The kind of people who take their iPad to the gym deserve the level of comeuppance that 4Chan and Reddit gave to an asshole who took pictures of his fellow gym rats and taunted them on Facebook. I know being forced to watch ESPN?s HOT SPORTS TAKES WITH SKIP BAYLESS EXCLAMATION POINT can be maddening, but c?mon dude. According to the Daily Dot, ?An iPad-wielding Australian man has been banned from his local gym after he covertly captured photos of patrons working out?The unidentified jerk from Queensland, the second-largest state in Australia, was kicked out after 4chan and Reddit users posted screengrabs of the man?s Facebook activity.?
iPad guy wrote, ?Here we see the amazing chicken man?His 2% bodyfat is admired by bodybuilders and bulimic teenage girls alike.? It?s that kind of Chris Farley-saving classic comedy (he would have lost weight from all the laughing, you see) that got the man not only booted from the gym, but also cut off financially from his ?mum,? just in case you were worried he wasn?t masking his own sadness by cruelly trolling others. On Facebook, responding to angry, justice-seeking strangers, he wrote, ?No sh*t, it was a massive d*ck move but I accepted that after the guy who owns the gym told me this sort of thing is a serious issue and not only hinders the positive development of certain people but also harms the whole industry.? If only he could go back in time and make fun of Steve Jobs? skinny frame. Maybe then the iPad never would have been invented, and one d-bag could still go to his gym.
MEXICO CITY (AP) ? Authorities detained three alleged members of the Knights Templar drug cartel in the killing of one of Mexico?s highest-ranking navy officers and a bodyguard, Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam said Monday.
President Enrique Pena Nieto vowed the attack wouldn?t go unpunished. ?We will work with all speed to arrest and bring to justice everyone responsible for the death of Vice Adm. Carlos Miguel Salazar,? he said.
The killings of the admiral and another naval officer serving as his bodyguard marked a rare attack on Mexico?s top military brass, but appeared to have been the result of a series of tragic coincidences rather than a planned, targeted assassination.
Still, the shooting on a rural road in the western state of Michoacan showed just how out of control the state has become as the government offensive against crime gangs runs up against resistance from the Knights Templar cartel.
Salazar, his wife, driver and bodyguard were returning from a visit to the admiral?s family in the Mexico City area, when they ran into a protest that had closed the main highway leading back to the naval station he commanded on the Pacific coast, near the resort of Puerto Vallarta.
Seeing the protest, the admiral apparently made a tragic mistake. Rather than waiting for the road to reopen, as dozens of other vehicles did for about two more hours, or turning around and heading back to the nearest city to catch an airline flight, he had his driver head down a rural two-lane road in search of a shortcut.
?He decided to take an alternative route, to get back to his job on time, and he took a secondary road for that purpose,? Murillo Karam said.
But Michoacan has become a hotbed of cartel violence, with at least a half dozen ambushes of federal police convoys last week. And the highway blockage wasn?t just any protest.
A reporter for a Michoacan newspaper saw the protesters, mainly taxi and bus drivers, holding signs saying ?Get out, Federales? and ?We demand federal forces get out of Michoacan.? Such protests have frequently been organized by the Knights Templar cartel, which has often forced or paid residents to take part.
Federal security spokesman Eduardo Sanchez said it seemed unlikely the protest could have been organized just to interrupt the admiral?s travel. Rather, it appeared a response to the two-month-old government buildup of army and federal police in Michoacan after a series of towns rose up in arms and formed self-defense groups to fight off pervasive abuses and extortion demands by the Knights Templar.
Salazar?s SUV had navy logos, but inexplicably was not bulletproof. Neither he nor his bodyguard was in uniform.
Murillo Karam said one vehicle cut off Salazar?s SUV, forcing his driver to stop. A second vehicle full of armed men then drove up and opened fire. Salazar pushed his wife to the floor of the SUV and she escaped with only minor injuries, but the driver was severely wounded.
Murillo Karam said that the three suspects were detained in one of the vehicles used in the attack and that they had admitted belonging to the Knights Templar and taking part in the attack. He quoted the suspects as saying the cartel paid them 7,500 pesos a month (about $600) to steal, kidnap and extort money from people.
The navy has not been as heavily involved in the anti-drug fight in Michoacan as it has been in other states.
Michoacan has proved the toughest challenge yet for Pena Nieto, as it was a major predicament for his predecessor, Felipe Calderon, who started off Mexico?s drug war in late 2006 by sending troops to Michoacan. The near-totalitarian control exercised by the Knights Templar over Michoacan only grew under Calderon?s administration.
So far Pena Nieto?s government doesn?t seem to have a different strategy than Calderon?s for the complex, bloody, multi-sided battle in Michoacan that pits the pseudo-religious Knights Templar against police, vigilante groups and the rival New Generation Jalisco cartel.
?Our town is practically occupied by federal police, and it?s strange: We just wonder how with this kind of presence, there is still so much violence,? said a masked Indian farmer from the most recent community guard group to spring up, in the Michoacan town of Los Reyes.
?This is a mystery,? he said. ?Is it because they (police) don?t have the necessary ability, the intelligence information, or the strategy??
The farmers held a news conference Monday in Mexico City, but refused to give their names or show their faces for fear of reprisals from the cartel.
The Indian farmers formed a unit to patrol their communities in March after cartel gunmen began demanding protection payments of 2,000 pesos ($150) per hectare (2.247 acres).
A week ago, several people were killed by suspected cartel gunmen when they protested in the Los Reyes town square against continued drug violence.
London ? Usain Bolt returned to the site of his last Olympic triumph, winning the 100 meters at the Anniversary Games on Friday in his best time this season after recovering from a slow start.
The world?s fastest man failed to leave the blocks promptly but powered through the field at the Diamond League meet. He finished in 9.85 seconds at the stadium where he won three gold medals at last year?s London Games.
