Understanding the universe, stretching humanities legs, literally, out among the planets in our solar system and beyond represents a life and death pursuit for the human species. Earth is going to be in existential peril, and if all our eggs are still in this basket over issues as petty and meaningless as politics, economics, or national pride, then we are well and truly, cosmically, fucked.
Soon, you'll die. Sometime soon, I will die. Sometime later our entire race (regardless of how you define it) will cease to exist as well. Perhaps they will evolve beyond what we might recognise as human. Perhaps some disaster will wipe them out. Perhaps they will last, in some form, until the universe dies. In any case, we, as individuals and as a species are irrevocably mortal and I, for one, welcome that - I welcome our deathly overlord. One day we'll be gone and all that will be left is our achievements and successes - and our failures. I am perfectly content to leave a legacy of good deeds and live my life with integrity, even if no-one ever acknowledges that.
It's not possible to start this processes too early. We could detect a rogue asteroid or comet tomorrow that will end life on Earth. On a long enough time line this WILL happen. It's happened before, it'll happen again.
Notably, when it happened before, the Earth was left far more habitable than Mars is now. Were an asteroid to strike the Earth, you would be better off on the Earth than on Mars. For example, on Mars, the radiation is so bad, that to survive for any length of time, you need to live underground. The gravity is wrong, so much so, that within a generation, Martians would not survive on Earth, were they to travel there. So if we lost the Earth,with it's 7 billion inhabitants, we would be stuck on Mars. Forever. Living like termites underground, never able to go to the surface and look, with our unprotected eyes, on the stars. And when the Earth recovers, with it's benison of life once again covering it's surface, we will be gone - either staring back at earth, helpless with rage, or mercifully extinct.
Alternatively of course we could build those underground cities here on Earth, saving millions, if not billions, in the event of an asteroid strike, as opposed to the thousands that could - briefly - survive on Mars. If life on Earth is difficult afterward, then as a planet it is far easier to geo engineer than Mars, what with the handy features that have sustained life through multiple asteroid strikes before. To propose a plan which would save thousands, and rejecting a plan that saves millions (if not billions) amounts to proposing genocide on a scale never before comprehended.
When it does, your descendants will be thankful that we took a minute amount of money away from the budget for bombs, sugar water, and pornography, to put those first apes in tin cans and got them to Mars and back.
Not, they won't, and neither will your descendants. Because they won't be there. And neither will the descendants of the vast majority of the human race, with it's diverse cultures, ideals and dreams. Mars is just too small to capture a representative sample of us. Under your plan, your descendants will die, and so will mine.
[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Malaysia Airlines said Wednesday its losses deepened in the fourth quarter as fuel costs soared but hopes to rebound this year under a business recovery plan.
Laughter is the best medicine because it has a very positive effect on your well-being and health. A good laugh can be the key to relieving stress and tension. Not only that, it can also enhance your mood, enhance your creativity and brings a great rush of energy. Laughter when shared with someone is a very important part of developing a strong and healthy relationship. Making a conscious effort to bring in humor and laughter on a daily basis is perhaps the best way to forge lifelong relationships with almost anyone ? whether in the family or at work!
Communicating with people in a playful manner adds more excitement to the relationship and helps in keeping it fresh and vibrant. Laughter can be a great way to break the ice and enrich interactions. Similarly, laughter and playfulness with your partner is the essence of a solid and intimate relationship with your loved one.
Most people are drawn towards smiling and funny individuals as it creates an aura of positivity. Laughter is also contagious and it can make the least sociable people break out in laughter! Here are a few ways in which you can enjoy playful humorous communication in relationships:
1. Ensure that both partners are in on the humor
Humor can only be successful when both people are in on the joke. Try not to do or say something to people who are overly sensitive or to people who wouldn?t necessarily appreciate the good humor. Playfulness is mutual, so joke around with people who can reciprocate the fun mutually. This kind of humor is great for building goodwill and trust in a relationship. There are times, when a spouse playfully tries to annoy his/her partner.
These things are amusing when done once, but if it becomes a habit, then it does get annoying and might even damage the relationship. Playful communication is meant to be enjoyable for both the people involved, so take the time to analyze whether the other person is enjoying it or not. Carry on with the fun, if you are getting positive signals from the other person, else stop.
2. Try to use humor to downplay conflict in a relationship
If you are going through a disagreement-like situation which has led to a heated conflict, then use the powerful weapon of humor to lighten up things. Humor is a great way to restart your conversation and can also restore a sense of normality in a relationship without any feeling of awkwardness. Playfulness can be used skillfully to get intimate with your partner, or can even be used for getting your point across without hurting their sentiments. Humor should be free from ridicule and sarcasm, so try to ease the tension by sharing laughter.
3. Humor should not be used as a disguise for hiding your inner emotions
Humor or playful communication is important for seeking positivity in life and standing up strongly in adverse situations. However, humor is not healthy when it is used to disguise your painful emotions of anger, fear, hurt or disappointment. The truth can be made to sound funny, but disguising the truth in laughter is not at all humorous. This kind of behavior can create a feeling of mistrust in your relationship. Misplaced humor does more harm to you than any good.
Playfulness, laughter and humor ? when done in a healthy and appropriate manner ? are the ingredients to a lifelong relationship. A humorous person is not only viewed as being friendly and easy to get along, but can also be trusted deeply.
About the author: Alia Haley is a blogger by profession. She loves writing on technology, health and parenting. Beside this she is fond of games and gadgets. She has a huge collection of Portable printers. These days she is busy in writing articles on free Android apps.
Disclaimer: ?The above post may contain affiliate links. ?The opinions presented are 100% those of the author. ?Please read the disclosure page for more information.
Fruit chews have long become a staple snack in many family homes. They're quick, easy and tout appetizing healthy qualities -- making them incredibly appealing to busy parents (coming in handy for children and adults alike). Most of these fruity chews are low in calories and fat free, some of them even containing your daily need of a handful of vitamins in just one little pouch. They're even made with real fruit juice and fruit purees. With all these factors in mind, one begins to wonder who needs to eat plain fruit anymore?
While fruit snacks are definitely low on the list of the worst offenders of processed foods, they're still, well, a processed food. So that means, for one, they're built to last for a long period of time on the grocery shelves, and two, they've been engineered to smell, look and taste appetizing.
