A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research sheds some light into why someone would pay $48,875 for a tape measure that had belonged to Jackie Kennedy or $3,300 for Bernie Madoff's footstool. "Why do people pay money for celebrity possessions?" write authors George E. Newman (Yale University), Gil Diesendruck (Bar-Ilan University), and Paul Bloom (Yale University). "Celebrity items often have little functional value. And because the objects themselves tend to be relatively common artifacts (clothing, furniture, etc.) they are often physically indistinguishable from ...

When your friend is a service provider, things can get complicated. According to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research, a problem can lead to feelings of betrayal or empathy, depending on the circumstances. "Imagine that you are planning to celebrate your birthday at your favorite restaurant. You ask the owner to hold a sea-view table for you and he indicates that he will try to do so. When you arrive at the restaurant, however, he tells you that all of the sea-view tables have been taken. What would your reaction be?" write authors Lisa C. Wan (Lingnan University), ...

Tropical Cyclone Bingiza has made landfall in northeastern Madagascar, and NASA's Aqua and Terra satellites captured visible infrared satellite data of the storm's progression over the weekend, revealing the power behind the storm. The movement and landfall of Tropical Cyclone Bingiza was captured over the weekend of Feb. 12-13 in a series of infrared satellite imagery from the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS) instrument that flies aboard NASA's Aqua satellite. Aqua and Terra provided companion visible images to the infrared images of Bingiza's track across northern ...

Healthcare practitioners can increase the number of patients with heart disease referred to a cardiac rehabilitation program by 40 per cent, helping them to reduce their risk of dying and improve their quality of life, say researchers at the Peter Munk Cardiac Centre. Previous studies, including one by Taylor in 2004, indicate that participating in cardiac rehab after a cardiac illness, such as a heart attack, can reduce the risk of death by approximately 25 per cent, a reduction similar to that of other standard therapies such as cholesterol-lowering medications (statins) ...

That human evolution follows a progressive trajectory is one of the most deeply-entrenched assumptions about our species. This assumption is often expressed in popular media by showing cavemen speaking in grunts and monosyllables (the GEICO Cavemen being a notable exception). But is this assumption correct? Were the earliest humans significantly different from us? In a paper published in the latest issue of Current Anthropology, archaeologist John Shea (Stony Brook University) shows they were not. The problem, Shea argues, is that archaeologists have been focusing ...

Rising sea levels could threaten an average of 9 percent of the land within 180 U.S. coastal cities by 2100, according to new research led by University of Arizona scientists. The Gulf and southern Atlantic coasts will be particularly hard hit. Miami, New Orleans, Tampa, Fla., and Virginia Beach, Va. could lose more than 10 percent of their land area by 2100. The research is the first analysis of vulnerability to sea-level rise that includes every U.S. coastal city in the lower 48 with a population of 50,000 or more. The latest scientific projections indicate that ...

SALT LAKE CITY, Feb. 15, 2011 – The risk of deadly hantavirus outbreaks in people can be predicted months ahead of time by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations, a University of Utah study says. The method also might forecast outbreaks of other rodent-borne illnesses worldwide. "It's a way to remotely track a disease without having to go out and trap animals all the time," says Denise Dearing, professor of biology at the University of Utah and co-author of the study published online Wednesday, Feb. 16, in the journal Global ...

OAK BROOK, Ill. – Breast cancer screening with MRI can detect invasive cancers missed on mammography in women who've undergone chest irradiation for other diseases, according to a new study published online and in the April print edition of Radiology. Women who receive radiation therapy as children and young adults for diseases like Hodgkin's lymphoma face a significantly greater risk of breast cancer later in life. The incidence of breast cancer increases approximately eight years after chest irradiation, and 13 percent to 20 percent of women treated with moderate- to ...

Practical medical advice that works in the "real world" may more effectively prevent cardiovascular disease in women than recommendations based only on findings in clinical research settings, according to the 2011 update to the American Heart Association's cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines for women. First published in 1999, the guidelines until now have been primarily based on findings observed in clinical research. That alone often doesn't consider the personal and socioeconomic factors that can keep women from following medical advice and treatment. "These ...

The drug known as ecstasy has been used by 12 million people in the United States alone and millions more worldwide. Past research has suggested that ecstasy users perform worse than nonusers on some tests of mental ability. But there are concerns that the methods used to conduct that research were flawed, and the experiments overstated the cognitive differences between ecstasy users and nonusers. In response to those concerns, a team of researchers has conducted one of the largest studies ever undertaken to re-examine the cognitive effects of ecstasy, funded by a ...

DARIEN, Ill. – A study in the Feb. 15 issue of the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that poor sleep quality correlated with higher levels of depressive symptoms, greater pain severity, increased fatigue, and greater functional disability in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). The study suggests that addressing sleep problems via pharmacological or behavioral interventions may have a critical impact on the health and lives of patients with RA. The study represents a cross-sectional examination of the relationship between sleep quality and functional disability ...

Why Choose Non-Competitive Games? - Many adults find it difficult not to be a bad loser, and it is even more difficult for children who have yet to learn how to lose. However, the art of losing should not be taught on birthdays, as these should be very special celebrations with lots of happiness, fun and a merry atmosphere. In traditional competitive games such as sack racing or egg and spoon races, children are pitted against each other to create winners and losers. Non-competitive games on the other hand avoid competition and instead often require teamwork. They produce ...

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is about to add another Eastern European deluxe hotel to its portfolio: Swissôtel Odessa, expected to open in spring 2013. Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts signed yesterday a management contract in Odessa with the Ukrainian investors, Interpoint Development. Swissôtel Odessa will include 333 modern and contemporary rooms, varying from the classic category "Swiss Advantage" to Presidential Suites. Furthermore the hotel will provide a lobby lounge-bar with a library, two restaurants and a brasserie with an extensive terrace overlooking the Black Sea, ...

