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Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Video: Fans fret over Disney?s new ?Star Wars? movies

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Source: http://video.today.msnbc.msn.com/today/49620722/

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People stare monsters in the eye

Using the fantasy game Dungeons & Dragons, scientists now find one way that people can treat monsters like people too, looking them in the eyes even when those eyes are not located in their heads.

These findings could help researchers better understand autism, where people often fail to meet the eyes of others.

Animals, including birds, dogs, goats, seals, dolphins, monkeys and humans, follow the gazes of where others look. This act of literally seeing others' point of view may have played a key part in the evolution of human socializing.

One question is whether or not people are biased to look at the eyes of others, or simply at the middle of faces where the eyes happen to be. Different brain areas are involved in looking at different parts of the body ? the region known as the superior temporal sulcus is biased toward the eyes, while the nearby fusiform face area is fixated on the middle of peoples' faces.

Learning more about how people aim their gaze relative to that of other species could help to shed light on how these brain mechanisms evolved. It might also yield insights on what brain mechanisms might be compromised in disorders such as autism.

Into the eyes of a monster
To find out, researchers showed 22 university students images from Dungeons & Dragons depicting a range of characters: people; humanoid creatures with eyes in the middle of their faces, such as the game's dragonlike draconians and robotlike warforged; and monstrous creatures that either had eyes positioned outside their heads or lacked heads altogether, such as the amorphous gibbering mouther.

The investigators used cameras to track eye motions of the volunteers, who looked early and often at the eyes, even when it came to monsters.

"I thought that people might eventually look at the eyes of monsters, but really doubted they'd look at them quickly," said researcher Alan Kingstone at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver. "I was truly shocked that people target the eyes about as quickly and as much as human eyes despite the fact that human eyes have the benefit of being located in a reliable position ? that is, middle of the head in the front of the face." [ Tales of Our 10 Favorite Monsters ]

These findings suggest that people normally target the eyes, and not the middle of the head.

"I think that we should test people with autism, or students who vary on the autism quotient scale ? more or less autism-like traits ? to see if monster eyes are looked at less frequently and/or later when one is a person with autism and/or has autistic traits," Kingstone told LiveScience. "The prediction is that they should, and so as silly as it sounds, using monster stimuli might help to screen for autism. When it comes to human faces, people who are autistic often look typical on lab experiments because they may have been taught to look at the center of the head to target the eyes."

Science news from NBCNews.com
1. Political forecasting stirs up a storm
  Science editor Alan Boyle's blog: Nationwide polls may portray the presidential campaign as a neck-and-neck race, but less conventional data-crunching methods spit out a different picture.
2. Scientists look at climate change, superstorm
3. How animals deal with downpours
4. The scariest science experiments ever

Game designer reacts
Dungeons & Dragons designer Bruce Cordell said these findings "resonate with me. The most effective visuals, speaking as a fantasy designer and also as someone who enjoys a good supernatural thriller, is when something I don't expect to be alive suddenly opens its eyes. Whether those eyes are regular-sized, or the size of manhole covers, their sudden opening incites a startling transformation, because my brain suddenly bestows the quality of purpose to what it thought was inert,? Cordell said.

"On the monster-design and monster art side of the question, I think these findings clearly indicate that the most effective monsters, or at least those monsters designed to portray purpose and intent, are ones with discernible eyes," Cordell added. "Personally, I'll stay clear of designing eyeless sludges in the future. However, if I must design a sludge, goo or other wholly non-anthropomorphic creature, I'll throw in eyes, too."

Incidentally, Julian Levy, Kingstone's son, was 12 years old when he proposed the study and collected the data. He is now 14.

Levy, Kingstone and their colleague Tom Foulsham detailed their findings online Wednesday in the journal Biology Letters.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49624605/ns/technology_and_science-science/

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Saturday, October 27, 2012

Tina Fey slams 'legitimate rape' remarks

Cindy Ord / Getty Images

Tina Fey speaks at the Center for Reproductive Rights Inaugural Gala at Jazz at Lincoln Center in New York on Wednesday.

By Josh Grossberg, E! Online

Tina Fey has a bone to pick with politician Todd Akin over his comments on "legitimate rape."

Speaking at the Center for Reproductive Rights' Inaugural Gala in New York Wednesday night, the "30 Rock" star called out the Missouri Republican Senate candidate over his assertion in an August TV interview?that rape victims have a slim chance of getting pregnant because the body "has ways to try to shut the whole thing down."