Let's take a look at what exactly is in these snacks, in addition to the fruit juices and purees. An average fruit chew snack ingredient list will look something like this: Corn syrup, sugar, modified corn starch, juice from concentrate, fruit purees, citric acid, lactic acid, natural and artificial flavors, sodium citrate, gelatin, coconut oil, carnauba wax, red 40, yellow 5 and blue 1.
At this point in our engineered food reality, we're used to seeing such a long list of ingredients for a seemingly simple food. But, how many of us have stopped to investigate what all these ingredients really are? We at Kitchen Daily were curious to see what we were really consuming while munching on these sweet fruity chews. Here's what we found:
Gelatin This is not a new ingredient in gummy candy, but we know that not everyone is aware of where it comes from. Gelatin is made from the collagen inside animals' skin and bones. It's primarily derived from pork skins, pork and cattle bones, or split cattle hides. If you're a vegetarian, you might not want to be eating gelatin-based products.
Carnauba wax This wax is made from the leaves of the palm tree. Carnauba wax is used to provide a glossy waxen sheen to these fruit chews, just like it does for cars (in automobile waxes), shoes (in the polish), dental floss, surf boards and floors. It's also used for paper coatings in the U.S.. Turns out our fruit chews get the same shine treatment as our floors and our cars.
Food Colorings The food colorings found in fruit chews are red 40, yellow 5 and blue 1. Red 40 and blue 1 were originally manufactured from coal tar, but are now mostly made from petroleum. They've been banned previously in many European countries including Denmark, Belgium and France, though are now widely used in countries belonging to the European Union. Despite their attention in Europe, they've been used in the U.S. without too much resistance.
Yellow 5, however, is a different story. This food coloring, also know as tartrazine, has been known to cause serious allergic reactions (particularly for people who are allergic to aspirin). In 2008, the Food Standards Agency issued a warning about yellow 5 causing hyperactivity in some children. And according to board certified family physician Dr. Joel Fuhrman, yellow 5 poses risks of cancer.
What's the take away? Well, if you're really fond of fruit chew snacks and just can't imagine your life without them, but don't want to be ingesting the above ingredients, look for an organic or natural variety. There are a handful of brands out there that use natural food dyes from spices and vegetables, and use pectin rather than gelatin.
Alternate Snacks To Fruit Chews: Angel Delights Fruit-and-Nut Trail Mix Chocolate Pretzel & Cherry Popcorn Balls
Insiders close to actress Jennifer Aniston are revealing that she is giving her boyfriend Justin Theroux a little ultimatum! Aniston, who recently was awarded a [...]
Police forensics experts collect evidence after an explosion tore through a car belonging to the Israel Embassy on Feb 13, 2012 in New Delhi.
JERUSALEM: Indian intelligence agencies have "considerable evidence" of Iran's involvement in the February 13 attack on an Israeli diplomat's wife but are not releasing it in a bid to avoid public confrontation with Tehran, a top Israeli security official has claimed.
The senior Israeli official told daily Ha'aretz that the Indians are "close to fully solving the case but they are not saying so publicly".
However, Indians have not "concealed the information in their possession" in quiet contacts with Israel and the United States, he was quoted as saying by the paper which said he was close to the investigation.
The Indians have located the motorcycle used in the attack, have identified who purchased it, and know how and when the attackers arrived in India, it said.
"The Indians received a great deal of assistance in the investigation from the United States and Israel and did a lot of work themselves," the daily quoted the official as saying.
The Israeli official reportedly noted that the Indian security services have decided to characterise the incident as a case that, until further notice, is under investigation.
This has lowered the pressure for the release of details, and the need to make serious decisions on how to proceed has been deferred, the source pointed out.
Indian investigators were sent to Georgia and Thailand, where there were failed attacks, a short time after the New Delhi blast, to compare findings over the explosive charges used and evidence was found of Iranian involvement in the attempts, the daily said.
(Reuters) -- Proview Electronics, the firm trying to stop Apple Inc from using the iPad name in China, has a plausible claim over the unusual methods Apple used to conceal its identity when attempting to acquire Proview's trademarks, according to several legal experts.
But Apple also has some strong defenses against a lawsuit Proview filed last week in California - including the argument that Proview cannot sue Apple, but can only sue the corporation that actually bought the trademarks, the experts said.
Apple announced its iPad tablet computer in January 2010 and the device has become phenomenally popular. During the last 14 weeks of 2011 Apple sold 15.43 million iPads. China represents a potentially huge market for the device.
Proview has sued Apple in China, requesting that sales of Apple's iPads be suspended across the country because of the trademark dispute. Authorities in several Chinese cities, such as Shijiazhuang and Huizhou, have already banned the sale of iPads, citing the legal dispute.
Proview extended the battle to American shores last week by accusing Apple of fraud in a lawsuit filed in a California state court. According to the complaint, Apple's lawyers formed an opaque special purpose entity to buy the iPad trademark.
They also sent an email with the allegedly false promise that the entity would not be competing with Proview, the suit said.
Representatives for Apple did not respond to a request for comment, but the company has said that it bought Proview's worldwide rights to the iPad trademark.
PROVIEW P.R. BOOST?
Apple's lawyers called the special purpose entity IP Application Development Limited, and told Proview it wanted the iPad trademark because it was an abbreviation of the company name, according to the lawsuit.
Large companies often use special purpose entities to conceal their identities in trademark negotiations, for fear that the price will skyrocket if they are revealed.
But naming the special purpose entity after the product is unusual, said Martin Schwimmer, a trademark attorney based in New York.
"I have never encountered this level of ruse," Schwimmer said.
While Proview's fraud claim is plausible, Apple has some key defenses, Schwimmer and other experts said. Proview's licensing deal with Apple said that the agreement itself supersedes all prior representations and warranties, according to a copy of the agreement.
Since Proview did not ask for noncompete protections in the contract, then it may not matter what Apple's lawyers said in an email, Schwimmer said.
Apple could also argue that it should not have to defend the lawsuit at all, said Anna Han, a technology licensing professor at Santa Clara University School of Law in Silicon Valley. That is because Proview sold the trademarks to the special entity - not to Apple, she said.
A Proview spokeswoman could not comment on the litigation.
Proview's parent, Hong Kong-listed Proview International Holdings Ltd, was the first Taiwanese technology company to list in Hong Kong, and by the end of the 1990s numbered itself among the top five computer monitor makers.
