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Fast, precise and reliable moisture analyzers
Fast, precise and reliable moisture analyzers
METTLER TOLEDO is the expert in moisture analysis and offers a wide range of reliable moisture balances to suit the needs of quality control, production and in-process control.
As a leading manufacturer of high-quality moisture analyzers and tools for infrared moisture meter performance verification such as SmartCal, we can offer a full moisture solution to ensure optimal moisture determination. We also have plenty of application knowledge and a world-class service organization.
What is a moisture analyzer and how does a moisture analyzer work?
A moisture analyzer is often also called a moisture balance or moisture meter. It consists of a weighing unit and a heating unit (infrared technology) and is used to determine the moisture content of a sample with the loss on drying principle. Today many customers use a moisture analyzer because they want to analyze moisture content using the fast and easy loss on drying method. Infrared moisture analyzers are versatile instruments that can be used in many industries, for example as moisture analyzers for food, plastics or wood. Food moisture meters are of particular importance as the moisture content influences the quality and shelf life of a product.
To find out which is the best moisture analyzer for a specific application, different aspects have to be considered. Check out our moisture analyzer FAQ.
Moisture Analyzers and METTLER TOLEDO:a Long History of Success
We are experts in moisture analysis and offer a wide range of reliable and easy to use moisture analyzers suiting the needs of quality control, production and in-process control of many industries, such as pharma, plastics and food industry. Our moisture balances are characterized by:
- Reliable results thanks to precise temperature control with halogen heating technology and outstanding weighing technology
- Intuitive operation with step-by-step user guidance to avoid errors in routine operation
- Consistent measurement performance for many years due to robust construction, built-in performance tests and a comprehensive service offering
Optimize your moisture analysis with the help of our moisture expertise. Profit from our tested moisture methods, wealth of know-how and widespread support.
High-Performance Moisture Analyzers
Solid, All-Purpose Moisture Analyzers
Basic Moisture Analyzers
SmartCal Test Substance
Fulfils highest measurement performance and compliance needs. Accurate and repeatable results for any sample type.
Compact and robust design that works for both laboratory and production. User-guided touchscreen operation. Suitable for a variety of samples.
Ideal for anyone working on a tight budget, but still requires reliable moisture results.
SmartCal™ test substance ensures trusted moisture results by verifying the performance of your moisture analyzer.
High Measurement Performance
Fast halogen heating and superior weighing performance with 0.001% MC readability. Suitable for low moisture contents.
Fit for Regulatory Demands
User management, method assignment and control limits. Performance testing at point of use.
Versatile Data Transfer and Data Management
Printing and/or transfer of PDF and CSV reports to network servers through various interfaces.
User-friendly Operation
Graphical user guidance and method shortcuts for simple and error-free routine operation.
Robust and Compact Design
Long instrument lifetime and reliable results in the lab and on the production floor.
Convenient Reporting
ID Management with barcode reader, result storage in device. Transfer reports to USB flash drive.
Basic Functionality
Reliable moisture analysis for low requirements with regards to method flexibility and reporting.
Simple 3-Step Operation
Tare sample pan, place the sample, close the lid and start.
Brilliant Display
LCD display with large numbers for easy to read results in all light conditions.
Quick and Easy Performance Test
As simple as a regular moisture measurement - takes only 10 minutes.
Documented Performance
Integrated control charts to monitor moisture analyzer performance over time.
Testing at Point of Use
Test your moisture analyzer over the complete temperature range.
Fulfils highest measurement performance and compliance needs. Accurate and repeatable results for any sample type.
Compact and robust design that works for both laboratory and production. User-guided touchscreen operation. Suitable for a variety of samples.
Ideal for anyone working on a tight budget, but still requires reliable moisture results.
SmartCal™ test substance ensures trusted moisture results by verifying the performance of your moisture analyzer.
Moisture Analyzer Accessories and Software
A complete range of accessories, consumables and software for accurate, repeatable moisture content determination and efficient data management.
Selecting The Best Moisture Analyzer For Your Needs
Our guide leads you through the important criteria to consider when purchasing a moisture analyzer. From interpreting technical specifications to understanding the functionality and performance of a moisture analyzer from a holistic point of view.
Explore our Services - Tailored to Fit your Equipment
We support and service your measurement equipment through its entire life-cycle, from installation to preventive maintenance and calibration to equipment repair.
Support & Repair
Maintenance & Optimization
Calibration & Quality
Training & Consulting
Brochure : Guide to Moisture Analysis
Moisture affects the processibility, shelf life, usability and quality of many products such as pharmaceutical substances, plastics and foods. Information about and monitoring of moisture content is therefore very important. Most substances have an optimum moisture content for obtaining the best possible processing results and therefore attaining maximum quality. Furthermore, moisture content impacts on price and there are statutory rules for some products governing the maximum permissible moisture content (e.g. as defined by national food regulations).
White Paper: Drying Oven vs. Halogen Moisture Analyzer
A Practical Guide to Compare Methods
Moisture content is a key quality parameter in most industries, including food, chemical, and pharmaceutical industries. Moisture content determines the quality and the cost of raw materials; it affects product quality (e.g. shelf life) and often influences the financial margin of finished goods. Moisture is also a key parameter for process control in many production processes. For these reasons, monitoring of moisture content is very important. These moisture determinations need to be carried out rapidly and reliably so that any interventions in the production process can be made promptly, to avoid costly interruptions.
Method Collections
Our collections of moisture analyzer drying methods provide you with recommended settings for many of the most common sample types according to market segment.
Application Notes
Learn more about specific applications in which moisture analysis plays a key role. Background information on the topic is included and we explain how to use your moisture analyzer to best effect to overcome the typical challenges encountered.
User Guide: Smart Test Substance for Trusted Moisture Results
SmartCal is a unique, temperature sensitive test substance with known moisture content. Performed just like a regular moisture measurement it is used to quickly and easily verify the instrument's overall functionality to ensure reliable moisture results at all times. The SmartCal User Guide explains in detail on how to use the SmartCal test substance for regularly testing the performance of a moisture analyzer.
Moisture FAQ
What is a moisture analyzer and how does it work?
Select your Question
- What is a moisture analyzer?
- How does a moisture analyzer work?
- What is the best moisture analyzer for my application?
- Which aspects do I need to consider when selecting a moisture analyzer?
- Why is the sample characteristic important for the moisture analyzer purchasing decision?
- What is the heating system of a moisture analyzer?
- What are the advantages of halogen heating?
- What is the best moisture analyzer for laboratory or production workers?
- Does the moisture analyzer offer support in finding the right method for my sample?
- Why is a fast and competent support or service important?
- Which moisture analyzer is recommended for best repeatability?
- What are important functionalities of a moisture analyzer when measuring many different samples?
- Do you recommend a special moisture analyzer model when different operators are using the same instrument?
- What is the best moisture analyzer for measuring moisture content (or dry content or total solids) in volatile samples?
- How does the moisture analyzer support me in being compliant to regulations such as USP, FDA, ASTM or 21 CFR Part 11?
- What is the best moisture analyzer for production environments?
- How important is the weighing unit of a moisture analyzer?
- Can a moisture analyzer test for water content?
- How fast is a moisture analyzer at determining moisture content?
- How accurate are moisture analyzers?
1. What is a moisture analyzer?
A moisture analyzer determines the moisture content of a sample with the loss on drying method and consists of a weighing and heating unit (infrared). It is often also called moisture balance or moisture meter.
Watch the video to learn more:
2. How does a moisture analyzer work?
The Moisture Analyzer works according to the thermo-gravimetric principle, also often referred to as the 'Loss on Drying' (LOD) principle. The moisture analyzer consists of two components, a balance unit and a heating unit. In order to measure the moisture content the sample's start weight is recorded, afterwards a halogen lamp or other infrared radiator heats and dries the sample while the integrated balance continually records the sample weight. When the sample no longer loses weight the instrument shuts off and the moisture content is calculated. The total loss in weight is used to calculate the moisture content.
Finding the right moisture analyzer for your application is not always easy. The best moisture analyzer is the one that fits to your specific requirements. Typically, requirements not only concern measurement performance but also other factors such as ease-of-use, data management capabilities, robustness (long instrument lifetime) and compliance features. METTLER TOLEDO offers a wide range of reliable instruments that cover basic, all-round and high-performance requirements.
4. Which aspects do I need to consider when selecting a moisture analyzer
When selecting a moisture analyzer you need to look at measurement performance related specifications such as repeatability, readability and recommended moisture content. Ease of use, data management, and whether the instrument can handle the characteristics of your sample type are just some of the criteria to consider as well.
5. Why is the sample characteristic important for the moisture analyzer purchasing decision?
Depending on the sample characteristics (e.g. solid, liquid, pasty, solvent containing), it is important to have the right method parameters available in the instrument and accessories at hand in order to obtain accurate and reliable results.
- Read more in the Guide to Moisture Analysis
6. What is the heating system of a moisture analyzer?
