AOL bets that Huffington can rescue it from irrelevance

Ariana Huffington has parlayed a media site built on her personality into a $315 million deal with AOL. AOL, which has struggled to adapt to the Internet since it was created, hopes the Huffington Post will facilitate a return to solvency. In a move analysts said may boost AOL’s tarnished image, Huffington will oversee the entire lineup of AOL news outlets. It makes you question if AOL had to take out a personel loan to pay that price tag.

Huffington accepting is in the plan for AOL

A deal with the Huffington Post/AOL might be an intelligent move. It might revive AOL. There has been a lot of success for the Huffington Post. Google and Facebook have been overshadowing AOL though. As the AOL dial-up customer base either dies off or realizes that AOL is no longer necessary, the business has scrambled to reverse a ten-year slide. Revenue went down from ads 29 percent from 2009 to 2010 while AOL cut 2,500 jobs. There was not a very good look for fourth quarter earnings either. There was a 26 percent drop. Hopefully by 2013, AOL can become profitable again, which it hopes to do with the Huffington Post.

Huffington changes AOL writing

Ariana Huffington founded the Huffington Post as a liberal blog with a $1 million purchase. In 2010, the Huffington Post had $31 million revenue and has a staff of 200. News came from traditional media outlets for the Huffington Post at first. But as its audience has grown, Huffington has hired away journalists from news outlets for instance the NY Times and Newsweek. AOL, which has built a reputation as a glorified content farm, is betting that Huffington and the Huffington Post will counter that negative image. The AOL new Huffington Post Press Group would have Huffington as the president and editor in chief. That would mean things such as TechCrunch, 5min Press and Thing Labs would be at her disposal.

Huffington details

Ariana Stassinopoulos was born in Athens, Greece and earned an MA in economics at Cambridge University in England. In 1997 she got a divorce from Michael Huffington who was a Bay Area oil millionaire that she had married. Governor of California was what Huffington ran for in 2003 as an independent. Then, Arnold Schwarzenegger won instead. In 2005, the Huffington Post was created by her. Now, each month there are 26 million visitors. Soon the AOL/Huffington Post deal ought to be closed. This spring is when it is expected to happen.

Information from

New York Times

nytimes.com/2011/02/07/business/media/07aol.html?_r=1&hp

Wall Street Journal

online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704422204576130002551387710.html

CNN Money

money.cnn.com/2011/02/07/technology/aol_huffington_post.cnnw/

Australia to lose billions from Cyclone Yasi damage

Australia has been enduring a number of the most detrimental weather ever recorded in the history of the nation. Cyclone Yasi, a massive storm, slammed to the coast of the state of Queensland recently. The Category 5 storm devastated coastal areas of Queensland, already greatly impaired from heavy floods. The destruction from Cyclone Yasi is anticipated to be more than $2 billion. Australia has such a high quantity of destruction that quick personal loans on it’s own would never be large enough to cover the expenses of restoring the destruction. Article source – Cost of Cyclone Yasi to Australia will be in the billions by MoneyBlogNewz.

Devastating farming is Cyclone Yasi

Just after the Australian state of Queensland had experienced the most detrimental flooding in a century, Cyclone Yasi slammed to the region. Right before hitting, the cyclone went from a Category Four to a Category Five. The storm was as large as Hurricane Katrina initially. Then, the Christian Science Monitor explained it changed to be as large as the U.S. Queensland is one of the chief agricultural areas in Australia, and damage is thought to be near catastrophic. The agricultural losses are already thought to be at least $1 billion, with another billion in destroyed property. As much as $500 million could possibly be lost by the sugar cane crop in Australia thinking about 30 percent was lost. About 75 percent of the Australian banana crop was lost too.

Globe food prices escalate

As news of the pending cyclone and possible loss of crops spread, world food costs started to rise, in accordance with Reuters. The United States lost a ton of wheat in the snowstorms that hit while Australia lost a ton of banana and sugar cane crops in this storm. Together, the price of bread, sugar and bananas are all going up. The storm, called "Stormageddon," has already caused American wheat prices to go up There is snow and ice on half of the United States Now you will find even freezing temperatures hitting.

