Man with 'bionic' leg to climb Chicago skyscraper

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter, fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg, is silhouetted on the Ledge at the Willis Tower in Chicago. Vawter is training for the world's tallest stair-climbing event where he'll attempt to climb 103 flights to the top of theWillis Tower using the new prosthesis. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter, fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg, is silhouetted on the Ledge at the Willis Tower in Chicago. Vawter is training for the world's tallest stair-climbing event where he'll attempt to climb 103 flights to the top of theWillis Tower using the new prosthesis. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Dr. Levi Hargrove, lead researcher for the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago's Center for Bionic Medicine, holds an experimental "bionic" prosthetic leg at the institute. Zac Vawter, a 31-year-old software engineer who lost his right leg in a motorcycle accident, will help test the trailblazing prosthetic leg, that's controlled by his thoughts, when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower on Sunday, Nov. 4. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, biomedical engineer Annie Simon, left, and research prosthetist Elizabeth Halsne fit an experimental "bionic" prosthetic leg on Zac Vawter at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Suzanne Finucane, a physical therapist assistant, right, and prothetist Robert Lipschutz, top, attach electrodes to Zac Vawter's leg as he is fitted with an experimental "bionic" leg at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

In this Oct. 25, 2012 photo, Zac Vawter practices walking with an experimental "bionic" leg at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts. He will put this leg to the ultimate test Sunday, Nov. 4 when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world?s tallest skyscrapers. (AP Photo/Brian Kersey)

CHICAGO (AP) ? Zac Vawter considers himself a test pilot. After losing his right leg in a motorcycle accident, the 31-year-old software engineer signed up to become a research subject, helping to test a trailblazing prosthetic leg that's controlled by his thoughts.

He will put this groundbreaking "bionic" leg to the ultimate test Sunday when he attempts to climb 103 flights of stairs to the top of Chicago's Willis Tower, one of the world's tallest skyscrapers.

If all goes well, he'll make history with the bionic leg's public debut. His whirring, robotic leg will respond to electrical impulses from muscles in his hamstring. Vawter will think, "Climb stairs," and the motors, belts and chains in his leg will synchronize the movements of its ankle and knee. Vawter hopes to make it to the top in an hour, longer than it would've taken before his amputation, less time than it would take with his normal prosthetic leg ? or, as he calls it, his "dumb" leg.

A team of researchers will be cheering him on and noting the smart leg's performance. When Vawter goes home to Yelm, Wash., where he lives with his wife and two children, the experimental leg will stay behind in Chicago. Researchers will continue to refine its steering. Taking it to the market is still years away.

"Somewhere down the road, it will benefit me and I hope it will benefit a lot of other people as well," Vawter said about the research at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

"Bionic" ? or thought-controlled ? prosthetic arms have been available for a few years, thanks to pioneering work done at the Rehabilitation Institute. With leg amputees outnumbering people who've lost arms and hands, the Chicago researchers are focusing more on lower limbs. Safety is important. If a bionic hand fails, a person drops a glass of water. If a bionic leg fails, a person falls down stairs.

The Willis Tower climb will be the bionic leg's first test in the public eye, said lead researcher Levi Hargrove of the institute's Center for Bionic Medicine. The climb, called "SkyRise Chicago," is a fundraiser for the institute with about 2,700 people climbing. This is the first time the climb has played a role in the facility's research.

To prepare, Vawter and the scientists have spent hours adjusting the leg's movements. On one recent day, 11 electrodes placed on the skin of Vawter's thigh fed data to the bionic leg's microcomputer. The researchers turned over the "steering" to Vawter.

He kicked a soccer ball, walked around the room and climbed stairs. The researchers beamed.

Vawter likes the bionic leg. Compared to his regular prosthetic, it's more responsive and more fluid. As an engineer, he enjoys learning how the leg works.

It started with surgery in 2009. When Vawter's leg was amputated, a surgeon repositioned the residual spaghetti-like nerves that normally would carry signals to the lower leg and sewed them to new spots on his hamstring. That would allow Vawter one day to be able to use a bionic leg, even though the technology was years away.

The surgery is called "targeted muscle reinnervation" and it's like "rewiring the patient," Hargrove said. "And now when he just thinks about moving his ankle, his hamstring moves and we're able to tell the prosthesis how to move appropriately."

To one generation it sounds like "The Six Million Dollar Man," a 1970s TV show featuring a rebuilt hero. A younger generation may think of Luke Skywalker's bionic hand.

But Hargrove's inspiration came not from fiction, but from his fellow Canadian Terry Fox, who attempted a cross-country run on a regular artificial leg to raise money for cancer research in 1980.

"I've run marathons, and when you're in pain, you just think about Terry Fox who did it with a wooden leg and made it halfway across Canada before cancer returned," Hargrove said.

Experts not involved in the project say the Chicago research is on the leading edge. Most artificial legs are passive. "They're basically fancy wooden legs," said Daniel Ferris of the University of Michigan. Others have motorized or mechanical components but don't respond to the electrical impulses caused by thought.

"This is a step beyond the state of the art," Ferris said. "If they can achieve it, it's very noteworthy and suggests in the next 10 years or so there will be good commercial devices out there."

The $8 million project is funded by the U.S. Department of Defense and involves Vanderbilt University, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the University of Rhode Island and the University of New Brunswick.

Vawter and the Chicago researchers recently took the elevator to the 103rd floor of the Willis Tower to see the view after an afternoon of work in the lab. Hargrove and Vawter bantered in the elevator in anticipation of Sunday's event.

Hargrove: "Am I allowed to trash talk you?"

"It's fine," Vawter shot back. "I'll just defer it all to the leg that you built."

At the top, Vawter stood on a glass balcony overlooking the city. The next time he heads to the top, he and the bionic leg will take the stairs.

___

AP Medical Writer Carla K. Johnson can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/CarlaKJohnson.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/386c25518f464186bf7a2ac026580ce7/Article_2012-10-31-Bionic%20Stair-Climber/id-b81646843080406ba30f916aa3fa02f6

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UK's Hinkley Point B-8 reactor offline

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Commodities prices continue a weeklong slide

Commodities prices ended broadly lower Friday as weakness in corporate earnings reports dimmed the outlook for the U.S. economy.

The government reported a slight pickup in U.S. economic growth for the third quarter Friday, to 2 percent from 1.3 percent in the second quarter, but that's still not fast enough to make a dent in the unemployment rate, which currently stands at 7.8 percent.

Metals prices ended lower, continuing a weeklong slide. Platinum and palladium fell about 1.5 percent, while gold, silver and copper had smaller declines.

Stocks were weak for most of the day following poor results from Goodyear Tire, Interpublic and other companies. That weighed on investors' expectations for the economy,

Gold for December delivery fell $1.10 to settle at $1,711.90 an ounce. December silver fell 4.20 cents to $32.036 an ounce and December palladium fell $9.10 to $595.40 an ounce. January platinum fell $22.80 to $1,546 an ounce.

