Monday, December 31, 2012

College student's turtle project takes dark twist

CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) - Clemson University student Nathan Weaver set out to determine how to help turtles cross the road. He ended up getting a glimpse into the dark souls of some humans.

Weaver put a realistic rubber turtle in the middle of a lane on a busy road near campus. Then he got out of the way and watched over the next hour as seven drivers swerved and deliberately ran over the animal. Several more apparently tried to hit it but missed.

"I've heard of people and from friends who knew people that ran over turtles. But to see it out here like this was a bit shocking," said Weaver, a 22-year-old senior in Clemson's School of Agricultural, Forest and Environmental Sciences.

To seasoned researchers, the practice wasn't surprising.

The number of box turtles is in slow decline, and one big reason is that many wind up as roadkill while crossing the asphalt, a slow-and-steady trip that can take several minutes.

Sometimes humans feel a need to prove they are the dominant species on this planet by taking a two-ton metal vehicle and squishing a defenseless creature under the tires, said Hal Herzog, a Western Carolina University psychology professor.

"They aren't thinking, really. It is not something people think about. It just seems fun at the time," Herzog said. "It is the dark side of human nature."

Herzog asked a class of about 110 students getting ready to take a final whether they had intentionally run over a turtle, or been in a car with someone who did. Thirty-four students raised their hands, about two-thirds of them male, said Herzog, author of a book about humans' relationships with animals, called "Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat."

Weaver, who became interested in animals and conservation through the Boy Scouts and TV's "Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, wants to figure out the best way to get turtles safely across the road and keep the population from dwindling further.

Among the possible solutions: turtle underpasses or an education campaign aimed at teenagers on why drivers shouldn't mow turtles down.

The first time Weaver went out to collect data on turtles, he chose a spot down the road from a big apartment complex that caters to students. He counted 267 vehicles that passed by, seven of them intentionally hitting his rubber reptile.

He went back out about a week later, choosing a road in a more residential area. He followed the same procedure, putting the fake turtle in the middle of the lane, facing the far side of the road, as if it was early in its journey across. The second of the 50 cars to pass by that day swerved over the center line, its right tires pulverizing the plastic shell.

"Wow! That didn't take long," Weaver said.

Other cars during the hour missed the turtle. But right after his observation period was up, before Weaver could retrieve the model, another car moved to the right to hit the animal as he stood less than 20 feet away.

"One hit in 50 cars is pretty significant when you consider it might take a turtle 10 minutes to cross the road," Weaver said.

Running over turtles even has a place in Southern lore.

In South Carolina author Pat Conroy's semi-autobiographical novel "The Great Santini," a fighter-pilot father squishes turtles during a late-night drive when he thinks his wife and kids are asleep. His wife confronts him, saying: "It takes a mighty brave man to run over turtles."

The father denies it at first, then claims he hits them because they are a road hazard. "It's my only sport when I'm traveling," he says. "My only hobby."

That hobby has been costly to turtles.

It takes a turtle seven or eight years to become mature enough to reproduce, and in that time, it might make several trips across the road to get from one pond to another, looking for food or a place to lay eggs. A female turtle that lives 50 years might lay over 100 eggs, but just two or three are likely to survive to reproduce, said Weaver's professor, Rob Baldwin.

Snakes also get run over deliberately. Baldwin wishes that weren't the case, but he understands, considering the widespread fear and loathing of snakes. But why anyone would want to run over turtles is a mystery to the professor.

"They seem so helpless and cute," he said. "I want to stop and help them. My kids want to stop and help them. My wife will stop and help turtles no matter how much traffic there is on the road. I can't understand the idea why you would swerve to hit something so helpless as a turtle."

Source: http://www.keprtv.com/news/offbeat/College-students-turtle-project-takes-dark-twist-184958711.html

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Domain Industry Experts Share 2013 Predictions (Part 2) | Elliot's Blog

On Friday, I posted predictions for 2013 from many domain industry experts. Since I received so many great replies, I broke it up into a two part series. The second set of domain industry predictions is below.

Thank you again to the experts who offered their insight! These predictions are in random order. As always, I welcome your 2013 predictions.

Rob Grant, CEO, WebMediaProperties.com ? ?Domains and Darwin

If you love Darwin, you?re in for a real treat!

As 2013 dawns, we are about to enter the next, (and very prolific) stage in the evolution of domain names?

The birth of thousands of new, fledgling TLD?s,?encompassing?the entire internet food chain, and spanning a vast spectrum of businesses and industries.

What follows will be a remarkable event to watch? A very chaotic and turbulent period akin to Darwin?s ?Survival Of The Fittest? for domain names.

Of the projected one thousand eight hundred new TLD?s scheduled to go live, only a small fraction will ultimately survive (with a good many dead on arrival).

The vast majority of these new TLD?s will go the way of the unfortunate Dodo, a rare bird best known for its brief existince on earth.

For anyone planning to speculate on these new TLD?s, I would urge great caution. Nature can be a wonderful teacher??

Elliot Noss, President and CEO, Tucows ? ?in 2013 there will be one new gTLD that will be a huge success, and it will be a geo. there will also be a number of small fizzles.?

Paul Nicks/Product Development ? Aftermarket Director ? GoDaddy.com?and?Rich Merdinger/Vice President of Product Development ? Domains ? GoDaddy.com?- ?Existing TLDs see a bump in aftermarket pricing as the original gTLDs are seen as a safe harbor in the impending sea of new gTLD confusion. However, initial confusion by the general public will dissipate quickly as people become accustomed to identifying Web addresses by string[dot]string, as opposed to the common string[dot]com.? Paul and Rich?offered several additional predictions, which you can?read here.

Andrew Rosener, CEO, Media Options ? ?Just as we saw record setting domain sales in 2012, I believe the market will continue its rebound and we?ll see domain sales setting record prices and in record volume in 2013. Unfortunately, many of these sales continue to, and will continue to, go unnoticed as they are under NDA?s and privacy. However, I can say first hand that the last 6 months of 2012 were the strongest we have seen in terms of End User sales in the last 5 years, despite the weakness and lack of liquidity in the reseller market.