The heating source (halogen lamp, metal rod, ceramic, quartz lamp) and its regulation are defined as a heating system. All mentioned heating sources are infrared radiators. This means the sample is heated by absorption of infrared radiation.
7. What are the advantages of halogen heating?
The most important performance factor is precise and fast temperature regulation, which is best delivered by halogen lamps because of their low mass and therefore fast reaction time. This ensures repeatable results starting from the first measurement (while some other heating sources either deliver different results in the first measurement or require a warm up measurement which is wasting time and resources). Furthermore, an even heat distribution on the sample surface is essential for repeatable and reliable results. We advise to ask the manufacturer for a demonstration and experience the performance in real-life.
8. What is the best moisture analyzer for laboratory or production workers?
Typically, laboratory and production workers require an instrument which is intuitive to use and guides operators through the process. This ensures that users are following the right procedures thus preventing handling errors. Graphical user guidance, method shortcuts, user management and many languages are helpful instrument functionalities.
Watch the video to learn more about Simple Operation:
9. Does the moisture analyzer offer support in finding the right method for my sample?
Using the right method for your specific sample is important for reliable and repeatable results. When you are a first-time user or when you regularly need to develop methods for new substances, then you can benefit from our Excellence Level instruments which offer integrated method development support to find the right method parameters.
- Explore our models of moisture analyzers
10. Why is a fast and competent support or service important?
Fast and competent service is important for many aspects throughout the lifetime of the instrument. First, you can profit from professional installation to have your moisture analyzer quickly installed and up and running. Second, preventative maintenance is key to your instrument's accuracy and longevity. Lastly, in case of a broken instrument, certified service engineers repair the moisture analyzer fast and reliably with the right skills and tools. With onsite repair METTLER TOLEDO service engineers minimize downtime and allow you to return to normal operation as fast as possible. METTLER TOLEDO is always available for you, whether you need a service for your instrument or expert support and know-how for your application such as support in method development.
11. Which moisture analyzer is recommended for best repeatability?
The HX204 moisture analyzer is recommended. A high-performance weighing cell with 0.001% moisture content readability separated from the heating source ensures best moisture results even when measuring very low moisture contents.
- Learn more about HX204
12. What are important functionalities of a moisture analyzer when measuring many different samples?
If you want to measure many different substances, we advise to use one method per sample type, even if you are using the same method parameters for different samples. Therefore, method storage capability of the moisture analyzer is important. Being able to store one method per substance and giving it a dedicated name not only improves the usability of a moisture analyzer but also allows for better documentation and reporting, e.g. sample name on print-out. In addition to that, you need to look at the method flexibility (the method parameter options such as drying program, drying temperature and switch-off criterion) to be able to optimize your drying method to each sample's characteristics.
13. Do you recommend a special moisture analyzer model when different operators are using the same instrument?
Yes, there are three aspects which are important with regard to that topic: ease of use, unwanted changes and documentation.
- When operators are using many different kinds of instrumentation, an easy-to-use moisture analyzer helps them to follow the right processes
- If you want to prevent operators from changing instrument settings or methods, you are able to block or allow access to settings with a configurable user management system.
- For reporting and compliance topics, it is important that the user name (or user ID) is documented on the measurement report. This is achieved with a user management system.
- If you want to know who has done the measurement, you can
Watch the video to learn more about User Management:
14. What is the best moisture analyzer for measuring moisture content (or dry content or total solids) in volatile samples?
Samples containing volatile solvents require special instrument settings and handling as they may lose weight before starting the drying process. Fast heating may also result in rapid evaporation of solvents leading to potential condensation under the sample pan and accumulation of flammable gases. For safe measurements and good results, we advise the gentle drying program and manual start mode. Both are available in HX204 and HS153 moisture analyzers.
- Learn more about HX204 and HS153
15. How does the moisture analyzer support me in being compliant to regulations such as USP, FDA, ASTM or 21 CFR Part 11?
Basically, two topics are important with regards to compliance: data management and performance testing. Ensuring data integrity means that every result record needs to be attributable (who has done the measurement), legible (traceable, readable), contemporaneous (recorded at time of generation), original and accurate (correct, complete). Please keep in mind that an instrument is never compliant by itself but it can support the user in being compliant. The HX204 is the moisture analyzer for industries with the highest demands in compliance. It supports the user with safety and data integrity functions such as user management (prevention of changes & unique user log-ons), tailor-made reporting (including non-modifiable PDF reports) and with integrated performance testing of all relevant measuring systems (heating unit, balance, overall instrument test) at point of use.
- Learn more about HX204
16. What is the best moisture analyzer for production environments?
The HC103 is a great instrument for production environments. It is intuitive to use and the operator is guided graphically step by step through the workflow. Tough metal housing and robust components guarantee a long instrument lifetime. Along with the space-saving compact design, this makes the HC103 a perfect choice for a harsh production floor.
The HX204 and HS153 are also a good choice as they offer customizable control and warning limits for each sample. This integrated pass/fail decision is very helpful in the production area. In addition to that, the innovative hanging weighing pan and flat stainless steel surfaces allow fast and easy cleaning without the risk of dirt getting into the weighing cell.
- Explore our models of moisture analyzers
17. How important is the weighing unit of a moisture analyzer?
The weighing unit is important for a moisture analyzer as accurate weight measurements are required over the complete drying (measurement) process. It is key to avoid even minimal drift in the weight value, and temperature changes near the load cell are a common cause of such issues. Therefore, it is critical to protect the weighing cell from temperature changes. METTLER TOLEDO has many years of experience in designing and manufacturing high performance moisture analyzers with minimal drift of the weighing cell. In addition to that, the HX204 and HS153 moisture analyzers are constructed with the hanging weighing pan, which separates the heating source from the weighing cell and further improves performance.
- Explore our models of moisture analyzers
18. Can a moisture analyzer test for water content?
A moisture analyzer measures the content of all volatile components within a substance. It does not distinguish between water and other components. However, if water is the main moisture component or the other components are always present in the same proportion then the moisture analyzer might be suitable for such a measurement.
- Explore our models of moisture analyzers
- For water specific measurements please visit our Karl Fischer Titration page
19. How fast is a moisture analyzer at determining moisture content?
The time required to complete a measurement depends on factors such as sample characteristics, sample preparation, choice of method parameters and use of accessories. Most measurements are typically completed in 3 to 15 minutes. Contact our team of experts who will support you in getting the fastest results possible
20. How accurate are moisture analyzers?
According to ISO 5725 Accuracy considers both the correctness and precision of a set of measurements. Correctness for a moisture analyzer describes to which extent the mean value matches the true value (value obtained by recognized reference method, e.g. drying oven method). Precision or repeatability is described as the extent to which results from a series of measurements (same sample, same conditions, same person etc.) match one another. Repeatability is expressed as standard deviation.
For a moisture analyzer repeatability is typically more important than correctness. METTLER TOLEDO moisture analyzers stand out with excellent repeatability, both in technical specifications and in real life performance. For common samples such as food products, a standard deviation of about 0.05 %MC is achieved which is comparable to the typical precision of the drying oven method. With special settings and handling even better repeatability is possible.
When comparing repeatability of different models be aware of the following:
- Compare repeatability specifications for same sample weight
- Stated repeatability is given for an ideal sample (no substance-dependent uncertainty) and does not show instrument dependent characteristics
Moisture Applications
Why is moisture important?
Moisture affects the processability, shelf life, usability and quality of many products such as pharmaceutical substances, plastics and foods. Information about and monitoring of moisture content is therefore very important. Most substances have an optimum moisture content for obtaining the best possible processing results and therefore attaining maximum quality. Furthermore, moisture content impacts on price and there are statutory rules for some products governing the maximum permissible moisture content (e.g. as defined by national food regulations).
METTLER TOLEDO offers thermogravimetric and chemical techniques to determine the moisture or water content in a sample
How to Use the Search Function
To find your application use the filters for 'Sample', 'Industry' or use full text search. Any combination of filter and full text search is possible. Note that the full text search yields only matches that include the exact word sequence of your query.
Applications Library
Find Your Application
The moisture application specialists of METTLER TOLEDO have developed more than 100 methods for various samples to use on METTLER TOLEDO halogen moisture analyzer. These proven and well-tested methods will help you to get repeatable and quick results with our moisture analyzers. The 'Application Search' allows you search through the database and find the application that best suits your needs. For each method we provide a PDF Datasheet and an xml method file to import the respective method parameters into your instrument (HX204, HS153 and HC103 only).