In 1999 it partnered with U.S. chip maker National Semiconductor to launch the I-PAD, a stripped-down desktop computer whose main selling points were its Internet connectivity and ease of use. But Proview had been badly hammered by the financial crisis, and trading of its stock was suspended in Hong Kong in 2010.
Beyond the legal maneuvering with Apple, filing the California lawsuit gives Proview a public relations boost, said Laura Young, a trademark attorney who practices in San Francisco and China.
Lawsuits in China are private, she said, which is not the case in the United States.
"It gets all this bad-smelling stuff out in the public, and that doesn't look good for Apple," Young said.
Should the legal dispute defy settlement, a Proview victory would send a sharp warning to companies about what they say in negotiations over trademarks, Han said. "They would become very cautious," Han said.
The case in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara is Proview Electronics Co. Limited and Proview Technology v. Apple Inc. And IP Application Development Limited, and Does 1-25, 12-cv-219219.
(Reporting By Dan Levine, editing by Matthew Lewis)
[unable to retrieve full-text content]AP - Rhode Island officials say actor James Woods will be testifying before a state legislative committee in support of a bill that would allow doctors to apologize for bad treatment outcomes, but ban those apologies from being used against them in malpractice lawsuits.
March of Dimes provides $3 million in new funding for preterm birth researchPublic release date: 24-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Lynch elynch@marchofdimes.com 914-997-4286 March of Dimes Foundation
7 scientists aim to make strides in predicting and preventing preterm birth
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 24, 2012 -With the help of funding from the March of Dimes, researchers from five states and Canada are seeking answers to questions such as how cellular-level processes that control uterine muscles may affect preterm labor, the causes of preeclampsia, and how air pollution may affect pregnancy and preterm birth - all with the goal of preventing preterm birth so more babies will get a healthy start in life.
These topics are among the work of seven researchers that will be supported for the next three years by new March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative (PRI) grants. The nearly $3 million in grants will support scientific efforts to learn to identify which women are at risk for preterm birth and how to prevent it. These 2012 grants bring the eight-year-old program's total to more than $22 million.
Following three decades of increases, in 2010 the United States saw the first four-year decline in the preterm birth rate, to 11.99 percent. Despite the improvement, however, nearly half a million babies are born too soon each year, the March of Dimes notes.
The March of Dimes has set a goal of lowering the nation's preterm birth rate to 9.6 percent by 2020. The goal was set byestimating the maximum achievable benefits of applying known strategies to prevent preterm birth, such as smoking cessation programs, progesterone treatments for medically eligible women, and others, but recognized that continued research is needed to yield new medical advances.
Sarah K. England, PhD, professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Basic Science Research, at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, has been among the PRI grantees since the program began in 2005. Dr. England is researching how mutations to a gene that regulates tiny openings in cell membranes thatallow potassium to flow out of uterine muscle cells affect preterm labor. When potassium exits the cells, the uterus relaxes, allowing the pregnancy to continue. Dr. England is investigating whether a genetic mutation may cause the cell membranes to close early, preventing the potassium from leaving the uterus, triggering labor. If this proves correct, it could lead to the development of drugs that open the channels and prevent or halt preterm labor.
Other grant recipients include:
Jennifer Catherine Condon, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, who is investigating the role of endoplasmic reticulum in regulating an enzyme called caspase-3. Low levels of caspase-3 may trigger preterm labor. If so, it may be possible to develop drugs to regulate enzyme levels and prevent preterm labor.
Nihar Ranjan Nayak, DVM, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, who is studying the interaction of two genes in the placenta and how that may cause preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related form of high blood pressure that can be fatal for both the mother and baby and is responsible for about 15 percent of premature births in the United States. The cause of preeclampsia is not known, and the only effective treatment is induction of early delivery.
Tippi C. MacKenzie, MD, assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Treatment Center, the University of California, San Francisco, who is investigating how the mother's immune system may trigger preterm labor after an infection.
Judith T. Zelikoff, PhD, professor, Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, who is investigating if there is a cause and effect relationship between air pollution and the risk of preterm delivery.
Sudhansu K. Dey, PhD, professor and LovaRiekert Chair, Department of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, whois investigating chemicals that regulate inflammation after a uterine infection to understand how they may contribute to preterm labor.
Sylvain Chemtob, MD, PhD, professor, departments of Pediatricsand Pharmacology, CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, who is investigating how proteins in the uterine wall may contribute to preterm labor.
###
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
The March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, Cigna, Famous Footwear, Sanofi Pasteur, FedEx, Mission Pharmacal, Watson Pharmaceuticals, First Response, and United Airlines.
For more information contact:
Elizabeth Lynch, (914) 997-4286, elynch@marchofdimes.com
Todd Dezen, (914) 997-4608, tdezen@marchofdimes.com
[ | E-mail | Share ]
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
March of Dimes provides $3 million in new funding for preterm birth researchPublic release date: 24-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Elizabeth Lynch elynch@marchofdimes.com 914-997-4286 March of Dimes Foundation
7 scientists aim to make strides in predicting and preventing preterm birth
WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Feb. 24, 2012 -With the help of funding from the March of Dimes, researchers from five states and Canada are seeking answers to questions such as how cellular-level processes that control uterine muscles may affect preterm labor, the causes of preeclampsia, and how air pollution may affect pregnancy and preterm birth - all with the goal of preventing preterm birth so more babies will get a healthy start in life.
These topics are among the work of seven researchers that will be supported for the next three years by new March of Dimes Prematurity Research Initiative (PRI) grants. The nearly $3 million in grants will support scientific efforts to learn to identify which women are at risk for preterm birth and how to prevent it. These 2012 grants bring the eight-year-old program's total to more than $22 million.
Following three decades of increases, in 2010 the United States saw the first four-year decline in the preterm birth rate, to 11.99 percent. Despite the improvement, however, nearly half a million babies are born too soon each year, the March of Dimes notes.
The March of Dimes has set a goal of lowering the nation's preterm birth rate to 9.6 percent by 2020. The goal was set byestimating the maximum achievable benefits of applying known strategies to prevent preterm birth, such as smoking cessation programs, progesterone treatments for medically eligible women, and others, but recognized that continued research is needed to yield new medical advances.