Michael Rodgers was second in 9.98. Nesta Carter of Jamaica took third, 0.01 behind the American. Kim Collins of Saint Kitts and Nevis got off to a fantastic start but finished fourth.
Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
WASHINGTON (AP) ? Congress needs to raise the debt limit and take away the "cloud of uncertainty" about the nation's ability to pay its bills, Treasury Secretary Jack Lew said in an interview broadcast Sunday.
"The fight over the debt limit in 2011 hurt the economy, even though, in the end, we saw an extension of the debt limit. We saw confidence fall, and it hurt the economy. Congress needs to do its job. It needs to finish its work on appropriation bills. It needs to pass a debt limit," Lew said on NBC's Meet The Press.
Senior lawmakers on Capitol Hill are trying to come up with must-do legislation to keep federal agencies running after Sept. 30 and prevent the possibility of a government shutdown. At issue is what is normally routine: a plug-the-gap measure to fund the government for a few weeks or months until a deal can be worked out on appropriations bills giving agencies their operating budgets for the full 2014 fiscal year, which begins Oct. 1.
However, some Democratic liberals don't want to vote to continue to fund the government at new, lower levels mandated by the automatic, across-the-board spending cuts known as sequestration. And some conservatives are making a last stand against President Barack Obama's new health care law. In addition, Senate Democrats are resistant to a $20 billion spending cut wanted by many Republicans.
Lew maintained that the president won't negotiate over the debt limit but stopped short, however, of saying that Obama would shut down the government.
"Drawing this to brinksmanship is a mistake. It's bad for the economy for it to be brinksmanship," Lew said.
Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham, center, talks to the media as he is joined by tight end Jake Murphy, left, and defensive end Trevor Reilly during NCAA college football Pac-12 media day on Friday, July 26, 2013, in Culver City, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
One thing Friday?s Pac-12 media day did was fire up a whole lot of people for college football, regardless of where their team finished a season ago or where their team is predicted to finish this time around. By the last week of July, yesterday?s losses had faded and tomorrow?s wins were vibrant.
Part of this optimism was provided by the league?s coaches, so eager to move forward, the big winners toward continued success, the middle-of-the-packers toward increased success, the losers toward any success.
Utah?s Kyle Whittingham was one of the more efficient presenters, doling out information to reporters as though they were players in his team room. Concise. Direct. Honest. He said last year?s 5-7 season, 3-6 in league, "ticks you off. It leaves a bad taste in your mouth. It?s motivation."
He added that the Utes being picked by the media to finish fifth in the Pac-12 South was of little significance to him and his team. "It means nothing," he said. "It?s something we don?t pay any attention to. The players glance at it and put it aside."
More from Whittingham in a minute. First, a few observations from and about other Pac-12 coaches:
Stanford?s David Shaw was articulate and smooth, half answering questions, half selling the merits of his program. When asked, off subject a bit, whether athletes should be given additional money for playing college football, he showed empathy for the needs of student-athletes, but reminded everybody that, at Stanford, those student-athletes already were getting a $58,000-a-year education.
Mike Leach reacted to questions about his old statements regarding last year?s Wazzu team being a bunch of zombies and corpses. He said those zombies and corpses had a great offseason. He also talked about his upcoming book and said that everybody should buy it.
Sonny Dykes, the new coach at Cal, said the pomp and circumstance surrounding the Pac-12 was a lot different than what he experienced at La. Tech in the WAC. He said the Bears would take their offense up-tempo, that doing so was not unsafe for players, and that Cal, coming off a woeful 3-9 season, 2-7 in league, was going to "surprise some people."
Washington?s Steve Sarkisian, also known as Seven-Win Steve, said his team is looking forward to better performances, better fortune and, at last, more wins. He?s gone 7-6 the past three seasons, which is an improvement over his first year (5-7).
Mark Helfrich sounded and looked like a man comfortable enough to have been stretching out on his Barcalounger. Despite being a new head coach at Oregon, he knows he?s got the fastest car on the track, a car he helped build and tune as the Ducks? offensive crew chief the past four seasons. "It?s an honor to follow in Chip Kelly?s footsteps," he said. It?s even more of an honor when you?ve got De?Anthony Thomas, who rolled for 1,757 all-purpose yards in 2012 and Marcus Mariota, an All-Pac-12 quarterback who broke the league?s freshman record for touchdown passes with 32.
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Lane Kiffin?s Q-and-A session lasted longer than anyone else?s. No big surprise. USC underachieved badly last season with a 7-6 record, 5-4 in the South, and, despite Trojan AD Pat Haden saying Kiffin?s job is safe, nobody believes that. The coach has to come up with a new starting quarterback and overall consistency that last year?s team lacked. Kiffin talked about the bevy of four-star recruits SC is bringing in this season and he admitted his team needs them.
Of all the coaches, though, Whttingham burned from Point A to Point Z with the most candor and clarity. He said Utah?s top three biggest failings from a year ago were "the throw game, red-zone defense and lack of takeaways." He talked about Travis Wilson and how desperate the Utes are for continuity at quarterback, something they haven?t had over the past four seasons. He also addressed how much quality recruiting has picked up since Utah joined the Pac-12, saying that many ? up to three-fourths ? of the athletes the program has recently attracted wouldn?t have come otherwise.
Utah?s in deep need, having lost so many players from last year?s team.
"[We] can?t wait to get back at it after the obvious disappointment of last season, not getting to a bowl game," Whittingham said. "It gave us a lot of time to reflect in the offseason. ? Offensively, we didn?t throw the ball near well enough. That?s the primary reason we brought Dennis [Erickson] in ? to jump-start the offense, the throw game in particular.
"Defensively, we?ve got some things to correct. Red-zone defense was awful compared to what we?re used to. Didn?t take the ball away nearly enough. Those are the two biggest areas that led to a very average year on defense. ? We?ve got some things to work on, without a doubt."
