Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Courtney Stodden Strolls Around Los Angeles, Scars Young Child for Life


Courtney Stodden has made quite the impression on celebrity gossip followers since she arrived - cleavage out, God blessed - in our lives this May, soon after the 17-year old blow-up doll married 51-year old actor Doug Hutchison.

The aspiring singer and soon-to-be reality star has provided endless, mostly harmless entertainment... until this weekend.

Young wife and middle-aged husband went for a stroll around The Grove in Los Angeles a couple days ago, searing an image in at least one onlooker's mind that can never be undone. Just look at the expression on the following toddler's face (bottom, left) after Courtney passes him by. The poor child may never regain his innocence...

Courtney Stodden and Doug Hutchison in Los AngelesTypical Courtney Stodden Fashion

Also of hilarious note? The expression on the woman's face behind Stodden and Hutchison. It turns from amusement to abject horror. Trust us, random Los Angeles resident. We can relate.

[Photos: Pacific Coast News]

Source: http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/2011/11/courtney-stodden-strolls-around-los-angeles-scars-young-child-fo/

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Forums: Apple TV 3 release pool (win an ATV3 for free!), waiting for iPhone 5, iOS 5.1 changes, how to shoot HDR photos, SwitcherPlush for iOS 5 Jailbreak?

If you’re not in the TiPb Forums, you’re missing out on the best darn iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, and frankly — everything else! — discussion on the web today! Registration is free and fast, and there’s help, humor, and contests aplenty to make your iOS life just that much...


Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/u_hN-iliLNw/story01.htm

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Chronic Disease May Up Out-of-Pocket Costs for Insured (HealthDay)

TUESDAY, Nov. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Among families with employer-sponsored health care plans, those coping with chronic illness pay more out of their pockets than those without chronic illness, primarily because of higher prescription drug copayments, a new study finds.

"Even when you are looking at the same level of total spending, families covering chronic conditions spent more out of pocket than those without chronic illnesses, and it doesn't appear to be because the families are in different types of plans," researcher Anne Beeson Royalty, a professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, said in a university news release.

"It looks as though the difference is because certain types of services -- such as prescription drugs -- are covered less generously," she added.

Royalty and colleagues analyzed data from a 10-year national survey of more than 47,000 American families and found that those dealing with chronic conditions spent 1.5 to two times more on prescription drugs.

For example, among households spending a total of $7,000 on health care, those with chronic conditions spent an average of $2,215 of the $7,000 on prescription drugs, compared with $1,065 for other households.

"Because average coinsurance for prescription drugs is much higher than coinsurance on other health care services, that means that the households with chronic conditions pay more of that $7,000 out of their own pockets than do other households -- roughly $500 more in this case. The differences grow more pronounced as total spending increases," Royalty explained in the news release.

She and her colleagues said the study raises questions about how health care plans are designed. They suggested that employers and insurers should investigate whether better-designed health plans would promote the use of "high value" services (for example, taking prescription medicines) by cutting the patients' out-of-pocket costs of these services.

"If a person can keep a chronic condition under control with medication, not only will that produce better health but also fewer expensive hospitalizations," Royalty said.

Total spending was defined as what the insured family paid in out-of-pocket copayments and/or deductibles plus what the family's insurance company paid health care providers. The chronic conditions were asthma, cancer, diabetes, anxiety and depression.

More information

The U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality offers a consumer's guide to health insurance.

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/meds/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/hsn/20111130/hl_hsn/chronicdiseasemayupoutofpocketcostsforinsured

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Egypt Islamists expect gains in post-Mubarak poll (Reuters)

CAIRO (Reuters) ? Egyptians voted on Tuesday in a parliamentary election that Islamists hope will sweep them closer to power, even though the army generals who took over from President Hosni Mubarak have yet to step aside.

The election, the first since a revolt ousted Mubarak on February 11, unfolded without the mayhem many had feared after last week's riots against army rule in which 42 people were killed.

General Ismail Atman, a ruling army council member, said he had no firm figure, but that turnout would exceed 70 percent of the 17 million Egyptians eligible to vote in the first round that began on Monday. "I hope it will reach more than 80 percent by the end of the day," he told Al Jazeera television.

Atman was also quoted by Al-Shorouk newspaper as saying the election showed the irrelevance of protesters demanding an end to military rule in Cairo's Tahrir Square and elsewhere.

Les Campbell, of the Washington-based National Democratic Institute, one of many groups monitoring the poll, said earlier it was "a fair guess" that turnout would exceed 50 percent, far above the meager showings in rigged Mubarak-era elections.