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According to Wisconsin authorities, Steven Cowan, a 67-year-old man originally from Vermont, shot his television set after watching Bristol Palin perform on "Dancing with the Stars." The police were contacted and it led to a 15-hour standoff until Cowan finally was convinced to come out of the house.
Is this what it comes down to? BDS (Bristol Derangement Syndrome)?
I never seen such a level of attack on this young woman for appearing on a dancing show. This certainly dispels the notion that conservatives are "bitter clingers to their guns."
Cowan was charged second-degree reckless endangerment and could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if convicted. Authorities say he has bipolar disorder.
He may have a mental illness, but the man was drunk according to his wife. Though she doesn't attribute it to this outburst. So is this a case of an angry liberal?
According to the Smoking Gun the complaint reads:
Cowan "jumped up and swore, saying something to the effect of "the —-ing politics."The complaint added, "Steven was upset that a political figure's daughter was dancing on this particular show when Steven did not think she was a good dancer."
Cross-posted at www.cubachi.com

subset: commoncrawl


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Dayton serving Minneapolis areas for over a decade.
Our target at Dayton is to provide best facilities which are reliable, comfortable and safest car and Taxi Service to all customers at very discounted fares.
Minneapolis Taxi Dayton services are particularly for Minneapolis, Saint Paul International Airport transfer and place to place taxi service to and from enter Dayton and its surrounding areas.


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RIO DE JANEIRO — Rafael Nadal returned from a troublesome back injury to win the Rio Open on Sunday, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 7-6 (3) .
Nadal's victory comes four weeks after losing the Australian Open final to underdog Stanislas Wawrinka after tweaking his back while warming up.
Nadal, who had to fend off two match points in the semifinal against Pablo Andujar, looked more comfortable in the final and improved his record on clay to 298 wins and 21 losses, the best in the Open Era.
The Spaniard declined to talk about his back, focusing instead on the victory.
"Clearly, it was important for me to get back and win after what happened in the final in Australia," Nadal said.
He said the heat, the court preparation and the quick balls used in the event made it difficult. He has complained about the fast balls all week.
Nadal has won three times in Brazil and hopes to return next year. He's also eyeing the 2016 Rio Olympics where he'd seek a second gold medal. He won gold in 2008 in Beijing.
"I leave with the sensation that Brazil is something special for me," he said.
Top-ranked Nadal used the Latin American clay-court swing to launch his comeback a year ago from a left knee injury. It went just fine with titles in the French and US Open.
He'll take the same approach this time, hoping injuries don't slow him heading to the French Open in three months.
Dolgopolov has lost all five matches against Nadal. At center court after the match he mentioned the near-civil war in Ukraine "As you know there are some troubles in my country," he told thousands of fans, who applauded in support. "Hopefully there's going to be peace in my country as I left it a few months ago."
In the women's final at the combined ATP-WTA event, Kurumi Nara of Japan defeated top-seeded Klara Zakopalova of the Czech Republic 6-1, 4-6, 6-1 to win her first WTA singles title.
Nara, the 22-year-old Japanese, was seeded fifth in the tournament and is Japan's top-ranked woman. She prefers to play on hard courts but adapted to the heat and clay in Rio.
"I love Rio," Nara said, cracking a huge smile. "I can't believe I won the tournament, but I am very happy."
The victory is projected to push Nara into the top 50 — probably No. 48 — when the WTA publishes its rankings on Monday.
"I don't want to think too much about being No. 1 in Japan," Nara said. "I just want to focus on my game — every game."
Nara said Japanese players are getting better on clay because a new clay-court facility has been built in the country.
Maria Bueno, Brazil's greatest female player who won seven Grand Slam singles titles — her last in the US Open in 1966 — helped hand the winning trophy to Nara.
Zakopalova won two WTA titles 10 years ago, but has now lost 12 consecutive singles finals. In parts of the match she seemed unwell, probably bothered by the 32 Celsius (90 Fahrenheit) heat and intense humidity.
"I have an asthma problem so I couldn't breathe," Zakopalova said. "But it's not an excuse. Well done to Kurumi. She deserved it. She played really well."
——— Follow Stephen Wade on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StephenWadeAP
Nadal wins Rio Open, Nara takes women's title
RIO DE JANEIRO — Rafael Nadal returned from a troublesome back injury to win the Rio Open on Sunday, defeating Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine 6-3, 7-6 (3) .


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My projects have been a great distraction to me during this time. When my brain was overwhelmed, I switched to yarn-mode and dreamed about my planned projects, colour-combinations, pattern details... a pleasure in the midst of a chaotic mind.
Completed last night: my sweater, which I call Frost Lily, based on Marnie McLean's Lily. I say "based on" because, while most of the details are the same, I wrangled with the pattern a lot to get this thing to fit me the way I wanted. This sweater spent a lot of time looking like this:
- longer, wider sleeves, to accomodate my hulking arms
- fewer decreases for the waist, because I am not the hourglass shape that this sweater seems to be designed for
- added length to the narrowest part of the body to accommodate my torso
- 2x2 ribbing at the bottom edge, arm cuffs, and neckline.
I found the instructions for the yoke really hard to understand, and it took me three times (read: ripped out three times) to get something I liked. I ditched the instructions to change the rate of decreases and just decreased the sleeve cap every other row and the body every third row until the neckline reached where I wanted it to. This helped to accommodate my wide shoulders as well.
In the end, I am very, very happy with it... but man, if there was a sweater to motivate me to keep the weight off, this is it! It was interesting to learn that 4.75 skeins of Cascade 220 is enough to make a sweater for me. I bet that if I used five, I could make a sweater and still eat a few cookies...
Mmm... cookies... snack time!


