Highs and Laos

By: WordsnCollision (View Profile)

Laos is one of the last “off the beaten track” destinations for tourists and travelers who have become jaded with the creeping homogenization of global culture. This has much to do with the Southeast Asian nation’s historic inaccessibility, modern politics and the legacy of warfare that continues to haunt this faraway land.

For the adventurous traveler, however, Laos has much to offer. Friendly people, stunning archeological sites and astounding natural beauty have enticed and entranced visitors from time immemorial. This mountainous, heavily forested nation of 6 million has been called by some “the tropical Shangri-la” after the semi-mythical Tibetan paradise sought by many but found by few. It’s no secret that getting to landlocked Laos is no simple thing. There are no railways and the roads (especially those in rural areas) are not always reliable, especially during the rainy Monsoon season that stretches from May through November. Most visitors to Laos enter from Thailand, the country’s western neighbor and chief trading partner. There are few viable alternatives for Western tourists as Laos also borders on Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar (formerly Burma) and China. You may have to do some searching, both online and off, to work out a travel itinerary. Don’t forget to investigate Visa requirements and any recommended vaccinations while you’re at it.

The history of Laos is as shrouded in mystery as the land is shrouded in forestry. Countless Monsoon storms over the millennia have washed away most evidence of Laos’ ancient past, leaving only tantalizing reminders of her culture’s past glory. One that remains is the Plain of Jars located in the Laotian highlands. Literally thousands of stone jars lie scattered across the broad Xieng Khouang plain, some standing alone and others in groups. These are no mayonnaise jars; some are as big as a small car! Who built them, and for what aim? Archeologists speculate they were crafted over a period of several hundred years nearly two thousand years ago. The culture that built them remains unknown - the ancestors of the present-day Lao had not migrated to the area from their original homeland in southern China. Were they immense water jugs, intended to save water from the Monsoon rains for use in the dry season, or did they have another, more sinister purpose... the silence of the Jars provides no clues.

Visitors to the three government authorized viewing sites have stated that gazing across the silent, windswept plain was an otherworldly experience. Unfortunately, one wrong step and you might find yourself transported to another world - literally. The U.S. Air Force extensively bombed the Laotian highlands during the Vietnam War and the plain is strewn with unexploded “bombies”, as the locals refer to them. The cute nickname belies the horrible damage done by the ordnance, which is still “live” and quite dangerous after 30+ years. For a culture that has been so severely buffeted by the tides of history, the Laotian people remain gentle, open and helpful to foreigners.

Things have been looking brighter for Laos and her people of late. The government, while Communist in name, has embraced free market economics and little by little the benefits are trickling down the ladder. In a country where 80 percent of Laotians still till the land to survive, tourism is providing jobs and higher incomes for both city and country dwellers. The authorities are doing their best to balance the need to provide infrastructure for tourism while preserving the unique way of life and ethereal beauty that has moved the United Nations to name Luang Prabang and Wat Phou as World Heritage sites.

Not all that many Americans have even heard of Laos while even fewer know where it is - perhaps this was Mike Judge’s motivation for having an immigrant Laotian family move in next to Hank Hill on the animated series “King of the Hill”. If stimulating culture shock is your cup of tea, then a trip to and through Laos should really hit the spot. No, it’s not easy to get there, but this is one case where the journey and the destination are mutually rewarding!

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The Best Tech Tools and Fitness Plans to Get in Shape

If there's one thing geeks and non-geeks alike all share, it's an aversion to exercise. No matter how much you'd like to slim your waistline and lose the belly, it's difficult to find a workout routine that not only works, but one that fits your needs and is easy to stick to. Over the years we've covered several fitness plans along with free and cheap technology to help you get in shape and stick to a training plan, and I've used many of these tools to help run two marathons. Read on for a look at the most simple yet effective plans we've covered—along with the best tech tools to help you get and stay in shape. Photo by luiginter.

This isn't a "How to lose 200 pounds in a year" article, but it could be. Despite the proliferation of diet plans and expensive exercise equipment, the key to fitness is and always will be healthy eating, portion control, and a solid exercise routine. (But, a solid exercise routine need not be hard or expensive.) Here are some of the tips and tools we've covered at Lifehacker over the years, many of which I use regularly.

From Couch to 5k to Marathon

If you've never done much running or exercise, getting started can be a bear. The key is baby steps, and the Couch to 5k running plan gets you ready to run your first 5k (that's three miles) in just six weeks. (Original post)

If you're beyond the 5k, I'd recommend giving a marathon a try at least once (or, if that seems a touch ambitious, a half marathon). Twenty-six miles may seem insane, but if you can run a 5k, you can probably do a marathon. Running expert and writer Hal Higdon's free marathon training guides are a perfect place to get started, and when the marathon actually comes around, check out how I hacked the Chicago marathon. Photo by Chicago Producers.

Zero to One Hundred Push-Ups in Six Weeks

Whether you like doing them or not, the push-up belongs in your fitness routine. Unfortunately the push-up has always been a difficult nut to crack, not least of which because of the embarrassment of hardly being able to finish a small set. Much like the Couch to 5k running plan, web site One Hundred Push Ups provides workout routines designed to take you from zero to one hundred push-ups in six weeks. The push-up works your whole body, which means whether you take the 100 push-up route or not, it's worth integrating into your workout routine. (Original post)

Work Your Entire Body with a Sledgehammer

Probably the most embarrassing part of my workout routine (at least when I'm explaining it) involves shovelgloving, a daily, full-body workout that requires just 14 minutes and a sledgehammer wrapped in a sweatshirt. The brainchild of a guy who just wanted an exercise routine he could do from the comfort of his bedroom, shovelgloving is a surprisingly effective exercise routine for working your entire body. Shovelglove exercises are also fun to do, incorporating old-timey routines like the butter-churn, wood-chop, and (naturally) shovel. (Original post)

Map Your Workout

Whether you're running, biking, hiking, or skipping, mapping your workout is an excellent way to track what you've done, workouts you've enjoyed, and even calories you've burned.

My go-to tool for this purpose has always been MapMyRun, a site with a huge set of features for setting up a training plan, mapping your runs, calculating the calories you've burned, and more. The site's massive feature set has made it a little more intimidating for first-time users, but if all you want to do is quickly map out a run, just jump straight to the route creation tool. (Original post)

If you're not keen on the web-based route, the Mac-only TrailRunner is an incredible desktop application that tackles many of the same features with a quick and very attractive interface. TrailRunner even integrates with Nike+ iPod, Google Earth, and your GPS (though MapMyRun does GPS, too).

Pick the Right Running Shoes

If you've decided to take a serious stab at running, the only significant, unavoidable expense is shoes. Sure you could just stick with your aging pair of gym shoes, but running is hard on your body, and a good pair of running shoes can go a long way toward preventing injury and keeping you comfortable while you run, which also means you're more likely to stick with your workout. With that in mind, it's important to know how to pick the right running shoe for your feet. (Original post) Photo by jordanfischer.

Pump Up the Jams

Whether it's an iPod, Walkman, or even radio, take full advantage of the distracting and motivating power of music when you're working out. Fill up your MP3 player with a playlist full of great workout music. They shouldn't all be over-the-top motivators like Gonna Fly Now or Born to Run—those are really just for the times you need them. Try different songs and pick out what kind of music works best for you, and reserve your motivators for the times you really need an extra boost. If you take the Nike+ iPod route, you can actually set a song as your big motivator that you can instantly skip to when you need it. If you don't have Nike+, the same idea applies: Make it easily accessible so you can get that instant pick-me-up when you need it. If you're looking for suggestions, check out our readers' favorite workout music. If you've taken to burning more calories with interval running, set up your very own interval running playlist in iTunes. Photo by Geff Rossi.

