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Global Warming Increases

Flood Risk in Mountains

from Science Daily --
The world's mountainous regions are home to about 800 million people and the source of some of the world's major rivers. In these regions, runoff is strongly affected by temperature. This suggests that flooding could be quite sensitive to global warming, but there has been some lack of scientific consensus on the effects of temperature variations on floods, according to researchers P. Allamano, P. Claps, and F. Laio, Dipartimento di Idraulica, Trasporti ed Infrastrutture Civili, Politecnico di Torino, Italy

They analyzed runoff data recorded by 27 stations in the Swiss Alps and used a simple probabilistic model to study how flood risk varies with temperature, precipitation, and elevation in mountainous regions. They found that large floods have occurred more frequently in recent years than in the past, and they predict that global warming will result in such floods occurring even more often in the future. In particular, they found that if global temperatures increase by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), then large floods that occurred about once every 100 years could occur up to 5 times more often. See Geophysical Research Letters

Be Abstract If You Want
to Convince Someone

from Science Daily --

When consumers talk to each other about products, they generally respond more favorably to abstract language than concrete descriptions, according to a new study in the Journal of Consumer Research. "In a series of experiments, we explored when and why consumers use abstract language in word-of-mouth messages, and how these differences in language use affect the receiver," write authors Gaby A. C. Schellekens, Peeter W. J. Verlegh, and Ale Smidts (Erasmus University, The Netherlands).

In the course of their studies, the researchers found that consumers who described a positive experience with a product (like a smooth shave with a new razor) used more abstract language when they had a positive opinion about the brand before they tried the product. "When consumers were told that the product was a brand they did not like, they used more concrete language to describe a positive experience. Thus, consumers use different ways of describing the exact same experience, depending on whether they use a liked or disliked brand.

For a disliked brand, favorable experiences are seen as exceptions, and concrete language helps consumers to frame the experience as a one-time event. On the receiver end, the studies showed that consumers responded differently to abstract and concrete language. "In our study of receivers, we gave consumers a description of a positive product experience, and asked them to estimate the sender's opinion about the products," the authors write. "We found that perceived opinion of the sender was more positive when the description was cast in more abstract terms."

For descriptions of negative experiences, the perceived opinion of the sender was more negative when the description used abstract language. Abstract messages have a stronger impact on buying intentions as well as trying to convince someone of something.

Man To Leap From Stratosphere,
120,000 Feet Up

from AOL News –
Sometime this year, Felix Baumgartner intends to step out of a capsule lifted 120,000 feet by a balloon and leap back to Earth, becoming the first man to break the sound barrier without an aircraft.

And yes, he says will be afraid. "Of course. I always use fear to my advantage, for focus," said Baumgartner, 40, the Austrian-born skydiver best known for gliding 22 miles across the English Channel with the help of a 6-foot wing strapped to his back after jumping from 33,000 feet in 2003.

The jump, sponsored by a beverage company, will take place from the stratosphere on an unspecified date at an unspecified place in North America, event organizers told a news conference on Friday. The date and place will depend on weather conditions.

One aim is to break the 50-year-old record set by Joe Kittinger, who jumped from 102,800 feet for the U.S. Air Force in 1960 to mark the highest parachute jump and longest and fastest free fall.

Members of Baumgartner's team insist another goal is in the interest is science, including monitoring the effects of supersonic travel on the body and how it reacts to the changes in pressure, temperature, acceleration and deceleration. "The goal is to get him as high as we can, get him back down to Earth safely, and gather all the data we can," said Kittinger, 81, a consultant on the project.

Just as Kittinger did, Baumgartner will go up in a balloon, though his pressure suit, capsule and monitoring equipment will be much more advanced.

Mr. Gay China Event Cancelled

from Reuters --
The first ever Mr. Gay China event has been abruptly cancelled after police said official approval had not been given for some of the performances. Police canceled what would have been China's first gay pageant just an hour before it was to start Friday

Eight contestants were set to compete in the pageant, with the finalist being sent to represent China in the Worldwide Mr. Gay finals in Norway next month. Organizers say they were ordered to shut down the competition, which was set to be held in an upscale Beijing nightclub, an hour before opening.

One of the judges, Weng Xiaogang, told the AFP news agency: "In my opinion, I believe the cancellation had something to do with the issue of homosexuality."

Contestant Jiang Bo, 29, told Reuters: "It's a disaster. I'm full of disappointment. I thought the government was becoming more and more tolerant. "They were making a big step. The whole world was thinking China was doing a very good thing. But now I think everybody will be disappointed."

The country's first ever gay pageant was thought to mark a new openness in China. Homosexuality was illegal in China until 1997 and considered a mental illness until 2001.

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