I expect that companies and investors alike will continue in 2013 to increase their understanding of domain values, in large part due to the media attention that will be given to the release of the new gTLD?s which will bring greater attention from the general public on the domain industry as a whole. However, I also believe that the complexities and conflicts brought forth in the release and management of so many new gTLD?s will only prove to reinforce the the value of powerful generic & brandable .com domain names.

Over the last 36 months companies have been stockpiling cash, as have investors in all asset classes. As we see signs of a recovering economy, despite continued hurdles, I believe we will see a new wave of investment entering the domain market like never before. While this may not provide the daily liquidity that so many domain investors are desperate for due to falling or stagnating ppc income, the owners of premium .com domains, particularly short (2 ? 5 characters) & highly brandable .com domains, will be rewarded dearly as the availability of such rare assets and brands will become ever more scarce and ever more sought after. That being said, those domain investors or owners who need to sell proactively, in a short time frame, will likely still face an illiquid market in 2013 and be forced to sell into a depressed wholesale market with few ready buyers. End user education, negotiation and deal making takes time and patience; it?s always a different story when a buyer comes to you versus a proactive sales campaign.

I believe we are still in the early stages of internet growth and that domain values are still at only a fraction of their potential. One day, there will be a ?spot price? for premium domain names and readily available credit from primary lenders who accept your domain name equity as collateral at reasonable interest rates. There will be protection mechanisms in place that will create a ?floor price? for premium domain assets such as insurance products, options trading & new traffic monetization models. When all of this is introduced to the domain industry, I believe that domain values will be 3-5 times that of today?s market. While this may not and likely will not happen in 2013, I do believe that the coming year will be a critical next step towards achieving such objectives.?

Theo Develegas, General Manager, Acroplex, LLC ? ?The new year will be an extension of 2012, more or less: a weak economy will lead many to fold their cards; but it?s those that ?bluff? who will get ahead. When the going gets tough, the tough get going. It will be an opportunity for smart investors to snatch great deals and acquire domains at 200+% below face value. There will be a lot of white noise from satellite TLDs currently in the works by ICANN, but nothing will be touching the original three TLDs, com, net and org. The new year will bring several mergers in the domain industry, as players acquire strategic posts for bigger games in the future. It?s going to be exciting times, particularly now that the Mayans are planning to finally issue the 2013 calendar and beyond!?

Brian Gilbert, Innovation HQ ? ?Parking revenue?s will increase. Something we haven?t seen in quite some time.

I predict Google will lose 2% to 5% of the search market. This is in large part to Panda and Penguin updates that have been effective at getting rid of spammy sites, but did not replace lost results with sites that truly give people what they?re after.?

Nat Cohen, CEO, Telepathy ? ??In 2013 I expect to see growing awareness by businesses that premium domains are extremely valuable as online brands.? 2013 will also likely see the increasing globalization of the domain industry as e-commerce grows rapidly throughout the world.?

Paul Goldstone, iGoldrush.com?- ?It?s an exciting year ahead with a plethora of new domain extensions hitting the market. ?Will end users take the bait or will they stick with what they?re familiar? ?There are supporters on both sides of the fence. ?Either way I think generally people will continue to be more focused than before, working from a quality not quantity standpoint, evidenced by the increasing domain sales.?

Thies Lindenthal, IDNX ? Thies wrote up an extensive prediction for the domain industry in 2013, which can be found here.

Michele Neylon, Founder and CEO, Blacknight?- ?2013 could prove to be a very interesting year for the internet industry. I expect to see a lot more pressure coming from governments across the globe to regulate all aspects of the internet industry. In 2011 / 2012 we had SOPA / PIPA in the US and the WCIT / ITU conference. 2013 will see more and more of this as governments try to exert more pressure and control over what has become such an integral part of people?s lives. The domain name industry is going to be impacted and is in fact already being impacted (the new RAA for ICANN registrars will be quite a different beast). Expect to see registries and registrars being forced to take a more proactive stance to deal with online criminal activity. The big problem will be getting the balance right ie. stemming online abuse without negatively impacting the bulk of internet users and domain name registrants. We live in interesting times.?

Anthony Peppler, Retired (Father of 3 Year old twins)?- Tony wrote several predictions that I have included in a separate post.

Source: http://www.elliotsblog.com/domain-industry-experts-share-2013-predictions-part-2-9181

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Our Happily Ever Afters: Christmas Family Fun!

Get ready for picture overload! I decided to combine all of our fun Christmas activities into one post, because as usual, I'm behind in staying up to date! The month of December was very simple for us, but so special. We really focused in on spending time together, and I think it made ALL the difference.

Just for cuteness, here are my two littles one Sunday in matching Christmas outfits!



One night we drove to a small town nearby, where a local church does an event called Bethlehem Village. It was SO GOOD!!!! The kids absolutely loved it, and we did too!

We started out in the sanctuary singing carols while we waited our turn to go through.

Then we made our way into the village area.


We were given a bag of coins to take with us so we could buy things in the village. But before we entered, we had to pay our taxes and register for the census!
I think the absolute CUTEST thing was seeing Evy and Liam "pay" for what they wanted to buy. There was just something about them reaching into their little coin purses to get money - I died!!!









Then, at the very end, we walked into where Mary, Joseph, and Baby Jesus were. It was the sweetest thing - and honestly, it felt very real to me. The kids were so excited to see the baby, but it was extra sweet because the baby was sleeping and we had to whisper. Somehow that just added to how special and sacred it felt.

After we finished walking through, the church provided a free chili supper. We thoroughly enjoyed our time and plan to make it a Christmas tradition!

As I mentioned previously, we did a few little Advent activities with the kids. We made a few ornaments from Truth in the Tinsel, which the kids LOVED. They were so excited to make something for our tree!


Look at Liam's adorable little face!











Another night, we made a gingerbread house. I have to be honest - getting that thing to stay together was almost my undoing, but once we got the icing to hold, we were good to go. The kids thought this was just the most fun thing EVER, and it was so entertaining to watch them "work together" on it!













I ordered a felt nativity set from this Etsy seller (it's a great shop!) and the kids really enjoyed talking about the Christmas story as we put the different pieces in place. Liam chose not to have his picture taken (ha!), but both littles absolutely loved this.

It was a wonderful season full of family and FUN!

Source: http://www.ourhappilyeverafters.com/2012/12/christmas-family-fun.html

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Sunday, December 30, 2012

Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog: Estate Planning Lessons From ...