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My students and I will be blogging about our field school experiences at the Field School Blog between May 1 and June 23, 2011. Follow us on Twitter too (#dcfieldschool). Sphere: Related Content
Noteworthy Sites
Other Links
Tad's Tweets
- Longboarding: The long and short of a risky sport, via @VancouverSun [Longboards & youth culture on the #northshore.] http://t.co/ERv5soESQN 06:39:52 AM June 11, 2013 from The Vancouver Sun on iOS ReplyRetweetFavorite
Douglas Anthropology
- Alberta First Nation loses lawsuit over B.C. oil and gas rights sales #nationalpost http://t.co/L7dBBSDM2a #consultation 07:59:58 AM June 05, 2013 from National Post Mobile Reader ReplyRetweetFavorite


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SPSP recognizes excellence in research by student members with its Student Publication Prize. Papers are eligible for consideration if they are published in the calendar year prior to nomination in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, Personality and Social Psychology Review, or Social Psychological and Personality Science.
Recipients of this prize receive a $400 honorarium and an accompanying plaque, which is presented at the annual Awards Ceremony held at the SPSP Annual Convention, as well as a complimentary one-year SPSP membership.
All student first-authored papers that have been accepted for publication in SPSP journals are automatically eligible for this prize. There is not an open call for nominations. For more information on the nomination process, see the Contact tab.
Mona Ayoub
Ayoub, M., Gosling, S.D., Potter, J., Shanahan, M., & Roberts, B. W. (2018). The relations between parental socioeconomic status, personality, and life outcomes.
Studies have shown that cognitive ability is correlated with parental socioeconomic status (pSES). However, little is known about the correlation between personality and pSES. To better understand this relation, we conducted a meta-analysis of the correlations between pSES and personality traits and temperament dimensions. The correlations were generally very small with the exception of the correlation between pSES and openness to experience. Our results were replicated in a large (N = 2,183,377) data set of self-reported personality scores collected online. Using this data set, we also examined the interaction between pSES and personality on attained education and socioeconomic status. We found evidence for the resource substitution hypothesis, which proposes that personality compensates for background disadvantage.
Kimberly E. Chaney
Chaney, K. E., & Sanchez, D. T. (2018). The endurance of interpersonal confrontations as a prejudice reduction strategy.
Previous work has found that individuals who have been confronted for discrimination demonstrate a reduction in explicit prejudice and use fewer stereotypes immediately after the confrontation. Although confronting prejudice has been touted as a tool for prejudice reduction, it is not known how these effects translate over time and what processes might account for their endurance. Across two studies, the present research finds that individuals used significantly fewer negative stereotypes 7 days after confrontation (Study 1) and engaged in behavioral inhibition to stereotypical cues on a probe task 1 week after confrontation. Moreover, guilt and prolonged rumination mediated these effects for confronted participants (Studies 1 and 2). Across two studies, the present studies reveal the lasting effects of interpersonal confrontations in prejudice reduction and the process by which these effects endure.
Boaz Hameiri
Hameiri, B., Nabet, E., Bar-Tal, D., & Halperin, E. (2018). Paradoxical thinking as a conflict-resolution intervention: Comparison to alternative interventions and examination of psychological mechanisms.
Conflict-resolution interventions based on the paradoxical thinking principles, that is, expressing amplified, exaggerated, or even absurd ideas that are congruent with the held conflict-supporting societal beliefs, have been shown to be an effective avenue of intervention, especially among individuals who are adamant in their views. However, the question as to why these interventions have been effective has remained unanswered. In the present research, we have examined possible underlying psychological mechanisms, focusing on identity threat, surprise, and general disagreement. In a small-scale lab study and a large-scale longitudinal study, we compared paradoxical thinking interventions with traditional interventions based on providing inconsistent information. The paradoxical thinking interventions led rightists to show more unfreezing of held conflict-supporting beliefs and openness to alternative information, whereas the inconsistency-based interventions tended to be more effective with the centrist participants. Both studies provide evidence that the effects were driven by identity threat, surprise, and lower levels of disagreement.
Nicholas M. Hobson
Hobson, N. M., Schroeder, J., Risen, J. L., Xygalatas, D., & Inzlicht, M. (2018). The psychology of rituals: An integrative review and process-based framework.
Traditionally, ritual has been studied from broad sociocultural perspectives, with little consideration of the psychological processes at play. Recently, however, psychologists have begun turning their attention to the study of ritual, uncovering the causal mechanisms driving this universal aspect of human behavior. With growing interest in the psychology of ritual, this article provides an organizing framework to understand recent empirical work from social psychology, cognitive science, anthropology, behavioral economics, and neuroscience. Our framework focuses on three primary regulatory functions of rituals: regulation of (a) emotions, (b) performance goal states, and (c) social connection. We examine the possible mechanisms underlying each function by considering the bottom-up processes that emerge from the physical features of rituals and top-down processes that emerge from the psychological meaning of rituals. Our framework, by appreciating the value of psychological theory, generates novel predictions and enriches our understanding of ritual and human behavior more broadly.
Frederick Clavel
The factors that allow people to be good support providers in relationships are not fully understood. We examined how support providers' stressful experiences (financial strain and racial discrimination) differentially influence their supportiveness, using longitudinal data from two samples of African American couples. Among couples that provided observational data (N = 163 couples), providers who experienced high chronic financial strain behaved less supportively toward their partners, while those who experienced frequent racial discrimination behaved more supportively over a 2-year period. In a second sample of 213 couples over a 3-year period, support providers who experienced financial strain were perceived by their partners as slightly less supportive, while providers who experienced frequent racial discrimination were perceived by their partners as more supportive. Findings suggest that supportiveness in relationships may be differentially shaped by the specific stresses and strains that partners face.
Bruce Doré
Although much research considers how individuals manage their own emotions, less is known about the emotional benefits of regulating the emotions of others. We examined this topic in a 3-week study of an online platform providing training and practice in the social regulation of emotion. We found that participants who engaged more by helping others (vs. sharing and receiving support for their own problems) showed greater decreases in depression, mediated by increased use of reappraisal in daily life. Moreover, social regulation messages with more other-focused language (i.e., second-person pronouns) were (a) more likely to elicit expressions of gratitude from recipients and (b) predictive of increased use of reappraisal over time for message composers, suggesting perspective-taking enhances the benefits of practicing social regulation. These findings unpack potential mechanisms of socially oriented training in emotion regulation and suggest that by helping others regulate, we may enhance our own regulatory skills and emotional well-being.
David S. March
Given the evolutionary significance of survival, the mind might be particularly sensitive (in terms of strength and speed of reaction) to stimuli that pose an immediate threat to physical harm. To rectify limitations in past research, we pilot-tested stimuli to obtain images that are threatening, nonthreatening-negative, positive, or neutral. Three studies revealed that participants (a) were faster to detect a threatening than nonthreatening-negative image when each was embedded among positive or neutral images, (b) oriented their initial gaze more frequently toward threatening than nonthreatening-negative, positive, or neutral images, and (c) evidenced larger startle-eyeblinks to threatening than to nonthreatening-negative, positive, or neutral images. Social-psychological implications for the mind's sensitivity to threat are discussed.
Amit Goldenberg & Kinneret Endevelt
For decades, increasing intergroup contact has been the preferred method for improving cooperation between groups. However, even proponents of this approach acknowledge that intergroup contact may not be effective in the context of intractable conflicts. One question is whether anything can be done to increase the impact of intergroup contact on cooperation. In the present study, we tested whether changing perceptions of group malleability in a pre-encounter intervention could increase the degree of cooperation during contact encounters. Jewish and Palestinian-Israeli adolescents (N = 141) were randomly assigned either to a condition that taught that groups are malleable or to a coping, control condition. During a subsequent intergroup encounter, we used two behavioral tasks to estimate the levels of cooperation. Results indicated that relative to controls, participants in the group malleability condition showed enhanced cooperation. These findings suggest new avenues for enhancing the impact of contact in the context of intractable conflicts.
Feng Bai
Recognition has grown that moral behavior (e.g., generosity) plays a role in status attainment, yet it remains unclear how, why, and when demonstrating moral characteristics enhances status. Drawing on philosophy, anthropology, psychology, and organizational behavior, I critically review a third route to attaining status: virtue, and propose a moral virtue theory of status attainment to provide a generalized account of the role of morality in status attainment. The moral virtue theory posits that acts of virtue elicit feelings of warmth and admiration (for virtue), and willing deference, toward the virtuous actor. I further consider how the scope and priority of moralities and virtues endorsed by a moral community are bound by culture and social class to affect which moral characteristics enhance status. I end by outlining an agenda for future research into the role of virtue in status attainment.
Priyanka D. Joshi: We introduce the construct of relational scope to refer to the degree to which an individual engages in communication with a more or less distant audience, with a contractive relational scope indicating a near audience and an expansive relational scope indicating a distant audience. Drawing on construal level theory, we argue that speakers use abstract messages strategically when faced with an expansive relational scope in order to be widely relevant and relatable. We show that speakers communicate more abstractly with distant others than near others (Studies 1–3) and experience greater fit when message framing matches audience distance (Study 4). We also demonstrate that framing messages abstractly prompts broader relational scope, with speakers more likely to direct concrete (abstract) messages to near (distal) audiences (Study 5). Finally, we show that when procedural information is critical to communication, communication with distant (vs. proximal) others will increasingly emphasize procedures over end states (Study 6).
Joshi, P. D., Wakslak, C. J., Raj, M., & Trope, Y. (2016). Communicating with distant others: the functional use of abstraction. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 7(1), 37-44.
Gabrielle Filip-Crawford: Negative behaviors targeting gay men and lesbians range from violent physical assault to casting a vote against gay marriage, with very different implications for those targeted. Existing accounts of such actions, however, are unable to differentially predict specific anti-gay behaviors, leaving a large theoretical hole in the literature and hindering the design of effective interventions. We propose (a) that many sexually prejudiced laypersons conceptualize homosexuality and pro-gay ideology as "contaminants" analogous to infectious pathogens and (b) that anti-gay behaviors can thus be viewed as strategic attempts to prevent, contain, treat, or eradicate the "pathogens" of homosexuality and pro-gay ideology. By considering analogues to disease-spread processes (e.g., susceptibility of specific subpopulations, inoculation procedures, prevalence in the local environment, interconnections among community members), we derive novel predictions regarding the incidence and nature of anti-gay behaviors and provide leverage for creating more tailored interventions to reduce such discrimination.
Filip-Crawford, G., & Neuberg, S. L. (2016). Homosexuality and pro-gay ideology as pathogens? Implications of a disease-spread lay model for understanding anti-gay behaviors. Personality and social psychology review, 20(4), 332-364.