Sarah K. England, PhD, professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Basic Science Research, at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, has been among the PRI grantees since the program began in 2005. Dr. England is researching how mutations to a gene that regulates tiny openings in cell membranes thatallow potassium to flow out of uterine muscle cells affect preterm labor. When potassium exits the cells, the uterus relaxes, allowing the pregnancy to continue. Dr. England is investigating whether a genetic mutation may cause the cell membranes to close early, preventing the potassium from leaving the uterus, triggering labor. If this proves correct, it could lead to the development of drugs that open the channels and prevent or halt preterm labor.
Other grant recipients include:
Jennifer Catherine Condon, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, who is investigating the role of endoplasmic reticulum in regulating an enzyme called caspase-3. Low levels of caspase-3 may trigger preterm labor. If so, it may be possible to develop drugs to regulate enzyme levels and prevent preterm labor.
Nihar Ranjan Nayak, DVM, PhD, assistant professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Stanford University School of Medicine, who is studying the interaction of two genes in the placenta and how that may cause preeclampsia, a pregnancy-related form of high blood pressure that can be fatal for both the mother and baby and is responsible for about 15 percent of premature births in the United States. The cause of preeclampsia is not known, and the only effective treatment is induction of early delivery.
Tippi C. MacKenzie, MD, assistant professor, Department of Surgery, Division of Pediatric Surgery and Fetal Treatment Center, the University of California, San Francisco, who is investigating how the mother's immune system may trigger preterm labor after an infection.
Judith T. Zelikoff, PhD, professor, Department of Environmental Medicine, NYU School of Medicine, who is investigating if there is a cause and effect relationship between air pollution and the risk of preterm delivery.
Sudhansu K. Dey, PhD, professor and LovaRiekert Chair, Department of Reproductive Sciences, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, whois investigating chemicals that regulate inflammation after a uterine infection to understand how they may contribute to preterm labor.
Sylvain Chemtob, MD, PhD, professor, departments of Pediatricsand Pharmacology, CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center, Montreal, who is investigating how proteins in the uterine wall may contribute to preterm labor.
###
The March of Dimes is the leading nonprofit organization for pregnancy and baby health. With chapters nationwide and its premier event, March for Babies, the March of Dimes works to improve the health of babies by preventing birth defects, premature birth and infant mortality. For the latest resources and information, visit marchofdimes.com or nacersano.org. Find us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
The March for Babies is sponsored nationally by the March of Dimes number one corporate supporter Kmart, Farmers Insurance Group, Cigna, Famous Footwear, Sanofi Pasteur, FedEx, Mission Pharmacal, Watson Pharmaceuticals, First Response, and United Airlines.
For more information contact:
Elizabeth Lynch, (914) 997-4286, elynch@marchofdimes.com
Todd Dezen, (914) 997-4608, tdezen@marchofdimes.com
[ | E-mail | Share ]
?
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
SYDNEY (AP) ? A coroner on Friday opened Australia's fourth inquest into the most notorious and bitterly controversial legal drama in the nation's history: the 1980 death of a 9-week-old baby whose parents say was taken by a dingo from her tent in the Australian Outback.
Azaria Chamberlain's mother, Lindy, was convicted and later cleared of murdering her and has always maintained that a wild dog took the baby. She and her ex-husband, Michael Chamberlain, are hoping fresh evidence they have gathered about dingo attacks on children will convince Northern Territory Coroner Elizabeth Morris and end relentless speculation that has followed them for 32 years.
Anne Lade, a former police officer hired by the court to investigate the case, told a packed courtroom that in the years since Azaria disappeared, there have been numerous dingo attacks on humans, some of them fatal. Rex Wild, a lawyer assisting the coroner, described several of the attacks and said he believed the evidence showed that a dingo could have been responsible for Azaria's death.
"Although it (a dingo killing a child) may have been regarded as unlikely in 1980 ... it shouldn't be by 2011-12," he said.
Azaria's death certificate, however, still lists her cause of death as "unknown." The Chamberlains say they want to set the record straight on behalf of their daughter.
"It gives me hope this time that Australians will finally be warned and realize that dingoes are a dangerous animal," Lindy said outside the courthouse in the Northern Territory capital, Darwin. "I also hope that this will give a final finding which closes the inquest into my daughter's death, which so far has been standing open and unfinished."
Azaria vanished from her tent in the Outback on Aug. 17, 1980, during a family vacation to Ayers Rock, the giant red monolith now known by its Aboriginal name Uluru. Fellow campers told police they heard a low growl followed by a baby's cry shortly before Lindy ? who had been making dinner at a nearby barbecue area ? went to check on her daughter.
Lindy said she saw a dingo run from the tent and disappear into the darkness. There were dingo prints outside the tent, and spots of blood on the bedding inside. Upon seeing Azaria's empty bassinet, Lindy screamed, "The dingo's got my baby!" ? a line made famous by the Meryl Streep movie, "A Cry in the Dark," based on the case.
Azaria's body was never found, though her torn and bloodied jumpsuit turned up in the surrounding desert.
Officials, doubtful that a dingo was strong enough to drag away a baby, charged Lindy with murder. Prosecutors said she slit Azaria's throat in the family car ? which initial forensic tests said was splashed with baby's blood ? and buried her in the desert. Lindy was convicted and sentenced to life in prison.
Years later, more sophisticated tests found that the "blood" in the car was a combination of milk and a chemical sprayed during manufacture. Three years into Lindy's prison sentence, a jacket Azaria had been wearing was found by chance near a dingo den. Lindy was released from prison and her conviction was overturned.
Still, three separate coroner's inquests have failed to agree on a cause of death for Azaria. The last inquest, held in 1995, returned an inconclusive finding, with the coroner saying there was not enough evidence to prove a dingo was responsible.
Since then, the Chamberlains have gathered new evidence of around a dozen dingo attacks on children, three of them fatal, said their lawyer, Stuart Tipple. That evidence has been presented to Morris, the coroner, for consideration at Friday's inquest. Morris is expected to issue her decision at a later date.
"When you actually look at what has already been given, and you consider the new evidence, we say you are compelled to make a finding that Azaria was taken by a dingo," Tipple told The Associated Press.
In court, Michael Chamberlain fought back tears as he spoke of the nightmarish aftermath of his daughter's death.
