Cuban Man '24' Proud Of His 4 Extra Fingers, Toes
They call him "Twenty-Four." Yoandri Hernandez Garrido's nickname comes from the six perfectly formed fingers on each of his hands and the six impeccable toes on each foot.
Hernandez is proud of his extra digits and calls them a blessing, saying they set him apart and enable him to make a living by scrambling up palm trees to cut coconuts and posing for photographs in this eastern Cuban city popular with tourists. One traveler paid $10 for a picture with him, Hernandez said, a bonanza in a country with an average salary of just $20 a month."It's thanks to my 24 digits that I'm able to make a living, because I have no fixed job," Hernandez said.
Known as polydactyly, Hernandez's condition is relatively common, but it's rare for the extra digits to be so perfect. Anyone who glanced quickly at his hands would be hard-pressed to notice anything different unless they paused and started counting.
Hernandez said that as a boy he was visited by a prominent Cuban orthopedist who is also one of Fidel Castro's doctors, and he declared that in all his years of travel he had never seen such a case of well-formed polydactyly.
"He was very impressed when he saw my fingers," said Hernandez, who is the only one in his family to be born with extra digits.
In a part of the world where people's physical traits are often the basis for nicknames – even unflattering ones like "fatty" or "shorty" – "veinticuatro" ("twenty-four" in English) is not an insult but rather a term of endearment, and Hernandez, now 37, said his uniqueness has made him a popular guy. He has a 10-year-old son with a woman who now lives in Havana, and his current girlfriend is expecting his second child.
"Since I was young, I understood that it was a privilege to have 24 digits. Nobody has ever discriminated against me for that," he said. "On the contrary, people admire me and I am very proud. I have a million friends, I live well."
Nevertheless, it occasionally caused confusion growing up.
"One day when I was in primary school, a teacher asked me how much was five plus five?" Hernandez recalled. "I was very young, kind of shy, and I didn't say anything. She told me to count how many fingers I had, so I answered, "12!"
"The teacher was a little upset, but it was the truth," he said.
Hernandez said he hopes he can be an example to children with polydactyly that there's nothing wrong with them.
"I think it's what God commanded," he said. "They shouldn't feel bad about anything, because I think it's one of the greatest blessings and they'll be happy in life."
Is the government doing enough to protect us online?
Thursday, July 26, 2012
More than 400 million people trust Google with their e-mail, and 50 million store files in the cloud using the Dropbox service. People manage their bank accounts, pay bills, trade stocks and generally transfer or store huge volumes of personal data online. Who is ultimately in charge of making sure all this information is secure: the government, the companies or the users?
At a lively panel discussion at the annual Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas on Wednesday, computer security experts discussed the roll of the government in online security. The debate centered on whether the U.S. government should take the lead in setting security standards for the industry or whether companies are responsible for their own security and that of their users.
"I lose my cool when I hear people from the government say people from the private sector need to stand up. Providing for the common defense is what the government is supposed to do," said security systems expert Marcus Ranum.
The U.S. government is considering various security bills that address online security standards.
One controversial bill, the Cyber Intelligence Sharing and Protection Act, would allow private companies to share data with government agencies when there is an attack or breach, without fear of lawsuits from customers over the shared data. However, several civil liberties groups believe the bill needs more restrictions on how the government can use that shared information.
Creating laws isn't the only way the government can push for greater security. It can also use its significant financial sway on major companies.
"The government is an enormous purchasing agent in our industry. Why can't the NSA come up with a security standard that they like?" asked Bruce Schneier, security critic and author. "Let them go to the operating system companies, the database companies, the cloud providers, and say if you want the government business, you have to adhere to this."
Opponents of the government-control approach say corporations are responsible for their own security online, just as they would be for the physical security of their offices or property. Law enforcement is there to respond to incidents, not make sure the doors are properly locked, they contend.
Some of the enthusiasm for the government to take the initiative on cyberthreats is rooted in distrust of big Internet companies.
