Friday, November 30, 2012

'Santa' showers $100 bills on storm-hit NJ, NY

NEW YORK (AP) ? A wealthy Missouri man posing as "Secret Santa" stunned New Yorkers on Thursday, handing $100 bills to many in Staten Island who had lost everything to Superstorm Sandy.

The Kansas City businessman is giving away $100,000 this holiday season, and spent the day in New Jersey and New York giving away thousands. But he says money is not the issue.

"The money is not the point at all," said the anonymous benefactor as he walked up to surprised Staten Island residents and thrust crisp bills into their hands. "It's about the random acts of kindness. I'm just setting an example, and if 10 percent of the people who see me emulate what I'm doing, anybody can be a Secret Santa!"

A police motorcade with sirens took him across the borough, passing a church ripped from its foundations and homes surrounded by debris. At a nearby disaster center run by volunteers, a woman quietly collected free food and basic goods.

"Has anyone given you any money?" he asked her.

"No," replied Carol Hefty, a 72-year-old retiree living in a damaged home.

"Here," he said, slipping the money into her hand.

"But this isn't real money!" said Hefty, glancing at the red "Secret Santa" stamped onto the $100.

"It is, and it's for you," he tells her.

She breaks down weeping and hugs him.

And so it went, again and again.

Secret Santa started his daylong East Coast visit with stops in Elizabeth, N.J. Keeping close watch over the cash handouts was his security entourage ? police officers in uniform from New York and New Jersey, plus FBI agents and former agents from various states. Some have become supporters, wearing red berets marked with the word "elf" and assisting "Santa" to choose locations where people are most in need. He himself wears an "elf" cap and a red top, plus blue jeans.

The group must choose stops carefully, and refrain from simply appearing outdoors in a neighborhood, lest they be mobbed by people hearing that cash is being handed out.

At a stop at a Staten Island Salvation Army store, one woman is looking over a $4 handbag. "But you get $100!" he tells her, offering the bill.

"Are you serious?" said Prudence Onesto, her eyes widening. "Really?"

"Secret Santa," he deadpans, breaking into a broad grin.

The 55-year-old unemployed woman opened her arms and offered him a hug.

An aisle over, 41-year-old Janice Kennedy is overwhelmed: She received four $100 bills.

Unemployed with a 2-year-old daughter, she lost her home in the storm and lives with her boyfriend. The money will go toward Christmas presents and her toddler's next birthday.

"You're not alone. God bless you!" the Missouri stranger tells Phillip and Lisa Morris, a couple in their 30s whose home was badly damaged ? but now had an extra $300 in cash for rebuilding.

Secret Santa took up the holiday tradition from a close Kansas City friend, Larry Stewart, who for years handed out bills each December to unsuspecting strangers in thrift stores, food pantries and shelters. Stewart died in 2007 after giving away more than $1 million to strangers in mostly $100 bills.

The current Secret Santa will not divulge his name. Nor does he allow his face to be photographed. But he said he's been to cities across America, from San Diego to Chicago to Charlotte, N.C.

A reporter asked whether he might be a sort of Warren Buffett of Kansas City. He smiled mysteriously and said only that he admires Buffett for his philanthropy. "And I hope I give all my money away before I die."

Then, as suddenly as he arrived, the generous stranger left for the airport and home, riding in the volunteer motorcade he jokingly calls "my sleigh," zipping with ease through red lights and city traffic.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/santa-showers-100-bills-storm-hit-nj-ny-014621540.html

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Tagliabue holds Saints bounties hearing in DC

AAA??Nov. 29, 2012?6:41 PM ET
Tagliabue holds Saints bounties hearing in DC
AP

FILE - This Feb. 4, 2012 file photo shows former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue in Indianapolis. Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have arrived in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. (AP Photo/David Stluka, File)

FILE - This Feb. 4, 2012 file photo shows former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue in Indianapolis. Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have arrived in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. (AP Photo/David Stluka, File)