In energy trading, benchmark oil rose 23 cents to end at $86.28 per barrel in New York.

Heating oil rose 3.57 cents to end at $3.0978 per gallon, wholesale gasoline rose 2.27 cents to end at $2.6991 per gallon and natural gas fell 3.4 cents to end at $3.40 per 1,000 cubic feet.

Crop futures fell. December wheat fell 9 cents to $8.6375 a bushel, December corn fell 4.25 cents to $7.3775 a bushel and November soybeans fell 2.75 cents to $15.6125 a bushel.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/commodities-prices-continue-weeklong-slide-193756396--finance.html

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Video: More on October 25: Surge? What surge?

Vintage Vegas neon signs light up Sin City museum

The brightly-colored, flashing lights of neon signs and the city of Las Vegas go together like gin and tonic water, so it?s no surprise that Sin City is the site of the Neon Museum, which its founders say is the world?s largest museum of neon signage.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3036697/vp/49559221#49559221

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How to Negotiate Your Parental Leave - Amy Gallo - Best Practices ...

Few people pay attention to their company's parental leave policy until they're about to become a mother or father. But once that happens, it's critical to know how much time you can take off, and with what pay. Getting the leave you want is a matter of understanding your company's policy and then appropriately advocating for your needs.

What the Experts Say
Joan Williams, a law professor and the founding director of the Center for WorkLife Law at the University of California's Hastings College of the Law, says that most large organizations have a policy on the books, but it's rarely set in stone. "There are a lot of informal negotiations that go on with supervisors," agrees Peter Cappelli, a management professor at the Wharton School and the author of Talent on Demand: Managing Talent in an Age of Uncertainty. For many parents-to-be, the company's standard benefit is more of a starting point than a mandate. "Even when there is a policy, employees often negotiate a better situation for themselves," says Denise Rousseau, the H.J. Heinz II Professor of Organizational Behavior and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon's Heinz School of Public Policy and Tepper School of Business and author of I-Deals: Idiosyncratic Deals Workers Bargain for Themselves. So if you're unhappy with what your company offers, consider following these steps to try for a more generous leave. (Note that while this advice is based on policies and norms in U.S. companies, the general advice can be used in any setting where you are hoping to negotiate a better situation for yourself):

Know what you're entitled to
Start by reviewing your organization's employee manual or talking with someone in HR. In the U.S., if your firm has more than 50 employees within a 75-mile radius of its worksites, it's subject to the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires companies to grant new parents at least 12 weeks of unpaid, job-guaranteed leave. Some organizations go beyond this requirement. According to the Families and Work Institute's 2012 National Study of Employers, the average policy allows 14 weeks for the primary-care giver. But for many new parents that time off is only partially paid, or completely unpaid. While 58% of new mothers and 14% of fathers receive some amount of replacement pay, only 9% of companies offer a fully paid benefit. (It's worth noting that the U.S. is only one of three countries that doesn't offer paid maternity benefits).

Ask yourself if that's enough
Unfortunately, few organizations have policies that fit the needs of modern working families. "Many of the workplaces of today are perfectly designed for the workforce of 1960," says Williams. Once you understand what you are entitled to, ask yourself, "Will it meet my needs? Will I have enough time off? Will the pay be sufficient?" Talk with your partner or spouse. Of course, it's hard to anticipate how much leave you'll want until your child has arrived. One solution is to ask for the longest amount of time you can afford to take, knowing that you can return to work earlier if you choose to.

Explore alternatives
Williams suggests you ask around and find out what precedents colleagues have set with their parental leaves and what companies comparable to your own offer their employees. "It's worthwhile to investigate what other types of arrangements have been acceptable," agrees Rousseau. "Find out who else has been on leave recently, what problems they had, and how they solved them."

There will be limits to what you can negotiate. You may be able to get more time off or a flexible work schedule more easily than you can get more pay. Cappelli suggests you list all of the different options that might work for you. "Then rank them ? which ones are easiest for your employer to say yes to, which ones need the least approval," he says.

Start with your manager
Rousseau points out that most individualized arrangements start as a negotiation between a valued employee and her manager. Bring it up with your boss as a problem you're hoping to solve together, not a demand or threat. The research you did will be helpful to your boss and may give him leverage to advocate on your behalf. "This is where it really helps to be a good employee that they don't want to lose," says Cappelli. If you think your boss will be unsympathetic, you can also start with HR. However, "HR is often reluctant to deviate from what's in print," says Rousseau.

Framing your request as an exception to the policy can make some managers uncomfortable. Instead, you might try to set it up as an experiment. "Organizations innovate or update policies by having people challenge them and set new precedents," says Rousseau.

Know when to take what you're given
Sometimes you shouldn't negotiate. "If people are being laid-off around you, if you're not on great terms with your boss, it's not a good time to ask about anything that looks like special treatment," says Cappelli. Rousseau says your decision to negotiate should also be dependent on your past job performance. "Anytime you have something that is non-compliant, it can create tension. If you're not in good standing it can be hard to make the case," she says.

Fathers: Take note
"It's incredibly rare that men take the full paternal leave given to them," says Williams. And that's not because they're more eager than women to get back to work. "We hear right left and middle that men are discouraged from it," she explains. Rousseau agrees, "Men pay more of a career price for taking time off." While it's important to recognize this bias, don't let it prevent you from using your benefit or from negotiating something better. That's the only way the inequity will change.

Principles to Remember

Do:

• Do some background research to understand what types of leaves others have taken and what other companies offer
  
• Start by talking to your manager about the leave you hope to take
  
• Ask for the longest amount of time you can afford ? you can always return to work earlier if you choose to
  

Don't:

• Shy away from taking the full leave offered to you, especially if you're a father
  
• Frame your negotiation as an exception to the existing policy ? try to set it up as an experiment instead
  
• Negotiate if you aren't in good standing as an employee

Case study #1 ? Lead the way
When Cara Quinn* first joined the educational technology company where she's worked for the past three years, she didn't take note of its maternity policy. She wasn't yet married or even thinking about kids. But last winter when she became pregnant, she was disappointed to find out the company offered no paid leave. As a Massachusetts resident, Cara was eligible to apply for short-term disability but that wouldn't cover her whole salary and wouldn't kick in until two weeks after she'd given birth.

At first, she just accepted the policy at face value. But then she started asking around about other employers' rules. "It was really eye-opening to realize that not a single friend worked for a company that was quite so stingy," she says. People advised her to negotiate a better deal and, although she was hesitant, she did eventually sit down with her manager to explain what a tough financial position the policy would put her in. She shared the research she'd done on peer companies and asked if there was any leeway in her employer's policy. Her supervisor agreed to talk with the HR director to get more information.