Two bits of buoyancy for the Utes, Whittingham said, are found where the rough stuff happens: "We feel we are much improved on the offensive line, and we will once again be one of the best defensive lines in the conference."
Take, then, what you will from Pac-12 media day ? optimism, pessimism or realism. In the final week of July, winning or even losing sounds better than no football at all.
Gordon Monson hosts "The Big Show" with Spence Checketts weekdays from 3-7 p.m. on 97.5 FM/1280 and 960 AM The Zone. Twitter: @GordonMonson.
Copyright 2013 The Salt Lake Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
NEW YORK (AP) ? A convicted sex offender has pleaded guilty to repeatedly using phony credentials to gain entry into New York City jails.
The New York Post (http://bit.ly/17HthlL ) reports that 36-year-old Yonkers resident Matthew Matagrano pleaded guilty Thursday to posing as a correction officer and sneaking into the Manhattan Detention Center.
During one of those visits, on Feb. 27, Matagrano assaulted an inmate and stole a $2,500 walkie-talkie. He also handed out cigarettes to inmates.
It's not clear why the former inmate, whose rap sheet includes a conviction for sodomy and sexual abuse, wanted to get back into jails.
He faces 10 years behind bars at sentencing.
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Information from: New York Post, http://www.nypost.com
3 seasons, 2 national championships... on the fourth now with some good recruits. One thing I don't like about dynasty is loosing the current Vols roster through attrition. I like winning with our current players (in the past seasons it's the only way I can re-live the glory, lol.)
This image released by ABC shows host Robin Roberts, left, with Juror B29 from the George Zimmerman trial, center, and attorney David Chico on "Good Morning America," in New York on Thursday, July 25, 2013. Portions of Roberts' interview with the only minority juror from the Zimmerman trial, will air on "World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer," and "Nightline" on Thursday and the full interview will air on "Good Morning America," on Friday. (AP Photo/ABC, Donna Svennevik)
This image released by ABC shows host Robin Roberts, left, with Juror B29 from the George Zimmerman trial, center, and attorney David Chico on "Good Morning America," in New York on Thursday, July 25, 2013. Portions of Roberts' interview with the only minority juror from the Zimmerman trial, will air on "World News Tonight with Diane Sawyer," and "Nightline" on Thursday and the full interview will air on "Good Morning America," on Friday. (AP Photo/ABC, Donna Svennevik)
MIAMI (AP) ? A juror says she feels like she let Trayvon Martin's parents down by agreeing to acquit George Zimmerman in the teen's fatal shooting.
In a taped interview aired Friday on ABC's "Good Morning America," juror B29 said jurors couldn't find enough evidence under Florida law to convict the neighborhood watch volunteer in the February 2012 death.
The juror agreed to let ABC show her face and use her first name, Maddy. She says she "fought to the end" but stands by the verdict returned earlier this month by the six-member, all-woman jury.
The 36-year-old Puerto Rican mother says the decision was difficult.
But the juror said she wants Martin's mother to know that her son will always be in her heart.
If I told you there was a big, bad storm out in the Gulf headed our way, would you pay attention?
Of course, you would.
You would do all the right things to protect your home and family. You?d have a plan for backup food supplies, fuel and maybe a generator.
Well, there?s not one in the Gulf now, so don?t worry. And we?re keeping a careful watch on Tropical Storm Dorian, which has formed in the Atlantic and is expected to sweep west toward the coast.
We?ll know more in the next few days, so stay tuned on that. Right now, we?re not even sure if it will reach the United States; most of the computer models thus far show it curving hard to the north before reaching us. That is subject to change, as we all know. We?ll keep watching and see.
But alerting you to other big, bad things in the community is not always met with the same level of urgency.
The truth is heart-related diseases are more of a threat than any tropical storm.
We know you are passionate about health and fitness issues. We know you worry about every sniffle, scrape and bruise your child gets. We know you want a healthy lifestyle for your spouse and family.
And we know you buckle your seat belt, drive with extra care with loved ones in the car and do your best to obey traffic safety laws.
But did you know that someone dies from cardiovascular disease about every 39 seconds? Did you know that heart disease kills more women than all forms of cancer combined?
And did you know that congenital cardiovascular defects are the leading cause of infant deaths due to birth defects?
Helping you meet your health and fitness goals is one reason we?ve started Move.Tallahassee.com.
But knowing you are so passionate about the health of your family is also a reason I agreed to chair this year?s American Heart Association?s Big Bend Heart Walk.
I want you to mark this down:? 8 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 28 at Tom Brown Park. Put it in your calendar.
More to the point, go to this website, register and donate or pledge as much as you can.
I can promise you that the American Heart Association gives back to Tallahassee a lot more than we give, and our goal for giving is huge this year: $265,000. We?ve raised only $80,000 so far.
As a survivor of cardiovascular disease, I thank you for helping to save my life.
As someone who loves this community and how much we do to make it a better place, I invite you to join us on a community walk and on the Move.Tallahassee.com website.
As chairman of this year?s walk, I thank you for anything you can do to help. ??????
You can send comments by clicking on my blogs on Tallahassee.com and Move.Tallahassee.com , e-mailing me at bgabordi@tallahassee.com or sending a private message on Facebook, Tallahassee.com or Twitter @bgabordi. My mailing address is Bob Gabordi, Executive Editor, Tallahassee Democrat, P.O. Box 990, Tallahassee, FL 32302. Call me at 850-599-2177.
The Park City Police Department arrested a Florida man on Sunday on a charge that he tried to buy drugs outside a convenience store.
The man is 25 years old and from Winter Garden, Fla., the police said. He was charged with attempting to solicit illegal drugs. The charge was enhanced to a third-degree felony since the location was close to City Park, which is a declared drug-free zone, the police said. The man was also charged with a class B misdemeanor count of failing to produce identification at the request of a police officer.
