and walnut. Tree pollen can cause the same symptoms as most spring allergies -- watery eyes, sneezing, and nasal congestion.

3. March

Tree pollen remains high on the list of allergens for March, which marks the beginning of spring. "If the trees, grasses, and pollens start coming out early, March can be rough going for people with spring allergies," Dr. Slankard says. Though nice spring weather beckons you outside, if you have spring allergies, <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies-pictures/8-allergy-mistakes-you-dont-want-to-make.aspx">keep your eye on the pollen count</a>. The higher the count, the worse the allergies will be. A good place to check pollen counts is at the <a href="http://www.aaaai.org/global/nab-pollen-counts.aspx">National Allergy Bureau</a> of the American Academy of Allergy Asthma & Immunology.

4. April

April showers can bring ? spring allergies. All that rain can make for blooming flowers, but as beautiful as they are, flowers and their pollen means discomfort for <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergies/types-of-allergies.aspx">people with spring allergies</a>. In some areas of the country, grass pollen emerges in April, too. Between the pollen from the flowers and the pollen from the grass, spring allergies may make you feel especially miserable.

5. May

Allergic to tree pollen? Although tree pollination can begin as early as February, it can last through May. That means you might need to slog through <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy/0403/the-worst-cities-for-spring-allergies.aspx">spring allergies for four long months</a>. Grass pollen can also emerge this time of year in some parts of the country.

6. June

June is a key grass pollen month in many areas, and it's likely that grass pollen will start to trigger your spring allergies by this time of year if it hasn't already. As the days get longer and the temperature gets higher, you'll probably want to spend more time outdoors. If you suffer from spring allergies, you may have good days and bad days - the temperature, the rainfall amount, and <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy-pictures/allergy-remedies-you-can-live-with.aspx">even the time of day</a> will affect grass pollen levels, and you'll need to adjust accordingly.

7. July

The good news is that by July, grass pollen should subside and you might feel like your spring allergies are finally becoming manageable again. The bad news is that July marks the start of fungus spores and seeds, so if you're <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy/0807/high-outdoor-mold-counts-set-allergies-in-action.aspx">allergic to molds and spores</a>, too, you may feel like your allergies never end. Mold can grow on fallen leaves, compost piles, grasses, and grains.

8. August

August is a prime month for people with summer allergies to mold spores, which peak during hot, humid weather. You might want to stay inside on days when the mold spore count is particularly high. The best way to keep away from these allergens is to run the <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy-photos/minimize-home-allergens.aspx">air conditioning with a HEPA filter</a> - this cool comfort indoors should help you feel better during the dog days of August.

9. September

Late summer/early fall <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy/four-steps-to-avoid-ragweed-allergies-this-fall.aspx">ragweed is the most common cause of fall allergies</a>. Depending on where you live, ragweed-fueled fall allergies can start in August or September and continue through October and possibly November. Pollen grains are lightweight and spread easily, especially on windy days. The more wet and windy autumn is in your area, the more easily the pollen spreads, and the worse your symptoms will feel.

10. October

Chances that fall allergies will ease by October get better the farther north you go in the United States. But in <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy/0927/do-you-live-in-one-of-the-worst-cities-for-fall-allergies.aspx">warmer climates, fall allergies can linger</a> well into this month. Seasonal rain and wind can also ramp up mold spores - if your fall allergies include mold or fungi spores, your symptoms may linger.

11. November

The ragweed pollen season usually ends by mid-November in most areas of the country. If you have fall allergies and react to fungi and molds, you probably face your worst symptoms in late summer and early fall. Although you might feel miserable from the end of March until November, making it seem like you have year-round allergies, you should get a break now. November may be one of the best months for people with <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/allergy/indoor-and-outdoor-allergy-differences.aspx">outdoor allergies</a>, which allows for enjoying the crisp weather. Then, just in time, indoor allergies to pet dander and indoor molds pick up.

12. December

As pretty as they are, real <a href="http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/christmas-tree-health-hazards-unwrapped.aspx">Christmas trees can make you wheeze and sneeze</a>. It's likely not the tree itself that triggers allergies but the microscopic mold spores that can harbor in its branches. If you can't resist buying a live tree despite winter allergies, take it home a week before you plan to decorate it and leave it in a garage or an enclosed porch. Then give it a good shake to try to get rid of any spores.

Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31/seasonal-allergies-guide-month_n_2376256.html

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Carbon-fiber wheels: a promising technology?

An Australian company says it's producing the world's first carbon-fiber wheels. The lighter and stronger carbon-fiber wheels should improve handling, acceleration, and fuel mileage ? although they're an expensive upgrade.

By Bengt Halvorson,?Guest blogger / December 31, 2012

Visitors look at car wheel hubs during a press presentation prior to the Essen Motor Show in Essen in November. A new Australian company is selling carbon-fiber wheels, although the expensive technology is currently available only for the Porsche 911.

Ina Fassbender/Reuters/File

Enlarge

As the industry looks to meet tough new fuel economy targets while still stepping ahead in performance, safety, sophistication, and on-board technology, watching weight by moving to advanced materials like?carbon fiber?is going to be increasingly common.

Skip to next paragraph MotorAuthority

This website offers the?best car news, photos, spy shots, and auto-show coverage. Click here?for car news?from around the world ? and around the clock.

NOAA lists ringed and bearded ice seal populations under the Endangered Species Act

Dec. 30, 2012 ? NOAA Fisheries announced on December 21, in compliance with a court ordered deadline, its final listing decision for four subspecies of ringed seals and two distinct population segments (DPSs) of bearded seals under the Endangered Species Act. Specifically, in line with the proposal, NOAA will list as threatened the Beringia and Okhotsk DPSs of bearded seals and the Arctic, Okhotsk, and Baltic subspecies of ringed seals. The Ladoga subspecies of ringed seals will be listed as endangered. The species that exist in U.S. waters (Arctic ringed seals and the Beringia DPS of bearded seals) are already protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

This science-based listing decision will not result in any immediate restrictions on human activities; however, Federal agencies that permit or fund projects that may affect a listed species must consult with NOAA Fisheries to ensure the existence of the species is not jeopardized. In addition, this listing will have no impact on the subsistence harvest of ice seals by Alaska Natives, a practice that is central to the traditional culture and nutrition in many Alaskan Native coastal communities.

