Spring break is approaching and with it the stresses of planning a vacation, entertaining the kids, traveling comfortably and so much more.

There are a number of circumstances that are worth planning for in advance, and they include:

• Traveling with your children, which can be difficult and result in boredom, disagreement and immaturity. To discourage these issues before they begin, have your kids help with the planning and trip preparation. Encourage them discuss the itinerary, present ideas and reach conclusions together, as well as help with the packing. The involvement will add enthusiasm and interest, and boost the cooperative mood as a whole.
• Traveling by car, which can be delayed, boring and claustrophobic. For long plane trips, bring entertainment like an iPad, a deck of cards, a book…and most importantly food! These items are important whether you’re traveling alone, with your best friend, your spouse or your children.which can be long and grueling and leave everyone irritable. For long rides, look into audio books that can be enjoyed by the whole family. On a drive to the Grand Canyon, for example, try something long and suitable for several ages, like the first of the Harry Potter series. Discuss with your travel companions before choosing a story. If you’re traveling with kids, or without for that matter, end your car ride at a hotel with a pool.
• Traveling by plane, which can be long and grueling and leave everyone irritable. For long rides, look into audio books that can be enjoyed by the whole family. On a drive to the Grand Canyon, for example, try something long and suitable for several ages, like the first of the Harry Potter series. Discuss with your travel companions before choosing a story. If you’re traveling with kids, or without for that matter, end your car ride at a hotel with a pool.
• Home security. According to Indiana State Police Captain David Bursten, one of the biggest mistakes travelers make is cancelling the mail and newspaper deliveries. Instead, have a neighbor collect your post for you while you’re away, so that it seems someone is still at home. Installing randomized timers for the lights and, if possible, an alarm is also highly recommended.

This is the season of engagements and weddings, and rightly so- what season is more romantic, pleasant and convenient than spring?

Outdoor ceremonies, beautiful wedding photos, beautiful flowers, colors, dresses, weather…. The works. Still, there are a few season-related problems that could arise that you should be prepared for when planning a spring event. Theknot.com lists a few.

The first are unexpected showers. Though spring is usually clear and sunny, don’t forget that the weather is still rather iffy through April and May, and rain is a possibility. For an outdoor wedding, be sure to use a rental with a rain policy. This arrangement will provide your event with a tent at the last minute, in case of weather emergencies. Hair and makeup can also be damaged from the moisture, so consider using waterproof war paint and perhaps even extensions or hairpieces to maintain your chosen style.

Another issue is mud, which can be a problem even if your wedding day is rain-free. For this, wear plastic bags around your shoes until the ceremony, and keep an instant stain remover stick on hand for a muddy hemline. Some couples even wear rain boots for a cute, easygoing effect.

Temperature issues can be easily resolved as well. For nights with a chill, post an email or Facebook notice alerting guests of the weather prediction. If you want to put in a bit more effort, have someone pick up a bunch of inexpensive shawls to set out in a basket for chilly guests. Windy conditions can be resolved by placing candles in glass hurricane holders, or buying pre-used candles. Battery operated candles, which give off an authentic flicker, are also a good option.

In contrast, spring afternoons can be hot and sunny. Parasols, handkerchiefs, cold packs, and ices are all great things to have on hand for the guests in this situation. Fondant icing for the cake is a must, because it holds up well in extreme temperatures, and hair that can be put up is also advised. Lastly, if your dress has sleeves, aim for an airy, mesh-like material.

Pick your friends well, and find a group with whom to lose weight. These are the findings of researchers from The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.  In their recent study with lead author Tricia Leahey Ph.D. of The Miriam and Alpert Medical School, they found that shedding pounds can have a ripple effect.

Published in the online journal Obesity, the study showed that, just as obesity can be socially influenced, so too can weight loss.  As Dr. Leahey said,

“We know that obesity can be socially contagious, but now we know that social networks play a significant role in weight loss as well, particularly team-based weight loss competitions. In our study, weight loss clearly clustered within teams, which suggests that teammates influenced each other, perhaps by providing accountability, setting expectations of weight loss, and providing encouragement and support.”

Today, there are many group-based weight loss programs from Weight Watchers to the television show The Biggest Loser.  The question that Leahey's team examined was if having weight-loss teammates and social influence actually makes a difference for an individual's weight loss.

The findings for their research came from a 2009 Shape Up Rhode Island (SURI) campaign that included a 12 week statewide online weight loss competition. It was designed by the study co-author Arjiv Kumar, M.D.  It included 3330 overweight and obese people with 987 teams that averaged between 5 and 11 people each.  There were three parts to the competition including weight loss, pedometer steps and physical activity.

