Link Collection

Study found that bacteria in our gut plays a big role in whether or not we are skinny or obese. In as little as 24 hours, the composition of bacteria in our gut can change! With the bad bacteria put into mice, even if they were put on a low-fat diet mice continued to gain weight!
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/booster_shots/2009/11/highfat-highsugar-diet-alters-bacteria-in-the-gut-making-it-easier-to-gain-weight.html

Sarah Palin's Dad says that she left Hawaii because Asians made her uncomfortable:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/06/palins-father-she-left-ha_n_381724.html

Interesting study found that the length of their toes can determine how fast sprinters can accelerate...this would go along with the saying that sprinters are born and not made:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091103121611.htm

It has been thought that heart disease was due to our modern lifestyle and diet...but a study of mummies from as far back as 1530 B.C.E. indicates that the people mummified had a common sign of heart disease in nine out of 16 mummies, including seven of the eight who survived past the age of 45:
http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2009/1117/2

Researchers discovered a genetic variation that may contribute to how empathetic a person is, with the same variation related to stress reactivity:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091116163212.htm

Things sure have changed in the Asian business world over the past 2 decades--when Pres. Bush visited Seoul as US President 20 years ago, the US was the main trade partner with South Korea and there was only *1* weekly flight from South Korea to China...when Pres. Obama visited South Korea a couple of weeks ago China had replaced the US as South Korea's main trade partner and there were *642* flights per week between South Korea and China:
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c4579c08-d430-11de-990c-00144feabdc0.html?nclick_check=1

Things have changed with Mary Kay and China also...Mary Kay didn't even start to try to get into the China market until the 90s, and now they have over 200,000 representatives in China! Their sales increased 50% in China in 2008 and even in this recession they are up another 20% this year: So, in the early 90s China was 0% of Mary Kay's sales, and now China is 25% of their sales!
http://www.slate.com/id/2235897/

Couple takes out their BlackBerrys *during their wedding* to update their Facebook status!
http://crackberry.com/couple-busts-out-their-blackberrys-altar