Hollywood to the FAA: Let Us Use Drones

LOS ANGELES (TheWrap.com) - Look, up in the sky. It's a bird. It's a plane. It's ...

If the Motion Picture Association of America has its way, it soon could be a camera-equipped pilotless drone shooting the overhead chase scenes for Hollywood's action thrillers.

The MPAA is pushing the Federal Aviation Administration to allow the use of what have been called "drones" - but in the movie business are far more likely the size of model planes and model helicopters than anything like what the U.S. is using to target terrorists.

Studios see the airborne vehicles as a way to get better long shots with fewer safety risks and at reduced cost. Currently, such drone use is legal in some foreign countries, but not in the U.S.

In fact, some of the opening scenes in "Skyfall" were shot in Turkey using a helicopter drone system. France has also approved use of the drones, and one was used last year for scenes in "The Smurfs 2."

"What we are looking for is line-of-sight things that can be utilized in innovative ways," MPAA spokesman Howard Gantman told TheWrap. "These could be used much more safely than going up a tree and much more cheaply than renting a helicopter," he said.

Under language in the FAA's reauthorization by congress, the agency must in the next 18 months develop rules for commercial use of what it calls "unmanned aircraft systems" of 55 pounds or less.

The language is intended to resolve a quirk in current FAA rules: Recreational use of model planes and model helicopters - including those carrying cameras - are currently allowed, but commercial use is banned.

Model airplanes can only be flown below 400 feet above ground level and away from airports and air traffic - but not by individuals or companies flying them for business purposes.

This means, for example, that student videos and films can use drone camera shots, but not commercial films; commercial use is limited to experimental research and development and flight trainings.

"A private company can obtain a special airworthiness certificate in the experimental category, but experimental certificate regulations preclude carrying people or property for compensation or hire," FAA spokesman Les Dorr told TheWrap.

While the MPAA acknowledges its interest and the MPAA's lobbying form filed with the U.S. Senate says specifically the organization is pushing on the issue of "unmanned aerial aircraft," so far such lobbying has been informal, and the MPAA has not had actual written communications with the FAA.

Dorr said the agency will seek written comments from potential users only after it announces a formal ruling.

Another reason for the MPAA's interest now is that the price for the drones has begun to drop.

Rental of a real helicopter runs about $1,700 an hour, for example, with a pilot another $1,900 a day - and crew is additional. One Indiegogo ad seeking development money for the company's "Alpha Dragonfly," says a drone that can be used for camera work will retail for from $119 to $249, depending on accessories.

The ad, which offered a Dragonfly for development supporters for $99, sought $110,000 in development money and raised more than $1.1 million.

The website of Flying-cam.com whose helicopter drone system was used in "Skyfall" and "The Smurfs 2" in Paris and movies in China and South Korea, also features pictures taken of its use in America for Disneyland's 50th anniversary, Alaska's Tourism Board and commercials or videos by Bridgestone and others.

All that said, the movie industry is only one among many looking at the technology.

"Many industries are realizing how unmanned aircraft could help their bottom lines," Melanie Hinton, senior communications manager for the Association of Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, a group pushing robotic devices, told TheWrap.

Indeed, it's expected that the TV and movie industry will be small players in the drones use. Companies that originally developed smaller drones for the military and wanting to now expand the drones use for civilian purposes have been pushing hardest for the FAA to act.

They hope FAA action will make it easier both for law-enforcement agencies and private companies to use the devices.

Steven Gitlin, VP-marketing for AeroVironment Inc., a company that makes several military drones it wants to market to civilian market. The company's 5-pound Qube drone is among those that come with video capability.

He notes that the high cost of helicopters means relatively few police departments can afford them. Those same departments might be candidates for drone purchases.

Then there is the civilian market.

"We have been pushing to use airborne vehicles for mapping and surveying," Gitlin said, adding the company also hopes to market the products both for search-and-rescue and policing missions and for uses in agriculture; monitoring of bridges and microwave transmitters; and security for public events including marathons and concerts.

