Don't Finish Your Plate...Pay 3% More

[via Banquet Manager]

NYC Eatery Charges 3 Percent For Food You Waste

Japanese Restaurant Cuts Costs, Food Thrown Away By Hitting Patrons Who Have Eyes Bigger Than Stomach

NEW YORK (CBS) ― Your mother may have told you to clean your plate. Well, now one local restaurant is taking that a step further. They're charging customers for food they don't finish.

At Hayashi Ya Japanese restaurant on the Upper West Side it's all you can eat for $26.95, unless your eyes are bigger than your stomach and then -- like the sign says -- it will cost you extra.

When asked if he had ever been hit with a 3 percent charge for packing some stuff up and taking it home, Gene Nadelson of Sheepshead Bay laughed. "No, we are trying to finish everything here," Nadelson said.

Patrons said they don't mind the surcharge because it helps with their waistline. The manager said he implemented the extra cost two years ago to help with the restaurant's bottom line. The manager told CBS 2 HD the main motivation for the charge is to eliminate waste. And cost.

"Tens of billions of dollars are wasted each year on food that is purchased and not eaten," said Joel Berg of the New York City Coalition Against Hunger.

Under the Clinton administration, Berg oversaw a program to reduce food waste. Now, he's the executive director of the NYC Coalition. "Americans would be shocked to know how much food is wasted," Berg said.

It's estimated 27 percent of all food is thrown out, which works out to a pound of food every day for every American. "Most of the food that's wasted ends up in landfills," Berg said. "That's not only bad for the environment; some of it could have gone to feed hungry people."

With food prices at their highest in 17 years, Berg said it's time for Americans to rethink the way they eat. "One little blemish on their food and Americans who can afford to do so, throw out that apple," Berg said. Many chain restaurants, like TGI Friday, are also responding by cutting portion sizes.

"One in six residents can't afford enough food at all," Berg said. "We certainly don't need on the other side of the spectrum fancy restaurants offering ridiculous excess portions." And to cut down on waste in your own home, skip buying produce in those big wholesale clubs and try going shopping inside the pantry in your own house. Make some creative dinner menus use up the extra items and watch the savings add up.

A recent study found roughly 30 million tons of food is wasted each year.

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The Truth About Diet Soda

[via yahoo]

We talk a lot about ''watching what we eat,'' but if you never gave a thought to what you ate and instead watched only what you drank, you could probably cut 450 calories a day out of your life. (Yes, nearly a pound of fat loss a week!) That's what a study from the University of North Carolina found. Americans today drink about 192 gallons of liquid a year—or about 2 liters a day. To put it into perspective, this is nearly twice as many calories as we did 30 years ago.

When confronted with the growing tide of calories from sweetened beverages, the first response is, “Why not just drink diet soda?” Well, for a few reasons:

Just because diet soda is low in calories doesn't mean it can't lead to weight gain.

It may have only 5 or fewer calories per serving, but emerging research suggests that consuming sugary-tasting beverages--even if they're artificially sweetened--may lead to a high preference for sweetness overall. That means sweeter (and more caloric) cereal, bread, dessert--everything.

Guzzling these drinks all day long forces out the healthy beverages you need.

Diet soda is 100 percent nutrition-free, and again, it's just as important to actively drink the good stuff as it is to avoid that bad stuff. So one diet soda a day is fine, but if you're downing five or six cans, that means you're limiting your intake of healthful beverages, particularly water and tea.

There remain some concerns over aspartame, the low-calorie chemical used to give diet sodas their flavor.

Aspartame is 180 times sweeter than sugar, and some animal research has linked consumption of high amounts of the sweetener to brain tumors and lymphoma in rodents. The FDA maintains that the sweetener is safe, but reported side effects include dizziness, headaches, diarrhea, memory loss, and mood changes. Bottom line: Diet soda does you no good, and it might just be doing you wrong.

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5 Surprising Reasons You're Gaining Weight

Extra calories may not be the only cause of weight gain.

[via web md]

It's no mystery that a diet full of fried foods, giant portions, decadent desserts, alcohol, and sugary soft drinks will lead to weight gain. And there's little question why the pounds pile up when you take in more calories than you burn in physical activity. But how do you explain weight gain when your lifestyle includes regular exercise and a healthy diet that is controlled in calories? Gaining weight is absolutely maddening, especially when you really don't understand why the needle on the scale keeps going up.

Several things should be considered if you are gaining weight while watching calories and being physically active. More than likely, it's a variety of things working together that have resulted in the weight gain.

"Weight gain is so complicated; there are so many factors that can impact your weight. It is more likely a combination of things more than just one factor," explains Michelle May, MD, author of Am I Hungry? What to Do When Diets Don't Work.

Here are five factors that can cause the scale to creep up when you least expect it.

(Need to lose a few pounds? Maybe even 50 lbs? You’re not alone. Join the discussions in our Diet Club message boards.)

1. You Might Be Gaining Weight Because of Lack of Sleep

The body functions best when well rested. "When you don't get enough sleep, your body experiences physiological stress and, biochemically, you store fat more efficiently," says May.

When you're tired, you also don't handle stress as well, so you may reach for food as a coping mechanism. Further, you may be taking in extra calories from late-night snacking. Some people think eating might help them get back to sleep, but all it really does is add more calories to their daily total.

Symptoms that you may not be getting enough rest include fatigue, low energy levels, nodding off easily, and feeling irritable.

Strive to get eight hours of sleep each night.

"Add about 15 minutes to your bedtime and see how you feel," suggests May. "Continue to experiment with additional 15-minute increments until you find the ... amount of sleep that is right for you."

When you develop good sleeping rituals and get regular exercise, you sleep better, she adds.

2. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress

We live in a society that demands we do more, be more, and achieve more. Stress moves us forward and helps cope with life's demands, but it also affects our mood and emotions.

"Stress response, whether it is 'fight-or-flight,' juggling too many responsibilities, or coping with financial pressures, triggers a biochemical process where our bodies go into survival mode," explains May. "Our bodies store fuel, slow down metabolism, and dump out chemicals [cortisol, leptin, and other hormones] which are more likely to cause ... obesity in the abdominal region."

2. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Stress continued...

Many people reach for food to help ease the stress. But, of course, this doesn't work in the long run.

"Food is a temporary fix because it does not deal with the real stressors that must be addressed in order to reduce the trigger for eating and fix the problem," says May.

Susan Bowerman, MS, RD, assistant director of the UCLA Center for Human Nutrition, says stress eaters tend to prefer high-carbohydrate foods because these foods trigger an increase in the brain chemical serotonin, which has a calming effect. "It is almost like self-medicating," she says. "Many people binge on starchy foods to make themselves feel better."

Both May and Bowerman recommend relaxation techniques as well as exercise, which also burns calories and provides other health benefits.

3. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Medications

Some prescription drugs used to treat depression, mood disorders, seizures, migraines, blood pressure, and diabetes can cause weight gain, from a modest amount to as much as 10 pounds per month. Some steroids, hormone replacement therapy, and even oral contraceptives may also cause gradual weight creep. Your medicine cabinet might be the cause of your weight gain if you've gained 5 or more pounds in a month without a change in your lifestyle.

"Every drug works a little differently to cause weight gain, from increasing appetite, altering the way fat is stored, to how insulin levels change," says May. "And not all drugs have the same side effects on all people."

In the case of antidepressants, weight gain may not even be related to the action of the drug -- feeling better can also result in a heartier appetite. Some drugs can cause fluid retention that shows up on the scale as weight gain, but is not fat, and is usually easily corrected.

Experts say that some of the most common types of medications that may cause weight gain are:

• Steroids
• Antidepressants
• Antipsychotics
• Antiseizure medications
• Diabetes medications
• High blood pressure medications
• Heartburn medications

But it's important to remember that a few extra pounds may be well worth the trade-off of what a particular medication does for your overall health, experts say. Further, even if your medications are the cause of your weight gain, you still need to be mindful of eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.

"Rarely is the problem solved with a change in meds," says May. "These things can contribute, but rarely are the sole cause of the weight gain."

If you suspect your medication is causing weight gain, talk to your health care provider to see about changing your prescription. But whatever you do, don't go off your medication without seeking medical advice.

"There could be very serious consequences if you stop taking your medication without consulting your physician," says May.

4. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of a Medical Condition

The most common medical condition that causes weight gain is hypothyroidism. A deficiency of thyroid hormone can decrease metabolism, causing appetite loss and weight gain.

"If you are feeling fatigued, lethargic, swelling, hoarse voice, intolerance to cold, sleeping too much, or headaches, you should see your doctor for an easy test to determine if you have hypothyroidism," says May.

Much rarer is a condition known as Cushing's syndrome -- a disorder caused by an excess of the hormone cortisol -- that can also result in weight gain.

5. You May Be Gaining Weight Because of Menopause

Women reach menopause at a range of ages, but most are in midlife and are often less physically active than when they were younger. Along with aging comes a natural slowing of metabolism. At the same time, hormonal changes can trigger hunger, depression, and poor sleep.

"It is multifactoral. When women go through menopause, they lose estrogen, causing their shapes to change -- usually a loss of hip and thigh weight. And they start to gain more in the middle," says Bowerman. She explains that estrogen favors fat deposition in the lower body, and when you lose this hormone, fat is more likely to be deposited in the midsection (much like men). This spare tire around the middle has been not so affectionately called the "menopot."

The key to avoiding this extra belly fat is to maintain and increase the amount of lean body mass, which will, in turn, increase your metabolism or calorie burn rate.

"Women need to understand how critically important weight lifting and strength training is to their health," says Bowerman. And don't worry, doing strength training won't make women muscle-bound, experts say.

Exercise also helps offset bone loss that can come with menopause. A combination of exercise and a healthy, calorie-controlled diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is the answer to thwarting menopausal weight gain.

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Madden Curse Strikes Again - Ranking the 12 Curse Victims

[via pwnordie]

There have been players featured on the covers of John Madden Football games since 1999 even though the franchise first appeared in 1988. For the first few years the box art for the annual game featured John Madden himself and in the later years, just before switching to the "cover athlete" format, generic scenes of football with nondescript players.

Since 1999 we have counted 12 players that have been on the covers (2 in 2000). With the conclusion of the 2008 NFL regular season yesterday and the fact that we checked out the worst college sports cover athletes not too long ago, we figured we would take a look at past Madden cover athletes and rank the effect of the "Madden Curse" on each.

Ranking the Madden Curse (1999-2009)

There are two criteria for analyzing the curse; immediate effect and long-term effect. To calculate the final score we scored each criteria from 1-5 and then added the two scores together to get a final score out of 10.

#12
Eddie George



The curse showed up a year late and just enough to spoil some stats for Eddie George. George had rushed for over 1200 yards for 5 years straight including the cover season where he rushed for 1509 yards and had 14 touchdowns. The next year, in 2001 (the year featured on the cover with him) he dropped to 939 yards and 5 touchdowns and missed the Pro Bowl.

Short-Term Effect: 2 (One blip on his career radar, coincidence that year is on the box with him?)
Long-Term Effect: 1 (He recovered right away but ended up leaving having a bad year in Dallas and retired at 31, so maybe the curse did enough to keep him out of the Hall of Fame?)

#11
Ray Lewis



The only defensive player on this list is Ray Lewis. He has been a beast in Baltimore for more than a decade. Showing no fear, "The Curse" took down Ray Lewis too just like an opposing quarterback. He broke his wrist which made him miss just one game but he went from his career high of 6 interceptions to his only season without one. The following season he missed 10 games due to injuries as well. He has been fine ever since and is probably in the midst of a Hall of Fame career.

Short-Term Effect: 3 (He broke his wrist and had his only season without an interception.)
Long-Term Effect: 1 (He regrouped and got back to the dominant player he has always been. There is an outside chance that the hiccups could help the murder charge lead to a Hall snub.)

#10
Barry Sanders



Barry Sanders is a very unique inclusion on this list for a few reasons. First he was not a featured athlete on the cover, he is seen in the background behind John Madden's shoulder. He was picked to be on the cover of the game but "the curse" struck and he retired abruptly before the season started.

Short-Term Effect: 5 (He never played football again, cannot be much worse.)
Long-Term Effect: 0 (He had a Hall of Fame career and was inducted on the first ballot.)

#9
Vince Young



The image of Vince Young celebrating a college championship in all of the confetti is probably one of the most recognizable sports images of the last few years. Sadly in Tennesse the images they most recognize are of him on the bench or at a party with his shirt off. Vince Young went from their hero to threatening retirement and being benched. He is still young but it appears that the Titans are better off with Kerry Collins throwing the ball so his future is seemingly uncertain. He will get friendly marks because his story is still developing.

Short-Term Effect: 2 (He had an alright year after the cover and has yet to be seriously injured.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (He went from Pro Bowler and Rookie of the Year to cover boy to benchwarmer.)

#8
Dorsey Levens



The Barry Sanders replacement was victimized almost as quickly as Sanders. After coming off a 1000 yard season with 9 touchdowns the year before, Levens responded with the help of "the curse" to gain 810 less yards and 6 less touchdowns. From that point on he became a reserve player and landed on a couple other teams.

Short-Term Effect: 3 (Major drop-off in stats but he really only had 2 strong seasons before.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (Even though his track record before the curse was bad, after was way worse.)

#7
Mike Vick



My favorite player of all time, I have to throw that out there to be fair. I remember where I was when he hurt his leg against the Ravens in the pre-season game in his first action since the cover. The curse struck hard and fast as he missed the first 11 games of the season. The year before Falcons went into Green Bay and became the first team ever to beat the Packers on the "frozen tundra" in the playoffs (I was there). Then the Baltimore game happened and the Falcons went 2-10 without Vick, keeping the franchise from having back-to-back winning seasons - something they have still never done. It seemed like he may have shaken the curse off of him since he had 3 decent seasons following, including 2 Pro-Bowl appearances, an NFC South Division Championship, and another playoff win (I was at as well). Then he went to jail. I will blame that and Bobby Petrino on the curse. Or should I blame the curse on Bobby Petrino?

Short-Term Effect: 3 (He got hurt BEFORE the next season but was able to rebound for 3 years.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (He is on the Falcons roster as a technicality, but he is in jail not the NFL...for now.)

#6
Garrison Hearst


The initial victim of the Madden Curse is Garrison Hearst. He had a bit of success before having it hit him extremely hard. Hearst enjoyed a great regular season that year but on the very first play in the playoffs he broke his ankle about as bad as you can break it. This not only made him miss the rest of the playoff game, but also the Pro Bowl he was selected for, and the next two NFL seasons.

Short-Term Effect: 4 (Would have been a 5 except he squeaked out a Pro Bowl season first.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (Came back and had 3 decent seasons, who knows what he could have had?)

#5
Donovan McNabb



McNabb has been a fixture in the Philadelphia Eagles lineup for years. Up until he was featured on the cover of Madden he had put together a string of 5 Pro Bowl bids and 4 trips to the NFC Championship game. The Curse broke all of that up for him. He got hurt like most others on this list and the Eagles finished with a losing record. His stats all dropped from the year before except his interceptions which went up in less games played. He has yet to go back to the Pro Bowl and the Eagles have not been back to the NFC Championship game. This year has been a mix of McNabb being benched and leading them back into the playoffs.

Short-Term Effect: 4 (His and his team's luck has been considerably different since the cover.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (Philly fans have been calling for his head pretty much ever since the injury.)

#4
Brett Favre



The long time Packer made the cover of this year's game coming off of an amazing season in which he lead his overachieving team into the playoffs and made a legitimate case for MVP. EA Sports revealed the game box art with Favre pictured in a familiar Green Bay Packers uniform, but it wasn't long before they were offering an alternate cover. Favre swapped his green for green and joined the New York Jets as his relationship with his long time team broke down. Favre had been threatening his retirement and holding the Packers hostage as he pondered his future. His move to the Jets left many of his fans jilted and the team he left had a miserable year. His new team threw away their franchise quarterback and were knocked out of playoff contention by him on their own turf. Favre also has a shoulder injury now so his career may be over.

Short-Term Effect: 5 (He threw more picks and missed the playoffs... and got hurt.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (His legacy has a mark on it and both franchises involved could be headed in the wrong direction as the Jets threw away the QB that beat them to get into the playoffs and the Packers are missing a supporting cast to compliment theirs.)


#3
Daunte Culpepper



Culpepper was on track statistically to be one of the great quarterbacks ever. He put up record numbers and then "the curse" took out his knee the following season and his production dropped to half. One part of his curse that is overlooked is that his teams went from division winner the year before the curse to never getting back over .500. racking up a record of 30-44 not including his appearance on the 0-16 Detroit Lions this year.

Short-Term Effect: 4 (Hurt for 5 games and production dropped by almost half.)
Long-Term Effect: 4 (Rebounded for 3 good seasons but has barely kept a job for any time since.)

#2
Marshall Faulk



Faulk has a Hall of Fame resume that includes Rookie of the Year, MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, multiple All-Pro and Pro Bowl selections, and Super Bowl winner. The irony of it is that pretty much all of that happened prior to his appearance on the Madden box. In fact his streak of 1000+ yards in 5 consecutive seasons and 1300+ in 4 came to a halt when he got that cover. His rushing yards dipped by more than 400 yards and each year following he dipped even further. This could be the clearest case of a curse induced career turning point.

Short-Term Effect: 5 (Each season following got progressively worse immediately from that point on.)
Long-Term Effect: 3 (It did essentially signal the beginning of the end but shouldn't keep him from the Hall of Fame.)

#1
Shaun Alexander



It is hard to believe how far Shaun Alexander has fallen. He was one of the most consistent scoring machine the league had ever seen for 5 years. In those 5 years he scored 87 touchdowns

for about an average of about 17 per season. In those 5 years the lowest amount of yards he rushed for was 1175. In the season before the cover he rushed for 1880 yards and scored a then record of 27 touchdowns. The Curse would have none of it and Alexander suffered a broken foot, causing him to miss 6 games and dropping his rushing output in half and his touchdowns by 20 from the previos season. The next year his numbers dropped again and the year after that he was looking for a job for most of the season. His time with the Redskins this season amounted to 11 carries in 4 games.

Short-Term Effect: 5 (Immediate effect coupled with steady descent.)
Long-Term Effect: 4 (Probably should be a 5 but he might still have a slight chance at redemption.)

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Chilling game of hide and seek with a hungry polar bear

[via dailymail]

There are few things more enjoyable on a freezing day than a vigorous game of tag followed by a hearty meal.

Unless you're supposed to be the main course, that is.

These pictures show how close one man came to being a polar bear's dinner.

Mmmm, looks like dinner time: The bear stands on its haunches and peers over the car roof at his prey, a surveyor returning to his vehicle in the Alaskan town of Barrow

The chase is on: The man has his glove off, but not enough time to unlock his car door

The target, a surveyor, was returning to his car in the remote town of Barrow, Alaska, when he saw the great white beast.

With no time to unlock the door of his vehicle and climb inside, he tried to duck out of sight.

He's coming to get you: The hungry bear makes his move

Yikes: The bear lumbers around the car as the man sprints for his life

But the hungry bear was not giving up, and a terrifying chase began.

First, the beast stood up on its furry haunches and eyed its prey. Then it loped around the car, and even climbed over the bonnet to try to reach him.

Last resort: The man, desperate for shelter, makes a break for a neighbouring truck

Phew: He slips inside the unlocked truck, nursing more than 100 scratches

After a few laps of the car the bear almost caught up, managing to land a few heavy swipes on his prey.

The man eventually managed to take refuge in a neighbouring truck which was unlocked.

His back and head were covered in more than 100 deep scratches where the massive claws had managed to rip through his thick winter clothes and padded coat.

Barrow is the northernmost town of the United States, 340 miles north of the Arctic Circle.

Polar bears are frequently spotted around the area.

They are the world's largest land predator, and are the only animals that actively hunt humans.
Adult bears grow up to 10ft tall and can weigh 95 stone.

They are predominantly carnivores, eating seals, fish, reindeer, seabirds and even whales and baby walruses.

Environmentalists have warned that there could be as few as 22,000 left in the wild, and that they face extinction because the ice they live on is melting.

The wildlife group Polar Bears International says only one person has been killed by a polar bear in the U.S. in the past 30 years.

In Canada eight have been killed and in Russia, 19.

A spokesman said: 'In all instances in which a human was killed by a polar bear, the animal in question was undernourished or had been provoked.'

Wildlife groups have warned that increasing numbers of the giant bears have been spotted near towns and villages because they are trying to scavenge food.

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10 Movie Endings Spoiled By History

Biopics and historical flicks are mighty appealing for filmmakers and stars, but it's hard to create drama when the audience knows the ending. Here are 10 that tried to make it work, with varying results. [via premiere]

Valkyrie
Plot: Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg (played with eye-patched aplomb by Tom Cruise) and some of his army buddies take a crack at killing Hitler.
History Says: Epic fail, as the kids say. Hitler killed himself.
Execution:Valkyrie isn't really as bad as some of the critics are saying, but its schizoid history/action/thriller jumble doesn't quite satisfy the blow-'em'-up crowd.

Frost/Nixon
Plot: A posh playboy talk show hosts puts his money literally where his mouth is when he scores a series of interviews with Tricky Dick Nixon.
History Says: It happened, and we have the tapes to prove it.
Execution: The story takes some liberties with the characters, especially Frost's background – he was actually quite experienced in interviewing heads of state and covering more serious topics before the Nixon interviews.

Titantic
Plot: Two young folks have a torrid love affair while traveling on the Titanic, punctuated by nude modeling and the worst Celine Dion song ever.
History Says: The "unsinkable" Titanic hit a giant iceberg, and over 1,500 people met their untimely and unpleasant demise.
Execution: It's almost like director James Cameron did this film to prove a point. "Give me any topic and I'll make it a blockbuster!" "How about the Titanic?" "Sure, whatever." He acknowledges how it sank in the first part of the movie and made it a love story. The dynamic duo of Kate and Leo had packed audiences (and Oscar voters) swooning so by the time the iceberg hits you're actually nervous for how it all turns out.

