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Showing posts with label News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label News. Show all posts

Saturday, June 03, 2017

Cow Born with a Human-like Head is Worshipped by Indian in Uttar Pradesh

Cow born with a human-like head is worshipped by Indian villagers who claim it resembles a GOD


A shocking video has emerged showing a cow born with human-like features in an animal shelter in India.  The calf was born with the eyes, nose and ears that resemble that of a human, while the lower part of its body had features of a cow
The calf was born with the eyes, nose and ears
However, the cow died within an hour of its birth yesterday, in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, northern India.


Workers at an Indian animal shelter believe this deformed newborn calf is possibly a God.

Hundreds of locals came to venerate the dead calf who died in Uttar Pradesh, northern India. But as soon as the news spread, locals from nearby villages gathered to seek its blessing, believing it to be an avatar of Lord Vishnu, a Hindu God. The video shows people offering flower garlands and bowing before the dead calf, which has been kept inside a glass box since it died. Locals believe the calf is the 'Gokaran' - 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu and plans are now afoot to build a temple for him.


Mahesh Kathuria, 50, a local businessman who came to see the calf, said: 'God has taken birth from the body of a local cow. We came here to seek his blessings. Religiously, it is an avatar of Vishnu. We believe it's a similar character mentioned in Bhagavata Puran, a Hindu religious text.' Raja Bhaiya Mishra, 55, the manager of the cow shelter, said: 'It's a miracle that the calf was born in this shelter. Thousands of people have been here to see it. We will be cremating him in three days and a temple will be built for him. This avatar has most definitely created a devotion feeling amongst the people.'

The animal's mother was taken to a cow shelter after being rescued from a butcher. For many Hindus cows must not be eaten although they can be used in agriculture or for dairy products

Locals are planning to build a temple for the calf once it is cremated in three days time. Hundreds of people from surrounding villages came to pray after coming to see the dead calf. He added that the mother was rescued from a butcher and was brought to the shelter six months ago before she fell pregnant. However, animal health experts have a different view on its birth and rubbishes any superstitions surrounding it. Dr Ajay Deshmukh, senior veterinary doctor, at Wildlife SOS, in India, said: 'This is a case of an anatomical anomaly. If a gene didn't develop properly or there was a fault, it causes multiple structural deformities, and such anomalies happen. It has got only scientific reasons and explanations, there's no superstitions here.' 

Sources: Daily Mail
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 5:58 AM
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Thursday, June 01, 2017

Nasa reveals Mission to 'Touch the Sun' for Groundbreaking Parker Solar in 2018

Nasa reveals historic 2018 mission to 'touch the sun' in an attempt to predict devastating solar storms


Nasa is set to announce its ambitious plans to launch a probe mission directly into the atmosphere of the sun in a world first. Dubbed the Parker Solar Probe (PSP), the mission will launch a spacecraft from Earth in the summer of 2018. It will reach an orbit within four million miles (6.5 million km) of the sun and will measure activity at its outer surface, known as the 'corona'. The craft will collect vital information about the life of stars and their weather events, and will help scientists improve how we predict dangerous solar flares.
The spacecraft, dubbed the Parker Solar Probe,
will see a spacecraft launched from Earth in the summer of 2018,
to reach an orbit within four million miles (6.5 million km) of the sun's surface.
This will be seven times closer than any spacecraft that has ventured before it
Nasa announced its plans during a live stream event, which was held at the University of Chicago's William Eckhardt Research Centre Auditorium and broadcast on NasaTV. To start the event off, Professor Rocky Kolb, dean of the Division of the Physical Sciences at the University of Chicago, explained how the idea to study the sun up close was first explored at the University of Chicago in 1958. 'So many fundamental questions about solar wind remain unanswered,' he said. ‘We wanted to take the challenge of going to the worst thermal environment in the solar system - and surviving it,' added Dr Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of Nasa’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. 'We want to measure the environment there and find what the heating processes are that make the corona hot, and what processes accelerate the solar wind.'

Dr Zurbuchen then announced, live on air, that the probe - originally dubbed the Solar Probe Plus - was to be renamed the Parker Solar Probe after University of Chicago scientist Eugene Parker, who pioneered solar wind science. Dr Parker, who was also speaking at the event, responded: 'I am extremely honoured to be associated with this heroic space mission.' Dr Nicola Fox, mission project scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, then took to the stage.

She said that until now, Nasa didn't have the advanced materials needed to make such a close trip to the sun's corona. She added that the corona is actually hotter than the sun's centre, and that finding out why is a key part of the probe mission. 'I like to think of this as the coolest, hottest mission,' she said. Dr Fox said that Dr Parker's original 1958 paper on solar winds will travel on the probe along with pictures of him and a plate with a comment of his choice. She presented Dr Parker with a model of the new probe to thank him for his work.
This image shows the planned route and flybys of the PSP craft on its six-year mission

She explained that Parker Solar Probe will gradually 'surf' closer and closer to the sun, into its corona. The craft will to withstand higher temperatures than any probe that has come before it. 'We will finally touch the sun,' she said. Answering questions from the audience, Dr Fox described some of the state-of-the-art equipment that the Parker Solar Probe will carry. The craft's kit includes a white light imager called Whisper, which will take images of solar waves as the craft propels through them at high speeds. To measure the 'bulk plasma' of solar winds - which Dr Fox described as the 'break and butter' of the flares - a set of magnetic imaging equipment will also be stored on board. To conclude the conference, Dr Fox added: 'We've really come as far as we can with looking at things and it's time to pay it a visit.'

While minor details of the groundbreaking mission had surfaced earlier this year, the agency's press event will reveal a host of new information about the mission. The spacecraft will swoop within 4 million miles (6.5 million km) of the sun's surface next year - bringing it seven times closer to the sun's surface than any spacecraft before it. The craft will face extremes in heat and radiation and will reach speeds of up to 450,000 miles per hour (725,000 kph) at its closest flyby of the star. It is hoped that PSP can help scientists to better understand solar flares - brief eruptions of intense high-energy radiation from the sun's surface that can knock out communications on Earth.