In addition, oil and gas companies want unmanned aircraft to efficiently monitor oil rigs, pipelines and other infrastructure, said Hinton, and farmers "want to use unmanned aircraft to monitor the health of their crops, detect for drought conditions, or more efficiently distribute pesticides.

"And in addition to helping the private sector, unmanned aircraft have helped firefighters battle wildfires, police search for missing persons and researchers study everything from hurricanes to wildlife. The potential for unmanned aircraft to help save time, save money and even save lives is virtually limitless," she said.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/hollywood-faa-let-us-drones-230924452.html

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Teen Dating Violence: Solano County Advocates Push for ...

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Throughout February, advocates in Solano County will be providing outreach and education materials to schools and teen programs as part of Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.?

"These materials include posters and pocket cards that provide information on safe and healthy relationships, how to recognize signs of an abusive relationship, and how to get help," according to a release from Solano County. "For more information about the various programs and services in Solano County to assist victims of domestic violence as well as to prevent incidents of domestic violence, go here."?

Here's more information from the County, which quotes a study that says "3 out 5 adults say a friend or family member has been a victim of domestic violence."

A new survey reveals public opinion and the reality of domestic violence in California are aligned ? ?it can affect people like me and people I know well.?

The survey also affirms the importance of programs to educate young people so they have the skills to support safe and healthy relationships as an effective solution to reduce domestic violence.

Blue Shield of California Foundation released a groundbreaking survey of Californians that reveals their attitudes about domestic violence. A strong majority believe domestic violence can happen to anyone ? women, men, young or old, any race and income level ? and that children exposed to such violence are at risk for severe emotional problems.? This is consistent with research studies on victims of domestic violence.

?This survey affirms that Californians understand that domestic violence is not somebody else?s problem, it affects all of us.?They understand the deep and lasting impact of domestic abuse on our families and communities,? said Carolyn Wold, the director of the Solano County Office of Family Violence Prevention. ?Solano County residents fundamentally believe that everyone has the right to live free of violence and this type of violence must be stopped and prevented.?

Annually law enforcement agencies in Solano County receive about 2,000 calls for assistance and to investigate domestic violence crimes.? In 2012, victim witness advocates from the Office of Family Violence Prevention provided services to more than 200 victims of domestic violence.? In addition, nearly 1,500 applications for restraining orders were received by the Solano Superior Court.

The poll, conducted by Tulchin Research for the Blue Shield of California Foundation, surveyed 900 adults statewide on their beliefs and attitudes about domestic violence during Domestic Violence Awareness Month (October). This is the first known survey to explore attitudes and opinions of all Californians related to domestic violence and potential solutions.

Highlights from the poll include the following:

• 70 percent of Californians see domestic violence as an issue that affects ?people like me? and ?people I know well.?
• 66 percent report having a friend or family member who has been a victim of domestic violence.
• An overwhelming majority (97 percent) believe that children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to have mental health and anger management problems.
• Respondents rated educating young people as the most effective solution for reducing domestic violence, followed by ensuring our communities have adequate funding for domestic violence shelters (93%) and raising public awareness (93%).
• In terms of when to introduce domestic violence education to young people, more than 80 percent support teaching middle and high school students about healthy relationships to raise awareness on relationship violence or dating abuse.

?I was surprised at the large number of Californians who have been personally affected by domestic violence. That appears to be driving their strong belief that domestic violence is something that could happen to anyone and their overwhelming opinion that programs for reducing domestic violence are effective,? said Ben Tulchin, President and Founder of Tulchin Research.

The great interest in prevention strategies and programs that educate students about healthy relationships also tracks closely with respondents? perception that children?s exposure to domestic violence causes serious emotional problems and violence later in life.

Source: http://dixon.patch.com/articles/teen-dating-violence-solano-county-advocates-push-for-awareness

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Yum CEO says time, not cash, is cure for China sales drop

(Reuters) - KFC parent Yum Brands Inc on Tuesday said time, not ad spending, is the cure for a steep sales decline at its restaurants in China that was sparked by a food safety scare late last year.