"Our scientists undertook an extensive review of the best scientific and commercial data. They concluded that a significant decrease in sea ice is probable later this century and that these changes will likely cause these seal populations to decline," said Jon Kurland, protected resources director for NOAA Fisheries' Alaska region. "We look forward to working with the State of Alaska, our Alaska Native co-management partners, and the public as we work toward designating critical habitat for these seals."

NOAA will work with local, state and Native partners, as well as the public to help determine whether to propose critical habitat designations for Arctic ringed seals and the Beringia DPS of bearded seals. This decision will happen at a later date, after compiling significant additional scientific and economic data and public input. Earlier this year, the President directed that any future designations of critical habitat carefully consider all public comments on relevant science and economic impact, including those that suggest methods for minimizing regulatory burdens. Any potential future critical habitat designation will include a full analysis of economic impact, including impact on jobs, and will strive, to the extent permitted by law, to avoid unnecessary burdens and costs on states, tribes, localities, and the private sector.

Ringed and bearded seals depend on sea ice and snow to survive. After a comprehensive review of the best available science including climate models developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, NOAA has concluded that sea ice and snow cover are likely to further decrease in the foreseeable future resulting in population declines that threaten the survival of these seals.

Ringed seals nurse and protect their pups in snow caves, which are threatened by late ice formation in the fall, rain-on-snow events in the late winter, earlier break-up of spring ice, as well as decreasing snow depths, which are projected to be too shallow for snow cave formation by the end of the century. Both ringed seals and bearded seals rely on sea ice for extended periods during molting, and bearded seals live on sea ice during critical months for breeding, whelping, and nursing. Sea ice is projected to shrink both in extent and duration, with bearded seals finding inadequate ice even if they move north.

NOAA Fisheries proposed the listings in December 2010 and provided opportunities for public input through public comment periods and during public hearings held in Anchorage, Barrow, and Nome. In accordance with NOAA's Policy for Peer Review in ESA Activities, the agency also solicited comments from peer reviewers on each of the proposed rules. In December 2011, NOAA administratively extended the deadline for final listing determinations six months to June 2012 to allow for additional consideration of relevant science and information. In November 2012, the Alaska district court ordered NOAA to respond to a complaint about further delay by December 21, 2012.

The Endangered Species Act defines an endangered species as "any species which is in danger of extinction throughout all or a significant portion of its range." A threatened species is "any species which is likely to become an endangered species within the foreseeable future throughout all or a significant portion of its range."

The Endangered Species Act requires species listed as endangered to receive the full protection under the Act to prevent extinction, including a prohibition against "take," which includes harassing, harming, pursuing, wounding, killing, trapping, capturing, or collecting. These protections may also be established for threatened species to prevent them from becoming endangered, but NOAA does not propose pursuing such a rule at this time.

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Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/~3/zX7CoN9eWps/121230180804.htm

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Christopher French: Dating Ashley Tisdale!

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Storm leaves up to foot of snow in New England

BOSTON (AP) ? Up to a foot of snow fell in parts of southern New England with the latest winter storm to move through the Northeast, national weather forecasters said Sunday.

The storm began Saturday afternoon and ended by Sunday morning, with some power outages but no reports of critical injuries or major property damage. Dry weather was expected for days in southern New England, although strong winds may chill the bones.

Meteorologist Frank Nocera of the National Weather Service in Taunton, Mass., said southern New England appeared to be the hardest hit.

Six to 12 inches of snow fell in Rhode Island, eastern Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts, including Foxborough where the New England Patriots play. The exception was at Boston and the Cape Cod area where rain was mixed with snow. There two to four inches fell. Many residents lost power after wet snow piled up on power lines.

The storm spread over the Northeast and parts of Ohio on Saturday, just days after the regions were hit by another storm that moved in from the nation's midsection.

New York City and Philadelphia saw a mix of rain and snow, and drivers throughout the regions were warned to be cautious. About 20 vehicles piled up in a storm-related chain-reaction crash on Interstate 93 in New Hampton, N.H., police said, and five people were injured.

Officials lowered the speed limit on much of the Pennsylvania Turnpike, about 300 miles from the Ohio state line to east-central Pennsylvania, from 65 mph to 45 mph. Flights at Philadelphia's airport, mostly arrivals, were delayed about an hour, spokeswoman Stacy Jackson said.

In Albany, N.Y., a regional jet skidded into a snow bank at the airport and became stuck, temporarily stranding passengers en route to Chicago. The 66 passengers and four crew members aboard the GoJet Airlines flight, operating as United Express, were put on a bus and sent back to the airport. There were no injuries, and the incident didn't cause any other flight delays, airport authority spokesman Doug Myers said.

In Ohio, Dayton, Columbus and Cincinnati saw about 2 to 5 inches of snow by Saturday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/storm-leaves-foot-snow-england-110134876.html

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2012's 'good news' stories

A volunteer signs on red ribbons during an AIDS awareness campaign in a college in Anshun city in southwest China's Guizhou province.

By Jina Moore/Correspondent

One of the areas where incremental progress is easiest to miss is global health. It's hard even to say the word "progress" in the face of continued suffering, but this year has brought some significant achievements.

Not 15 years ago, an HIV diagnosis was medically considered a death sentence, and policymakers worried whether the world could contain the spread of AIDS. In that context, today's news is surprising: AIDS infections have dropped 50 percent or more in 25 countries, compared with a decade ago, reports the Joint United Nations Program on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS).

"For many years, we've been talking about the millions of people dying from AIDS, which is still the case in many countries, but for the first time we see the light at the end of the tunnel," says Christoph Benn, director of external relations and partnerships at The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. "Treatment prices have come down, and you're now finding drugs not just in hospitals, but in rural clinics."

UNAIDS reports that the number of children newly infected with HIV is down by more than a quarter in the past two years. "This progress in reducing new infections among children is actually quite dramatic," says Peter Ghys, chief of Data for Action at UNAIDS. "We're seeing this in a large number of countries."

One place that might be lagging? The United States. A November report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that young people ages 13 to 24 make up fully a quarter of new HIV infections each year; and 60 percent of them don't know they are infected, making it impossible to medically treat them.

Antiretroviral therapy is credited with reducing the pace of HIV-related deaths and limiting the transmission of the virus. The UN Millennium Development Program put universal access on the global agenda. Though it failed to meet the objective by its 2010 deadline (now revised to 2015), this year for the first time the majority of people eligible for HIV treatment in low- and middle-income countries receive ART. Dr. Benn singles out Rwanda as an example of stunning progress: More than 90 percent of eligible Rwandans were receiving ART by the end of October.