? New Cause of Action in China For Elderly People to Sue Children | Main

December 30, 2012

Estate Planning Lessons From Norman Schwarzkopf

Unknown-8I have frequently blogged about lessons that we can learn from the death of celebrities. Recently, Norman Schwarzkopf, the commander of coalition forces in Operation Desert Shield, passed away from complications with pneumonia. ?There are two main lessons to take from his estate planning.

First, legacy and reputation are just as important in planning an estate as what to do with the physical and monetary assets. After his time in the Gulf War, Schwarzkopf was able to become an author, speaker, and live a private life with his wife and children. ?He stayed out of the public eye despite offers to enter into politics and he was able to keep the positive legacy that he earned during his military career. ?Passing on that good family name could be just as important as passing on an Evan Guthrie Law Firm?inheritance.?

Second, every veteran should be knowledgeable of the benefits that are available to them. One does not have to be a general to take advantage of benefits.?The US Department of Veterans Affairs or an elder law or veteran's attorney can help to identify what options any given veteran may have.?

See Evan Guthrie Law Firm, Estate Planning: Lessons Learned From Norman Schwarzkopf, JDsupra, Dec. 28, 2012. ?

Special thanks to Jim?Hillhouse?(Professional Legal Marketing (PLM, Inc.)) for bringing this article to my attention.

December 30, 2012 in Current Events, Estate Planning - Generally | Permalink

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Four killed when Russian airliner crash lands

MOSCOW (Reuters) - A Russian airliner flying without passengers broke into pieces after it slid off the runway and crashed onto a highway outside Moscow upon landing on Saturday, killing four of the eight crew on board and leaving smoking chunks of fuselage on the icy road.

The crash during peak holiday travel ahead of Russia's New Year's vacation, which runs from Sunday through January 9, cast a spotlight on the country's poor air-safety record despite President Vladimir Putin's calls to improve controls.

Television footage showed the Tupolev Tu-204 jet with smoke billowing from the tail end and the cockpit broken clean off the front.

Some witnesses told state channel Rossiya-24 they saw a man thrown from the plane as it rammed into the barrier of the highway outside Vnukovo airport, just southwest of the capital, and another described pulling other people from the wreckage.

"The plane split into three pieces," Yelena Krylova, chief spokeswoman for the airport, said in televised comments.

Police spokesman Gennady Bogachyov said: "The plane went off the runway, broke through the barrier and caught fire."

The pilot, co-pilot, flight engineer and a flight attendant were killed and the other four crew members aboard - all flight attendants - were in a serious condition in hospital with head injuries, the Emergency Situations Ministry said.

Officials said earlier that there were 12 crew on board.

The mid-range Tu-204 was operated by Russian airline Red Wings and was travelling from the Czech Republic, Krylova said.

WARNING

Wreckage from the crash was scattered across the highway and the plane's wings were torn from the fuselage, witnesses said.

"We saw how the plane skidded off the runway ... The nose, where business class is, broke off and a man fell out," a witness, who gave his name as Alexei, said. "We helped him get into a mini-bus to take him to the hospital."

Another witness described pulling four people from the wreckage when he arrived at the scene before emergency service workers. "We could not get the pilot out of the cockpit but we saw a lot of blood," he told Rossiya-24.

Russian investigators said preliminary findings pointed to pilot error as the cause of the crash.

Russia's aviation authority said it had sent state-owned Tupolev a warning ordering it to fix problems that may have caused a Tu-204 with 70 aboard to go off a Siberian runway on December 21 after suffering engine and brake trouble on landing. It said similar problems had occurred before.

The billionaire owner of Red Wings, Alexander Lebedev, said the airline had already carried out the order on its Tu-204s. Red Wings' website said it operated nine of the aircraft.

Lebedev said the Tu-204 in Saturday's crash was built in 2008 and that the pilot was experienced, with 14,500 hours of flying time. He offered condolences to the victims' families and promised financial compensation and other help.

Russia and other former Soviet republics had some of the world's worst air-traffic safety records last year, with a total accident rate almost three times the world average, the International Air Transport Association said.

A passenger jet crashed and burst into flames after takeoff in Siberia in April, killing 31 people, and an airliner slammed into a riverbank in September 2011, wiping out the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl ice hockey team in a crash that killed 44 people.

The Russian-built Tu-204, which is comparable in size to a Boeing 757 or Airbus A321, is a Soviet-era design that was produced in the mid-1990s but is no longer being made. There have been no major accidents reported involving Tu-204s.

(Writing by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Steve Gutterman and Alison Williams)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/two-killed-russian-passenger-plane-splits-apart-landing-135518719.html

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French panel overturns 75 percent tax on ultrarich

PARIS (AP) ? A French constitutional panel has thrown out a plan to tax the ultrawealthy at a 75 percent rate, saying it was excessive.

The constitutional council ruled Saturday that the highly contentious tax, which President Francois Hollande promised to impose while campaigning, was unfair. It was intended to hit those with incomes over ?1 million ($1.32 million).

The French government approved the tax in its most recent budget, but even before many said it would do little to stem the country's mounting fiscal problems and would drive away the wealthiest citizens. Hollande's popularity, meanwhile, has been tanking as the country's unemployment continued its rise for the 19th straight month.

In recent weeks, Gerard Depardieu ? France's most famous actor ? moved to Belgium to avoid his home country's high taxes.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/french-panel-overturns-75-percent-tax-ultrarich-104117363--finance.html

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Saturday, December 29, 2012

Republicans Set to Cave? (Powerlineblog)

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Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273781751?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Putin signs anti-U.S. adoptions bill

MOSCOW (AP) ? President Vladimir Putin on Friday signed a bill banning Americans from adopting Russian children, part of a harsh response to a U.S. law targeting Russians deemed to be human rights violators.

Although some top Russian officials including the foreign minister openly opposed the bill and Putin himself had been noncommittal about it last week, he signed it less than 24 hours after receiving it from Parliament, where both houses passed it overwhelmingly.

The law also calls for closure of non-governmental organizations receiving American funding if their activities are classified as political ? a broad definition that many fear could be used to close any NGO that offends the Kremlin.