A lot of hurt from La Nina

Weather this year has been chiefly attributed to the weather pattern known as “La Niña,” according to The Telegraph. The weather is opposite of El Nino as there’s a lower ocean surface temperature and atmospheric pressure. In the United States and Canada, you will find colder, wetter winters experienced during La Nina. It also causes milder summers to occur. There is a rainier season in the southern hemisphere. There are also generally stronger cyclones that hit.

Information from

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/World/Asia-Pacific/2011/0204/US-sized-Cyclone-Yasi-could-cost-Australia-more-than-2-billion

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/02/03/us-food-prices-idUSTRE71223720110203?pageNumber=1

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/8297904/Cyclone-Yasi-La-Nina-and-record-ocean-temperatures-behind-storm.html

ADHD eating habits for kids investigated in Dutch research

Proving that diet may have an impact on the conditions of ADHD has been elusive. Researchers in the Netherlands published a study Thurs on the subject. They found that eating habits had an impact on some kids as far as improving their ADHD condition. But attention deficit hyperactivity disorder experts question the study and say moms and dads of ADHD kids can’t rely on eating habits alone to mitigate the disorder.

The way the ADHD diet research turned out

There can be an easier solution to ADHD than medication, The Lancet published a research explaining on Thurs. This would be an elimination diet that would be tried. ADHD conditions were reduced 64 percent in children in a research done by Dutch scientists that took away all food that would normally trigger food allergies. Rice, white meat and vegetables are all in the ADHD diet that 41 children got for five weeks straight. Enhancement was demonstrated in 32 of the kids. The ADHD conditions were lessened. The majority of the kids relapsed in the second stage which was where ADHD trigger-foods were given. There was not any reduction in hyperactivity in the control group of kids that had a standard healthy diet.

Listening to what Pediatricians have to say about it

Scientists think that when treating children for ADHD, it may be good to use an elimination eating habits considering the ADHD eating habits study. Much of the pediatricians don't agree though. They say that it is not worth trying the diet out. An ADHD diet could also make kids subject to nutritional deficiencies. Often, kids with allergies will show ADHD behavior. That led the pediatricians to think the improvements had to do with allergies more than anything else. Other pediatricians questioned the methodology of the ADHD study, which had no independent observers.

Allergy link to ADHD

Processed foods high in sugar have long been suspected as ADHD triggers, but according to the National Institute of Mental Health, no concrete evidence supports that assumption. Several think that food allergies may have a brain chemistry reaction rather than physical effects like asthma, skin rashes and diarrhea that other kids get. However, since the Dutch research only lasted five weeks, it couldn’t definitively answer those questions or specify which foods should be avoided. As far as a “standard” of care for ADHD, most pediatricians believe it all depends on the individual child.

Articles cited

CNN

pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/03/does-adhd-come-from-foods/?npt=NP1

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Health/Allergies/adhd-food-allergy-case-restricting-diet/story?id=12832958&page=3

Business Week

businessweek.com/lifestyle/content/healthday/649603.html

Tahrir Square overloaded with demonstrators requiring Day of Departure

A large number of people have filled Tahrir Square in Cairo pressing for a "Day of Departure" for Mubarak. Mubarak has ruled Egypt for the past three decades. He has already said he will not run for reelection this Sept. His promise to exit office merely has increased the protests in opposition to his rule. This is one scenario where he will not have the ability to take out a payday loan and buy off the protesters.

More protests in Tahrir Square going on

There have been supporters of Mubarak attacking the protests against the government Leader Mubarak has in place in chaos in Tahrir Square in Cairo for the last few days. Mubarak has been told to leave by a ton of anti-government protestors that have stuffed the square in violence. NPR reports that a "Day of Departure" or "Friday of Departure" should be when he leaves. President Mubarak had previously made the concession that he would not seek re-election in September, but protesters are adamant that Mubarak must leave immediately. There is a growing chorus of demands for Mubarak to leave office immediately from the international community as well.