After a few back-and-forth discussions, the company agreed to cover the blackout period before she could apply for short-term disability. "That was certainly an improvement; two weeks out of twelve is far better than zero," she says. They also agreed to let her work remotely so she could earn additional money.

Cara admits that it isn't an ideal situation but she's happy she negotiated. And she feels fortunate that her husband's law firm is more generous. He gets two months of fully paid paternity leave.

"For a while it made me feel incredibly disheartened that women aren't valued and I wonder whether I should stay when I have another child," she says. But for now she's home with her baby and enjoying her partially paid leave.

*not her real name

Case study #2 ? To get what you want, you have to ask
Brian Braiker had been an editor at Newsweek for four years when his wife got pregnant with their first child. During the pregnancy, they discussed the possibility of one of them staying home during the first year. "Neither of us were thrilled with the idea of putting a baby in someone else's care full time. I think that first year of development and bonding is crucial," he says. They agreed that after his wife's three-month maternity was up, Brian would take over as a full-time parent. "She out-earned me tremendously. I was a journalist. She was a consultant. Financially it just made sense if one of us was going to stay home, it would be me," he says. Newsweek had an official paternity policy of two weeks paid leave, which he took right after the birth, and FMLA guaranteed him his job for three months. But Brian and his wife were hoping for longer.

He went to his boss, Deidre, to ask for a six-month unpaid leave. He suspected she would be open to it ? she had taken a year off when her child was born ? and she was. "I think she admired that I wanted to do it. She places a high premium on family," he says. And the organization seemed supportive as well. "If there was any resistance to the idea of an extended leave she shielded me from it," he says. When his six months were almost up, he asked for a three-month extension, which his boss again granted.

When he returned to Newsweek, he parlayed his experience into work. He started a Newsweek blog called, "I, Breeder" about parenting issues. Brian says he didn't have any concerns about the impact on his career. "My boss was empathetic so I knew I would be able to pick up roughly where I left off," he says. "Besides if my legacy comes down to being a great parent or being a great Newsweek employee, being a parent is going to win every time."

Source: http://blogs.hbr.org/hmu/2012/10/how-to-negotiate-your-parental-leave.html

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State insurance commissioner hopefuls have rural roots ...

On a hot September afternoon, Mike Causey was on stage in Greenville to prep the crowd for Paul Ryan, the GOP vice presidential hopeful.

Causey, the Republican nominee for state Insurance Commissioner, explained the importance of the office he was running for and some of its less-than-obvious roles. As Causey pitched his take on homeowner?s insurance rates, he received little more than nods and smiles from the crowd. Then he invoked a line that?s been popular for Republicans all along the campaign trail: ?People ask me my position on Obamacare; I?m opposed to Obamacare,? he said. Thunderous applause.

The Department of Insurance actually has a role in the Affordable Care Act ? it will be responsible for setting up the health care exchanges the law requires ? a fact that may have been lost on many in the crowd. Nor is it likely that many were aware the department already oversees the state?s high risk insurance pool for those with pre-existing conditions who can?t get health care coverage otherwise.

?There might be no department that does more things that people don?t even know about,? said Wayne Goodwin, the incumbent Insurance Commissioner, whom Causey is trying to replace.

What do they actually do?

Aside from predictable roles ? licensing insurance providers, regulating the writing of many types of insurance, investigating claims of fraud ? the department has a few responsibilities that are less obvious. The commissioner acts as the state fire marshal and oversees the bail bonds industry.

Cracking down on fraud has been part of Goodwin?s sales pitch to voters ? he calls himself the ?capeless crusader? in the personal blog he keeps, ?Wayne?s World: Politics in and around North Carolina.? He mentions often that the department has responded to more than 14,000 complaints that have resulted in more than 600 arrests under his supervision. Of those arrests, 333 led to convictions and many more are working their way through the courts.

?I?ve been aggressive in leading the department?s efforts to stop fraud and protect consumers,? Goodwin, 45, said in an interview. ?My record reflects that.?

Causey, 62, has made the small number of companies writing certain types of insurance the main talking point of his campaign.

He blames that on ?excessive regulation by the department.? He also criticizes the department for not standardizing its paperwork to conform with other states, which would make it easier for insurance companies to write policies here.

?If an insurance company is thinking about expanding to another state, you have to ask, why would they choose North Carolina?? Causey said. ?It?s more complicated, more difficult to operate here. I would change that.?

Goodwin believes the paperwork is a non-issue for companies large and small, and he argues the scant number of insurers in certain areas is an unfortunate reality of the market ? there?s less money to be made writing insurance in areas sure to be hit with heavy winds and torrential rain, and few companies can subsidize the risk, he said.

Relatively few options exist for homeowner?s insurance along the coast ? of the 743 companies licensed to write homeowner?s insurance in 2011, only 38 provided full coverage in beach and coastal areas.

To the larger question of whether enough companies operate statewide, Goodwin points out that there are more insurers in the state now than when he took office. Thirty-nine new auto insurers have come to North Carolina, bringing the total to 677, and 41 new home insurers have opened, for a total of 743. There are also more companies writing insurance for workers compensation and term life policies.

?They?re coming here because it?s good for business,? Goodwin said.

Similar roots, different paths

Goodwin comes from Hamlet, a town of several thousand situated along the South Carolina border. He left home to attend the UNC-Chapel Hill, where he earned degrees in political science and law. He practiced law and then in 1996 was elected to the state House, representing Richmond, Scotland, Montgomery and Stanly counties for four terms. Causey was born and raised in rural Guilford County near Greensboro. He went on to serve in the Army as a military policeman. He returned home and pursued a career that included stints at many levels of the insurance business and lobbying for industry interests at the General Assembly. He has run unsuccessfully for insurance commissioner three times before, losing each time to the late Jim Long.

The two often trade swipes about their biographies.

?We need someone who?s actually done the job,? Causey said. ?If you can do something in the insurance industry, I?ve done it. He?s a career government employee.?

Goodwin counters with, ?I?ve never been a paid lobbyist. I?ve always worked for the people who elected me, not special interests.? And he bats away claims of being a career government type by pointing to his private legal practice.

In fundraising, Causey has been the underdog, raising just under $50,000 as of the second quarter compared to Goodwin?s $500,000.

Goodwin has just launched his first television ad. He describes himself as a public servant with rural roots whose background in law and government makes him uniquely qualified to understand the ins and outs of the department.

Causey casts himself as a free-market small business owner ? he now sells his farm produce at an organic market he owns in Greensboro. He has focused on telling his story through radio ads, grass-roots handshaking and GOP events.

Source: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/10/25/3621194/state-insurance-commissioner-hopefuls.html

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Cesium levels in fish off Fukushima not dropping

TOKYO (AP) ? Radioactive cesium levels in most kinds of fish caught off the coast of Fukushima haven't declined in the year following Japan's nuclear disaster, a signal that the seafloor or leakage from the damaged reactors must be continuing to contaminate the waters ? possibly threatening fisheries for decades, a researcher says.