"Todd Akin claims that women can't really get pregnant from a legitimate rape because the body secretes hormones," Fey told the crowd. "Now I can't even finish this sentence without getting dumber; it's making me dumber when I say it--but it's something about the body not being able to get pregnant when it's under physical stress. Mr. Akin, I think you are confusing the phrase 'legitimate rape' with the phrase 'competitive gymnastics.'"

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosting 2013 Golden Globes

The funnylady's wisecrack isn't surprising, given that she's never shied away from addressing such hot-button topics dating back to her days anchoring Weekend Update on "Saturday Day Night Live." But as a woman, Fey clearly took offense to Akin's controversial view, which has been tacitly accepted by many ultraconservative anti-abortion activists.

"If I have to listen to one more gray-faced man with a two-dollar haircut explain to me what rape is, I'm gonna lose my mind," Fey added. "I watch these guys and I'm, like, 'What is happening? Am I a secretary on 'Mad Men'? What's happening?'"

We wonder what the comic actress's alter ego, Sarah Palin, has to say about it.

Tina Fey brings the funny at Comedy Central's Night of Too Many Stars benefit

The Center for Reproductive Rights is a global legal advocacy group dedicated to advancing and defending reproductive rights, and Fey was tapped to open up last night's program, which honored extraordinary leaders who have blazed new trails for women.

Other celebs in attendance included Stanley Tucci, Jane Seymour, Tate Donovan and Janeane Garofalo.

Hollywood gets political

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iPad Mini pre-orders set to begin early Friday morning

But at least one analyst is predicting that Apple iPad Mini tablets may initially be hard to come by.?

By Matthew Shaer / October 25, 2012

The new iPad mini is projected on a screen at an Apple event in San Jose, Calif, on Oct. 23. An iPad Mini shortage has been projected by some analysts.

Reuters

Enlarge

Earlier this week, Apple introduced the long-awaited iPad Mini. And beginning at 12:01 a.m. Pacific time on Friday ? or 3 a.m. Eastern, if you'd like ? consumers can begin placing their pre-orders for the sleek, square, slim tablet. Mini prices start at $329, for a Wi-Fi-only, 16GB model; the 64GB Wi-Fi Mini will set you back $529. (LTE versions of the tablet won't start shipping for a couple weeks, Apple says.)?

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Friday, October 26, 2012

10 Ways to Sustain a Training Effect in Your Strength and ...

Written on October 25, 2012 at 4:39 pm, by Eric Cressey

I'm going to let you in on a little shocker: I really don't train as hard as I used to train.

Blasphemy, I know.? Every strength and conditioning coach is supposed to constantly be pursuing a mythical level of fitness at all times.? Because it's my job to make people healthier and more athletic, I, in turn, am expected to be able to bench press 800, vertical jump 40 inches, complete a marathon in under three hours, and be able to fart lightning at a moment's notice.? While I can make a decent run at the last challenge after a batch of my mom's famous calico beans recipe, I guess I'm just content with not making optimal progress.

Now, don't get me wrong; I haven't let myself turn into a blob, and I'm still training 5-6 days a week.? The goals, however, have shifted since my last powerlifting meet in December of 2007. Nowadays, I get a lot more excited about watching one of our minor league guys get a big league call-up than I do about a ten-pound squat personal record after a 16-week training cycle. I worry more about being a better husband, business partner, boss, and coach than I do about whether I'm 10 or 11% body fat, and whether it'll make my weight class. And, I certainly expect these priorities to change even more when my wife and I decide to have kids.

In short, I think I'm a lot like a solid chunk of the exercising population.? Training hard excites me, but it doesn't define me anymore.

Interestingly, though, I really haven't wasted away like one might expect. In fact, I've gotten stronger while keeping my weight about the same - or slightly lower, right where I want to be.? Just for the heck of it, I staged my own little mock raw powerlifting meet this morning and totaled 1435 at a body weight of 180.6 (1396 is considered an "Elite" total, as a frame of reference).? I used the giant cambered bar for squatting, simply because my shoulder gets cranky when I back squat. Sue me.

A few notes on the mock/impromptu meet:

1. Thanks to the CP staff and interns for helping with spots, handoffs, and videos - and putting up with my musical selection (which I think, for the record, was an outstanding representative sample of modern training music).

2. I weighed in at 180.6 first thing that morning (about three hours before I lifted).? I didn't have to cut weight.

3. I had a scoop of Athletic Greens, three cups of coffee with vanilla protein powder, and five eggs with spinach, peppers, and onions for breakfast, then drank a bottle of water at the facility before I started.? So, I really didn't carb up for this "meet" (or really prepare for it in any capacity, for that matter). I did have an accidental open mouth kiss with my dog, Tank, while I was foam rolling when he licked my face while I wasn't looking.? I'm not sure if making out with a puggle constitutes ergogenic assistance??

