5 things to know about Tour de France

SAINT-MALO, France (AP) ? Five things to know as the Tour de France enters its 11th stage on Wednesday:

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1. BRITTANY BEAUTY ? If any region can be considered the heart of French cycling, it's Brittany. Home to five-time Tour winner Bernard Hinault and three-time champion Louison Bobet, France's verdant and rocky western shoulder is also known for its oysters, crepes, maritime and Celtic past, and regional pride: roadway signs are in both French and the local Breton language, as part of efforts to resuscitate its historic identity. On Tuesday, Brittany's black-and-white flags ? with a striped motif that's somewhat reminiscent of the American flag ? flew in large numbers on roadsides as Tour riders cut a 197-kilometer (122.4-mile) south-to-north, swathe through Brittany for Stage 10, won by Germany's Marcel Kittel at the walled city of Saint-Malo.

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2. BUS CRUSH ? The crush of autograph-seeking fans, harried team staffers in cars, busy journalists and weary, adrenaline-charged riders can make for chaos after a Tour stage. One such episode broke out Tuesday at the Omega Pharma Quickstep bus ? where journalists sought comment from Mark Cavendish after he bumped into Argos Shimano's Tom Veelers, causing the Dutch rider to crash, in the final sprint. One TV journalist pleaded with a team vehicle driver who had rolled on his foot to back up. The Briton lost his temper after hearing a question he didn't like by grabbing an Associated Press reporter's recorder, and briefly placing it in the bus ? before it was returned. Anger flares sometimes between riders themselves: After a stage in the 2010 Tour, Spain's Carlos Barredo brawled with Rui Costa after the finish ? even trying to whack the Portuguese rider with a bike wheel.

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3. BRAND NEW BIKE BITS ? When you ride as fast as Cavendish does, it's important to be able to slow down, too. He's been experimenting with cutting-edge hydraulic brakes at this Tour ? and his team says they have already proved themselves. He's been using the hydraulic brakes, instead of the old-fashioned cable-activated ones, on and off since the first stage. The brakes "saved him from crashing," said Rolf Aldag, a director on Cavendish's Omega Pharma-Quick Step team, in the pileup which marred the end of that stage. Speaking before Tuesday's stage, Aldag said Cavendish was able to avoid the Stage 1 chaos, when "everybody else around him crashes." He said the brakes are especially effective in wet conditions, and the team intends to equip its other riders with the brakes, too. But Cavendish hasn't used the brakes every day at the Tour ? and wasn't using them Tuesday.

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4. HISTORY GALORE ? Tour riders will get a varied dose of history ? if they have time for it ? for the Stage 11 time trial on Wednesday. The ride starts in Avranches, whose website dates the town's origins back to Celts in the 9th century B.C. More recently, the town was liberated by forces of U.S. Gen. George S. Patton in World War II. Then, it's a 33-kilometer (20.5-mile) ride over to the breathtaking island citadel of Mont-Saint-Michel, listed as a World Heritage site by the United Nations' cultural agency, which calls it a Gothic-style Benedictine abbey erected between the 11th and 16th centuries.

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5. TICK, TOCK ? Chris Froome will be focusing on the present, not the past, for Wednesday's race-against-the-clock: The Briton has worn the Tour leader's yellow jersey since capturing it Saturday in the first of two stages in the Pyrenees mountains. The 182 riders ? wearing space-age, aerodynamic helmets and atop special bikes ? will roll down the starter's ramp one by one in a race-against-the-clock, in reverse order of the standings. That means he will go last. Froome, who won bronze in the Olympic time trial last year, is seen as one of the favorites to win the stage ? along with Tony Martin of Germany, who won silver. Froome said: "I'm really looking forward to tomorrow ... Time trialing is one of those things that the more you do it, the better you become at it."