Though the vast majority of fish tested off Japan's northeast coast remain below recently tightened limits of cesium-134 and cesium-137 in food consumption, Japanese government data shows that 40 percent of bottom-dwelling fish such as cod, flounder and halibut are above the limit, Ken Buesseler, a marine chemist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts, wrote in an article published Thursday in the journal Science.

In analyzing extensive data collected by Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, he found that the levels of contamination in almost all kinds of fish are not declining a year after the March 11, 2011 disaster. An earthquake and tsunami knocked out the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant's vital cooling system, causing three reactor cores to melt and spew radiation onto the surrounding countryside and ocean.

"The (radioactivity) numbers aren't going down. Oceans usually cause the concentrations to decrease if the spigot is turned off," Buesseler told The Associated Press in an interview. "There has to be somewhere they're picking up the cesium."

"Option one is the seafloor is the source of the continued contamination. The other source could be the reactors themselves," he said.

The safety of fish and other foods from around Fukushima remains a concern among ordinary Japanese, among the world's highest per capita consumers of seafood.

Most fish and seafood from along the Fukushima coast are barred from the domestic market and export. In June, authorities lifted bans on octopus and sea snails caught off Fukushima after testing showed very low levels of radiation.

But the most contaminated fish found yet off Fukushima were caught in August, some 17 months after the disaster. The two greenlings, which are bottom-feeders, had cesium levels of more than 25,000 becquerels per kilogram, 250 times the level the government considers safe.

A government fisheries official, Chikara Takase, acknowledged that the figure for the greenlings was "extremely high," but he added high numbers were detected only in limited kinds of fish sampled in the restricted waters closest to the plant. He acknowledged that "we have yet to arrive at a situation that allows an overall lifting of the ban."

To bolster public confidence in food safety, the government in April tightened restrictions for cesium-134 and cesium-137 on seafood from 500 to 100 becquerels per kilogram. But the step led to confusion among consumers as people noticed more products were barred.

Plant operator Tokyo Electric Power Co. said some radioactive water used to cool the Fukushima reactors leaked into the ocean several times, most recently in April.

"Given the 30-year half-life of cesium-137, this means that even if these sources (of contamination) were to be shut off completely, the sediments would remain contaminated for decades to come," Buesseler wrote in Science.

Experts suspect that radioactive water from the plant is seeping into the ground water at the same time, and is continuing to make its way into the ocean.

Hideo Yamazaki, a marine biologist at Kinki University, agrees with Buesseler's theory that the cesium is leaking from the Fukushima nuclear plant and that it will contaminate seafood for more than a decade.

He said he believes the plant will continue to leak until cracks and other damage to the three reactors that melted down are repaired. It's unclear when that work will be completed, or even how, because radiation levels in the reactors are too high for humans or even robots.

"The current levels of contamination in the fish and seafood from the Fukushima coast will continue for a while, perhaps more than 10 years, judging from the progress in the cleanup process," Yamazaki said in an email.

Buesseler, who led an international research cruise off northeastern Japan in 2011 to study the spread of radionuclides from the Fukushima plant, says predicting patterns of contamination requires more than monitoring data on fish. Careful study of the ocean waters and sediments is also needed to determine how quickly the system will recover.

__

Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi contributed to this report.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2012-10-25-Japan-Radiation-Fish/id-81caf840e5be4e1bbaeeb5f4cabf6701

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The Living and the Dead: War, Friendship, and the Battles that Never End

A new Byliner Original by acclaimed journalist and Iraq War veteran Brian Mockenhaupt

San Francisco, CA (PRWEB) October 24, 2012

?The worst feeling,? Sergeant Tom Whorl scribbles in a small spiral notebook, surrounded by nameless enemies in a strange and hostile landscape, ?is not knowing when your last step will be. That?s what takes a toll on your brain.? With those simple words, a courageous man fighting a war that many would just as soon forget about captures the gut-wrenching day-to-day, life-and-death struggles and triumphs of the men of Patrol Base Dakota. Their story happens to unfold at a Marine encampment in southern Afghanistan, but it could be the story of young American soldiers in any war, trying to do the job when doing the job might mean, at any second, losing your life?or watching your best friend lose his.

A new e-book, The Living and the Dead, by Brian Mockenhaupt, just released by digital publisher Byliner, relates the grippingly true story of three close friends?Tom, Ian, and Jimmy?and the reality of how twenty-first-century combat plays out in the lives of those who fight it. How walking through the Afghan countryside means patrolling for cleverly hidden explosives that can instantly tear a man in half. How the families back home live in dread of the men in gray cars showing up at their front door with news too grim to imagine. How the consequences of a split-second decision can replay over and over in a soldier?s mind and haunt him for the rest of his days. How those who sign up to do democracy?s dirty work somehow manage to endure the unendurable. The Living and the Dead is a powerfully moving and timelessly compelling account of bravery, friendship, struggle, and sacrifice in the face of unimaginable tests. It is an unforgettable tale of battles that continue to rage long after the final shot has been fired.

About the Author: Brian Mockenhaupt is a contributing editor at Esquire and Reader?s Digest and is the nonfiction editor at the Journal of Military Experience. He writes regularly for The Atlantic and Outside. His work has also appeared in The New York Times Magazine and Chicago magazine. He served two tours in Iraq as an infantryman with the 10th Mountain Division. Since leaving the U.S. Army in 2005, he has written extensively on military and veteran affairs, reporting from Afghanistan and Iraq, hometowns, and hospitals.

About Byliner: Byliner commissions and publishes original stories written to be read in a single sitting. Bestselling Byliner titles include Amy Tan?s Rules for Virgins, Margaret Atwood?s Positron, Jon Krakauer?s Three Cups of Deceit, Ann Patchett?s The Getaway Car, Nick Hornby?s Everyone?s Reading Bastard, and Buzz Bissinger?s After Friday Night Lights. The companion website, Byliner.com, gives readers personalized access to an unmatched library of fiction and nonfiction, handpicked by our editors. On Byliner, readers can discover new writers, explore, save, and share great stories, connect with other readers, and even engage directly with their favorite writers.

The Living and the Dead is available for $2.99 as a Kindle Single at Amazon, a Quick Read at Apple?s iBookstore, a Nook Snap at BarnesAndNoble.com, a Short Read at Kobo, and at Google Play. For an Advance Reading Copy or to schedule an interview with Brian Mockenhaupt, please contact Clare Hertel at clare(at)byliner(dot)com; 505-474-6783.

###

Clare Hertel
Clare Hertel Communications
(505) 474-6783
Email Information

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/living-dead-war-friendship-battles-never-end-090619902.html

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Bridgeland's Howl-O-Ween Fest Expects to Smash Records with ...