The United States and its European allies are watching Egypt's vote torn between hopes that democracy will take root in the most populous Arab nation and worries that Islamists hostile to Israel and the West will ride to power on the ballot box.

They have faulted the generals for using excessive force on protesters and urged them to give way swiftly to civilian rule.

The well-organized Muslim Brotherhood, banned but semi-tolerated under Mubarak, said its political wing, the Freedom and Justice Party (FJP), had done well in the voting so far.

"The Brotherhood party hopes to win 30 percent of parliament," senior FJP figure Mohamed El-Beltagy told Reuters.

The leader of the ultra-conservative Salafi Islamist al-Nour Party, which hopes to siphon votes from the Brotherhood, said organizational failings meant the party had under-performed.

"We were not dispersed across constituencies, nor were we as close as needed to the voter. Other parties with more experience rallied supporters more effectively," Emad Abdel Ghafour said in the coastal city of Alexandria, seen as a Salafi stronghold.

But he told Reuters the party still expected to win up to half of Alexandria's 24 seats in parliament and 70 to 75 nationwide out of the assembly's 498 elected seats.

Abou Elela Mady, head of the moderate Islamist Wasat Party, made no predictions, but praised the turnout and said the party would accept the result despite electoral violations.

Soldiers guarded one banner-festooned Cairo voting station, where women in Islamic headscarves or Western clothes queued with their families. Judges kept an amiable eye on proceedings.

ISLAMIST VOTE-GETTERS

Islamists did not instigate the Arab uprisings that have shaken Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Yemen, but in the last two months, Islamist parties have come out top in parliamentary elections in Morocco and post-revolutionary Tunisia.

Egyptian Islamists want to emulate those triumphs, but it is unclear how much influence the previously toothless parliament in Cairo can wield while the generals remain in power.

If the election process goes smoothly, the new assembly will enjoy a popular legitimacy the generals lack and may assert itself after rubber-stamping Mubarak's decisions for 30 years.

"Real politics will be in the hands of the parliament," said Diaa Rashwan, an Egyptian political analyst.

One general has said parliament will have no power to remove an army-appointed cabinet due to run Egypt's daily affairs until a promised presidential poll heralds civilian rule by July.

The army council assumed Mubarak's formidable presidential powers when it eased him from office on February 11. Many Egyptians praised the army's initial role, but some have grown angry at what they see as its attempts to retain its perks and power.

ELECTORAL VIOLATIONS

The election is taking place in three regional stages, plus run-off votes, in a complex system that requires voters to choose individual candidates as well as party lists. Full results will be announced after voting ends on January 11.

Election monitors have reported logistical hiccups and campaign violations but no serious violence.

Armed with laptops and leaflets, party workers of the Muslim Brotherhood's political wing and its Islamist rivals have approached muddled voters to guide them through the balloting system and nudge them toward their candidates.

In the Nile Delta town of Kafr el-Sheikh, Muslim Brotherhood workers were selling cut-price food in a tent where they also distributed flyers naming the FJP candidates in the area.

Some Egyptians yearn for a return to stability, uneasy about the impact of political turmoil on an economy heading toward a crisis sure to worsen the hardship of impoverished millions.

Others worry that resurgent Islamist parties may dominate political life, mold Egypt's next constitution and threaten social freedoms in what is already a deeply conservative nation of 80 million people whose 10 percent Coptic Christian minority complains of discrimination from the Muslim majority.

Copts, like Muslims, were voting in greater numbers than in the Mubarak era. "Before, the results were known in advance, but now we have to choose our fate," said Wagdy Youssef, a 45-year-old company manager in Alexandria.

"Copts like others want civilian rule," he said. "I voted for Muslims because they represented moderate views and stayed away from a few Christians on the lists I saw as extremist."

As voting resumed in the chilly, rain-swept coastal town of Damietta, Sayed Ibrahim, 30, said he backed the liberal Wafd Party over its main local rival, the Salafi Nour Party.

"I'm voting for Wafd because I don't want an ultra-religious party that excludes other views," he said, in jeans and a cap.

(Additional reporting by Marwa Awad in Alexandria, Shaimaa Fayed in Damietta and Tom Perry, Patrick Werr, Peter Millership and Edmund Blair in Cairo; Writing by Alistair Lyon; Editing by Peter Millership)

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/africa/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20111129/wl_nm/us_egypt_election

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Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Malls halt cellphone-tracking experiment after complaint from Senator Schumer

As you may have heard last week, two US malls (the Promenade Temecula in Southern California and Short Pump Town Center in Richmond, Virginia) decided to conduct a little experiment this holiday shopping season, in which they employed some cellphone-tracking technology in an effort to learn more about individuals' shopping patterns. That technology came from a company called Path Intelligence, which has previously outfitted UK malls with the system, and assures folks that it only detects cellphone signals, not phone numbers or other personal data.