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AP Sports Writers John Leicester and Jerome Pugmire contributed to this report.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/5-things-know-tour-france-211208854.html

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EmoPulse ? Taking the smartwatch to the next level

The EmoPulse Smile is a futuristic bracelet watch that is currently seeking $300,000 in funding as an indiegogo project. The Smile (strange name…) features a flexible color touchscreen display, 4G LTE connectivity that can be used as a standalone phone, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, NFC, FM Radio, Thunderbolt, GPS, wireless charging, 3 cameras, 7 [...]

Source: http://the-gadgeteer.com/2013/05/31/emopulse-taking-the-smartwatch-to-the-next-level/

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Regrow Hair-How To Stop Hair Loss-Remedies For Hair Loss ...

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Click For More InfoIf you ever feel embarrassed or frustrated about losing your hair, I understand. But you don?t have to let thinning hair steal your confidence? or chip away at your sex appeal any longer.

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Source: http://www.healthfitness247.com/regrow-hair-how-to-stop-hair-loss-remedies-for-hair-loss/

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'Les Miserables' will move into familiar home

NEW YORK (AP) ? When "Les Miserables" arrives on Broadway next March, it will find a familiar home.

Mega-producer Cameron Mackintosh said Thursday that the current U.S. tour of "Les Miserables" ? which began in 2010 and is currently in Sacramento, Calif. ? will land at New York City's Imperial Theatre, the show's former home on Broadway for nearly 13 years.

The re-imagined story will begin previews March 1 with an official opening night set for March 23. Producers said the casting process for the new production has begun and will be completed later this summer.

The show marks the third time the show has made it to Broadway. The original landed in 1987, first at the Broadway Theatre before moving to the Imperial three years later. It played a total of 6,680 performances, ranking as the third-longest-running musical in Broadway history. A revival was mounted in 2006 at the Broadhurst Theatre but closed in 2008.

Victor Hugo's story about a decades-long manhunt, social inequality and redemption features the songs "I Dreamed a Dream," ''On My Own," ''Do You Hear the People Sing?" and "One Day More." Single ticket sales will begin in September.

It has been seen by nearly 65 million people worldwide in 42 countries and in 22 languages. There is a production based in London, and versions in Japan and South Korea. Shows in Canada, Australia and Spain are being worked on.

The Oscar-nominated big screen adaptation directed by Tom Hooper and starring Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway was hailed for bringing the camera very close and for having the actors sing live.

The Imperial Theatre is currently home to "Nice Work If You Can Get It," which is due to close in mid-June, and is next to house the return of Billy Crystal's "700 Sundays" this winter.

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Online: http://www.LesMis.com

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Follow Mark Kennedy on Twitter at http://twitter.com/KennedyTwits

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/les-miserables-move-familiar-home-160125963.html

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Your travel insurance questions answered ? Meandering Musings

(Fotolia)

A recent survey from BMO Insurance found that just half of Canadians purchase travel insurance before leaving home. With 83% of us saying we?re planning to travel between May and September, that?s a lot of travellers who opt to travel without insurance.

As an avid traveller, I know choosing and understanding travel insurance can be confusing and frustrating. In the hopes of answering some of our Canoe.ca and Sun Media readers? most asked travel insurance questions, Travelzoo Canada?s travel insurance expert Michael Duchesne joined us for a live chat yesterday. These are his top tips for choosing an insurance provider and finding the very best deal on travel insurance.

Safe travels!

I?m travelling from PEI to Banff. Since I?m not leaving Canada, do I need to buy extra travel insurance? ? Reb82

Michael Duchesne: If you plan to travel outside of your home province, it is strongly recommended that you obtain additional private medical insurance and fully understand what your policy covers. This comes into play with things like trip cancellation or interruption insurance, which covers pre-paid non-refundable expenses should your travel plans be interrupted or cancelled.

I?m flying to Central America. What if I cancel my trip for reasons that are not medical or emergency, will insurance cover that?? ? MFJ

MD: Trip cancellation and travel health insurance are two distinct services. Trip cancellation covers pre-paid and non-refundable expenses if your plans are interrupted or cancelled. The five main types of insurance are generally sold in a combo of sorts. If you only want one, then ask for it and ask whether there are incentives to upgrade to all or just some. A comprehensive package covers trip cancellation and interruption, evacuation, medical and baggage, even flight insurance.