Star Wars Episodes I, II, III
Plot: The prequels to the original trilogy try to fill in the blanks in the Star Wars mythology.
History Says: I am your father!
Execution: True Star Wars fans generally abhorred everything about the modern takes on their beloved trilogy, from Jar Jar Binks to that crappy makeup on Darth Maul. We slept on the sidewalks for this?! (Patton Oswalt's stand-up routine nails it. Warning: Language NSFW.)

United 93
Plot: United 93 was one of four hijacked planes on 9/11; the passengers decided to kick ass and take names.
History Says: Tragically, the plane still crashed, killing all onboard.
Execution: If you're able to sit through this movie without hyperventilating, let us know how it is.

The Passion of the Christ/Courtesy of Fox

The Passion of the Christ
Plot: An excruciatingly detailed depiction of the last 12 hours of Jesus's life, according to Mel Gibson.
History Says: Depends on who you ask, but we all have a general idea of what went down.
Execution:Passion was critically reviled, but it raked in the box office bucks due to grassroots support from churches and horror aficionados captivated by the endless river of blood and gore.

Pearl Harbor
Plot: A big-budget actioner courtesy of Michael Bay, featuring romance, explosions, and heart-rending friendships leading up to and during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
History Says: Pearl Harbor was bombed in what was possibly the most tragic day in American history.
Execution:The Observer called it "Titanic with bombs." Historians, war buffs and regular hard-working Americans have picked it apart for inaccuracies or for turning a tragedy into a mindless action flick. The song in Team America, "The End of An Act," sums up our feelings perfectly.

The Doors
Plot: Director Oliver Stone chronicles the self-destruction of the legendary band and its drug-addled lead singer, Jim Morrison.
History Says: Morrison wrote poetry, wore tight pants, screwed a lot of groupies, did a lot of drugs, fought with his band mates, and died young.
Execution: Not at a bad trip. The remaining Doors have criticized the movie and pointed out many inaccuracies but Kilmer turned out to be a great choice as The Lizard King. He sang some of the songs on the soundtrack and definitely lit some fires in the pants of fans.

Sid and Nancy
Plot: Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious and his girlfriend Nancy Spungen screw, fight, try and kill each other, do a lot of drugs, and eventually die.
History Says: Nancy was killed, no one really knows Sid's role in her death, Sid died of an overdose.
Execution: Sid and Nancy has become the romantic date movie of the nihilist set, and one of Gary Oldman's most iconic roles to date. Keep your eyes peeled for Courtney Love's cameo, too.

300/Courtesy of Warner Home Video

300
Plot: 300 soldiers, who can get away with fighting in capes and loin clothes because they're in really good enough shape, hold off an army of millions
History Says: The Battle of Thermopylae, where a small group of Spartans led King Leonidas fought off the massive Persian army for seven days.
Execution: This movie is about kicking ass in style. The fact that it's based in truth doesn't matter.

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Top 20 weirdest items removed from the stomachs of pets

Underwear, a kitchen knife and a wig have made a list of the top 10 weirdest items removed from the stomachs of the nation's pets by an animal charity's vets.

[via metro]

The list, released by PDSA, also includes a 10-inch tent peg, a bell, a fishing hook and a rubber duck.

PDSA senior veterinary surgeon, Sean Wensley, said: 'There is a medical term for pets eating strange objects - pica.

Dogs, especially puppies and younger dogs, use their mouth to investigate objects as well as to eat. Sometimes a dog will swallow an object by mistake, even though it had only meant to investigate it.

'Owners should give their pets the chance to investigate new objects by providing them with plenty of pet-safe toys to play with - that way the whole family can enjoy the festive season safely.'

The top twenty list in full is:

1. Ten-inch tent peg
2. Christmas decoration (star shaped)
3. Kitchen knife
4. Alphabet fridge magnets
5. Man's wig
6. Ann Summers underwear
7. Bell
8. Fishing hook
9. Socks
10. Rubber duck
11. Baby's dummy
12. Golf balls
13. Coins
14. Balloons
15. Metal ball from a computer mouse
16. Shoe laces
17. Power ball
18. Corn on the cob
19. Needle and thread
20. Box of chocolates

PDSA provides free veterinary care for the sick and injured pets of those unable to afford veterinary fees and promotes responsible pet ownership.

This year PDSA PetAid hospitals and branches provided more than 1.8 million free treatments and more than 200,000 preventive treatments, such as vaccinations, neutering and microchipping.

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The Most Extreme Conditions Ever Seen on Earth [pics]

[via media caffeine]

There have been volcanic eruptions thousands of times more powerful than Mt. St. Helens. Recent storms have redefined the ranking systems for wind speeds. The hottest place on Earth has hit temperatures 288 degrees hotter than the coldest place on earth.

Yep, it’s an amazing world. Here is a compilation of the most extreme conditions that add a little spice (and devastation) to the planet Earth and its inhabitants.

The Fastest Recorded Wind Speed Near Earth’s Surface

Oklahoma, United States - 318 MPH

A recorded wind speed of 318 mph, the fastest ever recorded near earth’s surface, happened on May 3rd, 1999 when an F5-tornado plowed it’s way through parts of Oklahoma leaving behind devastation and disaster.

There are sources that have stated the wind speed only reached 301-302 mph, which would continue to hold the record for the highest wind speed ever recorded near earth’s surface. However,the NWS stationed in Norman, OK reported it to be 318 mph via DOW Radar. There is no other source of wind measurement that can withstand such speeds that we know of.

Prior to this recording, Oklahoma still held the highest wind speed ever recorded in a tornado near Red Rock, OK on April 26th, 1991 with wind speeds of approximately 286 mph.

(Sources: USA Today, noaa.gov)

The Driest Place on Earth

The Dry Valleys of Antartica - Rain-free for 2 million years and counting

One interior region of the Antarctic is known as The Dry Valleys. These valleys have not seen rainfall in over two million years. With the exception of one valley, whose lakes are briefly filled with water by inland flowing rivers during the summer, the Dry Valleys contain no moisture (water, ice, or snow).

The reason why the Dry Valleys exist are the 200 mph Katabatic down winds which evaporate all moisture. The dry valleys are strange: except for a few steep rocks they are the only continental part of Antarctica devoid of ice.

Located in the Trans-Antarctic Range, they correspond to a mountain area where evaporation (or rather, sublimation) is more important than snowfall, thus all the ice disappears, leaving dry barren land.

(Sources: Wikipedia, flex.net, gdargaud.net, 248am.com)

The Hottest Recorded Temperature

Lut Desert of Iran - 159 °F

A NASA satellite recorded surface temperatures in the Lut desert of Iran as high as 71 °C (159 °F), the hottest temperature ever recorded on the surface of the Earth. This region which covers an area of about 480 kilometers is called Gandom Beriyan (the toasted wheat).

Its surface is wholly matted with black volcano lava. This dark cover absorbs excessive sunshine, which due to difference of temperature with neighboring elevations forms a wind tunnel. There are reports that no living creature lives in this region. That is why this is arguably the driest place on earth next to the Dry Valleys of Antarctica.

(Sources: Wikipedia, ggpht.com)

The Coldest Recorded Temperature

Antarctica - 129 °F below zero

The lowest temperature ever recorded on earth was -129 °F recorded in 1983 at the Russian Base Vostok in Antarctica. Antarctica, a continent owned by no one, covers the southern end of our globe.

In addition to being the coldest place on earth, Anarctica is also the wettest and the driest place on earth.

Most of Antarctica is covered with vast areas of snow and ice which reflect about 75% of the incoming solar radiation. Winter temperatures are also influenced by latitude, elevation and by the shortage of sunlight during the Antarctic winter. In fact, the coldest temperatures are usually during late August before the return of the sun.

(Sources: Flex.net, deltatourism.cl)

The Most Rainfall in 24 Hours

La Reunion Island, Indian Ocean - 6ft 2in

As you can see by the image below, this volcanic island in the middle of the Indian Ocean could use the rainfall. They just weren’t expecting to get over 6 ft in a day.

Between March 15-16th, 1952, Cilaos at the center of Réunion, received approximately 74 in (6ft.2″) of rainfall. This is the greatest 24-hour precipitation total ever recorded on earth. The island also holds the record for most rainfall in 72 hours, approximately 155 in (12ft.11″) at Commerson’s Crater in March, 2007.

(Sources: Wikipedia, DailyMail)

The Longest Bolt of Lightning Ever Recorded

From Waco to Dallas, Texas, United States - 118 Miles Long

Positive lightning develops in the same way as typical lightning bolts, but the positive bolt draws electrons upward from the ground.

These lightning bolts tend to be much, much stronger than regular lightning, and may carry as much as a hundred times the energy of a normal flash of lightning.

These “superbolts” of lightning, thankfully, are very rare. Only about five superbolts occur for every ten million normal lightning strokes.

Superbolts can reach way beyond the normal eight to ten miles of a typical lightning stroke. The longest superbolt on record reached from Waco, Texas to Dallas, after having traveled about a 118 miles.

(Sources: Stormblogging, Wikipedia, astrosurf, flickr

The Largest Volcanic Eruption

La Garita Caldera in SW Colorado, United States - 1,200 cu miles

This was chosen because of the firm evidence rather than theory. The eruption that created the La Garita Caldera was the largest known eruption since the Ordovician period, with a VEI magnitude of 8.

The scale of La Garita volcanism was far beyond anything known in human history. The resulting deposit, known as the Fish Canyon Tuff, has a volume of approximately 5,000 cubic kilometers (1,200 cu mi), enough material to fill Lake Michigan (in comparison, the May 18, 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens was only 1.2 cubic kilometers (0.3 cu mi) in volume).

The area devastated by the La Garita eruption is thought to have covered a significant portion of what is now Colorado, and ash could have fallen as far as the east coast of North America and the Caribbean.

(Sources: Answers, USGS, Wikipedia, wikimedia)

The Deepest Place on Earth

Mariana Trench, Pacific Ocean - 6.77 miles

The Mariana Trench (or Marianas Trench) is the deepest part of the world’s oceans, and the deepest location on the surface of the Earth’s crust. It has a maximum depth of about 10.9 km (6.77 mi), and is located in the western North Pacific Ocean, to the east and south of the Mariana Islands, near Guam.

The bottom of the trench is farther below sea level than Mount Everest is above it (8,850m/29,035ft).

(Sources: Wikivisual.com, Wikipedia)

The Largest Recorded Earthquake

Valdivia earthquake, Chile - 9.5

The Valdivia earthquake or Great Chilean Earthquake of May 22, 1960 is the most powerful earthquake ever recorded, rating 9.5 on the moment magnitude scale. It caused localised tsunamis that severely battered the Chilean coast, with waves up to 25 meters (82 feet).

Coastal villages, such as Toltén, disappeared. Later studies argued that the earthquake actually had 37 epicenters through a 1,350 km (839 mi) north-south line that lasted from May 22 to June 6th 1960.

Elsewhere along the western coast of the United States, Crescent City, California, experienced notable tsunami waves and run-up. The tsunami travel time of the first wave to arrive at Crescent City was 15.5 hours after the occurrence of the earthquake in Chile.

At Crescent City, tsunami waves of up to 1.7 meters (appr. 5.6 feet) were observed and minor damage was reported.

(Sources: drgeorgepc.com, Wikipedia, hu-berlin.de)

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Man Melting Snow With Blowtorch Burns Home

[via kptv]

Fire officials in New Bedford, Mass., said a man using a blowtorch to melt ice on his back porch ended up setting his house on fire, causing up to $30,000 in damage.

Fire Capt. Scott Kruger told The Standard-Times of New Bedford that no on was injured during Monday's incident at the three-story home.

Kruger said the man was using a torch hooked up to a 20-pound propane cylinder. He got too close to the building's wood frame and ignited the vinyl siding. The fire quickly spread into the building's second- and third-floor apartments.

"I've never seen anything like it. I guess he got distracted and maybe turned toward the house," New Bedford Fire Department Lt. William Arnold told TV station WCVB.

It took 25 firefighters to subdue the blaze that damaged bedrooms in the upstairs units, and caused damage to the structure and wiring.The homeowner will not be charged.

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Fear: DIY Scientists Will Create New Life Forms

[via live science]

Amateur biologists are goofing around with genetics in garage-based labs that some fear could unleash new and dangerous life forms.

The new effort, dubbed biohacking, harkens to revolutions in infotech hatched by individuals that founded Apple, Hewlett Packard and Google.

While, individual kitchen-counter chemists may become biohackers, the field has already become organized: One of the more serious examples is a community lab set up by a Cambridge, Mass. group called DIYbio (do-it-yourself biology). Co-founder Mackenzie Cowell said amateurs might do things as diverse as creating new vaccines to using squid genes to make tattoos that glow.

"We should try to make science more sexy and more fun and more like a game," Cowell said in an Associated Press story.

Some worry things could get out of control, with dangerous organisms escaping a lab.

"Once you move to people working in their garage or other informal location, there's no safety process in place," said Jim Thomas of ETC Group, a biotechnology watchdog.

At the root of biohacking is the field of synthetic biology, which is not new. For years, researchers have been trying to engineer and build or redesign living organisms, such as bacteria, to carry out specific functions. The field is a scientific playground for the genetic code, where previously nonexistent DNA is formulated in test tubes. The promise is that the novel organisms will fight disease, create alternative fuels or build living computers.

The field "is potentially controversial because it raises issues of ownership, misuse, unintended consequences and accidental release," according to a report earlier this year commissioned by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council in England.

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Tampa Bay Handcuffs And Ejects You For Rooting For The Opposing Football Team

[via consumerist]

Steve flew down to Tampa to watch his Raiders play the Buccaneers. After cheering for the away team, he was handcuffed, detained, frisked, and ejected with no explanation. He'd like one.

Our tipster sent the following letter to the NFL, Buccaneers, and Tampa Sports Authority:

Good afternoon,

I apologize for the number of individuals included on this communication as I was unsure who to contact about this.

I had a very negative experience at Raymond James Stadium while attempting to attend the Buccaneers/Raider NFL football game. My day started poorly as I was forced to go to three different entrance gates because I was "wearing the wrong colors" before I could obtain admittance with my ticket to the game.

The game went without incident up until the first score of the game by the Raiders. I stood in celebration, and before the extra point was even kicked, I was being led away by stadium personnel. Once out of the stands, I was placed in handcuffs, although I was not resisting the stadium personnel's requests, or read my rights and placed under arrest. I was lead to a single person holding cell where my possessions were removed, and I was subjected to a full body frisking. After being detained for roughly 30 minutes, I was released outside of the stadium, and informed that I could not return to the stadium.

As a long time fan and supporter of the NFL, I am greatly disappointed by my treatment at today's game. I feel like I was personally singled out due to my team affiliation, and this was totally unwarranted. I was not intoxicated or found to be in possession of any illegal substances. I was not being verbally or physically abusive to any other fans or players. There were no requests to adjust my behavior prior to this either, which was not causing an issue as multiple witnesses can attest to.

I understand the stadium has the right to remove any attendees as stated on the ticket, but my treatment today was completely unacceptable. I came down to Tampa Bay from New Jersey specifically to see this game, and then was stripped of the ability to enjoy the game. I would like to know if there are any options by which I may file a formal complaint against the personnel at the stadium? I wish I could provide you with more information as to the individuals involved, but they would not provide me with that information prior to my removal.

Any assistance in this matter would be appreciated. Thank you and I hope you all had an enjoyable holiday.

Steve has promised to send along a picture of himself getting along just fine with the Bucs fans near him, and considering he wrote a polite, coherent complaint letter only a couple hours after the game ended, we're inclined to believe him when says he wasn't drunk or abusive. We hope Tampa is able to make it up to him, perhaps by paying for his tickets, and maybe his travel expenses.

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Top 10 Most Popular Torrent Sites of 2008

[via torrent freak]

2008 is nearing its end, time to make a list of the top 10 BitTorrent sites that got the most traffic this year. The Pirate Bay is out in the lead followed by Mininova and isoHunt. TorrentSpy shut down earlier this year and is the most notable absentee.

The list is based on traffic rank reports from Compete and Alexa, backed up by visitor reports from some of the site admins.

1. The Pirate Bay

It has been a good year for The Pirate Bay. The number of visitors spiked, despite efforts in Denmark and Italy to block access the site. Last month, The site celebrated its 5th anniversary, just after it broke the 25 million peers mark. At any given point in time, more than 25 million peers actively trade files thought the Pirate Bay tracker.

Compete rank 885 / Alexa rank 117 / 2007 #3

2. Mininova

Mininova has seen a steady rise in visitors in 2008, and more than 3 billion torrents were downloaded from the site in the past 12 months. In addition to user uploaded content, the Mininova team has started to focus more on premium publishers with their content distribution platform.

Compete rank 1,225 / Alexa rank 79 / 2007 #1

3. IsoHunt

Despite being ensnared in legal proceedings with the MPAA and CRIA, isoHunt is continuing to grow. This year they partnered with the Creative Commons music distribution site Jamendo, and just like The Pirate Bay, isoHunt added SSL encryption to the site, making it impossible for your ISP or the authorities to monitor users’ activities.

Compete rank 1,106 / Alexa rank 200 / 2007 #2

4. Torrentz

Torrentz.com, one of the oldest torrent sites around, celebrated its 5th anniversary in July. The site added a “verified torrents” feature this year, and inspired many other meta-search engines to do the same. Last month a “hacker” caused some problems after it took over the torrentz domain, but luckily this issue was resolved in a few hours.

Compete rank 2,039 / Alexa rank 220 / 2007 #4

5. TorrentReactor

TorrentReactor redesigned and optimized the site throughout 2008, which resulted in a significant increase in visitors. In addition, the TorrentReactor launched TorrentPrivacy, a service that allows BitTorrent users to download torrents anonymously.

Compete rank 2,150 / Alexa rank 532 / 2007 #9

6. Demonoid

After being forced to go offline following threats from the CRIA, Demonoid returned this April after 6 months of downtime. Since then it is business as usual, and most of the members returned quickly.

Compete rank 3,869 / Alexa rank 526 / 2007 #na

7. BTjunkie

In December 2007 BTjunkie was forced to leave their ISP following a takedown notice from the Dutch anti-piracy outfit BREIN. This year there were no troubles, and the site continues to go strong.

Compete rank 3,762 / Alexa rank 625 / 2007 #5

9. SumoTorrent

In 2007, SumoTorrent quickly settled itself among the top torrent sites, and traffic continued to increase this year. The pop-ups and redirects are new though, and don’t make it one of the most convenient sites to browse.

Compete rank 4,110 / Alexa rank 1,019 / 2007 #na

9. BTmon

BitTorrentMonster, BTmon for short, debuted in 10th place last year, and managed to climb a spot. Other than that, there is not much news surrounding the site.

Compete rank 4,737 / Alexa rank 989 / 2007 #10

10. TorrentPortal

Not much news about TorrentPortal this year either, but for BitTorrent sites that is usually a good thing. Traffic seems to be stable, although the site is not growing as fast as the other BitTorrent sites in this list.

Compete rank 4,300 / Alexa rank 1,126 / 2007 #7

Honorable mention: TorrentSpy

In 2006 TorrentSpy was more popular than any other BitTorrent site, but this changed quickly in August 2007, when a federal judge ordered TorrentSpy to log all user data. The judge ruled that TorrentSpy had to monitor its users in order to create detailed logs of their activities, and hand these over to the MPAA.

In a response to this decision - and to ensure the privacy of their users - TorrentSpy decided that it was best to block access to all users from the US. This led to a huge decrease in traffic, but still, it managed to make out top 10 list last year. March 2008 TorrentSpy owner Justin decided to shut down completely, and in May his company was ordered to pay a $110 million fine, which it will appeal.

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Woman uses bra to save injured man

Nursing assistant credited with saving man outside of nightclub

[via cnews]

Using her bra to stop the bleeding, a Calgary woman is being credited with helping save the life of a man beaten unconscious outside a southwest nightclub.

Nicky Arsenault, 19, was leaving the Back Alley Nightclub with friends early Sunday morning when they saw two men who had been left unconscious and bleeding heavily on the sidewalk.

A nursing assistant at Bowcrest Care Centre, Arsenault jumped into action along with friend Paul Fitzgerald, a welder in the Canadian military.

"There were 20 or 30 people standing around but nobody was doing anything," she said.

"I saw he had a deep laceration on the left side of his head, but he was laying on the left side so the blood was pouring out.

"I got two people help me turn him to the recovery position, otherwise he would have bled out, then I took off my bra because nobody had anything else to use, and I held it against the laceration."

While Arsenault helped one victim, Fitzgerald helped the other -- a 24-year-old male who had a broken right arm.

While she was performing first aid, Arsenault said the man she was helping stopped breathing at one point.

"He was breathing through his nasal passage but it was so blocked, it was really shallow, almost like snoring then he stopped," she said.

"So I opened his throat and cleared out as much blood as I could so I wouldn't have to give him CPR."

It was at that point, she said the man's pulse dropped from 80 to 60 BPM.

"That's pretty bad," she said.

Their actions garnered kudos from EMS spokesman Stuart Brideaux.

"Certainly any time anyone sees an opportunity to try to help the well-being of a patient before EMS arrives, we're very appreciative of them," he said.

"It's very noble for someone to stop to help when they can -- in a patient's mind ... if someone is there helping, they are not alone and are being looked after."

Arsenault said bystanders told her the unconscious pair had been flirting with the girlfriends of another group of men who took offence and laid a beating on them.

"They just turned around and started beating on them," she said.