Nike+ iPod

I've been using the Nike+ iPod since January and am loving it. It's easy to use when you're already running with your iPod anyway, and it makes tracking and graphing my progress over time dead simple. All of that extra information—like that I've run about 320 miles so far this year—is surprisingly motivational. At only $30 for a Nike+ iPod sport kit, it's not terribly expensive (provided you've already got a supported iPod), and you don't actually have to buy Nike shoes to use it. I dug a hole in the insoles of my running shoes and stuck the Nike+ dongle inside, but if you don't want to mutilate your shoes the Nike+ iPod shoe mod may be just the ticket.

Track Your Fitness on Your Computer

Our very own Kevin has covered several ways to track your fitness progress with free tools. My favorite, which he mentions in his feature, is web site Traineo. Traineo is there to help you stick with your plan and motivate you to achieve your exercise and fitness goals. (Original post)

3 Kinds of Sex All Men Crave

Clueing in to your guy's covert bedroom urges can make the difference between mediocre and mind-blowing nooky

You may be convinced that you have your man's carnal code cracked, but there isn't just one way to unlock his passion. In fact, his lusty leanings can change with his hormones, stress levels, and even the time of day, explains Los Angeles psychologist and sex therapist Geoffry White, PhD. Get a read on exactly when — and how — your guy wants to be wowed in the sack by checking out our sexy hints. You'll reap the pleasurable benefits too.

Animalistic Sex

His mood clues: After your man whups his pals on the basketball court or nails an important deal at work, he's likely to crave an uninhibited quickie against a wall or a lusty shag anywhere there's a smooth surface. The reason? His alpha instincts are taking over.

"When men win at sports, even when they're just watching a sport and their team triumphs, or when they have success like a promotion at work, testosterone levels tend to go up," says anthropologist Helen Fisher, PhD, author of Why We Love. Translation: He's revved with T-juice and dying to throw you (gently) down on the bed for a serious pleasure session.

Your guy may also be prone to be hungry for some randy roughhousing before breakfast. "Levels of testosterone tend to be higher in the very early morning," says Fisher. Sex drive often builds to its highest point from dawn until around 10am. "He's likely to wake up already turned on and feeling assertive."

How to rock his world: When he's flushed after a win or starts gloating about a mini success, bait him by slowly stripping off your clothes across the room — in his eye line but out of his reach. "Just looking at your naked body can further raise a man's testosterone, feeding his desire," says Fisher. Let him watch you touch your own erogenous zones, which will make him hot and give you satisfaction too.

When you've tortured him for a few minutes, let him get his hands on the championship prize: you. Then initiate a primal move that fuels his frisky craving. "Standing sex, where he holds you up against a wall with your legs wrapped around his lower back, gives him an animalistic challenge," says Yvonne K. Fulbright, author of The Hot Guide to Safer Sex. Your man is in the aggressor role since he's holding you up with his arms and lower bod, and he also gets the visual thrill of watching your breasts bounce during the act.

Kick it up a notch by letting yourself revel aloud about how hot he's getting you or tell him a specific thing you want him to keep doing because it feels so good, suggests Fulbright. "Verbally boosting his ego can help build orgasmic intensity for you both."

Supersensual Sex

His mood clues: Women aren't the only ones who desire slow-burn sexual intimacy. In fact, one of the biggest complaints among men is that women don't touch them enough during sex, which is a common way of maintaining emotional closeness in a relationship, according to The Hite Report on Male Sexuality. The trick is nailing down exactly when your guy longs for steam-up-the-windows romantic sex.

Surprisingly, men crave this type of intimacy after experiencing something new or unusual. "Having novel experiences with your man releases dopamine, which triggers lust and desire," says Fisher. That's why your dude may suddenly feel the urge to get superclose when you're in a new locale, whether it's diving into your hotel bed or snuggling under the stars on a camping trip.

Another lust trigger for slow, body-meshing sex is in the aftermath of something scary. "The novelty of a dangerous situation you'd see in a horror movie or after trying a slightly risky, adrenaline-fueled activity together can also feed dopamine levels and make him want to feel emotionally closer to you via sex," says Fisher.

How to rock his world: Next time you try anything new, from rappelling down a mountain to seeing a spine-tingling flick together, take him home and introduce a sensual new move that feeds a mental and physical connection, like the Kama Sutra position Yab-Yum. Here's how: Sitting in his lap face-to-face with your legs wrapped around each other's back, you and your guy can gaze into each other's eyes as your hands roam freely. All the while, your private parts press sensually against each other, furthering intimacy.

"This is an all-access position that allows him to see and touch your entire body," says Fulbright. "And because it provides more direct stimulation of the clitoris, the woman is more likely to orgasm than in the missionary position."

Don't-Lift-a-Finger Sex

His mood clues: Chances are, if your guy's been placating annoying relatives, wigging about finances or dealing with a demanding boss, stress is likely to make him crave low-maintenance sex (where all he has to do is unzip his fly, if that).

"Anxiety's onset drives up levels of dopamine and, thus, testosterone, which combined with workday exhaustion is likely to leave a man craving sexual release without much effort," says Fulbright.

Unfortunately, today's high expectations for male sexual performance may instead heighten his stress level. "Since men are so programmed to work for sex, he'll feel relieved of performance pressure when you catch him off guard with this low-maintenance brand of sex," says White. "If a guy can lie back and feel sexually taken care of, it can improve his overall state of mind as well as the sensations his body is capable of experiencing."

How to rock his world: When you sense your man is stressed, help him unwind by telling him he doesn't even have to get off the sofa. Then take the reins by stripping off his shirt and slowly kissing him from his neck down to his waistline, followed by some below-the-belt action.

To make his head spin as you're pleasuring him, try this trick: "Break away every now and then to drag your tongue along the crease between his pelvis and inner thigh, which will flood his lower body with increased sensation," Fulbright says.

Next, slide onto his lap in reverse cowgirl position with your hands balanced on his thighs for support. Much like doggie-style, he'll be able to revel in watching your tush and touching your breasts — but without expending any lower-body energy.

This pose also gives him supereasy access to pressing your hot buttons. "As you move forward and back in this position, his member will directly stimulate your clitoris with minimal effort on his part," says Fulbright. "Just remember to squeeze your PC muscles as you thrust because it can help you both have bigger, better orgasms more quickly."

5 Times He'll Pass Up Passion

Hard as it is to believe, hopping into the sack isn't always at the top of a man's list.

You emasculated him in front of his friends. "But honey, it was so cute when you cried during Million Dollar Baby."

He walks into the bathroom carrying three collector's issues of sports magazines and a bottle of antacid.

He stuffed himself silly at your "romantic" dinner. Eating rich, heavy food is said to be a sex-drive killer.

You just mentioned your ex and his old habit of doing multiple one-handed pushups...naked.

You forced him to sit through a new reality TV show: Extreme Makeover: Penis Enhancement.

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Hoping Two Drugs Carry a Side Effect: Longer Life

Southern Illinois University School of Medicine

COUNTING CALORIES For a longevity study, this mouse is on a restricted diet.