My 92 year old mother in law wants to go on a one week Alaska cruise. Trip leaves and returns to Vancouver, where we live. She will probably stay on the ship the whole time. She has had heart attack and a cancer issue which she takes medication for. She is OK now. I am finding that companies do not offer coverage over 90 years old. Your advice. ? John

MD: I would encourage you search for specialist travel insurers. Select insurance companies cover people if their medical conditions are under control and stable for certain period. As a caveat, be advised that a minor change in someone?s prescription or medication can mean that the medical condition is not considered ?stable?.

I cannot help but be cynical with insurance because of the number of incidents that I hear of where the insurance company refuses coverage for some technicality. How can I be sure that I am not just wasting my money on a premium where coverage will be denied, delayed or altered if I should ever have to use it? ? John Wood

MD: Because of our public healthcare system, many Canadians are unaware of the cost of hospitalization and treatment outside of their own borders. This is where planning comes into play. Ask a litany of questions when speaking with potential providers. The cost to purchase trip insurance is nominal when you consider what it could cost for a stay in hospital outside of Canada. Everyone should strive for peace of mind, because you have already taken time to plan a trip and spent money.

Michael, what are some questions travellers should be asking their travel insurance providers? ? Nicole

I would suggest asking what is the coverage cap? Does it cover trips longer than 30 days? Keep in mind that travel agents recommend that you get travel insurance because they get a percentage when you buy it, and because they could be held liable for losses if insurance options aren?t explained correctly. While they can give you information and provide direction, they are not insurance agents. It?s very important to direct specific questions to the insurance provider.

To read the full chat transcript, click here.

Categories: Travel tips

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Source: http://blogs.canoe.ca/travel/travel-tips/your-travel-insurance-questions-answered/

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No, Mermaids Do Not Exist

No credible evidence of the existence of mermaids has ever been found

Courtesy of Animal Planet

This week, Animal Planet aired two fake documentaries claiming to show scientific evidence of mermaids. I say ?fake documentaries? because that?s exactly what The Body Found and The New Evidence are. The ?scientists? interviewed in the show are actors, and there?s a brief disclaimer during the end credits. However, the Twitter conversation surrounding the show (#Mermaids) reveals that many viewers are unaware that the show isn?t real. (Sample Tweets: ?After watching the documentary #Mermaids the body found ? I believe there are mermaids!!!? and ?90% of the ocean is unexplored and you?re telling me #mermaids don?t exist??which has been retweeted more than 800 times.) It is, after all, airing on a network that claims to focus on educating viewers about the natural world. ?The Body Found? was rightfully described ?the rotting carcass of science television,? and I was shocked to see Animal Planet air a sequel.

As a marine biologist, I can tell you unequivocally that despite millennia of humans exploring the ocean, no credible evidence of the existence of mermaids has ever been found. Some claim that manatees are the source of the legend, but you?d have to be at sea an awfully long time to think that a manatee is a beautiful woman. Sure, new species are discovered all the time, but while a new species of bird or insect is fascinating, it doesn?t mean ?anything is possible,? and it is certainly not equivalent to finding a group of talking, thinking humanoids with fish tails covering half of their bodies. The confusion generated by ?The Body Found? got to be so significant that the United States government issued an official statement on the matter.

When I started angrily posting about this on Facebook and Twitter, many of my nonscientist friends asked me why it matters if people believe in mermaids. It matters because the ocean is extremely important. It provides jobs for tens of millions of people and food for billions. However, many marine resources are being overexploited and mismanaged, leaving us in serious danger of losing them forever. Policy solutions can help, but if you are so ignorant about what is really happening in the ocean that you believe that there are organisms that are half human and half fish, you're almost certainly unaware of the important problems, much less how to solve them. Even if you don?t believe in mythical creatures, you may be unaware of the severity of the crises facing our oceans. Now that we?ve established that mermaids aren?t real, here are 5 other important things about the ocean that everyone should know.