Sources : Daily Mail


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Published by Gusti Putra at: 7:50 AM
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Baby Born with 4 Legs has extra limbs removed in India

Indian Baby born with 4 LEGS has her extra limbs removed during a complex operation


The five-month-old, yet to be named, was born in January with her parasitic
twin brother fixed to her spine (pictured before surgery at the Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat)
A baby dubbed an 'alien' after she was born with four legs has had her extra pair removed during a complex operation.
The five-month-old, who is yet to be named, was born in January with her parasitic twin brother fixed to her spine. Local doctors were originally baffled as to why she had the extra limbs, and insisted that her mother, Surekha Muli, 22, was cursed. But after eventually getting a diagnosis, both she and her husband Pratap, 25, were forced to wait for months before she was allowed to have life-saving surgery. Surgeons finally performed the procedure last Wednesday, with the mother-of-four saying her family is now complete. Mrs Muli said: 'I felt so bad when people came to see my child, as if she was an alien.

'They would often pass comments and say I deserved it as I was cursed. I was helpless but I didn't lose hope.'  'I cannot even express my happiness in words and I cannot thank the doctors enough for their assistance and effort to save my child. 'I feel blessed to see my child normal now. Our family is now complete and life and can continue.' 
Surgeons finally performed the procedure to remove her extra appendages
 (pictured: scan of the girl taken before the operation)

Mrs Muli, from a small village in Gujarat, western India, was too poor to have an ultrasound during her pregnancy.  As a result, she was left completely unaware of her child's condition until they were delivered at a local hospital. Seeing the extra limbs on the girl devastated both Mrs Muli and her husband, Pratap, 25, a farmer who earns only Rs 100 (£1) a day. Doctors were unsure if the baby would even survive, forcing the family to seek medical help from various sources.

As weeks passed and the community became aware about the baby, Mrs Muli was called 'cursed' by cruel strangers. The couple eventually visited the government-run Civil Hospital in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, in February. 

Sources: Daily Mail
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 7:24 AM
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Mom Gives Birth Naturally to 13-lb (5.8 Kg) Baby Boy: 'I thought they were joking'

A Mississippi mom was shocked when she gave birth naturally to a 13-pound (5.8 Kg) baby boy.

Lauren Flaugher said she knew her son would be a bit large based on a scan carried out at 20 weeks but she never would have guessed just how big.
Baby boy weight 13 lbs or 5.8 kg
“The day before we had him, I had an appointment with the midwife and she guessed he would be 9-and-a-half, 10 pounds," Flaugher told InsideEdition.com. "We had no idea he would be 13 pounds."

After the mom gave birth without the use of drugs on May 3, the nurse tried to weigh baby Finnis on the spring scale usually used for newborns. But he was too heavy for it.

“She turned to me and said, ‘this isn’t going to work.’ At first I thought maybe they were trying to joke with me,” Flaugher said. "I thought, ‘oh my gosh, he must be enormous.’”

Flaugher's midwives pulled out the digital scale and the big bundle of joy weighed in at 13 pounds and .5 ounces.

“I kept saying, 'this can’t be right. This isn’t real life.' It was pretty incredible,” Flaugher said.

Flaugher said she had no complications and had a normal pregnancy. Finnis' 3-year-old sister, Aurea, was also a big baby, born at 9 pounds and 5 ounces.

“He decided he had to outdo his big sister,” she said.

Souces: MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 7:00 AM
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Sunday, May 28, 2017

Keep Our Family from The 10 Most Dangerous Bugs in this Summer

The 10 Most Dangerous Bugs to Watch Out for This Summer

BLACK WIDOW SPIDER
Some bugs sting, bite, or even carry disease. Learn to recognize these dangerous insects to protect yourself and your family.
Roughly the size of a paper clip and with venom 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s, this hourglass-shaped black spider can be spotted by the red markings on its back. Black Widow spiders can live for 1-3 years in the wild and are often found alone.

TARANTULA SPIDER

With a lifespan of nearly 30 years Tarantula spiders can grow to nearly the size of a personal pizza. Most Tarantulas are afraid of large predators (like humans) but if provoked – watch out! Though their venom isn’t deadly, it’s not pleasant and can cause rashes and pain at the biting point.




AFRICANIZED BEE

Mostly found in the Southern and Southwestern portions of the United States, Africanized Honeybees often travel in swarms to find a new hive. Most do not randomly attacked people or animals unless they feel that their new hive is in danger. If you see a swarm of bees or are near a hive, it’s important to move away from the area quickly.



MOSQUITOES

Throughout the world, more people are killed by mosquito-borne illness than any other factor. In the United States, mosquitoes can spread different types of encephalitis and can transmit heartworms to domestic animals like dogs and cats.





RED FIRE ANTS

About ½ inch long and brought accidentally by ship from South America, the Red Fire Ant is a robust type of ant that can sting. Found on golf courses, at picnic grounds, and at playgrounds, Red Fire Ants are very common.






WASPS

Wasps usually have a slender, shiny body but they can often look like Honeybees. Unlike Honeybees, when wasps sting their victim they do not lose their stinger, allowing them to sting their victim repeatedly.

BROWN RECLUSE SPIDER

Native to the Midwestern and Southern United States, Brown Recluse Spiders can be deadly to children under the age of 7. Displaying a violin-like shape on their back, these spiders can range in color from brownish-tan to yellow-tan. Most Brown Recluse Spiders only bite when provoked.




SCORPIONS

With a crab-like appearance, scorpions are predatory and often come out at night. Scorpions like warm, dry climates and are often found in deserts. Take precautions when hiking and camping by keeping shoes, blankets, and towels secured indoors. Stings can feel much like a Honeybee sting with mild swelling or a rash, or may be more serious.



TICKS

Ticks can be very tiny and some can also carry Lyme disease. Prevalent throughout North America, ticks can attach themselves to exposed skin. After time spent outdoors, it’s important to do a full body check for ticks and to remove any ticks immediately. Removal of a Lyme disease-carrying Deer Tick within 36 hours can reduce your risk of getting the disease. 