"Since the loss of Azaria I have had an abiding fear and paranoia about safety around dingoes," he said. "They send a shudder up my spine. It is a hell I have to endure."
Australians have followed the case closely since it began, and most have strong opinions. Although public support for Lindy has grown over the years, many still doubt that a dingo could have killed Azaria.
"I think that the people that don't think for themselves aren't ever going to be convinced, and it really doesn't matter what you show them," Tipple told the AP. "I could show them a video of the dingo taking the baby and it wouldn't convince them ? because they've made their mind up."
What's not to love about a short video insinuating something marvelous may be coming soon -- especially if it means a hi-res screen on a tablet, à la that purported Retina Display we saw a few days back. We have to give ASUS credit for this one, as it's teasing us with a clip titled "Twice the Detail, Twice the Fun." The vid's lead actors are a plethora of colorful marbles and a beige box that's very reminiscent of the form factor we're used to seeing on slates. And, let's not forget to mention the quick cameo by the famed Google search bar, a weather widget and a few other walk-in icons like YouTube's own. Could it be a case of the "Mo Pixels, Mo Problems Detail?" It may be a teaser for that Transformer Prime TF700T we saw carrying a 1920 x 1200 LCD at CES, but then again, it might not. Either way, we'll find out for sure when we arrive in Barcelona for MWC. In the meantime, take a virtual jump past the break to check out the full 17-second clip.
Making the bones speakPublic release date: 23-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andy Henion henion@msu.edu 517-355-3294 Michigan State University
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- In a narrow, modest laboratory in Michigan State University's Giltner Hall, students pore over African skeletons from the Middle Ages in an effort to make the bones speak.
Little is known about these Nubians, meaning the information collected by graduate and undergraduate students in MSU's Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Program will help shed light on this unexplored culture.
"This is generally an unknown group of people, so what we get to do with the skeletal collection is really make the bones speak," said Carolyn Hurst, a doctoral student in physical anthropology who is leading the lab this academic year.
The 409 skeletons dating from the sixth to 15th centuries were rescued several years ago from gravesites on Mis Island, located along the Nile River in present day Sudan, before the region became a dam. The collection is on loan to MSU from the prestigious British Museum.
Four MSU graduate students helped in the excavation. Now, another group of students both graduate-level and undergraduates are analyzing the bones for clues into the ancient Nubians' diets, health histories and lifestyles.
Having direct access to a large, well-preserved set of ancient remains is rare for college students. The research experience provides a major advantage for MSU students looking to become professional anthropologists or forensic scientists.
"There aren't a lot of programs from across the world that have a collection like this," said Todd Fenton, associate professor in the MSU Department of Anthropology and director of the Nubian bones project. "It gives our graduate students an amazing research platform and also provides exciting opportunities for our undergraduate students."
For years, Fenton and his students have worked with personnel from the British Museum on excavations in Albania. In the mid-2000s, when the massive Merowe Dam was being built in an area known as the Fourth Cataract of the Nile River, Derek Welsby from the museum turned to Fenton for help in excavating the medieval Nubian remains.
Four MSU graduate students Cate Bird, Lindsey Jenny, Tracey Tichnell and Andrea Clowes traveled to Sudan to assist with the three-month excavation in early 2007. The work was undertaken by the Sudan Archaeological Research Society in collaboration with the British Museum.
Under the brutal African sun, the MSU students, with help from museum fieldworkers and Sudanese citizens, carefully removed the skeletons from their burial sites, conducted a preliminary analysis of the bones, then boxed them up and shipped them to the British Museum in London.
"I jumped at the opportunity to go to Sudan and see a region of the world that's not very accessible," said Bird, a doctoral student in anthropology. "We usually just see bones in the laboratory. To be able to have such a hand in excavating them and making sure they were handled properly and cared for was important to me."
The skeletons remained at the museum until May 2010, when they came to MSU through a five-year loan, which can be renewed.
After cleaning and cataloguing the skeletons, a group of students spent the first academic year studying the adult skeletons. That project led by Angela Soler, who recently earned her doctorate in anthropology included analyzing the bones and teeth to determine dietary habits, sex, approximate age and evidence of illness or trauma.
The information collected is entered into a database run by the British Museum, which is analyzing another set of remains from Mis Island.
"We were extremely pleased to team up with MSU because of the unbridled enthusiasm of both Dr. Fenton and his students," said Welsby, assistant keeper in the British Museum's Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan. "This is an ideal scenario in that we get the basic skeletal report to integrate into our final report on all aspects of the work at the Fourth Cataract while the students get the raw material to study."
Margaret Zywicki, a senior anthropology major from metro Detroit, worked in the Giltner Hall lab from the beginning "when the bones were in boxes covered with dirt" and is now applying to graduate schools.
"I had no experience with bones before, so by working here I've gotten extensive experience that most undergraduates don't get," Zywicki said. "And now that I'm applying to graduate schools I have that experience on my resume and that's something that should really catch their attention."
This year, the students, led by Hurst, are studying the child and adolescent skeletons.
Kailey Shelton, a junior from Maryland, is enjoying the project so much she decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in anthropology to go along with her history major.
"It's so neat to see the physical remains of something that's a thousand years old," Shelton said. "It's the idea that something from so long ago is right here in front of me, and I'm able to tell something about that person from it.
"As clichd as it is, it's where history comes alive, and that's always been the thing that excites me the most."
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Making the bones speakPublic release date: 23-Feb-2012 [ | E-mail | Share ]
Contact: Andy Henion henion@msu.edu 517-355-3294 Michigan State University
EAST LANSING, Mich. --- In a narrow, modest laboratory in Michigan State University's Giltner Hall, students pore over African skeletons from the Middle Ages in an effort to make the bones speak.
Little is known about these Nubians, meaning the information collected by graduate and undergraduate students in MSU's Forensic Anthropology and Bioarchaeology Program will help shed light on this unexplored culture.
"This is generally an unknown group of people, so what we get to do with the skeletal collection is really make the bones speak," said Carolyn Hurst, a doctoral student in physical anthropology who is leading the lab this academic year.
The 409 skeletons dating from the sixth to 15th centuries were rescued several years ago from gravesites on Mis Island, located along the Nile River in present day Sudan, before the region became a dam. The collection is on loan to MSU from the prestigious British Museum.
Four MSU graduate students helped in the excavation. Now, another group of students both graduate-level and undergraduates are analyzing the bones for clues into the ancient Nubians' diets, health histories and lifestyles.