Matthew D. Rocklage: Many situations in our lives require us to make relatively quick decisions as whether to approach or avoid a person or object, buy or pass on a product, or accept or reject an offer. These decisions are particularly difficult when there are both positive and negative aspects to the object. How do people go about navigating this conflict to come to a summary judgment? Using the Evaluative Lexicon (EL), we demonstrate across three studies, 7,700 attitude expressions, and nearly 50 different attitude objects that when positivity and negativity conflict, the valence that is based more on emotion is more likely to dominate. Furthermore, individuals are also more consistent in the expression of their univalent summary judgments when they involve greater emotionality. In sum, valence that is based on emotion tends to dominate when resolving ambivalence and also helps individuals to remain consistent when offering quick judgments.
Rocklage, M. D., & Fazio, R. H. (2016). On the Dominance of Attitude Emotionality. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42(2), 259-270.
Andrew H. Hales: Ostracism's negative consequences have been widely documented, but research has yet to explore the personality characteristics of its targets that precipitate ostracism. Based on theories of the functions of ostracism, we found that people are more willing to ostracize disagreeable targets than more agreeable targets (Studies 2 and 3). This outcome was mediated by participants' interpersonal trust toward the target, and was especially strong for people who highly endorse fairness as a foundation for morality (Study 4). Ironically, the experience of ostracism induced a state of disagreeableness: the very characteristic that elicits ostracism from others (Study 5). This relationship was mediated by feelings of anger (Study 6). Findings indicate disagreeableness is a particularly negative outcome of ostracism, because it leads to further ostracism.
Hales, A. H., Kassner, M. P., Williams, K. D., & Graziano, W. G. (2016). Disagreeableness as a Cause and Consequence of Ostracism. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 42(6), 782-797.
Laura Van Berkel: Hierarchy and dominance are ubiquitous. Because social hierarchy is early learned and highly rehearsed, the value of hierarchy enjoys relative ease over competing egalitarian values. In six studies, we interfere with deliberate thinking and measure endorsement of hierarchy and egalitarianism. In Study 1, bar patrons' blood alcohol content was correlated with hierarchy preference. In Study 2, cognitive load increased the authority/hierarchy moral foundation. In Study 3, low-effort thought instructions increased hierarchy endorsement and reduced equality endorsement. In Study 4, ego depletion increased hierarchy endorsement and caused a trend toward reduced equality endorsement. In Study 5, low-effort thought instructions increased endorsement of hierarchical attitudes among those with a sense of low personal power. In Study 6, participants' thinking quickly allocated more resources to high-status groups. Across five operationalizations of impaired deliberative thought, hierarchy endorsement increased and egalitarianism receded. These data suggest hierarchy may persist in part because it has a psychological advantage.
Van Berkel, L., Crandall, C. S., Eidelman, S., & Blanchar, J. C. (2015). Hierarchy, dominance, and deliberation: Egalitarian values require mental effort. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(9), 1207-1222.
Jonas R. Kunst: Although integration involves a process of mutual accommodation, the role of majority groups is often downplayed to passive tolerance, leaving immigrants with the sole responsibility for active integration. However, we show that common group identity can actively involve majority members in this process across five studies. Study 1 showed that common identity positively predicted support of integration efforts; Studies 2 and 3 extended these findings, showing that it also predicted real behavior such as monetary donations and volunteering. A decrease in modern racism mediated the relations across these studies, and Studies 4 and 5 further demonstrated that it indeed mediated these effects over and above acculturation expectations and color-blindness, which somewhat compromised integration efforts. Moreover, the last two studies also demonstrated that common, but not dual, groups motivated integration efforts. Common identity appears crucial for securing majorities' altruistic efforts to integrate immigrants and, thus, for achieving functional multiculturalism.
Kunst, J. R., Thomsen, L., Sam, D. L., & Berry, J. W. (2015). "We Are in This Together" Common Group Identity Predicts Majority Members' Active Acculturation Efforts to Integrate Immigrants. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 41(10), 1438-1453.
Kun Zhao: Economic games are well-established experimental paradigms for modeling social decision making. A large body of literature has pointed to the heterogeneity of behavior within many of these games, which might be partly explained by broad interpersonal trait dispositions. Using the Big Five and HEXACO (Honesty-Humility, Emotionality, eXtraversion, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness, Openness to Experience) personality frameworks, we review the role of personality in two main classes of economic games: social dilemmas and bargaining games. This reveals an emerging role for Big Five agreeableness in promoting cooperative, egalitarian, and altruistic behaviors across several games, consistent with its core characteristic of maintaining harmonious interpersonal relations. The role for extraversion is less clear, which may reflect the divergent effects of its underlying agentic and affiliative motivational components. In addition, HEXACO honesty-humility and agreeableness may capture distinct aspects of prosocial behavior outside the bounds of the Five-Factor Model. Important considerations and directions for future studies are discussed within the emerging personality–economics interface.
Zhao, K., & Smillie, L. D. (2015). The role of interpersonal traits in social decision making: Exploring sources of behavioral heterogeneity in economic games. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 19(3), 277-302.
James R. Rae: The industrialized world is becoming more ethnically diverse. Research in several disciplines has suggested that exposure to racial out-groups may be associated with more positive and more negative intergroup attitudes. Given that U.S. states are often at the center of debate regarding diversity-related public policy, we examined how exposure to out-groups is associated with state-level implicit and explicit race bias among White and Black Americans. We found that larger proportions of Black residents across U.S. states were associated with stronger implicit and explicit in-group bias among both White and Black respondents. State-level bias was predicted by proportions of Black residents even when controlling for (a) state-level demographic control variables (e.g., median income), (b) proportions of non-Black minorities, and (c) historical membership in the Confederacy. Our results convey the importance of investigating why diversity may not always have the positive impact on intergroup relations that one might hope it to have.
Rae, J. R., Newheiser, A. K., & Olson, K. R. (2015). Exposure to racial out-groups and implicit race bias in the United States. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 6(5), 535-543.
Samantha J. Heintzelman: Heintzelman, S. J., & King, L. A. (2014). (The Feeling of) Meaning-as-Information. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18, 153-167.
Bo M. Winegard: Winegard, B. M., Reynolds, T., Baumeister, R. F., Winegard, B., & Maner, J. K. (2014). Grief functions as an honest indicator of commitment. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 18, 168-186.
Jiyin Cao: Cao, J., Galinsky, A. D., & Maddux, W. W. (2014). Does travel broaden the mind? Breadth of foreign experiences increases generalized trust. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 5, 517-525.
Alyssa Fu: Fu, A. S., & Markus, H. R. (2014). My mother and me: Why tiger mothers motivate Asian Americans but not European Americans. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 40, 739-749.
Samantha Joel: Samantha Joel, Amie M. Gordon, Emily A. Impett, Geoff MacDonald and Dacher Keltner (2013). The Things you do for me: Perceptions of a romantic partner's investments promote gratitude and commitment. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39, 1333-1345.
Kyle G. Ratner: Kyle G. Ratner, May Ling Halim, and David Amodio. Perceived stigmatization, ingroup pride, and immune and endocrine activity: Evidence from a community sample of Black and Latina women. (2013). Social Psychological and Personality Science, 4, 82- 91.
Xiaowen Xu: Xiaowen Xu, Raymond A. Mar and Jordan B. Peterson (2013). Does cultural exposure partially explain the association between personality and political orientation?. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 39, 1497-1517.
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'Hope in Haiti': orphans armed with cameras capture a hopeful Haiti
In the aftermath of Haiti's catastrophic earthquake last year, the Western press bombarded the airwaves with images of death, destruction and chaos.
But amid the rubble, orphans armed with disposable cameras captured a much different Haiti -- one in which children smiled, danced and played.
"There's an innocence, an openness to the pictures," said Helen Klisser During, who distributed disposable Fuji Film cameras to 50 children at the Carma House Orphanage near Léogâne, Haiti. "You see the living conditions, but you also see the hope and resilience."
Brought to Connecticut from the epicenter of the earthquake, the images will be on view as part of "Hope in Haiti," a new exhibition at the Westport Arts Center. An opening reception and sale of work will take place on Friday, March 4, to benefit the Carma Foundation, the nonprofit organization that runs the orphanage.
Taken three months after the disaster, the images offer a rare glimpse through the lens of Haiti's most vulnerable residents. Rolls of film reveal photos of kids playing outside makeshift tents and huts, mothers holding and nursing their children and faces beaming in the soft glow of the afternoon sun. Structures like Carma House Orphanage, which crumbled during the earthquake, come into view incidentally.
It is telling that the children pointed their cameras at each other, rather than the devastation surrounding them, said Klisser During, director of visual arts at the WAC and curator of "Hope in Haiti."
"They took photos of people and faces, cats and dogs, the day-to-day," she said. "The orphanage is a stone's throw away from a tent city . . . but they chose to focus on positive things."
The exhibit includes 89 pictures by Carma House orphans, alongside Klisser During's post-quake images of Port-au-Prince, and light boxes featuring colorful photos of Haitian tap-tap buses by London photographer Elizabeth Jordan.
In the WAC Studio Gallery, there will be a selection of photographs from Bridgeport Animal Control taken by students at Staples High School entitled "Dog Show." The exhibit will raise awareness on the importance of adoption and the issues surrounding shelter conditions.
By Klisser During's account, the trip to Haiti was a "whirlwind." The journey began last March, during an exhibition of her friend, Jordan's photographs at New York University. It was there that she met Melky Jean, a friend of Jordan's and the sister of Haitian hip hop star, Wyclef Jean. Jordan and Jean, the founder of Carma Foundation, invited Klisser During to accompany them on a trip to the orphanage. She enthusiastically accepted.
"I thought, 'what could I give?'" she recalled, just before stepping on a plane bound for the small island nation. "What's most precious to me is taking pictures, capturing a moment and treasuring that."
Inspired by Zana Briski's 2004 documentary "Born Into Brothels," Klisser During gave out the cameras to the Carma House orphans and asked them to document their lives. None of them had ever used a camera before.
The idea meshed with Jean, the daughter of Haitian immigrants who established Carma Foundation to promote development on Haitian terms. She also thought it would be a great way "to show the world that there is hope in Haiti."
"You look at the smiles of the kids in these photos and you see they are no different from the kids smiling in New York," Jean said. "There are children living in these dire circumstances, but they're still finding a way to smile."
As Klisser During discovered during her trip to Port-au-Prince, that sense of hope wasn't confined to the Carma House orphanage. Despite the death, destruction and chaos, people across the Haitian capital had still found a way to smile, too.
"When you drive through Port-au-Prince, you see the Legislative Palace is collapsed, no one is clearing trash, no one is clearing rubble -- it's so close to chaos," she said. "But when you meet the people one on one, there is still that innocence, that hope. I tried to tell that story."
The Westport Arts Center is at 51 Riverside Ave. "Hope in Haiti" is on view Friday, March 4, through Sunday, May 8. An opening reception will be held Friday, March 4, at 6 p.m. Viewing hours: Monday-Friday 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday noon-4 p.m. 203-222-7070, www.westportartscenter.org.
"Hope in Haiti" events:
"¢ Vital Voices Connecticut Council presents Haitian activist and entrepreneur Phelicia Dell on Sunday, March 13 at 4 p.m.
"¢ WACky Family Day, "Music from All Cultures" on Sunday, March 20 at 2 p.m.
"¢ Storytelling: "Gimme Shelter" on Tuesday, March 22 at 7 p.m.
"¢ Westport Cinema Initiative Film Screening: "Wasteland" on Saturday, March 26 at 1 p.m. at the Westport Country Playhouse.
"¢ AmeriCares CEO Curt Welling presents "Restoring Hope in Haiti" on Thursday, April 7 at 6 p.m.