The fast-food operator makes more than half of its overall sales in China, and customers there began shunning Yum's restaurants in December after news reports and government investigations focused on chemical residue found in a small portion of its chicken supply.

The company was not fined by food safety authorities.

Yum has built a dominant position in China on the back of its industry-leading food quality and the current crisis underscores how vulnerable even the strongest restaurant chains are to quick shifts in consumer perception.

The company has nearly 5,300 restaurants in China, mostly KFCs, and quickly responded to the crisis with free beverage and ice cream promotions - which went nowhere, Chief Executive David Novak said on a conference call with analysts.

"There's not a whole lot we can do right now that's going to turn the tide. We need some time," Novak said, adding that Yum has no plans to increase its already significant advertising spending in China.

"We could be wasting a lot of money doing marketing right now," he said.

However, Yum is refining and strengthening its food safety standards and plans to begin an aggressive marketing campaign after the February 10 Chinese New Year to restore KFC's brand image.

On Monday, Yum reported a 6 percent drop in fourth-quarter 2012 sales at established restaurants in China and forecast a surprisingly steep 25 percent drop for the first quarter.

Yum's first quarter in China includes just January and February, while the fourth quarter includes the last four months of the year.

Based on the company's experience with prior sales-damaging crises related to Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), avian flu and "Sudan Red" dye, Yum said it does not expect restaurant sales there to turn higher until the fourth quarter of this year.

In 2005, Yum pulled some products from its KFC restaurants in China because they contained "Sudan Red" dye, which was banned from use in food due to concerns it could lead to an increased risk of cancer.

At the nadir of that crisis, Yum's China same-store sales plummeted 40 percent, executives said.

The chicken scare appears to be equally damaging. Last month, China same-store sales fell 41 percent at KFC and 15 percent at Pizza Hut Casual Dining.

Yum said it would keep Wall Street abreast of its progress by reporting monthly sales at its established restaurants in China until business there recovers, Chief Financial Officer Patrick Grismer said on the call.

Yum's shares were down 3.3 percent at $61.83 in midday trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Editing by Dan Grebler and Maureen Bavdek)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/yum-ceo-says-time-not-cash-cure-china-180558122--sector.html

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Clear as Mud: Finding Clarity in Communication | PayProMedia

By: Crystal Horner

Clear as Mud

Warning: You?re about to have a ?Well, duh!? moment.

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Clarity is important.

(There it is?Duh.)

Bear with me for just a few minutes of your busy day.? It may just save you a headache or two.

Remember your elementary school days?? Not the PB&J, recess, nap time, or finger painting.? (Let?s pause for a moment of silence for the good old days?Okay, back on track.)

What did your teachers say over and over again? ??There?s no such thing as a dumb question.? ?Back then you probably took that to heart for about, oh, two seconds.? Then, if you were like me, you went back to fearing the potential laughter or criticism others would give in response to a ?dumb? question.

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Sometimes we sacrifice clarity for comfort.? Sometimes it?s just easier to not ask questions, define context, or gather important details.? But we must remember that, in the long run, it?s worth it.

In college, I quickly learned to ask my professors clarifying questions about assignments if I didn?t quite understand the scope of requirements for big projects.? And guess what?? Those quick emails and moments spent after class to ask a question or two paid off in not only my grades but also my learning experience.? (Plus, with the cost of tuition these days, you want it to count!)? Why?? Because understanding leads to success.? If you?re not aware of the range of your responsibilities?the purpose behind the tasks?you probably won?t meet all of the expectations.

So how does this apply to you?? What areas of your life require complete understanding?? Where do you need clarity to do your job well?to live well??

By no means is this limited to projects and jobs.? Clarity matters in relationships!? Whether you?re communicating with a client or your own spouse, knowing his or her goals, expectations, and hopes can be invaluably helpful?not to mention fun.