As Leahey explained,

“This is the first study to show that in these team-based campaigns, who’s on your team really matters. Being surrounded by others with similar health goals all working to achieve the same thing may have really helped people with their weight loss efforts.”

She added, “We’re all influenced by the people around us, so if we can harness this positive peer pressure and these positive social influences, we can create a social environment to help encourage additional weight loss.”

Additional co-authors of the study with Leahey included: Rena R. Wing, Ph.D., director of The Miriam Hospital’s Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center and professor of psychiatry and human behavior at Alpert Medical School; and Brad M. Weinberg, M.D. and Rajiv Kumar, M.D. co-founders of ShapeUp, Inc.

Jarno Smeets, a Dutch engineer, has unleashed a video onto the public, sparking controversy, awe and skepticism across the globe.

The video, which showcases his ‘Human Birdwings’ project, is supposedly shot from a camera attached to Smeets’ helmet while he successfully takes off at a park in Hague. The 200-foot wings are part of Smeets’ invention, which he claims is the first to allow a human to fly in a way similar to that of a bird, with neither rotors nor jets. Instead, the contraption uses motion sensors from Nintendo Wii and an accelerometer from an HTC Wildfire S smartphone to ‘amplify’ the flapping motion of his arms, and then transfers it to small motors on the wings. This technology allows Smeets to flap wings much larger than his body would otherwise be capable of lifting.

Though the engineering of the wings is in fact plausible, many of the video’s viewers were quick to dismiss it as a fake. How did the engineer know it would take exactly 14 videos until a successful takeoff? Some have questioned the video’s legitimacy based on the physics involved, while others have analyzed the clear differences between the Human Birdwings and the natural wings and flapping motions of birds today, such as rotation and the specific angling of the wings before and during flight.

One interesting observation discussed the placement of Smeets’ legs. In general, the legs of a bird are thin, small and remarkably lightweight. Human legs are monstrous in comparison, and so would inevitably dangle beneath the torso, perpendicular to the floating body. However, the video clearly shows the legs rising to line up with the body at 38 seconds. The strength needed to hold the legs in this position without breaking the spine, especially when the body is suspended from the upper back, is incredible and therefore highly unlikely here. However, further scrutiny implies there might be a small sail placed between the feet which buoys the legs during flight.

An interesting analysis of the camera motion in the video provides another important perspective on the invention’s authenticity. Though the detailed study does not prove it is legitimate or a hoax, it does prove that the camera work is genuine and not a compilation of a number of processed clips.

London’s Victoria and Albert Museum is planning a new exhibit called “Hollywood Costume” which aims to boost appreciation of costume design and similar behind-the-scenes crafts.

The gallery, consisting of three sections, will utilize film clips, projection and other forms of staging in order to display the costumes in their most realistic contexts. Legendary directors, designers and actors such as Martin Scorsese and Alfred Hitchcock will provide interviews, and Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro will give personal explanations on the importance of costume in building characters.

The exhibit will feature more than one hundred famous costumes, including the blue and white pinafore from “The Wizard of Oz,” Vivien Leigh’s green curtain dress from “Gone with the Wind,” and Audrey Hepburn’s black Givenchy from “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The featured outfits will range from Charlie Chaplain’s silent films, to looks from “Titanic,” to more modern costumes from films like “Avatar”.

Ann Roth, an Academy Award-winning costume designer, recently discussed the art with the exhibit’s senior guest curator Deborah Nadoolman Landis. Landis worked in costume design as well, and now leads the David C. Copley Center for Costume Design at UCLA.

She explained: “Our directors depend on us to create these characters. I hate to say this but we are really looking for truth in that character.”

Roth also has experience in the field, having done costume design for films including “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and “Midnight Cowboy.” She added that her and her team are much more enthusiastic about working with actors who hope to develop their character, as opposed to “movie stars” who maintain an image with demands like “I don’t wear yellow.”

She added, “Meryl Streep is of course perfection. We can stand in a fitting room and by an hour into it, there are 14 half pairs of earrings, waist-cinchers, shoes with heels, shoes without heels, telephone books to put on the heels, dressmakers, someone to take notes, a hairdresser. It’s sweaty and tiresome. There’s a three-way mirror that she’s looking into.”

Roth explained that eventually “the character happens and there’s no controlling it. Once that happens, you know what to do.”