By NICHOLAS WADE

BOSTON, Mass. — One day last month, clad in white plastic garments from head to toe, Dr. David Sinclair showed a visitor around his germ-free mouse room here at Harvard Medical School.

The mice, subjects in studies of health and longevity, are kept in wire baskets under intensive nursing care. A mouse gym holds a miniature exercise machine that tests the rodents’ ability to balance on a rotating bar. In a nearby water maze, mice must recall visual cues to swim to safety on a hidden platform, a test of their powers of memory. Those that forget their lessons are rescued as they start to submerge and humanely dried out under a heat lamp, Dr. Sinclair assured his visitor.

Dr. Sinclair is a co-founder of Sirtris, a company that itself has been swimming in uncharted waters as it works to develop drugs that may extend the human life span. But it seemed to have found a safe platform last month when it was bought last month by the pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline for $720 million.

Sirtris has two drugs in clinical trials. One is being tested against Type 2 diabetes, one of the many diseases of aging that the company’s scientists hope the drugs will avert. With success against just one such disease, the impact on health “could be possibly transformational,” said Dr. Patrick Vallance, head of drug discovery at GlaxoSmithKline.

The new drugs are called sirtuin activators, meaning that they activate an enzyme called sirtuin. The basic theory is that all or most species have an ancient strategy for riding out famines: switch resources from reproduction to tissue maintenance. A healthy diet but with 30 percent fewer calories than usual triggers this reaction in mice and is the one intervention that reliably increases their life span. The mice seem to live longer because they are somehow protected from the usual diseases that kill them.

But most people cannot keep to a diet with a 30 percent cut in calories, so a drug that could activate the famine reflex might be highly desirable. Dr. Leonard Guarente, an M.I.T. biologist who founded the field of sirtuin biology, thinks the famine reflex is mediated through the sirtuin enzymes. Dr. Sinclair, his former student, discovered that sirtuins could be activated by drugs. The most potent activator that emerged from his screens was resveratrol, a natural substance found in red wine, though in amounts probably too low to be significant for health.

The Sirtris drug being tested in diabetic patients is a special formulation of resveratrol that delivers a bloodstream dose five times as high as the chemical alone. This drug, called SRT501, has passed safety tests and, at least in small-scale trials, has reduced the patients’ glucose levels.

The other drug is a small synthetic chemical that is a thousand times as potent as resveratrol in activating sirtuin and can be given at a much smaller dose. Safety tests in people have just started, with no adverse effects so far.

The hope is that activating sirtuins in people would, like a calorically restricted diet in mice, avert degenerative diseases of aging like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s. There is no Food and Drug Administration category for longevity drugs, so if the company is to submit a drug for approval, it needs to be for a specific disease.

Nonetheless, longevity is what has motivated the researchers and what makes the drugs potentially so appealing.

Dr. Christoph Westphal, the chief executive of Sirtris, said of the potential of the drugs, “I think that if we are right, this could extend life span by 5 or 10 percent.” He added that his goal was to develop drugs against specific diseases, with the extension of life being “almost a side effect of our medicine.”

Sirtris was founded in 2004 after Dr. Westphal, then working at a Boston venture capital firm, approached Dr. Sinclair. Because of widespread interest in the sirtuin activation idea, Dr. Westphal had little difficulty raising money and recruiting distinguished scientists to Sirtris’s advisory board.

He later decided to sell the company to GlaxoSmithKline, he said, because it was getting harder to raise money and clinical trials could proceed faster with the larger company’s resources. Sirtris was acquired at an 84 percent premium, better than the 50 percent at which most companies are bought, Dr. Westphal said.

The impact of Sirtris’s drugs, if successful, could extend beyond the drug industry. Dr. Guarente believes that many people might start taking them in middle age, though after having started a family because they may suppress fertility.

Mice on the drugs generally remain healthy right until the end of their lives and then just drop dead.“If they work in people that way, one would look to an extension of health span, with an extension of life as a possible side effect,” Dr. Guarente said. “It would necessitate changing ideas about when people retire and when they stop paying into the system.”

GlaxoSmithKline could put SRT501, its resveratrol formulation, on the market right away, selling it as a natural compound and nutritional pharmaceutical that does not require approval by the F.D.A. “We haven’t made any decisions, but that clearly is an option,” Dr. Vallance said.

If GlaxoSmithKline decides instead to seek F.D.A. approval, it will need to prove that resveratrol is safe in the large doses required for efficacy. Resveratrol seems to exert many influences on the body, some of which are not exerted through sirtuin. “None of us should be naïve enough to think resveratrol won’t have multiple effects, including some you don’t want,” Dr. Vallance said.

GlaxoSmithKline’s purchase of Sirtris has pushed the optimism of sirtuin researchers and others to new heights. “We are all holding our breath,” said Dr. Huber Warner, editor of the Journals of Gerontology. But the success of the drugs is far from assured.

Most potential drugs fail to make it past clinical trials, and the same may prove true for Sirtris’s candidates. The sirtuin-activating chemicals the company has designed could turn out to be toxic. Another uncertainty is that the underlying science is still in flux and debate rages among academic researchers over many details of how caloric restriction works.

Some biologists think that sirtuin is not the only mediator of the famine reflex, and that resveratrol may not work through sirtuin at all in exerting its beneficial effects on mice. “There are data both for and against that hypothesis, though that doesn’t dissuade one from pursuing it as a potential benefit,” said Dr. Thomas Rando, who studies aging in stem cells at Stanford University.

In initial tests in mice, resveratrol has doubled muscular endurance, lowered the bad form of cholesterol, protected against various bad effects of a high-fat diet and suppressed colon cancer. New reports are confirming some of these benefits, but others are ambiguous or puzzling.

According to a study published on July 3 in the journal Cell Metabolism by Dr. Sinclair and Dr. Rafael de Cabo of the National Institute on Aging, resveratrol given to aging mice reduced their cataracts, strengthened their bones, improved coordination and enhanced their health in several other ways. Yet despite their better health, the mice lived no longer than usual.

“Minimally this calls into question one pillar of the GSK investment,” said Dr. Ronald Evans, a leading expert on hormonal responses at the Salk Institute. Dr. Evans said that sirtuin research was promising but unproved, and that he did not agree that sirtuin was the probable mediator of the famine reflex, a concern that “calls into question the second pillar of the GSK investment.”

The frontiers of science are often turbulent, and it can take years for clarity to emerge from confusion. Dr. Westphal said the decision to ignore the academic debate about exactly how resveratrol may work was one of two principal reasons for Sirtris’s quick success. The other was to focus the company’s limited resources on developing just two drugs.

The researchers at Sirtris are no strangers to skepticism. Dr. Guarente and Dr. Sinclair were ridiculed when they first started looking for longevity genes more than 15 years ago, because aging was then considered to be an intractable problem. His colleagues, Dr. Guarente said, “thought I was nuts.”

Dr. Sinclair, when he first arrived as a young postdoctoral student in Dr. Guarente’s lab to work on longevity, was downcast to learn of the other students’ severe doubts. “The view even in Lenny’s lab was that this problem was going nowhere, it was a house of cards that would fall down any month now.” He called his parents in Australia to tell them he may have made a big mistake. But the research led eventually to the discovery of the sirtuinlike proteins and their role in extending the life span of yeast, worms and flies.

He and Dr. Guarente developed the sirtuin field with the hope of increasing longevity. But because of Sirtris’s focus on developing drugs that have the F.D.A.’s approval for specific diseases, both are being less explicit about their hopes of reversing aging. “There’s a much greater chance of a drug that can treat disease than of extending life span,” Dr. Sinclair said.