The police said the man approached a juvenile boy asking that the boy sell him marijuana at just after 4 p.m. The juvenile became scared, fled and then called 911. A responding police officer found a suspect matching the description provided by the juvenile.
The police said the man did not cooperate and was detained and handcuffed. He then acknowledged attempting to buy marijuana, the police said. The man did not have any drugs with him when he was arrested, according to the police.
"It certainly frightened the young man. We're fortunate he called the police," Phil Kirk, a Police Department captain, said.
A third-degree felony is punishable by zero to five years in state prison and a $5,000 fine upon conviction.
Details of the rollout are forthcoming in the weeks and months ahead
After an announcement in April that Provo, Utah would be the third city to receive Google Fiber, Google's gigabit internet and television service, the mayor of Provo has announced that an agreement has been reached between Google and the city. The deal has officially closed, and the roll out campaign is underway.
No specific details are available about which neighborhood will become the first 'Fiberhood,' or when the roll out is expected to be completed, but mayor John Curtis promises 'a course in Google Fiber 101' in the coming weeks and months.
According to the mayor, "It’s been an adventure and our internal team has worked extremely hard alongside Google Fiber’s to jump the last few hurdles and get the city ready for the significant upgrades about to take place. These changes will without a doubt transform our community and the way we operate in it." It's definitely an exciting time for the citizens of Provo. Which city is next?
Hasbro Inc. (HAS), the world?s second-largest toymaker, is showing signs that its games business just may thrive in an iPad world.
Sales of games such as Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering rose 19% to $255.4 million in the second quarter, Pawtucket, Rhode Island-based Hasbro said today in a statement. That was the unit?s third straight sales gain and reverses a 7.6% drop in the same period a year earlier.
Hasbro has remade classic products, such as turning Twister into Twister Dance and incorporating pop music into the game, to lure a younger set accustomed to digital elements in their play. After years of playing catch-up to Zynga Inc. (ZNGA) and others in the market for games played on Apple Inc.?s best-selling tablet, Hasbro two weeks ago acquired a stake in Backflip Studios, maker of titles such as DragonVale and Paper Toss.
?Hasbro got its head knocked in, in the games area three years ago,? Sean McGowan, an analyst at Needham & Co. in New York, said in an interview. ?This is evidence that at least for now they figured it out.?
The good news in the games business lifted the shares amid profit and sales that trailed analysts? estimates. Net income fell 16% to $36.5 million, or $0.28 a share, while sales declined 5.6% to $766.3 million. Analysts projected earnings of $0.34 and revenue of $789.7 million.
Hasbro rose 3.3% to $46.87 at the close in New York, the biggest gain since April 22. The shares have climbed 31% this year, compared with a 19% advance for the Standard & Poor?s 500 Index.
Earnings Miss
The earnings and revenue misses were due to declining sales of boys toys, which were up against tough comparisons from a year earlier, when the latest Spider-Man and Transformers films boosted revenue, McGowan said. Revenue from the boys unit fell 35% to $253.7 million. The division should rebound next year with a better lineup of entertainment tie-ins, including the fourth film in the Transformers series, and Stars Wars-related television shows, he said.
?What looked like a company that had weakness everywhere, now only has weakness in one area that is almost certainly going to be better next year,? McGowan said.
Hasbro also announced that it extended its merchandising partnership with Walt Disney Co.?s Marvel brand two years to 2020. The extended term includes $80 million in additional royalty payments to Disney.
The toymaker also signed a new deal with the Star Wars brand, which Disney acquired last year from Lucasfilm Ltd. While Hasbro?s previous pact went through 2020, it didn?t account for the decision to release at least three more Star Wars films so it will pay as much as $225 million in guaranteed payments. The seventh film in the Star Wars series is planned for release in 2015, Hasbro said.
Hasbro?s results came after Mattel Inc. (MAT), the world?s largest toymaker, fell the most in 15 months on July 17 amid profit that trailed analysts? estimates and declining demand for the Barbie brand.
Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
This article originally published at Bloomberg here
3 new studies being presented at international conference offer positive results for human, animal and community well-being
Chicago, US (July 22, 2013) --- Positive results from three new studies on human-animal interaction (HAI) are being presented today at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) in Chicago, IL. The studies, supported by funding from Mars and the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition (WALTHAM), examined how pets impact our physical and emotional well-being and our social relationships and community connectedness. WALTHAM is the state-of-the-art petcare science centre for Mars Petcare and provides the science and expertise underpinning leading Mars Petcare brands.
"We are seeing a number of critical advances in the field that are expanding our understanding of the benefits of human-animal interaction for human, animal, and community well-being. We are proud to support important research in this area and advance and share knowledge of the positive and lasting effects of pet ownership," said Dr. Sandra McCune, Scientific Leader - Human-Animal Interaction, at WALTHAM.