Having direct access to a large, well-preserved set of ancient remains is rare for college students. The research experience provides a major advantage for MSU students looking to become professional anthropologists or forensic scientists.
"There aren't a lot of programs from across the world that have a collection like this," said Todd Fenton, associate professor in the MSU Department of Anthropology and director of the Nubian bones project. "It gives our graduate students an amazing research platform and also provides exciting opportunities for our undergraduate students."
For years, Fenton and his students have worked with personnel from the British Museum on excavations in Albania. In the mid-2000s, when the massive Merowe Dam was being built in an area known as the Fourth Cataract of the Nile River, Derek Welsby from the museum turned to Fenton for help in excavating the medieval Nubian remains.
Four MSU graduate students Cate Bird, Lindsey Jenny, Tracey Tichnell and Andrea Clowes traveled to Sudan to assist with the three-month excavation in early 2007. The work was undertaken by the Sudan Archaeological Research Society in collaboration with the British Museum.
Under the brutal African sun, the MSU students, with help from museum fieldworkers and Sudanese citizens, carefully removed the skeletons from their burial sites, conducted a preliminary analysis of the bones, then boxed them up and shipped them to the British Museum in London.
"I jumped at the opportunity to go to Sudan and see a region of the world that's not very accessible," said Bird, a doctoral student in anthropology. "We usually just see bones in the laboratory. To be able to have such a hand in excavating them and making sure they were handled properly and cared for was important to me."
The skeletons remained at the museum until May 2010, when they came to MSU through a five-year loan, which can be renewed.
After cleaning and cataloguing the skeletons, a group of students spent the first academic year studying the adult skeletons. That project led by Angela Soler, who recently earned her doctorate in anthropology included analyzing the bones and teeth to determine dietary habits, sex, approximate age and evidence of illness or trauma.
The information collected is entered into a database run by the British Museum, which is analyzing another set of remains from Mis Island.
"We were extremely pleased to team up with MSU because of the unbridled enthusiasm of both Dr. Fenton and his students," said Welsby, assistant keeper in the British Museum's Department of Ancient Egypt and Sudan. "This is an ideal scenario in that we get the basic skeletal report to integrate into our final report on all aspects of the work at the Fourth Cataract while the students get the raw material to study."
Margaret Zywicki, a senior anthropology major from metro Detroit, worked in the Giltner Hall lab from the beginning "when the bones were in boxes covered with dirt" and is now applying to graduate schools.
"I had no experience with bones before, so by working here I've gotten extensive experience that most undergraduates don't get," Zywicki said. "And now that I'm applying to graduate schools I have that experience on my resume and that's something that should really catch their attention."
This year, the students, led by Hurst, are studying the child and adolescent skeletons.
Kailey Shelton, a junior from Maryland, is enjoying the project so much she decided to pursue a bachelor's degree in anthropology to go along with her history major.
"It's so neat to see the physical remains of something that's a thousand years old," Shelton said. "It's the idea that something from so long ago is right here in front of me, and I'm able to tell something about that person from it.
"As clichd as it is, it's where history comes alive, and that's always been the thing that excites me the most."
###
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AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
New Health And Fitness.Org - Health Information You Can Use
Walking is one of the healthiest and most pleasurable exercises. Moreover, almost everyone can walk and there?s a very low risk of injuries. Consequently, walking is one of the keys to a healthy life. Keep reading this article to get to know five health benefits of walking.
1. Get in shape
Walking is one of the easiest and simplest ways to lose some pounds. If you start walking for one hour daily five times a week, you?ll lose even 2 pounds per month. Moreover, it?s very easy to make walking even more effective. You can walk faster, walk on sand, hills or mountains or walk with ski poles or walking sticks ? all of these things will increase your energy expenditure and help you lose weight faster.
2. Reduce your risk of diabetes
Nowadays diabetes is one of the most common chronic diseases. One of the main causes of diabetes is obesity and bad diet. Obese people have a very high risk of diabetes. If you want to reduce your risk of diabetes, you should lose weight. And guess what ? walking is one of the easiest ways to do it! Walking for at least 3 hours weekly can lower your risk of diabetes even by 50%.
3. Keep your heart healthy
If you?re a woman, walking at a moderate pace (3 miles per hour) for up to three hours a week can cut your risk of heart disease by 40%. Other studies show that benefits to men are similar. The more often you walk, the better your heart health is and the lower your risk of heart disease.
4. Feel happier
Walking causes your brain to release endorphins, peptides which create feelings of euphoria and happiness. Endorphins are probably the only healthy drug in the world. Walking for just a few hours a week will tremendously increase your happiness and increase your satisfaction with life. Furthermore, walking reduces symptoms of depression (which can lead to many dangerous health problems).
5. Get fit
Walking is a great way to improve your overall fitness. You?ll train your muscles, improve your flexibility and bone health and increase your stamina. Moreover, people who walk more often have better immune system, because walking on a daily basis increases the amount of immune system cells that are present in the body.
These five health effects of walking are among the most important reasons to start walking on a daily basis. The more often you walk, the better your overall health and fitness are. Incorporate walking into your daily schedule and you?ll quickly notice positive changes in your life!
Click here if you want to read more about walking for exercise.
The history of Note in the twenty-first century is long. Goes back several generations and it is too long and detailed, which will be included in this short article. But when you think the motivation behind the advertising, are some ideas that will benefit all much to gain sales and new customers and loyal fans.
At first glance, there are advertisements for an obvious reason for people to pay attention to your product or service to be paid. There is a world out there and the only way to attract the attention of the hungry crowd of traction busy consumers is remarkable in one way or another. The methods used to attract attention are very diverse and covers all media blast. And the bottom line is that I think it is safe to conclude that advertising was a great success and has become an essential part of running a business in the twenty-first century.
But if you?re looking in front of what looks go, of course, there is a fundamental mistake in advertising. If you think advertising is there to replace you on the path to the secret of the advertising itself. What is the secret? The answer is simple. Advertising is there to replace real people. Once upon a time in a small town, there was no need for advertising. If I wanted was milk from the dairy you want. If you want bread, then went to the bakery. If things were small and everyone knows everyone, everyone knew where to look for what I needed to go.