"This is fantastic ... historical. That is beyond our expectations from a couple of years ago," Benn says.

Kazakhstan is the site of another moment of global public health progress this year. In March, it was certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization, joining only four other malaria-endemic countries with that designation.

Nigeria heads the pack of 17 countries poised to eliminate malaria. Their antimalaria agenda includes a $50 million bed-net program, underwritten by The Global Fund, which hopes the country will offer two bed nets per household.

The Republic of the Congo, meanwhile, has made massive strides in combating maternal mortality. The number of women dying in childbirth dropped 60 percent between 2010 and 2011, from 740 deaths per 100,000 live births to 300 deaths.

David Lawson, who heads the UN Population Fund's Congo Republic office, says a government strategy and increases in the health budget have been factors in the change. Starting in March, Caesarean sections were offered free of charge, reducing deaths from delivery complications.

More than 80 percent of Congolese women deliver babies in health centers, an unusually high rate in sub-Saharan Africa, which Mr. Lawson attributes to the Congo Republic's high degree of urbanization. But he did caution, in an e-mail interview, against too much optimism: "While such a significant drop is spectacular and certainly unusual in Africa [the maternal mortality rate nevertheless] remain[s] very high for a middle-income country where women deliver babies in health centers."

Sarah Kess contributed to this report.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/n9Ep8W97QY0/2012-s-good-news-stories

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Jennifer Lawrence & More Stars with a Healthy Body Image

If her performance as Katniss in The Hunger Games didn't make Jennifer Lawrence your hero, then this just might. The Silver Linings Playbook actress, who has soared to the top of Hollywood's A-list this year, still refuses to go on the Tinseltown starvation diet.

Source: http://www.ivillage.com/jennifer-lawrence-and-5-other-celebs-healthy-body-image/1-a-511579?dst=iv%3AiVillage%3Ajennifer-lawrence-and-5-other-celebs-healthy-body-image-511579

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Top 5 Reasons Outsourcing Works for Any Business - Inspirationfeed

Expansion, globalization, a harsh economic landscape ? these are all reasons why many businesses decide to outsource sections or even entire departments to firms both at home and abroad. And in any business the bottom line is profit. So when a company realizes it is lacking in skill or resources in a particular department, the option of outsourcing begins to look very attractive. However, it?s important to know which areas can benefit the greatest from outsourcing. One area that can almost always benefit from this method is customer service.

In any business it is possible to draw a line directly from profits to the overall quality of customer care. Stated simply: the better the customer feels he or she is treated, the more likely it is he or she will come back. In many scenarios, the first contact a business has with a customer is over the phone. That?s why it?s vitally important to ensure each individual call is handled quickly, efficiently and respectfully. This is where call centers, one of the cornerstones of outsourcing, come in.

But many people think outsourcing to entities such as call centers is the luxury of big Fortune 500 companies. This is not the case at all. In fact, small businesses can benefit from outsourcing in greater ways than large monolithic companies can. Here are just a few reasons why customer service outsourcing can benefit any business:\

outsourcing Top 5 Reasons Outsourcing Works for Any Business

Lower Operational and Labor Costs

Anyone who runs a business appreciates the value of low overhead costs. The misconception comes in when business owners feel outsourcing to a call center would be cost prohibitive. This isn?t the case in the slightest. It?s been documented that hiring a call center saves money compared to hiring a whole new in-staff customer service department. And with outsourcing there are no staff training costs to worry about either.

More Time to Focus on What a Business Does Best

Outsourcing allows a business to farm out otherwise time-consuming customer service processes to professionals. The great benefit of this is that it frees the business up to focus exclusively on those other core areas critical to growth.

Access to Professional Services

There are certain things companies do well and certain things they lack experience in. Running an entire customer service department oftentimes falls into the latter category, as far as business is concerned.??Outsourcing to call centers is like hiring an entire professional and well-trained department that requires almost no oversight from the business itself.

Free Up Crucial Internal Resources

When a business outsources, they automatically remove the burden from in-house staff that would otherwise be concerned with the new process. With a call center, in-house employees are free to be utilized in areas that can grow the company.

Access to Resources

Even if a business does have the large staff required to maintain an entire customer service department, they oftentimes don?t have the resources. Whether it?s money or technology, many outsourcing agencies provide world-class resources that ensure their staff is well equipped to handle the task at hand.

These are just a few of the main reasons why more and more businesses, big and small are opting to outsource various areas of their processes, such as customer service. Of course, the end game in all of this is profit, and above all what outsourcing can do is save costs on overhead. These savings can then be absorbed back into the business in the form of a buffer capital fund. This improves a company?s bottom line and provides a measure of security in uncertain economic times.

Check out our?previous articles:

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Steve Shanahan?is the Executive Managing Director at Real Capital Markets, a commercial real estate marketing company that provides cost-effective solutions, such as a?virtual deal room?for Commercial Real Estate Sales, bank REO, non-performing/performing note sales and more.

Source: http://inspirationfeed.com/articles/business/top-5-reasons-outsourcing-works-for-any-business/

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[iPad] Syncing iPad apps to iMac

I have an iPad 2 that was previously synched to my MacBook. I've since purchased a 2011 iMac and am getting ready to sell the MacBook, so want to eliminate any dependance on it.

Some time ago I deselected synching of calendars, email, music, etc. etc. from the MacBook and selected them on the iMac so am now synching everything except for IOS apps directly to the iMac either via USB, wi-fi or iCloud. The remaining item is syncing of the iPad apps. Questions:

When I connect the iPad to the iMac and select "sync apps", I get a warning message saying: "Are you sure you want to sync apps? All existing apps and their data on the iPad will be replaced with apps from this iTunes Library." I want to keep the apps and associated data as they are presently on the iPad and don't want to lose them, so I have not preceded from there. Am I misreading the warning message? How do I keep the iPad as is and just set the iMac up to sync any future changes?

I couldn't see any way to deselect the app syncing on the MacBook, like you can deselect synching of the other content. How do I do this (if required)?

On the iPad, in the Settings/General/iTunes Wi-Fi sync item it shows the iMac for everything except apps and the MacBook for apps. After I get the app syncing to the iMac set up, how do I get the MacBook to disappear from this listing if I can't deselect app synching from the MacBook?

Answers to these and any other questions I wasn't smart enough to ask will be appreciated.