As a lead sponsor in this year's conference and long-term supporter of HAI research, WALTHAM sponsored several studies presented at the IAHAIO conference, including the following:
Interaction with Horses Boosts Adolescents' Social Skills A study at Washington State University revealed that interacting with horses improved young adolescents' self-awareness, self-management, personal responsibility, decision-making, and relationship skills, and provided insights into the interplay between the children's emotional and physiological responses. The study consisted of 64 young teens, aged 10-14 years, who were assigned to either an experimental or control group. Those in the experimental group participated in an 11-week equine-facilitated learning program designed to increase social competence through a series of once-weekly, 90-minute sessions of individual, team, and group-focused equine-facilitated activities. Those in the control group were observed as a comparison, and were offered the learning programme at a later date. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol were collected prior to the programme and throughout the riding session. Using a self-report survey, the participants' levels of positive and negative emotion were measured immediately before mounting the horse, ten minutes later, and immediately after dismounting. At the end of the session, independent observers rated the teens' positive behaviours, such as following direction and accepting feedback, and negative behaviours, such as being argumentative or hyperactive. Those teens who demonstrated positive behaviour during the first riding session were more likely to see improvements in their social competence over the full 11-week programme period, and those who had produced increased levels of cortisol in response to riding were more likely to report negative emotion and behaviour, suggesting that strategies to regulate participants' physiological responses are needed to maximise the positive effects of equine-facilitated learning programmes. In addition to funding from Mars and WALTHAM, this study was also supported by funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dog Interaction May Provide Help for People with Dementia New research from the University of Maryland suggests that structured interaction with dogs could be an effective approach for preserving and even enhancing the mental health and physical function of people with dementia. The study involved 40 elderly adults with dementia residing in assisted-living facilities and found a reduction in depression following a pet-assisted living programme involving regular interaction with a dog. The study also indicated a trend for improved physical function as a result of the pet-assisted living programme. Participants in this study had two, 60-90 minute sessions a week for three months in which they were encouraged to interact with the visiting dog. A control group was encouraged to reminisce about their experiences with researchers and other residents in a way that involved both social skills and small motor skills.
Pet Ownership Improves Social Relationships and Connects Communities According to new research by the University of Western Australia, pet ownership helps improve social networks and access to social support, with pet owners more likely to get to know new people and make new friends. This international study involved a telephone survey of a random sample of more than 2500 adults from Perth (Australia), San Diego, Portland and Nashville (US). Dog walking was found to be one of the top five ways to meet new people and, overall, more pet owners than non-pet owners got to know new people since moving to their current neighbourhood. Additionally, the research found that people who walk their dog achieved sufficient physical activity on more days a week than people who don't own a dog.
The involvement of Mars Petcare and WALTHAM in IAHAIO is part of a broader commitment to human-animal interaction research, which also includes major sponsorship of the annual conference hosted by the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) that took place earlier this week on July 18-19 in Chicago and also featured research by WALTHAM, their collaborators and grantees.
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For additional information about the research results, go to http://www.iahaio.org.
References:
Associations Between Momentary Emotion, Basal Cortisol Production and Reactivity, and Observed Behavior in a Sample of Normal and At-Risk 5th Through 8th Grade Children During Their First Mounted Equine Facilitated Learning Activity. Patricia Pendry, Alexa Carr, Annelise Smith, Stephanie Roeter, (All: Washington State University, US)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Experimental Trial Demonstrates Positive Effects of Equine Facilitated Learning on Child Social Competence. Pendry. P & Roeter.S, Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin 2013, Vol 1, No 1, 1-19.
The Pet Assisted Living intervention for functional status in assisted living residents. Erika Friedmann (University of Maryland, US), Elizabeth Galik (University of Maryland, US), Sue A. Thomas (University of Maryland, US), P. Sue Hall (University of Maryland, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Pounding the pavement: Does dog walking influence perceptions of safety? Hayley Christian (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Lisa Wood (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Andrea Nathan (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Karen Martin (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Stephen Houghton (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Ichiro Kawachi (Harvard University, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Companion animals as a conduit for fostering social networks and social support. Lisa Wood (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Hayley Christian (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Andrea Nathan (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Claire Lauritsen (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Karen Martin (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Stephen Houghton (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Ichiro Kawachi (Harvard University, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
About the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition:
Celebrating 50 years of innovative science, the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition serves as a leading scientific authority in advancing the frontiers of research into the nutrition and health of companion animals. Located in Leicestershire, England, the renowned state-of-the-art science institute for Mars, Incorporated generates knowledge that enables the development of innovative products that meet pets' needs in a practical way. Since the publication of its first original research in 1963, WALTHAM has pioneered many important breakthroughs in the field of pet nutrition and human-animal interaction, resulting in more than 1,700 publications, including over 600 peer-review scientific papers. Today, WALTHAM continues to collaborate with the world's foremost scientific institutes, driving Mars' Petcare vision to create a better world for pets and providing the science and expertise that underpins leading Mars brands such as WHISKAS, PEDIGREE, NUTRO, TRILL, CESAR, SHEBA, KITEKAT, DREAMIES, AQUARIAN, WINERGY, BANFIELD Pet Hospital and the ROYAL CANIN brand.
About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 72,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.
Mars brands include: Petcare PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, WHISKAS, KITEKAT, BANFIELD Pet Hospital, NUTRO, SHEBA, DREAMIES and CESAR; Chocolate M&M'S, SNICKERS, DOVE, GALAXY, MARS, MILKY WAY and TWIX; Wrigley DOUBLEMINT, EXTRA, ORBIT and 5 chewing gums, SKITTLES and STARBURST candies, and ALTOIDS AND LIFESAVERS mints. Food UNCLE BEN'S, DOLMIO, EBLY, MASTERFOODS, SEEDS OF CHANGE and ROYCO; Drinks ALTERRA Coffee Roasterscoffee, THE BRIGHT TEA CO. tea,DOVE/GALAXY Hot Chocolate, and FLAVIA brewer; Symbioscience COCOAVIA, WISDOM PANEL and SERAMIS.
For more information, please visit http://www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars.
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New research findings highlight benefits of human-animal interactionPublic release date: 22-Jul-2013 [ | E-mail | Share ]
3 new studies being presented at international conference offer positive results for human, animal and community well-being
Chicago, US (July 22, 2013) --- Positive results from three new studies on human-animal interaction (HAI) are being presented today at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations (IAHAIO) in Chicago, IL. The studies, supported by funding from Mars and the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition (WALTHAM), examined how pets impact our physical and emotional well-being and our social relationships and community connectedness. WALTHAM is the state-of-the-art petcare science centre for Mars Petcare and provides the science and expertise underpinning leading Mars Petcare brands.
