June 10, 2006, 7:13 PM CT

Women's Skin Tone Influences Perception Of Beauty

Using a revolutionary imaging process, a new study is revealing that wrinkles aren't the only cue the human eye looks for to evaluate age. Scientists at the Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for Urban Ethology (Austria) and the Department for Sociobiology/Anthropology at the University of Goettingen (Germany), have shown that facial skin color distribution, or tone, can add, or subtract, as much as 20 years to a woman's age. The study is to be presented at the Human Behavior and Evolution Society (HBES) annual meeting, June 7-11, 2006, in Philadelphia, PA. The study used 3-D imaging and morphing software technologies to remove wrinkles and bone structure from the equation to determine the true impact of facial skin color distribution on the perception of a woman's age, health and attractiveness and is currently in the edit acceptance process with the journal Evolution and Human Behavior.

"Until now, skin's overall homogeneity and color saturation received little attention among behavioral scientists. This study helps us better understand that wrinkles are not the only age cue. Skin tone and luminosity may be a major signal for mate selection and attractiveness, as well as perceived age," says lead researcher Dr. Karl Grammer, Founder and Scientific Director of the Ludwig-Boltzmann-Institute for Urban Ethology, University of Vienna, Austria.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

June 10, 2006, 7:07 PM CT

Decision to Run for Congress

Why do candidates decide to run for higher political office? New research conducted by political researchers demonstrates that entry decisions by candidates are more complex than previously understood, and that "opportunity alone is insufficient to stimulate ambition for higher office." Given that the health of democracies depends on ambition to generate quality candidates for higher office, this study adds to our knowledge of this phenomenon while presenting new models for understanding its inherent processes.

The authors, Cherie Maestas (Florida State University), Sarah Fulton (University of California, Davis), L. Sandy Maisel (Colby College), and Walter J. Stone (University of California, Davis), develop a two stage model and test it with data drawn from a survey of 874 state legislators whose districts overlap with 200 U.S. House districts in 41 states. It is one of the few such studies to directly test its hypotheses with firsthand data. The results of the research appear in an article entitled "When to Risk It? Institutions, Ambitions, and the Decision to Run for the U.S. House," reported in the recent issue of the American Political Science Review, a journal of the American Political Science Association. It is available online at /imgtest/APSRMay06Maestas_et_al.pdf.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

June 9, 2006, 0:20 AM CT

Young Footballers Playing In New Boots

As the World Cup kicks off, doctors in this week's BMJ report an unusual condition that can develop in budding young footballers.

They describe two cases of toxic shock syndrome (TSS) in children after playing football in new boots. Both developed friction blisters over their Achilles tendons. The blisters contained Staphylococcus aureus, which in one case was found to express the toxic shock syndrome gene (TSS1).

In the first case, a 13-year-old girl developed friction blisters over both heels after playing a competitive game of football in new boots. She was admitted to her local hospital after developing a range of symptoms including fever, rash, abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension), vomiting and diarrhoea.

Further examination revealed a blister, 2cm in diameter, over each of her Achilles tendons containing the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with the toxic shock syndrome gene (TSS1). A diagnosis of toxic shock syndrome was made and she was treated with antibiotics.

In the second case, a healthy 11-year-old boy played football in a new pair of boots, causing a blister on his right heel. Over the next two days he developed fever, vomiting and diarrhoea, and a rash.

Within hours of admission to hospital, his condition deteriorated and his blood pressure fell. Again, pus from the blister on his heel contained Staphylococcus aureus. He also developed a secondary rash during convalescence.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

June 6, 2006, 11:54 PM CT

Creating social inequality across the nation

A study reported in the current issue of Policy Studies Journal finds that state-run lotteries have a serious effect on income distributions. More than taxes and other forms of gambling, lotteries promote the growth of inequality. That is, they aid the rich in getting richer and the poor in becoming poorer.

The authors used state-level data to evaluate the effects of various types of legalized gambling, slot machine parlors to lotteries, from 1976-1995. While various types of non-lottery gambling may produce a variety of outcomes, the authors found no evidence that they influence income equality. "When it comes to income inequality, all types of gambling are not created equal," they conclude.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

June 3, 2006, 7:59 PM CT

Walt Disney Film About Venereal Diseases

Amid says: "Somebody has posted on Google Video a copy of the super-rare 1973 Disney film VD ATTACK PLAN, which is all about venereal disease protection. Who ever said Disney cartoons and condoms don't mix!.

"I also mentioned it on CartoonBrew today."

Watch video........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 3, 2006, 7:11 PM CT

Tom Green is Not Old Media

Irina catches up with Tom Green, testicular cancer survivor and old school media (Hollywood) turned new school media (Internet) dude. Tom, who videoblogs more than we do, tells us about his channel, his deputies, and soon to launch live Internet call in show (June 15th).