Thanks!
___________

Source: http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=1516190&goto=newpost

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Friday, December 28, 2012

Column: Set your DVR for Pro Bowl. Now. Seriously

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell warned players a while back that he was prepared to drop the Pro Bowl if they didn't pick up the level of play. Next thing you know, he'll be threatening to hold his breath.

Instead of calling his bluff, which is what anyone who doesn't get the consolation prize of a week's vacation in Hawaii should have done, they promised to try harder. At the time, it sounded like one of those things kids say just to get their parents off their backs. That seemed even more true this week, when cellar-dwelling Kansas City somehow managed to get five players selected to the AFC squad. That's three more than the number of wins the Chiefs have posted so far this season ? when they were supposed to be trying ? which raises the question: Will anyone who tunes into the Pro Bowl on Jan. 27 be able to tell the difference?

That's the problem facing every pro sport that stages an all-star game these days: It's tough to tell whether anyone's heart is in it anymore. Most veterans would rather take the days off than whatever cash or exposure it provides, and nearly all of them can afford it. More than two dozen passed on an opportunity to show up for last year's 59-41, do-no-harm win by the AFC over the NFC. By the end of that one, defenders were waving ballcarriers by with the kind of flourishes usually reserved for bullfights. Even a solid company man like Goodell had to admit it was an embarrassment.

"If we cannot accomplish that kind of standard," the commissioner said during a radio interview in October, referring to the league's high-intensity regular season, "I am inclined to not play it. It is really tough to force competition, and after a long season, to ask those guys to go out and play at the same level they played is really tough."

Impossible, though, is more like it.

Because the Super Bowl is played at a neutral site, Goodell can't follow the lead of baseball boss Bud Selig and try to coax players into caring about the outcome by awarding home-field advantage to the winning side. There's nothing to be borrowed from the NBA's version, either, because basketball ? unlike football ? can be entertaining without anyone actually playing defense, as fans of the Charlotte Bobcats can attest. And there's no reason to even mention the NHL in this context, because nothing that Commissioner Gary Bettman has come up with during his tenure is likely to be worth stealing.

So what should Goodell do?

Exactly what he's doing now: Pretend to be concerned, and leave it at that.

Despite a few head-scratching decisions this year ? sticking too long with replacement referees; trying to punish the New Orleans Saints more than Bountygate warranted ? Goodell hasn't lost his touch. He's not about to cancel the Pro Bowl. The one lesson that's been reinforced time and again since he took the job five years ago is that there's no such thing as too much NFL ? on the tube, online and even when most of the players are on vacation.

Nearly five million people tuned into the league's scouting combine at some point this spring to watch players who hadn't even made the cut lift weights and run around in shorts and T-shirts. And last year's Pro Bowl game, bad as it was, still pulled in better numbers than any of its rivals ? an average of 12.5 million viewers, even if most of them were asleep by the end.

So Goodell knew exactly what he was doing when he suggested the NFL might skip the game and instead honor the players selected to the Pro Bowls rosters during a ceremony. All-Star games are popularity contests after all, and the NFL's participants are chosen according to a vote among the league's players, coaches and fans, with each group given equal weight in the process.

But if you've followed the arguments about who was left out, you'll find very little griping between the first two groups ? with the possible exception of players who promised the family a week in Hawaii. Instead, it's coming from the same fans who will doze off during the game, but can't for the moment imagine how the Cowboys' Dez Bryant didn't get picked, or how overrated but still popular Green Bay center Jeff Saturday got the nod over linemate Josh Sitton, or why all those Chiefs are hanging around.

So consider this your wake-up call, fans, even if it came a month early.

___

Jim Litke is a national sports columnist for The Associated Press. Write to him at jlitke(at)ap.org and follow him at Twitter.com/JimLitke

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/column-set-dvr-pro-bowl-now-seriously-233851716--nfl.html

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Celebrity bad science: Dried placenta pills and oxygen shots

By Kate Kelland

LONDON | Thu Dec 27, 2012 7:03pm EST

LONDON (Reuters) - Pop guru Simon Cowell carries pocket-sized inhalable oxygen shots, America's "Mad Men" actress January Jones favors dried placenta pills, and British soap star Patsy Palmer rubs coffee granules into her skin.

Celebrities rarely shy away from public peddling of dubious ideas about health and science, and 2012 was no exception.

In its annual list of the year's worst abuses against science, the Sense About Science (SAS) campaign also named former U.S. presidential candidate Mitt Romney for spreading misinformation about windows on planes, and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps for false justifications for peeing in the pool.

To help set the record straight, SAS, a charity dedicated to helping people make sense of science and evidence, invited qualified scientists to respond to some of the wilder pseudo-scientific claims put about by the rich and famous.

It suggested Romney, who wondered aloud in September why aircraft crews don't just open the windows when there's a fire on board, should listen to aeronautical engineer Jakob Whitfield:

"Unfortunately, Mitt, opening a window at height wouldn't do much good," the scientist said. "In fact, if you could open a window whilst in flight, the air would rush out...because air moves from the high pressure cabin to the lower pressure outside, probably causing further injury and damage."

January Jones's dried placenta pills, which the actress admitted in March she consumed after giving birth, win no favor with Catherine Collins, principal dietician at St George's Hospital in London.

"Nutritionally, there's nothing to be gained from eating your placenta - raw, cooked, or dried," Collins said. "Apart from iron, which can be easily found in other dietary choices or supplements, your placenta will provide toxins and other unsavory substances it had successfully prevented from reaching your baby in utero."

Gary Moss, a pharmaceutical scientist, patiently points out to Palmer that while caffeine may have an effect on cellulite, rubbing coffee granules into the skin is unlikely to work, since the caffeine can't escape the granules to penetrate the skin.

Phelps's claim that it's fine to pee in the pool because "chlorine kills it" is put straight by biochemist Stuart Jones, who reminds him that "urine is essentially sterile so there isn't actually anything to kill in the first place".

And for Cowell, Kay Mitchell a scientist at the Centre for Altitude Space and Extreme Environment Medicine warns that very high levels of oxygen can in fact be toxic - particularly in the lungs, where oxygen levels are highest.

"Celebrity comments travel far and fast, so it's important that they talk sense," said Sense About Science's managing director Tracey Brown. "The implausible and frankly dangerous claims about how to avoid cancer, improve skin or lose weight are becoming ever more ridiculous. And unfortunately they have a much higher profile than the research and evidence."