"We are seeing a number of critical advances in the field that are expanding our understanding of the benefits of human-animal interaction for human, animal, and community well-being. We are proud to support important research in this area and advance and share knowledge of the positive and lasting effects of pet ownership," said Dr. Sandra McCune, Scientific Leader - Human-Animal Interaction, at WALTHAM.
As a lead sponsor in this year's conference and long-term supporter of HAI research, WALTHAM sponsored several studies presented at the IAHAIO conference, including the following:
Interaction with Horses Boosts Adolescents' Social Skills A study at Washington State University revealed that interacting with horses improved young adolescents' self-awareness, self-management, personal responsibility, decision-making, and relationship skills, and provided insights into the interplay between the children's emotional and physiological responses. The study consisted of 64 young teens, aged 10-14 years, who were assigned to either an experimental or control group. Those in the experimental group participated in an 11-week equine-facilitated learning program designed to increase social competence through a series of once-weekly, 90-minute sessions of individual, team, and group-focused equine-facilitated activities. Those in the control group were observed as a comparison, and were offered the learning programme at a later date. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol were collected prior to the programme and throughout the riding session. Using a self-report survey, the participants' levels of positive and negative emotion were measured immediately before mounting the horse, ten minutes later, and immediately after dismounting. At the end of the session, independent observers rated the teens' positive behaviours, such as following direction and accepting feedback, and negative behaviours, such as being argumentative or hyperactive. Those teens who demonstrated positive behaviour during the first riding session were more likely to see improvements in their social competence over the full 11-week programme period, and those who had produced increased levels of cortisol in response to riding were more likely to report negative emotion and behaviour, suggesting that strategies to regulate participants' physiological responses are needed to maximise the positive effects of equine-facilitated learning programmes. In addition to funding from Mars and WALTHAM, this study was also supported by funding from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the US National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Dog Interaction May Provide Help for People with Dementia New research from the University of Maryland suggests that structured interaction with dogs could be an effective approach for preserving and even enhancing the mental health and physical function of people with dementia. The study involved 40 elderly adults with dementia residing in assisted-living facilities and found a reduction in depression following a pet-assisted living programme involving regular interaction with a dog. The study also indicated a trend for improved physical function as a result of the pet-assisted living programme. Participants in this study had two, 60-90 minute sessions a week for three months in which they were encouraged to interact with the visiting dog. A control group was encouraged to reminisce about their experiences with researchers and other residents in a way that involved both social skills and small motor skills.
Pet Ownership Improves Social Relationships and Connects Communities According to new research by the University of Western Australia, pet ownership helps improve social networks and access to social support, with pet owners more likely to get to know new people and make new friends. This international study involved a telephone survey of a random sample of more than 2500 adults from Perth (Australia), San Diego, Portland and Nashville (US). Dog walking was found to be one of the top five ways to meet new people and, overall, more pet owners than non-pet owners got to know new people since moving to their current neighbourhood. Additionally, the research found that people who walk their dog achieved sufficient physical activity on more days a week than people who don't own a dog.
The involvement of Mars Petcare and WALTHAM in IAHAIO is part of a broader commitment to human-animal interaction research, which also includes major sponsorship of the annual conference hosted by the International Society for Anthrozoology (ISAZ) that took place earlier this week on July 18-19 in Chicago and also featured research by WALTHAM, their collaborators and grantees.
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For additional information about the research results, go to http://www.iahaio.org.
References:
Associations Between Momentary Emotion, Basal Cortisol Production and Reactivity, and Observed Behavior in a Sample of Normal and At-Risk 5th Through 8th Grade Children During Their First Mounted Equine Facilitated Learning Activity. Patricia Pendry, Alexa Carr, Annelise Smith, Stephanie Roeter, (All: Washington State University, US)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Experimental Trial Demonstrates Positive Effects of Equine Facilitated Learning on Child Social Competence. Pendry. P & Roeter.S, Human-Animal Interaction Bulletin 2013, Vol 1, No 1, 1-19.
The Pet Assisted Living intervention for functional status in assisted living residents. Erika Friedmann (University of Maryland, US), Elizabeth Galik (University of Maryland, US), Sue A. Thomas (University of Maryland, US), P. Sue Hall (University of Maryland, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Pounding the pavement: Does dog walking influence perceptions of safety? Hayley Christian (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Lisa Wood (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Andrea Nathan (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Karen Martin (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Stephen Houghton (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Ichiro Kawachi (Harvard University, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
Companion animals as a conduit for fostering social networks and social support. Lisa Wood (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Hayley Christian (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Andrea Nathan (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Claire Lauritsen (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Karen Martin (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Stephen Houghton (The University of Western Australia, Aus), Ichiro Kawachi (Harvard University, US), Sandra McCune (WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition, UK)
[Presented at the triennial conference of the International Association of Human-Animal Interaction Organizations - "IAHAIO 2013: Humans and animals: The inevitable bond"]
About the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition:
Celebrating 50 years of innovative science, the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition serves as a leading scientific authority in advancing the frontiers of research into the nutrition and health of companion animals. Located in Leicestershire, England, the renowned state-of-the-art science institute for Mars, Incorporated generates knowledge that enables the development of innovative products that meet pets' needs in a practical way. Since the publication of its first original research in 1963, WALTHAM has pioneered many important breakthroughs in the field of pet nutrition and human-animal interaction, resulting in more than 1,700 publications, including over 600 peer-review scientific papers. Today, WALTHAM continues to collaborate with the world's foremost scientific institutes, driving Mars' Petcare vision to create a better world for pets and providing the science and expertise that underpins leading Mars brands such as WHISKAS, PEDIGREE, NUTRO, TRILL, CESAR, SHEBA, KITEKAT, DREAMIES, AQUARIAN, WINERGY, BANFIELD Pet Hospital and the ROYAL CANIN brand.