“I’m becoming more boring in my old age,” he added apologetically.

GlaxoSmithKline’s press releases refer to the sirtuins as “enzymes that the company believes control the aging process.” But Dr. Vallance is more guarded, saying aging is too hard to measure. The goal is not the extension of human life span; rather, “The prolongation of health is the aim,” Dr. Vallance said.

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Lots of Sex May Prevent Erectile Dysfunction

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, July 3 (HealthDay News) -- Frequent sexual intercourse may cut down on a man's chances of developing erectile dysfunction, Finnish researchers report.

"This is the same as any other part of the body. It's what we in vascular surgery refer to as the 'use it or lose it' concept," said Dr. Hossein Sadeghi-Nejad, an associate professor of urology at UMDNJ New Jersey Medical School Hackensack University Medical Center. "Sexual activity will promote maintenance of normal erectile function down the line."

The report was published in the July issue of The American Journal of Medicine.

In the study, led by Dr. Juha Koskimki, from Tampere University Hospital's Department of Urology, researchers collected data on 989 Finnish men aged 55 to 75 years old.

The researchers found that men who said they had sexual intercourse less than once a week had twice the risk of developing erectile dysfunction, compared with men reporting having sexual intercourse once a week.

Among men who had sexual intercourse less than once a week, there were 79 cases of erectile dysfunction per 1,000 men. That number dropped to 32 cases per 1,000 among men who said they had sexual intercourse once a week, and it dropped even further, to 16 per 1,000, among men who said they had sexual intercourse three or more times a week, the researchers reported.

The frequency of morning erections was not associated with the incidence of moderate erectile dysfunction, the researchers noted.

However, the development of complete erectile dysfunction could be predicted from the frequency of morning erections. Among men with less than one morning erection a week, the risk of developing erectile dysfunction was 2.5-fold greater than among men who had two to three morning erections per week.

"Regular intercourse has an important role in preserving erectile function among elderly men, whereas morning erection does not exert a similar effect," Koskimki said in a statement. "Continued sexual activity decreases the incidence of erectile dysfunction in direct proportion to coital frequency."

Sadeghi-Nejad said there is a scientific basis for this finding, and it also has implications for rehabilitation of patients after prostate cancer treatment.

"What is very hot these days is what we can do to rehabilitate people who develop erection problems after prostate cancer surgery or radiation therapy," Sadeghi-Nejad said. "Anything you can do to increase oxygenation in the penis will help get patients back to normal."

If one can naturally engage in behaviors that increase blood flow to the penis, it will have a positive effect in preventing erectile dysfunction, Sadeghi-Nejad said.

Sadeghi-Nejad noted that the study only addressed intercourse, and not masturbation. "This is essentially the same concept," Sadeghi-Nejad said. "Anything you can do to bring blood to the penis is beneficial," he added.

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FDA Finds Salmonella Strain in Jalapeno Pepper

By Lauran Neergaard, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Government inspectors finally have a big clue in the nationwide salmonella outbreak: They found the same bacteria on a single Mexican-grown jalapeno pepper handled by a small Texas produce shipper.

But Monday's discovery doesn't solve the mystery: Authorities don't know where the pepper became tainted — on the farm, or in the plant in McAllen, Texas, or at some stop in between.

Nor are they saying the tainted pepper exonerates tomatoes sold earlier in the spring that consumers until last week had been told were the prime suspect.

Still, "this genetic match is a very important break in the case," said Dr. David Acheson, the Food and Drug Administration's food safety chief.

But for now, the government is advising consumers to avoid eating any fresh jalapenos, or products made with them, such as fresh salsa. Tomatoes now on the market are considered safe to eat, health officials have said since last week.

The Texas plant, Agricola Zaragosa, has agreed to recall its fresh jalapenos, although the FDA wouldn't say how widely its produce was distributed. It is not considered a major processor, and it's unclear how far into the United States peppers traveling through this small stop near the Mexican border would have traveled, something the FDA still is working to determine.

It's also not clear if the produce distributor ever handled tomatoes. No other produce currently in the plant has tested positive for salmonella, Acheson said.

"I recognize there is a need to narrow this as soon as possible," Acheson added — as parts of the country are entering prime hot pepper season.

A person who answered the phone at Agricola Zaragosa said no one was available to comment immediately.

With 1,251 confirmed cases in 43 states — and a few among Canadian travelers to the U.S. — the outbreak isn't over yet, said Dr. Robert Tauxe of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But the CDC said last week that it appeared to be slowing, and indeed has confirmed just 14 additional cases since then. The latest that someone fell ill was July 4.

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The Graffitti, Stencils and Drawings of Banksy: Part Two in an Eight-Part Banksy Series

Written by Delana

(images via: Banksy.co.uk and Art of the State and Brighton Arts Blog)

Say what you will about the legality and morality of graffiti; it is difficult to argue that it is not at times real art. The care and forethought that goes into some graffiti and street art is apparent.

Banksy is an artist who has risen to a strangely anonymous brand of fame with his graffiti, most of which involves stenciling. But there are many sides to this elusive culture-jamming artist, and his drawings, which are seen by far fewer people, are just as provocative as his large outdoor pieces. Some of his earliest works are still debated while others have become collectors items sold at up to six-figure prices.

(images via: InventorSpot and Onzin and Wooster Collective)

Even if Banksy hung up his spray paint cans and stencils forever today, he would always be known first and foremost as a graffiti artist. When he began as a lad in Bristol, his creative artwork graced the sides of buildings near his home. Now Banksy originals can be seen on walls all around the world. One of his most famous pieces was of a nude man hanging by one hand from a window as a jealous husband scans the street and a guilty wife stands by. The artwork went up on a wall in Bristol near the City Council office. When the city asked the public whether the mural should stay or go, an overwhelming 97% said that they wanted to see it stay. The city agreed and the mural was not removed.

(images via: Wikimedia and That Canadian Girl and BBC and Duncan Cumming)

Because street art is usually considered a crime, artists have to work quickly. One of the best ways to do that is to use custom stencils. You do most of the work ahead of time by creating the stencils, then when you get to the site of your future art, you simply hold the stencils up and spray away. This is the style of art that’s most often associated with Banksy. Some of them are simple and probably went up very quickly. Others are quite complex and involve several layers and many colors.

(image via: Eyeteeth)

Never let it be said that the reclusive street artist doesn’t play well with others. In May of 2008, Banksy was involved with other street artists from around the world in The Cans Festival. The three-day art extravaganza saw artists flocking to an underpass on Leake Street in London, armed with stencils and spray cans and a desire to cover every available surface with art. (And this time, they had permission.)

(image via: Banksy.co.uk)

Banksy’s talent and his message extend from urban art into the more traditional paper-and-pencil territory, as well. Although it’s somewhat rare to find a Banksy drawing, the few available examples all convey his signature observant-but-not-preachy style of subversion.

(image via: M1l35)

The multi-talented artist has been keeping us entertained for a decade, but from a distance. Now that Banksy is gaining popularity all over the world, how will his art speak to his newly-formed fan base? And how will the artist handle his crumbling sense of anonymity? It seems unavoidable that his identity will eventually be revealed to the public (and some would say it already has). Until then, we can continue to search the city walls for that prized quarry: the original Banksy.