It was not immediately clear when the law would take effect, but presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted by the Interfax news agency as saying "practically, adoption stops on Jan. 1."

Children's rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov said this week that 46 children who were about to be adopted in the U.S. would remain in Russia if the bill comes into effect.

The bill has angered Americans and Russians who argue it victimizes children to make a political point, cutting off a route out of frequently dismal orphanages for thousands of children.

UNICEF estimates that there are about 740,000 children not in parental custody in Russia while about 18,000 Russians are on the waiting list to adopt a child. The U.S. is the biggest destination for adopted Russian children ? more than 60,000 of them have been taken in by Americans over the past two decades.

Russians historically have been less enthusiastic about adopting children than most Western cultures.

Lev Ponomarev, one of Russia's most prominent human rights activists, hinted at that reluctance when he said Parliament members who voted for the bill should take custody of the children who were about to be adopted.

"The moral responsibility lies on them," he told Interfax. "But I don't think that even one child will be taken for upbringing by deputies of the Duma."

The law is in response to a measure signed into law by President Barack Obama this month that calls for sanctions against Russians assessed to be human rights violators.

That stems from the case of Sergei Magnitsky, a Russian lawyer who was arrested after accusing officials of a $230 million tax fraud. He was repeatedly denied medical treatment and died in jail in 2009. Russian rights groups claimed he was severely beaten and accused the Kremlin of failing to prosecute those responsible; a prison doctor who was the only official charged in the case was acquitted by a Moscow court on Friday.

The U.S. law galvanized Russian resentment of the United States, which Putin has claimed funded and encouraged the wave of massive anti-government protests that arose last winter.

The Parliament initially considered a relatively similar retaliatory measure, but amendments have expanded it far beyond a tit-for-tat response.

Many Russians have been distressed for years by reports of Russian children dying or suffering abuse at the hands of their American adoptive parents. The new Russian law was dubbed the "Dima Yakovlev Bill" after a toddler who died in 2008 when his American adoptive father left him in a car in broiling heat for hours.

Russians also bristled at how the widespread adoptions appeared to show them as hardhearted or too poor to take care of orphans. Astakhov, the children's ombudsman, charged that well-heeled Americans often got priority over Russians who wanted to adopt.

A few lawmakers even claimed that some Russian children were adopted by Americans only to be used for organ transplants or become sex toys or cannon fodder for the U.S. Army. A spokesman with Russia's dominant Orthodox Church said that children adopted by foreigners and raised outside the church will not enter God's kingdom.

___

Nataliya Vasilyeva in Moscow contributed to this story.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/putin-signs-anti-us-adoptions-bill-100228125.html

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Oregon State, Texas going opposite directions - Sat, 29 Dec 2012 PST

December 29, 2012 in Sports

Schuyler Dixon Associated Press

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Oregon State generated the biggest one-year turnaround in school history and could secure its third 10-win season by beating Texas in the Alamo Bowl today in San?Antonio.

The Longhorns? They are trying to reverse a three-year slide from the days when 10 wins were just a footnote on the way to BCS?bowls.

Beating the 15th-ranked Beavers tonight would be another baby step back to the elite for Mack Brown and company, with still a long way to go. Texas followed a loss to Alabama in the 2009 BCS championship game with a shocking 5-7 record ? the only losing season in 15 under Brown ? and an 8-5 mark last year that included a Holiday Bowl win over?Cal.

Lose to Oregon State, and the Longhorns (8-4) will have a second straight eight-win season and a long offseason to think about a three-game losing streak,?too.

?I think that at Texas we want to be 13-0,? Brown said. ?The standards are higher than eight, and that?s what the kids need to understand and our coaches do understand. And we are ready to take that next step and get it back to where it should?be.?

Mike Riley has had to do a little rebuilding of his own after leading the Beavers (9-3) to 10 wins in 2006 and three more winning seasons after that. Oregon State matched Texas at 5-7 in 2010, then slipped to 3-9 a season?ago.

The Beavers are six games better in 2012, beating one Rose Bowl team ? Wisconsin ? in their opener and almost beating the other ? Stanford ? on the?road.

Source: Longhorns suspend McCoy,?Hicks

A person with knowledge of the suspensions tells the Associated Press that Texas has sent home backup quarterback Case McCoy and injured linebacker Jordan Hicks from the Alamo Bowl in San Antonio for violating team?rules.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the school wasn?t releasing the names of the suspended players. The person said the players broke?curfew.

Brown addressed the situation during a news conference Friday and referred to a KENS-TV report that police were investigating two unidentified Texas players in an alleged sexual assault at a San Antonio?hotel.

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

Source: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/dec/29/oregon-state-texas-going-opposite-directions/

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Friday, December 28, 2012

UFC 155 picks from Kevin Iole, Maggie Hendricks and Cagereaders like you

UFC 155 is only a day away. It's time for picks from Yahoo! Sports' columnist Kevin Iole, Cagewriter editor Maggie Hendricks, and Cagereaders who posted their picks on Facebook.

Kevin Iole: Junior dos Santos W5 Cain Velasquez -- I can't believe I'm picking against Velasquez. To me, he is in many ways the perfect heavyweight, with great conditioning, great wrestling and tremendous power. But how do we ignore what dos Santos has done? Much was made of Velasquez's knee injury before their first fight, but what isn't as well known is that Junior had a bad leg, too, and couldn't do much. It's going to be a dogfight, but I think Junior finds a way to pull it out.

Maggie Hendricks: Cain Velasquez W5 Junior dos Santos -- Velasquez was injured in his last bout with JDS. With a healthy knee, he'll get to use his wrestling to control and beat on JDS for five rounds.

Cagereaders: Couldn't ask for a better way to end the year than this rematch. This will last longer than the first but not by much. I'm picking Cigano by KO R1. Cain has amazing wrestling and ground and pound. However, I think Junior is the guy that has his number and things won't go as planned for Cain. Velasquez will come out more aggressive than the first fight and that will spell the end. Junior will rock him with some brutal counters causing Cain to shoot in for the take down. Junior will stuff the attempt and finish the fight with an uppercut around 3 minutes into the first. -- Jackson Torres

[Related: Five questions that will be answered at UFC 155]
__

Kevin Iole: Joe Lauzon W3 Jim Miller -- Definitely will be the Fight of the Night in my opinion (is there any other kind of fight for Lauzon?) I don't think Joe will be able to submit Jim, but he is so active and works so hard I think he'll pile up the points to win.