To encourage more vigilance among celebrity pseudo-scientists in the future, SAS provided a checklist of "misleading science claims" it suggests should be avoided:

* "Immune boosting" - you can't and you don't need to

* "Detox" - your liver does this

* "Superfood" - there is no such thing, just foods that are high in some nutrients

* "Oxygenating" - your lungs do this

* "Cleansing" - you shouldn't be trying to cleanse anything other than your skin or hair.

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/Agj_B_qMeKw/us-science-celebrities-idUSBRE8BR00220121228

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China tightening controls on Internet

FILE - In this July 14, 2010 file photo, a Chinese man uses a computer at an Internet cafe in Beijing. China's new communist leaders are increasing already tight controls on Internet use and electronic publishing following a spate of embarrassing online reports about official abuses. The measures suggest China's new leader, Xi Jinping, and others who took power in November 2012 share their predecessors' anxiety about the Internet's potential to spread opposition to one-party rule and their insistence on controlling information despite promises of more economic reforms. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan, File)

BEIJING (AP) ? China's new communist leaders are increasing already tight controls on Internet use and electronic publishing following a spate of embarrassing online reports about official abuses.

The measures suggest China's new leader, Xi Jinping, and others who took power in November share their predecessors' anxiety about the Internet's potential to spread opposition to one-party rule and their insistence on controlling information despite promises of more economic reforms.

"They are still very paranoid about the potentially destabilizing effect of the Internet," said Willy Lam, a politics specialist at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. "They are on the point of losing a monopoly on information, but they still are very eager to control the dissemination of views."

This week, China's legislature took up a measure to require Internet users to register their real names, a move that would curtail the Web's status as a freewheeling forum to complain, often anonymously, about corruption and official abuses. The legislature scheduled a news conference Friday to discuss the measure, suggesting it was expected to be approved.

That comes amid reports Beijing might be disrupting use of software that allows Web surfers to see sites abroad that are blocked by its extensive Internet filters. At the same time, regulators have proposed rules that would bar foreign companies from distributing books, news, music and other material online in China.

Beijing promotes Internet use for business and education but bans material deemed subversive or obscene and blocks access to foreign websites run by human rights and Tibet activists and some news outlets. Controls were tightened after social media played a role in protests that brought down governments in Egypt and Tunisia.

In a reminder of the Web's role as a political forum, a group of 70 prominent Chinese scholars and lawyers circulated an online petition this week appealing for free speech, independent courts and for the ruling party to encourage private enterprise.

Xi and others on the party's ruling seven-member Standing Committee have tried to promote an image of themselves as men of the people who care about China's poor majority. They have promised to press ahead with market-oriented reforms and to support entrepreneurs but have given no sign of support for political reform.

Communist leaders who see the Internet as a source of economic growth and better-paid jobs were slow to enforce the same level of control they impose on movies, books and other media, apparently for fear of hurting fledgling entertainment, shopping and other online businesses.

Until recently, Web surfers could post comments online or on microblog services without leaving their names.

That gave ordinary Chinese a unique opportunity to express themselves to a public audience in a society where newspapers, television and other media are state-controlled. The most popular microblog services say they have more than 300 million users and some users have millions of followers reading their comments.

The Internet also has given the public an unusual opportunity to publicize accusations of official misconduct.

A local party official in China's southwest was fired in November after scenes from a videotape of him having sex with a young woman spread quickly on the Internet. Screenshots were uploaded by a former journalist in Beijing, Zhu Ruifeng, to his Hong Kong website, an online clearing house for corruption allegations.

Some industry analysts suggest allowing Web surfers in a controlled setting to vent helps communist leaders stay abreast of public sentiment in their fast-changing society. Still, microblog services and online bulletin boards are required to employ censors to enforce content restrictions. Researchers say they delete millions of postings a day.

The government says the latest Internet regulation before the National People's Congress is aimed at protecting Web surfers' personal information and cracking down on abuses such as junk e-mail. It would require users to report their real names to Internet service and telecom providers.

The main ruling party newspaper, People's Daily, has called in recent weeks for tighter Internet controls, saying rumors spread online have harmed the public. In one case, it said stories about a chemical plant explosion resulted in the deaths of four people in a car accident as they fled the area.

Proposed rules released this month by the General Administration of Press and Publications would bar Chinese-foreign joint ventures from publishing books, music, movies and other material online in China. Publishers would be required to locate their servers in China and have a Chinese citizen as their local legal representative.

That is in line with rules that already bar most foreign access to China's media market, but the decision to group the restrictions together and publicize them might indicate official attitudes are hardening.

That comes after the party was rattled by foreign news reports about official wealth and misconduct.

In June, Bloomberg News reported that Xi's extended family has amassed assets totaling $376 million, though it said none was traced to Xi. The government has blocked access to Bloomberg's website since then.

In October, The New York Times reported that Premier Wen Jiabao's relatives had amassed $2.7 billion since he rose to national office in 2002. Access to the Times' Chinese-language site has been blocked since then.

Previous efforts to tighten controls have struggled with technical challenges in a country with more than 500 million Internet users.

Microblog operators such as Sina Corp. and Tencent Ltd. were ordered in late 2011 to confirm users' names but have yet to finish the daunting task.

Web surfers can circumvent government filters by using virtual private networks ? software that encrypts Web traffic and is used by companies to transfer financial data and other sensitive information. But VPN users say disruptions that began in 2011 are increasing, suggesting Chinese regulators are trying to block encrypted traffic.

Curbs on access to foreign sites have prompted complaints by companies and Chinese scientists and other researchers.

In July, the American Chamber of Commerce in China said 74 percent of companies that responded to a survey said unstable Internet access "impedes their ability to do business."

Chinese leaders "realize there are detrimental impacts on business, especially foreign business, but they have counted the cost and think it is still worthwhile," said Lam. "There is no compromise about the political imperative of controlling the Internet."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-12-27-China-Internet%20Controls/id-53d3f97c8ec642e192ee3d0fa0759850

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

MWN Shares its Success Story in Casablanca's School of Journalism

By Loubna Flah

Morocco World News

Casablanca, December 27, 2012

The Casablanca-based Ecole Superieure de Journalisme et de Communication (School of Journalism and Communication) on Wednesday invited Dr. Samir Bennis, co-founder and editor-in-chief of Morocco World News to share its experience with the young students of the school.