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Marijuana Can Cause 'Man Boobs' (and Other Things)

Dear Dr. Ken: I'm still living with my roommate from college. Thing is, he wakes 'n' bakes almost every day (getting stoned first thing in the morning). I've tried to convince him he should take it easy, but he says I'm just dropping "propaganda."

Aside from all the Doritos and Mountain Dew, will smoking so much mess with his health? -- Barry P., Austin, Texas

Barry: Sorry to be a buzzkill, but smoking pot affects your short- and long-term health. You expect the impaired cognitive function (messed up thoughts), stunted psycho-motor skills (lack of coordination) and sedation (chilling). Yet the long-term effects of regular pot smoking will really harsh your mellow.

Here's a list of possible chronic effects of the chronic:

Breathing: Lung problems can be pronounced with regular smoking. It's been said three to four joints a day result in breathing problems that are comparable to a pack-a-day cigarette habit.

Sperm and "Man Boobs": Marijuana use impairs sperm and lowers testosterone levels, which can lead to impotence, loss of interest in sex, and gynecomastia, aka "man boobs."

More effects (after the jump)

Cancer: Marijuana, like tobacco, produces a host of known carcinogens and toxic compounds when burned -- whether in a joint, feathered roach clip or skull bong. Frequent pot smokers tend to have more pre-cancerous lung lesions, which often become cancer sooner or later. That risk depends on the frequency and intensity of use.

Gums: A recent study found pot smokers are more likely to get gum disease.

Mental Illness: Chronic use of marijuana (smoked, eaten or in pill form) is associated with an increased risk of schizophrenia, though not necessarily caused by it. Studies of regular marijuana use in relation to the development of depression, impaired memory, or impaired thought have shown mixed results.

Dependence: After long-term use, there can be physical and mental dependence. The body can take a month to adjust to life without pot.

There are, of course, a number of approved medical uses for marijuana and its active ingredient, THC, but chances are you're not looking to your doctor for a prescription. The biggest health risk from smoking pot once or twice is an accidental injury. Otherwise, it's not likely to result in a major health problem. Increased use, however, leads to increased risk.

Dr. Ken Spaeth is a physician and Research Fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health. He is also co-author of the Bioterrorism Sourcebook. You can e-mail him your questions at askdrken@aol.com.

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Study: The Effects Of Serotonin On Spirituality

According to Psychology Today and referencing the American Journal of Psychiatry, serotonin, the brain chemical in charge of moderating mood, metabolism, and sexuality, has been linked to spiritual experiences. Psychology Today reports:

A team of Swedish researchers has found that the presence of a receptor that regulates general serotonin activity in the brain correlates with people's capacity for transcendence, the ability to apprehend phenomena that cannot be explained objectively. Scientists have long suspected that serotonin influences spirituality because drugs known to alter serotonin such as LSD also induce mystical experiences. But now they have proof from brain scans linking the capacity for spirituality with a major biological element.

So what does this mean? Well, the researchers believe that it provides evidence that religiosity and spirituality are not defined necessarily or entirely by environmental or cultural factors, such as upbringing. Basically, those with a higher concentration of serotonin receptors will therefore most likely show a stronger inclination towards spiritual acceptance.

What do you think? Does this belittle the notion of spirituality or encourage it? Tell us your thoughts below.

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Use your noodle: The real Chinese diet is so healthy it could solve the West's obesity crisis

Getty Images

Sticking together: residents of Chengdu celebrate Chinese New Year

Chinese food has a bad reputation in the UK. The rice-heavy meals and fatty meat dishes are thought to lead straight to obesity and heart disease. But properly prepared, says Chinese food expert Lorraine Clissold, the very opposite is true: the Chinese way of eating is healthy and fulfilling, fights illness and prolongs life. She also insists, in her book Why the Chinese Don't Count Calories, that a real Chinese diet won't make you fat, and that the rising levels of obesity observable in China are in fact caused by sugary, overprocessed Western food. Here are some of her Chinese dietary secrets – and the verdict of two Western nutrition experts, Patrick Holford and Ian Marber.

1. Stop counting calories

The Chinese don't have a word for "calories". They view food as nourishment, not potential weight gain. A 1990 survey found that Chinese people consumed 30 per cent more calories than Americans, but were not necessarily more active. Clissold says their secret is avoiding the empty calories of sugary, nutrient-free foods.

Holford says: "The latest research into weight loss shows that calorie-controlled, low-fat diets are less effective than low glycemic load diets, which is exactly what a traditional Chinese diet is."

Marber says: "There is one calorie in a Diet Coke, and 340 calories in an avocado. Which one is actually good for you? It's a no-brainer. The avocado supplies you with monounsaturated fats and omega-6, which actually help increase metabolic rate."

2. Think of vegetables as dishes

Rather than an uninspiring accompaniment to meat or fish, the Chinese treat vegetables as meals in their own right, rather than add-ons, as in the West.

Marber says: "I'm a great believer in combining protein and carbohydrate. There aren't many complex carbohydrates in vegetables, but they should count as a dish. If the majority of your meal is vegetables, and you add some protein, you'll always have a perfect meal."

Holford says: "Vegetables should make up half of what's on your plate in any given meal, so this fits perfectly with the Chinese diet."

3. Fill up on staple foods

Without rice, which is low in fat and high in nutrients and fibre, claims Clissold, it is impossible to eat until you are full. Low-carb diets promise to burn fat, but Clissold says that replacing carbs with food that is higher in fat and lower in nutrients is not a long-term answer to weight loss.

Marber says: "I don't agree. That Chinese person shovelling rice down is slightly pudgy because they eat too much rice. But from a financial point of view it's very useful, because Atkins-style diets are very expensive."

4. Eat until you are full

The Chinese eat until they are full, and then stop. Westerners often take a feast-and-famine approach to eating that is ridden with guilt – purging during the week and binging over the weekend, or skipping lunch to make room for cake, The Chinese tend to eat three good meals every day.

Holford says: "Provided that a meal has a high intake of fibre-rich vegetables and a balance of protein and carbohydrate, which a typical Chinese meal would, then you should eat until you are full. But the combination of high sugar, refined carbs (the white stuff) and high fat allows for more food to be eaten in a short space of time before the body's 'appestat' kicks in and tells you to stop."

Marber says: "What does 'full' mean? I think so much of that message is lost in the conspicuous consumption of the Western world. But be careful: it takes a while for the brain to recognise CCK, the hormone released when you are full, so you're actually full quite a lot earlier than you realise."

5. Take liquid food

Soup, or a soup-based dish, is present at every Chinese meal, often in the form of a watery porridge, zhou. Western diets can be very dry, and nutritionists compensate by urging us to drink more water, which the Chinese would never do with a meal. Instead, they make a nourishing liquid food part of the meal. And it's a great way of using up leftovers.

Holford says: "Thirst is often confused with hunger. Also, drinking does tend to fill you up. So soups help you control your appetite."

Marber says: "I'm a great believer in soups before food. Miso soup, for instance, or anything fermented – these are probiotics, which help release nutrients from the food you are about to eat."

6. Bring yin and yang into your kitchen

A good Chinese diet balances yin (wet and moist) and yang (dry and crisp) ingredients. Yin foods cool the body down, while yang foods – meat, spicy dishes, wine, coffee – heat it up. The sharing, multi-dish approach to eating in China means most meals contain yin and yang in equilibrium.

Marber says: "You should have complex carbs, a protein and a grain together for many different reasons, one of which is the experience of eating. The typical English bastardisation of Chinese food, chicken and cashew nuts, is a good example: you've got the softness of the chicken, the crunch of the nut and the satisfying rice."