Maggie Hendricks: Joe Lauzon Sub2 Jim Miller -- Lauzon's submission game is tough to beat. He will need to avoid Miller's well-rounded game, but can do it.

Cagereaders: My two favorite 155 pound fighters. When I saw Miller step in for Maynard, my heart sank. I'm going to see one them lose, and it looks to be J-Lau. Miller matches up really well for Lauzon's style. He has power in his punches and solid wrestling, backed up with a serious ground game and outstanding cardio. Joe has a killer instinct and a more dangerous ground game. Still, I like Miller taking this fought by a UD. -- Tom Hogan

--

Kevin Iole: Tim Boetsch W3 Costas Philippou -- Boetsch will grind out a victory by controlling the distance and limiting Philippou's power

Maggie Hendricks: Tim Boetsch W3 Costa Phillippou -- Ditto on what Kevin said. Boetsch won't make it a thrilling fight, but it will be a convincing win.

Cagereaders: Boetsch over Phillipou by 3rd Round TKO -- I think this fight will be back to forth, I have counted out Tim Boetsch in many fights just to be shocked, from the poor decision in the Lombard fight, to the amazing knock out of Okami, I think Phillipou gets the better of him early in the fight, while Boetsch owns the latter part of the fight, this could easily be fight of the night and if it does go decision, it will be close, but I see Phillipou gassing late and Boetsch taking advantage. -- Daniel Ryan

--

Kevin Iole: Alan Belcher TKO2 Yushin Okami -- This outcome would have been unthinkable a year ago, but Belcher improves tremendously each time out and is now one of the world's most complete fighters.

Maggie Hendricks: Alan Belcher W3 Yushin Okami -- With title shot hopes hanging over him, Belcher has good reason to fight a smart game and come out with a win over Okami.

Cagereaders: Yushin Okami will beat Alan Belcher by decision. Okami will go back to what made him successful before his fight with Anderson Silva. He will use his jab and height, keeping Belcher back, then take him down for ground and pound. This will continue for 3 full rounds and Okami will come out with the unanimous decision. -- Marcus Min

__

Kevin Iole: Chris Leben TKO3 Derek Brunson -- This is a big fight for Leben, and I think he knows it. I expect him to eventually catch Brunson with something big that will end it.

Maggie Hendricks: Derek Brunson W3 Chris Leben -- In his first fight after a long layoff, Leben will have a hard time dealing with a wrestler with power like Brunson.

Cagereaders: Derek Brunson should be able to defeat Chris Leben by decision because he has a great wrestling background and Chris Leben may not be in the best shape coming off a 13-month layoff. -- Edgar Diaz

Related MMA video from Yahoo! Sports

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/ufc-155-picks-kevin-iole-maggie-hendricks-cagereaders-161442619--mma.html

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Why the Internet killed the old salesman at the golf course : The ...

The salesman at the golf course

Formerly the salesman or sales manager could be doing his business during an afternoon golf with other businessmen. This setting has been portrayed and idealized over many years.

The salesman:
- Could do his business with people he knew since long
- Had a Rolodex with business cards where he could rely upon
- Was more an account manager than a sales guy

His world was organized and nothing could really interfere in his sales or customer retention process.
Business, golf and pleasure all fitted well together.

Communication technologies

Communication technologies have changed the way people do business over years:
Fax
Fax introduced the speed of immediate delivery of documents ? no physical transport required.
Thus the salesman didn?t need to visit and collect the order anymore.
That meant less face to face communications, thus less information exchanged.

Email
Email brought the increase of speed in written communications ? both ways.
There were no more delays as with mailing letters and waiting for a physical reply.
The salesman could communicate more directly and have faster interactions.
This has increased his productivity, as he could respond more quickly and could work on more deals at one time.
Additionally there is an administrative benefit as the emails are kept automatically in a folder. Hence no administrative filing and easy retrieval.

Mobile phones
Mobile phones made the salesperson available everywhere.
Previously calling could only be done in the office or at home which limited the availability during the week of a salesman.
Using a mobile phone, the salesman can discuss with the potential customers or customers anywhere and anytime.
Instead of face to face communications requiring appointments, calls could be made whenever possible and appropriate.

The Internet
The Internet has bought several changes:
1) Information distribution
The internet made company, product and services information available to interested parties and to customers, without needing to ask the salesman
The salesman was no longer in the loop with interested parties and customers
This has led to the rise of the ?Unknown Buyer?.

2) Rolodex
The Internet allowed finding and / or retrieval of possible contacts within an organization or company.
At first this started with simple searches on Google using the domain name.
Then the specific organized websites like LinkedIn, Plaxo, Jigsaw, Zoominfo, Xing, Spoke, Viadeo, ?

The partly free availability of contact information:
- Decreased the power of the salesman with the Rolodex significantly.
- Changed cold calling forever.
This has increased the competition and will continue to increase competition as people within companies have become addressable.

3) Webinars
Instead of paying a visit, sales people could set-up webinars in order to give an on-line interactive sales presentation.
No travel required for a first meeting with the interested parties: hence fewer costs and less waste of time for travel.
Again the salesman could follow-up on more leads than before and quickly move on if the potential customer is not interested.

Still playing golf?

The Salesman can still spend his days on the golf course, while his invited business friends will be receiving phone calls or emails from competition on their smart phones whilst playing golf.
By the time the game is over, the competition could already have sent a quotation by email received on the smart phone.

Are you still playing golf too ?

Video games a flash point in Connecticut school rampage's aftermath

Chris Ruffner of Mt. Washington browses the selection of video games on Thursday at Family Video in Whitehall. Violent games, such as the popular ?Call of Duty? series, are under scrutiny as a result of the Newtown, Conn., school massacre. Sidney Davis | Tribune-Review


By Adam Smeltz

Published: Friday, December 28, 2012, 12:51?a.m.
Updated 13 hours ago

The National Rifle Association and others call violent video games a spark for real-life brutality.

But those urging increased scrutiny of the industry because of reports that such video games enthralled the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter should look to previous efforts. Scholars warn that past attempts to regulate the industry fell flat, sometimes on free-speech grounds.