Contrast this with the modern world, almost all products and services will be offered in almost total anonymity. Nothing more, to have something, but what you have and how much. This is a natural consequence of mass production that pervades not only our gadgets, but also what we eat and drink.
Consider a simple example. When you enter a clothing store today will be difficult, one, without finding a ghost. If you stop and think about what is the role of a model that almost immediately to the conclusion that it is there for you to discover what clothes will look like an attractive person. This is to let the model wearing the same clothes and then, after having inspired to choose the size and continue to try to bring it to the cashier.
In summary, all advertising is in place to replace the man to replace the time commitment of the owners of stores that are issued to each customer used. If you have the ability to provide one-to-head are to maximize our customers and clients need to see increased sales.
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i live in the south san diego area . my question is can a child get lymphoma leukemia cancer from mold and asbestos . on october of 2007 me and my three kids moved into a home at that time i was living with my sister and i needed to hurry up and move out so thats the reason why i excepted to live in this old home i don?t know much about detecting mold and stuff like that . on about may of 2008 my kitchen sink got clog so the landlord send a specialist who was a plumer, to fix it well this guy informed me to have the landlord replace the cabinets because they are really old and moldy and it can cause serious health problems especially to young children. he also said he knows the landlord and he is very cheap and that the house was very old and the landlord has not fix or done anything new to the house i need to keep asking him to change the cabinets so i did tell the landlord he ignored it .he said he doe! s?nt have the money to replace the kitchen cabinets .they were in real bad condition the wood was peeling off they didn?t have smooth covers to cover up the wood the wood was so nasty and old from like 1960 also the water was always smelly and the fence in the back yard was old . i didn?t move out i keept on consistantly telling the landlord he ignored me . finally i refuse to pay rent on april, 2009 i couldn?t take it no more my son was always feeling sick he stopped going to school due to headaches and body aches the doctor send us home saying its just a cold until he couln?t walk anymore he would wake me up in the middle of the night screaming that his legs hurt like if they were on fire . we moved out on 05- 30- 2009 my son was always in the hospital because he coulnt walk from being active always running and riding his scooter .he ended up on a wheel chair still all the specialist in childrens hospital didnt know what my son had on nov 2009 one of the doctors sen! d us home saying my son was just faking about walking they send him to a physical therapy were he yelled and cry every time he tried to walk finally they decide to do an MRI on 12-2009 my son was diagnose in 12-16-2009 with acute lymphoma leukemia a child hood cancer. he is now going through chemo therapy until 2012.
- Shirts/tanks: Best gas tank tops are actually ones which include metal studs and additionally silk controlling. Make sure that it can be 90 p?cent cotton and additionally 10 p?cent spandex. This doesn?t only look after your dogs belonging to the heat of your sun nonetheless it keeps these people cool at the same time. However, dog hoodies to touch around the stylish appearance they are able to provide. Most of times, manufacturers uses silver, birdwatcher and metal, gold and additionally aluminum.
Suggested mature Deputy Chief Leanne Rankin, ?Sleeveless pet dog shirt.? You?ll be able to show the earth the muscles around the legs, which were well developed with extreme jogging during the park or around the treadmill. There a great variety involving dog clothes you can buy on the web and Anways, i do personally presume they look considerably nicer compared to the home-made products. You can purchase dog apparel, hoodies, t-shirts and additionally all method of accessories from lots of the smaller retailers as well as the prices tend to be very positive.
Sport ? Some puppy owners who spending some time on the river see dog clothes lifejackets as being an essential safeness necessity, while various sun susceptible dog breeds could wear a variety of sun-safe clothing to guard them as a result of dangerous Ultra violet rays. Any garment is constantly better becoming a little loose in place of tight.
Almost virtually all dogs is going to really take pleasure in some comfortable suit winter as being an extra ? pelt protection, otherwise you can find the ?who ever take everyone for? YOUR husky correct? ? appear. Similarly, dogs may not be water confirmation therefore an important rain cover for boisterous days will do just as well. Individuals notice which generally upsetting smell puppies have as soon as they get moisten. For instance it?s possible to have a unique collar aided by the pets identity, in a range of color that would really fit you puppies hair including a little style of some sort or other is often very cute also. Messed away fur is an occasion you had deal with (especially during the underbelly area) and additionally needing inferior time and additionally towels that will dry your dog or cat when both of you get home is in addition another benefit from the getup. Do you wish to dress your pet dog up on pet attire? Dog apparel is really a popular acquire for owners. Make sure these gas tank tops are actually 100 p?cent cotton. It is important about these types of tank best is so it will keep a person clean together with create a great style fact. With value to coloring, bright colors would definitely be a preferred choice.
There is no not one but two opinions that it can be the attire that comprise best treats for pet dog.
A new report on gender inequity in the restaurant industry called?Tipped Over the Edge was recently released. The?executive summary and the?full report are available at those links, in PDF form.
This is a 40 page report, and I?ve just skimmed the surface of it. All of this is very familiar territory to me?I worked in the restaurant industry for 20 years. There are over 10 million restaurant workers in the United States. Approximately 52% of them are women. 66% of tipped workers are women. Tipped workers can be payed a sub minimum wage, which creates legalized gender inequity. From the report:
The restaurant industry is one of the only sectors in which predominately male positions have a different minimum wage than predominately female positions: non-tipped work- ers (52 percent male) have a federal minimum wage of $7.25, while tipped workers (66 percent female) have a federal subminimum wage of $2.13.
The federal rate is $2.13, though some states have a higher rate. Alaska, Montana, Minnesota, and California have eliminated the sub minimum wage. The federal sub minimum wage of $2.13 has been the same since 1991.
Female restaurant workers are paid less than their male counterparts for two primary reasons. First, they are concentrated in lower-paying segments such as quick-serve and family style, and second, they are not able to access the highest-paying positions in the industry. Women fill only 19 percent of chef positions, one of the highest paying restaurant positions with a median wage of $19.23. And at the lowest end of the pay scale, women are highly concentrated in four of the ten lowest paid occupations of any industry: host, counter attendant, combined food prep and serving worker, and server.
(Maryland Rep. Donna Edwards has filed?the Wages Act, which would increase the federal minimum wage for tipped employees. The subminimum wage has been frozen at $2.13 for 21 years. An increase would provide a little more financial security for tipped employees in a bad economy.)
