Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Urban noise makes flycatchers change length of their songs

ScienceDaily (Nov. 20, 2012) ? Do birds change their tune in response to urban noise? It depends on the bird species, according to Dr. Alejandro Ariel R?os-Chel?n from the Universidad Nacional Aut?noma de M?xico and colleagues. Their work shows that while some birds do adapt their songs in noisy conditions by means of frequency changes, others like the vermilion flycatchers adapt their song by means of changes in song lengths.

The work is published online in Springer's journal, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

Birds use their songs during social interactions to attract females and repel intruders. Factors affecting acoustic communication, such as urban noise, may therefore impair breeding success. Research to date has shown that several songbird (or oscine) species like robins, nightingales and blackbirds, adapt their song in response to noise. This is done in order to improve acoustic communication in noisy conditions. However, little work has been done on the more tropical sister group of the oscines, the sub-oscines, which includes the vermilion flycatcher.

Rios-Chel?n and team investigated whether male vermilion flycatchers adapted their song under noisy conditions in the same way as their less tropical sister group. They recorded the songs of 29 territorial vermilion flycatcher males in different parks and urban areas of Mexico City. They registered noise levels at different moments of both the pre-dawn and dawn chorus, measured song length, and counted the total number of elements in the birds' song to assess song versatility.

They found that males occupying territories with relatively high noise levels produced longer songs, whereas males in quieter places sang both long and short songs. Males also showed song plasticity as they sang less versatile songs later in the morning when noise level was higher, but time of day seemed to play a more important role in driving this shift than did noise levels.

The authors conclude, "While these results show that time of day has an effect on individual song versatility, we cannot discard an influence of noise... this study supports the idea that sub-oscine adaptation to noise is different in degree and mode to that taking place among oscines, suggesting heterogeneity in the capacity of bird species to colonize and survive in the urban environment."

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Springer Science+Business Media.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


Journal Reference:

  1. Alejandro Ariel R?os-Chel?n, Esmeralda Quir?s-Guerrero, Diego Gil, Constantino Mac?as Garcia. Dealing with urban noise: vermilion flycatchers sing longer songs in noisier territories. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 2012; DOI: 10.1007/s00265-012-1434-0

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/strange_science/~3/gcV4YmLTnsI/121120121906.htm

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Monday, November 19, 2012

Investors to fiscal cliff doomsayers: Chill out

21 hrs.

The "fiscal cliff" sounds like a scary place. Headlines about "taxmaggeddon" are flashing on TV screens, next to clocks ticking down to Jan. 1.?

The Dow Jones Industrial Average has skidded more than 7 percent over the last month, largely due to concerns about the standoff in Congress over how to stop a barrage of tax hikes and spending cuts.?

But some major investors say the doomsayers are getting too much attention and cliff watchers should relax a bit.?

These investors argue that the U.S. economy does not face immediate disaster if lawmakers can't reach a deal by the end of the year, and there will still be time for Washington to come up with a deal in early 2013 before major damage starts to be done.?

"It is not impossible at all that they miss by a little and then come back and get it," said billionaire investor Ken Fisher, whose firm Fisher Investments oversees about $38 billion in equities. "There's a minor risk ... but getting it done 10 days later is not really a big deal."?

Others say Washington has more time than that.?

Billionaire investor Warren Buffett, long supportive of higher taxes for America's super-rich, told CNN this week that lawmakers could have as much as a couple of months next year to reach a deal.?

"The fact that can't get along for the month of January is not going to torpedo the economy," he said.?

Chief executives warn of the damaging effects of uncertainty on their investment and hiring decisions. Many investors have focused on the risk of a new recession if the cliff is not addressed. And tumbling stock prices can add to the sense of panic and hurt both business and consumer confidence.?

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that the tax hikes and spending cuts would amount to $600 billion in 2013 and could cause the U.S. economy to contract by nearly 3 percent in the first half of the year.?

But that does not mean the pain begins automatically at the start of January.?

For example, there could be a long lag, possibly lasting several months, between Jan. 2, when the budgets of government agencies would be cut, and the actual implementation of those cuts to programs ranging from research grants to court room security.?

On the tax side, the Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service have flexibility as to when to implement new, higher taxes. And even if higher withholding rates do take effect in January, they could be retroactively reversed later in the year.?

In short, what has been dubbed a cliff is more like a fiscal slope that gets steeper as time goes on. How far the U.S. economy slides down it will depend on how quickly lawmakers in Washington take to do a deal.?

A lot will depend on whether talks between administration officials and Congressional leaders can remain cordial and appear to be making progress, even if that progress is slow. They got off to what seemed to be a good start on Friday when both Democratic and Republican Congressional leaders came out of a meeting with President Barack Obama talking about the need for a deal, giving a boost to U.S. stock prices.?

But some are skeptical. J. Dan Denbow, a fund manager at USAA in San Antonio, Texas, has been watching the value of his precious metals funds tank as fears of a U.S. recession dent the asset class. He thinks Congress will end up going over the cliff and that markets are in for a lot more volatility.?

"Everybody's playing nice in the same sandbox," said Denbow of the recent round of cross-party meetings at the White House. "But they don't tell you what kind of cat fights they had behind closed doors."?

KNIVES POISED, NO ORDERS TO CUT YET?

Stephen Fuller, an economist at George Mason University, said it could take until the end of March before spending cuts begin to be implemented.?

The government's budget managers appear to be in no hurry to take out their scissors.?

The Office of Budget Management, the executive branch tasked with overseeing the cuts, has issued a report detailing how they will affect 1,200 government agency accounts. But breaking this down to a program-by-program plan is proving "challenging," given the scale of the task, the OMB said.?

By the end of October the OMB had not advised agencies how to prepare for the so-called sequesters, or automatic spending cuts, according to a government budget expert who had talked to staff at OMB as well as agency budget offices.?

The expert, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the OMB was still waiting for lists of programs from the Defense Department.?

The agencies "would see the reduction in the funds that they have in Treasury immediately but obviously it takes a while for all that spending to occur so that's why people are talking about the fiscal slope in terms of the sequestration cuts," the budget expert said.?

TAXING ISSUES?

A more immediate concern in terms of the economic impact is the expiration on Jan. 1 of the Bush-era tax cuts and the lower payrolls tax cuts which were introduced in early 2011. If they lapse, American consumers could see an immediate bite out of their take-home pay as tax rates revert to higher levels.?

However, government tax lawyers, speaking off the record because they were not authorized to talk publicly, said the U.S. tax code gives the Treasury and the IRS some flexibility when deciding withholding levels appropriate to tax law.?

If legislation was in progress to restore all or some of the tax cuts early in 2013 they might be able to hold off on increasing withholdings from paychecks, they said.?