"Once the guys were on the ground, one of them got booted in the head and that's what caused the lacerations, from the cement.

"Then the other guys just jumped in their car and left."

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Man dies after his wife set his genitals on fire

[via news.au]

A MAN whose wife allegedly set fire to his genitals while he slept has died.

Satish Narayan, 47, an engineer, lost his battle to survive at the Royal Adelaide Hospital yesterday, 20 days after sustaining burns to most of his body.

The incident has now been declared a major crime by police and it is likely his wife, Rajini, will face a charge of manslaughter or murder.

Police have alleged Mr Narayan's wife doused his genitals with methylated spirit and then set him on fire about 5.30am on December 7.

Mrs Narayan had been charged with causing serious harm to her husband, arson and endangering her children.

A neighbour told the Sunday Mail she had visited Mrs Narayan in the Adelaide Women's Prison yesterday, before she had been told of her husband's death.

She said she was providing support to her friend over what she said was a "terrible tragedy".

She said the pair had held hands and prayed during her visit. "She wanted him to live, more than anything," she said.

"I didn't know them very well but I've got to know her now through visiting her in prison.

"The children are beautiful and it's just a terrible tragedy."

The neighbour said the couple's children were "beautiful, upright citizens" and "anyone would be proud of them".

It is believed a major blaze was sparked at the couple's Cleland Ave townhouse in Unley when Mr Narayan jumped out of bed and knocked over the bottle of methylated spirit.

The fire caused about $1 million of damage to the couple's home and an adjacent property.

Mr Narayan suffered burns to 85 per cent of his body. Mrs Narayan and the couple's three children escaped unharmed from the burning house.

Police spokesman Senior Constable Paul Noble yesterday refused to comment on whether police were considering upgrading the charges.

"The information we have released is all we are going to release today," he said.

But a court has heard previously it was likely the Director of Public Prosecutions would lay charges of manslaughter or murder if Mr Narayan died.

It is believed the Narayans only shifted to Adelaide from Canberra a few months ago, after Mr Narayan landed a job working on the Air Warfare Destroyer project.

Sturt CIB are continuing to investigate the crime.

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Burger King Lies to Its Customers and supports spyware

[via oregoncatalyst]

Something very, very wrong is going on at Burger King. If you sign up to receive promotions from them (www.bk.com) they will email you occasionally with special offers. The most recent special offer was for a free steakhouse burger with the purchase of any BK Value meal. There is one catch, though, and it is a whopper! You can only print the coupon for your free sandwich if you download a spyware application from Burger King first. They call it a “coupon printer”, but it is an invasion of your privacy and your computer. No special software is ever needed by anyone to print anything, including their coupons.

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The 10 Best Foods You Aren't Eating

Want To Do Your Body a World of Good? It's as Easy as Expanding Your Grocery List.

[via abc news]

Although some guys aren't opposed to smoking some weed, most wouldn't think of eating one. It's a shame, really, since a succulent weed named purslane is not only delicious but also among the world's healthiest foods.

Of course, there are many superfoods that never see the inside of a shopping cart. Some you've never heard of, and others you've simply forgotten about. That's why we've rounded up the best of the bunch. Make a place for them on your table and you'll instantly upgrade your health -- without a prescription.

Beets

These grungy-looking roots are naturally sweeter than any other vegetable, which means they pack tons of flavor under-neath their rugged exterior.

Why they're healthy: Think of beets as red spinach. Just like Popeye's powerfood, this crimson vegetable is one of the best sources of both folate and betaine. These two nutrients work together to lower your blood levels of homocysteine, an inflammatory compound that can damage your arteries and increase your risk of heart disease. Plus, the natural pigments -- called betacyanins -- that give beets their color have been proved to be potent cancer fighters in laboratory mice.

How to eat them: Fresh and raw, not from a jar. Heating beets actually decreases their antioxidant power. For a simple single-serving salad, wash and peel one beet, and then grate it on the widest blade of a box grater. Toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the juice of half a lemon.

You can eat the leaves and stems, which are also packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Simply cut off the stems just below the point where the leaves start, and wash thoroughly. They're now ready to be used in a salad. Or, for a side dish, sauté the leaves, along with a minced clove of garlic and a tablespoon of olive oil, in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Cook until the leaves are wilted and the stems are tender. Season with salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice, and sprinkle with fresh Parmesan cheese.

Cabbage

Absent from most American kitchens, this cruciferous vegetable is a major player in European and Asian diets.

Why it's healthy: One cup of chopped cabbage has just 22 calories, and it's loaded with valuable nutrients. At the top of the list is sulforaphane, a chemical that increases your body's production of enzymes that disarm cell-damaging free radicals and reduce your risk of cancer. In fact, Stanford University scientists determined that sulforaphane boosts your levels of these cancer-fighting enzymes higher than any other plant chemical.

How to eat it: Put cabbage on your burgers to add a satisfying crunch. Or, for an even better sandwich topping or side salad, try an Asian-style slaw. Here's what you'll need:

4 Tbsp peanut or canola oil

Juice of two limes

1 Tbsp sriracha, an Asian chili sauce you can find in the international section of your grocery store

1 head napa cabbage, finely chopped or shredded

1/4 cup toasted peanuts

1/2 cup shredded carrots

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Whisk together the oil, lime juice, and sriracha. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl and toss with the dressing to coat. Refrigerate for 20 minutes before serving. The slaw will keep in your fridge for 2 days.

Guava

Guava is an obscure tropical fruit that's subtly acidic, with sweetness that intensifies as you eat your way to the center.

Why it's healthy: Guava has a higher concentration of lycopene -- an antioxidant that fights prostate cancer -- than any other plant food, including tomatoes and watermelon. In addition, 1 cup of the stuff provides 688 milligrams (mg) of potassium, which is 63 percent more than you'll find in a medium banana. And guava may be the ultimate high-fiber food: There's almost 9 grams (g) of fiber in every cup.

How to eat it: Down the entire fruit, from the rind to the seeds. It's all edible -- and nutritious. The rind alone has more vitamin C than you'd find in the flesh of an orange. You can score guava in the produce section of higher-end supermarkets or in Latin grocery stores.

Swiss chard

Hidden in the leafy-greens cooler of your market, you'll find this slightly bitter, salty vegetable, which is actually native to the Mediterranean.

Why it's healthy: A half cup of cooked Swiss chard provides a huge amount of both lutein and zeaxanthin, supplying 10 mg each. These plant chemicals, known as carotenoids, protect your retinas from the damage of aging, according to Harvard researchers. That's because both nutrients, which are actually pigments, appear to accumulate in your retinas, where they absorb the type of shortwave light rays that can damage your eyes. So the more lutein and zeaxanthin you eat, the better your internal eye protection will be.

How to eat it: Chard goes great with grilled steaks and chicken, and it also works well as a bed for pan-seared fish. Wash and dry a bunch of Swiss chard, and then chop the leaves and stems into 1-inch pieces. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large sauté pan or wok, and add two garlic cloves that you've peeled and lightly crushed. When the oil smokes lightly, add the chard. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, until the leaves wilt and the stems are tender. Remove the garlic cloves and season the chard with salt and pepper.

Cinnamon

This old-world spice usually reaches most men's stomachs only when it's mixed with sugar and stuck to a roll.

Why it's healthy: Cinnamon helps control your blood sugar, which influences your risk of heart disease. In fact, USDA researchers found that people with type-2 diabetes who consumed 1 g of cinnamon a day for 6 weeks (about 1/4 teaspoon each day) significantly reduced not only their blood sugar but also their triglycerides and LDL (bad) cholesterol. Credit the spice's active ingredients, methylhydroxychalcone polymers, which increase your cells' ability to metabolize sugar by up to 20 times.

How to eat it: You don't need the fancy oils and extracts sold at vitamin stores; just sprinkle the stuff that's in your spice rack (or in the shaker at Starbucks) into your coffee or on your oatmeal.

Purslane

Although the FDA classifies purslane as a broad-leaved weed, it's a popular vegetable and herb in many other countries, including China, Mexico, and Greece.

Why it's healthy: Purslane has the highest amount of heart-healthy omega-3 fats of any edible plant, according to researchers at the University of Texas at San Antonio. The scientists also report that this herb has 10 to 20 times more melatonin -- an antioxidant that may inhibit cancer growth -- than any other fruit or vegetable tested.

How to eat it: In a salad. Think of purslane as a great alternative or addition to lettuce: The leaves and stems are crisp, chewy, and succulent, and they have a mild lemony taste. Look for it at your local farmer's market, or Chinese or Mexican market. It's also available at some Whole Foods stores, as an individual leafy green or in premade salad mixes.

Pomegranate juice

A popular drink for decades in the Middle East, pomegranate juice has become widely available only recently in the United States.

Why it's healthy: Israeli scientists discovered that men who downed just 2 ounces of pomegranate juice daily for a year decreased their systolic (top number) blood pressure by 21 percent and significantly improved bloodflow to their hearts. What's more, 4 ounces provides 50 percent of your daily vitamin C needs.

How to drink it: Try 100 percent pomegranate juice from Pom Wonderful. It contains no added sugars, and because it's so powerful, a small glassful is all you need. (For a list of retailers, go to www.pomwonderful.com.)

Goji berries

These raisin-size fruits are chewy and taste like a cross between a cranberry and a cherry. More important, these potent berries have been used as a medicinal food in Tibet for over 1,700 years.

Why they're healthy: Goji berries have one of the highest ORAC ratings -- a method of gauging antioxidant power -- of any fruit, according to Tufts University researchers. And although modern scientists began to study this ancient berry only recently, they've found that the sugars that make goji berries sweet reduce insulin resistance -- a risk factor of diabetes -- in rats.

How to eat them: Mix dried or fresh goji berries with a cup of plain yogurt, sprinkle them on your oatmeal or cold cereal, or enjoy a handful by themselves. You can find them at specialty supermarkets or at gojiberries.us.

Dried plums

You may know these better by the moniker "prunes," which are indelibly linked with nursing homes and bathroom habits. And that explains why, in an effort to revive this delicious fruit's image, producers now market them under another name.

Why they're healthy: Prunes contain high amounts of neochlorogenic and chlorogenic acids, antioxidants that are particularly effective at combating the "superoxide anion radical." This nasty free radical causes structural damage to your cells, and such damage is thought to be one of the primary causes of cancer.

How to eat them: As an appetizer. Wrap a paper-thin slice of prosciutto around each dried plum and secure with a toothpick. Bake in a 400°F oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until the plums are soft and the prosciutto is crispy. Most of the fat will cook off, and you'll be left with a decadent-tasting treat that's sweet, savory, and healthy.

Pumpkin seeds

These jack-o'-lantern waste products are the most nutritious part of the pumpkin.

Why they're healthy: Downing pumpkin seeds is the easiest way to consume more magnesium. That's important because French researchers recently determined that men with the highest levels of magnesium in their blood have a 40 percent lower risk of early death than those with the lowest levels. And on average, men consume 353 mg of the mineral daily, well under the 420 mg minimum recommended by the USDA.

How to eat them: Whole, shells and all. (The shells provide extra fiber.) Roasted pumpkin seeds contain 150 mg of magnesium per ounce; add them to your regular diet and you'll easily hit your daily target of 420 mg. Look for them in the snack or health-food section of your grocery store, next to the peanuts, almonds, and sunflower seeds.

Antioxidants, Explained

The science is clear: Plant foods are good for you. And the credit often goes to chemicals they produce called antioxidants. Just as the name suggests, antioxidants help protect your cells against oxidation. Think of oxidation as rust. This rust is caused by free radicals, which are unstable oxygen atoms that attack your cells, inducing DNA damage that leads to cancer. Thankfully, antioxidants help stabilize free radicals, which keeps the rogue atoms from harming your cells.

So by eating more antioxidant-rich foods, you'll boost the amount of the disease-fighting chemicals floating in your bloodstream. The result: Every bite fortifies your body with all-natural preventive medicine.

Eight More Superfoods You Should Eat

Want to build more muscle, prevent disease, and live longer? It's as easy as changing your diet: Take out the packaged, processed foods, and add fresh ingredients to your meals.

Jonny Bowden, PhD, CNS is a board certified nutritionist with graduate degrees in nutrition and psychology.

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List Of Very Weird Ways To Die

[via wikipedia]

• 2001: Bernd-Jürgen Brandes from Germany was stabbed repeatedly and then partly eaten by Armin Meiwes (who was later called the Cannibal of Rothenburg). Brandes had answered an internet advertisement by Meiwes looking for someone for this purpose. Brandes explicitly stated in his will that he wished to be killed and eaten.^[107]
• 2001: Gregory Biggs, a homeless man in Fort Worth, Texas, was struck by the car of Chante Jawan Mallard, who had been drinking and taking drugs that night. Biggs' torso became lodged in Mallard's windshield with severe but not immediately fatal injuries. Mallard drove home and left the car in the garage with Biggs still in the windshield. She repeatedly visited the man and even apologized. Biggs died of his injuries several hours later. The 2007 movie Stuck was loosely based on this unusual death.http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0758786/^[108]
• 2002: Brittanie Cecil, an American 13-year-old hockey fan, died two days after being struck in the head by a hockey puck at a game between the Columbus Blue Jackets and the Calgary Flames at Nationwide Arena. ^[109]
• 2003: Doug McKay was killed at the Island county fair amusement park when his arm was caught as he sprayed lubricant on a Super Loop 2 circular roller coaster. The ride was in operation at the time and he was pulled 40 feet in the air before falling and landing on a fence.^[110]
• 2003: Brian Douglas Wells, a pizza delivery man in Erie, Pennsylvania, was killed by a time bomb that was fastened around his neck. He was apprehended by the police after robbing a bank, and claimed he had been forced to do it by three people who had put the bomb around his neck and would kill him if he refused. The bomb later exploded, killing him. In 2007, police alleged Wells was involved in the robbery plot along with two other conspirators.^[111]
• 2003: Brandon Vedas died of a drug overdose while engaged in an Internet chat, as shown on his webcam.^[112]
• 2003: Timothy Treadwell, an American environmentalist who had lived in the wilderness among bears for thirteen summers in a remote region in Alaska, and his girlfriend Amie Huguenard were killed and partially consumed by a bear. An audio recording of their deaths was captured on a video camera which had been turned on at the beginning of the incident. Werner Herzog's documentary film, Grizzly Man, discusses Treadwell and his death, including the audio clip.^[113]
• 2005: Kenneth Pinyan ('Mr. Hands') of Gig Harbor, Washington died of acute peritonitis after submitting to anal intercourse with a stallion. Pinyan had had sex with a horse before. Pinyan delayed his visit to the hospital for several hours out of reluctance to admit what happened. The case led to the criminalization of bestiality in Washington.^[114] His story was recounted in the 2007 documentary film Zoo.
• 2005: Lee Seung Seop, a 28-year-old South Korean, collapsed of fatigue and died after playing StarCraft for almost 50 consecutive hours in an Internet cafe.^[115]
• 2006: Steve Irwin, a television personality and naturalist known as The Crocodile Hunter, died when his heart was impaled by a short-tail stingray barb while filming a documentary entitled "Ocean's Deadliest" in Queensland's Great Barrier Reef. ^[116]
• 2006: Alexander Litvinenko, a former officer of the Russian State security service, and later a Russian dissident and writer, suddenly fell ill and was hospitalized. He died three weeks later, becoming the first known victim of lethal polonium-210-induced acute radiation syndrome.
• 2007: Jennifer Strange, a 28-year-old woman from Sacramento, died of water intoxication while trying to win a Wii console in a KDND 107.9 "The End" radio station's "Hold Your Wee for a Wii" contest, which involved drinking large quantities of water without urinating.^[117][118]
• 2007: Kevin Whitrick, a 42-year-old man, committed suicide by hanging himself live on a webcam during an internet chat session.^[119]
• 2007: Surinder Singh Bajwa, the Deputy Mayor of Delhi, India, was kicked by a Rhesus Macaque monkey at his home and fell from a first floor balcony, suffering serious head injuries. He later died from his injuries.^[120]
• 2008: Gerald Mellin, a U.K. businessman, committed suicide by tying one end of a rope around his neck and the other to a tree. He then hopped into his Aston Martin DB7 and drove down a main road in Swansea until the rope decapitated him. He supposedly did this as an act of revenge against his ex-wife for leaving him.^[121]
• 2008: David Phyall, 50, the last resident in a block of flats due to be demolished in Bishopstoke, near Southampton, Hampshire, UK, cut his own head off with a chainsaw to highlight the 'injustice' of being asked to move out.^[122]
• 2008: Marciana Silva, 67, died after her dead husband's coffin slammed into the back of her neck during a traffic accident en route to his funeral in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.^[123]
• 
  
• See more of the list over at wikipedia.

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McDonald's admits to paying 1,000 people to stand in line

[via japan today]

Around 1,000 people were paid to join the queue outside the Midosuji-Suomachi branch of McDonald’s for the release of their Quarter Pounder burger in the Kansai area on Tuesday, it was learned on Thursday.

The company has admitted to the fact that around 1,000 people who lined up on Tuesday were compensated, but claims they only made a request for consumer feedback to one of their marketing companies. There are suspicions however that the people were employed to help promote the new product, serving a role known as “sakura” in Japanese.

It is estimated that as many as 2,000 people were lining up outside the McDonald’s store at its peak on Tuesday, and that around 15,000 people in total visited the store during the day, setting a new record for daily sales for one of their stores. But it was learned on Thursday that about 1,000 of the people queuing outside were paid an hourly wage of 1,000 yen and also had their purchase paid for. These people were hired by a human resources company at the request of a marketing company commissioned by McDonald’s Japan.

A McDonald’s Japan spokesman said: “We wanted to know how the service and product quality were on the first day. We didn’t know 1,000 people had been sent to the store.”

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Dumb Toys for Kids: The McDonalds Drive-Thru Cart

[via pixelatedgeek]

Would You Like Childhood Obesity with That?

How do you promote a series of deadly plagues on society? By creating a toy that promotes childhood obesity, low self standards, and apparently foreign child labor (come on, a Chinese girl making McDonald’s?), that’s how. Enter the McDonald’s Drive Through Food Cart- a fast-food conglomerate’s approach to trapping your children early into recognizing fast food restaurants as not only a means of cheap and unhealthy food, but also a place of fun, fantasy, and fattened childhood memories.

Like food dealing Drug Lords, they’ve created a toy that not only enforces McDonald’s propaganda onto your children at an early age, but has effective created a vicious circle of obesity and destruction that is basically one step away from a”V for Vendetta-esque” future where only a guy-Fawkes mask wearing hero can save us.

I’m not sure what happened to the days where toys like Legos, tea party sets, and basketballs were the standard for Christmas gifts, but apparently the days of diabetes, labored breathing, and liposuction are here to stay. I think its fair to say the dangerous implications of this toy are on par with a red rider Bebe gun from the movie “A Christmas Story”, but you’re more likely to cut your foot off because of diabetes with this demon on four legs. They might as well make a “High School Musical rape kit complete with underwear already turned inside out.”

It’s pretty sad to see how vibrant the comments are from parents- ” they love it. Looooooooove it!” and “the kids actually believe they are apart of the McDonald’s crew!” Sigh. If you, reader, are unable to see the complete destruction of society through this toy, then allow me to reiterate. Children find themselves doing only what they see as fun and interesting, and thus sub-consciously find a connection to it with their daily lives. I, for example, love puzzles and games. Therefore, I’ve turned out into a smart-mouth and smart-ass nerd who is majoring in Information Systems and contributes to a nerdy website. If today’s youth find comfort and fun in the mass production and distribution of fattening and stomach churning burgers and fries (albeit those yogurt parfaits are goddamned ridiculously delicious), then what will happen to the future? Ten years down the line, we won’t have transitions from play doctors to real doctors or YMCA basketball all-stars to NBA all-stars, we’ll have an army of unmotivated drive-through employees and cashier-workers who end every sentence with “would you like fries with that?” What comes to mind after seeing this toy is the movie “Idiocracy”- if you haven’t seen it, then please do (”welcome to Costco, I love you” :P) . And if you can’t make the connection from dumb people to a dumb future after watching this movie, then may Jeebus help us, because its already begun. Epic Fail McDonald’s, GG.

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Woman buried in snowbank survives for 3 days

[via yahoo]

A Canadian woman managed to survive for three days buried deep in a snowbank, most likely because the snow helped to insulate her, police said on Tuesday.

Donna Molnar, 55, was last seen on Friday when she left her home west of Toronto in a snowstorm to get baking supplies. Her van was found abandoned by the side of a windswept rural road late the next day.

Police scoured the nearby area for two days and said they had all but given up hope on Monday when a search dog called Ace began to bark at a snowdrift about 200 meters (220 yards) from where the van had been found.

Rescuers approaching the spot found Molnar, who was suffering from hypothermia. She is now in hospital in serious but stable condition.

"That deep snow may very well have been what insulated her enough to keep her core temperature high enough that she survived the three days," said Staff Sergeant Mark Cox of the police force in Hamilton, Ontario.

Cox told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp that it appeared Molnar had become disoriented in the snowstorm and may have left her vehicle to get help.

"I have to admit that we were losing hope that we'd find her alive ... we felt that we might simply be trying to give closure to the family at that point," Cox said.

And what of Ace, the search dog?

"I'm told on good authority he's looking at a T-bone dinner for this one," Cox said.

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Regenerate Your Brain? -The Science Says It's Possible

[via daily galaxy]

Contrary to popular belief, recent studies have found that there are probably ways to regenerate brain matter.

Animal studies conducted at the National Institute on Aging Gerontology Research Center and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, for example, have shown that both calorie restriction and intermittent fasting along with vitamin and mineral intake, increase resistance to disease, extend lifespan, and stimulate production of neurons from stem cells.