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In client relationships, asking clarifying questions (and paying attention to the answers!) yields dependability and trust.? For instance, let?s say you own a small restaurant.? People shuffle in and out, ordering specials and enjoying the environment.? But, how important is it for the servers to understand their customers? expectations?? If dear, sweet Belva orders toast, does she expect it with butter, jelly, or dry?? This may seem trivial, but even the tiniest incidences of clarification can determine the level of customer satisfaction.? It shows that their needs matter to you.

So the next time you find yourself in a meeting or Skype conversation (whether it?s with a business associate, client, or your great uncle Harold), don?t be afraid to ask questions, to get the full story, to show that you care.

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We?d love to hear from you!? How does clarity (or lack thereof) affect your everyday living?? Leave a comment below.

Crystal Horner
Content Specialist
View Crystal's Profile
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Source: http://www.paypromedia.com/2013/02/04/clear-as-mud-finding-clarity-in-communication/

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Explaining Why The Median 401(k) Retirement Balance By Age Is ...

You likely won?t be able to live off your 401(k) alone in retirement, but you should be able to combine your 401(k) with alternative savings, investments, and Social Security to live a financially free life when the time comes to withdraw at the age of 59.5.

The below chart shows what a typical 22 year old college graduate should have accumulated in their 401(k) if they followed my advice and started maxing out their 401(k) after two years of working. The high end shows what happens if there is roughly a 5% constant rate of return from investing. I?m not even including contributions or company match to keep things conservative.

The reality is that the median account balance in the U.S. is only around $99,320 at the end of 2012 according to a study by the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. At least the median has risen by over 100% from around $47,000 during the depths of the bear market in 2009. Furthermore, the current median account balance is now higher than pre-crash 2007 levels of $74,781 thanks to contributions.

Given the median age of Americans is 35.3 according to the US Census Bureau, the median 401(k) balance per person should be closer to $215,000-$331,000 according to my 401(k) retirement savings guide instead of $99,320. So what happened to the missing $115,000 to $240,000?

FINANCIAL SAMURAI PRE-TAX SAVINGS GUIDELINE (401(k) + IRA)

Age	Years Worked	Low End	High End
22	0	$0	$0
23	1	$8,000	$17,000
24	2	$25,000	$37,000
25	3	$42,000	$70,000
30	8	$127,000	$182,000
35	13	$215,000	$331,000
40	18	$300,000	$521,000
45	23	$383,000	$764,000
50	28	$468,000	$1,075,000
55	33	$553,000	$1,470,000
60	38	$638,000	$1,974,000
65	43	$723,000	$2,618,000

HOW MUCH DO PEOPLE REALLY SAVE FOR RETIREMENT?

The base case assumption is the typical American after 13 years of working has roughly $100,000 in their 401(k) accounts at age 35. As a result, we can assume that the average person from ages 22-35 only saves around $5,800 a year. We can also assume incomes rise over time, and therefore absolute savings amounts also rise over time. Below is a reworked chart to better reflect what the average person has in their 401(k) + IRAs due to job changes. Unfortunately, something wrong happens between the ages of 35 to 65.

Age	Years Worked	Low End	High End
22	0	$0	$0
23	1	$3,000	$6,000
24	2	$6,000	$12,000
25	3	$10,000	$20,000
30	8	$35,000	$50,000
35	13	All good until here. $75,000	All good until here. $110,000
40	18	$100,000	$150,000
45	23	$130,000	$200,000
50	28	$225,000	$300,000
55	33	$270,000	$350,000
60	38	$345,000	$500,000
65	43	What happened? $400,000	What happened? $800,000

Everything looks much more reasonable right? We?re only talking about $6,000-$9,500 in savings a year until age 65 for the low end to reach $400,000 by the age of 65 after 43 years of work. But guess what, even the new realistic low end assumptions are too high based on the following facts of median 401(k) balances for those in retirement age.