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Philadelphia Union 3, Harrisburg City Islanders 1 (after extra time)
CHESTER, Pa. – Maurice Edu and Andrew Wenger rescued the Philadelphia Union from a big upset bid from the Harrisburg City Islanders, scoring late goals to lead Philly to a 3-1 win in the fourth round of the US Open Cup on Tuesday at PPL Park.
Wenger scored twice in the second extra-time session after Edu – starting at center back for the first time this season – tied the game in the 89th minute on a feed from Sébastien Le Toux.
Harrisburg struck first in the 38th minute when Jason Pelletier scored on a rebound after rookie goalkeeper Andre Blake – making his first start for club after playing four games for Jamaica this year – made a diving save on a Coady Andrews header.
Although new interim manager Jim Curtin vowed to take the tournament seriously, the Union struggled to handle their depleted USL PRO affiliate for much of Curtin's first game in charge, only beginning to generate chances late in regulation. They nearly scored the game-winner in stoppage time, but 21-year-old Harrisburg goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre made a fantastic double save on Leo Fernandes and Andrew Wenger.
Sylvestre, rostered by the Vancouver Whitecaps as a Homegrown Player from 2011-12, finished with 10 saves.
The Union will host the NASL's New York Cosmos in the Round of 16 on June 24 at PPL Park.
Rochester Rhinos 1, D.C. United 0
D.C. United's 2013 Open Cup campaign ended with a bang – a third Open Cup title and a rare taste of glory during an abysmal campaign.
Their 2014 Open Cup run could not have ended more differently: an anti-climactic 1-0 loss to the USL PRO Rochester Rhinos in a torrential downpour at Sahlen's Stadium.
Neither team looked much like a title contender in the game's opening 45 minutes, but Rochester nevertheless found a way to get on the board. In the 13th minute, midfielder Mike Garzi collected the ball on the left flank, streaked past United defender Jalen Robinson and drove a low cross along the goal line.
Rhinos forward Colin Rolfe did just enough to get a boot on the service, tapping it past United goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra to give Rochester the early lead.
United – who fielded a lineup consisting primarily of reserves – were dealt a blow early in the second stanza when center back Steve Birnbaum was handed his second yellow card. Down a man, their comeback hopes were hampered even further when a severe storm moved into the area, delaying the match on two separate occasions and temporarily turning the pitch into a veritable lake.
Rochester advance to face the winner of Wednesday evening's encounter between the Richmond Kickers and the New England Revolution.
Columbus Crew 2, Indy Eleven 1 (after extra time)
In a match with plenty of drama, the Columbus Crew beat Indy Eleven 2-1 in extra time to advance in the US Open Cup despite playing with as few as nine men by the end of the match.
The Crew started the game fast, when Bernardo Añor headed home a Ben Speas corner kick in the fourth minute to give Columbus – the home team playing at the University of Akron's FirstEnergy Stadium – an early lead. But Columbus were forced to play with 10 men for the majority of the match after Adam Bedell earned a straight red card in the 34th minute for a rash challenge.
Indy capitalized in the 63rd minute when Montreal Impact loanee Blake Smith beat Steve Clark to level the game for the visitors.
The Crew clung to the level score into extra time, when Daniel Paladini became the second Crew player sent off in the 110th minute thanks to a late elbow borne out of frustration.
But Indy could not capitalize on the advantage, and when Ethan Finlay was brought down in the box, the Crew earned a late penalty kick and substitute Jairo Arrieta capitalized in the 115th minute to hand Columbus a hard-earned win.
FC Dallas 2, San Antonio Scorpions 0
FRISCO, Texas – It took a while, but FC Dallas finally broke down the San Antonio Scorpions through Fabián Castillo in the 74th minute to take their Lamar Hunt US Open Cup fourth-round match at Toyota Stadium. A second goal in the 81st minute by Andrés Escobar sealed the win.
Both teams played to maintain shape for much of the first half, with Dallas earning a reasonable edge in possession and a slight edge in chances. The second half saw San Antonio put more into getting behind the FCD defense with some success. Scorpions forward Billy Forbes produced a number of chances, but former FC Dallas forward Eric Hassli was kept relatively quiet.
The game-winner was Castillo's third goal in as many games for FC Dallas.
FC Dallas will now play in Houston against the Dynamo in the fifth round on June 24.
Colorado Rapids 5, Orlando City 2
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – The Colorado Rapids took advantage of their first Lamar Hunt US Open Cup home match since 2007, besting soon-to-be MLSers Orlando City 5-2 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Tuesday night behind a hat trick from forward Deshorn Brown.
The Rapids fielded a lineup filled with mostly starters and thoroughly outclassed their USL PRO challengers from start to finish, despite a surprise early goal from the visitors.
Colorado nearly went ahead several times in the opening quarter-hour, but in the 22nd minute and against the run of play, Orlando City midfielder Adama Mbengue took a terrific feed in the box, turned around and fired low, beating goalkeeper Clint Irwin for a surprise 1-0 lead.
The Rapids turned up the pressure following the goal, and in the 35th minute, they got their reward. Brown, making up for an earlier miss, terrifically brought down a volley and fired home for the equalizer.
Six minutes later, the hosts went ahead on Nick LaBrocca's first goal of the season. Marc Burch delivered a perfect cross to LaBrocca, who was initially denied by Lions goalkeeper Miguel Gallardo, only for LaBrocca to follow through with the go-ahead goal.
In the 47th minute, Brown put the result to bed with another terrific finish, slotting home from a tough angle, and in the 56th he chipped Gallardo for the hat trick, the first of his professional career.
Luke Boden pulled back a 71st-minute header for Orlando, but Colorado restored their three-goal advantage just two minutes later when Dillon Powers finished from a tough angle. The Rapids will now host the Atlanta Silverbacks on June 24 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
Portland Timbers 3, Orlando City U-23 0
PORTLAND, Ore. – Two first-half goals from Gastón Fernández, including one from distance in the 11th minute, sparked a Portland Timbers barrage Tuesday that ended in a 3-0 win over the Orlando City U-23s in a fourth-round game of the 2014 US Open Cup at a lively Providence Park.
Fernández drove a knuckling right-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area that beat Orlando City goalkeeper Tomas Gomez top shelf to open scoring. The Argentine attacker followed that up with a 36th-minute spot-kick goal from a penalty called on Gomez for undercutting a charging Maximiliano Urruti.
Rookie Taylor Peay, a second-half substitute, scored his first goal in a Timbers shirt, slotting past Gomez from a tough angle after a feed down the right flank from Urruti for the Timbers' third in the 68th minute.
The Timbers, who trotted out a starting lineup that combined first-choice players and part-time starters, outshot the PDL side 25-5 and will face the winner of Wednesday's matchup between Sporting Kansas City or Minnesota United in a Round of 16 game on either June 24 (at Kansas City) or 25 (at Minnesota).