In addition, fasting has been shown to enhance synaptic elasticity, possibly increasing the ability for successful re-wiring following brain injury. These benefits appear to result from a cellular stress response, similar in concept to the greater muscular regeneration that results from the stress of regular exercise.

Additional research suggests that increasing time intervals between meals might be a better choice than chronic calorie restriction, because the resultant decline in sex hormones may adversely affect both sexual and brain performance. Sex steroid hormones testosterone and estrogen are positively impacted by an abundant food supply. In other words, you might get smarter that way, but it might adversely affect your fun in the bedroom, among other drawbacks.

But if your not keen on starving yourself, there are other options. Another recent finding, stemming from the Burnham Institute for Medical Research and Iwate University in Japan, reports that the herb rosemary contains an ingredient that fights off free radical damage in the brain. The active ingredient, known as carnosic acid (CA), can protect the brain from stroke and neurodegeneration such as Alzheimer’s and from the effects of normal aging.

Although researchers are patenting more potent forms of isolated compounds in this herb, unlike most new drugs, simply using the rosemary in its natural state may be the most safe and clinically tolerated because it is known to get into the brain and has been consumed by people for over a thousand years. The herb was used in European folk medicine to help the nervous system.

Another brain booster that Bruce N. Ames, Ph.D., a professor of biochemistry and molecular biology at the University of California, Berkeley, swears by his daily 800 mg of alpha-lipoic acid and 2,000 mg of acetyl-L-carnitine, chemicals which boost the energy output of mitochondria that power our cells. Mitochondrial decay is a major factor in aging and diseases such as Alzheimer's and diabetes. Elderly rats on these supplements had more energy and ran mazes better.

Omega-3s fatty acids DHA and EPA found in walnuts and fatty fish (such as salmon, sardines, and lake trout) are thought to help ward off Alzheimer's disease. (In addition, they likely help prevent depression and have been shown to help prevent sudden death from heart attack).

Turmeric, typically found in curry, contains curcumin, a chemical with potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. In India, it is even used as a salve to help heal wounds. East Asians also eat it, which might explain their lower rates (compared to the United States) of Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease, in addition to various cancers. If curry isn’t part of your favorite cuisines, you might try a daily curcumin supplement of 500 to 1,000 mg.

Physical exercise may also have beneficial effects on neuron regeneration by stimulating regeneration of brain and muscle cells via activation of stress proteins and the production of growth factors. But again, additional research suggests that not all exercise is equal. Interestingly, some researchers found that exercise considered drudgery was not beneficial in neuronal regeneration, but physical activity that was engaged in purely for fun, even if equal time was spent and equal calories were burned, resulted in neuronal regeneration.

Exercise can also help reduce stress, but any stress-reducing activity, such as meditation and lifestyle changes, can help the brain. There is some evidence that chronic stress shrinks the parts of the brain involved in learning, memory, and mood. (It also delays wound healing, promotes atherosclerosis, and increases blood pressure.)

It should go without saying that short-term cognitive and physical performance is not boosted by fasting, due to metabolic changes including decrease in body temperature, decreased heart rate and blood pressure and decreased glucose and insulin levels, so you’re better off not planning a marathon or a demanding work session during a fasting period.

As part of a healthy lifestyle the prescription of moderating food intake, exercising, and eating anti-oxidant rich foods is what we’ve long known will boost longevity, but it’s good to know that we can bring our brains along with us as we make it into those golden years without being the 1 in 7 who suffers from dementia. Keep your fingers crossed and eat some rosemary chicken.

Posted by Rebecca Sato

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30 Unforgettable Christmas Advertisements Around the World

[via weird resources]

Mazda: Christmas Tree, 2007

Heineken: Santa

Don’t drink and drive.

Publicis: Christmas

British Airways: Embrace

What i want for christmas

Translation is something like “Colors to the finest tone”, By Damjan Stankovic

Christmas of Rio Sul Mall: Two

Santa Claus

CreAds Christmas Pencil

Whispering lips by IrinaH

McDonald’s: Merry Christmas

Tide Christmas

Suzuki Swift: Christmas

Childhope Asia Philippines: Fireplace

Bola Amiga

A “christmas gift” was sent to company directors and managers, encouraging them to donate money during the holiday season.

Mercedes-Benz: Christmas tree

Coffee machine ads

Pfizer: Ashtray

Christmas card for “be!” - producer of clothes for children & pregnant women, 2007

Mercedes: Santa’s Little Helper, 2007

The Salvation Army 2006 Christmas Ad Campaign, Canada

Telepizza Delivery “four season’s greetings” - 2001

Cultura: Christmas

Almere Vandaag: Christmas ball origami

SUNA GPS Traffic Updates: Christmas

It’s a little premature, but Happy Christmas.

Volkswagen “Flake”

Don’t let irresponsible driving wreck Christmas, 2007

Happy Holidays. Always Fun. M&M’s, 2008

Childhope Asia Philippines: Christmas tree

Over 200,000 children are spending Christmas one the streets.

All given images are copyrights of their respected owners and creators. The only idea behind this post is to show the interactivity and creativity of these images to the world with the essence of exploration.

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The 7 Weirdest Holiday Lights Displays in America

Merry Christmas to all my Curious Readers!!


[via slate]

From Sara Mosle, near her parents' house in Dallas: "Every time I drive by, I can't help but smile, even if I'm also shaking my head and thinking, 'Only in Texas.' "

Photograph by Sara Mosle.

From Chris Myers: "What you see in this photo was the only thing in the entire yard of this house in Batesville, Miss. In fact, if I remember correctly, it was the only light in the entire yard. It seems like the baby would have been slightly uncomfortable."

Photograph by Chris Myers.

From Ken Meyer of Portland, Ore., who calls it "one of the ubiquitous hideous inflatables." "What makes this one special," he writes, "is the strangeness of the figures. Check out Joseph's beard, and baby Jesus looks like a glowing fruit salad."

Photograph by Ken Meyer.

Ken Meyer (see previous slide) has an eye for these things. About this display, he writes, "It's got everything: God Bless America, the Nativity, and Santa."



From Chris Creel of Austin, Texas: "My friend Alex and I decided to construct a giant flying spaghetti monster to hang on our street."

Photograph by Josh Hikes.

From Melissa Diane Holdren of Chandler, Ariz., "As a friend of mine said, 'Wow! I think Christmas threw up on that house.' It's like some perverse Where's Waldo—Santa Edition."

Photograph by Melissa Diane Holdren.

From Judith Anderson of Long Beach, Calif., who asks that the photo be described this way (we think—we're pretty sure—she's kidding): "The Reformed Druids of Long Beach celebrate the Solstice with a display of the Sacred Cactus and the Blue Birds of Happiness."

Photograph by Judith Anderson.

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Our unconscious brain makes the best decisions possible

Researchers at the University of Rochester have shown that the human brain—once thought to be a seriously flawed decision maker—is actually hard-wired to allow us to make the best decisions possible with the information we are given. The findings are published in today's issue of the journal Neuron.

[via phsyorg]

Neuroscientists Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky received a 2002 Nobel Prize for their 1979 research that argued humans rarely make rational decisions. Since then, this has become conventional wisdom among cognition researchers.

Contrary to Kahnneman and Tversky's research, Alex Pouget, associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences at the University of Rochester, has shown that people do indeed make optimal decisions—but only when their unconscious brain makes the choice.

"A lot of the early work in this field was on conscious decision making, but most of the decisions you make aren't based on conscious reasoning," says Pouget. "You don't consciously decide to stop at a red light or steer around an obstacle in the road. Once we started looking at the decisions our brains make without our knowledge, we found that they almost always reach the right decision, given the information they had to work with."

Pouget says that Kahneman's approach was to tell a subject that there was a certain percent chance that one of two choices in a test was "right." This meant a person had to consciously compute the percentages to get a right answer—something few people could do accurately.

Pouget has been demonstrating for years that certain aspects of human cognition are carried out with surprising accuracy. He has employed what he describes as a very simple unconscious-decision test. A series of dots appears on a computer screen, most of which are moving in random directions. A controlled number of these dots are purposely moving uniformly in the same direction, and the test subject simply has to say whether he believes those dots are moving to the left or right. The longer the subject watches the dots, the more evidence he accumulates and the more sure he becomes of the dots' motion.

Subjects in this test performed exactly as if their brains were subconsciously gathering information before reaching a confidence threshold, which was then reported to the conscious mind as a definite, sure answer. The subjects, however, were never aware of the complex computations going on, instead they simply "realized" suddenly that the dots were moving in one direction or another. The characteristics of the underlying computation fit with Pouget's extensive earlier work that suggested the human brain is wired naturally to perform calculations of this kind.

"We've been developing and strengthening this hypothesis for years—how the brain represents probability distributions," says Pouget. "We knew the results of this kind of test fit perfectly with our ideas, but we had to devise a way to see the neurons in action. We wanted to see if, in fact, humans are really good decision makers after all, just not quite so good at doing it consciously. Kahneman explicitly told his subjects what the chances were, but we let people's unconscious mind work it out. It's weird, but people rarely make optimal decisions when they are told the percentages up front."

Pouget analyzed the data from a test performed in the laboratory of Michael Shadlen, a professor of physiology and biophysics at the University of Washington. Shadlen's team watched the activity of a pair of neurons that normally respond to the sight of things moving to the left or right. For instance, when the test consisted of a few dots moving to the right within the jumble of other random dots, the neuron coding for "rightward movement" would occasionally fire. As the test continued, the neuron would fire more and more frequently until it reached a certain threshold, triggering a flurry of activity in the brain and a response from the subject of "rightward."

Pouget says a probabilistic decision-making system like this has several advantages. The most important is that it allows us to reach a reasonable decision in a reasonable amount of time. If we had to wait until we're 99 percent sure before we make a decision, Pouget says, then we would waste time accumulating data unnecessarily. If we only required a 51 percent certainty, then we might reach a decision before enough data has been collected.

Another main advantage is that when we finally reach a decision, we have a sense of how certain we are of it—say, 60 percent or 90 percent—depending on where the triggering threshold has been set. Pouget is now investigating how the brain sets this threshold for each decision, since it does not appear to have the same threshold for each kind of question it encounters.

Source: University of Rochester

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Why Is The U.S. Military Preparing For Massive Civil Disorder?

A new report from the U.S. Army War College’s Strategic Studies Institute says that the U.S. military must quickly prepare for massive civil unrest that could be precipitated by an “unforeseen economic collapse”.

The following is a quote from this stunning report: “DoD might be forced by circumstances to put its broad resources at the disposal of civil authorities to contain and reverse violent threats to domestic tranquility. Under the most extreme circumstances, this might include use of military force against hostile groups inside the United States."

This comes on the heels of a recent report that the Department of Defense plans to deploy 20,000 uniformed troops for operations inside the United States by 2011.

The purpose of the 130 year old Posse Comitatus Act was to prevent the military from being used in domestic law enforcement.

But who cares about the law anymore, eh?

But apparently 20,000 uniformed soldiers will not be enough to control Americans. Barack Obama is calling for a "civilian national security force" that is as strong and is as well funded as the U.S. military. Just check out this short video clip:



Now there is news that Homeland Security plans to start monitoring blogs and message boards all over the United States for any signs of suspicious activity.

Does that include criticizing the government?

But even with all of these measures there are some in the government who think that even more military resources will be required to prevent civil unrest.

Secretary of Defense Robert Gates has ordered defense officials to do a full review to determine whether the U.S. military could respond adequately to a domestic crisis.

We have never had civil disorder of the magnitude that these authorities are speculating about in the history of the United States.

Do these officials know something that we don't?

Are things going to get even worse in the years ahead for our economy and our nation? [via future storm]

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Last major VHS supplier throws in the towel

[via arstechnica]

Farewell, VHS... and don't let the door hit you on your way out. Though most of us have given up our VHS players by now in favor of something a little less dated, there have been the usual stragglers in the "old 'n' busted video format" department that have kept VHS alive long past its expiration date. But with the last major VHS supplier in the US ditching the format at the end of this year, the sound of the death knell has forced us to reminisce on VHS and other formats we wish would die with it.

VHS, which became wildly popular in the 80s and rode out its popularity well into the 2000s, has been on a very steady decline since the advent of DVD (and now digital downloads and Blu-ray). As a result, most VHS distributors have long ago ditched the format, but not Distribution Video Audio Inc., which prides itself in keeping little tidbits of pop culture alive. But this is one trend that is finally going to the grave after the 2008 holiday season is over, despite steady sales over the last several years.

"It's dead, this is it, this is the last Christmas, without a doubt," Distribution Video Audio co-owner Ryan Kugler told the L.A. Times. "I was the last one buying VHS and the last one selling it, and I'm done. Anything left in the warehouse we'll just give away or throw away."

The last Hollywood-produced VHS movie was released sometime in 2006, which was already well into DVD release territory. Kugler points out, however, that even though major retailers (like Walmart and Best Buy) were phasing out their VHS selection, bargain basement stores like the Dollar Tree and mom-and-pops were still buying inventory from him. He says he also sold to public libraries, military bases, and cruise ships, although those venues are looking for DVDs now too. As it turns out, Distribution Video Audio now sets up discount DVD displays for big-box retailers, although Kugler warns that DVD's days are numbered as well. "The DVD will be obsolete in three or four years, no doubt about it. Everything will be Blu-ray," he said.

With VHS's death about to become a reality, the Ars staff got to thinking about what other formats we'd like to see buried before the end of this decade. I, for one, wish car makers would stop even offering to put cassette players into vehicles—the only function those things are good these days is acting as a cheap intermediary between an iPod and a stereo system. Several other staff members chimed in with the QuickTime .mov and the dusty old .gif when it comes to file formats. What are some of yours?

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Want some sleep? Kill the stress. Here's how...

Not everyone responds to stress with insomnia. Learn more about sleep and anxiety -- and discover how to begin obtaining the rest your body needs.

[via rd]

The Key to Better Sleep

Stress. Its biochemical surge tosses us into a fast-paced hyper-alertness that allows us to dodge an oncoming car, sidestep a fist, or save the data on a crashing computer. But that's in the short term. In the long term, the biochemistry of chronic stress can trigger anxiety and send us spinning toward depression.

Unfortunately, today's emphasis on a 24/7 workplace, perfect children, a plasma TV in every home, and a size 0 -- size 0! -- waist means that chronic stress is ubiquitous and anxiety a way of life. And since insomnia is a frequent companion of stress and worry, it also means that probably half the women in your town are pacing the floor at 4:00 A.M. Want some sleep? Kill the stress. Muzzle the anxiety. Here's how to do it.

Taking Stress to Bed
Turning over for the forty-seventh time that night, 38-year-old Belinda James tried to figure out how she could stretch this week's paycheck to buy food for herself and her two kids, fill up the gas tank, pay the phone bill, have her tooth filled, and pay the rent. It just wasn't going to happen. She turned over again, punched the pillow a couple of times, and tried to sleep. Instead, a picture of an unfinished report on her desk popped into her mind. If only she'd been able to finish. If only she'd been able to tally that last column of numbers. If only...

Like a lot of women trying to raise a family, hold down a job, and keep life worth living, Belinda James frequently finds herself tossing and turning at 4:00 A.M. as all of her stressors march through her head. There's the ex-husband who expects her to pick up and drop off the kids. The mother who wants her to date. The boss who wants her to increase her output by 20 percent in the next six months. The homeroom teacher who wants to "discuss" her son's behavior. And, of course, the money -- for food, phone, gas, dentist, and rent. The list goes on and on.

Unfortunately, the biochemicals her body generates throughout the day as she tries to deal with these challenges is what keeps her awake at night. "When you're under stress, you get an increase in adrenaline that causes your sympathetic nervous system to go from normal functioning into overdrive," explains Donna Arand, Ph.D., clinical director of the Kettering Hospital Sleep Disorders Center in Dayton, Ohio.

"There's a general overall arousal. Essentially, you're running in fifth gear all the time instead of second."

Not everyone responds to stress with insomnia. Heredity, childhood experiences, diet, exercise, personal relationships, and the sheer number of stressors impacting your poor beleaguered body dictate the way you react to stress. In a study conducted at the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, for example, women who had a preexisting tendency toward anxiety were twice as likely to develop insomnia than those who did not. Men were even more vulnerable. Men with a preexisting tendency toward anxiety were three times more likely to develop insomnia.

"Insomnia is a part of the individual way each of us handles stress," says Dr. Arand. Some people park stress at the bedroom door. Others develop high blood pressure. Still others take it to bed -- their minds just won't turn off.

That's not to say that occasional insomnia isn't normal. "Insomnia is a normal response to occasional stress," says Dr. Arand. "If it's the night before your presentation at work or the night before your divorce, it's a natural response.

"What's not natural, she explains, is if insomnia becomes chronic. And that usually happens when you focus on the fact that you're not sleeping rather than on the stressor that actually caused the problem. You begin to think that insomnia is the problem -- and you go to bed expecting to have a problem getting to sleep or staying asleep. As a result, says Dr. Arand, we start thinking, What if it happens again tonight? And, sure enough, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Supporting the notion that you seemingly have a problem with sleep rather than stress is the fact that you feel so totally rotten the morning after a sleepless night. So you say to your friends at work, "I feel awful. I couldn't sleep a wink last night!" And they all nod their heads knowingly because -- guess what? -- they didn't sleep so well, either. So now you've gotten support in blaming the wrong problem. And instead of trying to find a solution to what's actually causing the insomnia -- your stressors -- you're trying to find ways to catch up with the sleep you missed so you don't feel so darned awful.

"Sleep becomes your overriding thought in life," says Dr. Arand. You start mainlining caffeine during the day, then popping sleeping pills at night. Those strategies may give you a temporary boost in alertness, but in the long run they only exacerbate the problem.

The really insidious thing about this whole mess, says Dr. Arand, is that once you get into this pattern, even when your stressor is eventually eliminated -- the rent gets paid, the ex-husband moves out of state, the tooth gets pulled -- you've gotten yourself into a pattern of chronic insomnia. So now your problem really isn't stress, it's things like multiple naps erasing the need to sleep at night, too many trips to Starbucks for a caffeine fix, and your expectation that you won't sleep because, of course, you have a "sleep problem."

Fortunately, once you realize what's going on, changing how you handle stress and reestablishing healthy sleep practices will bring back restorative sleep within weeks.

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Why Some of Us Hate to Cry

[via live science]

A new study reveals why crying can feel so pointless.

Psychologists at the University of South Florida and Tilburg University, Netherlands, analyzed volunteers' detailed accounts of more than 3,000 recent crying episodes and found that the benefits of crying depend entirely on the what, where and when of a particular crying episode.

For example, the effects of crying depend on who is shedding the tears. A majority of the volunteers reported improvements in their mood after a crying session, possibly from receiving social support during their episode. However, one third of the survey participants reported no improvement in mood and a tenth felt worse after they cried their emotions out.

Individuals with anxiety or mood disorders were least likely to experience the positive effects of crying.

Also, the researchers report that people who lack insight into their emotional lives (a condition known as alexithymia) actually feel worse after crying. This suggests that a lack of emotional insight may restrict the mind’s ability to transform an upsetting moment into something positive.

These findings are detailed in the December 2008 issue of the journal Current Directions in Psychological Science.

Pleasant memories of crying

Humans' propensity to shedding tears has had psychologists scratching their heads for a while. The question is how such a simple behavior as crying could benefit us.

It turns out that crying specifically helps control breathing to overcome the body’s negatively aroused state, University of South Florida researchers Jonathan Rottenberg and Lauren M. Bylsma and their Tilburg colleague found.

When a person experiences overwhelming stress and arousal, his or her heart rate increases and body begins to sweat. But as a person cries, his or her breathing slows, rendering a calming effect, Rottenberg said.

When the body tries to calm itself, the calming effect usually lasts longer than the unpleasant stress reaction that is associated with it, he said, suggesting why people tend to remember mostly the pleasant side of crying. [photo: abc]

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The End of the World As We Know It

Magnetic-Shield Cracks Found; Big Solar Storms Expected

[via national geographic]

An unexpected, thick layer of solar particles inside Earth's magnetic field suggests there are huge breaches in our planet's solar defenses, scientists said.

These breaches indicate that during the next period of high solar activity, due to start in 2012, Earth will experience some of the worst solar storms seen in decades.

Solar winds—charged particles from the sun—help create auroras, the brightly colored lights that sometimes appear above the Earth's poles.

But the winds also trigger storms that can interfere with satellites' power sources, endanger spacewalkers, and even knock out power grids on Earth.

"The sequence we're expecting … is just right to put particles in and energize them to create the biggest geomagnetic storms, the brightest auroras, the biggest disturbances in Earth's radiation belts," said David Sibeck, a space-weather expert at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland.

"So if all of this is true, it should be that we're in for a tough time in the next 11 years."

Into the Breach

Data from NASA's THEMIS satellite showed that a 4,000-mile-thick (6,437-kilometer-thick) layer of solar particles has gathered and is rapidly growing within the outermost part of the magnetosphere, a protective bubble created by Earth's magnetic field.

Normally the magnetosphere blocks most of the solar wind, flowing outward from the sun at about a million miles (1.6 million kilometers) an hour.

"The solar wind is constantly changing, and the Earth's magnetic field is buffeted like a wind sock in gale-force winds, fluttering back and forth in response to the solar wind," Sibeck said this week during a meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

Earth's magnetic field lines align themselves in different directions over various regions of the planet.

Near Earth's Equator, where solar winds press against the magnetosphere, the field lines point north.

Solar winds also carry magnetic field lines toward Earth, and those solar field lines point in different directions during the sun's 11-year cycle of activity.

Conventional thinking had suggested that north-pointing field lines would act like reinforcements to Earth's northward field, causing the planet to "raise shields" against solar winds.