Supporters in demonstration regions of Mubarak's administration

Tahrir Square is currently cordoned off by the Egyptian army and largely filled with anti-government protesters. However, pro-Mubarak protesters have infiltrated the area for the past few days, which has led to violent situations. The Christian Science Monitor explains the Mubarak followers didn't like journalists much. The journalists would get singled out. More than 100 incidents of physical assault occurred, including an incident where CNN anchor Anderson Cooper was beaten and threatened with further harm while fleeing the scene. Foreign and domestic journalists have been in harm’s way, as the Cairo offices of Al-Jazeera were stormed by pro-Mubarak “thugs.”

Position made by Mubarak

Leader Mubarak has stated he will not leave since the beginning of the unrest. It has been about 30 years of Mubarak being in office. There has not ever been a full democratic election to confirm this either. MSNBC reports that in an interview with him he did say that he was tired of it all. He said though that "there can be chaos" and "the Muslim Brotherhood will take over" if he were to leave. Leaders of opposition groups are now talking to him. A transitional government could be in the near future for Egypt.

Articles cited

NPR

npr.org/2011/02/04/133489032/egyptian-protesters-gear-up-for-friday-of-departure?ps=cprs

Christian Science Monitor

csmonitor.com/USA/Foreign-Policy/2011/0203/Egypt-protests-journalists-under-attack-on-an-unprecedented-scale

MSNBC

msnbc.msn.com/id/41402303/ns/world_news-mideast/n_africa/

Hospital used in Cuckoo's Nest movie passing remains of patients to family members

The mental hospital that "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" was filmed in is trying to place remains of patients who passed away there with the families of the dead. The medical center had a policy of storing cremated remains of patients. A room full of remains was found several years back, prompting OR State Hospital to try and get the remains to family members of the dead. It could take many installment loans for family members to give these people a proper burial. Article resource – Hospital from Cuckoo's Nest film trying to place patient remains by MoneyBlogNewz.

Those who passed away have remains at ‘Cuckoos Nest’

ABC reports that Oregon State Medical center is a Salem, OR, psychiatric hospital that has been trying to figure out what the names are of patients who perished within the medical center with their family members and left remains. The center was being toured by legislators in 2004 when an interesting room was found. There were cremated remains of 3,500 patients who had passed away within the hospital found in the room. An online database of those who perished at the hospital between 1914 and 1970 that has remains there has been made by the hospital recently. There was inspiration from the Oregon center to have a new psychiatric hospital built. Also, by 2012 a memorial for the unclaimed patients will be put together.

Setting for legendary book and movie

The OR State Hospital is where “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” a 1975 film with Jack Nicholson, takes place. While at Stanford, author Ken Kesey worked at a mental health facility which was why he wrote the 1962 book. The largest psychiatric hospital in OR is OR State Medical center. Permission to film the movie there was granted. IMDB reports the character Dr. Spivey is the medical center administrator played by Dr. Dean Brooks. The OR State Hospital had Brooks as the administrator when this occurred as he has an M.D. in psychiatry.

Film had impact on mental health

In order to help public perception of mental illness and psychiatric care change so that those in mental illness hospitals were humanized, the movie was created, reports the Telegraph. There were better standards of treatment and less use of electroconvulsive therapy for mental disorders due to the movie.

Citations

ABC News

abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=12808876&page=1

IMDB

imdb.com/name/nm0111954/bio

The Telegraph

telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/northamerica/usa/8296954/How-One-Flew-Over-the-Cuckoos-Nest-changed-psychiatry.html

Study finds tension lowering connects clowns and In Vitro Fertilization success

A connection between clowns and IVF victory, or a pregnancy being successfully induced by In Vitro Fertilization, has been discovered by an investigation done in Israel. The study found that a visit by a "medical clown" increased chances of pregnancy in women who were recovering after an IVF implantation procedure, as clowns are known to reduce tension through the healing power of laughter. Many people have taken out such huge personal loans to go through In Vitro Fertilization, they’ll probably be much happier to find out the process worked.