1. The oceans are not inexhaustible, we?re currently overharvesting many resources, and the consequences can be disastrous.

According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, 32 percent of all global fisheries are ?overexploited, depleted, or recovering? and another 50 percent are fully exploited (as of 2010). Just 10 species of fish account for almost one-third of the total global catch, and nine of these species have been exploited so heavily that they?re at 10 percent or less of their historical maximum population. Overfishing is the single greatest threat to the ocean environment, but this isn?t just an environmental problem. Fish are a critically important natural resource, with more than 3 billion people getting at least 15 percent of their protein from the ocean. Although human population growth is still increasing, we won?t be able to increase the amount of fish we?re taking from the ocean.

2. Current fishing practices aren?t just problematic for the fish species we are trying to catch.

Most commercial fisheries don?t use a rod and reel, catching one fish at a time and throwing back what they don?t want (or aren?t allowed to sell). A single longline can be many miles long and have tens of thousands of baited hooks; purse seine nets can be miles across; and the largest trawl net on the market can fit several 747 airplanes in its opening. Bycatch, which occurs when fishermen catch animals swimming near their target catch, is unavoidable with fishing gear this large, but the problem can be unexpectedly severe. In some fisheries, 90 percent of the catch by weight is bycatch, which includes endangered sea turtles and sea birds as well as marine mammals. Some types of fishing, such as dynamite fishing and cyanide fishing, can heavily damage the environment. Dragging a heavy trawl net over the seafloor destroys countless fragile and ecologically important organisms, the equivalent of hunting for rabbits by bulldozing a forest and killing all the deer, birds, insects, and plants that live there. The FAO estimates that 7 million tons of bycatch are caught and discarded every year.

3. Just because a fish is from ?the ocean? doesn?t mean you should release it in the nearest body of salt water.

Invasive species are non-native organisms released into a new region. In the case of invasive fish, they are often introduced by aquarium hobbyists who release a fish when it gets too big for its tank. Often, there are no predators in the new habitat capable of eating these newly introduced animals. Lionfish, native to the Indo-Pacific, are believed to have been introduced to the Atlantic coast of the United States by aquarium hobbyists in the last few decades. Lionfish have no native predators in the Atlantic, and non-native predators are often deterred by their venomous spines. A single female lionfish can release millions of eggs in a year, so it?s no surprise that lionfish are now found throughout the Caribbean and as far north as New York, and they are outcompeting or eating native, economically important fishes such as snapper and grouper.

4. Sharks aren?t a threat to you, they?re important, and they?re in trouble

The average American has only a 1 in 3,800,000 chance of being killed by a shark. You?re more likely to be killed by a lawnmower or a vending machine, and more likely to be bitten by a stranger on the subway. Like all predators, sharks help keep the ocean in balance by eating the sick, the weak, and the dying.? However, sharks are suffering from overfishing more than most marine species, with 1 in 6 species of shark, skate, or ray (and 1 in 3 species of open ocean shark) considered ?Threatened with Extinction? by the IUCN Red List.

5. Although mermaids don?t exist, the ocean is still full of wonder, and it needs your help!

What you do affects the ocean even if you live far away, and there?s a lot that you can do to help. Purchase sustainable seafood. Use reusable grocery bags instead of single-use plastic bags, which can choke sea turtles or sea birds. Support politicians who support ocean conservation, or encourage your current elected officials to support the ocean. Most importantly, ask your friends and family to do the same.

If I?ve ruined your sense of wonder about the oceans, don?t fret. The absence of mermaids certainly doesn?t mean that the oceans are boring.? As deep sea ecologist Andrew David Thaler said, "Look, the ocean is a vast, unexplored frontier. The deep sea is Earth?s last great wilderness. When we do venture into the abyss, we find creatures more diverse and incredible that our relatively limited imaginations can conceive. Don?t insult that wonder with something as utterly mundane as ?human with fish tail.? ?