Those assurances apparently weren't enough for US Senator Chuck Schumer, however, who sent letters to both the FTC and the CEO of Path Intelligence, complaining that the tracking was "simply unreasonable," and that a "shopper should not have to choose between the ability to be in touch with friends and family in case of emergency and safeguarding her privacy." While it's unclear if it's in direct response to the Senator's letter, the company that owns both malls has reportedly shut down the tracking systems after only a day of use, although it isn't commenting publicly on the matter just yet. You can find Senator Schumer's full statement at the source link below.

Malls halt cellphone-tracking experiment after complaint from Senator Schumer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Nov 2011 16:03:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink CBC  |  sourceSenator Charles Schumer  | Email this | Comments


Source: http://feeds.engadget.com/~r/weblogsinc/engadget/~3/ZhpO8PGtGxc/

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Report: Herbicide atrazine spurs reproductive problems in many creatures

Monday, November 28, 2011

An international team of researchers has reviewed the evidence linking exposure to atrazine ? an herbicide widely used in the U.S. and more than 60 other nations ? to reproductive problems in animals. The team found consistent patterns of reproductive dysfunction in amphibians, fish, reptiles and mammals exposed to the chemical.

Atrazine is the second-most widely used herbicide in the U.S. More than 75 million pounds of it are applied to corn and other crops, and it is the most commonly detected pesticide contaminant of groundwater, surface water and rain in the U.S.

The new review, compiled by 22 scientists studying atrazine in North and South America, Europe and Japan, appears in the Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.

The researchers looked at studies linking atrazine exposure to abnormal androgen (male hormone) levels in fish, amphibians, reptiles and mammals and studies that found a common association between exposure to the herbicide and the "feminization" of male gonads in many animals.

The most robust findings are in amphibians, said Val Beasley, a University of Illinois emeritus professor of comparative biosciences and co-author of the review. At least 10 studies found that exposure to atrazine feminizes male frogs, sometimes to the point of sex reversal, he said.

Beasley's lab was one of the first to find that male frogs exposed to atrazine in the wild were more likely to have both male and female gonadal tissue than frogs living in an atrazine-free environment. And in a 2010 study, Tyrone Hayes, a professor of integrative biology at the University of California at Berkeley and lead author of the review, reported in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that atrazine exposure in frogs was associated with "genetic males becoming females and functioning as females," Beasley said.

"And this is not at extremely high concentrations," he said. "These are at concentrations that are found in the environment."

The new review describes the disruptions of hormone function and sexual development reported in studies of mammals, frogs, fish, reptiles and human cells exposed to the herbicide. The studies found that atrazine exposure can change the expression of genes involved in hormone signaling, interfere with metamorphosis, inhibit key enzymes that control estrogen and androgen production, skew the sex ratio of wild and laboratory animals (toward female) and otherwise disrupt the normal reproductive development and functioning of males and females.

"One of the things that became clear in writing this paper is that atrazine works through a number of different mechanisms," Hayes said. "It's been shown that it increases production of (the stress hormone) cortisol. It's been shown that it inhibits key enzymes in steroid hormone production while increasing others. It's been shown that it somehow prevents androgen from binding to its receptor."

The review also consolidates the evidence that atrazine undermines immune function in a variety of animals, in part by increasing cortisol.

"Cortisol is a nonspecific response to chronic stress," Beasley said. "But guess what? Wildlife in many of today's habitats are stressed a great deal of the time. They're stressed because they're crowded into little remnant habitats. They're stressed because there's not enough oxygen in the water because there are not enough plants in the water (another consequence of herbicide use). They're stressed because of other contaminants in the water. And the long-term release of cortisol causes them to be immuno-suppressed."

There also are studies that show no effects ? or different effects ? in animals exposed to atrazine, Beasley said. "But the studies are not all the same. There are different species, different times of exposure, different stages of development and different strains within a species." All in all, he said, the evidence that atrazine harms animals, particularly amphibians and other creatures that encounter it in the water, is compelling.

"I hope this will stimulate policymakers to look at the totality of the data and ask very broad questions," Hayes said. "Do we want this stuff in our environment? Do we want ? knowing what we know ? our children to drink this stuff? I would think the answer would be no."