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WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — President Barack Obama managed to fight off a struggling economy to capture a second term as the nation's chief executive Tuesday, vowing that "we've got more work to do" to cure the country's fiscal ills.
It wasn't the mandate he achieved four years ago, but Obama captured many of the same states he took when first elected in 2008, and was on the road to winning the popular vote — though that was in doubt at first. In defeating Republican challenger Mitt Romney, Obama won all the critical states where he held the slimmest of poll leads, including Ohio, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada.
Speaking to a large throng of supporters in Chicago early on Wednesday, Obama — his voice weathered by weeks of relentless campaigning — gave an impassioned speech in which he said, "The task of perfecting our union moves forward."
"We have fought our way back. And we know, in our hearts, that for the United States of America, the best is yet to come," Obama said.
Obama paid homage to Romney, congratulating him on a "spirited" race. It was a contest in which the two rivals fought bitterly, exchanging verbal broadsides in debates as well as tough rhetoric on the campaign trail.
"We may have battled fiercely but it's only because we love this country so deeply," Obama said.
Romney, meanwhile, stepped onstage in Boston early Wednesday morning to concede the race. The loss culminates six years that Romney, a former Massachusetts governor with roots as a manager in the business world, has vied for the presidency. His first attempt in 2008 failed when Sen. John McCain won the Republican nomination. He noted to supporters that he gave his all to this latest effort.
"Like so many of you, [running mate Rep.] Paul [Ryan] and I have left everything on the field," he said.
While wishing Obama well, he noted the deep divisions within the nation's political structure and pleaded with U.S. leaders to come together. Republicans were expected to retain control of the House while Democrats will stay in power in the Senate.
"We can't risk partisan bickering and political posturing. Our leaders have to reach across the aisle," Romney told supporters. He said he would "earnestly pray" for Obama's success in guiding the nation over the next four years.
Obama's first task will be to avoid a fiscal cliff that threatens to hurl the economy back into recession if Democrats and Republicans can't work out an agreement on reducing the nation's $16 trillion in debt.
Already, financial advisers were telling investors about the possible implications. BNP Paribas analysts said in a note to clients that the election's thin margin will mean neither party can claim a mandate.
"Moreover, this election result reflects an electorate begging for compromise," the brokerage's note said. "Consequently, we think we will end up with a broader and more benign compromise on the fiscal cliff, potentially including a lifting of the debt ceiling before year-end."
Obama will be swept into a second term despite an economy that crashed as he took office and has struggled ever since. Unemployment that topped out at 10% now stands at just under 8%. He is due for his second inauguration on Jan. 20.
Indeed, just a quarter of respondents to an exit poll conducted by the Associated Press on Tuesday say they're better off than four years ago — but about half say that former President George W. Bush is more to blame for the weak economy than Obama.
The president had told supporters there still was work to be done on the economy, and he made sure the public was aware of his foreign policy achievements, particularly the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. What remains uncertain is whether Americans will fully embrace his health-care overhaul and plans to boost green energy development.
Obama will fall short of his 2008 electoral vote total of 365, as he captured 303 at last count with only Florida's 29 electoral votes to be committed . Various tallies gave Obama a razor-thin but growing lead in the popular vote.
Along the way, Obama won a litany of key states. Along with Ohio, Virginia, Colorado and Nevada, he also took Pennsylvania — where Romney made a last-ditch effort to try and snatch the state from his hands — as well as Michigan, New Hampshire and Iowa.
Romney collected a number of states he was expected to win, including vote-rich Texas and the swing state of North Carolina, for a total of 206 electoral votes.
With many surveys showing a neck-and-neck matchup between Obama and Romney, the campaigns had braced for what could be a long night of counting returns. See MarketWatch live coverage of Election Day.
Markets had a strong Election Day, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average closing about 1% higher. However, stock futures overnight were pointing to a weaker start after the Obama victory. Read Indications.
In addition to the presidential race, a number of key Senate races went the Democrats' way. But the GOP retained control of the House, meaning that after billions of dollars spent on 2012 campaigns, there would be no shift in power this election season.
Two Republican tea-party favorites who made controversial remarks about rape were headed for defeat in their Senate contests. The candidates made the remarks in reference to abortion in the cases of rape and incest.
AP said Democrat Joe Donnelly beat Republican Richard Mourdock in Indiana, taking a seat long held by venerable GOP stalwart Richard Lugar. Lugar lost in the primary to Mourdock, who then lost ground with voters after saying publicly that it's God's will when a rape victim is impregnated.
Networks said Democrat Claire McCaskill was projected to retain her seat in Missouri after a hard-fought race with Rep. Todd Akin. Similar to Mourdock, Akin said that rape victims have the capability shutting down their reproductive systems when sexually assaulted.
A series of high-price Senate races also went the Democrats' way. In one, former Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine defeated another former governor of the state and a former senator, George Allen. Read story on costliest Senate races.
Elsewhere, Democrat Elizabeth Warren unseated U.S. Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts. Sen. Sherrod Brown retained his seat in Ohio, beating State Treasurer, Josh Mandel. Democrat Tammy Baldwin, a seven-term congresswoman, defeated former Gov. Tommy Thompson in Wisconsin. And, pro wrestling magnate Linda McMahon failed in her second bid for a Senate seat in Connecticut, losing to Democratic Congressman Chris Murphy.
Analysts say a close outcome of Tuesday's elections would not give either party a mandate to push tax and spending proposals through Congress.
"If so, the final weeks of 2012 are likely to be characterized by intense political wrangling over how to prevent the economy from falling off [the] 'fiscal cliff' at the beginning of next year, which would otherwise occur under current law," said a note from Capital Economics.
"A compromise at the 11th hour seems likely. But in the meantime, the uncertainty could keep the heat on the U.S. stock market," the note said.