CENTIPEDES AND MILLIPEDES

Though not poisonous, Millipedes carry venom that can cause an allergic reaction in some people. Centipedes also carry venom that is not deadly but can be toxic to people who are allergic to other types of insect venoms. Both centipedes and millipedes are worm-like creatures..



Sources : MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 11:41 AM
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Thursday, January 29, 2015

Mummified Monk from 200 Years Ago Found Perfectly Preserved in Meditating Pose

The stunning find was discovered in Mongolia with experts reckoning the body has sat undiscovered since the 1800s
The remarkable remains of a mummified Mongolian monk
These are the amazingly intact remains of a monk meditating that have lay undiscovered since sometime in the 1800s.

The discovery of the man sat in the lotus position has sparked a forensic investigation into the unknown religious devotee - with experts' initial evaluation suggesting the mummified remains are at least 200 years old.

The human relic, which had been preserved in animal skin, was found this week in Songinokhairkhan province, according to Mongolia's Morning Newspaper.

Preserved: Experts believe the monk has sat undiscovered for at least 200 years
Investigators are now studying the remains in the capital Ulaanbataar.

In Koh Samui, Thailand, a mummified monk wearing sunglasses - Luong Pordaeng, who died in 1973 – provides an unusual tourist attraction.

Pordaeng sits upright in a glass case at Wat Khunaram temple.

Quoted from Mirror
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 7:40 AM
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Knuckle Duster Handbags Potentially Dangerous

'Knuckle Duster Handbags' DESTROYED by Cops Because They are Classified as 'Potentially Dangerous' Weapons

Dangerous? Police have been destroying the clutch bag

Hundreds of the high-fashion clutch bags have been seized because of their provocative handles

Handbags with "knuckle duster" clutches are being destroyed because police believe they are classified as weapons.

Police in Madrid have been confiscating any of the clutch bags found on sale in the city's shops, while others have even been impounded following complaints by the Civil Guard at Barajas airport.

The colorful bags have handles resembling brass knuckles.

Those weapons are illegal, and police are not taking any risks with the young women who sport the handbags.

Security forces have been instructed to seize any "potentially dangerous" bags, and to impose fines on retailers found selling the goods.

The Civil Guard in France destroyed nearly 1,000 rifles and guns last year which were handed in during a weapons amnesty.

The weapons were destroyed alongside 25 brass knuckle bags which also went into the furnace.

Quoted from Mirror
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 7:01 AM
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Monday, December 29, 2014

AirAsia Plane Missing with 162 Aboard

The lost flight is the third major aviation disaster connected with Malaysia this year


An AirAsia plane carrying 162 people from Indonesia to Singapore vanished early Sunday, and initial search and rescue efforts failed to locate the aircraft.

Flight 8501 was due to land at Singapore’s Changi Airport at 8.30 a.m. local time after departing from Surabaya, Indonesia. But air traffic controllers lost contact with the plane in Indonesian airspace at about 7:24 a.m., officials said.

“We don’t dare to presume what has happened except that it has lost contact,” Djoko Murjatmodjo, Indonesia’s acting director general of transportation, told reporters.

Some 10 hours after the aircraft vanished, and with darkness having set in, no sign of the errant Airbus A320-200 had been found. Wet weather also hampered search efforts. The search was set to resume at 6 a.m. Monday.

The plane had 162 people on board, including seven crew and 16 children. No distress signal had been sent.

The six-year-old aircraft had requested to deviate from its submitted flight plan due to bad weather before communication was lost with Indonesian Air Traffic Control, AirAsia said in a statement. The disappearance comes just nine months after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 vanished en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing with 239 people aboard. That plane has yet to be found, in a mystery that captivated the world for months.

Transport Ministry official Hadi Mustofa Djuraid told Singapore’s Metro TV that contact with Flight 8501 was lost somewhere over the Java Sea between Indonesia’s Kalimantan portion of Borneo and Belitung island off the eastern coast of Sumatra.

The single-aisle, twin-engine jetliner had apparently been flying at 32,000 feet (9,700 meters) when the pilot requested to fly at 38,000 feet (11,600 meters) to avoid cloud cover. However, meteorologists indicate that cloud tops in the vicinity may have reached 53,000 feet (16,200 meters).

“The weather was not good—it was bad—at the estimated location the plane lost contact. We just received a weather report from the national meteorological, geophysics and climatology agency,” Hadi said.

Earth Networks, a firm that monitors weather conditions across the globe, said there had been a number of lightning strikes between 6:09 a.m. and 6:20 a.m. close to where Flight 8501 was supposed to fly, the New York Times reports.

Flying into a thunderstorm at high altitude may cause icing on control surfaces that freeze corrective actions by pilots, experts say, thus spurring aggressive aircraft maneuvers.

Indonesian Air Force spokesman Hadi Tjahjanto said three aircraft, including a surveillance plane, had been dispatched to the location where contact was lost. The Singapore Air Force and the navy were also scouring the region with two C-130 planes, the Associated Press reports.

“I am shocked to hear the news, and I am very worried that the plane might have crashed,” a 45-year-old woman with six family members on the plane told AFP at Changi Airport. “They have always flown with AirAsia and there was no problem.”

According to Mike Daniel, a Singapore-based aviation expert with more than three decades experience with the FAA, planes commonly change altitude and routes to avoid inclement weather. “That’s what you expect pilots to do,” he told TIME.

However, Daniel said, “Indonesia is not known for having the best radar coverage and weather radar coverage—they need to update it for both the airports and routes.”

Similarly to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370, the AirAsia flight’s operator is supposed to have constant supervision and vigilance on the location of its aircraft. “One of the first things the authorities have to do is confirm with the airline where the aircraft is thought to be,” Daniel said.

This information is crucial for search and rescue operations, for which the first critical day has now passed.