Several of my marine scientist colleagues and I subjected ourselves to three hours of fake mermaid documentaries, live-tweeting and correcting inaccuracies as we watched. Click here to read a Storify of this discussion.

An earlier version of this article appeared on Southern Fried Science. ?

Source: http://www.slate.com/articles/health_and_science/science/2013/05/mermaids_aren_t_real_animal_planet_s_fake_documentaries_misrepresent_ocean.html

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10 Things to Know for Today

FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2013 photo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a gun violence summit at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, where he outlined his proposals for federal gun control reforms. Police said Wednesday, May 29, 2013, that threatening letters containing traces of the poison ricin were opened Friday, May 24, 2013 at New York City?s mail sorting facility and Sunday, May 26, in Washington at the headquarters of the nonprofit started by Bloomberg, Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Both were addressed to Bloomberg and contained threats referencing the debate on gun laws. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 14, 2013 photo, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg speaks at a gun violence summit at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, where he outlined his proposals for federal gun control reforms. Police said Wednesday, May 29, 2013, that threatening letters containing traces of the poison ricin were opened Friday, May 24, 2013 at New York City?s mail sorting facility and Sunday, May 26, in Washington at the headquarters of the nonprofit started by Bloomberg, Mayors Against Illegal Guns. Both were addressed to Bloomberg and contained threats referencing the debate on gun laws. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)

FILE - In this Aug. 23, 2011, file photo provided by the Defense Video & Imagery Distribution System, Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales participates in an exercise at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. Bales, charged with slaughtering 16 villagers during one of the worst atrocities of the Afghanistan war, has agreed to plead guilty in a deal to avoid the death penalty, his attorney told The Associated Press on Wednesday May 29, 2013. (AP Photo/DVIDS, Spc. Ryan Hallock, File)

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today:

1. HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS HIDDEN IN PLANTS ACROSS U.S.

An AP investigation found more than 120 facilities in 28 states with a potentially devastating blast zone.

2. SYRIA GETS RUSSIAN MISSILES

President Bashar Assad tells Lebanese TV that the first shipment of long-range S-300 defense missiles has arrived.

3. SOLDIER TO ADMIT TO AFGHAN VILLAGE MASSACRE

Robert Bales' lawyer says the Army staff sergeant was "crazed" and "broken" when he left his post and attacked a village, killing 16.

4. THE CONTROVERSY BEHIND OBAMA'S NEW PICK FOR FBI

James Comey, deputy attorney general under President George W. Bush, testified in Congress that he thought Bush's no-warrant wiretapping program was questionable.

5. WHAT HAPPENED TO CHINESE BABY TRAPPED IN SEWER

Authorities turned the baby over to his grandparents and aren't charging the 22-year-old mother who admitted giving birth to him in a toilet.

6. RICIN LETTERS TARGET NEW YORK MAYOR

The threatening posts containing traces of the deadly poison were addressed to Bloomberg and to his gun-control group in Washington.

7. TALIBAN DEALT BLOW AFTER DRONE STRIKE

Pakistani intelligence officials say the group's deputy leader, Waliur Rehman, was buried hours after he was killed in the strike.

8. WHY OBAMACARE COULD CANCEL YOUR HEALTH PLAN

The AP's Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar reports that many private policies could be canceled because they don't measure up.

9. JAMES TAYLOR, AEROSMITH TO PLAY FOR BOSTON

Jimmy Buffett also joins performers with ties to Massachusetts for a benefit concert for the bombing victims.

10. WHO's CHARGED WITH DRY-ICE BLAST AT DISNEYLAND

A 22-year-old park employee was arrested on suspicion of putting the device in a theme park trash can, where it exploded.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-05-30-10-Things-to-Know-Today/id-ed5838f5eed145f1af1c0d6bb34f4c8e

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