Holford says: "Most protein foods are seen as yang, carbohydrates as yin. The combination of these two helps stabilise blood sugar, which is the key to good energy and minimising weight gain."

7. Raw power? not necessarily

Chinese people don't eat raw salad. While raw food has a higher concentration of vitamins than cooked food, Clissold says the research ignores that lightly cooking food makes its nutrients easier for the body to take on. This way, it can conserve energy for other tasks. The stomach is unable to digest too much raw food; this can lead to bloating and weight gain.

Holford says: "The rawer the better. In almost all cases, raw food has more nutrients, though lightly cooking some vegetables can make those nutrients more bio-available."

Marber says: "I don't hold with this one. Eating a big salad with lots of different raw vegetables in it is very satisfying, and I can't believe your average Brit is going to blanch salad."

8. Use food to keep fit

Chinese medicine prescribes various foods as medical treatments: chillies to promote digestion and dispel cold; garlic to counteract toxins. The ultimate purpose is to ensure all the organs are working correctly to allow energy, or chi, to circulate smoothly around the body.

Holford says: "Two thousand years ago, Hippocrates said, 'Let food be your medicine.' But we in the West forgot. Peasant communities tend to have more respect for the cycle of food and how it supports life."

9. Drink green tea

Green tea eliminates toxins, aids digestion and allays hunger. Scientists have found that it also fights free radicals, which cause cancer and heart disease.

Marber says: "I'm a great believer in green and herbal teas. Green tea is an important antioxidant, but it will only help you lose weight if you drink 40 cups a day. I'm also a great believer in a skinny latte once in a while – or every morning, in my case."

Holford says: "Traditionally, when the Chinese want another cup of tea, they'll keep the same leaves and add water to the pot. That's like only using one teabag a day – which means much less caffeine."

10. Take restorative exercise

Try regular, gentle exercise such as tai chi. A sweaty workout might shed fat, but it is stressful for your body. Energetic, aerobic workouts are yang – they heat us up – while breathing exercises are yin.

holford says: "Exercise after a meal promotes an active metabolism and helps control appetite. Although no one has worked out how to measure chi, the vital energy that these exercises promote, it's a real thing that can easily be experienced. Many trials now show benefits to energy levels and immunity from these chi-generating exercises."

Marber says: "Tai chi gives you a sense of balance, calm and peacefulness. Sweating it out at the gym is the precise opposite, but I can't help it – I'm vain, shallow and modern. I think we've got a really fucked-up view of how the body should look, and that it's how we look, rather than how we feel, that matters."

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Could a Contact Lens Save Your Vision?

Soon contact lenses won't just correct eyesight; they could save your vision.

By applying electrically conductive, antibiotic nanosilver particles to contact lenses, researchers at the University of California, Davis, can continuously map the pressure inside a human eye while administering medication directly and painlessly into it.

The new lenses promise to advance understanding of diseases like glaucoma, the second leading cause of blindness worldwide, and could save the eyesight of millions, say the researchers.

"It would be really helpful to measure the pressure inside the eye continuously," said Tingrui Pan, a professor at the University of California, Davis, and co-author of a paper describing the lenses in Advanced Functional Materials.

Pressure inside the eye, the leading indication of glaucoma, can vary widely from day to day, even minute to minute. Currently, doctors only measure pressure every few months (depending on the patient), said James Brandt, a physician at UC Davis who is involved in the research.

"Compare that to another chronic disease like diabetes, where we can have blood sugar measurements several times a day," he added.

Right now the contact lenses, made from polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), are a close cousin to modern-day contact lenses. They have an eight-by-eight grid nanosilver lines that provide 64 pressure points. Each point independently monitors eye pressure and relays information to a computer that records the pressure inside the eye.

Future models could have thousands of points with invisible nanosilver lines.

Medicine to lower the pressure inside the eye could also be loaded into the contact lens. A mild electrical charge, unnoticeable to the wearer, would push the medication into the eye and monitor its effect -- or lack thereof.

Putting medication directly into something that many people have to wear every day could ensure that patients are taking their medication, said Jack Cioffi, editor of the Journal of Glaucoma, who was not involved in the UC Davis research.

"Roughly one-third of all kidney transplant patients go off drugs that could save their lives in less than a year," said Cioffi. "You trust that people are taking the medication, but we would like to ensure that they are compliant, and then see if the drugs are working."

Cioffi notes that other available devices can monitor internal eye pressure, but they require implantation surgery, a risk that the new contact lenses would avoid.

"Overall, this device has good promise because it's clear, can be made into a contact lens, is bio-compatable... and would make for a non-invasive intraocular pressure measuring device," said Cioffi.

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Tooth Lasers Could Make Drilling a Thing of the Past

For some people, just the sound of a dental drill is enough to cause panic—but the good news is that this barbaric procedure may be a thing of the past. UK researchers have developed a technology that is based on Raman spectroscopy (a method that is currently used to identify chemicals) to spot tooth decay before it begins. A new study has determined that harmful bacteria can be detected by analyzing how light is scattered when a laser is fired at the tooth. This method would make it possible to detect damage much faster than X-rays, nipping the problem in the bud before drilling is necessary. The testing is ongoing, but the researchers hope that the lasers could be available commercially within the next five years. Of course, you would have to actually go to the dentist on a regular basis to benefit from the procedure, so my guess is that drilling won't disappear anytime soon.

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Cosmo's Most Creative Sex Positions Ever

Want to turn tonight's amorous encounter into an erotic adventure? Give your mattress a rest and attempt our new, superhot pleasure poses.

Chances are, when you and your guy are about to get it on, you make a beeline for the bed. Now we're not knocking between-the-sheets sex, but you can make your intimate encounters even more intoxicating by moving them beyond the boudoir.

"Shaking it up by doing it in an innovative location will create a new, exciting dynamic in your sexual relationship," says Kimberly Flemke, PhD, therapist at the Institute for Sex Therapy and assistant professor in the couple and family therapy graduate program at Drexel University. "Having sex somewhere unexpected or where you're not 'supposed to' often releases brain hormones that increase desire and passion."

With the benefits of novel nooky in mind, we've mapped out some daring and innovative sex positions to try in every nook and cranny of your home. Let the room christening begin.

Kitchen Encounter

Sit on the edge of the counter, pull your knees up to your chest, and place your feet flat on the counter. Have your guy stand facing you between your legs, then scoot your bum far enough forward (it may have to hang over the edge or even hover a few inches above the surface) so he can enter you. If you're too high up for him to reach you comfortably, he can stand on a phone book or sturdy crate.

Hold on to his shoulders for support, and have him grab your butt to help propel you back and forth. "This is a twist on an ancient position in the Kama Sutra where both thighs are raised in the air, which allows for very deep penetration," says Alex Williams, author of the upcoming Kitchen Kama Sutra: 50 Ways to Seduce Each Other Outside the Bedroom.

Erotic extras: The kitchen offers you easy access to homemade passion props. "You can tease him with the sink sprayer or even use it on yourself as you sit in the sink," points out Joan Elizabeth Lloyd, author of Naughtier Bedtime Stories. "You're also right by the fridge, so you can find creative uses for ice, fruit, whipped cream, and other fun lickables."

Doorway Play

Standing-up sex can be a challenge, unless there's some solid structure for support...like a door frame. For this pose, have your guy squat with his back against one side of a doorway. His thighs should be parallel to the floor, and he can put his hands behind his lower back for cushioning. Stand facing away from him, spread your legs so they're on either side of his, and then back up onto his member.