4. Speaking of Tank, he makes a great cameo during my opening squat.? He's eating air, in case you're wondering.

5. The great thing about squats in powerlifting meets is that they can look like good mornings to parallel and still pass.? Score!

6. I haven't free squatting with a wider, powerlifting style stance in about three years. So, you can say that I was a bit rusty, as evidenced that my stance width was a bit erratic from attempt to attempt (and especially narrow on the third squat).

7. The first squat and last deadlift were exactly 90 minutes apart.? Talk about efficiency!

All that said, I really don't think I could have even come close to this total back in 2007, and according to some research that says strength peaks at age 29, I should be on the downslope, especially if I'm not training as hard. So, what gives?

I suspect it has a little something to do with the fact that I have a pretty good idea of how to sustain a strength training effect. Much of it has to do with my experiences with in-season athletes; some of them waste away if they don't pay attention to detail and stay consistent with their training.? Meanwhile, others come back so strong that you'd think they never left.? Here are some of the factors that have surely helped me (and them) over the years.

1. Very little alcohol consumption.

My first date with my wife was April 22, 2007. She's seen me drink twice in the entire time we've known one another. I'm absolutely not going to stand on a soapbox and say that I don't think other people should drink; they can do what they want, but it just really isn't for me.

That said, if you're concerned with helping your strength training gains along (or simply sustaining them), simply have a look at the research on alcohol's negative effect on effect on endocrine status, sleep quality, neural drive, tissue quality, and recovery from exercise.? People who drink a lot feel and move like crap.? Sorry, I don't make the rules.

2. Early to bed, early to rise.

I find the 6AM world far more entertaining, refreshing, and productive than the 1AM world.? I feel better, train better, recovery better, and am an all-around happier person when I get to bed early and awake early without an alarm.? For me, 10:30PM to 6AM is pretty much the norm.

Now, for those who insist that sleeping 1:30AM to 9AM counts exactly the same, check out some of the research on night shift workers and their health; it's not good.? As a rule of thumb, one hour before midnight is worth two after midnight - and it certainly helps to try to go to bed and wake up at the same times each day.? Post-Thanksgiving meal naps are spectacular, too.

3. A foundation of strength and mobility.

In talking with our athletes about the relationship between off- and in-season training, I use the analogy of a bank account.? During the off-season, you make deposits (work hard and acquire a training effect).? When you go in-season, you make withdrawals (play your sport). If the withdrawals exceed the deposits, you're in trouble - and that's why in-season training is so important.

Now, for the general fitness folks, this simply means that if you put a lot of "money in the bank," you'll be prepared for the day when life gets crazy and you miss a few days in the gym.? You have more wiggle room to go on a spending spree.

Mobility works the same way.? Once you've built it, it's hard to lose unless you really go out of your way to avoid moving for an extended period of time.

4. Regular manual therapy.

I'm very fortunate to have two outstanding manual therapists in my office on a weekly basis.? Chris Howard is a massage therapist and does a tremendous job with more diffuse approaches, recovery modalities, and some focal work with the Fibroblaster tool.? Nate Tiplady utilizes Graston Technique, Active Release, fascial manipulation, and chiropractic adjustments.? Along with regular foam rolling, these guys have made a big difference in me staying healthy, which leads me to...

5. No missed training sessions.

I'm fortunate to have been very healthy over the years.? Like everyone, I've had minor niggles here and there, but haven't pushed through them and let them get out of hand.? It's better to skip benching one day and do higher rep floor presses than it is to push through some pain and wind up with a torn pec.? If long-term consistency is your goal, you have to be willing to assess risk: reward in your training on a regular basis.

Moreover, training is a part of my life, just like brushing my teeth, feeding the dog, or checking my email.? It's not an option to "squeeze it out" because the schedule gets too full.? I make time instead of finding time.? Of course, it's a lot easier when your office is part of a 15,000+ square-foot gym!

6. Lots of vegetables and quality protein.

Call me crazy, but I'd take grass-fed meatloaf and spinach and onions cooked in coconut oil over a chocolate cake any day of the week.? I'm not making that up; I just don't have much of a sweet tooth.

In Precision Nutrition, Dr. John Berardi talks about the 90% rule: as long as you're good with your nutrition 90% of the time, you can get away with slip-ups or intentional cheat meals for the other 10%.? If you eat five meals a day, that's 31-32 "clean" meals and 3-4 "whoops" meals each week.? When I think about it in that context, I'm probably more like 95-98% adherent, and the other 2-5% is me grabbing a protein bar on the fly while I'm coaching at CP. I could certainly do a lot worse.