There is also the option of cutting taxes retroactively after the new higher rates have been introduced. This could end up in rates lower than current level to make up for any temporary payment of higher tax rates, giving a boost the economy once applied, experts say.?

There may be further room for maneuver by U.S. tax officials.?

Americans typically give more to the tax man than they need with each paycheck and end up getting a rebate after the end of each tax year. That may allow tax officials to refrain from applying at least part of any higher rates in early 2013, if a deal to restore lower tax rates appears close.?

"My understanding is the law gives a lot of flexibility," said Bob Williams, an economist at the liberal-leaning Urban Institute and previously a tax specialist at the CBO.?

Two years ago, Congress was in a similar situation when a fight over whether to extend the Bush-era tax rates for the wealthy went down to the wire. A deal was not reached until mid-December.?

"They (the Treasury) didn't know that for sure and they didn't issue (instructions to raise taxes) right away ... and that turned out OK," Williams said.?

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/major-investors-fiscal-cliff-doomsayers-chill-out-1C7127107

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Sunday, November 18, 2012

Exclusive: New Jersey railway put trains in Sandy flood zone despite warnings

NEW YORK (Reuters) - New Jersey Transit's struggle to recover from Superstorm Sandy is being compounded by a pre-storm decision to park much of its equipment in two rail yards that forecasters predicted would flood, a move that resulted in damage to one-third of its locomotives and a quarter of its passenger cars.

That damage is likely to cost tens of millions of dollars and take many months to repair, a Reuters examination has found.

The Garden State's commuter railway parked critical equipment - including much of its newest and most expensive stock - at its low-lying main rail yard in Kearny just before the hurricane. It did so even though forecasters had released maps showing the wetland-surrounded area likely would be under water when Sandy's expected record storm surge hit. Other equipment was parked at its Hoboken terminal and rail yard, where flooding also was predicted and which has flooded before.

Among the damaged equipment: nine dual-powered locomotive engines and 84 multi-level rail cars purchased over the past six years at a cost of about $385 million.

"If there's a predicted 13-foot or 10-foot storm surge, you don't leave your equipment in a low-lying area," said David Schanoes, a railroad consultant and former deputy chief of field operations for Metro North Railroad, a sister railway serving New York State. "It's just basic railroading. You don't leave your equipment where it can be damaged."

After Reuters made numerous inquiries to state and local officials this week about the decision to store equipment in the yards, an unidentified senior transportation official told the New York Post that NJ Transit had launched an internal probe, the Post reported on Saturday.

NJ Transit Chairman James S. Simpson, the state's transportation commissioner, told Reuters on Saturday he knew of no such investigation. NJ Transit spokesman John Durso said the agency had not launched a probe but would examine its response to the storm, as "is standard procedure following any major incident."

A spokesman for the Post couldn't immediately be reached.

As of Friday, almost three weeks after the storm, the agency was still struggling to restore full service for its 136,000 daily rail commuters, running just 37 trains into New York Penn Station during the morning rush hour, rather than its usual 63. More service will be restored on Monday. The disruptions have caused long delays and crowded trains for Jersey residents who work in the biggest U.S. city.

James Weinstein, NJ Transit's executive director, said he did not expect the loss of equipment to have a significant effect on service in the coming weeks and months.

Sandy was a storm of rare ferocity, and some damage was inevitable. High winds and a crushing storm surge damaged every conceivable element of the rail system.

The massive, slow-moving storm, which came ashore near Atlantic City, sent boats crashing into a key rail bridge and gigantic trees toppling onto wires and tracks. A rush of seawater washed out miles of coastline track and a switch that directs some of NJ Transit's most heavily traveled rail lines into New York City.

Floodwaters zapped the computer system that guides trains and alerts passengers; damaged a substation that powers much of the agency's main artery into the city; coursed into one of the two tunnels that funnel its trains under the Hudson River; and left a major hub in Hoboken under nine feet of water and five feet of mud.

Still, some of the damage could have been avoided with better planning, railroad experts say.

YARD IN A SWAMPY CROOK

Most of the avoidable damage came at NJ Transit's Meadows Maintenance Complex, a sprawling 78-acre network of tracks and buildings in an industrial area of Kearny that is surrounded by wetlands. The complex is the primary maintenance center for the agency's locomotives and rail cars, with both outdoor and indoor equipment storage; repair, servicing, cleaning, inspection and training facilities; and the agency's rail operations center, which houses computers involved in the movement of trains and communication with passengers.

The yard sits in the swampy crook where the Passaic and Hackensack rivers come together. Elevation maps show that it lies between 0 and 19 feet above sea level. The National Hurricane Center was predicting a storm surge of 6 to 11 feet along the New Jersey and New York coast on top of an unusual tide that already had the rivers running high.

Forecasts were that the storm would make landfall on Monday, October 29, somewhere along the New Jersey or New York coast. On Friday, October 26, executives from the New York City subway system and all of the region's commuter rail systems - NJ Transit, Long Island Rail Road and Metro North Railroad - decided they would halt all service Sunday night.

NJ Transit's last trains left their originating stations at 11 p.m. on Sunday, and workers spent the next 12 hours securing equipment, said Weinstein.

At NJ Transit's emergency command center, reports streamed in from the governor's command center in Trenton, county emergency management officials and the National Weather Service, which provided frequent updates on the storm's progress. Monitoring those reports and advising the agency on what to expect from the storm was NJ Transit Police Capt. Robert Noble, who is well-versed and trained in monitoring storms, Weinstein said.

Noble said he monitored weather reports for all of the agency's bus lots and rail yards statewide. Flooding was predicted for virtually every corner of the system, he said.

"Based upon the information we had at that hour, the complex was not the highest-threat location that we had," he said.

Yet a Reuters review of information disseminated before the storm found detailed maps issued by the National Hurricane Center and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, all warning that both the rail hub in Hoboken and the Meadows complex in Kearny would flood. Asked if NJ Transit executives saw those maps and factored the predictions into their decision-making, Weinstein said the agency considered the storm surge predictions but also relied on history and experience.

FORECASTS PROVED HIGHLY ACCURATE

The agency has been operating its Meadows complex since the 1980s, and it had never flooded, not even during Hurricane Floyd, which caused record flooding in New Jersey in 1999, said Kevin O'Connor, vice president and general manager of rail operations. Several former NJ Transit employees who worked there for decades said they could not recall any time it had flooded.

A map of the storm surge from Hurricane Irene in August 2011, prepared by the FEMA, shows water came within about 400 yards of the rail complex. O'Connor said employees had trouble getting to the complex during that storm because surrounding roads had flooded, but the water never encroached on the rail yard.