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Cypress Master-Planned Community Continues ?Pup-ular? Tradition

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Howl-O-Ween Fest returns to Bridgeland 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27, with a ?gourd-geous? twist ? the eye-popping pumpkin-carving artistry of Villafane Studios. Bridgeland is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Howard Hughes Corporation (NYSE: HCC).

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During the Fido-and-family event, sculptor Alfred Paredes will transform ordinary pumpkins into expressive 3-D works of art using only X-Acto knives and sculpting ribbon tools. Working with pumpkins somewhat larger than the typical grocery store fare, Paredes requires about four hours from start to finish to create ghouls, goblins and other scary creatures. Straight from an attempt in New York City to set a world record for the largest illuminated pumpkin, the artist will make his first Texas visit, which is also the first visit for any artist with Villafane Studios.

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Paredes says his carvings will most likely be dog-inspired and not quite as frightening as usual, given the day?s canine theme and the nature of the family-friendly event. Event-goers can check back often to follow his progress, as there will be plenty of other pup-friendly activities, including performances by Pets Overboard, an energetic stage show featuring a cast of dogs, cats and other animals.

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Howl-O-Ween Fest also is a ?pet stop? for the ?Splash Dogs? dock-diving competition. Learn more and register at www.splashdogs.com or at the event. A portion of the registration fee will support Howl-O-Ween Fest fundraising efforts.

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Other Howl-O-Ween Fest treats include a pooch fashion show and costume contest, a farmers market with pumpkin patch, the high-flying antics of the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, street performers, trick-or-treating for kids and dogs, and dozens of pet vendors. As in years past, Foundry Church will hold its annual fall event during Howl-O-Ween Fest, with bounce houses, a miniature train, carnival games and more.

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?Howl-O-Ween Fest is certainly one of our most colorful and popular events with unbelievably inventive dog-and-owner costumes,? said Peter Houghton, vice president of Bridgeland. ?It?s also for a good cause, with the thousands of people attending each year generously donating to various pet charities.?

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Most Howl-O-Ween Fest activities will be free; however a few will fetch a small donation, which will benefit participating animal rescue groups. And while fun will be unleashed throughout the day, dogs will have to remain on their leashes at all times. Plus, pets must be current on all vaccinations, wear a current rabies tag and be on their best behavior ? any aggressive pooches will be asked to leave to keep the event enjoyable for everyone.

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Quieting hunger growls will be a caravan of food trucks trekking to Bridgeland for the day. Already on tap for the event are Custom Confections, the Great American Cookie Company, Grill ?em Girls, Texas Best Snowballs and Kona Ice.

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More details and event updates can be found at http://www.bridgeland.com/howl-o-ween-fest. Also, see pictures from last year?s event, which drew more than 4,000 dog lovers, on Bridgeland?s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/Bridgelandcommunity.

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To visit Bridgeland, from U.S. 290, travel northwest and take the Spring-Cypress/Cypress-Rosehill/Fry Road exit. Turn left on Fry Road (second traffic light) and continue 2.5 miles to North Bridgeland Lake Parkway, the community?s main entrance. From Interstate 10, travel west and take the Fry Road exit. Turn right on Fry Road and continue approximately 11 miles to North Bridgeland Lake Parkway. The Bridgeland Welcome Center is located at 16919 North Bridgeland Lake Parkway in Cypress.

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Photo Information

Villafane Studios

The 3-D pumpkin carvings of Villafane Studios artist Alfred Parades will be top dog at Bridgeland?s annual Howl-O-Ween Fest, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27. The ?pup-ular? annual event will include a canine costume contest, the Pets Overboard stage show, the Houston Canine Frisbee Disc Club, pet-themed vendors, a ?Splash Dogs? dock-diving competition, gourmet food trucks, family carnival and trick-or-treating for both kids and pups.

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Bridgeland is an 11,400-acre master-planned community in Cypress, Texas, located between U.S. 290 and Interstate 10 on Fry Road and bisected by a segment of the Grand Parkway, scheduled for completion in two years. Managed by The Woodlands Development Company, Bridgeland and The Woodlands share the same development philosophy and benefit from The Woodlands? 40 years of successful real estate development. Both communities are listed among the top-selling master-planned communities in Texas and the nation and offer a wide variety of housing options, extensive outdoor recreation and a focus on environmental preservation. For more information, visit www.bridgeland.com.

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About The Howard Hughes Corporation

The Howard Hughes Corporation owns, manages and develops commercial, residential and mixed-use real estate throughout the U.S. Our properties include master planned communities, operating properties, development opportunities and other unique assets spanning 18 states from New York to Hawaii. The Howard Hughes Corporation is traded on the New York Stock Exchange as HHC and is headquartered in Dallas, TX. For additional information about HHC, visit www.howardhughes.com.

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Source: http://texasdogsandcats.com/latest-news/bridgelands-howl-o-ween-fest-expects-to-smash-records-with-visit-from-acclaimed-pumpkin-carver/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=bridgelands-howl-o-ween-fest-expects-to-smash-records-with-visit-from-acclaimed-pumpkin-carver

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Snooki: I want my baby to have a normal life

By Ree Hines, TODAY contributor

"Jersey Shore's" one-time resident party girl, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, is now a mom, and with motherhood has come some big changes. No more wild ways; no more looking out for number one. Now Snooki is all about looking after her little bambino.

The reality star stopped by TODAY Wednesday morning along with fianc? Jionni LaValle for her first live interview since giving birth to the little guy who changed it all two months ago.

"It's crazy 'cause, you know me, I always wanted to have a good time," she said of her transformation. "'Where's the next party? What am I going to do tonight?' And now it's just like, you know, 'I love my baby. What can we do with him?' It's just totally different."

Jionni's seen the change in Snooki for himself.

"She loves him," he insisted. "She's a great mom."

But as much as things have changed since Snooki first found out she was pregnant, some things never change. For instance, the scene in the delivery room was classic Snooki.

"She wanted to look good," Jionni explained. "You know, makeup, lipstick, everything. I said, 'Nicole, you're giving birth!'"

"I even brought heels just in case," she added, "but my feet just blew up -- I couldn't."

And while she likes to make sure Lorenzo always looks camera-ready too ("He has to look good!"), she and Jionni don't always want cameras following him around.

"Right now it's fine, while he's this young," Jionni said. "But once school starts, when he gets a little older, I kind of want him to branch off from that. Nicole can do what she has to do ... I kind of just want him to live like a normal lifestyle."

"We want him to have a normal life where he goes to school, you know, has friends, girlfriends," Snooki agreed. "I want him to have the learning experiences that we did growing up. So I want it to be as normal as possible."