At one point, Jennifer Granick, the director of civil liberties at the Stanford Law School Center for Internet and Society, asked the large audience of security professionals who they trusted less, Google or the government? The majority raised their hands for Google.
"I fear Google more than I pretty much fear the government," said panelist Jeff Moss, the founder of Black Hat and DEF CON. "Google, I'm contractually agreeing to give them all my data."
For now, mutual distrust between the government and the private sector is keeping the two sides from working together as effectively as possible, and the public could suffer because of it.
"The biggest risks right now are not the bad guys," said Schneier. "They are the good guys who are not doing enough."
The users do have some responsibility to protect their data online, but the panelists agreed that regular people will usually bypass any extra steps, even if they are in their best interest, in the name of convenience.
Aurora heroes: Three who gave their lives
Great evil often brings out the best in good men, men like Todd Beamer on Flight 93, Medal of Honor recipient Michael Murphy in Afghanistan and now the Aurora three -- the three young men, each in different parts of theater nine, who gave their lives to protect their girlfriends.
Twenty-five-year-old Jon Blunk was sitting next to his girlfriend, Jansen Young, at the midnight premiere of "The Dark Night Rises" when the gunman (who shall remain nameless) opened fire in the dark theater. Blunk instinctively pushed his girlfriend to the ground and threw his body on top of hers. Blunk, a security guard, served eight years in the Navy and was in the process of re-enlisting in hopes of becoming a Navy SEAL, family and friends said. He was killed in the gunfire; his girlfriend survived.
Twenty-four-year-old Alex Teves dived on top of his girlfriend, Amanda Lindgren, when the gunfire erupted. Covering her body, he took the bullets so they did not harm her. She survived the massacre; he did not.
Matt McQuinn, 27 years old, threw his body in front of his girlfriend, Samantha Yowler, as the shooting continued. Yowler survived with a gunshot wound to the knee; McQuinn's body absorbed the fatal shots.
These men were three of the 12 innocent people killed early that morning. Their incredible sacrifice leaves us asking: Why? Why would a young man with his entire life ahead of him risk everything for a woman he has no legal, financial or marital obligations to?
As Hanna Rosin so eloquently pointed out in a recent article, calling it chivalry would be a tremendous understatement. By all appearances, these men believed that a man has a responsibility to protect a woman, even to the point of death. They believed that there are things in life worth dying for and the innocent woman sitting next to them was one.
Meet the man behind the Aurora crosses 
Widow's kids struggle to understand 
Babysitter tried to save youngest victim They believed, to put it simply, in a code of honor. They put the lives of the women before their own, an old fashioned notion to be sure, but certainly an honorable one (if you have any doubt, ask the survivors). Their instincts were to protect, not run away.
From all accounts, these young men were average, working men in their 20s. (We know a little about Jon Blunk, but not much, and we know even less about the others.) Like all men, they had their own struggles. After his death we learned that Blunk had an ex-wife and two children living in Nevada. He was scheduled to visit them to resolve marital issues. This isn't to take anything away from Blunk or the other two heroes, but to illustrate that, in spite of shortcomings, men can still recognize what it means to be a good man and act like one.
This is especially important given the state of many men today. Record numbers of men aren't working or even looking for work. Record numbers aren't marrying or even acting as fathers to their children. These men need heroes to imitate whom they can relate to in everyday life, not just make-believe superheroes who catch their imagination for an hour or two. They need heroes like the Aurora three.
While much of the media obsesses over the psychology and motivations of this deranged killer, we should hold the Aurora three high. It is only by telling their story that this code of honor will survive for future generations of men. "The world is forwarded by having its attention fixed on the best things," Matthew Arnold wrote.
In an age when traditional manhood has been increasingly relegated to fiction -- capes, masks and green screens -- these three men stand as real-life heroes. Their actions remind us that good triumphs over evil, not just in movies, but also in reality.