"Our experience and all of the information we had led us to conclude that our equipment was in the safest possible place," Weinstein said. "There was no reason for us to think that the kind of flooding that we actually experienced would happen there."

But this time, the weather forecasters proved right, and history proved wrong. Maps of the forecasters' predictions, compared with those of the actual storm surge, show the computer models were remarkably accurate. Tides added another 4.5 feet of water to the storm surge in the area, said Philip Orton, research scientist in physical oceanography and specialist in storm surges at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Given the value of the equipment stored at the Meadows yard during the storm, it is hard to imagine why NJ Transit executives gambled that history would repeat itself, said Alain Kornhauser, director of the Transportation Research Center at Princeton University.

Weinstein said he could not yet put a dollar amount on the damage. A Reuters review of Board of Directors meeting minutes and news accounts describing equipment purchases found the damaged locomotives and passenger cars worth about $900 million.

Kornhauser was especially critical that nine new dual-motor engines, which together cost more than $107 million, had been left in an area predicted to flood. Even if the risk of flooding had been infinitesimal, he said, the agency's newest, most expensive equipment should have been moved to higher ground.

"What do you do with your personal valuable assets when you hear a hurricane is coming?" he said. "You put them in your pocket and get out of there, don't you? You don't need to be a rocket scientist for that one, do you?"

NJ Transit's sister railroads in New York did move their rolling stock to higher ground on the Sunday night before the storm.

After consulting "slosh maps," which predicted which areas would flood, Long Island Rail Road moved hundreds of train engines and cars from its huge Westside Yard just west of Penn Station in New York City and other low-lying yards scattered across its system, said Joe Calderone, the railroad's vice president of public affairs. Much of the equipment was moved to a large rail yard at Jamaica, Queens. What wouldn't fit in yards deemed safe from flooding was parked on the main line and other high-elevation tracks.

No LIRR locomotives or rail cars were damaged, Calderone said.

None of New York City's subway cars were damaged during Sandy. The yards at Coney Island, the largest yard in the system, and the Rockaways were emptied before the storm, with equipment moved to other yards or parked on lines not vulnerable to flooding, spokesman Kevin Ortiz said.

Metro North was so concerned about the potential storm surge on the Hudson River that it asked National Weather Service forecasters to run computer models to predict whether certain yards would flood. Railroad executives then used those predictions to decide where to move equipment, said Howard Permut, the railroad's president.

"We had direct conversations with some of the forecasters themselves," he said. "They ran a bunch of models for that."

Some stock was exposed nevertheless. North of New York City, in Croton-on-Hudson, the storm surge from the Hudson River flooded Metro North's Harmon rail yard. There, workers had moved equipment to the northernmost point of the yard in an effort to keep it dry, said spokeswoman Marjorie Anders. Still, two locomotives and 11 passenger cars were damaged, she said.

SALTWATER, 5 FEET DEEP

NJ Transit's Meadows yard was particularly vulnerable. The National Hurricane Center's models from 7 a.m. on the Saturday before the storm predicted water would lap at its edge. By 7 p.m. Sunday, some models predicted most of the yard would flood. That night, NJ Transit began moving rail cars and locomotives there.

By 11 a.m. Monday, scores of locomotives and hundreds of rail cars awaited the storm in the Meadows yard.

NJ Transit has 203 locomotives and 1,162 rail cars, and 62 locomotives and 261 rail cars were damaged. That amounts to 24 percent of the fleet.

All but 15 percent or 20 percent of the damaged stock was flooded at the Meadows yard, said Durso, the NJT spokesman. The rest were in Hoboken, which also saw severe flooding. Durso said he could not provide specific counts of damaged equipment by location.

Weinstein and O'Connor were at the Meadows complex on Monday afternoon during the storm, Weinstein said, and they remained confident in their decision. "There was no reason for anybody to believe that the flooding was going to be anything close to what we experienced," he said.

By late Monday night and early Tuesday morning, it became clear they had miscalculated.

Water had surrounded the maintenance buildings by 10 p.m., Durso said. By 2 a.m., water had come inside, and employees called O'Connor to tell him about it.

The water was as deep as five feet in some of the complex's maintenance areas, Weinstein said. Out in the yard, it was deep enough to submerge automobiles. Salt water rose above the wheel wells of the locomotives and rail cars, engulfing brakes, electrical systems, heating and air-conditioning units, batteries and traction motors that help power the cars and soaking insulation panels and seat cushions.

Some of the equipment, Weinstein said, had already been taken out of service for repairs before the storm. Some of the repair work is already under way.

He said he could not yet estimate the cost or time to repair the equipment. Metro North expects to spend more than $100,000 repairing each of its damaged rail cars, Anders said. The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority spent about $1.5 million repairing one locomotive and 12 passenger cars that flooded during Hurricane Irene, said Ron Hopkins, SEPTA's assistant general manager for operations. The work took more than a year.

Should NJ Transit's costs be similar, they would face a repair bill of more than $32 million.

Weinstein said all of his attention to date has been on restoring service, and he has not had time to reflect on lessons learned. But both he and Governor Chris Christie say there will be a review of the agency's response to the storm.

"You can prepare for a worst-case scenario, but the standard of preparedness was definitely raised by this storm," said Christie spokesman Michael Drewniak. "As we did post-Hurricane Irene, we will be evaluating how we did and where we can improve, and make changes for the future. But, again, this was a hit of historic proportions."

(Additional reporting by Melanie Hicken; research by Lisa Schwartz; Editing by Maurice Tamman and Michael Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/exclusive-jersey-railway-put-trains-sandy-flood-zone-230258941.html

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Free chamber music concert today at the Good Shepherd Episcopal Church

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The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd will present a free chamber music concert, A Musical Journey by Variations of Three at 3 p.m. today at the church on the corner of Seventh and Texas streets in historic downtown Silver City behind Western Stationers. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. for early seating. From left are violist Gail Rein, violinist Don McCracken and pianist Patricia Prewit.

SILVER CITY ? The Good Shepherd Recital Series will present its first performance of the 2012-2013 season at 3 p.m. today at the church, on the corner of Seventh and Texas streets in historic downtown Silver City behind Western Stationers. Doors will open at 2:30 p.m. for early seating.

Variations of Three will feature Don McCracken on violin, Gail Rein on viola, and Patricia Prewit on piano. The trio will perform in various combinations of string duet, string solo and piano, and strings plus piano. A reception will follow the concert in the Parish Hall just off the sanctuary. The recital is free and open to the public with donations welcome. Handicapped parking is available along 7th street and off 6th street in the rear church parking lot.

