Friday, October 19, 2012

Books Trim the Brain

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Books Trim the Brain
Educational stimulation early in life makes for a leaner, meaner cerebral cortex

Source: Science
Posted on: Thursday, Oct 18, 2012, 9:48am
Views: 8

Source: http://www.labspaces.net/124568/Books_Trim_the_Brain

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Solar power is contagious

Solar power is contagious [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Oct-2012
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Contact: David DeFusco
david.defusco@yale.edu
203-436-4842
Yale University

People are more likely to install a solar panel on their home if their neighbors have one, according to a Yale and New York University study in the journal Marketing Science.

The researchers studied clusters of solar installations throughout California from January 2001 to December 2011 and found that residents of a particular zip code are more likely to install solar panels if they already exist in that zip code and on their street.

"We looked at the influence that the number of cumulative adoptionsthe number of people who already installed solar panels in a zip codehad on the probability there would be a new adoption in that zip code," said Kenneth Gillingham, the study's co-author and assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "Our approach controls for a variety of other possible explanations, including clustering of environmental preferences or marketing activity."

They calculated that 10 extra installations in a zip code increase the probability of an adoption by 7.8 percent. If there is a 10 percent increase in the total number of people with solar panels in a zip codethe "installed base"there will be a 54 percent increase in the adoption of solar panels.

"These results provide clear evidence of a statistically and economically significant effect," said Bryan Bollinger, the other co-author and assistant professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business.

The study also shows that the visibility of the panels and word-of-mouth led to larger installations. "If my neighbor installs a solar panel and tells me he's saving money and he's really excited about it, it's likely I'll go ahead and do the same thing," said Gillingham. "Then there are others who'll install because they don't want to be one-upped by their neighbors."

The researchers found that white males between the ages of 45 and 65 who have a 30-minute commute and home repairs were associated with higher adoption rates. Gillingham suggested that a disproportionate number of engineers working in Silicon Valley may explain the result. In addition, larger households and people with longer commutes were more exposed to solar installations, thus more likely to adopt the technology, compared to people who carpooled and lived in smaller households.

"These findings have clear implications for marketers who are striving to reduce the high cost of consumer acquisition in the solar photovoltaic market," said Bollinger.

In January 2006 the California Public Utilities Commission established the California Solar Initiative, a $3.3 billion, 10-year rebate program encouraging the installation of 3,000 megawatts of solar infrastructure over the ensuing decade. These subsidies, according to the authors, have increased the number of solar installations to 17,000 in 2010 from fewer than 1,000 in 2001. The authors used the 85,046 requested residential installations during that time in their calculations.

"Our finding of an increasing effect of new installations in a zip code suggests that targeting marketing efforts in areas that already have some installations is a promising strategy," said Gillingham.

###

The paper, "Peer Effects in the Diffusion of Solar Photovoltaic Panels," is available at http://mktsci.journal.informs.org/content/early/2012/09/20/mksc.1120.0727.abstract.


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Solar power is contagious [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 18-Oct-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: David DeFusco
david.defusco@yale.edu
203-436-4842
Yale University

People are more likely to install a solar panel on their home if their neighbors have one, according to a Yale and New York University study in the journal Marketing Science.

The researchers studied clusters of solar installations throughout California from January 2001 to December 2011 and found that residents of a particular zip code are more likely to install solar panels if they already exist in that zip code and on their street.

"We looked at the influence that the number of cumulative adoptionsthe number of people who already installed solar panels in a zip codehad on the probability there would be a new adoption in that zip code," said Kenneth Gillingham, the study's co-author and assistant professor of economics at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies. "Our approach controls for a variety of other possible explanations, including clustering of environmental preferences or marketing activity."

They calculated that 10 extra installations in a zip code increase the probability of an adoption by 7.8 percent. If there is a 10 percent increase in the total number of people with solar panels in a zip codethe "installed base"there will be a 54 percent increase in the adoption of solar panels.

"These results provide clear evidence of a statistically and economically significant effect," said Bryan Bollinger, the other co-author and assistant professor of marketing at New York University Stern School of Business.

The study also shows that the visibility of the panels and word-of-mouth led to larger installations. "If my neighbor installs a solar panel and tells me he's saving money and he's really excited about it, it's likely I'll go ahead and do the same thing," said Gillingham. "Then there are others who'll install because they don't want to be one-upped by their neighbors."

The researchers found that white males between the ages of 45 and 65 who have a 30-minute commute and home repairs were associated with higher adoption rates. Gillingham suggested that a disproportionate number of engineers working in Silicon Valley may explain the result. In addition, larger households and people with longer commutes were more exposed to solar installations, thus more likely to adopt the technology, compared to people who carpooled and lived in smaller households.

"These findings have clear implications for marketers who are striving to reduce the high cost of consumer acquisition in the solar photovoltaic market," said Bollinger.