FILE - This Aug. 5, 2009 file photo shows, former New Orleans Saints assistant football coach Mike Cerullo, second from left, meeting with, from left, Saints cornerback Tracy Porter (22), assistant special teams coach Mike Mallory, and assistant secondary coach Tony Oden, in Metairie, La. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have arrived in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. Cerullo is a key witness in the NFl's investigation. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

FILE - In this Sept. 1, 2011 file photo, then-New Orleans Saints football team defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is seen at the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have arrived in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. Williams has been suspended from the league. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

FILE - This Oct. 21, 2012 file photo shows New Orleans Saints football linebacker Jonathan Vilma (51) running onto the field in Tampa, Fla., Sunday, Oct. 21, 2012. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have arrived in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. Vilma and fellow player Will Smith, who were suspended said they plan to attend. (AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)

FILE - This Sept. 9, 2012 file photo shows New Orleans Saints football defensive end Will Smith (91) warming up before an NFL football game in New Orleans. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have in Washington, Thursday for a hearing in the Saints bounties case. Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington. Smith and fellow player Jonathan Vilma, who were suspended said they plan to attend. (AP Photo/Bill Haber, File)

(AP) ? Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and lawyers for the league and the players' union have wrapped up a hearing in the Saints bounties case.

Tagliabue is overseeing the latest round of player appeals in Washington.

Former Saints assistant Mike Cerullo, a key witness in the NFL's investigation, was scheduled to speak Thursday. Former New Orleans defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is to participate in Friday's session.

Two Saints players who were suspended, linebacker Jonathan Vilma and defensive end Will Smith, have said they plan to attend when Williams is there.

Vilma's lawyer attended Thursday's day-long hearing at an office building. Tagliabue and lawyers who attended Thursday declined comment when they left.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/347875155d53465d95cec892aeb06419/Article_2012-11-29-FBN-Saints-Bounties-Hearings/id-071ae461fc414f43819beee0c165f98c

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Thursday, November 29, 2012

Dockem Koala iPad & Tablet Wall Mount

By Eugene Kim

There are plenty of stands out there for propping up iPads and other tablets for watching videos and other uses. But not every space has a nice flat surface for a stand, and in some cases you might prefer to mount your tablet to a wall. The Dockem Koala iPad & Tablet Wall Mount ($19.99 direct) lets you do just that, with a dead-simple installation process that takes just seconds. ?

This wall mounting system is about as simple as they come. You get two plastic brackets that hold your device in place (pairs are sold separately in either chrome, black, or white finishes), two 3M Command Strips, and an alcohol prep pad. Each bracket measures 3.5 by 0.75 by 0.75 inches (HWD), with vented accents along the sides and a lip along the bottom that holds your tablet in place. Under the bottom lip is a small hook for cables.

Though it's made primarily for the iPad, from first-generation all the way up to the most recent fourth-gen?models, the Dockem Koala works with any tablet or smartphone that measures less than 0.4-inches thick. The two brackets aren't connected, so you can use them with any variety of devices, as long as they don't exceed the 0.4-inch maximum thickness and 5-pound maximum weight.?I tested with an iPad 2?, which fit even with a Smart Cover attached, and a Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 (10.1)?. Neither was a perfect fit, but held securely when properly installed to a normal painted wall, and didn't obscure any of the screen. The all-plastic construction is a little flimsy feeling, but the tabs didn't exhibit any flex. The cable hooks were also great for keeping charging cords within reach at all times.?

Installation is as simple as attaching the included 3M strips, holding the two tabs against the bottom corners of your tablet, and then pressing firmly against a wall. You just need to be sure you everything is level before you affix the strips. You'll also want to make sure the tabs are pressed as close to your tablet's edges as possible for the most secure fit. The 3M strips are rated to hold up to 5 pounds each, so today's tablets, all of which weigh much less, are no problem. Removing the Dockem Koala is equally easy, requiring a simple pull on the bottom flaps of the 3M strips. That's important, since you'll have to remove the adhesive to correct alignment or adjust for a new device. You can't reuse the strips, but 3M Command Strips are available all over for under $5.?