Research links violent gaming with aggressive tendencies, but no studies definitively peg them as a cause of fatal attacks, researchers said.

?I wouldn?t be surprised to see different legislatures or different politicians introducing measures, trying to see if we can have more studies of kids and violent games. It?s a high-profile thing,? said Mia Consalvo, a faculty member and Canada Research Chair in Game Studies and Design at Montreal-based Concordia University.

?Unfortunately, it?s one thread among many,? Consalvo said. ?It?s kind of looking for an easy solution when there probably isn?t one.?

Adam Lanza, 20, who killed his mother before fatally shooting 20 children, six adults and himself on Dec. 14 in Newtown, Conn., played graphic video games such as ?Call of Duty,? according to published reports.

Within days of the massacre, Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., introduced legislation that would order the National Academy of Sciences to investigate how violent video games affect children and to report findings within 18 months.

?I have long expressed concern about the impact of the violent content our kids see and interact with every day,? Rockefeller said.

NRA leader Wayne LaPierre picked up the theme last week, flaying ?vicious, violent video games? as ?the filthiest form of pornography.? The NRA did not respond to a Tribune-Review interview request.

Ed Kowalski, 43, of New Kensington said his three stepkids? grades went ?through the roof? after they cut back on video games. He said the kids ? ages 13, 10 and 8 ? often have trouble focusing after playing for extended periods.

?These things take kids into oblivion,? Kowalski said. ?We believe those age restrictions are important for any kid.?

Industry observers said video game criticism is nothing new. A rating system begun in 1994 took shape as technology allowed manufacturers to sell more realistic games. Senate hearings pushed the industry to develop the ratings.

It?s up to retailers to verify a buyer?s age for purchases of games rated ?M? for mature or ?AO? for adults only, according to the Entertainment Software Rating Board. A representative for the rating board would not comment, and another key industry group, the Entertainment Software Association, did not respond to calls.

The rating board?s website says national retailers refuse to sell M-rated games to underage customers 87 percent of the time, according to a federal review.

The U.S. Supreme Court invoked First Amendment rights in June 2011 when it rejected a California law that would have banned sales to anyone younger than 18. Five years earlier, a federal judge ruled unconstitutional a Michigan law that barred retailers from selling such games to minors. In Utah, then-Gov. Jon Huntsman vetoed a 2009 bill that would have punished stores for selling M-rated games to minors.

State Sen. Leland Yee, a San Francisco Democrat who introduced the ill-fated California bill, said the video game industry since has ?done a better job of voluntarily limiting the sale of games to children.?

Ohio State University professor Brad Bushman has studied video games and not found a direct causal connection between violent games and extreme behavior.

So many factors fuel violent conduct that it?s impossible to identify video games as a singular cause. It?s especially complicated to study because ethical researchers cannot give guns and knives to video game fans just to see what happens, he said.

At the same time, Bushman said, research has found ties between violent gaming and generally aggressive behavior. He said the industry could put warning labels on violent games and make it harder for children to buy M-rated games on the Internet.

?I?d be more surprised if Adam Lanza did not play violent video games than if he did play violent video games. Almost everyone his age does,? though few become murderers, Bushman said.

The industry evolved its approach over the years, adding a feature that lets gaming system owners lock out adult games, Consalvo said.

?I think we can ask why, as a culture, we enjoy so much violent content, not just in games but in film and television ? and why that?s so appealing,? she said. ?But that?s a much larger conversation.?

Adam Smeltz is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Source: http://triblive.com/news/editorspicks/3203767-74/games-video-violent

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How to exchange an unwanted Android or Windows gift for the iPhone or iPad of your dreams

How to exchange your Android or Windows device for an iPhone or iPad

Did Santa somehow leave you a lump of Android or Windows in your stocking instead of the bright, shiny, iPhone or iPad you really wanted? Did your Apple hopes get dashed by the cold, hard realities of a Galaxy, Nexus, Droid, Lumia, Kindle, or Surface? If think you mistakenly got put on the naughty list instead of the nice, don't cry and certainly don't pout. Here's why -- you can exchange it and still get the iPhone, iPod touch, iPad, or iPad mini of your dreams!

How to return your Windows or Android device

This is the most obvious solution, and the route you should take if you're within the return period, is taking your Android or Windows gift back to the store. Regardless of whether the phone or tablet was purchased from a carrier or electronics store, they all have return policies.

If you have the receipt (or can get it from the person who gifted the device to you), and haven't opened the box, it should be as easy as walking in with your Android or Windows device, making the exchange, paying any difference in price, and walking back out with your iPad or iPhone. Worst case, you might have to pay a small restocking fee depending on the retailer and the reasons you give them. (Hint: shop at friendly retailers and give them good reasons for exchange.)

How to sell your Android or Windows device

If all else fails, you can't exchange your Windows or Android device, and you still desperately want an iPhone or iPad instead, you can still sell it.

We've taken a look at tons of these services and many of them take Android and Windows devices in exchange for credit or cash.

Amazon Trade-In Store

Amazon will take almost any device you can think of for a trade-in. It's an extremely simple process and you'll know exactly how much you're getting for the device before you even send it in.

The only hitch here is that you'll be given payment in the form of an Amazon gift card. If you're looking for cash to put towards a new iPhone right now and don't want to wait for Amazon to have it in stock or if the model you want isn't available, it's not the best option.

If you don't mind waiting or Amazon already carries the iPhone or iPad you want to get, Amazon is a great option.

Gazelle

Gazelle offers a service that lets you easily turn most electronic devices into cash. Simply send in your Windows or Android device and Gazelle will send you money after confirming the item condition. The first thing you'll need to do is tell Gazelle what you're selling and what condition the item is in. You can choose from poor, fair, good or excellent condition, and it's important to be honest when rating the condition so there's no hiccups or snags along the way.