The recital is titled "A Musical Journey." The first selections come from the Baroque period featuring Teleman and J.S. Bach, followed by the Romantic period, represented by Schubert, Fuchs, and Bruch. The final selection is Georges Migot's impressionistic set of pieces "On the banks of the Eure, Five watercolors."

McCracken started violin in the ninth grade, eventually becoming concertmaster of his high school orchestra. He also played with the Pittsburgh Youth Symphony. After taking a break from the violin while an undergraduate at Carnegie Mellon University, he began playing again during graduate school, and played in the Carnegie Mellon Orchestra and the Westmoreland Symphony. His first exposure to chamber music was

during those years, as he played in string quartets regularly with a group of friends. After graduation, he put the violin back on the shelf, and didn't take it up again until moving to Silver City five years ago.

Prewit began piano lessons at the age of 8.

She holds a bachelor of music degree from Michigan State University and a master of arts in teaching degree from Western New Mexico University. Prewit has taught private piano lessons, accompanied choirs and music students at WNMU and throughout the community and taught special education in the public schools. Currently, she is a member of the Community Chamber Singers and continues to expand her classical music repertoire as an avid fan and participant in chamber music ensembles.

Rein started playing the violin at age 10. She performed her first string quartet, Beethoven Op. 18 No. 1, at age 13, playing the viola. That first chamber music experience hooked Gail for life, and she has been playing the viola ever since. A retired information systems designer, Rein has worked in academia, industry, and think-tank research labs. She moved to Silver City last October from Rochester, N.Y., and loves it here. Gail collects unusual chamber music works and enjoys sharing them with others who are adventuresome.

For more information, call Adele Giusto (575) 538-9532 home or cell (575) 654-0825.

Source: http://www.scsun-news.com/ci_22018714?source=rss_viewed

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NTSB investigates deadly train-parade float crash in Texas

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) ? The National Transportation Safety Board says the train that crashed into a flatbed trailer carrying wounded veterans was traveling below the 70 mph speed limit.

Mark Rosekind with the NTSB said at a late Friday afternoon news conference that the Union Pacific train was going 62 mph in a 70 mph zone, based on track image recorders.

Four veterans were killed and 16 people were injured Thursday when the train struck the tractor-trailer that was towing the float.

Rosekind also said the train's emergency brakes were applied before the accident, but it is unclear how close it was to the float when that happened.

The NTSB will test the signals for abnormalities on Saturday.

?2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Source: http://www.9wsyr.com/news/national/story/NTSB-investigates-deadly-train-parade-float-crash/8cURpzrRb0W9XUi6V2Sdug.cspx?rss=114

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Saturday, November 17, 2012

The Scary Trend Of Boomer Addiction | Health And Fitness

The picture of a drug addict in your head is probably not one of a grey-haired grandmother or grandfather, a middle-aged professional or a soon-to-be retiree.

But the face of drug addiction in the United States is changing, and a significant number of older adults, particularly those in the baby boomer generation, are struggling with both illicit and prescription drug abuse ?

Conventional Medicine Turning Seniors Into Drug Addicts

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has reported that the number of people in their 50s who are abusing illicit drugs more than doubled from 2002 to 2010, going from 2.7 to 5.8 percent in this population. Among those 65 and older, 414,000 used illicit drugs in 2010.1

One reason for this, NIH suggested, is that baby boomers were more likely to use illicit drugs in their youth, which may make the drugs seem more acceptable now. This certainly appears to be the case ? but it doesn?t help that in many cases their physicians are the ones doing the ?dealing.?

You see, the illicit drugs mentioned by the NIH are not only the ?street? drugs that the name implies. This category also includes prescription medications, abuse of which has become so severe among seniors that the NIH has devoted a new section of its Web site to address its effects.2

Among seniors, the risks of all medications are increased, because the body takes longer to break down and get rid of the drug than it does in a younger person. As a result, the drug stays in an older person?s system longer, where it can cause even greater damage.

The most commonly abused prescription medications among seniors, along with their risks, include: 3

Opioids (Painkillers)

Morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone and fentanyl all fall into this category. These drugs are not only addictive, they can lead to slowed breathing and death if too much is taken.

Depressants

Used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders, medications such as Valium, Xanax, Ambien, and Sonata are also addictive, and cause side effects like confusion, drowsiness and impaired coordination. This can be especially risky among seniors, as it increases the risk of accidents and falls. Further, if these drugs are combined with alcohol or pain medications, the results can be deadly.

Stimulants

These include drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall (the latter of which actually contains amphetamine, known and sold on the street as ?speed? or ?crank?), which are often used to teat ADHD, narcolepsy and even sometimes depression. Along with being highly addictive, stimulants sometimes lead to feelings of hostility and paranoia, along with risks like irregular heartbeat, heart failure and seizures.

When a stimulant is combined with another medication, such as an over-the-counter cold medicine that contains a decongestant, it can cause dangerously high blood pressure or irregular heart rhythms.

Medications to Treat Normal ?Aging? Cost More Than Costs of Most Chronic Disease

In a study presented at the annual meeting of the American Public Health Association (APHA), it was revealed that spending for medications to treat conditions associated with normal aging, such as mental alertness, sexual dysfunction, menopause, aging skin and hair loss, tallies up to more than the costs of treating most chronic diseases!4

Use of such drugs jumped 18.5 percent, while costs increased close to 46 percent, from 2006 to 2011. Among those on Medicare (ages 65 and up), usage increased 32 percent.

In 2011, the study found, costs for these drugs ranked third in annual prescription-drug costs among commercially insured individuals, which was surpassed only by costs of treating diabetes and high cholesterol! If only more people realized that they could improve their mental abilities, sexual dysfunction, symptoms of menopause and more using healthy foods instead of drugs, the outcome of the study would be much different, as would, likely, their health ?

More Prescription Drugs Typically Mean More Health Risks

According to statistics from the Kaiser Health Foundation, seniors aged 65 and older fill, on average, 28 prescriptions per year.5 There?s no doubt that the United States has been manipulated into becoming a ?polypharmacy nation.? The word ?polypharmacy? simply means ?many drugs,? but refers to instances where an individual is taking too many drugs ? either because more drugs are prescribed than are clinically indicated, or when the sheer number of pills simply becomes a burden for the patient.

Many Americans are being impacted by polypharmacy, with unforeseen effects on their health ? and this is now, before a new era of government-sponsored healthcare is likely to be ushered in, making drugs even more accessible and promoted as the only legally sanctioned treatment option; or worse, mandatory, as is already the case for certain types of pediatric cancers ?requiring? chemotherapy be used, or compulsory flu vaccines during a state or federally declared health emergency.