Samir Bennis shared with the audience the story behind the creation of Morocco World News. Being a strong advocate of Morocco?s territorial integrity, especially regarding the Sahara region, Mr. Bennis decided along with his brother, Mr. Adnane Bennis, to set up a new platform that would provide international public opinion with a more balanced and nuanced vision on the? Sahara issue. He highlighted that there is lack of awareness among the Moroccan public opinion and media professionals about the need to reach out to the international public opinion in order to provide it with a more nuanced and balanced vision about Morocco.

Dr. Samir Bennis in Casablanca's School of Journalism

He added that MWN intends to be Morocco?s window to the world, thus providing any person eager to learn about the country to have access to information covering every aspects of its culture, history, economic and political life.

He went to on to stress the pivotal role played by MWN in the media landscape both at the domestic and the international levels, especially in the United States. It has indeed lifted the veil of silence over deficiencies in defending Moroccan interests before the international community.

He also highlighted that MWN is the only Moroccan news outlet that provides news and analyses about Morocco and the rest of the world around the clock, while commending the other members of the team located in Morocco, who play an important role in providing the readers with the latest news about the event taking place in the MENA region.

Dr. Samir Bennis in Casablanca's School of Journalism, talking about the success story of www.moroccoworldnews.com

Mr. Bennis listed a number of crucial events that have traits with Morocco?s sovereignty over the Sahara region exclusively covered by the MWN team. He referred to the omission of the Sahara region from the documents submitted by the Morocco Mall architecture company. In addition, MWN was the first news outlet to address the lack of coverage by Moroccan media of the Security Council sessions in New York where the Sahara conflict is debated.

In this regard, Mr. Bennis had sent an open letter to the minister of communication Mr. Khalfi. He seized the opportunity to call for reform of the media sector in regard to national interests. The same issue was raised during an MWN interview with Mr. Choubani, minister in charge of relations with parliament and civil society.

Mr. Bennis shared with the audience the long term goals of MWN. Indeed, MWN founders envision building an influential news outlet that will rival with major international news outlets.

He highlighted that MWN emerged as a groundbreaking English speaking news outlet that provides insight to both local and international news in total alignment with Moroccan identity and supreme national interests. He added that the appeal of MWN is going crescendo, pointing out that readers from an average of 90 countries visit the website every day.

He also highlighted that, unlike other news outlets in Arabic or French whose reach is limited, MWN has further reach commensurate to the global reach of the English language.

Dr. Samir Bennis will also be a guest speaker at the University Hassan II of Casablanca on Friday 28 December where he will enlighten the audience of the university about the Spanish colonial legacy and the representation of Moroccans, as well as in Meknes? Moulay Ismail University on Friday 4 January where he will share his experience in launching MWN.

Online journalism is still at the embryonic stage. Yet, this new trend seems to be a bottomless reservoir of unexplored possibilities. MWN ambitious team is resolute to expand its outreach among Moroccan and international readership by maintaining high standards and, most importantly, by being faithful to the national identity.

Source: http://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2012/12/71815/mwn-shares-its-success-story-in-casablancas-school-of-journalism-2/

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Capital STEEZ Remembered As Integral Part Of Pro Era

'Honestly, I couldn't do it without these dudes,' Joey Bada$$ tells MTV News of working with Capital STEEZ and his Pro Era crew.
By Nadeska Alexis, with reporting by Rob Markman

Capital STEEZ
Photo: MTV News

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1699408/capital-steez-remembered-pro-era.jhtml

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Asia stocks up on Japan optimism; Europe opens up

BEIJING (AP) ? Asian and European stock markets rose Thursday, while and Japan's benchmark index hit its highest level in more than a year optimism a new government in Japan will stimulate the country's sluggish economy.

Oil gained in Asian trading to stay above $91 a barrel as markets in Hong Kong and Australia reopened after a two-day Christmas break.

Britain's FTSE 100 rose 0.2 percent to 5,963.21. Germany's DAX added 0.2 percent to 7,651.51. France's CAC-40 rose 0.7 percent to 3,676.60. Wall Street braced for a flat opening, with Dow Jones industrial futures marginally lower at 13,046. S&P 500 futures rose less than 0.1 percent at 1,413.90.

Earlier in Asia, Tokyo's benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 0.9 percent to close at 10,322.98, its highest finish since March 2011. That added to Wednesday's 1.5 percent gain and took the Nikkei to a 22 percent increase for the year. Hong Kong's Hang Seng gained 0.4 percent to 22,619.78. South Korea's Kospi added nearly 0.3 percent to 1,987.35.

Incoming Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has called for more public works spending to reinvigorate the economy. He wants the Bank of Japan to raise its inflation target from 1 to 2 percent to drag the country out of two decades of deflation, or steadily declining prices that have deadened economic activity.

To help exporters, Abe also has urged the central bank to take steps to dampen Japan's yen. A strong currency has hurt big exporters such as Toyota by making Japanese products more expensive overseas.

"The message from Japan is clear at the moment, the incoming government will do everything in its power to weaken the yen and stimulate the economy," Australia's IG Markets said in a report.

Benchmarks in Singapore, Taiwan and Australia also posted gains.

Mainland Chinese shares lost ground, with the Shanghai Composite Index falling 0.6 percent to 2,205.90 while the Shenzhen Composite Index lost 0.8 percent to 862.82. Shares in wine producers and aerospace-related companies led the gains.

"The losses were a technical correction after the recent gains" said Xu Xiaoyu, an analyst at China Investment Securities, based in Beijing. Kweichow Moutai Co., China's largest maker of "baijiu" liquor, gained 1.1 percent. Sichuan Tuopai Shede Wine Co. gained 6 percent following earlier losses.

"Upcoming festivals might boost demand," Xu said.

On Wednesday, U.S. stocks fell for a third session as trading resumed after the Christmas break. Disappointing holiday sales weighed heavy on retail companies and investors worried about the impending "fiscal cliff" ? automatic tax and spending cuts due to take effect if the White House and Congress fail to agree on a budget deal. Economists worry that could push the economy into recession.

Benchmark oil for February delivery rose 13 cents to $91.11 in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract jumped $2.37 to finish at $90.98 per barrel in thin post-Christmas trading in New York.

In currencies, the euro rose to $1.3266 from $1.3220 late Wednesday in New York. The dollar gained to 85.74 yen from 85.63 yen.