###

Paper: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960076011000665

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign: http://www.uiuc.edu

Thanks to University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/115499/Report__Herbicide_atrazine_spurs_reproductive_problems_in_many_creatures

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Cain says harassment claims have affected support

ADVANCE FOR SUNDAY, NOV. 27 AND THEREAFTER - FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2011 file photo Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. He's a mathematician, a minister, a former radio talk show host and pizza magnate. But most of all, Herman Cain is a salesman. And how he sells. "The sleeping giant called 'we the people' has awakened," Cain thunders, pacing the stage in his trademark dark suit, brown fedora and "lucky" gold tie, delivering a rollicking, 45-minute performance that evokes an old-fashioned church revival, complete with cries of "Amen" from his audience. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

ADVANCE FOR SUNDAY, NOV. 27 AND THEREAFTER - FILE - In this Nov. 2, 2011 file photo Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain speaks on Capitol Hill in Washington. He's a mathematician, a minister, a former radio talk show host and pizza magnate. But most of all, Herman Cain is a salesman. And how he sells. "The sleeping giant called 'we the people' has awakened," Cain thunders, pacing the stage in his trademark dark suit, brown fedora and "lucky" gold tie, delivering a rollicking, 45-minute performance that evokes an old-fashioned church revival, complete with cries of "Amen" from his audience. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

(AP) ? Republican presidential hopeful Herman Cain acknowledges slipping from the top tier of candidates while addressing accusations of sexual harassment and confusion about his policy stands.

The Georgia businessman insists his campaign is sound and supporters remain onboard what he calls the "Cain train."

Cain has denied the accusations and says "nothing has gone wrong" in terms of the campaign's mechanics. But he tells CNN's "State of the Union" that some people "are heavily influenced by perception more so than reality."

Cain also says he supports "targeted identification" in weeding out potential terrorists. He doesn't see that as racial profiling and says "if you take a look at the people who have tried to kill us, it would be easy to figure out exactly what that identification profile looks like."

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/89ae8247abe8493fae24405546e9a1aa/Article_2011-11-27-Cain/id-d13c185c495f41119d3f3bd8be174b72

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Why Instagram Is So Popular: Quality, Audience, & Constraints

Colerise desert shackI get asked a lot why Instagram is so popular. It might be because we just threw the first iPhone photography conference,?1197, or because I?allegedly?run?a company?that studies and designs interfaces. It could also be the world of photography is changing so fast that lots of us nerds are ?talking about how a tool like Instagram can pass?10 million users in 355 days. The interface implications are fascinating, the company and technology dynamics of serving content to 10 million users with less than ten employees are fascinating, the artistic content is fascinating, and the reasons why people like me are so?addicted?to the damn thing are fascinating. Here's a crack at why, since I think some other attempts haven't quite captured it.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/DVG0tOERtW8/

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2nd body identified in Ohio craigslist ad scheme

By Andy Brownfield of the Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio ? A body found in a shallow grave in northeast Ohio was that of a man missing more than a week who answered a deadly Craigslist ad that police say lured victims into a robbery, a medical examiner said Saturday.

Timothy Kern, 47, of Massillon, was last seen Nov. 13 after driving to Akron for a job he called a "good offer but strange." His family has said it was out of character for him not to be in touch.

Kern died of gunshot wounds to the head, the Summit County Medical Examiner's office said.

Kern answered the same ad for a farm hand that authorities say led to the shooting death of Norfolk, Va., resident David Pauley, 51, in a rural area 90 miles south of Akron. A South Carolina man reported answering the ad but managing to escape after being shot Nov. 6.

The discovery of Kern's body Friday near the Rolling Acres shopping mall in Akron came just a few hours before the sheriff in Noble County in southeastern Ohio announced that another body had been found in a shallow grave there.

Sheriff Steve Hannum is under a judge's gag order and can't comment on the case, but the title of his emailed announcement ? "second body" ? implied the discovery was connected with Pauley's death.

If the two bodies discovered Friday are linked to Pauley's case, that would bring to three the number of deaths associated with the phony Craigslist ad.

Two people from the Akron area are in custody: a high school student who has been charged with attempted murder and 52-year-old Richard Beasley, who is in jail on unrelated charges.

Beasley's mother has previously told The Associated Press that her son has "a very caring heart" and she prays that reports he is a suspect are not true.

Agents have contacted individuals to check on their well-being, FBI spokesman Harry Trombitas said Friday in an email.

The farm advertised on Craigslist does not exist; the area where the bodies were found in Noble County is property owned by a coal company and often leased to hunters.