There are a number of useful applications for the Dockem Koala. During the test period, I used the mount on the wall next to my bed, turning my tablet into a small TV/alarm clock, freeing up precious space on my tiny nightstand. The Wallee system?also has a wall-mount component, but you'll have to screw the wall mounts into place, and you'll have to buy a special case for your device.?The plastic construction feels a little flimsy, and you need to work to get a precise fit, but if you want to mount your tablet or even smartphone on a wall, the Dockem Koala is a simple solution that will only set you back $20 and a few seconds for installation.?

More Accessory Reviews:
??? Dockem Koala iPad & Tablet Wall Mount
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?? more

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/ziffdavis/pcmag/~3/FVq22pgv9Dk/0,2817,2412558,00.asp

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Tifani Williamson helps Priscilla Wait dance to the choir?s songs after the Edwardsville Mayor?s Chr

Point of View

When is it appropriate to start decorating for the?holidays?

?Christmas is my most favorite holiday, however I can?t stand all of the Christmas stuff in stores at the day after Halloween! I love the lights on houses, but they would feel so much more special a couple weeks before Christmas. No humbugs here, but it certainly feels less special the longer they are up! Keep the spirit of Christmas closer to the holiday and give of your time to others. The best gift is given unselfishly to a?stranger.?

More responses

Source: http://www.bonnersprings.com/photos/2012/nov/28/49581/

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How infidelity helps nieces and nephews

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

A University of Utah study produced new mathematical support for a theory that explains why men in some cultures often feed and care for their sisters' children: where extramarital sex is common and accepted, a man's genes are more likely to be passed on by their sister's kids than by their wife's kids.

The theory previously was believed valid only if a man was likely to be the biological father of less than one in four of his wife's children ? a number that anthropologists found improbably low.

But in the new study, University of Utah anthropology Professor Alan Rogers shows mathematically that if certain assumptions in the theory are made less stringent and more realistic, that ratio changes from one in four to one in two, so the theory works more easily.

In other words, a man's genes are more likely to be passed by his sisters' children if fewer than half of his wife's kids are biologically his ? rather than the old requirement that he had to sire fewer than a quarter of his wife's kids, according to the study published online Nov. 28 in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.

"Imagine a mutation that encourages its bearers, if they are men, to be helpful and invest resources in the children of their sisters," Rogers says. "If that man lives in a society where most of his wife's children were fathered by other men, then this gene may not be in many of his wife's children. A man really doesn't know if any of his wife's kids were fathered by him, but he knows he and his sister have the same mom. So this gene may, in fact, be in more of his sisters' children."

"Thus, over time, the frequency of this gene increases because men are increasing the survival and fitness of their sisters' children ? the ones more likely to carry the gene," he adds.

The new study "shows that it is much easier than we thought for your niece to be a closer relative than your wife's daughter," Rogers says.

The research was funded by the University of Utah.

Why Men Help their Sisters' Kids: Theory and Debate

"Men invest in children in many ways; they care for them, feed them and leave them resources when the men die," Roger says. "But in some human societies, these are the children of sisters rather than those of wives. For decades, anthropologists have wondered why."

Extramarital mating is common in some cultures, including in central Africa and South America, he says, but not in the U.S. or other Western societies where infidelity, as prevalent as seems, much is less common by comparison.

"In some societies it is expected; it isn't seen as cheating," Rogers says. "And it isn't really just about promiscuity. Even where extramarital sex isn't common, women get divorced and remarried and have households with offspring from several men."

Rogers says: "In many societies where extramarital mating is the norm, men may not share genes with the children of wives. There is less doubt about relatedness to sisters' children. This suggests an interesting hypothesis: perhaps natural selection has shaped this practice, by encouraging males to direct investment toward genetic relatives."