The idea is based, in part, on the fact that auroras are brighter and space-weather hazards increase when solar winds carry southward-pointing field lines, Sibeck said.

"So it's reasonable to think that during periods when the sun's magnetic field lines point south, that's when the most particles get into Earth's magnetosphere."

THEMIS, however, showed that the opposite is true.

The satellite system "found the solar particle layer is much thicker when the two fields are pointing in the same direction," said Marit Øieroset, a THEMIS scientist based at the University of California, Berkeley, who first saw the effect.

In fact, 20 times more particles get through Earth's magnetic shield when the field lines are aligned than when they are opposed, she said.

Model Behavior

To find the mechanism behind this discovery, Oieroset and Sibeck turned to computer models that could simulate the conditions observed by THEMIS.

The models showed that the likely driver is north-facing field lines connecting with Earth's magnetosphere, said Jimmy Raeder, a physicist at the University of New Hampshire in Durham who helped build the simulations.

As a field line approaches, it latches onto the poles and wraps around the planet like an octopus using a tentacle to snare its prey, he said.

The latching, known as magnetic reconnection, tears huge cracks in the magnetosphere and allows solar plasma to leak in.

"We have other observations from other satellites that this reconnection process happens over the poles at times, but we had never appreciated what it actually does," Raeder said.

A thicker layer of solar particles, however, isn't enough by itself to create geomagnetic troubles for Earth.

Right now the planet is enjoying a period of low activity called solar minimum. But particles have been building up inside the magnetosphere as the solar wind carries northward-facing field lines to Earth.

During the next solar cycle, the winds are expected to carry southward-facing field lines, which connect with the magnetosphere in such a way that they provide extra charge to any plasma inside the shield.

"You can sort of compare [the situation] to a gas stove," Raeder said.

"If you turn on the gas and you light it right away, nothing will happen—the gas stove will go on and there will be a flame.

"But if you turn on a gas stove and you don't do anything for a while and then you throw in a match, what will happen? It will say, Boom!"

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Take back control of which news you see with Stumpedia

If your a regular reader of Curious Read, you may know that the whole point of this blog is to gather the more interesting side of news that you might miss if you watch or read main stream news sites. CNN, Fox and even major search engines dictate what you see on a daily basis.

Maybe you're a publisher of a small blog or a new site and are sick of the bots and the money influencing and or maybe even controlling what you see in search engine results. Enter Stumpedia.

Stumpedia is a social search engine that relies on human participation to index,organize, and review the world wide web. Stumpedia does not depend on bots, algorithms, or company insiders to make decisions on the relevance and ranking of search results.

Stumpedia enables users around the world to share their knowledge and interests with one another and provide an alternative to traditional search. Users are encouraged to create custom content pages for any possible search term in the world and submit links that will help people find relevant results and answers to their search requests. Links to social bookmarks, social profiles, blogs, new stories, authoritative articles, videos and images are welcome.

Stumpedia allows you to share your knowledge and interests with the world and help people search and surf the world wide web. Sick of right and left wing media dictating what you see, join Stumpedia in their mission to democratize search and the media.

You can even earn money by using Stumpedia. Their Articles allow content creators to publish authoritative articles about a specific topic and earn 100% of the ad revenue. Unlike most other platforms where advertising revenue is shared, Stumpedia allows content creators complete control and management of their ads.

From their website...

"We encourage both publishers and authors to contribute articles and make it easy for them to write and share their knowledge and interests with the world. Our goal is to promote great content and help improve search relevancy on the Stumpedia search engine."

Hell, I already submitted this blog to their search engine.. Hope is brings in more traffic!

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Maryland Students Use Speed Cameras for Revenge

[via the newspaper]

High school students in Maryland are using speed cameras as a tool to fine innocent drivers in a game, according to the Montgomery County Sentinel newspaper. Because photo enforcement devices will automatically mail out a ticket to any registered vehicle owner based solely on a photograph of a license plate, any driver could receive a ticket if someone else creates a duplicate of his license plate and drives quickly past a speed camera. The private companies that mail out the tickets often do not bother to verify whether vehicle registration information for the accused vehicle matches the photographed vehicle.

In the UK, this is known as number plate cloning, where thieves will find the license information of a vehicle similar in appearance to the one they wish to drive. They will use that information to purchase a real license plate from a private vendor using the other vehicle's numbers. This allows the "cloned" vehicle to avoid all automated punishment systems. According to the Sentinel, two Rockville, Maryland high schools call their version of cloning the "speed camera pimping game."

A speed camera is located out in front of Wootton High School, providing a convenient location for generating the false tickets. Instead of purchasing license plates, students have ready access to laser printers that can create duplicate license plates using glossy paper using readily available fonts. For example, the state name of "Maryland" appears on plates in a font similar to Garamond Number 5 Swash Italic. Once the camera flashes, the driver can quickly pull over and remove the fake paper plate. The victim will receive a $40 ticket in the mail weeks later. According to the Sentinel, students at Richard Montgomery High School have also participated, although Montgomery County officials deny having seen any evidence of faked speed camera tickets.

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A lighting strike this close would make anyone loose their cookies

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The science of your hangover

Tis the season for hangovers. Times Online looks at the science behind that awful morning after feeling

Thumping head, dry mouth, bleary eyes, patchy memory - the hangover fug is familiar to many. But why does alcohol make us feel so dreadful? Even though human beings have suffered from hangovers for thousands of years, we're still largely in the dark as to exactly why they happen, and how to cure them. Researchers this week revealed that many hangover cures simply don't work. The only sure-fire cure, they say, is not to get drunk in the first place. If only it were that simple. Here is what scientists believe takes place in the body after a big night out on the town.

Head

Headache Scientists believe that those throbbing, relentless hangover headaches are due to a number of factors. The first is dehydration. Alcohol prevents the release of a hormone responsible for retaining water in the body. As a result, the kidneys no longer conserve water and more fluid is excreted as urine. Moreover, alcohol widens the blood vessels in the head, adding to the pain.

Concentration Avoid any task that requires more than half a brain. Studies suggest that hangover misery interferes with both short-term memory and concentration. One study of military pilots revealed that flying ability was still impaired eight to 14 hours after drinking, especially in older pilots. Some studies suggest that dehydration might be to blame, while others believe that acetaldehyde, a product of alcohol breakdown, may have an impact, along with sleep deprivation. Despite alcohol sending us to sleep, it worsens the quality of our shuteye, leaving people incredibly tired in the morning.

Mood The world is usually not a happy place when you awake after a big night on the tiles. Hangovers increase depression, anxiety and irritability. Scientists are still unsure exactly how alcohol exerts its mind-bending affects, but believe that it is a combination of sleep deprivation, a lack of serotonin - a mood-enhancing chemical in our brain - and an alcohol-induced drop in blood sugar. And the dizziness and light-headedness? Also due to dehydration, say researchers.

Eyes A telltale sign of a heavy night, eyes become puffy, sore and bloodshot. Alcohol causes blood vessels in the eyes to dilate and dehydration leaves them feeling dry.

Mouth The mouth and throat feel dry, furry and generally disgusting. This is caused by dehydration and is worsened by smoking.

Nervous system As anyone knows who has fallen asleep in the corner of a pub, alcohol is a sedative. But to make sure that we don't slip into unconsciousness, our nervous system steps up a gear and becomes more alert. When the alcohol leaves our body, however, the nervous system remains in a hyperactive state, leading to sweating, shaking and sensitivity to light, sound and touch. Further, sleep deprivation can aggravate these symptoms.

Heart Heart rate increases, possibly as a result of alcohol interfering with the body's nervous system. Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to cardiomyopathy - damage to the heart muscle.

Liver Alcohol cannot be stored in the body and so is broken down in the liver. In this two-step process, alcohol is turned into acetaldehyde, which then becomes acetate. However, this process is slow - one unit of alcohol is metabolised every hour. It is widely believed that acetaldehyde may contribute to the misery of the hangover, as accumulation in the blood causes rapid pulse, sweating, skin flushing, nausea and vomiting. Some people lack a molecule that breaks down this compound and become ill soon after drinking. Further, alcohol metabolism leads to an accumulation of fatty compounds in the liver and lactic acid in the body fluids. These inhibit glucose production, leading to low blood sugar.

Body temperature Ever felt a bit hot under the collar when you're suffering with a hangover? Alcohol may interfere with the production of hormones that control the 24-hour body clock, leading to body temperature being abnormally high.

Stomach Alcohol irritates the stomach lining and delays it emptying, leading to nausea and vomiting.

Kidneys Alcohol affects the hormones that control water balance in the body. As a result, the kidneys fail to reabsorb water and the body becomes dehydrated.

Intestines The intestines begin to work faster after alcohol is consumed and food and liquid take less time to pass through. The ability to absorb water out of the stools is also impaired, leading to diarrhoea.

Pancreas Production of digestive juices is increased, leading to upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

Muscles Everything is an effort when you have a hangover. Muscle weakness and general fatigue are a result of low blood sugar and dehydration. The latter, together with an accumulation of lactic acid from alcohol metabolism, can cause foot and leg cramp.

Relieve the pain

Studies suggest that one person in three never gets a hangover. For those of us not so fortunate, here's how to tackle them.

Eating a substantial meal before you start drinking will slow alcohol absorption. And despite feeling ropey the following morning, always try to eat breakfast. It will raise your blood sugar back to normal levels, making you feel much better.

Intersperse your drinks with a few sly glasses of water - it will help to prevent dehydration, and may lessen your hangover misery. When the hangover has kicked in, drinking water will ease its severity, but won't banish it completely. Caffeine may worsen your dehydration, so avoid drinking lots of tea and coffee.

Avoid brandy, red wine and rum. Dark-coloured drinks contain high concentrations of congeners, compounds that may worsen hangovers.

Sleep it off. A study this week found that many hangover remedies, from artichoke to vegemite, don't work. So, why not use the age-old solution of simply going back to bed.

Dr Martyn Lobley, GP and Times columnist

Hangover symptoms result from a combination of dehydration, low blood sugar and the build-up of lactic acid in your muscles. As soon as you get home take some ibuprofen with a large glass of fresh orange juice. When you wake up, go for a gentle walk to flush out the lactic acid - take a bottle of water along.

Hilly Janes, editor, Body&Soul

I'd follow Dr Lobley's orders, swapping juice for as much water as I can drink. Then as soon as you are able the morning after, have a bacon sandwich with white bread and lashings of hot strong tea. A perfect balance of carbs,fat, protein, salt,caffeine and fluid to perk you up again.

Matt Roberts,Times fitness expert

When I have a hangover, I never go mad with exercise. A brisk walk is enough to wake me up. My favourite hangover breakfast is poached eggs with wholemeal toast. Not too heavy, but enough to settle the stomach. To accompany, I have an orange juice and a cup of tea, with a teaspoon of sugar. [via times online]

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8 Very toxic toys to buy your kids this Christmas

Ball Track, Large Basic Set

Manufacturer: Habermaass Corp., Inc.

Cadmium PPM: 981

If you want a Ball Track, you better buy it soon. On Feb.10, 2009, the U.S. will impose new limits on the level of cadmium allowed in children's product at 75 ppm.

Best Friends Band

Manufacturer: Alex Panline USA, Inc.

Arsenic PPM: 630

A package of 10 bracelets in coupled patterns, these friendship bands may share more than friendship. Arsenic has been linked to cancer and blood disorders, among other serious health issues.

Lightning McQueen Racing Chair

Manufacturer: Disney (Marshmallow)

Bromine PPM: 25,562

Bromine, a chemical widely used in flame retardants, has been linked to birth defects and reproductive problems, as well as issues with child development.

Bracelets Collection

Manufacturer: The Christmas Tree Shop

Lead PPM: 81,085

This collection of silver-colored bracelets may seem like a good stocking stuffer for young girls this Christmas season, but if several scientific studies are right, it isn't. Researchers have found that there is no safe level of lead. The damage tends to be worse when the exposed person is younger, and even the smallest amount can interfere with a child's ability to learn.

Halloween Pumpkin Pin

Manufacturer: The Christmas Tree Shop

Arsenic PPM: 4,765

Cadmium PPM: 3,847

Lead PPM: 190,943

The Halloween Pumpkin Pin, a pumpkin-faced, orange-and-green clothespin, takes the proverbial cake for unsafe chemical contamination. The Halloween Pumpkin Pin is so contaminated with toxic chemicals that it ranks near the top of for three out of five of the most toxic chemicals, including lead, arsenic and cadmium.

Hannah Montana's "2 Hearts and HM graphic Necklace"

Manufacturer: Disney (F&A Inc.)

Lead PPM: 406,510

Last year, the Hannah Montana doll, based on the Emmy-nominated 'tween series about a teenage girl (played by Billy Ray Cyrus' daughter Miley Cyrus), rivaled Barbie and the Bratz as the doll-of-choice for young girls. Don't count on the "2 Hearts and HM graphic Necklace" following in its footsteps. The necklace led the pack on the "worst toys" list of those most contaminated by lead, with a whopping 406,510 ppm of lead.

Just My Style "It's So Charming" Jewelry Charm Bracelets

Manufacturer: Just My Style Jewelry

Lead PPM: 9,254

Children's jewelry is five times more likely to contain lead above 600 ppm than other products. This bracelet is one reason why.

High School Musical Crown Necklace

Manufacturer: Disney (F.A.F., Inc.)

Lead PPM: 7,963

Research has linked exposure to lead with learning and developmental problems including decreased IQ scores, shorter attention spans and delayed learning. [via forbes]

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The Internet's 100 Oldest Dot-Com Domains

A look way way back at some of the World Wide Web's first commercial domains.

The Internet's been around in some form for decades. It wasn't until the mid-80s, though, that the Web as we know it started coming together -- and those precious dot-com domains started getting snatched up.

As we finish out the tech-centric year of 2008, we thought we'd take a look back at the Internet's oldest commercial Web sites -- the ones registered back when chatting about "the Net" was as socially acceptable as wearing Jedi garb into a crowded nightclub. So grab your light sabers, dear friends -- we're boarding the Millennium Falcon and heading back to a virtual galaxy far, far away.

The Internet's First Dot-Com

Let me set the scene for you: The year was 1985. MS-DOS 3.0 was the PC operating system of choice, most commonly run on the top-selling Tandy 1000 personal computer.

A newly formed company called Dell was getting ready to release its first machine, the "Turbo PC." The Commodore Amiga 1000 was also about to hit the market.

That same spring, the first dot-com domain was registered with the sale of symbolics.com on March 15, 1985. The site belonged to a computer manufacturer known for its Open Genera Lisp and Macsyma computer algebra systems.

Symbolics declared bankruptcy in the early 90s but is still under operation with new owners. That means symbolics.com is the Internet's oldest still-functioning dot-com domain -- and, I must say, it still looks like it was designed in 1985.

Other Highlights

Some of the other early dot-coms are domains we know well. The ninth recorded registration went to hp.com on March 3, 1986. IBM bought its domain a couple of weeks later. AT&T followed in April, and Apple joined the club after another year. Unfortunately, the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine only goes back to the mid-90s, but even in 1997, you can see how relatively low-tech apple.com looked compared to the snazzy standards we enjoy today.

Some other noteworthy notches on the dot-com timeline that didn't make the first 100: Microsoft bought microsoft.com in May of 1991; PC World entered the online world in April '92; Yahoo reserved its dot-com home in January of 1995; and Google grabbed google.com in September of 1997.

As a heads-up, one conspicuous omission that may catch your eye: anything remotely pornographic. (Those 2400 BPS modems didn't make for great image transmission.) Allow me to satisfy your curiosity, though: Sex.com first surfaced in 1994. Porn.com came into existence about a year later.

The Full List

All right, prurient interests addressed, ready to check out the full list of dot-com pioneers? Brace yourself, and dig in.

1. symbolics.com: March 15, 1985

2. bbn.com: April 24, 1985

3. think.com: May 24, 1985

4. mcc.com: July 11, 1985

5. dec.com: September 30, 1985

6. northrop.com: November 7, 1985

7. xerox.com: January 9, 1986

8. sri.com: January 17, 1986

9. hp.com: March 3, 1986

10. bellcore.com: March 5, 1986

11. ibm.com: March 19, 1986

12. sun.com: March 19, 1986

13. intel.com: March 25, 1986

14. ti.com: March 25, 1986

15. att.com: April 25, 1986

16. gmr.com: May 8, 1986

17. tek.com: May 8, 1986

18. fmc.com: July 10, 1986

19. ub.com: July 10, 1986

20. bell-atl.com: August 5, 1986

21. ge.com: August 5, 1986

22. grebyn.com: August 5, 1986

23. isc.com: August 5, 1986

24. nsc.com: August 5, 1986

25. stargate.com: August 5, 1986

26. boeing.com: September 2, 1986

27. itcorp.com: September 18, 1986

28. siemens.com: September 29, 1986

29. pyramid.com: October 18, 1986

30. alphacdc.com: October 27, 1986

31. bdm.com: October 27, 1986

32. fluke.com: October 27, 1986

33. inmet.com: October 27, 1986

34. kesmai.com: October 27, 1986

35. mentor.com: October 27, 1986

36. nec.com: October 27, 1986

37. ray.com: October 27, 1986

38. rosemount.com: October 27, 1986

39. vortex.com: October 27, 1986

40. alcoa.com: November 5, 1986

41. gte.com: November 5, 1986

42. adobe.com: November 17, 1986

43. amd.com: November 17, 1986

44. das.com: November 17, 1986

45. data-io.com: November 17, 1986

46. octopus.com: November 17, 1986

47. portal.com: November 17, 1986

48. teltone.com: November 17, 1986

49. 3com.com: December 11, 1986

50. amdahl.com: December 11, 1986

51. ccur.com: December 11, 1986

52. ci.com: December 11, 1986

53. convergent.com: December 11, 1986

54. dg.com: December 11, 1986

55. peregrine.com: December 11, 1986

56. quad.com: December 11, 1986

57. sq.com: December 11, 1986

58. tandy.com: December 11, 1986

59. tti.com: December 11, 1986

60. unisys.com: December 11, 1986

61. cgi.com: January 19, 1987

62. cts.com: January 19, 1987

63. spdcc.com: January 19, 1987

64. apple.com: February 19, 1987

65. nma.com: March 4, 1987

66. prime.com: March 4, 1987

67. philips.com: April 4, 1987

68. datacube.com: April 23, 1987

69. kai.com: April 23, 1987

70. tic.com: April 23, 1987

71. vine.com: April 23, 1987

72. ncr.com: April 30, 1987

73. cisco.com: May 14, 1987

74. rdl.com: May 14, 1987

75. slb.com: May 20, 1987

76. parcplace.com: May 27, 1987

77. utc.com: May 27, 1987

78. ide.com: June 26, 1987

79. trw.com: July 9, 1987

80. unipress.com: July 13, 1987

81. dupont.com: July 27, 1987

82. lockheed.com: July 27, 1987

83. rosetta.com: July 28, 1987

84. toad.com: August 18, 1987

85. quick.com: August 31, 1987

86. allied.com: September 3, 1987

87. dsc.com: September 3, 1987

88. sco.com: September 3, 1987

89. gene.com: September 22, 1987

90. kccs.com: September 22, 1987

91. spectra.com: September 22, 1987

92. wlk.com: September 22, 1987

93. mentat.com: September 30, 1987

94. wyse.com: October 14, 1987

95. cfg.com: November 2, 1987

96. marble.com: November 9, 1987

97. cayman.com: November 16, 1987

98. entity.com: November 16, 1987

99. ksr.com: November 24, 1987

100. nynexst.com: November 30, 1987

(Domain record data provided by iWhoIs.com) [via pcworld]

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24 Most Underrated Websites of 2008

[via mashable]

Over the past year we’ve reviewed sites from just about every cross-section of the web. And yet, so many ground breaking new services haven’t received the recognition they deserve: we aim to set that straight.

From niche social networks to job sites and alternative search engines, each of the following excited us in 2008, and we’re intrigued to see where they take us in 2009.

What do you think are some of 2008’s most underrated websites? Tell us in the comments.

CarZen - Taking the tedium out of car shopping is an understatement. After you set your budget range, which features you want and your preferred make, CarZen will present you with choices and details about the automobiles that match your criteria.

AudioMicro - With more and more people doing podcasts, there is a bigger demand than ever for stock music that you can legally use. AudioMicro provides a user-made stock music market that takes care of all your stock music needs.

Cmypitch - Cmypitch.com is a one stop shop for entrepreneurs that allows you to network your UK-based companies with videos, and look for sources of funding, advice and information.

CoNotes - CoNotes matches job seekers with cool startups by allowing people to find startups looking for employees and vice versa. Each company on the site has a section for comments and questions so you can learn about the company before you even apply.

Coolspotters - Ever seen a celebrity carrying a bag and just had to know who made it? Coolspotters puts celebrity fashion on display by taking images of celebrities from various events and helping you figure out not only who made the bag, but where you can get one for yourself. Coolspotters is also a winner of the Blogger’s Choice Open Web Awards.

findingDulcinea - Sometimes you just don’t have the time to go out and find the stories you want on the web, and that is why findingDulcinea gives you a curated view. Using the tagline “Librarian of the Internet,” the site breaks stories from around the web into categories, making your reading time of popular stories much less intrusive.

JobBite - JobBite can help you find out if competitors pay more. The service has entered into the employer payment and corporate environment review space, but has shown that a minimalist approach, with a straightforward search ability, can be the most valuable element when you’re looking for new employment.

Just Leap In - One of the factors keeping some people from trying virtual worlds is the fact that you have to run a totally separate program, eating up resources. Just leap In puts a virtual world in your browser and lets you share images, videos and social network with your friends.

Forvo - “Forvo: Pronounce “Nuclear” in Any Language” couldn’t be a truer headline as the service is aiming to eventually have every word in the world pronounced in every language by native speakers. The perfect service for anyone straining to learn a new language.