Flight tracking website Flightradar24 said Flight 8501 was flying at typical cruising altitude of 32,000 feet (9,700 meters) when its signal was lost. This is unusual as planes most commonly get into trouble during takeoff or landing.

Quoted from : TIME
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 3:02 AM
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Friday, September 13, 2013

Lying eyes? 10 Ways a Look Gives You Away

10 Ways Your Eyes Give You Away

Eye movements and eye contact reveal what you’re thinking.
Your eyes communicate more than you may think -- and you can’t always control everything they reveal. Body language experts tell how to read a person’s eyes to tell if they’re happy to see you, disgusted, bored, stressed and even lying.

Pupil Size

You may be able to control your facial expressions, but your pupils tell a different story, letting others know if you like what you see. Many studies show that looking at a person or object you love increases the size of your pupils. On the opposite end, pupils shrink when you’re repulsed or view something distasteful. “Even if you can’t see a person’s pupils, their reaction registers with you subconsciously,” says Joe Navarro, a former FBI counter intelligence officer, body language expert and author of “What Every Body Is Saying.” He says, “Pupils also constrict when we’re stressed. It’s hard wired into us.” Large pupil size also makes us more appealing, says Navarro. Egyptians put belladonna (a plant from the deadly nightshade family) in their eyes to make them dilate and appear more attractive.

Eye twitch

A twitchy eyelid may be incredibly distracting to the person with the twitch, but it can also be noticed by others. Does it mean they don’t like what you’re saying? “You can’t take it personally,” says Dr. Sandy T. Feldman, an eye surgeon and the medical director at ClearView Eye and Laser Medical Center in San Diego. “An eyelid twitch results from a spasm of the eyelids and may be indicative of stress or a medical condition.” It’s typically less of a form of body language and more the effect of caffeine, eye irritation or alcohol, all of which can cause a twitchy eye. An eyelid that twitches along with the side of the mouth may indicate a neurological issue and should be checked by a doctor.

Shifty eyes

Ask a person a question and see if their eyes go up as they conjure up an answer. Some training experts say if they look up and to the right they’re probably lying; if they look up and to the left they’re telling the truth. It’s not quite that simple, says Navarro. “A lot of myths exist about lying and eye direction. We look in certain directions according to how we process the information, which varies from person to person.” Some people look down when they’re dealing with emotions, but it’s not universal. Looking up and around doesn’t necessarily mean that person is lying, it simply shows they are processing information, says Navarro.

Blink rate

Can you catch someone lying in “the blink of an eye”? Quite possibly. We blink less in some situations (e.g. reading, daydreaming and working at the computer) and more when we’re under stress -- and when lying. Most people normally blink between eight and 21 blinks per minute at rest. Watch someone like Lance Armstrong being interviewed and you may see him blink much more when responding to the tough questions, says Navarro. “But you can’t call everyone a liar just because their blink rate goes up, however.  Bill Clinton blinked over 92 times per minute during his deposition, which was a reflection of the stress he was under.” Factors such as dry air and pollen can also increase blink rate.

Eye blocking

If you ask a friend for a favor and they agree but rub their eyes at the same time they respond, they’re not comfortable with your request, says Navarro. Called “eye blocking,” this body language maneuver is extremely accurate, according to Navarro. Eye blocking includes covering or shielding the eyes or lowering the eyelids for a prolonged period. “President Obama does this frequently whenever Joe Biden says something he doesn’t like,” Navarro says. In the case of you asking for your friend’s help, his eye blocking behavior reveals his true feelings, even though he may agree to your request. “Even children who are born blind will block their eyes when they hear things they don’t like,” says Navarro.

Eye Contact

A person who looks you in the eye isn’t necessarily telling you the truth, says Navarro. In fact, it’s likely the opposite.  “When people are lying they actually engage in more eye contact. They look into your eyes to see if you’re buying their story,” says Navarro. Often, when you’re relaxed and comfortable with another person you won’t look them in the eyes but may look around you as you talk to them. In addition, the socially acceptable length of time to look into another person’s eyes is largely cultural. “In the U.S. we can stare at someone for about two seconds without making them feel uncomfortable,” says Navarro. “It’s much longer in the Arab or Latin American world, however, and even varies regionally. People from the Midwest hold a gaze longer.”

Narrowed eyes

Accuse someone of an act they didn’t do and you may see them narrowing their eyes at you. “People narrow their eyes in response to something they find disgusting or distasteful or they feel they’re being wrongly accused,” says Cara Hale Alter, president of SpeechSkills, a communication training company in San Francisco and author of “The Credibility Code.” She says, “The narrower the eyes, the more distasteful.” The true key to the person’s feelings can be found in the rest of the face. Narrowed eyes accompanied by tight lips, for example, may indicate anger or seething, says Alter. “Clearly it’s a negative response, so you may want to ask if you’ve said something or misjudged that person.”

Arching Eyebrows

We exhibit gravity-defying behaviour such as eyebrow arching when we’re happy and contented, says Navarro. Like raising your arms over your head when you cross a finish line or when your team scores a touchdown, arching your eyebrows when you see a person gives them a sense you’re really happy to see them. “When you approach someone with arched eyebrows and a ‘hey, how are you?’ it conveys positive emotions,” says Navarro. “People who are clinically depressed do not exhibit this behaviour. Mothers naturally do this with their babies. It’s a trait we see in all cultures.”

Wide open eyes

Wide open eyes can be interpreted only by looking at the person’s entire face, says Alter. “Eyes wide open can indicate a number of different things, depending on what the rest of the face is doing.” High eyebrows with open eyes and hollowed cheeks likely indicates fear. On the other hand, raising your eyebrows (arching) and smiling indicates happiness and interest. A short glance with eyes wide open and then back to normal shows surprise. At times people may arch their eyebrows to feign excitement or interest in what you’re saying, but it’s likely to look phony, says Alter. “Wide open eyes without a smile also comes across as fear.”