About Mars, Incorporated
In 1911, Frank C. Mars made the first Mars candies in his Tacoma, Washington kitchen and established Mars' first roots as a confectionery company. In the 1920s, Forrest E. Mars, Sr. joined his father in business and together they launched the MILKY WAY bar. In 1932, Forrest, Sr. moved to the United Kingdom with a dream of building a business based on the objective of creating a "mutuality of benefits for all stakeholders" this objective serves as the foundation of Mars, Incorporated today. Based in McLean, Virginia, Mars has net sales of more than $33 billion, six business segments including Petcare, Chocolate, Wrigley, Food, Drinks, Symbioscience, and more than 72,000 Associates worldwide that are putting its Principles into action to make a difference for people and the planet through its performance.
Mars brands include: Petcare PEDIGREE, ROYAL CANIN, WHISKAS, KITEKAT, BANFIELD Pet Hospital, NUTRO, SHEBA, DREAMIES and CESAR; Chocolate M&M'S, SNICKERS, DOVE, GALAXY, MARS, MILKY WAY and TWIX; Wrigley DOUBLEMINT, EXTRA, ORBIT and 5 chewing gums, SKITTLES and STARBURST candies, and ALTOIDS AND LIFESAVERS mints. Food UNCLE BEN'S, DOLMIO, EBLY, MASTERFOODS, SEEDS OF CHANGE and ROYCO; Drinks ALTERRA Coffee Roasterscoffee, THE BRIGHT TEA CO. tea,DOVE/GALAXY Hot Chocolate, and FLAVIA brewer; Symbioscience COCOAVIA, WISDOM PANEL and SERAMIS.
For more information, please visit http://www.mars.com. Follow us: facebook.com/mars, twitter.com/marsglobal, youtube.com/mars.
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[unable to retrieve full-text content]Researchers have discovered a new chemical reaction that has the potential to lower the cost and streamline the manufacture of compounds ranging from agricultural chemicals to pharmaceutical drugs. The reaction resolves a long-standing challenge in organic chemistry in creating phenolic compounds from aromatic hydrocarbons quickly and cheaply.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. home resales unexpectedly fell in June after two straight months of hefty increases, but a surge in prices to a five-year high suggested the housing market recovery remained on course.
The National Association of Realtors said on Monday home sales fell 1.2 percent to an annual rate of 5.08 million units. Still, the sales pace was the second highest for any month since November 2009.
While the NAR suggested that a spike in mortgage rates had contributed to dampening sales last month, economists were skeptical, noting that the resales mostly reflected contracts signed in May.
"The rise in mortgage rates is a headwind, but it's probably not enough to derail the home sales recovery. The fundamentals in the market are still very good," said Guy Berger, an economist at RBS in Stamford, Connecticut.
Economists polled by Reuters had expected sales to increase to a 5.25 million unit pace in June. Sales, which were up 15.2 percent from their year-ago level, fell in three regions and were flat in the Midwest compared with May.
Mortgage rates have been rising in anticipation of the Federal Reserve starting to reduce its massive monetary stimulus later this year.
According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed mortgage rate increased 0.53 percentage point in June to 4.07 percent, its highest level since October 2011. Still, mortgage rates remain low and Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke last week expressed optimism the housing market recovery would continue.
The recovery, marked by a surge in prices and dwindling inventories, is helping to shore up the economy by bolstering household finances and supporting consumer spending.
Financial markets largely shrugged off the report.
STRONG FUNDAMENTALS
Even though sales pulled back last month, there was little in the home data to suggest an unraveling of the recovery.
The median price for a previously owned home soared 13.5 percent from a year ago to $214,200, the highest since June 2008. The inventory of unsold homes on the market rose 1.9 percent from May, pushing the months' supply to 5.2.
While that was up from May's 5.0 months, it remained below the 6.0 months that is normally considered as a healthy balance between supply and demand. Economists say tight supply has weighed on sales.
Other details of the report were also encouraging. Distressed properties - which can depress prices because they typically sell at deep discounts - accounted for only 15 percent of sales last month.
That was the lowest since the Realtors group started monitoring them in October 2008. These properties, foreclosures and short sales, had made up 18 percent of sales in May.
In another sign of underlying strength, properties are selling more quickly. A home's median time on the market in June was 37 days. That was down from 41 days in May and 70 days a year ago, and it was the fewest days since the NAR started monitoring that number in May 2011. Before the market collapsed in 2006, it usually took about 90 days to sell a home.
About 47 percent of all homes sold in June had been on the market for less than a month.
"The underlying fundamentals are indicative of a continuation of the broad-based housing market recovery as affordability remains near record levels and mortgage rates remain low from a historical perspective," said Gennadiy Goldberg, an economist at TD Securities in New York.
But there were some potential red flags in the report.
First-time buyers accounted for 29 percent of the transactions, far below the 40 percent to 45 percent economists and real estate professionals view as ideal. These buyers are being sidelined by stringent lending practices and lean inventory in the low end of the market.
Investors, who have been the main drivers of sales, bought 17 percent of the homes in June.
That was down a touch from 18 percent in May and 19 percent a year ago. The NAR said it was unclear whether this was just an anomaly or a sign the sustained increase in home prices was starting to make investors a bit more cautious.
Cash sales accounted for 31 percent of transactions in June, down from 33 percent in May.
(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea Ricci)
To me, these are the professional athletes that seem to stir the most controversy whether playing the sport or away from the sport. Their morals are questioned, their press conferences can make people hate them, or they can simply let their egos take them over. And some are just big bullies. They are all great athletes, but at the same time their ego or arrogance is bigger than their game. If you feel like I have missed some athletes that are over the top egotistical maniacs feel free to add them with the best photo you can find. Thanks.
HEBRON, N.Y. -- One person is dead and four others injured... after a serious crash in Washington County.