Median 401(k) Balances For Retirees (65) At Different Income Brackets

? For people who earn between $20-$40,000 a year the median 401k account at retirement is ~$70,000 (83% short)

? For people who earn between $40-$60,000 a year the median 401k account at retirement is ~$105,000 (74% short)

? For people who earn between $60-$80,000 a year the median 401k account at retirement is ~$170,000 (58% short)

? For people who earn between $80-$100,000 a year the median 401k account at retirement is ~$255,000 (36% short)

? For people who earn over $100,000 a year the median 401k account at retirement is ~$370,000 (still 10% short)

As you can see, only folks who earn over $100,000 come close to my more realistic chart above at $345,000-$500,000 at age 60.?The problem is, the median income in America is only around $50,000-$60,000 a year resulting in a?median 401(k) account of only around $105,000 at retirement!?With $105,000, you might be able to get three years living in San Francisco if you?re lucky!

Something happens between ages 35-60 where one accumulates only $30,000 more until retirement. Clearly statistics are playing tricks on us again because it?s hard to fathom someone would only saving $1,300 a year during their highest paying years.

MEDIAN 401K BY AGE DISCREPANCIES EXPLAINED

I?ve been consulting with more clients about their personal finances and what I?ve discovered is that something always seems to come up and knock someone off their retirement savings path. It?s all fine and dandy to assume everyone should logically max out their 401(k) or at least save 20% of their after tax income until retirement, but this is seldom the case. With consent from my clients, let me share three case studies to illustrate some points. I?ll also highlight one reader?s e-mail feedback about the topic as well as my own example. Names are changed for privacy reasons.

Case Study One ? Family To Support

Joe is 42 years old and makes $120,000 a year as an engineer. He?s been working for 19 years and has $80,000 in his 401(k) (vs $300,000+ recommended). When I asked him to share his 401(k) situation he shrugged. He never considered maxing out his 401(k) because he always thought he wouldn?t have enough money left to take care for his wife and son. His wife worked for the first eight years and decided to stay at home after giving birth. Going from a two income family to a one income family is difficult if you?re not use to saving half.

Joe has about $12,000 in after-tax savings which will cover about four months of living expenses just in case something bad happens. Given the thin buffer, we talked about the importance of getting long term disability. When I dug deeper, I realized Joe has a penchant for fixing up old cars. All told, he?s spent over $60,000 after taxes to beautify his two 1959 Mustangs.

Case Study Two ? Expensive Living

Sally is 32 years old, and makes $75,000 + bonus as a medical equipment sales rep. Sally got her Master?s degree in healthcare, and graduated with $27,000 in debt at the age of 24. She pays about $500 a month in student loans which she plans to pay off in 10 years tops.

After seven and a half years of working at a reputable firm, Sally has $70,000 in her 401(k) compared to a recommended $127,000 after eight years of work experience according to my guide. Sally only contributed 10% of her annual gross salary into her 401(k) because of her school debt, car payments, credit card payments, and $2,600 a month rent here in San Francisco. Sally?s case shows that education is expensive and good paying jobs come with higher cost of living. Sally has about $5,000 in savings in the bank.

Case Study Three ? High Income Burnout

Susie is 34 years old, single and makes $150,000 + bonus as a VP at an investment bank based in San Francisco. She?s been working for 12 consecutive years out of college. In between years 10 and 12, Susie took a 1.5 year hiatus to become a baker during the financial crisis. She was burned out and wanted to try something new. But, after spending $25,000 for tuition, missing out on 1.5 years worth of income, and getting screamed at while making only $10 an hour, she realized being a baker at a restaurant was not for her. ?If I?m going to get yelled at making $10 an hour, I might as well make a lot of money!? Susie joked.

Susie has about $150,000 in her 401(k), 50% higher than the current median according to Transamerica. However, given she didn?t earn any money for 1.5 years and payed a lot for tuition, Susie is also about $50,000 light based on my guide. Susie was only contributing about 10% of her pre-tax income to her 401(k) for her entire career because she didn?t want to tie her money up beyond the company match.

Case Study Four ? Highly Educated Couple

An e-mai from a reader responding to the Average Net Worth For The Above Average Person article:

?I noticed that most of your posts are geared towards people who start working at age 22 with minimal debt ? as just one example, your ?above average? people projections.