More medication is often viewed as a strategy to improve health, but those taking the most prescription drugs are at the greatest risks from adverse drug reactions, some of which can be worse than the disease they?re intended to treat, and which cause a downward spiral of additional prescriptions being given in order to ?treat? the original drug-induced symptoms.

On average, if you take one prescription drug you?ll be exposed to 70 potential side effects. Some of the more commonly prescribed drugs average around 100 side effects each ? and some drugs even carry over 500! If you multiply this by multiple drugs, and then factor in the unforeseen effects of taking multiple drugs at one time, the health risks are astronomical. Dr. Michael Stern, a specialist in geriatric emergency medicine at New York Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, told the New York Times:6

?Polypharmacy is responsible for up to 28 percent of hospital admissions and, if it were classified as such, it would be the fifth leading cause of death in the United States.?

In a study released last year by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), officials emphasized that people should assume there IS risk in prescribed medicines.7 And, for the first time, deaths from properly prescribed drugs even outnumber traffic fatalities in the United States ?

Teens Getting High From Drugs in Mom and Dad?s Medicine Cabinet

In another study presented at the annual meeting of The American Public Health Association, 10 percent of 7th to 12th graders surveyed said they had abused over-the-counter medications, such as cough syrups containing Dextromethorphan (DXM) and decongestants, to get high.8

This is yet another concerning trend, as teens will even go so far as to mix a variety of prescription pills together in a bowl at a party and take a mouthful of them like candy! The kids think this is a safe way to get high, since they see their parents taking the same medications all the time, but it often turns out to be a literal prescription for disaster, the side effects of which include permanent disability and death.

What many fail to realize, whether a senior or a teen, is that prescription drugs can be just as addictive and deadly as illegal drugs. The painkiller Fentanyl, for instance, is approximately 100 times more potent than morphine.

Also, in many cases there?s no difference between a street drug and a prescription drug. For example, hydrocodone, a prescription opiate, is synthetic heroin. It?s indistinguishable from any other heroine as far as your brain and body is concerned. So, if you?re hooked on hydrocodone, you are in fact a good-old-fashioned heroin addict.

With teens, the problem is that prescription and over-the-counter drugs do not have the same stigma as illegal drugs, plus they?re easier to access because their parents take them ? and even if you take the recreational aspect out of it, the average child aged 18 and under in the United States still takes more than four prescription drugs a year!9

You Can Feel Great Without Drugs

?In fact, many report feeling better than they have in years once they?re able to wean off of their medications (which is something you should do only under the guidance of your health care practitioner). Staying well naturally, without the use of drugs or even frequent conventional medical care, is not only possible, it may be the most successful strategy you can employ to increase your longevity. If you adhere to a healthy lifestyle, you most likely will never need medications in the first place.

This includes:

  1. Proper Food Choices: For a comprehensive guide on which foods to eat and which to avoid, see my nutrition plan. Generally speaking, you should focus your diet on whole, unprocessed foods (organic vegetables, grass-fed meats, raw dairy, nuts, and so forth) that come from healthy, sustainable, local sources, such as a small organic farm not far from your home.For the best nutrition and health benefits, you will want to eat a good portion of your food raw. Personally, I aim to eat about 75 percent of my food raw, including raw eggs and humanely raised pastured organic animal products that have not been raised on a CAFO (concentrated animal feeding operation).Nearly as important as knowing which foods to eat more of is knowing which foods to avoid, and topping the list is fructose. When consumed in excess, sugar acts as a toxin and drives multiple disease processes in your body, not the least of which is insulin resistance, a major cause of accelerated aging.
  2. Comprehensive Exercise Program, including High-Intensity Exercise like Peak Fitness: Even if you?re eating the healthiest diet in the world, you still need to exercise to reach the highest levels of health, and you need to be exercising effectively, which means including not only core-strengthening exercises, strength training, and stretching but also high-intensity activities into your rotation. High-intensity interval-type training boosts human growth hormone (HGH) production, which is essential for optimal health, strength and vigor.I?ve discussed the importance of Peak Fitness for your health on numerous occasions, so for more information, please review this previous article.
  3. Stress Reduction and a Positive Attitude: You cannot be optimally healthy if you avoid addressing the emotional component of your health and longevity, as your emotional state plays a role in nearly every physical disease ? from heart disease and depression, to arthritis and cancer.Effective coping mechanisms are a major longevity-promoting factor in part because stress has a direct impact on inflammation, which in turn underlies many of the chronic diseases that kill people prematurely every day. The Emotional Freedom Technique, meditation, prayer, social support and exercise are all viable options that can help you maintain emotional and mental equilibrium.
  4. Proper Sun Exposure to Optimize Vitamin D: We have long known that it is best to get your vitamin D from sun exposure, and if at all possible, I strongly urge you to make sure you?re getting out in the sun on a daily basis. There is preliminary evidence suggesting that oral vitamin D may not provide the identical benefits, although it?s still better than none at all.
  5. Take High Quality Animal-Based Omega-3 Fats: Animal-based omega-3 fat is a strong factor in helping people live longer, and many experts believe that it is likely the predominant reason why the Japanese are the longest lived race on the planet.
  1. Avoid as Many Chemicals, Toxins, and Pollutants as Possible: This includes tossing out your toxic household cleaners, soaps, personal hygiene products, air fresheners, bug sprays, lawn pesticides, and insecticides, just to name a few, and replacing them with non-toxic alternatives.
  2. Avoid Prescription Drugs. Do your homework. You can start on this site by using the search engine at the top of every page, which links to previous articles we have written over the past 15 years. Just type in the name of the drug or condition you are taking it for, and you will likely come up with dozens if not hundreds of pages of information that will help you develop a strategy to stop using the drugs by changing your lifestyle to take control of your health

Source: http://my-healthandfitness.com/health-and-wellness-2/the-scary-trend-of-boomer-addiction/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=the-scary-trend-of-boomer-addiction

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Ayala Land Real Estate Philippines ? Ayala Greenfield Estates ...

Only 20 minutes from Alabang, Ayala Greenfield Estates is a magical neighborhood that provides residents with a true sanctuary to come home to everyday.

Ayala Greenfield Estates 10 KM Scenic Drive

With priceless views of Mount Makiling, Laguna de Bay, Tagaytay Ridge, and the Metro Manila cityscape, Ayala Greenfield Estates also has first-class recreational amenities, including its very own 18-hole, par 72 championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones II, the father of environmental golf course design.



A community that works around nature rather than suppresses it, this 350-hectare development serves as the habitat of 35 species and 21 families of endemic and migratory birds. The flora provides a magnificent backdrop to any family scene, and the cool mountain breezes comfort both body and mind. This sense of being in a different world is made even better by an ideal location that keeps the conveniences of the city only a short drive away.

