Overhearing people chatting on cell phones is not only annoying; it is so distracting that it compromises cognitive performance, reports a new Cornell study to be published in an upcoming issue of Psychological Science.

The researchers say that overhearing half a conversation -- a "halfalogue" -- is more distracting than other kinds of conversations because we're missing the other side of the story and so can't predict the flow of the conversation.

The findings suggest that drivers of motor vehicles may be significantly compromised by overhearing the cell phone conversations of their passengers, say Michael Goldstein, assistant professor of psychology at Cornell, and doctoral candidate Lauren Emberson, who is also affiliated with Weill Cornell Medical College's Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology.

Despite his literary success and worldwide fame as Mark Twain, Samuel L. Clemens wanted to be a successful businessman -- but his subscription publishing venture and other endeavors all failed.

Twain's commercial enterprises are one aspect of the writer's life highlighted in the new Cornell Library exhibition "Known to Everyone, Liked by All: The Business of Being Mark Twain," commemorating the 100th anniversary of the author's death.

The exhibition features the collection of Susan Jaffe Tane, which includes rare first and foreign editions of his books, letters, periodicals, photographs and such examples of the Mark Twain brand as board games, five-cent cigar boxes and advertising signs bearing his name and likeness.

Kathryn J. Boor, professor and chair of the Department of Food Science at Cornell, has been named the Ronald P. Lynch Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell Provost Kent Fuchs announced today. She will begin her five-year term as dean of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) July 1.

"Kathryn Boor's history of scholarship and leadership in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and her strong affinity for the broad range of educational, research and outreach activities within her college make her an excellent choice for dean," said Cornell President David Skorton.

"Kathryn is a leader who can bridge the diverse intellectual streams within CALS, as well as relate to all the constituents of the college," said Fuchs. "She is genuinely focused on the role of the academy in serving the public interest."

USDA RURAL DEVELOPMENT ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY AND ENERGY EFFICIENCY GRANTS AND LOAN GUARANTEES 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development agency is accepting grant and loan guarantee applications for renewable energy and energy efficiency projects.

The Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) supports farmers and rural small businesses. The program offers grants and loan guarantees, or combinations of the two, and projects requesting $20,000 or less have the best chance of success. Eligible projects include renewable energy systems such as wind turbines, solar, geothermal, biomass, anaerobic digesters, hydroelectric, and ocean or hydrogen systems.  Funding may also be used to purchase energy-efficient equipment, add insulation, and improve heating and cooling systems. 

As oil spreads, citizen-science network tracks birds as oil continues to gush into the ocean from the Deepwater Horizon well, Gulf Coast bird watchers are taking action by surveying beaches and marshes for birds. By entering their counts at http://www.ebird.org, they are helping scientists track hundreds of species that could be affected as the oil spreads toward land.

The new eBird Gulf Coast Oil Spill Bird Tracker on the site enables people to gain quick access to interactive maps showing where each species is and how many are being reported up to the hour.

Audubon will use the data as part of its on-the-scene recovery response, including volunteer recruitment and coordination, and to help in its ongoing habitat restoration initiative across the Gulf region.

Christina Stark, senior extension associate in the Division of Nutritional Sciences, has received nearly $500,000 in funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture to train teams of extension professionals and community partners in collaborative, ecological approaches for childhood obesity prevention.

The grant, part of $11 million awarded nationwide, will build on the success of "Preventing Childhood Obesity: An Ecological Approach," an online continuing education course facilitated by Stark that has reached more than 300 professionals in nutrition, public health, cooperative extension and other fields since 2006.

Through the six-week course, Stark teaches individuals and teams how to develop an action plan for creating health-promoting environments in homes, schools and neighborhoods along with other local partners. By improving a community's physical, social, economic and policy environments, individuals are more likely to succeed at changing their diet and exercise behaviors.

"It's not enough to just focus on changing individual behaviors. We need to address the environmental factors that influence those behaviors," Stark said. "Using an ecological approach requires a new way of working that goes beyond delivering educational programs."

With the funding, Stark will target more 4-H educators as participants, since they work regularly with youth in various community settings, and also include teams from regions outside the Northeast, with a goal of reaching 150 teams of three or more professionals during the next four years.

The grant also will enable Stark and co-principal investigator Barbara Schirmer, state 4-H youth development program leader for Cornell Cooperative Extension, to study the effectiveness of the online course at the community level.

Ted Boscia is assistant director of communications for the College of Human Ecology.

Why is the Census Bureau collecting certain information on the form?  How do I know that my data is safe?  Is this operation the same as the American Community Survey (ACS)?  How do I recognize a census taker?

It is important that you have accurate information. If you have not responded to the 2010 Census, please click on the following videos to find answers to some of these questions.  Please feel free to share these videos and encourage everyone to answer the census taker, so that we make sure that everyone is counted.

In English

How is my data protected?

2010 MMC:  http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/spread-message/protecting-your-data/safe.php

YouTube:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xjhkHLu2LQ4

What is the difference between the 2010 Census form and the American Community Survey form?

2010 MMC: http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/real-questions/rprq/rprq-acs.php

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CjlMt-rvEXY

Why does the Census Bureau collect information on Hispanic origin?

2010 MMC: http://2010.census.gov/mediacenter/real-questions/rprq/rprq-hisporigin.php

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEqw8jHN0d4

En Español

¿Cómo reconozco un empleado del Censo?

2010 MMC:  http://2010.census.gov/multimedia/video/personas-reales-preguntas-reales/prpr-reconozco.php

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZQzz3RXBf8

Retrato de los Estados Unidos - ¡Sea Contado!

2010 MMC:  http://2010.census.gov/multimedia/video/puerta-a-puerta/sea-contado.php

Private ponds come with a lot of management issues but no owner's manual. "The Pond Guidebook," a Cornell Cooperative Extension booklet published by the Natural Resource, Agriculture and Engineering Service, can help. Specializing in ponds in the Great Lakes, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States, it answers such questions as:

* How many game fish should be in my pond, what kinds should I stock, and when should I stock them?

* Is the bacteria in my pond a problem for swimmers?

* How can I get a pond built correctly in the first place?

* What's "safe ice" for skating?

* Can I control the weeds and algae without chemicals?

Apple varieties developed by Cornell are grown around the world, but the newest releases will be New York state exclusives. Cornell has forged a licensing agreement with a new apple industry group - New York State Apple Growers LLC (NYAG) - grow and market two new, patented premium apple varieties developed by Susan Brown, the Herman M. Cohn Professor of Horticultural Sciences at the New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva.

CCEFM's Master Gardeners are busily preparing for their 11th annual Plant Sale set for Saturday morning! Volunteers Joe Bartone and Jay Ephraim are moving around pots of plants and preparing signs so you can find your way to the parking lot at 55 East Main Street in Johnstown to buy some of the nicest plants you will see this spring!

Saturday, May 15th, 9:00 a.m. until all sold out, which usually happens shortly after noontime. The parking lot of the Cornell Cooperative Extension office, formerly the Johnstown Hotel, 55 East Main Street, Johnstown. See you there!