State police say it happened around 10p.m. Saturday night on State Route 22 in the Town of Hebron. Troopers say 3 vehicles were involved. And the driver of one of those was killed.
Injuries range from minor to serious. But according to troopers none of the injuries are life threatening.
The road is still closed in that area as crash investigators try to figure out what happened.
July 20, 2013 at 8:09 am | In West Seattle news, WS miscellaneous | 2 Comments
(8:30 am photo: Seafair Pirates already have landed in the Admiral District, pre-parade!) Biggest day of West Seattle?s season of summer fun! And this is just SOME of it ? even more is on the WSB West Seattle Event Calendar:
CSWS RUMMAGE SALE: 8 am-8 pm, one of our area?s biggest annual rummage sales, with a bake sale too! (9450 22nd SW)
FLOAT DODGER 5K: 9:45 am, the second annual edition of this fun pre-parade race ? see the route here. Run in costume! Win prizes (see the list here)! Receive cheers from people waiting for the parade! You can still sign up pre-race starting at 8 am. (Starts at California/Charlestown)
ROTARY KIDDIE PARADE: 10 am, check-in starts at California/Genesee; 11 am, kids are invited to walk, roll, skip, pedal in the Rotary Club of West Seattle?s annual mini-parade, which also features the Junior All-City Band (see our Friday night preview).
ALKI ART FAIR: 10 am-6 pm for artists, music until 9 pm, on the promenade at the beach. See the artist/food vendor list in our Thursday preview; see today?s music lineup for the two main stages here (PDF). Free shuttle if you park at West Seattle High School (3000 California SW)
COMMUNITY GARDEN TOUR: Village Green Perennial Nursery has organized a free self-guided West Seattle/White Center tour spotlighting rain gardens, urban farming, beekeeping, and other sustainability practices, 10 am-4 pm today, ? see the map and more info here.
FRIENDS OF MORGAN JUNCTION PARKS CLEANUP: 10 am-noon, lots of help needed to continue beautifying Morgan Junction Park! Details in the calendar listing.
WEST SEATTLE GRAND PARADE: 11 am, more than 70 entries from motorcycles to marching bands to unicycles to drill teams to community groups (and more!), heading south on California from Lander to Edmunds. The parade is presented by West Seattle?s American Legion Post 160. Here?s the official website; here?s our coverage archive, with multiple previews (as well as coverage of past years).
BARBECUE LUNCH FOR WESTSIDE BABY: Today?s 11 am-~4 pm benefit barbecue at West Seattle Thriftway (WSB sponsor) raises money for WestSide Baby on the weekend of its biggest annual diaper drive ? more on that a few entries down! (California/Fauntleroy/Morgan)
MEDITERRANEAN FANTASY FESTIVAL: Belly dancing, vendors, food and more, in the park at Hiawatha Community Center. The dancer lineup for today ? outdoors and indoors, 11 am-7 pm ? is here; other details are in printed programs on site. (2700 California SW)
BYE, BYE BERTHA: 11:30 am, not in West Seattle, but Highway 99 affects us in a big way, so the official sendoff for the tunnel-boring machine might be of interest. It starts with speeches and a ceremony at 11:30, and continues until 3 pm with launch-pit tours. Full details here.
KIWANIS BENEFIT MOTORCYCLE/SCOOTER RALLY/POKER RUN: The Bridge is the start and finish spot for the Kiwanis Club of West Seattle?s 5th annual Charity Motorcycle and Scooter Rally (Poker Run), from registration at noon till the conclusion of the afterparty around 7 ? full details in our calendar listing. (4439 35th SW, and beyond!)
BACKPACK GIVEAWAY AND BARBECUE: Eastridge Church presents a family festival including a barbecue lunch and backpack giveaway, 1-3 pm at Delridge Community Center; full details in the calendar listing.
GATEWOOD ELEMENTARY PLAYDATES: Meet your future schoolmates long before the new school year starts! 1-3 pm on the Gatewood playground ? details here.
FUNDRAISER FOR JAN: Longtime WSB?er Jan Seeley is recovering from a long-needed kidney transplant, and well enough now that friends are throwing a party starting at 2 pm today. It?s a multi-part party, explained in this Facebook event.
EARLY ?STUFF THE BUS? DONATIONS: The big diaper drive for WestSide Baby is Sunday ? but today, you can drop off diapers early, 4-7 pm, with WS Baby volunteers tabling at:
*West Seattle QFC on SW Alaska St & 42nd Ave SW (Alaska Junction) *West Seattle Safeway on SW Admiral Way & California Ave SW (Admiral Junction) *West Seattle Safeway on SW Alaska St & 42nd Ave SW (Jefferson Square) *White Center Safeway on SW Roxbury St & 28th Ave SW
WEST SEATTLE OUTDOOR MOVIES: At dusk tonight in the courtyard by Hotwire Online Coffeehouse (WSB sponsor), this year?s Outdoor Movies series (co-sponsored by WSB) begins with the 1964 James Bond classic ?Goldfinger.? Free, but come early to stake out your spot (BYO chair/blanket), and bring $ for concessions and raffle prizes. Preceded by a short from the web series ?Rocketmen.? And more surprises! (4410 California SW)
SHAKESPEARE IN THE PARK: Greenstage presents ?Merry Wives of Windsor? at High Point Commons Park, 7 pm (map and details on the calendar).
FIREWORKS OFF BEACH DRIVE: At about 10 pm tonight, from a barge off the 4500 block of Beach Drive, a privately arranged (but publicly visible) fireworks show is scheduled. Here?s our original report, and another reminder that cleanup volunteers are welcome tomorrow morning.
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Well, there?s not one in the Gulf now, so don?t worry. And we?re keeping a careful watch on Tropical Storm Dorian, which has formed in the Atlantic and is expected to sweep west toward the coast. 
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Public release date: 22-Jul-2013
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