?? Associated Press writer Andrew Welsh-Huggins contributed to this report.

Source: http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/26/9038045-2nd-body-identified-in-ohio-craigslist-ad-scheme

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DNC attacks Mitt Romney as a flip-flopper in new ad (The Ticket)

Democrats accuse Mitt Romney of behaving as if he's two men "trapped" in the same body in a new television attack ad set to air this week in several cities across the country.

In an effort to build on their decision to label Romney a "flip-flopper" this election season, the Democratic National Committee uses the commercial to question the former Massachusetts governor' position on health care and abortion. (You can view the ad above.)

"From the creator of 'I'm running for office for Pete's sake,' comes the story of two men trapped in one body," the ad's narrator states, spoofing a film trailer. The commercial, paid for by the Democratic National Committee, will be aired in Albuquerque, N.M., Raleigh, N.C., Columbus, Ohio, Pittsburgh, Penn., Milwaukee, Wis. and Washington, D.C.? The ad points viewers to website mittvmitt.com where visitors as of Monday were able to view a four-minute video building on the same flip-flopper theme.

The strategy feeds into Romney's campaign argument that President Obama and his supporters view Romney as their biggest threat for 2012.

Romney spokeswoman Andrea Saul on Sunday turned the ad around on Democrats, arguing in a statement that Obama is the one who should be faulted for changing his positions:

President Obama will say and do anything to hold on to power. Despite what he said he would do for the middle class, President Obama has failed to create a single net new job and has wreaked more havoc on the middle class than any president in modern history. President Obama himself concedes he hasn't delivered on his campaign promises--however, he is still asking Americans to reward his failures with a second term. It is clear that this election is going to be about Candidate Obama running against President Obama.

Other popular Yahoo! News stories:

Want more of our best political stories? Visit The Ticket or connect with us on Facebook and follow us

Source: http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/gop/*http%3A//news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_theticket/20111128/el_yblog_theticket/dnc-attacks-mitt-romney-as-a-flip-flopper-in-new-ad

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Monday, November 28, 2011

Zootoo Review - 5 Fun Holiday Toys for Pets - Paw Nation

As Thanksgiving week and Black Friday sales officially kick off the holiday shopping season, your four-legged friends may be wondering whether Santa Paws will be leaving them a special toy under the tree.

From feline-friendly feather teasers to plushy penguins for your pooch, seasonal toys can make playtime with your pet even more festive this year. To spice up your pet's stocking, our friends at Zootoo rounded up some of their favorite holiday toys for the furry folks on your gift list.

sturdibag carrierPetco

An adorable addition to your canine's stocking, the Holiday Cabin Fever Big Head Penguin Dog Toy from Petco gives dogs a plushy, durable option for indoor fun during the wintry months. The soft exterior stands up to extended tugging and shaking, and the squeaker keeps pooches interested during playtime.

pet carrierToy Shoppe

To keep your curious cat from attacking your holiday decorations, try the Reindeer Doorknob Dangler Cat Toy from ToyShoppe. Featuring bungee-like legs and enticing jingle bells, the Reindeer Doorknob Dangler is sturdy enough to withstand spirited playtime, and festive enough to fit in with your household d?cor. And the toy can also be used for interactive play if you want to get in on the holiday-themed fun.

bergan pet carrierGrreat Choice

A jolly spin on a canine classic, the Holiday Tennis Balls from Grreat Choice add some seasonal flair to games of fetch. Available in a merry red and green color scheme or a more subtle, wintry blue and white design, the balls are sturdy enough to last all season long. And for the price - about $3 for a pack of six during some online sales - these toys make a bargain stocking stuffer for the pooch on your shopping list.

pet carrierMartha Stewart

To entertain your cat during the holiday season and beyond, try the Holiday Feather Teaser from Martha Stewart Pets. With eye-catching red and green colors and an adorable red plushy mouse attached to the teaser (with his very own miniature Santa hat!), this toy may be just the thing to entice your finicky feline away from the low-hanging ornaments on your holiday tree and keep him engaged for some interactive playtime.

pet slingKong

After Santa Paws has picked out your dog's toys and treats, store them in the cheery Holiday Paw Stocking from Kong. Available in a range of sizes from Medium to Jumbo, the bright red pouch features a high-quality lining and sturdy hanging loop - and also comes with a decorating kit so that you can personalize your pooch's stocking.

Source: http://www.pawnation.com/2011/11/25/zootoo-review-5-fun-holiday-toys-for-pets/

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