888poker is proud to announce it is offering its players packages to join the Canadian Poker Tour's Super Cruise in the Caribbean from 3-10 April 2011. This ideal 7-day cruise vacation leaves from the coast of Florida and offers breathtaking scenery, sandy beaches and a No-Limit Texas Hold'em tournament onboard the Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas. The $5,000 package includes: • Airfare ($1,000) • Luxury Cabin accommodation ($2,300) • Event Buy-in ($1,200) • Spending money ($500) So how can you get there? 888poker players from Canada can qualify via ...

If you are thirst for adventures and magical powers, here is a special treat for you. On Feb 15, 2011, just one day after Valentine's Day, the 2-Movie Collection of Dungeons & Dragons and Dungeons & Dragons: Wrath of the Dragon God will be released in Blu-ray. At that time you can enjoy the two supernatural films at one time and have a series of adventures just at home. It's definitely thrilling. Now let's take a peek at the synopsis of the two movies to assure you that "Yes, this is just what I want." "Dungeons & Dragons": In a world where the forces of evil have magical ...

If you want to build lean muscle, get toned and improve your fitness level you should consider an incredible new workout program called the Supreme 90 Day System. Supreme 90 workout is proud to offer this home fitness and diet product. Hosted by renowned trainer Tom Holland, the Supreme 90 Day System guides you through workouts which use muscle confusion to accelerate your body transformation. Each supreme 90 Day workout lasts approximately 50 minutes and is perfect for people who do not have time to go to a gym. This program is like having your own personal trainer, ...

ProMilitaris.com would like to announce the official release of our all new Navy Advancement Study Guides service for web and mobile devices! ProMilitairs.com Advancement Study Guides is a cutting edge provider of Online learning tools. Dedicated to easing the advancement of all those who serve in the United States Navy. No matter what paygrade you are testing for, the Navy Basic Military Requirements ( BMR NAVEDTRA 14325 ) course is a key source of information for success in the Professional Military Knowledge ( PMK ) portion of your Navy-wide Advancement Exam ( ...

Positive Stocks offers strategic investor relations services to its clients using a variety of marketing strategies designed to communicate their clients' company history and business plan to the appropriate institutional and retail investment professionals. Created by a 10-year veteran of Investor Relations services and two internet marketing experts, Positive Stocks' marketing strategies include developing presentations, corporate profiles, company fact sheets, and press releases to boost their clients visibility and expand their business. More specifically, the ...

The proliferation of mobile applications may have transformed the Mobile industry but it certainly hasn't realized its full potential. With nearly 80% of mobile users still using feature phones - it is a market that remains significantly underserved. Telecom Operators too, despite various attempts of either embracing or replicating conventional mobile app ecosystems, have failed to capitalize on this booming potential other than bear the burden of additional data usage of top tier phones - when the answer lies in targeting the entire subscriber base with apps that monetizes ...

Clover Stornetta Farms welcomes David Duval to their management team as Director of Strategic Sales. Duval will be a key player in helping Clover expand their offerings nationally. Duval has spent his career in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry selling to clients on the West Coast and developing business in large national accounts. His background includes roles in Brand, Consumer and Trade marketing as well as developing and launching products nationally. While working in the West he obtained a Masters in Organization and Leadership Development at the University ...

Handlink Technologies Inc. is proud to announce that its innovative product, the WAP-001 In Wall Access Point, won Taiwan Excellence 2011 Award for an ideal hotel room Internet access solution. WAP-001 provides all-new WiFi deployment experience for systems integrators, hotel proprietors and constructors in the business hotel, luxury house, MDU, green and intelligent building applications. The WAP-001 is designed as 150Mbps Internet access for guests and roomers secure WiFi, wired Internet access and phone line connection all in one in their hotel room, guest room, living ...

If your computer is running slower than it used to, or if you keep getting error message from your computer's operating system, you might be tempted to just throw your current computer away and buy a new one, but that could be a costly mistake. Inexpensive, fast, and easy to use registry cleaner software can have your computer running smoothly again, often for far less than it would cost to replace it with a new one. A good number of computer response time problems, as well as error messages are due to a problem with a vital component of your computer's software called ...

Today we are more design conscious than ever when it comes to designing and furnishing our homes. Even the functional items we purchase are chosen as much for their 'look' as their use. From vacuums to toasters we look for an object that is stylish, well designed, oh, and functional! When it comes to entertainment, we are no less conscious that our choices say a lot about us. TV's were not originally designed with an emphasis on the 'style factor': big, cumbersome and downright ugly they took up space and once in place were impossible to move without the help of a small ...

Dr. Daryl D. Green and Dr. Gary E Roberts recently published their much acclaimed book "Impending Danger: The Federal Handbook for Rethinking Leadership in the 21st Century." An intriguing read, it provides critical answers regarding how government leaders can reduce partisan bickering by changing the current leadership paradigm. With rising discontent among government employees and the never ending intrusion of the government in personal affairs, most Americans are demanding systemic change. The book addresses this concern as it discusses the anger and frustration ...

CDAA, a South Australian certified digital development agency has, announced its sponsorship and participation at the Community Engagement Conference in Melbourne, Victoria. The conference is held on the 16th and 17th of February 2011 at Sofitel Melbourne. The two day conference will help government departments and agencies (Local, State and Federal) to better understand community engagement needs and expectations. Then developing innovative tools and techniques that enable them to have a genuine two way dialogue with their communities to truly understand their needs, ...