Then there?s health care, or lack thereof:
These wage inequities are exacerbated by lack of benefits that prevent restaurant workers from properly caring for their health and their families.Of the more than 4,300 restaurant workers ROC surveyed across the country, 90 percent lack paid sick days and 90 percent do not receive health insurance through their employers.?One third of all female restaurant workers (33.4 percent) lack any kind of health care, whether provided by their employer or otherwise. More than a quarter (26.8 percent) of all female restaurant workers are mothers,and more than one in ten are single mothers,25 so the lack of paid sick leave and workplace flexibility creates an additional burden for women in the industry.
Sick people who can?t afford to take a day off go to work, where they prepare and serve food.
The low pay isn?t the only problem:
A recent MSNBC review of Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) data revealed that from January to November 2011, almost 37 percent of all EEOC charges by women regarding sexual harassment came from the restaurant industry, even though less than 7 percent of employed women work in the restaurant industry.
The EEOC has identified the restaurant industry as the largest source of sexual harassment claims.
What I?ve seen in the report confirms what I learned from my own experiences in restaurants. I started out as a server, but quickly learned where the real money was, and learned to bartend and cook.
The flexible schedule worked fairly well for me as a single mother, but restaurant scheduling is often subject to last minute change, which can be` a real problem for women who have child care or elder care responsibilities. Many restaurants consistently overstaff the dining room, in case it gets busy. It?s not unusual to get sent home halfway through a shift, having made very little money. That subminimum wage paycheck doesn?t pay the bills.
Sexual harassment is certainly plentiful, as is discrimination. I worked in one kitchen where postcards of bare chested women adorned the walls. The chef had giant posters of scantily clad, silicone enhanced women in his office. To call it a hostile work environment doesn?t really do the situation justice. He didn?t want women working in his kitchen, and I didn?t stay long.
To be fair, I?ve also worked in a few great restaurants where the staff were treated like family, and even a few that offered health care benefits, which is a rarity.
As a server, getting sent home on a slow night, with little or no tip money was both painful and frightening. The industry is able to pay substandard wages because servers are tipped. Relying on the whims of the public for a paycheck can also be painful and frightening. One can provide excellent service and still receive no tip. The type of restaurant one works in is also a big factor. The tips are better in fine dining ? but that isn?t an option for everyone.
The restaurant industry isn?t just ?able? to pay substandard wages. They RELY on paying substandard wages, and they lobby fiercely for their right to do so. Right now in Florida, the legislature is considering a bill that would cut the subminimum wage for tipped employees in half. From?Raw Story:
A Florida Senate committee has followed the advice of a restaurant association and passed a bill that would cut the minimum wage for tipped workers by more than half.
The bill, SB 2106, would slash the current Florida tipped minimum wage of of $4.65 an hour to the federal standard of of $2.13 an hour.
And:
?We are being brave and bold and being statesmen and not politicians,? Republican state Sen. Nancy Detert, the committee?s chair, asserted, adding that the bill had been requested by the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association.
Associated Industries of Florida and the Florida Chamber of Commerce have also expressed support for the bill.
I wasn?t aware that cutting the subminimum wage qualified one as a ?statesman.?
One of those restaurant employees, Charles Spencer, is working at Raglan Road Irish Pub and Restaurant in Orlando to pay for his education. He told the Sentinel that the $11 or $12 an hour he currently makes barely pays the bills.
?It?s a lot of canned vegetables and grilled chicken and ramen noodles,? Spencer explained. ?I was rather appalled by the fact they?re going to try to cut a wage standard in this economy.?
The Florida AFL-CIO?s Rich Templin said that the bill would effectively mean a more than $2.50 an hour pay cut for a waitress currently making $14 an hour.
This is shocking ? in a bad economy, they would cut an already substandard subminimum wage? How very Dickensian.
To bring it back to the original topic; that cut in the subminimum wage in Florida would disproportionately hurt women, who make up the majority of tipped employees. At a time where people are dining out less, and tips aren?t as big as they once were, it?s a remarkable show of greed on the part of the restaurant industry, to try to cut an already criminally low wage.
Owning something is not as tough as maintaining it is. So is also the scenario in case of boat or watercrafts. A lot of people can afford to buy boat of different types nowadays, starting from a small kayak to a mighty yacht; but a very few people know how to maintain it. The first step in maintaining your boat in a safe condition is to get a proper boat insurance policy for it, which will cover all the necessary points that your boat needs.
Owning a boat insurance policy means you need to think of all the situations that might occur in the near future and for which you need to seek coverage from your insurance agent. The very first step to solve this problem is to ask yourself about what dangers your boat may face in water. Here, in this article, we will give you some of the major points that your insurance company must cover to give your watercraft 110% coverage from all possible unprecedented events and eventualities.
Insurance companies leave many holes even when they say that they are giving full coverage for your vessel.
Some insurance company will only cover if there is any damage to the actual vessel, but a lot of damage can happen to a vessel internally even when it is alright from outside.
Again, one of the most important points that most insurance companies exclude is wreck removal cost. If your watercraft meets with an accident and it is kept grounded somewhere at the site of accident, then the damage will become more. If you are getting your boat insurance from a good reputed company then the company will cover the full cost of removal.
However, if your insurance company is not that good, they will pay a total loss claim off but leave the wreck removal up to the owner financially. Thus, do not forget to ask your insurer about wreck removal policies in detail.?
Again, suppose there is a wreck and the wreck debris directly affect another vessel floating on the same water trail, then liability can be very high. To get rid of these situations one must check whether towing is included in their coverage. It is always advisable to learn about your coverage in full detail. If towing coverage is not there or wreck removal is not included in the policy then it is better to pay a little extra and include these coverage?s in your policy. Nowadays, coast guards do not take responsibility of towing and if your insurance policy does not cover it then you will have to spend a lot from your own pocket. A towing boat charge about two hundred dollars per hour, and it starts from the time the tow boats leaves its place to the time it is back to the shore in its own place after a successful towing operation. This would sum to a grand total of a lot of money and paying this from your own pocket instead of paying a little bit of extra premium will be pretty much an act of no brainer. Thus, always check for wreck removal, towing and liability coverage in your policy.
Again, if you own a yacht then going for a specialized yacht insurance policy will always be beneficial. Moreover, paying a little extra amount will help you to customize your own policy and thus a better coverage for your boat.
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Public release date: 24-Feb-2012
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