I'm sure Dr. Berardi would agree that if you get closer to 100%, you likely have a little wiggle room with your training program. For example, you might be able to cut back slightly on the amount of conditioning needed to meet your goals.

7. Great training partners.

I've been extremely fortunate to lift in a number of great environments, from my time in the University of Connecticut varsity weight room, to my days at Southside Gym, to Cressey Performance 1.0, 2.0, and now 3.0.? You've always got spotters nearby, and there are always guys to give you feedback on weight selection and technique.? We crack jokes, play loud music, and challenge and encourage each other.? I'm convinced that this factor more than any other can absolutely revolutionize the way many folks train; they need human interaction to get out of their comfort zone and realize what they're capable of accomplishing in the right environment.

8. Planned deloads.

I rarely take a week of training off altogether, but at least once a month, I'll reduce training stress substantially for 5-7 days to recharge.? The secret to avoiding burnout is to understand the difference between overload, overreaching, and overtraining.? The former two are important parts of the training equation, but if you are always seeking them 24/7/365, you can wind up with the latter. I talk about this in great detail in my e-book, The Art of the Deload.

9. Accountability.

In my opinion, one of the main reasons many people struggle to achieve their fitness goals is that they are only accountable to themselves - and that's a slippery slope if you aren't blessed with great willpower and perseverance.? It's one reason why we encourage our clients to tell their friends and family about their fitness goals; they'll constantly be reminded of them in conversation throughout the day.

Being in the fitness industry is a blessing because your peers and your clients/athletes are your accountability.? Fat personal trainers don't have full schedules.? Weak people don't become strength coaches of NFL teams.? And, in my shoes, it's magnified even more because I'm in front of thousands of people every single day through the videos on this website, DVDs that we've produced, and seminars at which I present.? Even if "tapping out" on my training was something that interested me, I have too much at stake.? Think about where you can find that level of accountability in your life to help you reach your goals.

10. Cool implements to keep things fun.

I live really close to our facility, so I often joke that I have the best 15,000 square-foot home gym you'll ever see.? We've got a bunch of specialty bars, bumper plates, slideboards, sleds, tires, sledgehammers, turf, kettlebells, dumbbells, bands, chains, farmer's walk handles, TRX units, medicine balls, a glute-ham, chest-supported row, functional trainers, benches, and a host of other implements that I'm surely forgetting.? There is absolutely no excuse for me to ever get bored with training, as I have an endless source of variety at my fingertips.

Now, I know some of you are thinking, "But Eric, I don't have anything cool at my commercial gym!"? My response to that has five parts:

a. If they didn't have what you needed, why did you give them your money instead of taking your business elsewhere?
b. Have you considered outfitting home gym?
c. They probably have a lot more than you might think, but you just need to be more creative and prepare a bit more.
d. Remember that there are many different ways to add variety to programming beyond just changing exercise selection.? You can tinker with sets, reps, rest intervals, training frequency, tempo, range-of-motion, and a host of other factors.
e. Have you used a strength and conditioning program written by a qualified coach? He or she may see the same equipment through a different lens than you do.?

These are surely just ten of countless factors that one can cite when it comes to sustaining performance over the long haul, and I'm sure that they'll change as I get older.? With that said, I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section: what factors have contributed to you making (or sustaining) progress with your strength and conditioning programs?

Looking for a program to take the guesswork out of your programming?? Check out Show and Go: High Performance Training to Look, Feel, and Move Better.

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Category Blog | Tags: Are of the Deload,Athletic Greens,Bench Press,Deadlift,deadlift technique,Deadlifts,High Performance Training,How to Deadlift,John Berardi,Move Better,Precision Nutrition,Show and Go,Strength and Conditioning,strength and conditioning program,strength and conditioning programs,Strength Training,strength training program,strength training programs

Source: http://www.ericcressey.com/10-ways-training-effect-strength-and-conditioning-programs

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How to Provide Financial Gifts to Students

When it comes to student finances, it's not as simple as giving money to a loved one toward their education and moving on your merry way. If you intend to financially contribute to a student's higher education, it's important to understand the potential consequences of that gift.

The Internal Revenue Service has a lot of rules and regulations. When you gift money toward education, there is a tax to be considered. The tax is most commonly referred to as a Gift Tax. There is also a related tax called the Generation-Skipping Transfer Tax, or GSTT. While none of this may sound like good news, there is some good that can be done regarding your generous gift:

Understand the Transfer Taxes. The transfer tax refers to the percentage the federal government will take when one person gives money to another. This money can include an inheritance received upon one's death. It is important to have an understanding of how these taxes work, because many people will make mistakes in calculating such taxes and can end up with a costly error to fix.