Eyes Glazed Over

If you tell a long, drawn-out story and see the listener’s eyes get a faraway “glazed over” look, they may have mentally checked out, says Navarro. “The brain needs to take a break and withdraw. They’re shutting down some of the input.” If they’re truly bored, their eyelids will start to droop and they’ll look disengaged, says Alter. “In other cases, they may half close their eyes because they’re uncomfortable with a situation and may be trying to hide.  If you’re on a date it’s a pretty clear sign the other party isn’t very interested.” Keep eyes wide open to anyone you want to impress because it’s a key issue and it takes stamina, suggests Alter.

Quoted from MSN
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Published by Gusti Putra at: 6:22 AM
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Sunday, October 21, 2012

Early Look at Windows 8 Baffles Consumers

The release of Microsoft’s Windows 8

NEW YORK — The release of Microsoft’s Windows 8 operating system is a week away, and consumers are in for a shock. 

Windows, used in one form or another for a generation, is getting a completely different look that will force users to learn new ways to get things done.

Microsoft is making a radical break with the past to stay relevant in a world where smartphones and tablets have eroded the three-decade dominance of the personal computer. 

Windows 8 is supposed to tie together Microsoft’s PC, tablet and phone software with one look. But judging by the reactions of some people who have tried the PC version, it’s a move that risks confusing and alienating customers. 

Tony Roos, an American missionary in Paris, installed a free preview version of Windows 8 on his aging laptop to see if Microsoft’s new operating system would make the PC faster and more responsive. It didn’t, he said, and he quickly learned that working with the new software requires tossing out a lot of what he knows about Windows.

“It was very difficult to get used to,” he said. “I have an 8-year-old and a 10-year-old, and they never got used to it. They were like, `We’re just going to use Mom’s computer.”’

Windows 8 is the biggest revision of Microsoft Corp.’s operating system since it introduced Windows 95 amid great fanfare 17 years ago. Ultimately, Windows grew into a $14 billion a year business and helped make former Chief Executive Bill Gates the richest man in the world for a time. 

Now, due to smartphones and tablets, the personal computer industry is slumping. Computer companies are desperate for something that will get sales growing again. PC sales are expected to shrink this year for the first time since 2001, according to IHS iSuppli, a market research firm.

The question is whether the new version, which can be run on tablets and smartphones, along with the traditional PC, can satisfy the needs of both types of users.

“I am very worried that Microsoft may be about to shoot itself in the foot spectacularly,” said. Michael Mace, the CEO of Silicon Valley software startup Cera Technology and a former Apple employee. Windows 8 is so different, he said, that many Windows users who aren’t technophiles will feel lost, he said.

Microsoft is releasing Windows 8 on Oct. 26, and it doesn’t plan to cushion the impact. Computer companies will make Windows 8 standard on practically all PCs that are sold to consumers. 

Speaking to Wall Street analysts on Thursday, Microsoft’s chief financial officer Peter Klein said he isn’t very concerned that user confusion could slow the adoption of Windows 8. When Microsoft introduces new features, he said, people eventually realize that “those innovations have delivered way more value, way more productivity and way better usability.” That’s going to be true of Windows 8 too, he said.

Instead of the familiar Start menu and icons, Windows 8 displays applications as a colorful array of tiles, which can feature updated information from the applications. 

For instance, the “Photos” tile shows an image from the user’s collection, and the “People” tile shows images from the user’s social-media contacts. (Microsoft is licensed to use AP content in the Windows 8 news applications.)

The tiles are big and easy to hit with a finger — convenient for a touch screen. Applications fill the whole screen by default — convenient for a tablet screen, which is usually smaller than a PC’s. The little buttons that surround Windows 7 applications, for functions like controlling the speaker volume, are hidden, giving a clean, uncluttered view. When you need those little buttons, you can bring them out, but users have to figure out on their own how to do it. 

“In the quest for simplicity, they sacrificed obviousness,” said Sebastiaan de With, an interface designer and the chief creative officer at app developer DoubleTwist in San Francisco. 

Technology blogger Chris Pirillo posted a YouTube video of his father using a preview version of Windows 8 for the first time. As the elder Pirillo tours the operating system with no help from his son, he blunders into the old “Desktop” environment and can’t figure out how to get back to the Start tiles. (Hint: Move the mouse cursor into the top right corner of the screen, then swipe down to the “Start” button that appears, and click it. On a touch screen, swipe a finger in from the right edge of the screen to reveal the Start button.) The four-minute video has been viewed more than 1.1 million times since it was posted in March. 

“There are many things that are hidden,” said Raluca Budiu, a user experience specialist with Nielsen Norman Group. “Once users discover them, they have to remember where they are. People will have to work hard and use this system on a regular basis.”

Mace, the software CEO, has used every version of Windows since version 2.0, which came out in 1987. Each one, he said, built upon the previous one. Users didn’t need to toss out their old ways of doing things when new software came along. Windows 8 ditches that tradition of continuity, he said.

“Most Windows users don’t view their PCs as being broken to begin with. If you tell them `Oh, here’s a new version of Windows, and you have to relearn everything to use it,’ how many normal users are going to want to do that?” he asked.

The familiar Windows Desktop is still available through one of the tiles, and most programs will open up in that environment. But since the Start button is gone, users will have to flip back and forth between the desktop and the tile screen.

There’s additional potential for confusion because there’s one version of Windows 8, called “Windows RT,” that looks like the PC version but doesn’t run regular Windows programs. It’s intended for tablets and lightweight tablet-laptop hybrids.

Budiu believes the transition to Windows 8 will be most difficult for PC users, because Microsoft’s design choices favor touch screens rather than mice and keyboards. Alex Wukovich, a Londoner who tried Windows 8 on a friend’s laptop, agrees.

“On a desktop, it just felt really weird,” he said. “It feels like it’s a tablet operating system that Microsoft managed to twist and shoehorn onto a desktop.”

Not everyone who has tried Windows 8 agrees with the critics. 

Sheldon Skaggs, a Web developer in Charlotte, N.C., thought he was going to hate Windows 8, but he needed to do something to speed up his 5-year-old laptop. So he installed the new software.

“After a bit of a learning curve and playing around with it a bit more, you get used to it, surprisingly,” he said.