Looking at the connection among clowns and success of IVF

In Israel, a research hospital found an interesting link. It was among IVF therapy victory and clowns. During recovery from an implantation procedure, it was found that women who were frequented by "medical clowns" ended up with a higher rate of victory with becoming pregnant during in-vitro fertilization. When Dr. Shevach Friedler read about how tension is reduced with laugher, he decided on the idea. In order to see if the reduced tension helped an embryo implant, Dr. Friedler's team at Harofeh Medical Center had patients get visited by a clown. They wanted to see if the chances of getting pregnant went up with less stress.

Study was not just clowning around

Laughter seemed to work really well. A greater percentage of females who received the “clown treatment” successfully became pregnant than those who went without a visit from a clown. The investigation was done using a total of 209 females that were going through in-vitro fertilization. Of those 209 women, the clown group had in-vitro fertilization success rates of 36 percent. Then there was the group that didn't get the clown therapy. They had a success rate of 20 percent. The study is going to be published in a reproduction science medical journal. "Fertility and Sterility" is the name of it. In Israel, you are able to get a medical clown college degree at the University of Haifa. This is because patients become less stressed with clowns.

The extra cost of a clown

For something that is dangerous and does not work the majority of the time, in-vitro fertilization is extremely costly. About 32 percent of the time, the procedure ends up with a pregnancy while only 25.6 percent of them end up with a live birth, says WebMD. You will find several factors that impact success though for instance age group. After artificial insemination and natural options, this treatment is usually chosen as it costs $12,400.

Articles cited

Reuters

reuters.com/article/2011/01/12/us-send-clowns-idUSTRE70B64P20110112

WebMD

webmd.com/infertility-and-reproduction/guide/artificial-insemination

Traffic fatalities drop in presence of red light camcorders

More cities within the United States are relying on red light camcorders. Red light camcorders anger a great deal of drivers. The devices are denounced as tax-collectors, not life-savers. But a recent research shows that red light surveillance cameras reduce traffic fatalities, also as increase revenues. The short term cash loans that cities had to sign up for in order to put up these surveillance cameras have proven to be worthwhile.

Less traffic deaths with red light surveillance cameras in place

Cities ought to be appreciative of the red light camcorders installed. This is because, as the Insurance institute for Highway Safety explains, they work as advertised. A research released by the research arm of the insurance industry found that traffic deaths dropped by 26 percent over five years at intersections equipped with red light cameras. Researchers compared traffic accident data from 14 large U.S. cities with red light surveillance cameras against 48 others without them from 2004 to 2008. Traffic deaths fell for cities in both categories, however the rate of deadly crashes dropped faster in cities with red light surveillance cameras. Rear-end collisions increased at intersections with red light cameras, however the more deadly T-bone collisions decreased.

The numbers for red light cameras

The traffic data that the federal government keeps was also used in the red light surveillance camera statistics. About 41 percent of crashes, 2.2 million, happened at intersections in 2009. About 81,112 people were really hurt and 7,358 were killed in those crashes. Due to red light running, 676 of those deaths were caused. Also, 113,000 of the injuries occurred with running red lights. About 64 percent of the people who died, including passengers, other drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, were killed by the person running the red light. If all 99 cities within the study used red light camcorders, the researchers believed that several lives would have been saved. About 815 lives could have been saved.

Red light surveillance camera revenue backlash

When it comes to revenue, red light camcorders are great for cities. Millions of dollars in revenue are made off of them. From June 2009 to May 2010, 85,678 red light citations were caught in Washington, D.C., adding up to $7.2 million in revenue. In the United States about half the states permit red light camcorders. There were a few cities that installed them in 2000. These included 25 cities. Now, there are many more individuals that use red light surveillance cameras. In fact, 500 cities use them. Another opinion is given by the National Motorists Association. The group suggests intersections could be safer with simply longer yellow lights. Red light camcorders have been banned in many cities with voter initiatives. This was done calling the cameras invasion of privacy.

Articles cited

Washington Post

washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/01/AR2011020100021.html?wpisrc=nl_headline

Wall Street Journal

blogs.wsj.com/drivers-seat/2011/02/01/red-light-cameras-get-a-boost/

Fair Warning

fairwarning.org/2011/02/red-light-cameras-save-hundreds-of-lives-on-roads-report-says/