"There was great enthusiasm for this idea during the 1970s, until a problem came to light," he continues. "Simple calculations suggested that the explanation collapses unless men father fewer than about one in four of their wife's children. Many have doubted that the number ? the paternity threshold number ? could really be this low."

Rogers' new study shows it is much easier than that for the idea to be true ? for natural selection to favor men who help their sisters' kids. He shows the theory holds true if men father fewer than half their wife's kids rather than fewer than one-quarter of those kids ? something much more likely to happen in reality.

The study shows this mathematically by relaxing assumptions previously made as part of the uncle-caretaker theory.

Rogers says it isn't enough to take into account the probability of paternity ? the odds that a child's biological father also is his mother's husband. The new study shows that if the assumptions made in old studies are relaxed, another parameter also must be measured: "the probability a brother and sister had the same biological father. The higher that probability, the more closely related a man is to his sister and his sister's kids."

Making Old Assumptions More Realistic

Rogers examined four assumptions made in previous studies and changed them to be more realistic. In this more realistic theory, men are more likely to share genes with their sister's children than under the old theory.

The first two assumptions of the existing theory were that "women are equally receptive to extramarital affairs and that each has an infinite number of paramours," says Rogers. "These assumptions both lower estimates of relatedness between men and the children of their sisters. Relaxing either assumption increases our estimate of the fitness payoff to men who invest in children of sisters."

[Rogers notes the theory applies to a man's sisters' children, but not to his brothers' children "because your brother has no more confidence than you do about the paternity of his wife's children. Sisters are a better bet, because they know who their kids are."]

"Previous calculations assume every woman in the population is equally promiscuous," Rogers says. "If you relax that assumption and instead assume some women are more promiscuous than others, it means men are more likely to share genes with their sisters' children."

"The earlier theory also assumed women each woman had an infinite number of boyfriends," instead of a range from one to infinity, he adds. "It made the math simple ? and it gave you a wrong answer."

The new study showed mathematically that a man's relatedness to his sister's kids increases if his wife has fewer rather than more extramarital partners and if she allocates sex ? and thus having children ? unevenly among them.

A third problem with previous studies is that they assumed resources given to any child were equally valuable. Rogers says that didn't account for the fact that giving your wife's kids twice as many resources isn't necessarily twice as good ? once the kids have what they need ? but may be only half again as good for them. So the man may be better off also giving resources to his sisters' kids.

"The old model didn't account for that, and because of that, it biased things in favor of the wife's children. When the nieces and nephews share fewer genes, they end up getting zero resources rather than some reduced share, as they should."

The fourth problem with most previous calculations was that they didn't account for a simple reality: "The best thing for a man to do depends on how his wife is going to respond," Rogers says. "If wives punish their husbands one way or another for delivering goods to their nieces and nephews, it's not just the husband deciding what is best for the husband. Women have an active role in all of these decisions and that role was ignored in the previous model."

Another study published recently took that into account, making it easier to understand how natural selection might favor men who invest in their sisters' offspring.

Rogers believes that natural selection and genetics ultimately contributes to people helping their relatives in most cultures, even if the primary motivation may be tax breaks for those who provide cash gifts to relatives rather than passing on one's genes.

"People are nice to relatives all over the world, and I think selection has something to do with that," he says.

###

University of Utah: http://www.unews.utah.edu/

Thanks to University of Utah for this article.

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

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Source: http://www.labspaces.net/125553/How_infidelity_helps_nieces_and_nephews

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

ADHD, less crimes with right drugs - West

ADHD, less crimes with right drugs

Stimulants such as Ritalin can really help ADHD sufferers reduce their criminal behavior, a Swedish study suggests.?ADHD usually affects people since childhood, causing poor concentration at school, impulsive behavior and increasing violence during adulthood. In order to prove their theory, researchers at Karolinska Institute tracked 25,656 patients. As a result, men taking the medication showed a 32% reduction in crime rates, while women showed a 41% lower rate. Such outcomes are not only fundamental in the treatment of patients, but they also have a very positive impact on the safety of many societies with higher crime rates.