For starters, consider the funding of a college account when a child is still very young. Each year the child can receive tax-free gifts for his or her account up to a certain amount known as the annual exclusion amount. The total amount of money you can gift will vary from year to year based on inflation. You can gift these funds through several financial resources including a trust, a 529 savings plan, or other accounts for educational purposes. You can gift cash, stocks and bonds, or anything else of value, which will be deducted from the annual exclusion amount.

If you go over the allowable amount with your gift, the remaining amount will be subject to the IRS gift tax regulations. However, like many governmental regulations, there are exceptions to the rule. For instance, with Section 529 college savings plans, fund amounts can be deposited without gift taxes coming into play. These accounts can allow you to add extra monies as your child gets closer to graduation. The Section 529 plan allows up to five years' worth of gifts per the annual exclusion amount to be given in one year.

Figure Out GSTT. When it comes to the GSTT, the government allows one generation to gift money to a subsequent generation. For example, when grandparents gift to their grandkids, they skip over their own children in the process. The GSTT is calculated by the amount of money that would have been collected through government taxes had the money first went to the children and then transferred to the grandchildren. This tax was developed for those who are well-off financially, allowing $2 million per donor annually, with amounts changed as dictated by inflation.

Educational Expense Considerations. If you are planning to pay your child's tuition directly to the school facility, don't be concerned with gift taxes. This payment method will also not affect your annual inclusion amount if you still plan to give financial gifts to others. However, if the student is going need financial aid for tuition assistance, your payments will be considered untaxed income on the student's following year's application for FAFSA.

Seek Professional Advice. There is a lot of information and exceptions to the rules of the IRS when it comes to financial gifts for students and tax implications. If you are considering your best plan of action for giving financial gifts to students to help cover college expenses, it may be wise to seek the assistance of a qualified financial advisor, who can explain the specific ramifications of your gift amounts where taxes are concerned. While it would be great to just give a bundle of cash to your loved ones, the government doesn't see it that way. There are many considerations to make concerning financial gifts and educational savings, and it is advisable to seek the counsel of a qualified financial advisor to prevent costly mistakes in your personal finances.

If your children are still young, it is also wise to get serious about saving for college, even if those years seem far off. The earlier you start saving toward a college education, the less you will need to struggle when high school graduation is on the horizon.

Debbie Dragon is a contributor to MyBankTracker.com, where she writes about personal finance, taxes, and banking.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/financial-gifts-students-164105268.html

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GSA Pro Swing Analyzer | recreation and sports blog updates

New Innovation in golf swing expertise - GSA is the worlds lightest swing analyser with the latest features. GSA Professional Golf Swing Analyser Features Document your golf swing See swing instantly in your android/iphone Ultralight, 9 grams suits on top of grip Download the app and watch your swing What does the app show? Swing arc playback Swing Path Affect force Consistency tempo Club Head speed Again swing time Down swing time Face Angle Attainable ball pace Attainable shot distance Assault Angle Simple To Use The device needs to be plugged at the prime of the grip after which aligned within the correct position. The ap has to be started (Iphone/Ipod/Ipad/Android Gadget) and the club selected to use. When the blue mild is on GSA will document each swing and transmit the information by bluetooth. There is no such thing as a intervention needed from the user after the swing, so its attainable to hit a number of balls with the identical club with out watching the phone.

GSA Professional Golf Swing Analyser Options

File your golf swing

See swing instantly on your android/iphone

Ultralight, 9 grams matches on prime of grip

Download the app and watch your swing

What does the app show?

Swing arc playback

Swing Path

Impression force

Consistency

tempo

Club Head velocity

Back swing time

Down swing time

Face Angle

Attainable ball speed

Attainable shot distance

Assault Angle

Simple To Use

The system must be plugged at the high of the grip after which aligned in the right position.

The ap has to be began (Iphone/Ipod/Ipad/Android System) and the membership selected to use. When the blue mild is on GSA will document every swing and transmit the data by bluetooth.

There is no intervention wanted from the consumer after the swing, so its attainable to hit lots of balls with the identical club with out watching the phone.

After this, the swings will be reviewed. Its as easy as that.

Other Features of the GSA Professional

Analysis and record a variety of different swings

Full swing arc re-play

Fb sharing

Assessment your swing histories

Seamless bluetooth connection

Source: http://recreationsportsupdates.blogspot.com/2012/10/gsa-pro-swing-analyzer.html

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