The computer now boots up faster than it did with Windows Vista, he said.

Vista was Microsoft’s most recent operating-system flop. It was seen as so clunky and buggy when released in 2007 that many PC users sat out the upgrade cycle and waited for Windows 7, which arrived two and a half years later. Companies and other institutions wait much longer than consumers to upgrade their software, and many will keep paying for Windows 7. Many companies are still using Windows XP, released in 2001.

Colin Gillis, an analyst at BGC Financial, is optimistic about Windows 8, pointing out that it’s snappy and runs well on PCs with limited processing power, making it suited for compact, tablet-style machines. But he also notes that through Microsoft’s history, roughly every other operating-system release has been a letdown. 

Intel Corp. makes the processors that go into 80 percent of PCs, and has a strong interest in the success of Windows. CEO Paul Otellini said Tuesday that when the company has let consumers try Windows 8 on expensive “ultrabook” laptops with touch screens, “the feedback is universally positive.” But he told analysts that he doesn’t really know if people will embrace Windows 8 for mainstream PCs.

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Friday, March 02, 2012

Microsoft Unveils Windows 8

You already knew from the early "developer preview" of Windows 8 that Microsoft released in September just how radically different this version of the company's ubiquitous operating system is from its predecessors. But now that Microsoft on Wednesday unleashed a more complete preview version of Windows 8 — which consumers can get their hands on — we really are on the threshold of a whole new era of personal computing.
Steven Sinofsky, president of Windows and Windows Live, at the Windows 8 Consumer Preview presentation
at the Mobile World Congress.


The stakes for Microsoft and the entire computing ecosystem are enormous. This new era is built around tablets as much as traditional laptops and desktops, and multi-touch as much as the keyboard and mouse. At the same time Microsoft marches toward Windows 8, archrival Apple is revving up a new version of Mac OS X called Mountain Lion.

And Apple has a huge lead in tablets with the iPad, a new version of which is expected to be unveiled in San Francisco next week.

For its part, Windows 8 provides consumers the flexibility to go back and forth between touch and the keyboard and mouse. And this cloud based operating system — Windows 8 is tied into various Microsoft services online, including SkyDrive, where you can store and access documents and pictures — is designed to work on all types of hardware.
"With Windows 8, we reimagined the different ways people interact with their PC and how to make everything feel like a natural extension of the device, whether using a Windows 8 tablet, laptop or all-in-one," said Steven Sinofsky, president of the Windows and Windows Live Division at Microsoft. Sinofsky calls Windows 8 "a generational change for Windows."

Microsoft announced the availability of the "consumer preview" at the Mobile World Congress trade show in Barcelona.
This version of Windows 8 isn't quite final but pretty darn close, and you can download it for free at preview.windows.com. I got an early look at it on a Samsung test tablet. (Microsoft says that to date the developer preview received more than 3 million downloads.)

Keep in mind that however far along, this is still a test version that carries some risks. Not all your peripherals or software drivers will be compatible at this stage, and bugs are to be expected. Microsoft says a report will be generated during setup to alert you to known issues. Moreover, the "beta" will eventually expire (and you can't retreat to Windows 7 or earlier versions when that happens), though that's likely to be well after Windows 8 actually goes on sale.

Microsoft wouldn't give firm dates and didn't reveal pricing or other details in Barcelona. But a very reasonable assumption is the fall.

So what can you expect? Highlights:
As with the developer preview, you notice the dramatic turn in Windows from the very start — even before you get to the newly designed Start screen. At your option, you can log in with a picture password, instead of the standard typed password, by "drawing" a chosen image with your finger on the touch-screen in a predetermined pattern. You can see notifications from Twitter and Facebook.

From the Start screen you can view the weather, appointments, contacts, and more — you get to choose how the information is organized.

Suffice to say it looks very different from your daddy's Windows. At the core of the new operating system is an attractive, customizable user layout called Metro, similar to what folks using the latest Windows Phones see, and based on colorful and dynamic touchable tiles of different sizes rather than standard icons to display information.

You can click on a Desktop tile to return to a more familiar Windows layout. You can pin apps you use frequently.

If you have a touch-capable computer or tablet, you can switch among apps, pan and zoom and get around through finger gestures. You can tap to launch an app, follow a link and so on. Swiping from the right or left edge of the screen summons system commands called "charms." You can slide to pan or scroll through lists and pages. A feature called semantic zoom gives you a birds-eye view of your system and makes it easier to navigate a computer with lots on it.

You can type with one of two onscreen touch keyboards, a full-size version with large buttons or a thumb keyboard for when you're on the go. The latter splits the keyboard on the screen and is designed for portable devices.

Of course, you can also plug in a physical keyboard and/or a mouse.
Each of the various actions has a mouse equivalent, and there are keyboard shortcuts too.
Microsoft will supply a set of apps, including a mail program containing all your accounts in one place (Hotmail, Gmail, Exchange, etc.).

Similarly a photo app brings in albums from the likes of Facebook, Flickr and SkyDrive. A people app consolidates an address book with contacts from Hotmail, Messenger, Twitter, LinkedIn, Gmail and so on.
You can also chat in Messaging with pals on Messenger and Facebook.

And a music app will connect to the Zune Marketplace. App controls are hidden until you need them. A video store will let you buy or rent first run movies and TV shows.
With the consumer preview comes the beta launch of the Windows Store.

It will feature free and fee-based downloadable apps, from Microsoft and various third parties including USA TODAY, demonstrated during Microsoft's Barcelona launch. At the event, Microsoft showed off a version of the popular Cut the Rope game for Windows 8. For now apps are free to try.

Eventually if you buy an app on one Windows 8 PC, you can sign into the store and install it on up to 5 other computers. Microsoft says the store will organize offerings into categories. There'll be purchase recommendations. But the store was not available in the days leading up to the consumer preview launch. The various Metro-style apps can take advantage of the live tiles to display info even when they're not running.