It's no doubt a bit of a shock for regular "Jersey Shore" viewers, seeing the former cocktail-loving Seaside Heights gal go from cooling off her spray-tanned backside in the house mini-fridge to talking up the virtues of a "normal life." But according to Snooki, it's all about timing. This is the time to grow up. And it's almost time for "Shore," now in its final season, to end.

"It's definitely bittersweet," she said of the end of the "Jersey Shore" era. "But you know, me being pregnant, filming the last season, it was just like the right time -- when we're all growing up, going our separate ways. ? So I think this was the perfect time, but I'm definitely going to miss it."

Of course, fans won't have to miss Snooki. While "Jersey Shore" is on the way out, her spinoff with co-star and BFF Jennifer "JWoww" Farley, "Snooki & JWoww," is still going strong.

Are you surprised by how much the former party girl has changed her ways since becoming a mom? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.

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Source: http://theclicker.today.com/_news/2012/10/24/14666952-snooki-and-fiance-on-son-lorenzo-we-want-him-to-have-a-normal-life?lite

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Soaring spirits of '08 a memory in final push of 2012 (Los Angeles Times)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/258015259?client_source=feed&format=rss

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College Plan to Kill Oxen Draws Global Protest (Voice Of America)

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No One Will Touch Your Colored Pencils Stored in a Gutted Fish

Worried about your schoolyard chums pinching your colored pencils (you know, those pre-touchscreen graphite writing implements) from your desk? By stashing them in a dead gutted mackerel you're all but guaranteed no one's going to lay a finger on them. And probably guaranteed a trip to the principal's office too. More »

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/gizmodo/full/~3/jIZCqOevf5A/no-one-will-touch-your-colored-pencils-stored-in-a-gutted-fish

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Paul Reynolds tames Chin Nam Soong in quarter-final clash at - Bettor

Paul Reynolds tames Chin Nam Soong in quarter-final clash at Munster U15 Juvenile Open Oct 2012

Paul Reynolds, one of the spirited shuttlers from Ireland, put up spectacular show of top class badminton and managed to overpower his team-mate Chin Nan Soong at Men?s Singles U15 quarter-final clash at Munster U15 Juvenile Open Oct 2012 on Sunday, October 21, in Ireland.

The aggressive Reynolds, who was the third seeded player in the main draw of the tournament, played with an impressive manner and showed his terrific skills on court to wrap up victory in a spectacular way.

Reynolds was in wonderful form as he played to his maximum potential and remained successful in winning the battle in straight games with a completely controlled margin on score board.

Chin Nam, on the other hand, also played good badminton in both sets but not enough to stop his higher ranked opponent from winning the battle in straight sets with a reasonable score.

It was a wonderful fight in the starting rallies when Reynolds showed attacking display of his tremendous craft in the arena.

The impressive Irish shuttler showed a wonderful strategy which helped him to keep his challenger in all sorts of trouble on court.

Until the end of first half of opening set, the in-form Reynolds obtained a strong position on score board by taking a reasonable lead on the board.

After the mid-game interval, Reynolds stayed focused in the arena and remained successful in keeping a considerable difference.

It was an uninterrupted ride for the in-form Reynolds who did not face any fight from his rival in the ending points and won the first set with a good 21-16 score on the board.

In the second game, Reynolds played with stunning speed without sparing any room for Chin Nam of fighting back into the game.

The powerful smashes and wonderful net play kept Reynolds ahead of his lower ranked opponent all the way until the end of first part in second game.

Reynolds continued putting up comfortable performance in the second half and remained successful in clinching the set with a reasonable 21-17 total on score board.

The aggressive Reynolds eased into semi-final by ending up this quarter-final clash in straight sets with a comfortable margin of 21-16 and 21-17.

Source: http://blogs.bettor.com/Paul-Reynolds-tames-Chin-Nam-Soong-in-quarter-final-clash-at-Munster-U15-Juvenile-Open-Oct-2012-a196593

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CoinKeeper: Budget, Bills and Expense Tracking App for iPhone ...

Good App for the money conscious ie ozbargainers

Description

??? Free today with App of the Day ???
Download the app "App of the Day" and discover every day a paid app that becomes free for 24 hours!
? Got an iPad? Check out our brand new CoinKeeper HD with advanced reports and forecasts!
????? Was featured by Apple in "Staff Favorites" in 83 countries!
????? #1 Finance in Russia and Singapore! Top 5 Finance app in USA, Canada, Germany, Austria, Israel, Argentina and many more!

Find out where your money goes! Plan your budget and savings. Enjoy the fastest way to track daily expenses using a comprehensive one-screen view of your finances. Improve your skills with a unique, game-like feel.

? ?I would definitely recommend it if you are looking for a less tedious way to budget". ?- AppAdvice.com ?
? "CoinKeeper is by far the best and easiest to use personal finance app I?ve ever used" ?- 148apps.com ?
? ?CoinKeeper is a budgeting app that takes a unique and very visual route to achieving financial control.? ?- Tap! Magazine ?
? "It?s a curious and intriguing system that brings a bit of fun to the typically mundane task of tracking your expenses and budgeting". ?- Macstories.net ?
? "CoinKeeper is a beautiful, intuitive app that gives you a fun and visceral way to work with your finances without removing the necessary level of detail and granularity required to succeed in your spending goals". ?- FreshApps.com ?
? "If budgeting were ever going to be an enjoyable experience for me this might be the app to make that happen". ?- iPhoneMom ?

Key features:
? Quick start with autobudgeting mode
? Multiple accounts and currencies
? Add transactions in couple of seconds - just drag a coin from the account you want to charge into an expense category
? The fill level and color of each expense category instantly shows where you?re overspending
? Reminders of upcoming bills & recurring transactions
? Financial goals help you save money for things you?re dreaming about
? Subcategories provide details on exactly how you spent your money
? Captivating game mechanics stimulate smart budgeting
? Password protection of your data

Plus:
? One-screen overview of your finances
? Income source panel (green) - where your money come from and how much (budget for each source)
? Accounts panel (red) - where you store your money, cash or cashless
? Expense categories panel (black) - what you spend your money on with an optional budget for each category
? Financial goals panel (yellow) - what you are saving for and how much.
? You can rearrange and edit icons on main screen any time, change category names and budgets via the ?Edit? menu in your Profile.

? Sync & backup
? Instant or daily server backup to safely secure your data
? Synchronization between multiple devices with the same
personal profile for shared budgeting

? One-click history of transactions
? View history of transactions by taping on any income source, account or expense category.
? Any transaction can be edited (by taping on it) or deleted (by swiping)
? On this screen you can also add transactions in extended mode - with notes and frequency (daily, weekly etc).

