Lifestyle

The world of photography evolves as fast as technology does. And if you think you've seen it all after watching tourists take photos with their iPads, think again -- the hottest new way to capture images from a height is the drone. According to a July 16 Huffington Post article, the first-ever Drone Photography Competition recently launched, recognizing photographic voyeurs for outstanding aerial photographs taken from a remotely-piloted drone. The competition, organized by Dronestagram in collaboration with National Geographic magazine and camera manufacturer GoPro, gave out 1st, 2nd and 3rd-place awards for the Judge's Choice, as well as trophies to the three most liked photos on Dronestagram's website, the Huffington Post reported. The prizes for Dronestagram's contest were awa...

Nearly 50 percent of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients have been found to be affected by the Aspergilus fungus -- a common mold -- a recent study by a medical student from Manchester University in the United Kingdom reported. The student's research seeks to highlight the dangers of mold, especially the symptoms, and offers doctors ways to improve their diagnosis of mold exposure and treatments for patients with CF. Mold can enter a home through open doorways, windows, vents, and heating and air conditioning units and generally grows in places with plenty of moisture, such as basements, leaking roofs, pipes, or windows. These tiny fungi thrive at normal indoor living temperatures which can range anywhere from around 40 degrees F to 100 degrees F. Researchers Jo Armstead analyzed the data ...

For years, men have preferred (at least in public) to keep their personal grooming habits simple, but new industry figures show that that might finally be changing. Is skin care for men the next big thing? Market stats say yes. In 2012, sales for men's grooming products reached $3 billion, and that number is expected to grow to $6.1 billion in 2017. 2013 actually marked the first time in recorded history when men spent more on male-specific personal care items than on shaving products, and the change isn't lost on retailers. Executives at Evonik US believe that the market is finally ready for products aimed at men's grooming, and they conducted a large consumer survey to back up that claim. The survey revealed that men are starting to understand the advantages of seeking out differen...

The image of the stereotypical nerd wearing a pocket protector and glasses is hard to let go of. New studies suggest that, in fact, there might be some correlation between how long someone studies, and how likely they are to need glasses for nearsightedness.The study, published in the journal Ophthalmology, was conducted by researchers at University Medical Center Mainz in Germany, and a total of 5,000 German residents were tested. Their findings suggested that educational level was a more important predictor of myopia, also known as nearsightedness, than genetics. "About 50 years ago myopia was thought to be almost completely determined by genetics," said Alireza Mirshahi, a researcher and ophthalmologist at the University. "We see that genetic factors do play a role, but the role of e...

As the problem of increasing street violence becomes more prevalent in large cities around the world, more people have begun working together to brainstorm affordable ways of preventing violence. Whether it's New York City, or Chicago, or notoriously dangerous cities in England and Northern Ireland, residents have been coming together to find out what causes violence, and what can be done to keep it from claiming more innocent lives. There's no need to discuss the methods of violence, or whether gun control laws should be changed, or if politicians deserve to be blamed for what has happened. All of those topics have been covered ad nauseam in a plethora of news sources, and will probably continue to be discussed indefinitely. Instead, it's time to focus on what individual citizens and n...

Believe it or not, many professional and Olympic athletes have something in common completely unrelated to their physical capabilities: a huge number of ultra-successful athletes all have ADHD. Having made this correlation, experts are now wondering, is there something about ADHD that allows an athlete to perform better? Or is this just an interesting coincidence? It seems very likely that ADHD and athleticism are found together not because they are directly related, but because the restlessness commonly found in people with ADHD isoften ameliorated by engaging in activities which require close attention to a multitude of details -- activities like sports, which are fast-paced and require extreme bouts of concentration on one detail for only seconds at a time before another detail must ...

It's getting to be the height of summer, and that means that people are much more likely to get out on the road to ride their motorcycles. If you're one of them, you should know that safety is one of the biggest concerns. For other motorists, looking twice before making turns and navigating the roads carefully is important, but here are some things to keep in mind while you're out riding your motorcycle, courtesy of The Poughkeepsie Journal. Carol Bullard, registered nurse and motorcycle enthusiast, offers a few tips to optimize safety while riding a motorcycle:Wearing a helmet and protective clothing can protect your body in the event of an accident. Taking special precautions in response to weather conditions can is also essential to motorcycle safety. There is rain gear available, and i...

A small city in Illinois, enacted a city ordinance designed to help landlords deal with problem tenants. Called the Crime Free Housing Ordinance, which passed Monday, July 15, 2014, gives landlords the ability to evict residents who have committed crimes on their rental property. However, the ordinance also gives the city the ability to discipline landlords who are seen as remiss in preventing crime on their properties. According to the new ordinance, landlords in the city of Pekin, Illinois are now required to attend a four-hour seminar to learn about the new ordinance, as well as receive tips on screening potential tenants, additional information on landlord-tenant laws in the state of Illinois, and other pertinent details. Following the seminar, each landlord must attach a copy of th...

Whats really bugging Detroit bus riders these days isn't the fact that the buses are old and beat, that they don't run on time, that the transit system is understaffed, but it is now the fact that they have to share their buses with other passengers -- bed bugs.These tiny bugs don't pay a single cent to ride the public buses in the city, but instead hitch free rides on unsuspecting victims via clothes, bags, and other accessories. Recently, the nation has been swept off its feet by an overwhelming amount of reported bed bug infestations, which are normally centered in urban areas because of a larger population size, apartment living, and increased access to get mobile. Detroit Councilwoman Brenda Jones was itching to address the situation during a recent meeting. She explained she had b...

Every couple wants their wedding pictures to be completely unique -- one of a kind -- with some even going so far as to have a Tyrannosaurus Rex photoshopped in. Now, Iowa-based Picture Perfect Portrait and Design has literally made the sky the limit for wedding photography by offering drone photography. The idea came to Dale Stierman, photographer and owner of Picture Perfect Portrait and Design when he saw drones being used for real estate. "I thought it was a great idea and just knew there was an angle for wedding photography," Stierman said to The Huffington Post. "There are endless possibilities for camera angles that no other photographer can get." However, it's not easy. Stierman says that he can't shoot an entire wedding with his drone, but he can use it for about 30 minut...