It also helps if you have the box and original documentation and cables with your item. Considering you've just recently received the device, this probably isn't an issue for most.

eBay

Selling your unwanted device on eBay is a pretty simple process. If you've ever used eBay for selling things in the past then you know the selling process isn't all that tricky, however there are still some things to keep in mind when using eBay to sell things. For instance, eBay charges fees for each auction based on the item you're selling and how much it sells for, among other things, so here are five quick tips to help you get the most out of your auction:

  1. Only ship to the buyer's confirmed Paypal address if using Paypal.
  2. Price competitively, especially if you're using Buy It Now as an option.
  3. Make sure the pictures you use follow your description and are good quality - post pictures of any physical blemishes and be up-front in your description.
  4. Use a fast shipping service and make sure you include that in your item description. People are impatient by nature so sellers that offer fast shipping tend to sell items quicker.
  5. Use keywords in your title and in your item description to attract more potential buyers.
  6. You may also want to consider insuring your item in case anything goes wrong during shipping. Watch out for low-feedback buyers and also keep in mind that Paypal charges processing fees as well.

Craigslist

Craigslist allows you to list items for sale in your area so you can perform the transaction locally and face-to-face. This is a quick way to get some cash to put towards your new iPhone or iPad on the spot and also an easy way to let the buyer check out the merchandise in person before committing to the purchase. As long as you were honest about the condition and specifications, you should have no issue in completing a painless transaction with a buyer.

  1. Don't ever put your personal or home address in an ad. Ever!
  2. Price your devices competitively. A good way to do this is to find existing ads on Craigslist in your area for the same model device and price accordingly. If your ad shows up next to someone else's and yours is grossly overpriced, it won't sell.
  3. Some buyers prefer being able to text or call you immediately about an item and it may increase the likelihood of a quick sale. Having a phone number that they can reach you at is ideal. Only do this if you're comfortable with putting your phone number on the internet. This is a good time to use a Google Voice number or other forwarding number if you have one.
  4. Meet in a public place, preferably in the daytime. A coffee place like Starbucks is a good idea. It's also never a bad idea to bring a friend or relative with you. While most buyers are perfectly friendly, there are shady people out there. If the person doesn't want to meet in a public place, pass on them and wait for someone who doesn't have an issue with that.
  5. Watch out for email scams, something Craigslist is notorious for. Anyone offering to pay you a great deal more than the list price or who asks you to ship the item to a foreign country is a scammer. Delete their e-mails and correspondence immediately and wait for a legitimate buyer to come along.

Sell to a family member or friend

Okay, so maybe you aren't an Android or Windows fan, but there are lots of people out there that are. Selling to a family member or a friend is an easy way to get cash and you already know you won't get scammed. If you really think about it, you can probably find someone in your circle of friends and family that's in desperate need of a phone or tablet upgrade.

Perhaps your uncle is still using a flip phone and has been talking about upgrading to a smartphone for years. Here's your chance to finally talk him into it. Just keep in mind that selling to family or friends that may not be in dire need of the device may lower the selling price so we'd only suggest this route if you're after a quick sale and don't mind covering any potential differences.

More help selling Android and Windows devices

Still need help offing some Windows and Android devices? Our sister sites, Windows Phone Central and Android Central both have marketplace forums that can be a great resource for finding buyers. You already know the viewers are fans of that platform so it may be a great place to find a buyer.



Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TheIphoneBlog/~3/Uc-762wkMFk/story01.htm

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Thursday, December 27, 2012

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Source: http://designartdecoration.com/interior-decorator-ideas/

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So Did Dick Armey Break the Law? (talking-points-memo)

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

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/273251984?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Storm delays thousands of fliers; tips to get home

NEW YORK (AP) ? A massive winter storm is disrupting travel plans for tens of thousands of fliers trying to get home after Christmas. Snow, thunderstorms, sleet, tornados and high winds have grounded planes in the nation's midsection and are expected to slow operations on the East Coast.

Delays racked up in the morning from Dallas to Indianapolis to Chicago. By 11 a.m. EST Wednesday, more than 600 flights nationwide had been scrapped, according to flight tracking site FlightAware.com.

More cancelations are likely throughout the day, with Washington, New York and Philadelphia expected to see the largest problems. For instance, wind gusts at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport could exceed 50 mph Wednesday night, according to FlightAware.

Passengers are pretty much at the mercy of Mother Nature and the airlines. But there are a few things they can do to improve their odds of getting home quickly.

? If you miss your connection, the airlines will automatically rebook you on the next available flight. However, with flights at near capacity, the next open seat could be several days away. Two years ago, some Christmas fliers had to wait nearly a week to get home.

? If you're unhappy with your rebooked flight, get in line to speak to a customer service representative. But also, pick up the phone and call the airline directly, go onto the airline's website and even consider sending a Tweet.

? Consider buying a one-day pass to the airline lounge. It's a nice place to relax away from the crowd and there are usually free drinks and small snacks. But the real secret to the lounges is that the airline staffs them with some of its best ? and friendliest ? ticket agents. The lines inside will be much shorter and these agents are magically able to find empty seats where nobody else can. One-day passes typically cost $50.

___

Scott Mayerowitz can be reached at http://twitter.com/GlobeTrotScott .

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/storm-delays-thousands-fliers-tips-home-150746546--finance.html

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I want to be a Franchisee: Step 2?Qualification | GreatClipsFranchise

Thinking about becoming a franchisee? Excited about the opportunities out there but overwhelmed by all the information? We?re here to help: The Franchisee Blog is presenting a series of informational posts about how franchising works. In the coming months, we?ll share valuable information from Great Clips franchise professionals and other franchising experts.

Tyler_MarketingOnce you?ve decided which franchise business you?re interested in, the franchisor will start the qualifying process?figuring out if you have the right qualifications to be a franchisee with their organization. Each franchisor has its own process. At Great Clips, the process starts by talking with a Lead Qualifier.

The Lead Qualifier?s role is to answer some initial questions and to ask questions. At Great Clips, we look for what we call the ?ideal owner?: a hands-on leader who is, above all, a people person, who is looking for a manager-run business, and who is willing to take direction as well as give it. Franchise businesses use a time-tested system, and the most successful franchisees are those who follow that system. Those people who are more entrepreneurial and want to do things their own way may not be the best fit for most franchise companies.

The Lead Qualifier will also determine whether the prospective franchisee lives in an open market and if they meet our financial qualifications. (Visit our Great Clips Franchise website for more information.)

If the Lead Qualifier determines that a prospect fulfills these preliminary qualifications, the prospect is asked to fill out a confidential application, providing more details about their finances and background.