Once you're positioned, bend forward and push against the opposite door frame with your palms. This helps you balance and allows you to control your gyrations and vary the speed and depth of penetration. You're in the driver's seat, so mix up your moves — swivel your hips back and forth in a circular pattern or figure eights — and experiment to see what feels best. Every time you switch direction, you'll both experience new pleasurable sensations.

Erotic extra: Leave on a pair of sexy stiletto heels...and nothing else. The shoes' shape will help keep you pitched forward on your toes for maximum maneuverability, and the mere sight of them will drive him wild.

Bathing Booty

Taking a bath à deux can be incredibly seductive: "Just lathering up each other with bare hands is sensual and exciting," says Flemke. So next time you're having a sexy suds-fest with your man, have him lie back, resting his head on the edge of the tub. Facing him, kneel over one of his legs (his thigh should be sandwiched between your thighs), and lower yourself onto him.

When he's inside you, wrap your ankles around his calf so you're fully entwined. Then lean forward and hold on to the edge of the tub behind his head to support yourself as you glide back and forth over his body, rather than up and down. The zero gravity of the water gives you a wider range of motion than you'd usually have and lets you experience new sensations every time you alter your movements.

"This position creates a slower buildup, which can ultimately lead to an exciting climax," says Susan Crain Bakos, author of The Sex Bible: The Complete Guide to Sexual Love. Don't worry about taking too long; you'll have plenty of time to enjoy it. "Your man is getting less friction than he's used to, so it can delay his orgasm," she adds.

Erotic extras: Make the most of being submerged by tweaking the temperature. Periodically turn on the faucet and carefully alternate between short blasts of cold and hot water. "The anticipation of wondering what is coming next will keep your man on high alert, adding to his excitement," says Bakos.

Thigh High

Kneel on the floor in front of an ottoman (or use a couple of cushions), then lean forward so your stomach is flat against it, palms on the floor. Have your guy kneel between your legs and hold on to your hips as he penetrates you.

With him firmly inside you, straighten your legs and have him hold on to your highs. "He can lift your legs to create a better G-spotting angle," says Lloyd — just let him know how high he should go. Another bonus of this from-behind position for you: Not being able to see him lets you fully focus on the tingly sensations.

Erotic extra: If you have the flexibility to pull it off, start by sitting crosslegged, each foot on the opposite thigh. Then when you lean forward, keep your legs folded during intercourse. They will form a triangle with your butt for a sexy sight like he's never seen before, and your locked limbs will create an incredibly snug fit for his member.

On the Level

This is a perfect position if there's a big height difference between you and your man...but it's pretty hot even if there's not. Stand with your back to the wall, either at the bottom of the staircase or one or two steps up if your guy is taller than you are. (If you're taller, do the reverse.) He stands facing you so your pelvises are at the same level.

Get yourselves situated, then lift one of your legs and rest it on the banister that's across from you to help support yourself. Hold on to his shoulders for balance as he enters you. (You both might have to twist your torsos a little to meld the right way.) The angle created by your raised leg will give him a tighter fit, making it more pleasurable for both of you.

Erotic extras: By slightly bending your outstretched knee, you'll have more leverage to rub against him, giving your clitoris some extra feel-good friction and boosting your orgasm. "Try flexing your knee and PC muscles — the ones you use to stop urine flow — in sync," suggests Bakos. "He'll feel even tighter inside you, and the subtle rocking motion created by bending your knee lets you control the speed and rhythm."

The Couching Tiger

Sit on your guy's lap while he's on the couch, and tuck your feet into the crease where the back and seat connect. When he's inside you, hold on to each other's forearms for support, and slowly lean back until you're lying on his thighs. Straighten your legs slightly and push back your hips to ride your guy; he can use your arms to help propel you back and forth.

"This position is visually hot," says Bakos. "He can look at you spread out before him, and you get to see the action as well." It also angles your clitoris for direct contact and makes it easy for him to give you manual stimulation.

Erotic extra: Place a pillow underneath his thighs (up by his knees) to allow for even deeper entry.

Good Vibrations

Sit on top of a washing machine, with your legs dangling over the side. You can place the soles of your feet against it to steady yourself. Have your guy stand facing you, between your legs, and tighten your thighs around him after he's inside you. For deeper penetration, grab his butt and pull him in close.

Once you're going at it, turn on the machine. The vibrations will feel delicious against your bare body. And every time the machine changes cycles, you'll experience a different sensation. "In addition to the shaking, the surface of the washer will create a scintillating heat from below," says Williams.

Erotic extra: Have him lean forward so his thighs are against the machine, suggests Bakos. The vibrations will rock through his entire body.

Flooring It

Finally, a ground position with no rug-burn risk (at least for you). Have your guy kneel (he can cushion his knees with a towel or pillow), face away from him, and slowly lower yourself onto his member. You can tease him with some sweet eye candy by slooowly inching your way down.

Stay squatted without fully sitting so you'll be able to thrust with abandon. Your guy can lean back on one hand and use the other to stimulate your pleasure zones. "This is one of the best positions for him to bring you to orgasm manually," says Flemke. Another bonus: If you lean back, you get the naughty thrill of not looking into each other's eyes but the intimacy of having your faces so close.

Erotic extra: Have your guy spread his thighs wide, then kneel on the floor in front of him. Keep your legs together and you'll be able to feel every inch of him as he slides in and out of you.

Find this article at: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/sex/most-creative-sex-positions-ever

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Down-sizing trend driving US rigid food packaging

By Jane Byrne

The trend towards smaller, more portable beverage and prepared food containers will play a large part in the increased use of plastics in rigid food packaging in the US market, according to a new report.

The category is expected to expand by 4.7 per cent a year to £17.2bn in 2013, said Rigid Food Packaging, published by the US-based BCC Research.

Demographic changes such as greater numbers of single-person households and older consumers are supporting the demand for more convenient prepared foods and single-serving portions, increasing material use as smaller portions tend to use more packaging relative to their size.

Rigid plastic food packaging includes bottles, dairy, meat and deli containers, prepared food trays and a large group of containers mostly made for liquid foods.

PET is dominant

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is the dominant resin, according to the analysts, reaching over £7bn in 2007 and forecast to increase to £9.5bn in 2013.

The resin with the second largest share of the food packaging market, at £2.5bn in 2007, is high density polyethylene (HDPE). The material has a predicted growth rate of 4.1 per cent, and is forecast it to hit the £3.2bn mark in 2013, according to the analysts.

Polystyrene is expected to increase market share from an estimated £2bn in 2007 to £2.4bn in 2013 and polypropylene is also forecast to experience annual growth of 6.6 per cent to reach £1.6bn in 2013, claims BCC Research.

"Bottles are, by far, the most dominant plastic rigid packaging structure , most of which are based on PET, followed by the wide array of mostly blow moulded containers for liquid foods led by PET and HDPE," concluded the report.

European market slows

Meanwhile, Finnish packaging firm, Huhtamaki, in its interim results released on Friday, said that demand for consumer packaging in Europe is starting to show signs of a slow down.

Its Interim Report, which reflects the six month period up to 30 June 2008, showed improved earnings in the second quarter after slow start to the year. The company said that the price increases it implemented in the period managed to compensate for higher raw material, energy and distribution costs.

In 2008, the Group EBIT is expected to be below the 2007 underlying Group EBIT of €136m, according to the company.