Why men fall asleep after having sex
Monday, July 23, 2012
Here’s some news from the world of science that could settle some old disputes in the battleground of the marital boudoir. Throughout history, unsatisfied wives and girlfriends have wondered why their otherwise-perfect male partners roll over and fall straight to sleep after sex instead of engaging in endless chit-chat. A team of researchers from Inserm in France believe they have the answer: it seems that men just can’t help it. Brain scans showed that after orgasm, the thinking area of men’s brains actually shuts down. Other parts then send a message out that the job is done, to let the body know that its interest in sex is no longer required. Then, (just in case even further explanation is needed), the brain is hit with surges of oxytocin and serotonin, nature’s own “shut up and go to sleep” chemicals, rendering dudes all but powerless against the urge to crash
The heartbreaking stories coming out of Aurora, Colorado right now are too numerous to count. And yet we keep coming back to that of Jessica Gwahi. One of 12 victims shot to death by a gunman who opened fire on innocent people as they watched The Dark Knight Rises, the young sports writer, who wrote under the name Jessica Redfield, had just narrowly escaped being killed in a similar situation in Toronto last month.
8 Things Moms Need to Toss From Their Closets if They Want to Feel Sexy
If you're like pretty much every other mom I know, then odds are good that you have a few pieces of clothing in your closet that do a much better job collecting dust and sitting on the hanger than they do making you feel like afashion queen.And in addition to those items that we cling to in the hopes that we'll one day be able to wear them again, there are also certain clothes that really do nothing for our style &make us look much older and frumpier than we actually are.
It can be so hard to part with our favorite duds for many different reasons, but if moms really want to salvage their fashion sense and look like a million bucks on any given day, here are 8 things moms need to remove from their closets and get rid of once and for all.
1. 10-year-old jeans -- C'mon, you know you have a pair of jeans sitting on your shelf that hugged you in all the right places about 10 years ago, but simply don't fit at this point in your life, and probably never will again. Hanging on to them is only killing your self esteem. It's time to break up with them and move on to a new pair that fits your body NOW. (It'll be a miracle if I ever learn this one.)
2. Dress from your bridal shower -- When it comes to keeping the dress I wore to my own shower almost 10 years ago, I'm guilty as charged. I won't even tell you what size the damn thing is because it will make me cry, but the dress is another ego blow that I need to part with. If you are clinging to a frock from a special occasion in your past -- let it go before you go insane. Trust me.
3. "Mom" cardigan -- You know that cardigan sweater that keeps you warm on days when the office AC is cranked to the max? Yeah, it may get rid of your goosebumps, but it also makes you look about 20 years older.
4. Baggy sweats -- It can be so tempting to throw on a pair of sweats and an old t-shirt because of the comfort factor, but nothing says, "I've totally let myself go" like an outfit that looks & feels like frump-city.
5. String bikini from your honeymoon -- This one is along the same lines as the jeans and bridal shower dress. Let. It. Go. Invest in a brand new tankini or one-piece instead.
6. "Mom" jeans -- For the love of God, PLEASE throw away anything remotely resembling mom jeans. The rule of thumb I like to use is if you are unable to see your belly button after putting your jeans on -- you're wearing mom jeans. Unacceptable.
7. Granny panties -- Ok, so these may be in your dresser and not your closet, but they still count. Granny panties are called "Granny" panties for a reason -- because there's nothing sexy about them. Throw them away and buy yourself a whole load of comfortable & chic lace thongs.
8. Pants with pleats -- Pleats are a serious fashion disaster -- period. No further explanation needed.
What items in your closet are totally killing your fashion confidence?
73-Year-Old Woman With a 20-Year-Old Body
If you still doubt that exercise keeps you young, just look at Ernestine Shepherd, a 73-year-old bodybuilder from Baltimore, Maryland. I swear, that's a 24-inch waist and there's not an ounce of fat or sag anywhere on her.
And it's not just her six-pack abs, her perfectly sculpted back, or her powerhouse arms and legs, but her perfect skin, posture, and energy.