Source: http://www.west-info.eu/adhd-less-crimes-with-right-drugs-hyperactivity-criminal-acts/

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Higgs confident CERN particle is one he forecast in 1960s

BRUSSELS | Tue Nov 27, 2012 4:53pm EST

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The physicists who theorized the existence of a basic subatomic particle half a century ago are confident recent data is proving they were right all along.

Peter Higgs, whose eponymous "Higgs boson" is the long-sought target of the $10 billion Large Hadron collider in Switzerland, told reporters on Tuesday he was sure a particle detected last July was one he had predicted in 1964.

"I think it will turn out to be (the Higgs boson), but it's just a question of getting out the additional information."

Data so far from CERN's LHC particle accelerator seemed unlikely to reveal a more exotic set of particles, Higgs said, and "fit too well" with a single particle that gives mass to matter envisaged by the Standard Model of physics.

"As far as I can see from the results now it's not yet totally confirmed, but it's practically sure - I'm ready to bet on it," Belgian physicist Francois Englert, who also theorized the particle, said before giving a speech to the European Parliament in Brussels.

Although the scientists predicted the presence of the particle years earlier, it took a multinational effort of over 100 countries to build the LHC, which two years into its operation yielded a result.

Higgs said that this type of collaborative research helped not only science, but the economy as a whole, and he was worried about proposed cuts to European Union science funding.

"What you do by cutting the science budget is to reduce your supply of young trained scientists who will do other things which are obviously more useful for your economy," he said.

"You may be cutting down on things which will provide a stimulus for your economy in the not too distant future."

For Higgs, who at 83 has retired from active research, the sudden attention brought on by the LHC discovery last July has been a little overwhelming.

"It has resulted in piles of piles of letters and emails on my floor at home," he said, explaining he had needed to enlist help from a team of colleagues just to sort through it.

The bashful professor has no hard feelings that he's not yet been tapped for the Nobel Prize in physics, saying he "was reprieved" and "got a stay of execution".

Touted by some as a possible winner in 2013, Higgs said that winning the Nobel for his work might leave the prize committee the unenviable task of having to choose between a number of co-discoverers, but he acknowledged he was in the running.

"As for what happens next year, I certainly feel vulnerable."

(Reporting by Ethan Bilby; Editing by Mark Heinrich)

Source: http://feeds.reuters.com/~r/reuters/scienceNews/~3/qIVbVuH-NM8/us-eu-higgs-idUSBRE8AQ1B020121127

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David Cantone: Emprendedor Online, Internet Marketing & Business ...

| This entry was posted in art movies and tagged Blogger, BloggerCast, Blogging, Business, Cantone, David, Emprendedor, Internet, Marketing, Negocios, Online, Podcast, Productividad, Strategist. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. or leave a trackback.

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Serb sentenced for beating in US freed from jail

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) ? A former Serb college basketball player serving a two-year prison sentence for beating an American into a coma in New York state has been freed about two months early.

Miladin Kovacevic was sentenced by a Serb court for his attack on fellow Binghamton University student Bryan Steinhauer of Brooklyn in 2008 in a barroom brawl.

The Serb's early release Monday is part of a government amnesty including over 1,000 prisoners sentenced for lesser crimes.

After the brawl, Kovacevic jumped bail in the U.S. and fled to Serbia, which refused to extradite him, angering Washington.

The Serb government eventually paid $900,000 (?694,230) to Steinhauer's family as part of an agreement that also included putting Kovacevic on trial in Belgrade.

The Obama administration and Steinhauer's family both called Kovacevic's sentence too lenient.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/serb-sentenced-beating-us-freed-jail-151840238.html

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