Though the new operating system looks different, if you open a familiar app such as Word or Powerpoint, it looks and works the same as before.
There's more. A new preview version of the venerable Internet Explorer browser IE 10 also arrives with Windows 8. It promises an edge-to-edge Web experience on the screen — with navigational controls that are concealed.

Microsoft claims Windows 8 won't put excess demands on power, leading in theory to energy efficiencies and better battery life on ultrabook computers, tablets and other hardware. Time will tell. And the company says that if your computer has the specifications to run Windows Vista it should handle Windows 8.

I'm impressed by what I see. But I'll still reserve judgement until doing a final review on an actual product. No matter how stable (and fast and fluid), given the nature of any early operating release I'd recommend most consumers wait for a final version of Windows before plunging forward. But if you're the least bit curious, and a little bit tech savvy, go ahead and take a spin.

Republished from USAToday
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Tuesday, February 21, 2012

America's Most Outrageous Food Vehicles

A collection of the most outlandish food-shaped automobiles in the nation


Who hasn't wanted to take a ride in the Weinermobile? Outfitting vehicles to look like something else has been one of America's favorite advertising tools since the '30s, and drivers and bystanders have been treated to cars that look like everything from animals to candy - even shoes. In fact, carrying on in the tradition of Oscar Mayer, there is a whole bevy of food-shaped vehicles that deserve their moment of glory.

Anyone who's watched the movie Dumb and Dumber will chuckle at the memory of the MuttCutts van that Jeff Daniels' character Harry Dunne had made for his dog grooming service - it's a time-honored visual gag. Before the Super Bowl, David Arquette was spotted riding around Indianapolis in The Chicken Limo, a chicken topped vehicle that can be rented out for special events.

The most famous food truck and the one that sparked this whole phenomenon, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile, first debuted in 1936, but some of the more recent food-shaped vehicles on this list are a food fanatic's personal roving masterpiece, like Harry Sperl's hamburger Harley Davidson three-wheeler and Steve Braithwaite's banana car. Others were marketing tools for nationally recognized brands such as Dairy Queen's blizzard-mobile and the Hershey's Kiss truck.

From a hot dog cart to cupcake- and pig-shaped trucks, and even a lobster car, never has a collection of vehicles looked so delicious. 

Adapted from Yahoo

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Egypt begins restoring ancient boat near pyramids


CAIRO (AP) — Archaeologists on Monday began restoration on a 4,500-year-old wooden boat found next to the pyramids, one of Egypt's main tourist attractions.
The boat is one of two that were buried next to the Pharaoh Khufu, spokesmen for a joint Egyptian-Japanese team of archeologists said. The boats are believed to have been intended to carry pharaohs into the afterlife.

Khufu, also known as Cheops, is credited with building the Great Pyramid of Giza, the largest of the pyramids. Khufu, son of Snefru, was the second ruler of the 4th Dynasty around 2680 B.C. and ruled Egypt for 23 years.

Both boats, made from Lebanese cedar and Egyptian acacia trees, were originally discovered in 1954. One of the boats is on display at a museum near the pyramids.

The second boat, which is now undergoing the restoration, remained buried. It is thought to be smaller than its sister ship, which is about 140 feet (43 meters) long.

The head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Mustafa Amin, said Egyptologists began taking samples of the wood for restoration on Monday.

"The boat was found in a complete shape, intact and in place," he said, adding that the focus now is on taking samples of the wood.

He said Egyptologists are studying "the different components and fungus in the wood in order to find the most sufficient and advanced way to work on the wood."

Last year in June, a team of scientists lifted the first of 41 limestone slabs each weighing about 16 tons to uncover the pit in which the ancient ship was buried, said Sakuji Yoshimura, professor from Japan's Waseda University.

At the time, experts said restoration would likely take about four years and that at its completion, the boat would be placed on display at the Solar Boat Museum near the pyramids, which routinely attract millions of tourists and boost one of Egypt's most important industries.

The team had initially thought the vessel would be safer left underground than exposed to pollution, but evidence showed that pollution, water and insects had invaded the boat's chamber.
A $10 million grant from Waseda University has helped in preparing the ship's excavation process.

Adapted from YAHOO
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Saturday, January 28, 2012

Cowboy Frogs and Crayola Crickets

46 New Species Found in Surinamea

A frog sporting cowboy-esque white fringes along its legs and a spur on each “heel.” A catfish fitted with extra-protective armor covered in spines to keep hungry piranhas at bay. An uncharacteristically dainty cricket streaked with colors so vibrant scientists named it “Crayola” katydid. These are the new species on the block, MSNBC reports.
Crayola Katydid, a new, colorful variety of cricket, discovered by scientists in Suriname.
Embedded in the forests of the South American country of Suriname, they are among 46 species discovered by scientists on a three-week expedition in 2010, environmental nonprofit Conservation International announced on Tuesday.

“As a scientist, it is thrilling to study these remote forests where countless new discoveries await,” said Trond Larsen, director of the program. “Especially since we believe that protecting these landscapes while they remain pristine provides perhaps the greatest opportunity for maintaining globally important biodiversity and the ecosystems people depend upon for generations to come.”

The tour, which meandered along the Kutari and Sipaliwini rivers, was part of the organization’s Rapid Assessment Program aimed at documenting the region’s flora and fauna. A team of 53 scientists, accompanied by an entourage of students and members of the indigenous Trio group, scoured remote sites in the southwest of the country and recorded 1300 known life forms, stumbling on dozens of new ones along their way. These will now join the ranks of the 8.7 million known species in the world, according to a 2011 BBC report.

One of the creatures can count luck as a key attribute. Scientists on the expedition came to the rescue of an armored catfish, one of a potentially new species, on the verge of being devoured by a local guide in the mood for a mid-day snack

Adapted from TIME
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Thursday, January 26, 2012

Arizona Governor, Obama in 'tense' Exchange over Book

Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and President Barack Obama engaged in an apparently tense exchange on an airport tarmac shortly after Air Force One touched down outside Phoenix on Wednesday.
Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer points at President Barack Obama after he arrived at the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, Wednesday. Brewer greeted Obama and what she got was a book critique.
The two leaders could be seen talking intently at the base of Air Force One's steps. Both could be seen smiling, but speaking at the same time.