She wasn't always this way. She started working out at age 60. Now she runs 80 miles a week, bench-presses 150 pounds, does bicep curls with 20-pound dumbbells, and eats 1,700 calories a day of mostly vegetables and lean protein.
If this isn't inspiration to stay fit, I don't know what is.
Sean Paul on music and real life
NEW YORK — The ladies love dancing to Sean Paul's contagious dancehall grooves. Guys like him for making women move on the dance floor.
After three years without dropping an album, the dancehall don is back with "The Trinity." Paul talked to The Associated Press about his music, violence in Jamaica and why his album may surprise fans.
Q: "We Be Burnin" is a smash single, but behind the groove is a message. Do you think that message gets buried?
A: Dancehall music is perceived as party music, which it is because of the rhythm, but there are messages that do come through or a purpose of an artist saying something to the world. People usually don't get the messages because of the partying.
Q: Is making music for men and women something you always strive to do?
A: I show I can rock it in a hard-core way, but the vibe is smooth. Dudes can appreciate the hard vibe on a song like "Gimme The Light," but it sounds so sweet that girls dance to it. Sometimes another artist can't get away with making songs like that.
Q: What do you say about the fellas that just play the wall at the club and don't get on the dance floor?
A: I've seen dudes like that, but to tell you the truth I'm like that at times too. Maybe there's a new move people are doing and you're just not with it, but things like that are natural. There are times where I've hated dances that come out in Jamaica. After a couple months of everyone doing it though, I see myself swinging in the same way. People have too much pride sometimes. After a while, you have to let loose.
Q: Why is the album named "The Trinity?"
A: Because it's my third album; it took three years since "Dutty Rock" dropped for it to come out; and it was all produced in the Third World. It has three moods: partying, addressing the critics/haters and a somber mood.
Q: Do you believe that this album completes the full circle?
A: Yeah, because it's more on the dancehall vibe. I'm more reggae. "Dutty Rock" was "Dutty Rock." I did songs with Beyoncé and Busta Rhymes and I felt like a rock star. So that was that vibe.
Q: Is that why you toned down the huge collaborations with this album?
A: I'll tell you the main reason why — it's Jamaican vibe. I'm trying to spread the music to the five million people that know my work now, so they know who inspires me in the Jamaican vibe and who the young kids are coming up. It's like because of reggae music and because I took pride in my culture, I've been to places like Japan, Australia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Nigeria, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Egypt twice, Dubai, Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia, Mexico, all over the States, Canada and Europe. Some of these places have never even heard dancehall music before! I've helped to change the game. I've made dancehall more popular around the world.
Q: We recently spoke to Damian Marley about the gang violence in Jamaica. What's your take on it?
A: The politicians are there to control this so-called chicken-coop that they got. They try to keep their organizations, so they give kids guns and tell them, "You vote for me in this area." Any young kid could pick up a gun there, especially when you're in the ghetto and have to survive. I'm a peaceful person, but when someone drives bad around me, I get road rage and that's the same thing with them, except they have life rage. They grew up in the slum, in the ghetto. They have a zinc roof and when it rains, the water rushes down to the bedspread. There's one outlet and that's dancehall music. Kids don't have games, so they go out and socialize and that's what keeps us calm.
Q: Are you comfortable being labeled a dancehall artist?
A: Definitely. The music I do is dancehall music, although reggae is evident on my album. Reggae is the father of our music and dancehall is something that came out of it, through economic situations in Jamaica where not everyone could be in a band and express themselves.
(My) song "Never Gonna Be The Same" is reggae. A song called, "Time Rolls On," it's talking to the leaders of everything — government, gangs and religion — and it's saying as time rolls on, when will we ever live together? When will we ever care about each other? For thousands of years (politicians) told us, "Follow us, follow us, we're leaders and we're going to do the right thing." Then they lead us into war with each other, time and time again.