___

AP researcher Fu Ting contributed from Shanghai.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/asia-stocks-japan-optimism-europe-opens-093550906--finance.html

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Gizmodo's 12 Worst Posts of 2012

When you publish about 35,000 stories over the course of a year, a few duds are bound to slip through. We admit it. Not every Gizmodo post was perfect this year. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/OL1_AzDQsyQ/gizmodos-12-worst-posts-of-2012

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Health and Fitness: Back Pain ? Some Clues to Discovering the ...

Health and Fitness: Back Pain ? Some Clues to Discovering the Cause ? fyfedyfolygo \ '); $('#wpl-mustlogin').hide().slideDown('fast'); } ); $('#wpl-mustlogin input.input').live( 'focus', function() { $(this).prev().hide(); }).live( 'blur', function() { if ( $(this).val() == '' ) { $(this).prev().show(); } }); $('#wpl-mustlogin input#wp-submit').live( 'click', function(e) { e.preventDefault(); $.post( 'http://fyfedyfolygo.wordpress.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php', { 'action': 'wpl_record_stat', 'stat_name': 'loggedout_login_submit' }, function() { $('#wpl-mustlogin form').submit(); } ); }); $('#wpl-mustlogin a#wpl-signup-link').live( 'click', function(e) { e.preventDefault(); var link = $(this).attr('href'); $.post( 'http://fyfedyfolygo.wordpress.com/wp-admin/admin-ajax.php', { 'action': 'wpl_record_stat', 'stat_name': 'loggedout_signup_click' }, function() { location.href = link; } ); }); }) })(jQuery); /* ]]> */ Follow

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Source: http://fyfedyfolygo.wordpress.com/2012/12/26/health-and-fitness-back-pain-some-clues-to-discovering-the-cause/

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How To Choose A Roofing Contractor Austin TX | Home ...

The important factor when choosing an expert to roof your house is the qualification and experience that he or she has. This would be a good way to be sure about their professional ability to provide you with quality services. To hire the right roofing contractor Austin TX residents should search thoroughly and assess those they come across locally.

The most important thing when searching for these services is the quality of their work. This is often a difficult thing for those who have no experience with the roofing field as they may not know what to look for. It is therefore crucial to search for certified experts who has a reputation of honoring warranties.

To pick one among many found in this location is the main challenge for people as you may not be able to distinguish between them. The best thing is to hire one through scrutinizing their credentials and therefore. To pick any one randomly may not help you to get a qualified one as you might end up with quacks.

The best way to get them is through gathering information about their services before choosing any. Some sources such as the directory and the print media may not provide you the platform to know them. This is because they only contain their contacts and location and nothing more to help you choose the right one and therefore this cannot be a good source.

For instance, asking for recommendations in your neighborhood is great idea because many people have used these professionals before. They could provide you with options you can consider to use. You would also get a lot of testimonies that support the proposals they give which will enable you to select one on the basis of their rating. Asking for more alternatives is crucial because it will rise your chances for a qualified one.

You can get these providers online through their websites as they use it in getting more clients. The sites have their profile page and many other resources you could study and know which one to choose. The reviews given by their former clients could be the basis for choosing any company in the area.

Find out whether the provider you prefer has a license as this would be an indicator of their credibility. Those that have worked for a long time have adequate experience in the service and could therefore be reliable. This is important to find those that have adequate skills in the job.

Their reputation as indicated by their previous clients is important as this could determine their reliability. The stability of their business will also tell you whether you can trust them or not. Find those that have a liability insurance cover for their workers and clients as an accident could happen during the working process.

The cost may vary but meeting with the provider you have selected will enable you to make the right choice. The most important issue is their qualification, experience and reputation in the job, which you should be sure about when selecting. For reliable roofing contractor Austin TX has professionals you could find.

Check out www.willirs.com for a detailed summary of the advantages of hiring a roofing contractor Austin TX area, now. You can also get more information about a reputable roofing company at http://www.willirs.com today.

Source: http://www.cohocton.org/138-how-to-choose-a-roofing-contractor-austin-tx

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Tuesday, December 25, 2012

Video: What to Expect Later This Week

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Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/50290240/

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'Tis The Season For Life Lessons

By Brett Spiegel for Everyday Health

We all move throughout the year consumed by our own stresses and responsibilities -- whether it's work, money, family obligations, or just general anxiety about the future. However, as the air starts to cool and the snow begins to fall, low and behold it's holiday time. Hearts lift, joy rises, and people treat each other with genuine kindness.

Or do they? The lessons of the season are prime for emotional investigation. But what exactly is it about this time of year that separates the saints from the Scrooges?

More From Everyday Health
Maintaining Happiness And Emotional Well-Being
The Importance Of Friendship
Can You Bounce Back From Life's Challenges?

Did Ebenezer Have It Right From the Get-Go?

Charitable giving is always a good idea, right? But maybe not your first idea, according to new research from the American Psychological Association (APA), which found that people are more likely to pay greed forward than generosity.

"The bulk of the scientific research on this concept has focused on good behavior, and we wondered what would happen when you looked at the entire gamut of human behaviors," said lead researcher Kurt Gray, PhD, assistant professor of social psychology at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Chapel Hill, in a press release.

The UNC researchers, with assistance from researchers at Harvard University, examined the behaviors of 100 recruits from a Cambridge, Mass., subway station after informing individuals that someone was splitting $6 with them. Participants were then given envelopes with variable amounts of money -- the full sum, half, or nothing at all -- and were then told to split an additional $6 with a future volunteer.

Those who had initially acquired the entire $6 paid forward only half of the extra money, while those who had gotten nothing were more inclined to share only a miniscule portion of the new $6, if anything at all.

"The idea of paying it forward is this cascade of goodwill will turn into a utopia, with everyone helping everyone," added Dr. Gray. "Unfortunately, greed or looking out for ourselves is more powerful than true acts of generosity."

The study authors concluded that acts of generosity failed to prompt exact or even similar reactions. Additionally, those victimized by greed perpetuated a pattern of future greed among others.

One possible reason: Negative stimuli held more weight with the test audience and thus acts of greed triumphed over acts of generosity. Gray said that this behavior may be rooted in a person's physiological instinct for survival. "If there is a tiger nearby, you really have to take notice or you'll get eaten," he said. "If there is a beautiful sunset or delicious food, it's not a life-or-death situation."

It's (Still) a Wonderful Life!