Lymabean - Despite the oddness of its name, Lymabean brings sexy back to college networking. Directed at college students only, Lymabean tries to bring local businesses, events and students together so that they can share information.

Nofouls - Ever had trouble getting your friends together for a basketball game? Nofouls places local courts on a Google Maps mashup so you can locate them and organize games.

PingMyCompany - Rate your employer with PingMyCompany or any company you have worked for. This is a great way to lure new co-workers or tell them to avoid your place of employment like the plague.

Playfish - Playfish is in the social gaming space, with a handful of games like “Who Has the Biggest Brain?” and “Bowling Buddies” available for Facebook, and inching their way onto other sites like Bebo, MySpace, and Yahoo. The games are fun and colorful, but the startup often gets overlooked in the crowded social gaming market.

Twittertise -Twitter may not seem to have any idea how to make money with their own product, but there is nothing stopping the rest of us. Twittertise allows you to schedule advertising via Twitter for up to a year in advance.

Rudder - Mint seems to get all of the love in the personal finance sector, but there are other solutions out there such as Rudder. While it’s less detail-oriented, it does its job well and is worth checking out.

Zenbe - Zenbe is a new email service that aims to change how we email by bringing together social services like Facebook, sharing documents & calendars with others, and building simple web pages so that people can see shared items.

PostaCrime - PostaCrime is YouTube for Surveillance Tapes. It allows businesses to put up copies of their security tapes in the hopes that people can identify the individuals involved with the crimes.

UEatCheap - UEatCheap matches food with frugality by using a Google Maps mashup that will let you find food in a $10 price range based on your location and what type of food you are looking for.

SocialMinder - SocialMinder helps you see which people you converse with via Gmail and LinkedIn, and tells you how strong your relationships are with them, and how you might improve them. As noted in the post, the service will become even more usable if it expands to other email and social networking services.

Twitturly - Many of us share website addresses on Twitter every day, and with Twitturly, tracking popular URLs has never been easier. This is all accomplished by monitoring the public timeline, and as a URL gets discussed more, it moves up in the rankings, making it especially effective for breaking news stories.

Zhiing - Zhiing enables people to send their location to others’ phones, desktops, laptops, and dash devices, and not only learn where the person wants them to go, but give them turn-by-turn directions on how to get there.

E.Factor - The main focus of E.Factor is to connect entrepreneurs with investors, but the site also offers members health insurance and 401(k) plans. The idea that a social network is offering such perks is hard to ignore.

Unigo - Unigo allows users to review universities and colleges from a student’s perspective so future students can get an idea of what to expect before they even apply.

Where The Locals Eat - We’ve all experienced that problem while traveling where all you can find is some overpriced restaurant totally geared towards gouging the tourists. This is why it is always beneficial to find out where the locals eat. The service lists the top 100 spots to grab some grub in the 50 largest cities in the USA.

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Top 10 Ways to Lock Down Your Data

This past week proved that you can't rely on something as simple as a web browser to keep your personal data and identity safe from harm.

Critical flaws were found in the Internet Explorer and even Firefox web browsers, leaving users potentially vulnerable to spyware, viruses, and password-sniffing. But don't throw up your hands in defeat—with the right software tools and a little Advanced Common Sense, you can secure your data so that even if someone did get onto your computer or into your email, they'd find nothing but headaches and woe. Read on for our list of ten software apps and strategies for locking down your online life.

10. Wipe that iPhone (or BlackBerry) before trading in.

It's almost inevitable that your iPhone's storage space or feature set will seem completely outdated at some point, depending, of course, on personal tolerance. Before you trade it in or sell it, though, take heed—your personal data is still there, and recoverable with a few modest hacks. Considering how much email, login information, and web history is sent through a phone these days, it's worth looking at Jonathan Zdziarski's wiping method, which involves jailbreaking your phone and jumping into the command line to wipe it down clean. Rocking the BlackBerry? Check out BBGeeks' much easier wiping steps.

9. Use virtual credit cards for iffy online buys.

Buying a DVD from Amazon is usually a pretty standard, safe transaction, but that cutesy little shop with the clever T-shirt? That's when you should take a few minutes and get a virtual—or "one-time," "secure," or "online"—credit card. Most major banks, PayPal, and Discover offer them, even if they're not widely used. If you're not quite sure about a site, or even if your own computer might be watched, it can't hurt to try a card made for only one purchase.

8. Hide data inside files with steganography.

You probably know it's not smart to keep sensitive, need-to-remember data in a file named all_my_bank_accounts.doc. But few laptop thieves or backdoor hackers are going to look for your PayPal data inside soaring_whales.jpg. Even if they did, they'd only see Orca and friends if you stashed your stuff with easy-to-use steganography tools. They're also great for trading the kind of information you wouldn't normally send over email inside otherwise non-intriguing files of all types, sparing you the need to go through too much extra effort.

7. Plan for the worst.

As one editor here recently learned, even a decently protected computer or email account can be gotten too, and it's hard to tell why. So while precaution is a best practice, it's just as smart to fortify your digital life for intruders. Clean out your old and never-mailed contacts to avoid apologizing to them later (to say nothing of infecting or spamming them later). Delete any emails, archived or not, that contain passwords, account numbers, PINs and the like—some web sites have a bad practice of emailing them right to you. And make sure you know how your webmail provider would reset your account if it was ever compromised—long-ago-sent activation code, ultra-secret question, or something else entirely. If you don't know this, then a break-in truly is the end of that convenience.

6. Get smarter on security questions.

Most web-based apps provide a fail-safe way to get your password to you if you've forgotten it. Some are more secure than others, but almost all of them ask for some kind of verification/security question—"What is your mother's middle name?" is pretty common, and so is "What was your first pet's name?" Thing is, a lot of that stuff is easy to get at, as former Vice President candidate Sarah Palin learned the hard way. Blogger danah boyd's security question algorithm isn't heavy math, just smart thinking. You basically create two words—a snarky response and a unique word you'll remember—to encapsulate your actual answer. Unless a clever college student looking to scandalize you lives inside your head, chances are you've closed off this weak security link.

5. Boost your browsing and downloading privacy.

Giving away all your web activities is easy to do, if you don't take any precautions at work or home. For seriously strict IT policies at work, give our guide to private browsing at work a read-through. Need even more security to hide your traces? Try an anonymous proxy service. Many proxies go up and fall off the net every day, but the Tor network and its cross-platform browsing tool, Vidalia, works in most situations to prevent end-result sites from knowing where you're at. As for all that BitTorrent traffic that gives you occasional pause for thought, we've got you covered there, too.

4. Theft-proof your laptop (and its files).

Few everyday emotions can stand up to the "Laptop Dillemma" in complexity. Your laptop is supposed to give you freedom and flexibility, but it's also a big chunk of moolah just crying out to be lifted. Adam Pash isn't quite paranoid, but he does have a handle on how to keep your laptop from being stolen, or get pics and locations on the sly of the thief if it does, and prevent your data from getting compromised. Read his guide to setting up a laptop security system and pick out the anti-theft elements that make sense for you.

3. Secure your wireless network.

No matter what any salesperson tells you, you should never take a wireless router out of its box, hook up a few wires and start surfing from the belkin54g hotspot. Tech site Ars Technica has a great guide to "The ABCs of securing your wireless network," covering everything in your house—Xbox, Wii, laptops, and iPhones—and the best protocols to use. For a more nuts-and-bolts basic guide, try our long-ago wireless network tutorial, but don't use the WEP standard mentioned in there.

2. Encrypt your data whole or piecemeal.

For whatever the reason, we've all got files that shouldn't be available to anyone who sits down at our keyboard, whether they live across the globe or across the hall. Encryption has come a long way in ease-of-use and accessibility, and some operating systems—mainly the "business" or "ultimate" kind—have native support for encrypting drives and folders. For most of us, though, there's TrueCrypt, available for Windows, Mac, and Linux systems. We've walked through encrypting entire drives or single folders with TrueCrypt, and while there are plenty of encryption tools out there, TrueCrypt is a nice balance of hard-nosed security and understandable, actual-human software.

1. Use KeePass. Love KeePass. Be secure.

It works on any system, it works with any program, and you can have it automatically between your computers. In short, KeePass is pretty indispensable for anyone who isn't doing the bad, bad thing of using the same password on every web site and computer app. Once you've learned the basics of the free, open-source password vault, you can make it work your own way with great plug-ins. Already using Firefox's password manager? That's cool—you can export them into KeePass. If you're a multi-computer, multi-operating-system person, the free online storage service Dropbox can serve as your ultimate password syncer through KeePass.

Beyond these ten tips, what measures do you take that most others ignore? Got a great hassle-free security program we've skipped? Tell us about it in the comments. [via lifehacker]

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U.S. Army Readies a New Blast-Protection Adhesive for Buildings

The military looks to retrofit buildings in combat zones with a wallpaperlike tape that blocks flying debris during an explosion

The Army has developed a new material designed to keep walls from blowing apart and sending fragments flying at high speed during explosions. The X-FLEX Blast Protection System, a wallpaperlike adhesive-backed tape developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) and Evansville, Ind.–based Berry Plastics Corp.'s Engineered Protective Systems division, is applied to walls and designed to absorb the shock of a blast, protecting occupants from flying concrete and metal turned into projectiles.

X-FLEX is made from a polymer composite laced with reinforcing fibers that make it strong yet flexible. The material is applied by wiping away dust or particles from the wall surface, peeling away a protective film liner and pressing the tape against the wall. The wall may be coated with a water-based primer, developed by Berry, after cleaning to reduce the time it takes for the adhesive to stick to the concrete. The material is further secured at the top and bottom with fasteners to ensure it stays in place if hit by an explosion.

"The material is placed on the interior side of exterior walls and intended to protect the occupants of that particular room," says Elizabeth Curran, business development manager in Berry's Tapes and Coatings division in Franklin, Mass.

Berry began working with the Army in 2005 to design an adhesive-backed composite tape that would hold together during a blast, Curran says.

The Defense Department's interest in such a material dates back to before September 11, 2001. In fact, it had already begun applying a reinforcing material to areas of the Pentagon prior to the attack, says Pamela Kinnebrew, technical director for the Survivability and Protective Structures division within ERDC's Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory in Vicksburg, Miss. Kinnebrew would not provide details on where or how much of the Pentagon had been reinforced, nor would she describe the material used other than to say that it was not X-FLEX.

The Army is looking to purchase so-called "off the shelf" supplies made by commercial manufacturers rather than producing all of its technology in-house. "We can buy these materials and put them in the lab, but ultimately, for them to be of use to the war fighter we have to have a manufacturing capability," Kinnebrew says. She would not divulge whether U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan or Iraq are using X-FLEX at this time on military installations.

In the wake of the Mumbai attacks last month, it's clear that other types of potentially vulnerable establishments might also benefit from such safeguards. Berry says it plans to make similar products available to commercial businesses. "If we want to sell to a hotel, for example, it [X-FLEX] would be sold under a different name and modified to meet that industry's specific needs," Curran says, adding that she would not estimate how much such a product would cost.

Given the demand for technology to protect military personnel in combat, ERDC is also developing a $10-million modular protective system that it claims in a promotional video is made from material "10 times stronger than concrete." The system would allow soldiers to construct temporary structures or reinforce existing ones with walls consisting of a double layer of armored panels held together by a collapsible frame.

Outside the U.S., a team of Norwegian researchers is testing another option: lightweight aluminum panels that can be filled with densely packed dirt, gravel, sand or any other readily available substance to provide protection without adding a lot of weight to military vehicles or structures. The aluminum panels are designed to easily fit together and filler is emptied out at the bottom before they are moved. [via sciam]

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How Company Logos Look In A Recession (PIC)

[via flickr]

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The Power of Antioxidants and Tea

Following a lifestyle that decreases LDL (low-density lipoprotein) and increases HDL (high-density lipoprotein) is the primary path to lower cholesterol. However, there are certain foods thst can also make the LDL you do have less dangerous.

LDL is a bigger threat when it becomes oxidized. This happens because of exposure to free radicals, highly reactive molecules that are byproducts of bodily functions involving oxygen (which is just about all of them). When LDL is oxidized it becomes stickier and therefore more likely to form plaque. If LDL can be prevented from oxidizing, your arteries are less likely to become clogged.

How do you prevent LDL from becoming oxidized? With antioxidants -- which many of nature's best-tasting foods happen to include. Antioxidant-rich foods include, fruit, vegetables, tea, and chocolate.

Tea, whether black or green, caffeinated or decaffeinated (herbal teas don't count), has spectacular antioxidant capabilities owing to large amounts of substances called flavonoids. In addition to preventing oxidation, flavonoids may have an anticlotting effect.

One study found that among people who'd had heart attacks, those who drank 14 or more cups of tea a week were 44 percent less likely to die in the 3 1/2 years following their heart attacks than those who didn't drink any tea. In another study people who drank about 1 1/2 cups of tea daily had roughly half the risk of heart attack of those who didn't drink tea. An added bonus: A cup of black tea has less than half the caffeine of coffee; green tea has even less. Some tea tips:

Bag it. When Consumer Reports tested the antioxidant punch of 15 brewed, bottled, and instant teas, it found most teas brewed from tea bags scored highest in antioxidant content. In fact, the magazine reported, "Brewed tea appears to have more antioxidant action than almost any whole fruit or vegetable -- and more than most commercial fruit or vegetable juices, too." But iced teas from mixes and bottle are a decent second choice; they contain a "good deal" of antioxidants, according to the magazine. Just watch the sugar content.

Dunk the bag. Continuously dunking the tea bag as the tea steeps seems to release far more antioxidant compounds than simply dropping it in and leaving it there.

Add lemon. One study found that the addition of lemon to plain tea increased its antioxidant benefits. That makes sense, since lemon itself contains antioxidants.

Brew a batch. To make a day's supply of iced tea, bring 20 ounces of water to a boil, then remove from the heat. Drop in three tea bags, cover, and steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags and refrigerate.

Try green tea. Because it isn't fermented, green tea has even more antioxidant power than black tea does. It also has less caffeine. And it may provide some protection against certain cancers. Experiment with brands until you find one you like. Don't let green tea steep for more than a couple of minutes or it may become bitter. [via rd]

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Severed Undersea Internet Cables in Mediterranean Severely Disrupt Communication

Internet and telephone communications between the Middle East and Europe were disrupted after three undersea cables connecting Italy and Egypt in the Mediterranean Sea were damaged.

The failures cut the flow of “data of various kinds” between Europe and the Middle East, and there’s no timeframe for when communications will be restored, said Sanjeev Gaur, director of assurance at Reliance Globalcom Ltd. in India. France Telecom SA, which plans to send a maintenance boat to fix the problem, said the situation should be back to normal by Dec. 31.

Three cable systems carrying more than 75 percent of traffic between the Middle East, Europe and America were damaged, according to the U.K.’s Interoute Plc, which operates a fiber- optic data network connecting 92 cities. The cables run from Alexandria in northern Egypt to Sicily in southern Italy. In January, an anchor severed the cables outside Alexandria after bad weather conditions forced ships to moor off the coast.

“The information we have is a bit sketchy, but chances are that it will have been an anchor again,” Jonathan Wright, Interoute’s director of wholesale products, said in a telephone interview. “Close to 90 percent of all the data traffic between Europe and the Middle East is carried on these three cable systems.”

Interoute said the January incident brought down 70 percent of the Internet network in India and the Middle East.

Egyptian Outage

Customer services and some mobile-phone customers at Vodafone Group Plc’s Egyptian unit are affected by the cable failure, said Simon Gordon, a spokesman for the U.K. company. Egypt is the only country where the company is aware of any problems linked to the failure, he said. Most mobile-phone calls are routed through fixed-line cables at some point.

Verizon Communications Inc., the second-largest U.S. phone company, said it has rerouted traffic for its Verizon Business customers making calls to the Middle East by siphoning it to Europe and the U.S. and then down through Asia, spokeswoman Linda Laughlin said in an interview.

The rerouting slowed some traffic to about half its normal speed, Laughlin said. Point-to-point customers still don’t have connections, and Verizon doesn’t have information on how many subscribers are affected. The company expects repairs to be completed by early next week, she said.

Portugal Telecom SGPS SA, Portugal’s biggest phone company, has redirected traffic through other cables in the region and therefore the “impact is very small,” said a company official. Sonaecom SGPS SA, Portugal’s second-biggest fixed-line phone company, also said that it’s diverting traffic to other routes.

‘Greatly Disturbed’

France Telecom’s Orange mobile-phone unit said the cable failure “greatly disturbed” the traffic between Europe and parts of Asia. At one point as much as 55 percent of voice traffic in Saudi Arabia, 52 percent in Egypt and 82 percent in India was out of service, according to Orange.

Internet traffic “from Mumbai to London has now been rerouted via Hong Kong which may lead to congestion and increased latency on this route,” Reliance said in an e-mailed “traffic disruption update,” adding that it is working with the affected customers to restore all services. The company said it will publish another update on its Web site tomorrow.

“You can reroute the data through other cables, but that increases traffic and can potentially create bottlenecks,” Interoute’s Wright said. “So Internet connections may slow down and some phone calls could get disrupted.”

Weather, Sea Conditions

Some of Interoute’s clients in the U.K. and Southern France are probably affected by the failure, Wright said.

“It’s difficult to forecast how long it will take to fix the problem as it depends on the weather and sea conditions in the Mediterranean,” Wright said.

A fault is affecting the SMW4 cable near the Alexandria cable station, the FLAG FEA cable is down and the SMW3 cable system is also affected, according to information received from Telstra. Flag Telecom Group Ltd., a Reliance Globalcom unit, operates FLAG FEA and the other cables are owned by groups of phone companies across the regions.

Reliance Globalcom doesn’t know exactly what happened and engineers are working on the problem, said Anurag Joshi, head of the company’s global network operations center.

The SMW4 cable, also known as SEA-ME-WE 4or South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe 4 cable network, connects 12 countries: Pakistan, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Italy and France.

France Telecom said one of its maintenance boats in the Mediterranean area is headed to the region for a relief mission with 20 kilometers of spare cable on board.

Priority will be to recover the SEA-ME-WE 4 cable, then the SEA-ME-WE 3 cable, France Telecom said, adding that Sea Me We4 could be operating by Dec. 25 and the situation should be back to normal by Dec. 31. [via bloomberg]

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RIAA To Stop Suing Individuals

After years of suing thousands of people for allegedly stealing music via the Internet, the recording industry is set to drop its legal assault as it searches for more effective ways to combat online music piracy.

The decision represents an abrupt shift of strategy for the industry, which has opened legal proceedings against about 35,000 people since 2003. Critics say the legal offensive ultimately did little to stem the tide of illegally downloaded music. And it created a public-relations disaster for the industry, whose lawsuits targeted, among others, several single mothers, a dead person and a 13-year-old girl.

Instead, the Recording Industry Association of America said it plans to try an approach that relies on the cooperation of Internet-service providers. The trade group said it has hashed out preliminary agreements with major ISPs under which it will send an email to the provider when it finds a provider's customers making music available online for others to take.

Depending on the agreement, the ISP will either forward the note to customers, or alert customers that they appear to be uploading music illegally, and ask them to stop. If the customers continue the file-sharing, they will get one or two more emails, perhaps accompanied by slower service from the provider. Finally, the ISP may cut off their access altogether.

The RIAA said it has agreements in principle with some ISPs, but declined to say which ones. But ISPs, which are increasingly cutting content deals of their own with entertainment companies, may have more incentive to work with the music labels now than in previous years.

The new approach dispenses with one of the most contentious parts of the lawsuit strategy, which involved filing lawsuits requiring ISPs to disclose the identities of file sharers. Under the new strategy, the RIAA would forward its emails to the ISPs without demanding to know the customers' identity.

Though the industry group is reserving the right to sue people who are particularly heavy file sharers, or who ignore repeated warnings, it expects its lawsuits to decline to a trickle. The group stopped filing mass lawsuits early this fall.

It isn't clear that the new strategy will work or how effective the collaboration with the ISPs will be. "There isn't any silver-bullet anti-piracy solution," said Eric Garland, president of BigChampagne LLC, a piracy consulting company.

Mr. Garland said he likes the idea of a solution that works more with consumers. In the years since the RIAA began its mass legal action, "It has become abundantly clear that the carrot is far more important than the stick." Indeed, many in the music industry felt the lawsuits had outlived their usefulness.

"I'd give them credit for stopping what they've already been doing because it's been so destructive," said Brian Toder, who represents a Minnesota mother involved in a high-profile file-sharing case. But his client isn't off the hook. The RIAA said it plans to continue with outstanding lawsuits.

Over the summer, New York State Attorney General Andrew Cuomo began brokering an agreement between the recording industry and the ISPs that would address both sides' piracy concerns. "We wanted to end the litigation," said Steven Cohen, Mr. Cuomo's chief of staff. "It's not helpful."

As the RIAA worked to cut deals with individual ISPs, Mr. Cuomo's office started working on a broader plan under which major ISPs would agree to work to prevent illegal file-sharing.

The RIAA believes the new strategy will reach more people, which itself is a deterrent. "Part of the issue with infringement is for people to be aware that their actions are not anonymous," said Mitch Bainwol, the group's chairman.

Mr. Bainwol said that while he thought the litigation had been effective in some regards, new methods were now available to the industry. "Over the course of five years, the marketplace has changed," he said in an interview. Litigation, he said, was successful in raising the public's awareness that file-sharing is illegal, but now he wants to try a strategy he thinks could prove more successful.

The RIAA says piracy would have been even worse without the lawsuits. Citing data from consulting firm NPD Group Inc., the industry says the percentage of Internet users who download music over the Internet has remained fairly constant, hovering around 19% over the past few years. However, the volume of music files shared over the Internet has grown steadily.