In January 2006 the California Public Utilities Commission established the California Solar Initiative, a $3.3 billion, 10-year rebate program encouraging the installation of 3,000 megawatts of solar infrastructure over the ensuing decade. These subsidies, according to the authors, have increased the number of solar installations to 17,000 in 2010 from fewer than 1,000 in 2001. The authors used the 85,046 requested residential installations during that time in their calculations.

"Our finding of an increasing effect of new installations in a zip code suggests that targeting marketing efforts in areas that already have some installations is a promising strategy," said Gillingham.

###

The paper, "Peer Effects in the Diffusion of Solar Photovoltaic Panels," is available at http://mktsci.journal.informs.org/content/early/2012/09/20/mksc.1120.0727.abstract.


[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share 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.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-10/yu-spi101812.php

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Silence Noisy Neighbors by Transmitting Your Music to Their Speakers [Evil Week]

Silence Noisy Neighbors by Transmitting Your Music to Their SpeakersIf you have a neighbor that's playing their music too loudly, you can get them back by hijacking their speakers with a little DIY project.

Some people are more than a little inconsiderate, and when a friendly note or call to your landlord doesn't solve the problem, sometimes you need to take matters into your own hands. Evil genius and electrical guru junkyardmessiah over at Reddit came up with this DIY solution:

In deference to XKCD the real way to cause problems with her system is pretty simple. You need a Cheap CB radio, A linear amp, and a bottom loaded CB antenna (easier to build a ground plane for it). See if you can get a good guess where she has her [speakers] set up and get your antenna close as you can to it. You should be able to talk to her THROUGH her stereo system. The amplifier sections are not shielded in these plastic ready made toys and the resulting AM signal will impact it. In my case I ran a continuous 6khz tone from a signal generator which was more than enough to blow it up good. ENJOY!

Essentially, with a few tools, you can transmit your voice, play an annoying tone, or even blast your own music through their speakers?even if their speakers are turned off. If you're truly evil, you could probably blow out their speakers too, but that could have repercussions. Different states have different legal issues pertaining to these types of devices, too, so check with your area's laws?if such things concern you?before you start plotting. There's also this organization called the FCC that will probably have a thing or two to say about your transmission, too, so it may be wise to think of this as more of a very interesting proof-of-concept rather than an actual prank you should pull off.

This post details a bit more of what goes into the project, while this post uses a slightly different method to get to the same end.

Is it expensive? Yes?the materials can cost up to a hundred dollars or more. But is it pure, cackle-inducing, totally-worth-it evil? Most certainly. The instructions aren't as straightforward as we'd like, but if you have a bit of electronics experience, it shouldn't be too hard to figure out how it actuallyw orks. Hit the link to read the original post over at Reddit.

I Feel Bad For This Guy... | Reddit

This post is part of our Evil Week series at Lifehacker, where we look at the dark side of getting things done. Knowing evil means knowing how to beat it, so you can use your sinister powers for good. Want more? Check out our evil week tag page.

Photo remixed from Eirik Solheim.

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/YEcsxQPNWpQ/silence-noisy-neighbors-by-transmitting-signals-through-their-own-speakers

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Thursday, October 18, 2012

Celebrate National Physical Therapy Month! | Epic Health Services

Calling all physical therapists and physical therapy assistants ? this month is for you!?

Physical therapist Gayle Talley and Elizabeth spend their therapy session playing games while strengthening her leg muscles and improving her ability to stand.

October is National Physical Therapy Month, a time to recognize and honor the dedicated individuals who enhance the lives of others each day.

According to MoveForwardPT.com, National Physical Therapy Month reminds us that physical therapists and physical therapy assistants:

  • Significantly improve mobility
  • Provide alternatives to surgeries
  • Help manage or eliminate pain without taking medications

Members of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) are encouraged to use this month to reach out to clients and to educate them about the unique benefits of treatment by a physical therapist and physical therapy assistant. After all, they are loyal and trusted experts in restoring mobility and improving overall quality of life.??

Please join us in celebrating the great work that our physical therapists and physical therapy assistants do all year long. They not only ensure our clients receive the best care in the comfort of their own homes, but also provide unique treatment options for each and every child.

Here?s to a job well done!

Elizabeth enjoys a much-deserved break during her physical therapy session with Gayle.

Source: http://epichealthservices.com/archives/2137

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Video: Fact Checking Tonight's Presidential Debate

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/cnbc/49442593/

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Holly Madison Is Having A Baby Girl!

Holly Madison Is Having A Baby Girl!

Holly Madison’s beau, Pasquale Rotella, is one proud daddy-to-be and took to Twitter to share the secret of his unborn child’s gender on Tuesday. Pasquale [...]

Holly Madison Is Having A Baby Girl! Stupid Celebrities Gossip Stupid Celebrities Gossip News

Source: http://stupidcelebrities.net/2012/10/holly-madison-is-having-a-baby-girl/

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Revisi?n no encontr? pruebas de espionaje Huawei: fuentes

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Source: http://news.yahoo.com/revisi%C3%B3n-no-encontr%C3%B3-pruebas-espionaje-huawei-fuentes-094701603--finance.html

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