Available for sale: Phase 5 and 6
Size of Lot/Unit: 400 ? 700sqm
Price Range: 3-16M

Ayala Greenfield Estates is a quick 20-minute drive away from Alabang, or 40 minutes from Makati. Its unique elevation ? reaching 315 meters above sea level ? accounts for a cool year-round climate and exceptional views of Mount Makiling, Laguna de Bay, Tagaytay Ridge, the golf fairways and adjacent woodlands.

Ayala Greenfield Estates Availability with Maps as of November 17, 2012

Ayala Greenfield Estates Availability with Maps Phase 6B as of November 17, 2012

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Ayala Greenfield Estates Availability with Maps Phase 6B as of November 17, 2012

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Ayala Greenfield Estates Availability with Maps Phase 6A as of November 17, 2012

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Nearby schools:

  • St. Scholastica?s? Westgrove
  • La Salle Zobel
  • PAREF Woodrose
  • Southridge
  • De La Salle University ? Canlubang
  • University of the Philippines ? Los Ba?os
  • Don Bosco

Nearby hospitals:

  • Asian Hospital
  • South Luzon Medical Center

Nearby commercial centers:

  • Paseo de Santa Rosa
  • SM South Mall
  • Alabang Town Center
  • Festival Supermall
  • Nuvali Central Business District

For Inquiries, Please Call JP, Tony or Vicky Reyes at 930-7635, 211-1970, 453-8373, 425-2979 or 09178653689 or 09173138271 or 09173138273 or 09173138278 | APReyes Realty Investment | Feel free to ask us questions about lots for sale in Ayala Greenfield Estates, we will be happy to answer them for you. Please contact only the undersigned for viewing appointments or site tripping. Or INQUIRE NOW by CLICKING HERE.

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Source: http://www.ayalalandrealestate.com/ayala-greenfield-estates-availability-with-maps-as-of-nov-17-2012/

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India play 3-3 draw with Malaysia in Sultan of Johar Cup

New Delhi: India played 3-3 draw against the hosts Malaysia in their last league match of the 2nd Sultan of Johar Cup at the Taman Daya Hockey Stadium, Malaysia on Saturday.

India took lead in the 19th minute through a brilliant effort from Akashdeep Singh who slipped the ball past Mohd Hafizuddin Othman. Gagandeep Singh converted penalty corner in the 25th minute putting 2-0 on board for India. However Malaysia reduced the margin in the 28th minute scoring field goal through Mohd Noor Faeez Ibrahim.

Malaysia leveled the score in the 45th minute through Firhan Ashaari.

Gurmail Singh put in good effort in the 58th minute to give India a 3-2 lead but Mohd Noor Faeez Ibrahim scored an equalizer in the 69th minute.

India who have remain unbeaten in the five matches are already through to the final of the tournament to be played on Sunday 18 November 2012.

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By Indian Sports News Network

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Source: http://www.indiansportsnews.com/hot-picks/19070-india-play-3-3-draw-with-malaysia-in-sultan-of-johar-cup.html

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Friday, November 16, 2012

Duolingo Review ? 148Apps ? iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch App ...

Helping users learn a new language, Duolingo proves to be a great foundation for knowledge.

Previously a free language-learning website, Duolingo has brought its ramified learning tool to iOS, and it?s a pretty great idea. One that?s sure to prove beneficial to those trying to learn a new language.

The idea behind Duolingo is that it offers up bite sized and, crucially, fun ways to learn a new language. Spanish, French, German, and Portuguese are catered here, so there?s plenty to sink one?s teeth into. It?s possible to learn all of them at once, by switching between them at regular opportunities, but I wouldn?t advise it. Instead, as the app suggests, Duolingo is geared towards daily practice and progression.

Offering up a flow chart of sections, users start out with the basics such as learning the words man, woman, child, along with any relevant gender nouns to go alongside that, followed by other terms such as learning or playing. This is all built up to eventually lad to food, animals, plurals and other key phrases. Users might not end up completely fluent in their chosen language, but there?s a great foundation of knowledge here.

Learning such terms is done through a series of questions that offer visual, audio and written clues. Early questions might offer up a photo of a person to indicate their gender, for instance, while later ones might involve listening to someone speak a phrase and the user must determine how to spell it. Eventually, users find themselves having to translate entire phrases.

It all works pretty well and proves satisfying to progress through. Much like a game, players are given a certain number of lives in which they are able to make mistakes before having to restart the section.

Give it some time and it all starts to sink in. Like with learning any language, practice is essential but Duolingo makes that practice fun. It?s amazing what a levelling up and experience based system can do to one?s motivation. It?s great to see it be used for a good purpose.

Posted in: Education, iPhone Apps and Games, Reviews

Tagged with: Duolingo, Education, free, french, german, languages, learning, Portuguese, Spanish

Review disclosure: note that the product reviewed on this page may have been provided to us by the developer for the purposes of this review. Note that if the developer provides the product or not, this does not impact the review or score.

Source: http://www.148apps.com/reviews/duolingo-review/

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Pinterest Just Got A Lot More Business-Friendly - SEOchampion.com

Pinterest Just Got A Lot More Business-Friendly

Pinterest has launched new tools (as well as some new terms of service) for businesses.

?Organizations can now sign up on the Pinterest for Business site to specify their business name (instead of first and last name) and to secure access to new and upcoming business-specific features,? a spokesperson for Pinterest tells WebProNews. ?Brands with an existing account on Pinterest can easily convert their account.?

?The site will also host case studies, best practices and guides to help provide businesses with inspiration,? she adds. ?Thousands of businesses are already part of the Pinterest community, and we?re excited to take this step towards working closer with the great organizations that leverage Pinterest every day.?

There are two sets of terms ? one for people and one for businesses. ?The business terms help guide businesses on how to use Pinterest,? says product manager Cat Lee in?a blog post. ?They also enable us to separate the provisions meant for businesses from those meant for regular people. As a result, we updated our user terms to be half as long. We also took the opportunity to simplify the language as much as possible. Unfortunately, terms of use are one of those documents that requires a certain amount of legalese, so we?ve offered ?translations? of these sections, too.?

Businesses who are already on Pinterest can convert their accounts to business accounts?here. You can specify your business name instead of a first and last name, verify your site (with a verification badge), add Pin It and/or Follow buttons, and Profile and/or Board widgets.

In addition to all of that, the new?Pinterest business site?has some case studies, best practices, guides and documentation to check out.

Cited from?http://www.webpronews.com/

Source: http://www.seochampion.com/seoblog/pinterest-just-got-a-lot-more-business-friendly.php

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Marla Sokoloff?s Blog: Learning to Trust Myself (and Others)

"Obviously I am happy that she is growing up, but there is this intense sadness that is attached to it that I just can't seem to get past. Please tell me I'm not alone in feeling this way," the actress writes.