Obama appeared to walk away from the Republican governor while they were still talking, according to a White House pool reporter. Brewer confirmed that by saying she didn't finish her sentence.
Asked moments later what the conversation was about, Brewer said: "He was a little disturbed about my book."

On a Phoenix radio talk show after their meeting, Brewer said Obama was "tense."
Brewer recently published a book, "Scorpions for Breakfast," something of a memoir of her years growing up. The book also defends her signing of Arizona's controversial law cracking down on illegal immigrants, which Obama opposes.

Obama was objecting to Brewer's description of a meeting he and Brewer had at the White House, where she described Obama as lecturing her. In an interview in November Brewer described two tense meetings. The first took place before his commencement address at Arizona State University. "He did blow me off at ASU," she said in the television interview in November.

She also described meeting the president at the White House in 2010 to talk about immigration. "I felt a little bit like I was being lectured to, and I was a little kid in a classroom, if you will, and he was this wise professor and I was this little kid, and this little kid knows what the problem is and I felt minimized to say the least."

In a statement after the meeting, Brewer didn't mention the airport conversation, and would only say that she discussed economic issues with Obama in a brief meeting.
"Don't be mistaken, I'm bullish on our nation's future," Brewer said in a statement issued later. "But I'm convinced the path the president has pursued is the wrong one. I hope he takes some of the lessons of Arizona back with him to Washington."

On the tarmac Wednesday, Brewer handed Obama an envelope with a handwritten invitation to return to Arizona to meet her for lunch and to join her for a visit to the border.
"I said to him, you know, I have always respected the office of the president and that the book is what the book is," she told reporters Wednesday. She said Obama complained that she described him as not treating her cordially.

"I felt a little bit threatened, if you will, and the attitutude that he had because I was there to welcome him," Brewer told reporters following the exchange.

A White House official said Brewer handed Obama a letter and said she was inviting him to meet with her. The official said Obama told her he would be glad to meet with her again. The official said Obama told her that in her book, she inaccurately described their last meeting, which the official described as a cordial discussion in the Oval Office. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to describe a private conversation between the president and the governor.

Republished from MSN

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Sunday, January 15, 2012

The World’s Tiniest Frog Has Been Discovered, Smaller Than a Dime

Measuring roughly a quarter of an inch, the Paedophryne amauensis frog has been crowned the tiniest vertebrate in the world. This newly discovered frog is so small, it can rest comfortably on a dime or a fingernail. Discovered by a team of American researchers from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, the frog was located deep in the jungles of Papa New Guinea in 2009. On Wednesday, the science journal PLoS One dubbed the frog with the teeny-tiny honor.

A frog sits on a U.S. dime in this photo taken by
Louisiana State University herpetologist Christopher Austin
near the Amau River in Papua, New Guinea.
The species was claimed as the world's smallest vertebrate
With the discovery of this petite leaper, the world’s former smallest frogs — the Brazilian gold frog (Brachycephalus didactylus) and the slightly larger Monte Iberia Eleuth (Eleutherodactylus iberia) — have been knocked down to the second and third place, respectively. And the world’s former smallest vertabrate, a tiny type of fish known as paedocypris progenetica, has been stripped of its title as well. Tough break, guys.

While many are going hopping mad over the littlest (and arguably cutest) new frog, Steven J. Beaupre, from the University of Arkansas and president-elect of the American Society of Icthyologists and Herpetologists, says that the discovery is also a boon for scientists. He told the Associated Press that the new species will help scientists better “understand the advantages and disadvantages of extreme small size and how such extremes evolve. Fundamentally, these tiny vertebrates provide a window on the principles that constrain animal design.”

Adapted from TIME
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Miss Wisconsin Crowned 2012 Miss America

(LAS VEGAS) — A 23-year-old beauty queen from Kenosha, Wis., has won the Miss America pageant in Las Vegas.

Laura Kaeppeler won the pageant Saturday night after strutting in a white bikini and black beaded evening gown, singing opera and answering a question about whether beauty queens should declare their politics by saying Miss America represents everyone. “Miss America represents everyone, so I think the message to political candidates is that they represent everyone as well,” Kaeppeler said. “And so in these economic times, we need to be looking forward to what America needs, and I think Miss America needs to represent all.”

Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson came in second, while Miss New York Kaitlin Monte placed third.

(PHOTOS: Miss America Then and Now)
Kaeppeler wins a $50,000 scholarship and gets the title for one year. Her platform during the competition was supporting and mentoring children of incarcerated parents. Kaeppeler was chosen as the winner by a panel of seven judges during a live telecast on ABC. The event was the culmination of a week of preliminary competitions and months of preparations for the titleholders from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler reacts after being crowned Miss America Saturday Jan. 14, 2012 in Las Vegas.
The new Miss America will spend the next year touring the country to speak to different groups and raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network, the Miss America Organization’s official charity.

Teresa Scanlan of Nebraska won Miss America last year at age 17 to become the pageant’s youngest winner ever. She said contestants’ nerves likely were at their highest point just before the pageant. “You can always breathe a sigh of relief” once the live pageant begins, Scanlan said.

Pageant officials earlier announced the winners of preliminary competitions, including Miss Hawaii Lauren Cheape, Miss Oklahoma Betty Thompson and Miss Wisconsin Laura Kaeppeler for talent, and Miss New York Kaitlin Monte, Miss Texas Kendall Morris and Miss Utah Danica Olsen for swimsuit.

Officials also said Miss Idaho Genevieve Nutting won the $2,000 Fourpoints Award, while Miss Kentucky Ann-Blair Thornton won the $6,000 Quality of Life scholarship.

The Miss America Organization touts itself as the world’s largest giver of scholarships to women, with about $350,000 to be given this year at the national level.

Scanlan said she planned to use her scholarship to help pay for law school en route to a life in politics.

Republished from TIME
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