But many ?above average? people do not start working at age 22 and incur substantial debt before they start working. For example, I am a lawyer that obtained a master?s degree and then a law degree before starting my career at age 28. My wife is a doctor, who completed her residency and started practicing at age 28 as well. Both of us started our careers with substantial student loan burdens ? over $325,000 between the both of us.

Our late start means we lose a lot of the magic of compounding interest. And our debt burden takes a big chunk of our monthly income. These are significant challenges.?

Case Study Five ? Early Retiree

My 401(k) has grown to roughly $415,000 as of today at the age of 35. Although $415,000 is roughly $80,000 above the high end of the range for someone who has contributed for 13 years, my 401(k) is at serious risk of falling behind given I no longer contribute or have a company match. My last year of work saw over $25,000 in company 401(k) match that I?m starting to miss. Cherish your 401(k) match and profit sharing while you still got it!

Based on a conservative portfolio analysis (4% per annum growth, no contributions or match), my 401K will grow from $400,000 to roughly $1,100,000 by the age of 65, the low end of my guide. Although I think 4% per annum growth is feasible, I still fear horrendous bear markets in the future. A company match and profit sharing buffered my portfolio extremely well during the downturns of 2001-2003 and 2008-2010. I now feel my portfolio is swimming naked, which is why I need to be extra disciplined in my rebalancing.

Feedback

We?ve read four examples of people who do not meet the range in my 401(k) Retirement Savings Guideline chart despite earning healthy salaries. I also do not feel confident I?ll reach the high end of $2.6 million by the time I turn 65. You might therefore come to the conclusion that my 401(k) Retirement Savings Guideline is off and you would be correct given the average 401(k) balance for a 35 year old is roughly $100,000 and not $215,000 as I would like.

But, you would be incorrect to assume my guide is off based on what you really need when you no longer have a job. You just have to do the math yourself to see if you can live off even $250,000 as the AARP picture highlights for the next 20-30 years in retirement.

DO YOU WANT TO BE JUST AVERAGE?

Life gets in the way of our retirement savings plans all the time. We have tuition to pay, expensive cars to fix, vacations to take, concerts to attend, shoes to buy, Range Rover Superchargers to drive, alimony to pay, sickness to deal with and economic dislocations to experience. Some of us just like to honestly blow lots of money and not give a damn! There?s always an excuse for not saving. However, if you don?t want to become one of those tragedy stories or a burden to your fellow citizens, then I suggest increasing your 401(k) contributions and after tax savings percentages.

If the amount you are savings doesn?t hurt, then you are not saving enough. At the end of our careers, we only have ourselves to blame if we come up short. Unless you have developed alternative income streams, paid off your house, and have other after tax savings, living off $350,000-$500,000 for the next 20-30 years is just $12,000 ? $25,000. Pay yourself first before anything else and max out your 401K. After you?ve maxed out your 401(k), figure out where you can save some more.

Even if you do reach my retirement savings guide of $638,00 ? $2,000,000 by the age of 60, you aren?t going to be living it up for the next 20-30 years if that?s all you got. You?ve seen the various 401k portfolio scenarios I?ve run based off just a $400,000 portfolio and you know inflation is a killer. Life happens. Just make sure you keep life happy.

Readers, are you worried about having enough in your 401(k) or retirement savings in general for those outside of the US? What are some of the reasons inhibiting you from contributing more to your retirement savings accounts? Do you think our/your country is going to have a retirement crisis in 30 years time given Gen Y and Gen X do not save and don?t have a bull market in stocks and real estate to carry us over yet?

Photo: Kayaking on beautiful Lake Tahoe.
Best,

Sam

Check out Personal Capital?s ?401K Fee Analyzer? which shows how much money you are wasting. I was paying $1,000+ in excess portfolio fees I had no idea I was paying. As a result, I?ve rebalanced into a similar fund that has 80% lower fees. Go to the Investing tab on the top right and then click 401K Fee Analyzer to see how you can optimize.