Episode links: tom green wikipedia, tomgreen.com, tom's deputies, vloggercon, howdy doody, nick lachey.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 3, 2006, 7:00 PM CT

Superman Returns

IMAX Corporation and Warner Bros. Pictures today announced that Superman Returns, directed by Bryan Singer, will become the world's first live-action Hollywood feature to be converted from 2D to IMAX(R) 3D. IMAX Corporation will use its proprietary 2D to 3D conversion technology to convert approximately 20 minutes of the film into An IMAX 3D Experience(R), the most immersive cinematic 3D in the world.

"Releasing select sequences of Superman Returns in IMAX 3D marks a groundbreaking moment in movies," said Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution at Warner Bros. Pictures. "This film is going to give fans an opportunity to be immersed in a major live-action motion picture like never before".

The epic action-adventure directed by Bryan Singer (X-Men, The Usual Suspects), will be transformed into the unparalleled image and sound quality of The IMAX Experience(R) through IMAX DMR(R) (Digital Re-Mastering) technology. The film will be simultaneously released to IMAX(R) and conventional theatres on June 30, 2006. Warner Bros. Pictures will be the exclusive distributor of the film to the growing IMAX theatre network worldwide.

"The test scenes that have been converted into IMAX 3D look, sound and feel absolutely amazing," added Bryan Singer, Director of Superman Returns. "The magic of IMAX 3D will envelop audiences in this story, enabling them to feel the emotion, drama and suspense in a completely new and unique way".........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

June 3, 2006, 1:55 PM CT

Smart Car

Other than a Mini Cooper, I haven't wanted a car as much as I want one of these. I've been seeing more and more of these little Smart cars zipping around the streets of Hong Kong lately. They are so tiny and cute that I feel like I could just grab one from its rooftop and push it along in traffic like one of those die-cast model toy cars.

I think that up until just recently, the Smart cars were only available in Europe and other Asian countries, but I found out that there is now an importer in Santa Rosa, CA called Zap that has started bringing them in.

The Smart cars come in 3 different styles. In Europe, they're called Fortwo, Forfour, and the Roadster. You can compare them on Smart.

However, they did away with the Roadster in the US, then repackaged and renamed the models as Pure, Pulse, and Passion. All models come in either coupe or cabrio styles. Maybe it's just me, but I kind of like their original, simple and straightforward names.

Even though these Smart cars are not electric or hybrid vehicles, with gas prices continuing to go up and up with no end in sight, it just seems to make sense to be driving a smaller vehicle that gives you good gas mileage. The Smarts (as they're called) have recently been promoted to "starlet" status by starring in the blockbuster movie Da Vincci Code with the lovely Audrey Tautou, so perhaps with their newly established celebrity status, more people will see that small is beautiful, instead of going for the big, bigger, biggest designs of SUVs.........

Posted by: Jim      Permalink         Source

June 1, 2006, 7:10 PM CT

Attention On "666" Superstitions

The number 666 -- the "number of the beast," as per the Book of Revelation -- conjures devilish images for a number of, so forecasts of evil, even doom, are rampant regarding dates or places where the number occurs, including next Tuesday, June 6, or 6-6-06.

Fears of 666, long thought to bethe dreaded mark of Satan, are based on a "widespread misinterpretation" of the chapter in Revelation -- appropriately, chapter 13 -- in which the number is discussed, as per a University at Buffalo expert on the origins, nature and meaning of cults, superstitions and cultural identities.

Phillips Stevens, Jr., Ph.D., associate professor of anthropology, explains that "like most superstitions, the avoidance of the numbers 13 and 666 are examples of magical thinking.

"People everywhere think that things associated with other things, through actual contact or just some similarity, have causal relationships, even over space and time," Stevens says. "Things associated with good events or great people can bring good fortune; things associated with failure, disastrous events or evil people carry some of that negativity with them."

And, like a number of superstitions, the one regarding 666 is based on incorrect data: the "beast" referred to in the chapter is not Satan, but, in fact, several other entities.........

Posted by: Tom      Permalink         Source

May 31, 2006, 8:45 PM CT

Inflatable Widescreens from Sima

Now that World Cup 2006 is around the corner, this new Sima widescreen home theatre will be - all Soccer fans, dream come true. This new screen, XL-8/12 is portable and inflateable using the pump provided and is priced around $1,000.

Coming in sizes of is 96? XL-8 and 144? XL-12 it is guaranteed to provide maximum viewing pleasure. Moreover, the pair of 10? woofers 120W amplified speakers will get even the heavens above shaking.........

Posted by: Gina      Permalink         Source

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