Ravers lose sight at laser show
July 14, 2008
Ravers lose sight at laser show
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.
Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.
“They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible,” Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.
That sucks.
Switching languages can also switch personality: study
June 24, 2008
Switching languages can also switch personality: study | Lifestyle | Living | Reuters
NEW YORK (Reuters Life!) – People who are bicultural and speak two languages may unconsciously change their personality when they switch languages, according to a U.S. study.
Researchers David Luna from Baruch College and Torsten Ringberg and Laura A. Peracchio from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studied groups of Hispanic women, all of whom were bilingual, but with varying degrees of cultural identification.
They found significant changes in self perception or “frame-shifting” in bicultural participants — women who participate in both Latino and Anglo culture.
I never really thought of this, but come to think of it, I kind of agree. Though with me, I don’t think the change is very drastic – probably because I grew up bilingual and didn’t learn a second language later on like these women.
Survey suggests U.S. research misconduct is common
June 19, 2008
Survey suggests U.S. research misconduct is common
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Research misconduct at U.S. institutions may be more common than previously suspected, with 9 percent of scientists saying in a new survey that they personally had seen fabrication, falsification or plagiarism.
The survey of 2,212 mainly biomedical scientists at 605 universities and other research institutions, published in the journal Nature on Wednesday, also showed that researchers are very reluctant to report bad conduct.
Thirty-seven percent of cases of suspected misconduct were never reported to the institution involved for investigation, perhaps due to fear of reprisals for turning in a colleague or a desire to protect the flow of research money.
Gadget buyers seen as assertive, even arrogant: study
June 18, 2008
Gadget buyers seen as assertive, even arrogant: study
NEW YORK (Reuters ) – Know someone who loves gadgets and can’t wait to buy the newest model? Chances are you would describe them as assertive and a strong leader — and possibly arrogant, according a U.S. research.
An online study evaluating the characteristics of 25,000 American adults found avid technology consumers tended to score highly in personality traits such as leadership, dynamism and assertiveness — but low in modesty.
Those who scored a 5 in leadership were 68 percent more likely to have purchased three or more computers in the past two years, the study found.
Likewise, respondents who rated highly in assertiveness were 62 percent more likely to purchase a new cell phone when the newest model arrived on the market.
- Purchased three or more computers in the past two years – check!
- Purchased a new cell phone when the newest model arrived on the market – check!
- Assertive/arrogant/conceited – check!
I guess I fit the bill. I can almost guarantee you that if the researchers were to look at a subset of the respondents who were Apple users, the results would be even more exaggerated. Apple users are known for being arrogant elitists (ie. fanboys), but also above average in wealth and education.
Wind power could make Norway Europe’s battery
May 28, 2008
Wind power could make Norway Europe’s battery
OSLO, May 26 (Reuters) – Norway could become “Europe’s battery” by developing huge sea-based wind parks costing up to $44 billion by 2025, Norway’s Oil and Energy Minister said on Monday.
Norway’s Energy Council, comprising business leaders and officials, said green exports could help the European Union reach a goal of getting 20 percent of its electricity by 2020 from renewable sources such as wind, solar, hydro or wave power.
“The thinking is that Norway is blessed, is lucky, to have big energy resources. There is undoubtedly a large potential for wind power,” she said. Norway says it has the longest coastline in Europe, from the North Sea to the Arctic Barents Sea.
World’s most obese man vies for different record
May 14, 2008
World’s most obese man vies for different record
MONTERREY, Mexico (Reuters Life!) – Mexico’s Manuel Uribe, once the world’s most obese man, is now vying for a different record: the human who has lost the most weight.
Uribe, who weighed as much as a small truck at more than half a tonne, is dieting while confined to a reinforced bed that he has not left for the past six years because he is so heavy.
He has lost 518 pounds since March 2006 on a diet of grapefruits, egg-white only omelets, fish, chicken, vegetables and peanuts.
Now weighing 717 pounds — the size of three hefty men — Uribe is still unable to move his swollen legs but hopes to get out of the house next month for only the third time in six years to celebrate his 43rd birthday.
Super Bowl 30-second ads to cost $3 mln in 2009
May 7, 2008
Super Bowl 30-second ads to cost $3 mln in 2009: report
NEW YORK (Reuters) – NBC Universal, a unit of General Electric Co, plans to say next week that the entry price for a 2009 Super Bowl 30-second ad will be $3 million, the Wall Street Journal said on Tuesday.
The $3 million mark has never been the starting price for a commercial at the Super Bowl, though individual slots have sold for that much before, the report said.
Warren Buffett to draw biggest crowd ever
May 2, 2008
Warren Buffett to draw biggest crowd ever | Reuters
OMAHA, Nebraska (Reuters) – Few 77-year-olds could hold thousands of people in rapt attention for five hours. Sean Connery, maybe; Clint Eastwood, perhaps. Warren Buffett? Definitely.
Buffett will be the center of attention on Saturday at the annual shareholder meeting for Berkshire Hathaway Inc, his roughly $200 billion holding company.
Berkshire estimates that 30,000 to 32,000 people, up from 27,000 last year, will fill the Qwest Center in Omaha for what has become known as “Woodstock for Capitalists.”
I would go.. if I owned shares in Berkshire Hathaway. Warren Buffet is like my hero! The stock price is currently at a cool $133,475.00 so it won’t be anytime soon. I wonder if you can still attend if you just own the B stocks which is priced at a more modest $4,448.00 per share.