Meanwhile, music sales continue to fall. In 2003, the industry sold 656 million albums. In 2007, the number fell to 500 million CDs and digital albums, plus 844 million paid individual song downloads -- hardly enough to make up the decline in album sales. [via wsj]

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The 5 dirtiest foods

How would you rate your food-safety IQ? I know someone who never washes their fruits and vegetables after bringing them home from the market because he believes that they're washed at the store. Um, no. Read on to learn about what some call the "5 dirtiest foods" and for a food safety wake-up call...

****
The dirty food list, according to this fascinating piece I found over at AOL Health include the following:

Eggs: While most eggs aren't going to make anyone sick, experts estimate that more than 2 million germy eggs (as in Salmonella infected) get into circulation each year, sickening 660,000 people each year and killing as many as 300. Um, maybe we should think twice about eating that cookie dough (or, judging by our conversation on Vitamin G, perhaps you'd rather take your chances?). How to buy cleaner eggs? Make sure the carton says they're pasteurized and never buy a dozen that contains any obvious cracks or leaks.

Peaches: They're pretty, but that's just skin-deep. Health experts warn that peach skins are doused in pesticides before they make it to grocery store to prevent blemishes. On average, a peach can contain as many as nine different pesticides, according to the USDA. This is one fruit you might want to buy organic (which may have blemishes, but won't have pesticides). (Here's How Peaches Can Help You Build Muscle.)

Pre-packaged salad mixes: Surprise! "Triple washed" doesn't mean germ-free say experts. Pathogens may still be lurking so be sure to wash your greens before tossing in your salad bowl. (Don't make these salad mistakes!)

Melons: Get ready to be grossed out. According to the article, "when the FDA sampled domestically grown cantaloupe, it found that 3.5 percent of the melons carried Salmonella and Shigella, the latter a bacteria normally passed person-to-person. Among imported cantaloupe, 7 percent tested positive for both bugs." Ewww. Your best bet: Scrub your melons with a little mild dish soap and warm water before slicing. (Stay healthy with these delicious winter fruits!)

Scallions: Blamed for several recent outbreaks of Hepatitis A, and other bugs like the parasite Cryptosporidium, Shigella and Salmonella, scallions present a food safety problem because of the way they grow (in the dirt) and lack of proper washing. While you can't control what happens in restaurant kitchens, you can give them a super-duper washing at home before cooking with.

Other dirty foods in the article include chicken, ground beef and turkey, raw oysters, and cold cuts. Click here to read 5 more.

The bottom line: Don't be afraid to eat these foods, just be aware of the precautions you need to take before enjoying them. Most food-borne illnesses are the result of hygiene carelessness somewhere in the food chain. Protect yourself! [via shine]

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What Your Favorite Pro Teams Were Almost Called

If you’re a sports fan, you know the nicknames and mascots of every team in the leagues you follow. If you’re a die-hard fan, you probably even know what the teams used to be called. (“Washington Wizards? Please. They’ll always be the Bullets to me.”) But do you know what your favorite teams were almost called?

When an expansion team enters a league or an existing team relocates, it picks a new moniker, ideally one that will look good on a t-shirt. The process of selecting a new name can be a protracted one, though, and the winning nickname often only gets the nod at the expense of several other less-inspired finalists. Let’s have a look at some team names that fans almost got to cheer for:

1. The Toronto Tarantulas

Few team names seem quite as dated as the Toronto Raptors’. The team started play in 1995 with a mascot that was obviously a nod to Jurassic Park, which had destroyed box-office records a couple of years earlier. However, looking at the list of names the Toronto franchise could have chosen, the Raptors seems like a terrific choice. The other nine finalists were the Tarantulas, Beavers, Bobcats, Dragons, Grizzlies, Hogs, Scorpions, T-Rex, and Terriers. “The Hogs” makes sense since Toronto’s historic nickname is Hogtown, but it lacks a certain menace and would have been catastrophic when the team picked Oliver Miller in the expansion draft. The rest of the finalists, however, look largely like they were culled from a list of things 13-year-old boys think are awesome, so kudos on picking the Raptors name. (This decision might mark the last time a franchise under Isiah Thomas’ direction made a wise choice.)

2. The Vancouver Mounties

When Vancouver got an NBA team for the 1995 season, the franchise wanted to call itself the Vancouver Mounties. The name seemed like a fitting tribute to the bravery of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The plan hit a snag, though, when the Mounties, no doubt skeptical of any cultural crossovers after Dudley Do-Right, made it clear that they didn’t want their name slapped on the expansion franchise. The team quickly regrouped and picked the name the Grizzlies as a tribute to the bravery of Canada’s many bears. You have to commend the Mounties on their foresight for avoiding this train wreck; the team fled to Memphis in 2001 and had an abysmal .329 winning percentage entering this season.

3. The Baltimore Marauders

When the Cleveland Browns moved to Baltimore for the 1996 NFL season, they couldn’t bring their name with them. According to the settlement the team reached with the city of Cleveland for swiping the beloved franchise, the Browns’ nickname, color scheme, and history stayed put when the team bolted for Baltimore. The now-nameless squad had a series of phone polls and fan surveys to whittle its list of 17 possible names down to three: the Americans, the Marauders, and the Ravens. Over 30,000 fans then voted for the name they liked best, and “the Ravens” won thanks to the city’s connection to Edgar Allen Poe. It’s probably good that the fans wisely passed on “The Americans,” which would have made Kyle Boller’s tumultuous stint as starter a national shame rather than a regional problem.

4. The New York Borros

The New York Jets began their life as the New York Titans in the American Football League. When Hollywood honcho Sonny Werblin and oil tycoon Leon Hess bought the team in 1963, though, they decided the team needed a new name. According to a contemporary New York Times story, they considered the Dodgers, but nixed the idea after Major League Baseball didn’t like it. “The Gothams” also got some consideration, but the team didn’t like the idea of having it shortened to the Goths because “you know they weren’t such nice people.” (Yeah, but couldn’t you just see Vinny Testaverde winning a playoff game, then sacking Byzantium?)

The last finalist to fall was “the New York Borros,” a pun on the city’s boroughs; the team worried that opposing fans would make the Borros-burros connection and derisively call the squad the jackasses. (Little did the Jets’ forefathers know that their home fans would provide all of the booing and heckling a franchise could ever need.) Eventually the team became the Jets since it was going to play in Shea Stadium, which is close to LaGuardia Airport.

5. The Washington Sea Dogs

In 1995 Washington Bullets owner Abe Pollin decided that he didn’t want to keep fielding a team with such a violent name and decided to rechristen his franchise. A fan contest came up with five finalists: the Express, the Wizards, the Stallions, the Dragons, and the Sea Dogs. The Wizards wasn’t a perfect choice since some fans thought it tied in to Ku Klux Klan mythology, but it was obviously a better choice than the Sea Dogs. One can only assume that this seafaring name got the ax when someone in the team’s office realized that the District of Columbia doesn’t actually sit next to a sea. Then again, they drafted Kwame Brown first overall, so maybe I’m giving the team too much credit here.

6. The San Antonio Gunslingers

When the ABA’s Texas Chaparrals moved to San Antonio in 1973, the team was renamed the San Antonio Gunslingers. The team dropped this name before ever playing a game, presumably because the image was violent even by firearm-related mascot standards. Instead, the owners picked a tamer name that still tapped into the region’s cowboy past: the San Antonio Spurs.

7. The Florida Flamingos
Florida Marlins owner Wayne Huizenga told the New York Times in 1993 that he had considered naming the team the Florida Flamingos.

8. The Orlando Juice
Before the NBA’s Orlando Magic had a name, the other finalists were “the Heat,” “the Juice,” and “the Tropics.”

9. The Charlotte Spirit
The Charlotte Hornets originally had this name before switching to their insect moniker as a tribute to the city’s angry resistance of British forces during the Revolutionary War.

10. The Minnesota Blue Ox
The NHL’s Minnesota Wild were almost the Blue Ox, the Freeze, the Voyageurs, the Northern Lights, or the White Bears.

11. The New York Skyliners
Before the New York Mets started play in 1962, they considered a list of names that included the Skyliners, the Skyscrapers, the Bees, the Burros, the Continentals, and the Jets. [via mental floss]

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World's first flying car on the roads next year

It's been a pipe dream for 30 years but now the world's first fully available flying car is set to hit the roads next year.

Ever since the Back to the Future movies lit up our screens in the 80s, designers have dreamt of an automobile that could take to the skies at the push of a button.

And now qualified pilots can order their very own Terrafugia Transition 'roadable' plane for just £127,000, with delivery planned for late next year.

The Terrafugia Transition 'roadable' plane can be kept at home, with wings folded up, in your garage

The 'light-sport airplane' promises to bring more 'flexibility and convenience to your flying'.

The plane, which has fold-out wings that span 27.5ft when extended, has an airborne range of 460 miles and can cruise at 115mph.

Back on terra firma, it is capable of travelling at 'highway speeds' in car mode.

Fuelling the 19ft long plane couldn't be simpler - you just drive it into a petrol station and fill it up with unleaded.

It is powered by a 100 hp, Rotax 912S, four-stroke engine.

Action! The 19-foot-long plane has an airborne range of 460 miles and can cruise at 115mph

A spokeswoman for designers Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, USA, said: ‘You can keep your Transition in your garage.

‘Then you simply drive to your local airport, fly up to 460 miles, land, convert and drive directly to your destination.

‘You'll always be ready to drive or fly.’

A series of simple commands made from the cockpit convert the white craft from plane to car and vice versa.

But the wings only fold out if the correct key code is entered by someone with a pilot's licence.

Simple: The 'roadable' plane can be filled up at the local petrol station with unleaded

Unlike many 'flying car' concepts which use thrusters to take off vertically, the Transition needs a short runway to take to the air.

The spokeswoman added: ‘Never let questionable weather cancel or endanger your trip again.

‘You can simply divert and continue on the ground until the weather clears.’

You can secure your very own Transition aeroplane by simply paying a deposit of £6,500.

Ease: Pilots will be able to drive to the local airport, take off and then fly for up to 460 miles (740 km)

The firm's website, 'Terrafugia.com', says of prospective owners: ‘Your deposit doesn't just reserve your very own roadable airplane, it gives us proof that today's pilot community is ready for this dream to finally become reality.

‘There's no risk to you - only the chance to be the first at your home field to unfold your wings and fly into the future.

‘Production schedules are filling up quickly.’ [via daily mail]

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Burger King Unveils Meat-Scented Cologne

Fast food chain Burger King has released a new body spray for men that, according to its Web site, is "the scent of seduction with a hint of flame-broiled mean."

The body spray, called "Flame," is being sold a Rickey's -- a New York City retailer -- and on the Web for a mere $4.00 per bottle.

"Flame by BK captures the essence of that love and gives it to you. Behold... now you can set the mood for whatever you're in the mood for," the Burger King site proclaims. [via ktla]

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America's Worst Mall Foods

It’s that time of year again, when you’re logging more hours than ever at the mall. Blame stress, blame shopping fatigue, or blame the irresistible smell of food-court treats slamming your senses from the minute you walk in the door—whatever the reason, you’ll probably end up chowing down at the mall during your shopping trip.

Here’s the danger: Studies have shown that the more temptation people resist, the harder it becomes to continue resisting. That means after hours of being surrounded by last-minute sales, special offers and life-changing, one-time deals, your ability to resist the enticing edibles of the mall food court may be severely compromised. And considering the industrial-strength calorie bombs we uncovered while researching the Eat This, Not That! series, a lack of willpower in the presence of mall eateries can be a very dangerous thing.

Fortunately, we’ve developed a guide to help you navigate the nutritional pitfalls that pollute nearly every mall food court in America. What follows is a list of the worst foods we discovered in our scramble to save shoppers serious calories in the holiday season. Proceed with caution.

WORST CHINESE MEAL
Panda Express
Orange Chicken
500 calories
27 g fat (5.5 g saturated, 1 g trans)
42 g carbs
810 mg sodium

FAT EQUIVALENT: 9 strips of Oscar Mayer Bacon!

Compared to other traditional Chinese meals (think multi-serving takeout boxes of carb-loaded lo mein), 500 calories doesn’t seem so bad. But consider the source—one small serving of Panda Express orange chicken usually comes with a second entrée (add another 300-400 calories) and a side of rice (add 450 calories if you choose the fried variety, 380 for the steamed). Make it a double serving of orange chicken and a side of fried rice and you’ve just consumed 75 percent of your day’s calories in one moment of weakness.

Eat This Instead:
Broccoli Beef
150 calories
7 g fat (1.5 g saturated)
510 mg sodium
11 g carbs

WORST SNACK
Auntie Anne’s
Glazin’ Raisin Pretzel
510 calories
107 g carbs
4 g fat (2 g saturated)
480 mg sodium

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 2 slices of Pizza Hut cheese pizza!

It’s hard to consider this meal. Not all of Auntie Anne’s options are this heavy, though. The jalapeno pretzel (without butter) is a reasonable-sized snack that can give you the energy boost you need to make it through your shopping spree, without loading you down and threatening your waistline.

Eat This Instead:
Jalapeno Pretzel, no butter
270 calories
58 g carbs
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
780 mg sodium

WORST SLICE OF PIZZA
Sbarro
Stuffed Pepperoni Pizza, 1 slice
890 calories
g fat: unknown
mg sodium: unknown

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 3 Snickers bars!

It’s probably no surprise that a pizza labeled “stuffed” would pack a caloric punch—but 890 calories for a single slice? You’d have to eat 3 Snickers bars, or 20 Chicken McNuggets, or 15 KFC Hot Wings to match that load. And that’s not even taking into account what are surely stratospheric fat and sodium counts. (Sbarro’s doesn’t release full nutritional information for their menu items. Check out what other dirty little secrets your favorite restaurants are hiding in this eye-popping expose!)

Eat This Instead!
New York Style Thin Crust Cheese, 1 slice
460 calories

WORST SIDE
Steak Escape
Ranch and Bacon Fries
1,044 calories
71 g fat
1,398 mg sodium
84 g carbs

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 23 McDonald’s Chicken McNuggets!

Consuming half your day’s allowance of calories in one meal is bad enough—but in one side dish? Claiming innocence will never hold up in a Food Court of Law, though—not when a flood of ranch, a flurry of bacon, and a mountain of fried potatoes are involved. Until some nutritionally savvy company starts baking their fries in the oven, you’ll need to seek out alternative treatments to get your spud fix.

Eat This Instead:
Smashed Potatoes
246 calories
0 g fat
43 mg sodium
53 g carbs

WORST DRINK
Smoothie King
Grape Expectations II (40 oz)
1,096 calories
0 g fat (0 g saturated)
266 g carbs
250 g sugars

SUGAR EQUIVALENT: 13 Dunkin’ Donuts Chocolate Frosted Donuts!

Smoothie King calls this a way to “snack right”; we call it one of the quickest ways to pack on extra pounds. Even if most of the sugar comes from some form of fruit or fruit juice (in this case, ultra-sweet grape juice), the resulting blood-sugar surge (and inevitable energy crash) from this much sweetness may leave you struggling to find that last gift for Aunt Elma.

Drink This Instead:
Slim-N-Trim Orange-Vanilla 20 oz
250 calories
1 g fat (0 g saturated)
46 g carbs
38 g sugars

WORST BREAKFAST
Cinnabon
Regular Caramel Pecanbun
1,100 calories
56 g fat (10 g saturated, 5 g trans)
141 g carbs
47 g sugars

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 8 White Castle hamburgers

Cinnabon and malls are inseparable. Consider it a symbiotic relationship: Researchers have found that men are turned on by the smell of cinnamon rolls, and further studies have shown that men are more likely to spend money when they’re thinking about sex. But just because Cinnabon might be good for the Gap doesn’t mean it’s at all good for you. This dangerously bloated bun—among these Fattiest Foods in America—contains nearly an entire day’s worth of fat and more than half of your daily allotment of calories. Reconsider your breakfast or snack options, but if you absolutely must eat something, make it Stix.

Eat This Instead:
Cinnabon Stix
379 calories
21 g fat (6 g saturated, 4 g trans)
41 g carbs
14 g sugars

WORST SOUP
Au Bon Pain
Large Macaroni and Cheese Stew with Bread Bowl
1,120 calories
42 g fat (19 g saturated, 1 g trans)
3,070 mg sodium
157 g carbs

SODIUM EQUIVALENT: 22 small orders of McDonald’s French Fries!

Whether it’s made from a giant fried tortilla or a massive hunk of sourdough, if you’re serving vessel is edible, you’re asking for trouble. In this case, the bread bowl adds a belly-building 600 calories to what is already one of America’s most decadent, over-the-top spoonables. If soup’s your thing, you’ll have a hard time keeping the sodium down no matter which bowl you order; good, old-fashioned tomato soup is as good as you’ll do at Au Bon Pain.

Eat This Instead:
Medium Old Fashioned Tomato Soup
200 calories
7 g fat (3 g saturated)
1,150 mg sodium
27 g carbs

WORST MALL FOOD IN AMERICA
Quizno’s
Large Tuna Melt Club with cheese and dressing
1,820 calories
147 g fat (27 g saturated, 1.5 g trans)
2,020 mg sodium
85 g carbs

CALORIC EQUIVALENT: 12 Taco Bell Fresco Style Beef Tacos!

Tuna off the grill or straight from the can is perfectly healthy; tuna drowning in mayonnaise, blanketed in melted cheese, and slicked with oily dressing is decidedly not. Not only does this sandwich carry with it nearly an entire day’s worth of calories and sodium, it also contains as much fat as 49 strips of bacon. In fact, it’s so bad that it will replace Quizno’s Classic Italian in our list of the 20 Worst Foods in America when we update it for 2009.

Eat This Instead:
Small Tuna Melt, no cheese, no dressing
500 calories
33 g fat (5 g saturated)
630 mg sodium
37 g carbs

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I hunted down the woman who stole my Identity

"I've Got to Follow Her"

Karen Lodrick ordered a latte at Starbucks while waiting nervously for the bank on San Francisco's Market Street to open. She had been anxious and distracted of late but couldn't help noticing the scruffy-looking pair standing next to her: a tall man wearing a navy baseball jacket and a large woman in jeans and Gucci glasses, carrying a brown suede coat and a Prada purse. The woman looked vaguely familiar.

That coat. A cold tingle of fear ran through Karen as she took it all in. The distinctive faux-fur trim along its edges looked as unkempt as the woman who held it. And then -- bingo -- she knew. Karen's ID had been stolen five months before. Her bank account had been emptied, and her life sent reeling out of control. The coat she was looking at was the same one she'd seen in the bank surveillance tape, worn by the woman who'd stolen Karen's ID.

Karen followed the pair onto the patio and watched as they settled at a round table under a burgundy window awning. She called 911, asked that a police officer meet her, then settled at the next table, watching and waiting on this morning in April 2007.

Just the day before, Karen's bank had called after closing hours to tell her that she'd left her driver's license at a branch on Market and Church streets. But Karen had never been to that branch. And her real driver's license was still in her wallet. The con artist must have come back to retrieve the phony license.

A cell call from her friend Ed Fuentes interrupted her thoughts. She walked toward the hedges that bordered the Starbucks patio, out of earshot of the pair, and told him her suspicions.

Ed, I've got to go ... I've got to follow her.

The large woman and her companion stole glances at Karen, looking increasingly nervous. Then they got up from the table and separated. The man turned south. The woman headed north.

"Ed, I've got to go," she told her friend. "I've got to follow her."

"Don't do anything crazy, Karen," said Fuentes. "She could have a gun."

"I've got to do it." She feared that if she didn't act, the identity thief would disappear, along with any hope of ending her bad dream. The chase was on.

For five months, the thief had dipped into Karen's accounts like they were her own private piggy bank. She scammed thousands of dollars more, using credit cards she opened in Karen's name. The banks were unable to stop her. The police could do nothing. Creditors demanded payment for the thief's transactions. Karen closed her accounts, only to have the criminal crack open the new ones she'd opened and drain those too.

The woman turned a corner. Karen's phone rang. The caller ID said "unknown caller." Karen looked up the street and saw that the woman had her cell phone out. Could she be checking to see if the real Karen Lodrick was on her tail? And where were the police?

As Karen approached a recycling center at the corner of Buchanan Street, a man stood looking quizzically at her, then at the woman she was following.

"Do you know her?" she asked.

"No. Do you?"

Karen told him she thought the woman had stolen her identity. "You're not the first person to say that about her," he said, arousing her suspicion about him as well. Was he an accomplice? Karen again called 911 as the woman took off up the hill, looking over her shoulder at Karen every few seconds.

"I need somebody to come to Buchanan and Market," Karen told the 911 operator who answered. "She is running. I need the police."

"What's the problem, ma'am?"

"This woman has been taking my identity. For the last five months. It's been a living hell."

There was an odd voice mail from Karen's bank waiting when she returned home to San Francisco in November 2006 from a family reunion in Michigan. Karen called back, and the service rep asked if she'd made any large withdrawals and mentioned one in the amount of $600. Karen assumed it was a bank error and asked the rep to verify the debit card number.

"That's not my card," she said.

The bank representative insisted -- mistakenly, as Karen later learned -- that someone had called from Karen's phone to order the new debit card. After much back-and-forth, Karen convinced the rep that it wasn't hers, and he canceled it. What he failed to mention was that a second new debit card had been issued on her account. And it was still open.

Concerned after the bank rep told her the order came from her home phone, Karen asked her neighbors if they'd heard about any break-ins. They hadn't. But several people in her building mentioned that they'd seen mailboxes hanging open. A thief had apparently broken into the mail and stolen at least four envelopes: two with debit cards and two that provided the debit card PINs.