Source: http://www.financialsamurai.com/2013/02/05/median401k-retirement-balance-by-age-is-dangerously-low/

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Fireworks cause deadly highway collapse in China

BEIJING (AP) ? A truckload of fireworks intended for Lunar New Year celebrations went off Friday in a massive, deadly explosion that destroyed part of an elevated highway in central China, sending vehicles plummeting 30 meters (about 100 feet) to the ground.

The official Xinhua News Agency, citing provincial fire officials, reported five confirmed deaths but said only six of the 25 vehicles smashed in the collapse had been recovered.

An 80-meter (260-foot) stretch of a major east-west highway collapsed in Mianchi county in Henan province. It scattered blackened chunks of debris and shattered the windows of a nearby truck stop.

A Communist Party spokesman for the nearby city of Sanmenxia, Nie Jianying, cited provincial officials as saying that five people were confirmed dead and eight hospitalized. Earlier reports by China National Radio and some other outlets of up to 26 people killed were later removed from websites.

Photos posted on the website showed a stretch of elevated highway gone, with one truck's back wheels perched at the edge of a shorn-off section of the highway. Other photos showed firefighters below spraying water on scorched hunks of concrete, wrecked trucks and flattened shipping containers.

There was no immediate word on the cause of the explosion. It occurred about 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of Luoyang, an ancient capital of China known for grottoes of Buddhist statues carved from limestone cliffs.

Fireworks are an enormously popular part of Chinese Lunar New Year festivities. To meet the demand, fireworks are made, shipped and stored in large quantities, sometimes in unsafe conditions.

A result is periodic catastrophe: In 2006, on the first day of the Lunar New Year, a storeroom of fireworks exploded at a temple fair in Henan, killing 36 people and injuring dozens more. In 2000, an unlicensed fireworks factory in southern China exploded, killing 33 people, including 13 primary and secondary school students working there.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/fireworks-cause-deadly-highway-collapse-china-065131273.html

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The effective collective: Grouping could ensure animals find their way in a changing environment

Jan. 31, 2013 ? For social ani?mals such as school?ing fish, the loss of their num?bers to human activ?ity could even?tu?ally threaten entire pop?u?la?tions, accord?ing to a find?ing that such ani?mals rely heav?ily on group?ing to effec?tively nav?i?gate their environment.

Prince?ton Uni?ver?sity researchers report in the jour?nal Sci?ence that col?lec?tive intel?li?gence is vital to cer?tain ani?mals' abil?ity to eval?u?ate and respond to their envi?ron?ment. Con?ducted on fish, the research demon?strated that small groups and indi?vid?u?als become dis?ori?ented in com?plex, chang?ing envi?ron?ments. How?ever, as group size is increased, the fish sud?denly became highly respon?sive to their surroundings.

These results should prompt a close exam?i?na?tion of how endan?gered group or herd ani?mals are pre?served and man?aged, said senior researcher Iain Couzin, a Prince?ton pro?fes?sor of ecol?ogy and evo?lu?tion?ary biol?ogy. If wild ani?mals depend on col?lec?tive intel?li?gence for migra?tion, breed?ing and locat?ing essen?tial resources, they could be imper?iled by any activ?ity that dimin?ishes or divides the group, such as over?hunt?ing and habi?tat loss, he explained.

"Processes that increase group frag?men?ta?tion or reduce pop?u?la?tion den?sity may ini?tially appear to have lit?tle influ?ence, yet a fur?ther reduc?tion in group size may sud?denly and dra?mat?i?cally impact the capac?ity of a species to respond effec?tively to their envi?ron?ment," Couzin said. "If the mech?a?nism we observed is found to be wide?spread, then we need to be aware of tip?ping points that could result in the sud?den col?lapse of migra?tory species."