The song asks questions like, "Muslims and Christian, Buddhist and Hindu, Rastafari and Jew — when will we ever share one God?" It's very conscious music, which I'm not known for. I'm known to rock the crowd. As I said though, this album shows growth and proves that I can talk about real life.
From Snoop Dogg to Neil Diamond, Seattle is music city this week
Seattle is awash in music this summer. This week alone, Snoop Dogg, Dirty Projectors, Neil Diamond, Fiona Apple and Big K.R.I.T. are all in town.
Busy man Snoop Dogg will play the Showbox SoDo.
Why did half the entertainers in America suddenly decide to show up in Seattle this week? Just as we're recovering from the Capitol Hill Block Party, along comes a new gauntlet: Snoop Dogg, Dirty Projectors (with Wye Oak), Neil Diamond, Fiona Apple and Big K.R.I.T. Sorry, but there's no way we could get all these folks on the phone, not to mention find space for them in the paper, so what follows is a bonsai version of Seattle's musical garden this week.
Snoop Dogg with Dyme Def and Jay Barz
Despite a relentless touring schedule (it seems like he's in Seattle every year), reality TV shows, B-movies and ubiquity on pop radio, the California rapper, amazingly, has not worn out his welcome. It must be the voice. Snoop's slinky way with a word and a phrase captivated America's suburbs in the gangsta-rap heyday of the early '90s, and he's casually ridden out trends since. Now that popular hip-hop is softer and party oriented, Snoop is riding that wave, too. His recent album with Wiz Khalifa, the popular rapper who is like a 20-years-younger Snoop clone, sounds like it was made as effortlessly as possible.
Dirty Projectors with Wye Oak
Yelp-y voiced singer-guitarist-mastermind David Longstreth and vocalists Amber Coffman and Haley Dekle make a glorious racket as one of the foremost bands inheriting the David Byrne/Talking Heads mantle of making African-influenced punk rock. The Dirty Projectors' last album "Bitte Orca" brought Longstreth's polyrhythmic arrangements together with the arty pop of Bjork and traces of Mariah Carey's sound for a big critical hit. New album "Swing Lo Magellan" focuses more on programmed drum beats, while still presenting a rock band creating its own idea of soul music. It's a little disjointed but pretty brilliant.
Neil Diamond
"Cherry, Cherry," "Sweet Caroline," "I'm a Believer," "Red, Red Wine" — hard to get more mainstream than that. Neil Diamond's eminently singable hits are as familiar as air and water. Columbia Records has announced a compilation of the crooner's very best for December. But before that you can see the Kennedy Center honoree and Las Vegas fixture in the flesh, right here in the Emerald City.
Fiona Apple with Blake Mills
Apple reigns as the current queen of poison-pen pop songwriting, a title she has assumed every three to seven years since 1996, whenever she has decided to put out an album. The new installment (take a breath), "The Idler Wheel Is Wiser Than the Driver of the Screw and Whipping Cords Will Serve You More Than Ropes Will Ever Do," is critically acclaimed, like the others. Musically stripped-down to mainly piano and voice, it centerpieces Apple's singing style, still startlingly seething, full of love and fury. Her old-fashioned songs match the elegant Paramount, but her angry rapper-esque vibes are all up in your face.
Big K.R.I.T. with Casey Veggies, Big Sant and Tito Lopez
When we talk about Mississippi producer/rapper Big K.R.I.T., there is some debate as to which goes first, producer or rapper. Which is he better at? Like Kanye West, or locally, Palaceer Lazaro from Shabazz Palaces, K.R.I.T. does both. Popular opinion says producing is K.R.I.T.'s strong suit. And in this case popular opinion is correct. If he doesn't have a muddying live band interpolating his sound at Neumos (fingers crossed) and decides to plug his beats straight into the mixing board, the banging speakers should do poetic justice to his country rap tunes. And he's no slouch on the microphone. Pay attention past the barrage of southern rap slang and you'll catch an uplifting, never
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