After verifying this confidential application information, the prospect is referred to a Franchise Development Manager who acts as a sort of tour guide, helping Great Clips prospective franchisees navigate through the learning process. They cover everything from staffing and training, how to make money in a franchise, how to manage their haircare business without being in the salon every day, marketing and real estate support, as well as other general aspects of the business.

The process formally begins when franchise candidates receive the Great Clips Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD). This required legal document clearly outlines obligations of the franchisee and franchisor, and provides information about Great Clips and its business model to help potential franchisees evaluate it as a business option.

MORE: How to Read a Franchise Disclosure Document

After candidates review the FDD and decide to proceed with the investigation process, they go through the Prospective Franchisee Learning Center (PFLC). The PFLC provides more information and assigns ?homework? designed to help the candidate? prepare for a series of information calls that the Franchise Development Manager schedules with each of them. The calls allow candidates to ?hear? from the Great Clips subject matter experts who cover everything from people development to growing your customer base to real estate.

The investigation process also requires that candidates talk with at least three franchisees to make sure that they hear first-hand about the business, its challenges and its rewards.

Butch Gladden, a Franchise Development Manager with Great Clips, uses the analogy of a jigsaw puzzle to describe the process: ?I give candidates all the different pieces of the puzzle they need to look at to evaluate the business and whether it?s right for them. Once they put the puzzle together, if they like the picture, they join us. If they don?t, they move on.?

?This due-diligence process is designed not only to make sure that Great Clips is right for the candidate, but also to make sure the candidate is right for Great Clips,? explains Butch.

?As we go through this process, we get to know the candidates pretty well. This can take anywhere from four weeks to six months, and we?re talking with candidates often during this time. We get a feel for who they are and whether they?re willing to follow a system because our due-diligence process really is a system. We want to make sure they do their homework, do what they say they?re going to do. And it?s an opportunity for the candidate to see if we can really deliver on what we say we will do for them?they validate the opportunity.?

There have been times when Butch has had to tell candidates he didn?t think Great Clips was the right business model for them. One example was when a candidate treated people rudely. ?This is a people business,? says Butch. ?If you?re not good with people, this is not the business for you. That?s okay.?

?I try to be straightforward and honest. I want people to make the right decision for themselves and their families,? says Butch. ?At the end of the process, if they see we?re a good fit for them, and we see that they?re a good fit for us, the Legal team sends them the franchise agreement and they become partners with us,? says Butch.

MORE: Qualifying Candidates?Matching Your Brand?s Culture and the Best Prospect

At that point, Butch?s official responsibility for the franchisee ends. But his relationship with the people he?s helped put into business doesn?t end. ?I?m not obligated to stay in touch once they become a franchisee, but I do,? says Butch. ?In a lot of cases, these people have become my friends. I really care about their success. I call them up to see how they?re doing, I congratulate them when they hit sales records and I love catching up with them in person at our annual convention.?

Next in the series: Real Estate?How to find the best location for your first store

Rob Goggins

SVP of Real Estate & Development - Rob joined Great Clips in July 2007 as Vice President of Franchise Development. Prior to Great Clips, Rob was Vice President of Franchise Development for Service Brands International. In that position, Rob helped grow franchise sales for all four of the Service Brands franchise concepts.

More Posts - Website

Source: http://greatclipsfranchise.com/blog/2012/12/i-want-to-be-a-franchisee-step-2-qualification/

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Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Health insurance and Mental Health insurance Wellness Are ...

Health insurance and Intellectual Health insurance Well-being Are Extremely carefully Became a member of

We all know around the bodily characteristics of the prepared workout. More powerful muscles, joints and your bones, far better pounds regulate, protection against illness along with a slowing down lower of having older. But we frequently contemplate exercise as keeping inside the throat and incredibly easily neglect our neural is a crucial processing model towards the techniques and procedures of the physique and it's also physical fitness is important using the Well-being.

Frequently our over emotional and Intellectual physical fitness is overlooked and incredibly easily believe that its perfectly-presently being no more has sufficient our arms. Nevertheless our Intellectual physical fitness is extremely carefully associated with our wellness and once you have bodily ill-physical fitness you may have Intellectual ill-physical fitness way too. Studies acquiring this url and the need for working out as equally a preventive and restorative healing remedies using the over emotional and Intellectual heath and perfectly-presently being.

It has been believed that certain portion of each and every selection of all 5 males and ladies includes a diagnosable Intellectual problem. This suggests near to thirty percent of the person is certainly going through signs and symptoms of Intellectual impairment. Intellectual condition could be a larger illness load than that caused by all great shape of cancer develop by 2020 is will be the finest reason for dying and disability worldwide.

A person's body was assemble in becoming productive - really productive. Passionate movement would be the anatomy's way of outstanding wholesome as 'growth and repair' chemicals are stimulated when our muscles are challenged regularly. Without any these chemicals harmful toxins convey to solar panels and cells to rot away, turn and cease to reside.

This is just what evolves whenever we survive a minimal-productive and non-active selected lifestyle which 8 from 10 males and ladies do. They just do not get sufficient muscle building fine-tuning hobby to help keep wholesome and take care of on the top of the premature and avoidable physical and mental illness.

When the physique will the Passionate bodily movement that we are produced to make it happen causes us to feel happier about our self as as we get the job done our muscles normal harmful toxins are revealed that control and relaxed responses, dissipating anxiety and stress. Right working out oils the tires within this neural and boosts its hobby which affects from how you feel, to the way you sense and just what perform.

If you are inside a cycle of negative methods and concerns you need to use your working out periods of time like a diversion from undesirable feelings to look at the mind off this routine of conduct. Undertaking anything constructive to deal with anxiety and stress or depressive disorder could be a wholesome dealing with approach

as we get our blood stream choosing Right weightlifting working out it gains each and every cell, cells and the body organ. Oxygen and supply of nourishment prosperous blood stream inspires energy within this physique and offers this technique within this neural an excellent start way too. Because of this you are feeling huge amount of money from the workout program.

You could be re-stimulated immediately no matter whether that you're weary, fatigued or distressed. It really is nearly unthinkable to keep going with it emotion these things if you're sturdy and fit. Give it a try and check out it and enable working out enable you to sense better.

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