Source: http://feeds.celebritybabies.com/~r/celebrity-babies/~3/pq26nNvIj0c/

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DeAngelo Hall fined $30K for altercation with official ? Pro Football Zone

DeAngelo Hall fined $30K for altercation with official ? Pro Football Zone

A few weeks ago, Washington Redskins cornerback DeAngelo Hall got into an altercation with an official during a game and was ejected. Today we found out that the NFL fined ? Continue reading......

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Infographic: How to Build Your Brand Online

In an age where technology has a tight grip on well?everything, it is important to stay on top of current business tactics and trends. It?s the 21st century, the Age of the Internet ? solely advertising your business in the local newspaper and phone book are not going to cut it anymore.

Today, businesses must establish a powerful presence online in order to attract customers near and far. A website creates personal connections with customers by establishing loyalty through brand awareness. Websites allow businesses to put all of their information in one place, making it easy for customers to stay in touch with your products or services.

Running a promotion for free shipping on all sales $50 and over? Put it on your website! Did you recently change locations and need to notify your customers? Put it on your website! Are you offering a new product or service? Put it on your website!

Check out the infographic below for more information about how a website can help your business!

Brought to you by freewebsite.com.


Via: FreeWebsite

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Source: http://www.infographicsarchive.com/business-economics/infographic-how-to-build-your-brand-online/

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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Parade, Jinglefest, Christmas tree lighting this weekend

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.citizen-times.com/article/20121115/ASHEVILLESCENE/311150054/1004/rss

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Fischer: 'Clamp Down on Immigration' Because 'Socialist' Hispanics Vote Democratic (Little green footballs)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/262690503?client_source=feed&format=rss

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LONDON - Giant chocolate coins, squeezing ...

Mit Realtimekurs Realtimekurs gekennzeichnete Kurse stehen in realtime zur Verf?gung.

Mit Verz?gert Verz?gert gekennzeichnete Kurse der deutschen B?rsen sind 15 Minuten verz?gert, Kurse der internationalen B?rsen sind 15 bzw. 20 Minuten verz?gert.

Der zum B?rsenschluss festgestellte Kurs wird als Schlusskurs Schlusskurs dargestellt.

Webshow starten

Source: http://www.trading-house.net/news/sport/london-giant-chocolate-coins-squeezing-24655298.html

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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

RIM to offer voice calls with BBM

TORONTO (AP) ? BlackBerry maker Research In Motion is announcing a new feature for its popular BBM messaging service. It will allow its customers to make free voice calls over a Wi-Fi network.

RIM said Wednesday that BBM users will be able to switch back and forth from a text chat to a voice call. RIM also says a split-screen option will let them talk and text at the same time.

The Canadian company says the BBM voice feature is especially attractive for developing markets. Unlike regular texts, BBM messages are not charged on a per-text basis.

RIM is struggling in North America to hold onto customers who are abandoning BlackBerrys for flashier iPhones and Android phone. But the BlackBerry continues to sell well in markets like South Africa, Nigeria and Indonesia.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rim-offer-voice-calls-bbm-183238658--finance.html

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Solving the mystery of aging: Longevity gene makes Hydra immortal and humans grow older

ScienceDaily (Nov. 13, 2012) ? Why do we get older? When do we die and why? Is there a life without aging? For centuries, science has been fascinated by these questions. Now researchers from Kiel (Germany) have examined why the polyp Hydra is immortal -- and unexpectedly discovered a link to aging in humans.

The study carried out by Kiel University together with the University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein (UKSH) will be published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Hydra -- mysteriously immortal

The tiny freshwater polyp Hydra does not show any signs of aging and is potentially immortal. There is a rather simple biological explanation for this: these animals exclusively reproduce by budding rather than by mating. A prerequisite for such vegetative-only reproduction is that each polyp contains stem cells capable of continuous proliferation. Without these stem cells, the animals could not reproduce any more. Due to its immortality, Hydra has been the subject of many studies regarding aging processes for several years.

Aging in humans

When people get older, more and more of their stem cells lose the ability to proliferate and thus to form new cells. aging tissue cannot regenerate any more, which is why for example muscles decline. Elderly people tend to feel weaker because their heart muscles are affected by this aging process as well. If it were possible to influence these aging processes, humans could feel physically better for much longer. Studying animal tissue such as those of Hydra -- an animal full of active stem cells during all its life -- may deliver valuable insight into stem cell aging as such.

Human longevity gene discovered in Hydra

"Surprisingly, our search for the gene that causes Hydra to be immortal led us to the so-called FoxO gene," says Anna-Marei B?hm, PhD student and first author of the study. The FoxO gene exists in all animals and humans and has been known for years. However, until now it was not known why human stem cells become fewer and inactive with increasing age, which biochemical mechanisms are involved and if FoxO played a role in aging. In order to find the gene, the research group isolated Hydra's stem cells and then screened all of their genes.

Immortality mechanism of Hydra revealed

The Kiel research team examined FoxO in several genetically modified polyps: Hydra with normal FoxO, with inactive FoxO and with enhanced FoxO. The scientists were able to show that animals without FoxO possess significantly fewer stem cells. Interestingly, the immune system in animals with inactive FoxO also changes drastically. "Drastic changes of the immune system similar to those observed in Hydra are also known from elderly humans," explains Philip Rosenstiel of the Institute of Clinical Molecular Biology at UKSH, whose research group contributed to the study.

FoxO makes human life longer, too

"Our research group demonstrated for the first time that there is a direct link between the FoxO gene and aging," says Thomas Bosch from the Zoological Institute of Kiel University, who led the Hydra study. Bosch continues: "FoxO has been found to be particularly active in centenarians -- people older than one hundred years -- which is why we believe that FoxO plays a key role in aging -- not only in Hydra but also in humans." However, the hypothesis cannot be verified on humans, as this would require a genetic manipulation of humans. Bosch stresses however that the current results are still a big step forward in explaining how humans age. Therefore the next step must be to study how the longevity gene FoxO works in Hydra, and how environmental factors influence FoxO activity.

Without stem cells we all die

Scientifically, the study has two major conclusions: On the one hand it confirms that the FoxO gene plays a decisive role in the maintenance of stem cells. It thus determines the life span of animals -- from cnidarians to humans. On the other hand, the study shows that aging and longevity of organisms really depend on two factors: the maintenance of stem cells and the maintenance of a functioning immune system.

This work was funded by the German Research Foundation DFG.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Christian-Albrechts-Universitaet zu Kiel.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.