As far as Karen knew, the thief had stolen $600. Bad enough, but not life-altering. It wasn't until she got to the bank, and a representative turned the computer screen around for her to see, that she understood what had occurred. Screen after screen showed dozens of withdrawals, just over the past few days. About $10,000 was gone. Karen's balance was zero. Her overdraft protection plan had automatically deducted another $1,200 from savings to cover the shortfall after the thief had cleaned out the checking account.

Karen filed a police report, closed her now-empty account and submitted a claim. With no money to cover checks, she couldn't pay her bills, her rent. She couldn't even buy groceries. Late fees were compounded by black marks on her credit report. And that was just the beginning.

At five-two and 110 pounds, Karen Lodrick was tiny compared with the nearly six-foot-tall woman carrying the brown suede coat. Block after block in downtown San Francisco, Karen chased the woman, keeping the 911 operator on the phone to let her know exactly where they were.

She lost sight of the woman after she turned a corner. But as Karen looked through the French doors leading into a stately old apartment building, there she was again. One glance at Karen and the woman took off down the hill toward Market Street, a main thoroughfare with multiple lanes in either direction.

Traffic whizzed by. Locals strolled the tree-lined sidewalks and walked in and out of funky coffeehouses. Some, toting bags of bottles and aluminum cans, meandered toward the recycling center. People of every description moved along Market Street. But she didn't see any police officers.

A Prolonged Nightmare

As the identity thief passed an abandoned shopping cart, Karen saw her arm swing out. She tossed something inside. Karen raced to the cart. "I got what she dropped," she told the 911 operator. "It's a wallet. A Prada wallet." Karen wanted to look inside, but she had no time.

The thief ran into a busy intersection against the light and flagged down a taxi. Karen panicked. "She is not going to get away," she cried to the operator. "I am not going to let her escape." She caught the taxi before the driver pulled out.

"Don't let her go!" she implored. "She's an identity thief." The driver lifted his hands off the wheel and held them up. Her escape thwarted, the woman got out and confronted Karen.

"Why are you chasing me?"

For an instant, Karen felt doubt. What if this wasn't the thief? She tried to convince the woman to wait for the police. But she took off down Market Street again, toward Octavia, where the freeway spilled out its traffic. Karen kept after her.

A vintage orange streetcar pulled up to the bus stop, and the woman jumped aboard, Karen right behind. Adrenaline pumping, she was totally focused on the thief.

"Please don't drive away," Karen told the driver. The thief quickly ducked off again. "Why don't you just wait and you can talk to the police?" Karen called.

To Karen's surprise, the woman answered, saying she was on probation and would be arrested. Karen now had no doubt she'd found the right person.

It drove Karen crazy that it took about two weeks for the bank's credit card division to process the problem and recredit money to her account. She felt hopeful when the bank called to tell her it had a surveillance video of the thief. On it Karen saw a big, dark-haired woman in a suede coat and designer sunglasses at an ATM. Karen signed an affidavit that she didn't know the woman, got a printout of her image, and that was it.

Meanwhile, the thief reached deeper into Karen's life. She used her Social Security number and other information to get a counterfeit driver's license, showing Karen's license number but the thief's picture. With the license and the Social Security number, she reopened accounts that Karen had closed years before.

One day, the Dell computer company called Karen to confirm that it was all right to send "her" $7,000 order to an address different from the one on her account.

"Close that account and don't deliver those computers," she told Dell's rep, explaining someone had stolen her identity. She asked for the address the thief had wanted the equipment sent to. Dell refused to give her the address, saying she'd have to put the request in writing.

Karen placed fraud alerts with the credit reporting agencies. But that didn't stop the thief from opening more accounts in Karen's name. Again and again, she asked the bank to put an alert on her account, but when she checked, it wasn't there. The thief got into her new bank account, and the whole cycle began again. She was at her wit's end.

To add to her frustration, the bank claimed Karen had failed to come in to view the surveillance video. It didn't matter that she'd signed an affidavit. The bank couldn't find it and cut off access to her funds. She viewed the video again and signed another affidavit. The bank lost that one too. She signed another.

Now, with a phony driver's license, the thief was stalking her third checking account.

For half an hour, up and down the streets, around corners and into alleyways, Karen Lodrick, frightened but determined, pursued the woman with the suede coat. Karen lost her twice when she slipped into buildings to hide. And then she lost her a third time at an indoor parking lot. "It's over," she told the 911 operator. Exasperated and exhausted, Karen zipped open the Prada wallet.

Two of her bank statements were tucked into one side of the large wallet. On the other were the two debit cards used to clean out her account in November. She also found one of her own paychecks. But what chilled her most were tiny "cue cards" with her name, Social Security number, driver's license number and address.

The 911 operator assured her that an officer would be there as soon as he finished an emergency call, and Karen agreed to wait by the entrance to the garage. When the cop arrived a few minutes later, Karen told him what had occurred, feeling little hope that he'd find the woman now.

But only moments later, the officer found her -- crouched between a car and the building, smoking a cigarette.

"Idiot! You should have kept running," Karen told her.

Epilogue
The arresting officer said the identity thief, Maria Nelson, had at least 60 prior arrests, was indeed on probation and was wanted in another jurisdiction for similar crimes. When Nelson came before a judge 44 days later, however, thanks to a plea deal with the prosecutor, she was sentenced to only time served plus probation.

Meanwhile, Karen keeps getting billed for phone service and items at a department store that she didn't buy. And she fears her ID may have been sold on the black market, prolonging her nightmare. [via readers digest]

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Sports Fans, Keep Up With Your Teams On StatTweets.

A big part of being a sports fan is keeping score. And now there is a great way to keep up with scores and stats for every basketball and football team in the U.S. (NBA, NFL, and college teams). It’s called StatTweets, and it just launched today. You can follow any team you like from @KnicksStats to @UNCStats, and you’ll get spreads, final points, standings, ranks, and more. Here is the full list of teams.

There are other sports-related Twitter services, such as SportsTwit, but those tend to be updates from other fans. StatTweets lets you zero in on the teams you care about.

The data for StatTweets comes from StatSheet. So when you click on StatTWeet from the Knicks, it takes you to the Knicks page on StatSheet. Both were developed by Robbie Allen ad are part of his newly announced StatSheet Network, which also includes StatFix (an embeddable stat of the day widget for any college basketball team).

Hardcore sports fans are going to want to check out StatSheet. For a one-man startup with no funding, this is really impressive. The site is all about sports stats. They are front and center in a big, readable font. You can slice and dice them anyway you want. There are stats on how each player impacts his team, and even on referees.

But my favorite part is the charts. Here’s an animated one called Rankings in Motion that shows how the college basketball standings changed over the season. Best of all, you can build your own with any of the data on the site and then embed it as a widget on your blog or fan site. [via tech crunch]

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7 (More) of the Most Bizarre Craigslist Personals

It’s 4.30am. You’re wide awake – your lips still stained from the red wine you drank last night and your throat dry from the countless cigarettes you smoked. Everything is silent and dark, except for the faint hum of the late 90’s computer under your desk, which for some reason you blame for your insomnia. As you get up to turn the machine off, something stops you. You just want to check the internet one last time before you go to bed. As you scour through the vast realms of the intertubes, you find some of the most incredible and bizarre personals, enough to keep you up all night

Below are just a selection of some of the most entertaining, bizarre and downright creepy personals from Craigslist.

7. To the older woman watching me buying condoms (m4w)

The Ad: I was the 20 something guy holding two bottles of chardonnay in the condom section of the Dominick’s. You were the lovely lady in her 50s peering over my shoulder as I made my selection. I was not aware of your presence until the audible gasp when I reached for a box of ribbed magnums. My date did not go exactly as planned; the wine went down ok but I forgot to use the magnums in the heat of the moment and I think I may have gotten the clap. Long story short, I still have a dozen condoms left over if you are interested in going out sometime…

What were they thinking?

Maybe after catching a glimpse of some hot 50-year-old booty he subconsciously decided that the girl he ‘forgot’ to use the condom with wasn’t for him, after all. So once the guy washes his hands of his previous date (and his STD) he would be free to pursue the curious MILF, and would finally be able to put the condoms to good use.

6. (WOW) Hot girl for hot guy!

The Ad: Hi! I’m a level 44 female blood elf (will be 50 this weekend) seeking my true love. Long dark red hair, sexy red lips, and I can bust a move like you’ve never seen. Must be from Duskwood server, where I am. Specifically looking for a male blood elf or undead to rock my world (of warcraft). Bonus points if you’re a 70 and have any of your epics above tier 4. No trolls! Send me an email with your name and we can go on a date. There is a cute little spot in the Barrens I would love to bring a date. Maybe set up a fire and drink some volatile rum? See where things go from there. See you soon!

What were they thinking?

Considering the number of people hooked on World of Warcraft, there’s a pretty good chance this lonesome elf was inundated with replies from equally reality challenged suitors. But you can’t help thinking that maybe if she left the computer once in a while and ventured into the big wide world outside her doorstep, she wouldn’t have such a problem finding her ideal partner anyway.

5. Fill My Valence Electron Shell

The Ad: A little about me: My name is Selenium, but you can just call me Se. I take good care of myself – 78.96 amu and disease free. I’ve been ionized before, but I’m not really into that anymore. I’m looking for someone to really bond with. Covalently. I want to be in a truly stable relationship. Do you have what I need? I’m not just looking for another Bromine. I want someone who will treat me like a princess and together we can become noble.

What were they thinking?

This advertiser is obviously only interested in one thing – high school chemistry. Will attract geeks only, or those people that actually like the name Selenuim.

4. To the girl who took a dump in the Art Institute parking lot! (m4w)

The Ad: I mean, come on! It was like 50 paces to the nearest restroom! I sat there in my car wondering what the hell you were up to – you spent at least two minutes scurrying around your parked car, looking to see if the coast was clear. I thought you were going to like break into someone else’s car, or something. Then I guessed you thought you were “safe” and hurried to the front of your car, near the third level stairwell, dropped your pants, squatted and WENT TO IT! For Christ’s sake, woman! All the time you spent looking out for passing cars so no one would see you crapping like a dog in public, you could have hustled your lazy ass downstairs and into the building and USED THE DAMNED RESTROOM! Sheesh! Anyway – if you’re free later, drop me a line. I was never more turned on in my life.

What were they thinking?

This is a perfect example of that common phrase “each to their own”. He could have at any point stepped out of his hiding place to scare her into going to the bathroom, but obviously his craving to sate that inherit human desire, curiosity, got the better of him. She, on the other hand, had no excuse. And you don’t even want to start thinking about what type of sex life these two would have. Dare to say it: one word – gross.

3. You were being shoved into a Dallas Police car. (m4w)

The Ad: I shouted “fuck the police”… you made the Black Panther fist. You got tasered, I got goosebumps. Your hair is very pretty. Let’s chat after you make bail.

What were they thinking?

By the sounds of it they probably weren’t thinking at all. Although she was very lucky not to get tasered too – you don’t want to mess with the Dallas cops. Lovely that she still had time to notice how his hair looked during the kerfuffle. It must have looked really good.

2. Well Here Goes… (w4m)

The Ad: This is weird: I saw you at the park the other day – you know the one by the school? You were over by that tree taking a leak and I thought that your coat looked GORGEOUS! I wanted to sniff your rear end and ask if you use liver oil or fish oil supplements but then a bird distracted me (dunno- I think it was a crow) and I ran off. When I came back you were kinda busy eating some poop. Please, please, please, lemme know…

What were they thinking?

Someone’s been spending far too much time with their canine buddies, and probably needs to get out a bit more.

1. To the guy who drank from the can of Pepsi he found on the ground (w4m)

The Ad: I thought that was pretty gross at first, but the more I thought about it throughout the day, the more I was charmed by it. I can tell you are outgoing and uninhibited by social norms and I find that very sexy. It inspired me to fish a half-eaten doughnut out of a trash can on my way home from work. It tasted awful, but I felt so liberated. You were dressed kind of poorly and your hair was unkempt (clearly unwashed), but I get the impression that you’re just a free spirit with bigger priorities than basic hygiene. Perhaps you’re a modern Aristotle? Would love to discuss Kierkegaard or Nietzsche with you sometime, perhaps over a can of Pepsi? My treat.

What were they thinking?

There seem to be two answers here. First of all, the guy who drank the Pepsi obviously likes living on the edge, taking risks in life, so therein lies the appeal. Secondly, she has either completely lost her mind or is totally desperate, or maybe she’s both. But what it does tell us, most definitely, is that people can find love in the most unexpected places, and with the most unexpected people, paying tribute to that old age adage: there’s someone out there for everyone. [via isuki]

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Six Reasons We Have Bad Dreams

No one likes being jolted awake from a deep sleep, especially when what riled you up was an assailant, a snake in the bed, or being engulfed by flames. Bad dreams—or worse, nightmares—aren’t just annoying; when reoccurring, they can disrupt a good night’s sleep, and sometimes, life.

On the spectrum of dreams, missing an important exam or showing up naked to work pales in comparison to nightmares, which are defined as bad dreams that wake the sleeper. They occur during rapid eye movement (REM) late in the evening and because we jerk awake during them, we usually remember all too clearly the fear, anxiety, and horrors.

Though more common among children, nightmares and bad dreams happen throughout life. But is there anything we can do to prevent the bad things from creeping into our sleep?

1. Anxiety and Stress
Anxiety and stress, often as the result of a traumatic life event, are sometimes the cause of nightmares and bad dreams. According to the International Association for the Study of Dreams (IASD), a major surgery or illness, grieving over the loss of a loved one, and suffering or witnessing an assault or major accident can trigger bad dreams and nightmares. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is also a common cause of recurrent nightmares.

Not all nightmare triggers have to be traumatic, however. Everyday stressors, such as job or financial anxiety, or major life transitions such as moving or divorce, can also cause nightmares.

2. Spicy Foods
When and what we eat may affect our nighttime rest, if not our tendency toward bad dreams. A small study published in the International Journal of Psychophysiology had a group of healthy men eat spicy meals before bed on some evenings and compared their quality of sleep on nights where they had non-spiced meals. On the spicy nights, the subjects spent more time awake and had poorer quality sleep. The explanation is that spicy food can elevate body temperatures and thus disrupt sleep. This may also be the reason why some people report bad dreams when they eat too close to bedtime. Though few studies have looked at it, eating close to bedtime increases metabolism and brain activity and may prompt bad dreams or nightmares.

3. Fat Content of Food
Though far from conclusive, some research has indicated that the more high-fat food you consume during the day, the greater the chance that the amount and quality of your sleep may suffer. A small study published in 2007 in Psychological Reports found that the dreams of people who ate a high amount of organic food differed from those who ate “junk foods.” The authors hypothesize that certain foods may negatively influence dreaming.

4. Alcohol
Though alcohol is a depressant that will help you fall asleep in the short term, once its effects wear off, it can cause you to wake up prematurely. Excess consumption can also lead to nightmares and bad sleep; nightmares are also a common occurrence for those going through alcohol withdrawal.

5. Drugs
Some drugs, including antidepressants, barbiturates, and narcotics, can cause nightmares as a side effect. For instance, a 2008 study published in the journal Pyschopharmacology looked at ketamine, a drug used in anesthesia and recreationally, and found that compared with a placebo, ketamine use resulted in more dream unpleasantness and increased the incidence of bad dreams. Similarly, anyone who has traveled to a country where malaria is endemic may have taken Lariam and had some interesting nightmares associated with it. Nightmares usually cease once the drug is cleared from the system.

6. Illness
Illnesses that include fever, such as the flu, can often trigger nightmares. And other sleeping disorders, including apnea and narcolepsy, may also increase the incidence of bad dreams and nightmares.

While bad dreams and nightmares are considered normal responses in dealing with everyday experiences, the IASD recommends consultation with a therapist if they last in intensity and severity. But trying to eliminate these six factors first may be the best place to start in your quest to sweeten your dreams and chase the nighttime demons away. [via divine caroline]

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Computer hackers selling stolen Facebook accounts to gangs

The cyber thieves steal the account entry details from users before selling them on to gangs behind online fraud who in turn send viruses to other computer users.

These gangs send "spam" messages on to millions of other computer users, urging people to click on false video or photo links.

By clicking on the links, people's computers become infected with spyware viruses that can track keystrokes and copy details such as passwords to online bank accounts.

Other profiles being sought by the gangs include login details for MySpace and internet phone company Skype.

Security experts Trend Micro reported a five-fold surge in internet scams since September, which are all aimed at stealing personal details.

Trend Micro's Rik Ferguson said: "We give away a huge amount of personal information on social networking sites.

"Hordes of cyber criminals are drawn to them."

He told The Sun: "Whether you're going online to use Facebook, or for banking or Christmas shopping, you should be aware that hacking and identity theft tends to increase at certain times of the year."

Trend also said a set of credit card details costs £25 while internet banking log-ons cost £35 each.

Earlier this year The Home Office was announced the first specialist internet crime unit in Britain, costing £7.3 million, was being set up by Scotland Yard to fight fraud and organised cyber crime.

An estimated four million Britons have fallen victim to credit card fraud, and internet crime is said to net criminals £50 billion every year. [via telegraph]

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10 Things Science Says Will Make You Happy

Daily habits can affect our well-being. Here are 10 simple actions that research has shown makes people feel good.

In the last few years, psychologists and researchers have been digging up hard data on a question previously left to philosophers: What makes us happy? Researchers like the father-son team Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, Stanford psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky, and ethicist Stephen Post have studied people all over the world to find out how things like money, attitude, culture, memory, health, altruism, and our day-to-day habits affect our well-being. The emerging field of positive psychology is bursting with new findings that suggest your actions can have a significant effect on your happiness and satisfaction with life. Here are 10 scientifically proven strategies for getting happy.

1. Savor Everyday Moments

Pause now and then to smell a rose or watch children at play. Study participants who took time to “savor” ordinary events that they normally hurried through, or to think back on pleasant moments from their day, “showed significant increases in happiness and reductions in depression,” says psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky.

2. Avoid Comparisons

While keeping up with the Joneses is part of American culture, comparing ourselves with others can be damaging to happiness and self-esteem. Instead of comparing ourselves to others, focusing on our own personal achievement leads to greater satisfaction, according to Lyubomirsky.

3. Put Money Low on the List

People who put money high on their priority list are more at risk for depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem, according to researchers Tim Kasser and Richard Ryan. Their findings hold true across nations and cultures. “The more we seek satisfactions in material goods, the less we find them there,” Ryan says. “The satisfaction has a short half-life -- it’s very fleeting.” Money-seekers also score lower on tests of vitality and self-actualization.

4. Have Meaningful Goals

“People who strive for something significant, whether it’s learning a new craft or raising moral children, are far happier than those who don’t have strong dreams or aspirations,” say Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener. “As humans, we actually require a sense of meaning to thrive.” Harvard’s resident happiness professor, Tal Ben-Shahar, agrees, “Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable.”

5. Take Initiative at Work

How happy you are at work depends in part on how much initiative you take. Researcher Amy Wrzesniewski says that when we express creativity, help others, suggest improvements, or do additional tasks on the job, we make our work more rewarding and feel more in control.

6. Make Friends, Treasure Family

Happier people tend to have good families, friends, and supportive relationships, say Diener and Biswas-Diener. But it’s not enough to be the life of the party if you’re surrounded by shallow acquaintances. “We don’t just need relationships, we need close ones” that involve understanding and caring.

7. Smile Even When You Don’t Feel Like It

It sounds simple, but it works. “Happy people…see possibilities, opportunities, and success. When they think of the future, they are optimistic, and when they review the past, they tend to savor the high points,” say Diener and Biswas-Diener. Even if you weren’t born looking at the glass as half-full, with practice, a positive outlook can become a habit.

8. Say Thank You Like You Mean It

People who keep gratitude journals on a weekly basis are healthier, more optimistic, and more likely to make progress toward achieving personal goals, according to author Robert Emmons. Research by Martin Seligman, founder of positive psychology, revealed that people who write “gratitude letters” to someone who made a difference in their lives score higher on happiness, and lower on depression -- and the effect lasts for weeks.

9. Get Out and Exercise

A Duke University study shows that exercise may be just as effective as drugs in treating depression, without all the side effects and expense. Other research shows that in addition to health benefits, regular exercise offers a sense of accomplishment and opportunity for social interaction, releases feel-good endorphins, and boosts self-esteem.

10. Give It Away, Give It Away Now!

Make altruism and giving part of your life, and be purposeful about it. Researcher Stephen Post says helping a neighbor, volunteering, or donating goods and services results in a “helper’s high,” and you get more health benefits than you would from exercise or quitting smoking. Listening to a friend, passing on your skills, celebrating others’ successes, and forgiveness also contribute to happiness, he says. Researcher Elizabeth Dunn found that those who spend money on others reported much greater happiness than those who spend it on themselves. [via alternet]

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Blurred Out: 51 Things You Aren't Allowed to See on Google Maps

Depending on which feature you use, Google Maps offers a satellite view or a street-level view of tons of locations around the world. You can look up landmarks like the Pyramids of Egypt or the Great Wall of China, as well as more personal places, like your ex’s house. But for all of the places that Google Maps allows you to see, there are plenty of places that are off-limits. Whether it’s due to government restrictions, personal-privacy lawsuits or mistakes, Google Maps has slapped a "Prohibited" sign on the following 51 places.

Government and Military Sites

1. The White House: Google Maps' images of the White House show a digitally erased version of the roof in order to obscure the air-defense and security assets that are in place.
2. The U.S. Capitol: The U.S. Capitol has been fuzzy ever since Google Maps launched. Current versions of Google Maps and Google Earth show these sites uncensored, though with old pictures.
3. Dick Cheney's House: The Vice President's digs at Number One Observatory Circle are obscured through pixelation in Google Earth and Google Maps at the behest of the U.S. government. However, high-resolution photos and aerial surveys of the property