The work is among the first to exper?i?men?tally explain the extent to which col?lec?tive intel?li?gence improves aware?ness of com?plex envi?ron?ments, the researchers write. Col?lec?tive intel?li?gence is an estab?lished advan?tage of groups, includ?ing humans. As it's under?stood, a group of indi?vid?u?als gain an advan?tage by pool?ing imper?fect esti?mates with those around them, which more or less "aver?ages" sin?gle expe?ri?ences into sur?pris?ingly accu?rate com?mon knowl?edge. For instance, the paper in Sci?ence cites a 1907 study that pre?dicted with near pre?ci?sion the weight of an ox based on the esti?mates of 787 people.

With their work, Couzin and his coau?thors uncov?ered an addi?tional layer to under?stand?ing col?lec?tive intel?li?gence. The con?ven?tional view assumes that indi?vid?ual group mem?bers have some level of knowl?edge albeit incom?plete. Yet the Prince?ton researchers found that in some cases indi?vid?u?als have no abil?ity to esti?mate how a prob?lem needs to be solved, while the group as a whole can find a solu?tion through their social inter?ac?tions. More?over, they found that the more numer?ous the neigh?bors, the richer the indi?vid?ual -- and thus group -- knowl?edge is.

These find?ings cor?re?late with recent research show?ing that col?lec?tive intel?li?gence -- even in humans -- can rely less on the intel?li?gence of each group mem?ber than on the effec?tive?ness of their com?mu?nal inter?ac?tion, Couzin said. In humans, research sug?gests that such coop?er?a?tion would take the form of open and equal com?mu?ni?ca?tion among indi?vid?u?als regard?less of their respec?tive smarts, he said.

The researchers placed fish known as golden shin?ers in exper?i?men?tal tanks in groups as low as one and as high as 256. The tanks fea?tured a mov?ing light field that was bright on the outer edges and tapered into a dark cen?ter. To reflect the chang?ing nature of nat?ural envi?ron?ments, they also incor?po?rated small patches of dark?ness that moved around ran?domly. Pro?lific school?ers and enthu?si?asts of dark?ness, the golden shin?ers would pur?sue the shaded areas as the researchers recorded their move?ment using com?puter vision soft?ware. Although the fish sought the shade regard?less of group size, their capa?bil?ity to do so increased dra?mat?i?cally once groups spanned a large enough area.

The researchers then tracked the motion of indi?vid?ual fish to gauge the role of social influ?ence on their move?ment. They found that indi?vid?u?als adjusted their speed accord?ing to local light level by mov?ing faster in more brightly lit areas, but with?out social influ?ence the fish did not nec?es?sar?ily turn toward the darker regions. Groups, how?ever, read?ily swam to dark areas and were able to track those pre?ferred regions as they moved.

This col?lec?tive sens?ing emerged due to the coher?ent nature of social inter?ac?tions, the authors report. As one side of the group slowed and turned toward the shaded area, the other mem?bers did as well. Also, slow?ing down increased den?sity and resulted in darker regions becom?ing more attrac?tive to these social animals.

Couzin worked with lead authors Andrew Berdahl, a Prince?ton grad?u?ate stu?dent, and post?doc?toral fel?low Colin Tor?ney, both cur?rently in Couzin's lab, as well as with for?mer lab mem?bers Chris?tos Ioan?nou and Jolyon Faria, who are now at the Uni?ver?sity of Bris?tol and the Uni?ver?sity of Oxford, respectively.

This work was sup?ported in part by grants from the National Sci?ence Foun?da?tion, the U.S. Office of Naval Research, the U.S. Army Research Office and the Nat?ural Sci?ences and Engi?neer?ing Research Coun?cil of Canada.

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The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Princeton University. The original article was written by Mor?gan Kelly.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

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Journal Reference:

1. A. Berdahl, C. J. Torney, C. C. Ioannou, J. J. Faria, I. D. Couzin. Emergent Sensing of Complex Environments by Mobile Animal Groups. Science, 2013; 339 (6119): 574 DOI: 10.1126/science.1225883

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

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Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_environment/~3/uonq9JcGuDU/130131144410.htm

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