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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/top_news/top_science/~3/ROuIc9IALSo/121113091953.htm

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This Cheap Computer Monitor Is Your Massive-Screen-Space Deal of the Day

The easiest way to convince your coworkers and colleagues that you're super-productive is to have a ton of screen space. Especially if the 2nd monitor only shows charts, trends, and graphs. When you peel your vision away from your Minority-Report-style screens for a minute, you'll look onto your poor single-screen having friends, and you'll know you're getting twice as much internet in your eyeballs as they are. Here's how I divide my screens up: business on the left, party on the right. More »


Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/mYgkUehZ_xw/this-cheap-computer-monitor-is-your-massive+screen+space-deal-of-the-day

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Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Concerns about furnace fuel Indiana blast probe

Citizens Energy workers continue their investigation Monday afternoon Nov. 12, 2012 by digging into the front sidewalk looking for possible explanation into the explosion of a house in Indianapolis. The search for what caused a massive, deadly explosion that rocked an Indianapolis neighborhood turned to natural gas Monday, with officials checking gas lines and a homeowner saying a problem furnace could be to blame. (AP Photo/WTHR Chopper 13/The Indianapolis Star, Matt Kryger) NO SALES

Citizens Energy workers continue their investigation Monday afternoon Nov. 12, 2012 by digging into the front sidewalk looking for possible explanation into the explosion of a house in Indianapolis. The search for what caused a massive, deadly explosion that rocked an Indianapolis neighborhood turned to natural gas Monday, with officials checking gas lines and a homeowner saying a problem furnace could be to blame. (AP Photo/WTHR Chopper 13/The Indianapolis Star, Matt Kryger) NO SALES

Citizens Energy workers continue their investigation Monday afternoon Nov. 12, 2012 by digging into the front sidewalk looking for possible explanation into the explosion in Indianapolis. They are checking gas line, but caution it is too soon to rule other possible causes, (AP Photo/ WTHR Chopper 13 /The Indianapolis Star, Matt Kryger) NO SALES

Demolished vehicles sit in a destroyed attached garage at a home on Fieldfare Way in the Richmond Hills subdivision in Indianapolis, Monday Nov. 12, 2012. An explosion, originating on Fieldfare Way, destroyed or damaged as many as 80 structures in the subdivision late Saturday night Nov. 10, 2012. Investigators working to determine the cause of a deadly explosion that rocked an Indianapolis subdivision are looking at gas meters and pipelines as possible culprits, but a homeowners? suggestion that his faulty furnace could be to blame is drawing skepticism from at least one expert. (AP Photo/The Indianapolis Star, Joe Vitti)

Utility workers, and investigators stand outside destroyed homes on Fieldfare Way in the Richmond Hills subdivision Monday, Nov. 12, 2012. An explosion, originating on Fieldfare Way, destroyed or damaged as many as 80 structures in the subdivision late Saturday night November 10, 2012. (AP Photo/The Indianapolis Star, Joe Vitti)

Citizens Energy workers continue their investigation Monday afternoon Nov. 12, 2012 by digging into the front sidewalk looking for possible explanation into the explosion of a house in Indianapolis. The search for what caused a massive, deadly explosion that rocked an Indianapolis neighborhood turned to natural gas Monday, with officials checking gas lines and a homeowner saying a problem furnace could be to blame. (AP Photo/WTHR Chopper 13/The Indianapolis Star, Matt Kryger) NO SALES

(AP) ? As investigators try to determine what caused a deadly explosion that ravaged an Indianapolis subdivision, an expert says people shouldn't be alarmed by a homeowner's suggestion that his faulty furnace could be to blame.

Investigators have been looking at gas meters and pipelines as they try to figure out what happened Saturday night when a blast killed two people, obliterated two homes and left dozens more uninhabitable.

John Shirley and his ex-wife own one of the homes leveled in the explosion. Shirley, 50, of Noblesville, said his daughter told him recently that the furnace had gone out in the house she shares with her mother and her mother's boyfriend. He said his daughter told him the furnace was working again, but he wondered if a leak from the furnace could have led to the explosion that killed a couple next door. No one was in Shirley's home at the time of the blast, he said.

Scott Davis, president and principal engineer of GexCon US, an explosion investigation firm in Bethesda, Md., said it's hard to believe a furnace could cause the damage seen in the Indianapolis neighborhood. He noted that most furnaces have multiple safety switches that must be triggered before any gas is used.

"For a furnace to allow that much gas through, you'd have to defeat many of the safety features," he said.

Public Safety Director Troy Riggs said investigators will treat the area as a crime scene until they rule out foul play. Local and federal investigators say it's too soon to rule on a cause but are slowly weeding out some possibilities.

The National Transportation Safety Board sent investigators to check the integrity of a gas main and other lines serving the neighborhood, and local gas supplier Citizens Energy said it also was checking gas lines.

"It's too early to speculate that this might have been caused by a gas leak," Citizens Energy spokeswoman Sarah Holsapple said.

Gas explosions have leveled neighborhoods before, including a 2011 explosion that killed five in Allentown, Pa., and a blast in 2010 in San Bruno, Calif., that killed eight people and destroyed 38 homes. Both of those cases were tied to gas pipelines. A gas leak in a Colorado home last month sparked an explosion that sent five people to a hospital and damaged several nearby homes.

Davis said he's seen a home explosion caused by a malfunctioning furnace before, but it did not level the house.

For an explosion to occur, he said, the amount of natural gas in a confined space much reach a certain level before it can ignite. In many cases, ventilation or a low flow of fuel prevents an explosion from being strong enough to level multiple houses, he said.

Holsapple said investigators are looking at the gas meter for the home believed to have been the starting point for the blast, but she wouldn't comment on whether the house had unusually high gas usage in recent days.

The blast Saturday sparked a massive fire, blew out windows, collapsed ceilings and shook homes up to three miles away, forcing about 200 people out of their homes. The bodies of Jennifer Longworth, a popular second-grade teacher in the nearby suburb of Greenwood, and her husband John, a product developer for a consumer electronics company, were found in the basement of their home, which was destroyed.

Some residents who survived have been allowed to reoccupy their homes, and others will be escorted in to spend an hour to retrieve belongings in the coming days. Adam Collins, the city's deputy code enforcement director, said 29 houses remained uninhabitable Monday.

Barry Chipman, whose house was damaged but is still habitable, hopes those who've lost their homes will rebuild. But he acknowledged Monday that the fabric of the close-knit neighborhood has been altered permanently.

"It's never going to be the same when you've had people lost their lives," he said.

___

Associated Press researchers Lynn Dombek and Rhonda Shafner in New York contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2012-11-13-Indianapolis%20House%20Explosion/id-40b1f6f73add435f9beb279a9fee1ffc

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