? Reports & statistics
? History of income and expenses month by month
? Monthly breakdown of expenses by categories and subcategories
? History of your daily incomes and expenses

Source: http://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/82702

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Google to unveil 'Android 4.2, Samsung Nexus 10, LG phone' on Oct 29 event

:For the fish, see manta ray; for other things of this name, see Manta (disambiguation).

name	Manta
official name	San Pablo de Manta
settlement type	City
nickname	Primer Puerto Maritimo del Ecuador
Map caption	Location in Ecuador
Dot x	|dot_y
Pushpin map	Ecuador
Pushpin label position	right
Pushpin mapsize
coordinates region	EC
subdivision type	Country
subdivision type1	Province
subdivision type2	Canton
subdivision name	Ecuador
subdivision name1	Manab?
subdivision name2	Manta
leader title	Mayor
leader name	Jaime Estrada Bonilla(SUM)
elevation ft
area total km2	60.49
area footnotes
population as of	2001
population note	Decadal national census by the Instituto Nacional de Estad?stica y Censos (INEC)
population total	192,322
population blank1
timezone	ECT
utc offset	-5
coordinates display	title, inline
website	http://www.manta.gov.ec/ }}

Manta is a mid-sized city in Manab? Province, Ecuador. It is the second most populous city in the province, the fifth most populous in the country and, economically, the third most important city of Ecuador. Manta has existed since Pre-Columbian times. It was a trading post for the Mantas. According to the 2001 census, the city had 192,322 inhabitants. Its main economic activity is tuna fishing. Other economic activities include tourism and a chemical industry with products from cleaning supplies to oils and margarine.

Manta possesses the largest seaport in Ecuador. The port was used by Charles Marie de La Condamine upon his arrival in Ecuador when leading the French mission to measure the location of the equator in 1735. From Manta, Condamine started his trip inland towards Quito.

Manta has an international cargo airport, Eloy Alfaro International Airport and an important military base (known as Manta Air Base or Eloy Alfaro Air Base). Between 1999-2009 Manta Air Base was used by U.S. air forces to support anti-narcotics military operations and surveillance flights against Colombian drug trafficking cartels. The lease was not renewed by the Ecuadorean government.

Manta is recognized thanks to its international film festival featuring groups from different places in the world. The Ecuadorian actor Carlos Valencia, once invited to Cannes Film Festival for his performance in Ratas Ratones y Rateros (1999) directed by Sebasti?n Cordero, who was born in the capital city of Quito.

Sport

As in the entire country, f?tbol (soccer) is the main sport of the city. The city has two professional teams: Delf?n S.C. and Manta F.C. who used to be Manta S.C. and among others were Green Cross F.C., America, Juventud Italiana and River Plate However, most inhabitants are fans of Barcelona Sporting Club and Club Sport Emelec the teams with most fans base in Manab?.

The practice of water sports is also very significant in the city. Water sports include surfing, (Manta was the host for the 2004 Bodyboarding World Cup), scuba diving, water skiing and kitesurfing. Nearby Manta, Salinas, Ecuador, was the site of the ISA World Junior Surfing Games Ecuador in 2009. Surfing in Ecuador is very popular because of the year round steady climate

Manta has some of South America's most breathtaking beaches. The city was selected as the site of the sixth South American Windsurfing Championship. It is renowned for its diving and sport fishing, with Black and Blue Marlins reaching even the 1.000 pound mark.

Tennis is also widely practiced in Manta. A number of ATP Challenger Series have been played in the city.

Entertainment

Manta hosts an International Theater Festival in September. Sporting events take place in November, and from January through April. The Central Bank Museum includes an important collection of Pre-Columbian craft. A MAAC cine, one of four in Ecuador, shows independent and non-Hollywood productions.

Economy

Manta possesses one of the most solid city economies in Ecuador. The main industries are fishing and tuna canning and processing. Processed tuna is exported to Europe and the U.S. International tuna corporations including Bumble Bee, Van Camps, British Columbia Packers, and Conservas Isabel, as well as leading national tuna processor Marbelize, have sizable factories in Manta. Other important products include vegetable oil. Large Ecuadorian corporations including La Fabril and Ales have their main factories in Manta. According to a recent survey by "Vistazo" (important Ecuadorian magazine), Manta's metropolitan area possesses many of the largest (by revenue) companies in Ecuador (following Quito and Guayaquil which have larger companies than Manta). Tourism is increasingly important for Manta's economy. Various cruise ships will make a port of call visit to Manta while traveling the southern Pacific Ocean. In addition, produced in Manab? and known throughout the world are the original and official "Panama" hats, which are made in the nearby town of Montecristi. Panama hats are favorite souvenirs among visitors of Manta. Manab? is also famous for its delicious cuisine. For those who enjoy seafood Manta is second to none.

Tourism

Manta receives numerous visits from foreign as well as local tourists. The most visited beaches include "El Murci?lago", "Santa Marianita", "San Lorenzo" and "Barbasquillo". Surfers often travel to San Lorenzo to find powerful waves (regularly head high). Kitesurfing has recently become very popular in Santa Marianita (Playa Bonita) because of the excellent wind conditions and large beach.

Nearby, also, is the small town of Montecristi, founded in the early 17th century. With its colonial architecture, this small town is best known for its wickerwork weaving, and as the original birth place of the Panama hats which, despite their name, were historically produced in Ecuador.

Gallery

Education

Manta possesses a number of Universities and High Schools. The largest and most traditional University is the Universidad Laica Eloy Alfaro; other universities include Universidad del Pacifico (Pacific University) and Manta Institute of Technology. The most traditional high schools include Colegio San Jose, and Colegio Manabi. Other foreign oriented upper class high schools include Jefferson High School (American), Julio Pierregrosse High School (Spanish), and Leonardo Da Vinci High School (Italian). These are the most prestigious high schools in the city with international standards.

Climate

Despite its near-equatorial location, the Humboldt Current serves to give Manta an arid climate (K?ppen BWh). The city is hot and cloudy almost throughout the year, but rainfall is very erratic and almost completely confined to the month from January to April. Even then it falls mainly during El Ni?o events when the Humboldt Current weakens.

Sister city

Manta has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International:

Long Beach, California, USA Vladivostok, Russia

References

External links

Municipality of Manta Official Site

Travel Guide to Manta

Category:Populated places in Manab? Province Category:Populated coastal places in Ecuador Category:Beaches of Ecuador Category:Surfing locations in Ecuador

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Source: http://article.wn.com/view/2012/10/23/Google_to_unveil_Android_42_Samsung_Nexus_10_LG_phone_on_Oct/

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Can your body sense future events without any external clue?

ScienceDaily (Oct. 22, 2012) ? Wouldn't it be amazing if our bodies prepared us for future events that could be very important to us, even if there's no clue about what those events will be?

Presentiment without any external clues may, in fact, exist, according to new Northwestern University research that analyzes the results of 26 studies published between 1978 and 2010.

Researchers already know that our subconscious minds sometimes know more than our conscious minds. Physiological measures of subconscious arousal, for instance, tend to show up before conscious awareness that a deck of cards is stacked against us.