But don't fret; there's still hope. If George Bailey can alter his tune, so can others. According to a new study out of Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah, there is truth behind the idea that holidays can change a person's heart, famously exemplified by Scrooge himself.

The researchers analyzed the experiences of 14 people who experienced deep, unexpected, or life-long change -- similar to the way in which the lonely and bitter Scrooge gained enlightenment from the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future.

"Like our participants, Scrooge was suffering. There was disintegration. There was a world that was ripe for change because of suffering going on," said Jeff Skalski, study co-author and former BYU grad student, in a press release. "Just by their presence, a trusted friend can open up possibilities and a sense of faith in what's possible that one can't see."

For the study, to be published in the January issue of The Humanistic Psychologist, Skalski recruited subjects through online posts in Illinois and Utah. Though an average of nine years had lapsed since their reported transformations, a majority of the participants could recall their moment-of-change like it was yesterday, a turning point from their overwhelming financial, academic, or relationship stress and woes.

One study subject, "Kevin," said about his transformation, "I say it's the best thing that could've happened, because my life is so much more rewarding than it once was. You can't put a price tag on certain?events that I maybe missed before -- certain events, and a marriage, and a family, birthdays, you know? Certain things that are just really fun to be a part of are more meaningful, and it is happiness -- the kind that lasts. I know these truths have been around forever. But for me they're new."

"We all know deep down inside that human beings can and do change in profound and significant ways," said Skalski.

But do you need to hit rock bottom like Scrooge to accept change and reevaluate what's important in your life? "That led me to think, well, is there a way that people can capitalize on these mechanisms of change and initiate them themselves instead of bottoming out," said study co-author and BYU psychology professor Sam Hardy, PhD, in the release. "Can you self-initiate this kind of change?" Well, perhaps that answer lies in future studies.

"'Tis The Season For Life Lessons" originally appeared on Everyday Health.

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/25/holiday-spirit_n_2340858.html

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How does a traffic cop ticket a driverless car?

Rapid progress means self-driving cars are in the fast lane to consumer reality. Is the law up to speed too, asks legal expert Bryant Walker Smith

EVER since the 1930s, self-driving cars have been just 20 years away. Many of those earlier visions, however, depended on changes to physical infrastructure that never came about - like special roads embedded with magnets.

Fast forward to today, and many of the modern concepts for such vehicles are intended to work with existing technologies. These supercomputers-on-wheels use a variety of onboard sensors - and, in some cases, stored maps or communications from other vehicles - to assist or even replace human drivers under specific conditions. And they have the potential to adapt to changes in existing infrastructure rather than requiring it to alter for them.

Infrastructure, however, is more than just roads, pavements, signs and signals. In a broad sense, it also includes the laws that govern motor vehicles: driver licensing requirements, rules of the road and principles of product liability, to name but a few. One major question remains though. Will tomorrow's cars and trucks have to adapt to today's legal infrastructure, or will that infrastructure adapt to them?

Consider the most basic question: are self-driving vehicles legal today? For the US, the short answer is that they probably can be (the long answer runs to nearly 100 pages). Granted, such vehicles must have drivers, and drivers must be able to control their vehicles - these are international requirements that date back to 1926, when horses and cattle were far more likely to be "driverless" than cars. Regardless, these rules, and many others that assume a human presence, do not necessarily prohibit vehicles from steering, braking and accelerating by themselves. Indeed, three US states - Nevada, Florida and most recently California - have passed laws to make that conclusion explicit, at least to a point.

Still unclear, even with these early adopters, is the precise responsibility of the human user, assuming one exists. Must the "driver" remain vigilant, their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road? If not, what are they allowed to do inside, or outside, the vehicle? Under Nevada law, the person who tells a self-driving vehicle to drive becomes its driver. Unlike the driver of an ordinary vehicle, that person may send text messages. However, they may not "drive" drunk - even if sitting in a bar while the car is self-parking. Broadening the practical and economic appeal of self-driving vehicles may require releasing their human users from many of the current legal duties of driving.

For now, however, the appropriate role of a self-driving vehicle's human operator is not merely a legal question; it is also a technical one. At least at normal speeds, early generations of such vehicles are likely to be joint human-computer systems; the computer may be able to direct the vehicle on certain kinds of roads in certain kinds of traffic and weather, but its human partner may need to be ready to take over in some situations, such as unexpected road works.

A great deal of research will be done on how these transitions should be managed. Consider, for example, how much time you would need to stop reading this article, look up at the road, figure out where you are and resume steering and braking. And consider how far your car would travel in that time. (Note: do not attempt this while driving your own car.)

Technical questions like this mean it will be a while before your children are delivered to school by taxis automatically dispatched and driven by computers, or your latest online purchases arrive in a driver-less delivery truck. That also means we have time to figure out some of the truly futuristic legal questions: How do you ticket a robot? Who should pay? And can it play (or drive) by different rules of the road?

Data protection is a more pressing issue. Many cars and trucks available today already collect driving data through onboard sensors, computers and cellular devices. But imagine taking a dozen smartphones, turning on all of their sensors and cameras, linking them to your social media accounts, and affixing them to the inside and outside of your vehicle. That is an understatement of a self-driving vehicle's potential data collection. Because consumer versions of such vehicles do not yet exist, we don't know what data will actually be collected or how it will be transmitted and used. However, legal issues related to disclosure, consent and ownership will mix with important policy questions about the costs and benefits of data sharing. Indeed, some research vehicles in Germany already have privacy notices printed on their sides to warn other road users.

Finally, what happens when things go wrong - or at least not as right as they might? Given that the vast majority of crashes are caused at least in part by human error, self-driving vehicles have huge potential to save lives. But they will not be perfect; after all, humans will remain in the design loop even after they are out of the driving loop. To what standard, then, should these vehicles be held? Must they perform as well as a perfect human driver for any conceivable manoeuvre? Or must they perform merely as well as an average human in a statistical sense? In any case, how should that performance be measured?

These questions will be considered explicitly or implicitly by the regulators who create new standards, the judges and juries that decide who should pay for injuries, and how much, and the consumers who decide what kind of car to buy. The uncertainty that surrounds the answers will affect the speed and price at which these new technologies are introduced.

Why do these questions matter so much? Because ultimately their most meaningful answers will, one hopes, be expressed in terms of lives saved.

Bryant Walker Smith is a fellow at the Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School and the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University, California. His analysis of the legality of self-driving vehicles in the US came out in November (bit.ly/SVCe32)

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