Consumer goods rigid plastic production is ceasing at Huhtamaki's UK sites, with the facility at Portadown closing at the end of July 2008 and in Gosport at the end of September 2008, according to the financial report. The company said that it is also closing its rigid packaging site in Karlholmsbruk, Sweden by year-end 2008.

Andrew Lea, General Manager of Consumer Goods Huhtamaki UK, previously told FoodProductionDaily.com that the closure of the company's site in Portadown in Northern Ireland was the net result of Huhtamaki's shift towards more recoverable and renewable polymers like recycled PET.

The Portadown site had been primarily involved in the manufacture of thermoformed polypropylene thin wall food containers used for products like coleslaw and desserts.

Lea said that outmoded plant infrastructure, increases in manufacturing and energy costs and a decline in volumes were the reasons for the withdrawal of its rigid plastic production operations from Gosport.

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America's Most Expensive Hamburgers

Burger Double Truffle: $150

On May 26, millions of Americans celebrated Memorial Day with backyard barbecues. While most of our grills were filled with the usual Grade-A meat from local butchers and supermarkets, dozens of restaurants across the country served Kobe-beef burgers topped not with ketchup and mustard, but truffles and foie gras. The price tags on these wallet-busting burgers can reach $175.

According to Adam Kuban of Seriouseats.com, the appeal of the luxury hamburger is that it democratizes status symbol foods. “Most people don't get to say they've tried the best or most expensive truffles, caviar or wine,” he says. “But a $40 burger is arguably within reach of mere mortals. It's a chance to try the ‘ultimate’ example of something edible, and because it's a burger — well, who doesn't want to eat the ultimate burger?”

In Pictures: America's Most Expensive Hamburgers

High-end burgers have been around for years (the $17.50 caviarburger at Serendipity 3 in New York City, for instance) but there’s one chef to thank for the new trend: Daniel Boulud. In 2001, the French chef introduced a $27 hamburger stuffed with short ribs, foie gras and truffles at New York’s DB Bistro Moderne. A few months later, the Olde Homestead Steakhouse debuted a $41 Kobe beef burger; several other New York restaurants then followed suit, unveiling high-end burgers of their own.

Some of them didn’t last. For a time, Le Cirque was offering $24 mini-hamburgers, popularly known as “sliders;” Laurent Tourondel’s BLT Burger sold a $62 burger made from five ounces of beef. For whatever reasons, both restaurants have since taken them off the menu.

Other eateries were happy to take up the slack. And two restaurants, both in Las Vegas, went to the extreme. The Las Vegas branch of Hubert Keller’s legendary Bay Area restaurant Fleur de Lys serves the FleurBurger 5000: a Kobe beef patty topped with foie gras, black truffles and truffle sauce and served on a brioche truffle bun. No doubt, the burger itself would command a pretty penny, but this truffle overload comes with a bottle of 1990 Chateau Petrus (and a second burger for a guest). The wine, not the burgers, push the price tag to a cool $5,000.

Another burger gimmick comes courtesy of the kitchen at the Palms. They'll pair a $6 Carl Jr.’s hamburger with a 24-year-old bottle of French Bordeaux. This ultimate combo meals costs $6,000.

In most cases, luxury hamburgers are opportunities for chefs and restaurant owners to prove their creative mettle. In Beverly Hills, Spago’s burger is a comparatively modest $22, but it’s made with Kobe beef, Vermont farmhouse cheddar and a garlic aioli. Fellow Beverly Hills restaurant Circa 55 offers another $22 burger topped, instead, with Portobello mushrooms. They may not be the most expensive hamburgers in the country, but they're among the best.

Not content to let the West Coast take the lead, New York City-based steakhouse chain Olde Homestead got in the race. They recently decided that their original $41 20-ounce Kobe beef hamburger wasn’t enough, and introduced an $81 burger. It's made with 14 ounces of 100 percent “Grade Five” Kobe Wagyu beef — with a four-ounce medallion of Kobe sirloin tucked inside. That still doesn't compare to DB's Double Truffle burger, served with 20 grams of shaved black truffles—and a $150 price tag. (Believe it or not, there's an even more expensive burger — dusted with gold — also served in New York.

What of our compatriots who live abroad? Do they suffer from hamburger withdrawal when barbecue season starts back home? Oh, cry not — the luxury burger knows no borders. In Jakarta, Indonesia, the local Four Seasons hotel offers a one-million rupee ($108) hamburger topped with Asian pears, foie gras and Portobello mushroom. Hong Kong’s Steak House restaurant charges HK$490 ($63) for a deluxe 12-ounce burger topped with foie gras and gruyere cheese. Even Burger King’s British locations are getting in the act — as a publicity stunt, the chain recently announced a $200 burger at select London restaurants (the beef used is Wagyu, and garnished with Italian truffles).

Whether they're stuffed with steak, or topped with rare truffles, luxury hamburgers are more than a publicity stunt for many of America's top chefs. They're year-round favorites for the customers who love them, no matter the hefty price tags.

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For teens, the future is mobile

Posted by Stefanie Olsen

SAN FRANCISCO--Marketers convened here this week to figure out how best to reach teens on the Internet. The answer: It's all about the mobile phone.

Advertisers are clamoring to reach teens in digital environments because that's where they're spending much of their time--either online, with cell phones or playing video games. What's more, teens wield an estimated $200 billion annually in discretionary spending.

Fuse, a marketing agency based in Vermont, talked in recent weeks to senior technology executives from companies such as Sony, MTV Networks, Yahoo, and Nokia to find out what the future of technology will look like for the teen market.

Among the predictions: Mobile phones in the United States will surpass the popularity of desktops for teens. Only an estimated 20 percent of teens currently own a smartphone such as the iPhone, but mobile phone and content companies are counting on the idea that smartphone adoption will spread fast among teens in middle America and other areas.

"The iPhone is just the beginning of the all-in-one device. Uses of mobile devices will expand to include all kinds of bar code applications and prepaid debit card payment methods," said Bill Carter, a partner at Fuse, who presented the findings here at the YPulse 2008 National Mashup, a two-day conference on teens and technology.

That's likely why geographic ad targeting to teens via the phone is expected to explode in the coming years. Right now, mobile phone providers analyze an estimated 4 billion Internet Protocol addresses to provide street-level targeting to consumers. Companies like U.K.-based Blyk, for example, are reaching teens through the phone with ads and information on nearby nightspots. Teens sign up for the service.

"When you combine this new technology with teens giving their permission to market to them, the growth could be exponential," Carter said.

But, he said, mobile phone providers likely won't succeed as the entertainment leaders for the phone, despite their efforts to sell ringtones, games, and music. Other companies like Apple, Google, and Yahoo will be more effective at "side-loading" the cell phone with services.

Case in point: Most teens download music to their iPod that's been ripped from a friend's collection as opposed to bought from the iTunes music store. "There's a natural gravitation to get content on a device that's different than the one the manufacturer intended," he said.

As a corollary, he said that most teens will eventually buy subscription-based music services, much like the cable TV model. He predicted that Apple's iTunes will offer an unlimited monthly download service for music. Mobile phone companies, too, will launch music subscriptions on the smartphone.

Another prognostication: Other technology platforms will save, not kill TV networks, Carter said. The analog-to-digital conversion will make it possible for teens to watch live TV on portable devices. The technology will help the television networks target programming to specific audiences, and that will buoy the cost of advertising, he said.

"The device is inconsequential compared to the content," he said.

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