"What hasn't been clear is whether humans have the ability to predict future important events even without any clues as to what might happen," said Julia Mossbridge, lead author of the study and research associate in the Visual Perception, Cognition and Neuroscience Laboratory at Northwestern.

A person playing a video game at work while wearing headphones, for example, can't hear when his or her boss is coming around the corner.

"But our analysis suggests that if you were tuned into your body, you might be able to detect these anticipatory changes between two and 10 seconds beforehand and close your video game," Mossbridge said. "You might even have a chance to open that spreadsheet you were supposed to be working on. And if you were lucky, you could do all this before your boss entered the room."

This phenomenon is sometimes called "presentiment," as in "sensing the future," but Mossbridge said she and other researchers are not sure whether people are really sensing the future.

"I like to call the phenomenon 'anomalous anticipatory activity,'" she said. "The phenomenon is anomalous, some scientists argue, because we can't explain it using present-day understanding about how biology works; though explanations related to recent quantum biological findings could potentially make sense. It's anticipatory because it seems to predict future physiological changes in response to an important event without any known clues, and it's an activity because it consists of changes in the cardiopulmonary, skin and nervous systems."

The study, "Predictive Physiological Anticipation Preceding Seemingly Unpredictable Stimuli: A Meta-Analysis," is in the current edition of Frontiers in Perception Science. In addition to Mossbridge, co-authors of the study include Patrizio Tressoldi of the Universit? di Padova, Padova, Italy, and Jessica Utts of the University of California, Irvine.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Northwestern University, via EurekAlert!, a service of AAAS.

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

---

Journal Reference:

1. Julia Mossbridge, Patrizio Tressoldi, Jessica Utts. Predictive Physiological Anticipation Preceding Seemingly Unpredictable Stimuli: A Meta-Analysis. Frontiers in Psychology, 2012; 3 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00390

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

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

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_science/~3/yAa7WXIhyuk/121022145342.htm

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Obama and Romney meet for final debate as race tightens

BOCA RATON, Florida (Reuters) - President Barack Obama and Republican challenger Mitt Romney face off in front of the cameras for a final time on Monday as opinion polls show their battle for the White House has tightened to a dead heat.

With 15 days to go until the November 6 election, the two candidates turn to foreign policy for their third and last debate, which starts at 9 p.m. (0100 GMT on Tuesday).

The stakes are high, as the two candidates are tied at 46 percent each in the Reuters/Ipsos online daily tracking poll.

The debate will likely be the last time either candidate will be able to directly appeal to millions of voters - especially the roughly 20 pct who have yet to make up their minds or who could still switch their support.

Obama comes to this debate with several advantages. As sitting president, he has been deeply involved with national security and foreign affairs for the past three-and-a-half years. He can point to a number of successes on his watch, from the end of the Iraq war to the killing of Osama bin Laden.

But Romney will have many chances to steer the conversation back toward the sluggish U.S. economy, a topic on which voters see him as more credible. He will also try to use unease about a nuclear Iran and turmoil in Libya to sow doubts about Obama's leadership at home and abroad.

Romney launched his candidacy with an accusation that Obama was not representing U.S. interests aggressively enough, but after a decade of war voters have little appetite for further entanglements abroad. After a clumsy overseas trip in July, Romney will have to demonstrate to voters that he could ably represent the United States on the world stage.

"What he needs to do is get through this third debate by showing a close familiarity with the issues and a demeanor in foreign policy that is not threatening," said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University.

Presidential debates have not always been consequential, but this year they have had an impact.

Romney's strong performance in the first debate in Denver on October 3 helped him recover from a series of stumbles and wiped out Obama's advantage in opinion polls.

Obama fared better in their second encounter on October 16, but that has not helped him regain the lead.

The Obama campaign is now playing defense as it tries to limit Romney's gains in several of the battleground states that will decide the election.

Romney could have a hard time winning the White House if he does not carry Ohio. A new Quinnipiac/CBS poll shows Obama leading by 5 percentage points in the Midwestern state, but another by Suffolk University shows the two candidates tied there.

LAST-CHANCE DEBATE

More than 60 million viewers watched each of their previous two debates, but the television audience this time could be smaller as it will air at the same time as high-profile baseball and football games.

Much of the exchange, which takes place at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Florida, will likely focus on the Middle East.

Campaigning in Canton, Ohio, on Monday, Vice President Joe Biden reminded voters of Obama's pledge to pull troops out of Afghanistan in the next two years and pointed out that Romney and his running mate Paul Ryan have made no such guarantees.

"They said, quote, it depends. Ladies and gentlemen, like everything with them, it depends," Biden said. "It depends on what day you find these guys."

At their second debate last week, the two presidential candidates clashed bitterly over Libya, a preview of what is to come on Monday evening. They argued over Obama's handling of the attack last month on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi in which Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans were killed.

The Obama administration first labeled the incident a spontaneous reaction to a video made in the United States that lampooned the Prophet Mohammad. Later, it said it was a terrorist assault on the anniversary of the September 11, 2001, attacks.

This shifting account, and the fact that Obama went on a campaign trip the day after the attack, has given Romney ammunition to use at Monday's debate.

"The statements were either misleading by intention or they were misleading by accident. Either way, though, he's got to get to the bottom of this," Romney adviser Dan Senor said on NBC's "Today" show.

Obama and his allies charge that Romney exploited the Benghazi attack for political points while officials were still accounting for the wellbeing of U.S. diplomats.

Regarding foreign policy overall, Obama's allies accuse Romney of relying on generalities and platitudes.

"It is astonishing that Romney has run for president for six years and never once bothered to put forward a plan to end the war in Afghanistan, for example, or to formulate a policy to go after al Qaeda," U.S. Senator John Kerry, the Democrats' 2004 presidential nominee, wrote in a memo released by the Obama campaign on Monday.

Romney has promised to tighten the screws over Iran's nuclear program and accused Obama of "leading from behind" as Syria's civil war expands. He also has faulted Obama for setting up a politically timed exit from the unpopular Afghanistan war, and accused him of failing to support Israel, an important ally in the Middle East.

The Republican challenger is likely to bring up a New York Times report from Saturday that said the United States and Iran had agreed in principle to hold bilateral negotiations to halt what Washington and its allies say is a plan by Tehran to develop nuclear weapons.

The 90-minute debate, moderated by Bob Schieffer of CBS, will be divided into six segments: America's role in the world; the war in Afghanistan; Israel and Iran; the changing Middle East; terrorism; and China's rise.

(Additional reporting by Matt Spetalnick, Mark Felsenthal and Susan Heavey; Writing by Andy Sullivan; Editing by Karey Wutkowski, Paul Simao Claudia Parsons)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/obama-romney-meet-final-debate-race-tightens-003205490.html

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