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Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein
Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.com
DJ AM Memorial Fund To Launch At MusiCares MAP Fund Benefit
The eighth annual MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert will honor Alice In Chains co-founder Jerry Cantrell and certified interventionist and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Senior Consultant Neil Lasher at Club Nokia in Los Angeles on May 31. Cantrell will be honored with the Stevie Ray Vaughan Award for his support of the MusiCares MAP Fund, and for his commitment to helping other addicts with the addiction and recovery process. Lasher will be the recipient of MusiCares' From the Heart Award for his unconditional friendship and dedication to the mission and goals of the organization.
The event will feature a special presentation commemorating the official launch of the DJ AM Memorial Fund in honor of the late Adam "DJ AM" Goldstein. In conjunction with his mother Andrea Gross, the fund will assist MusiCares in providing addiction recovery services to its clients. While honoring the musical legacy of the late DJ AM and his commitment to sobriety, the fund will provide much needed resources to help free music people of the stigma and challenges of substance abuse.
Hosted by television personality Steve-O, the benefit concert will feature performances by GRAMMY-nominated band Alice In Chains featuring guitarist/vocalist Cantrell, guitarist/vocalist William DuVall, bassist Mike Inez, and drummer Sean Kinney; Ann Wilson and Nancy Wilson of Heart; Billy Idol with his band featuring drummer Jeremy Colson, bassist Stephen McGrath, guitarist Billy Morrison, keyboardist Derek Sherinian, and lead guitarist Steve Stevens; singer/songwriter Mark Lanegan (Queens Of The Stone Age, Screaming Trees); and Duff McKagan's Loaded. Artist Moby will DJ during dinner in honor of the late DJ AM.
All proceeds will benefit the MusiCares MAP Fund, which provides members of the music community access to addiction recovery treatment regardless of their financial situation.
For MusiCares MAP Fund benefit concert special dinner and concert ticket information, contact Wynnie Wynne at 310.392.3777 or email@example.com. General admission seats are available via Ticketmaster.


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Sunny Kitchen Halloween Party Frozen Yogurt Pumpkin Monster Squishy Charms
Sunny's Kitchen
Please hurry, only 4 left in stock
- 101325
- 4573133622174
- Condition:
- New
- Availability:
- Usually Ships within 36 hours
- Shipping:
- Calculated at Checkout
- 4573133622174
- Model Number:
- Material 01:
- Polyurethane
- Material 02:
- Steel bead chain
- Manufacturer:
- China
- Design From:
- Japan
- Licensed By:
- NIC ( TCP. co. jp )
- Licensed Brand:
- Sunny's Kitchen
- Tag Words:
- Halloween Party
- Style:
- Frozen Yogurt Pumpkin Monster
Sunny Kitchen Halloween Party Frozen Yogurt Pumpkin Monster Squishy Charms
© NIC licensed character series
Squishy Charms.
Softer and Slower-Rising.
By NIC (TCP co.,ltd)
Slow Rise !! Soft!! Cute and Looks Real!
Designed in and import from Japan.
Sunny Kitchen licensed by NIC squishies charms with a steel bead chain.
Be careful the mini bead attached on the surface, they will be peel off a bit when you take any action on it.
They are so nice for your backpack , cosmetic bag , key or cellphone.
You can squeeze these cute squishies but please be careful:
- Squishies are inedible, please do not let your children to use it alone.
- For preventing damage, please do not stretch too much and give strong impacts.
- Please do not place the cute squishies in a high temperature environment.
Note :
In the production process of squishies, may cause the appearance of some imperfections as small bubbles, dirt, other small colored dot or small hole.
Photos for reference only. Every effort has been made to reflect product colors as accurately as possible.However, due to factors such as differences in monitors and screen settings,we are unable to guarantee that the color you will see on your monitor will accurately reflect the actual product color.
Inedible item, please look after your children to use it.
For preventing damage, please do not stretch too much.
Dimension of squishy :
Width 7 cm (2.8") , Height 9 cm (3.5") , Depth 7 cm (2.8").
Material : Polyurethane , steel bead chain.
Manufacturer recommended age : 6 years +


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Join us on Wednesday, January 25th at 11 am PST for the first free webinar of our "Small Business Toolkit" webinar series in 2012, and learn rapport tactics that will help you establish solid relationships with your potential business prospects. This webinar will provide helpful insight and tips on building rapport, and will be hosted by industry expert, Michael Halper. Michael is an established sales and marketing professional, author and founder of Launch Pad Solutions, a sales consulting firm.
All registrants will receive a free copy of Michael's eBook, "The Cold Calling Equation – PROBLEM SOLVED."
Only 200 spots are available – so register today. Make sure you log in to the webinar early – attendance is on a first-come, first –served basis. For more information and to register, visit: AnyMeeting.com/webinars.


text: When I was small, I got to have two Christmas dinners; one was classic American, with ham and all the traditional sides, and one was an Italian version. I'm always fascinated by other people's food traditions; after all, the food makes the holiday. I asked around the office to find out what my co-workers and their families eat for Christmas and Hanukkah.


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Select a date for session times
Experience the thrill of being an astronaut inside a Russian space capsule using the latest 360-degree VR technology. Take the pilot's seat on a breathtaking 400km descent to Earth from the International Space Station. Produced by the Science Museum Group and narrated by British astronaut Tim Peake.
Allow up to 30 minutes for the virtual reality experience and plan your visit during peak times to ensure you arrive ahead of your booked session.
Note: Not recommended for children under the age 13 and people with certain medical conditions; glasses cannot be worn under the headset, but the focus can adjust to most vision types. Please read the health and safety notice before buying your tickets
Tickets: $10 (plus booking fee)


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Three Girls Missing From Seattle Group Home Found With Fugitive In Oregon
By Bill Galluccio
February 14, 2020
Three girls, who are all under 18 and reported missing from a Seattle group home, were found in Oregon in a rental car with a fugitive from California.
Officers noticed a suspicious vehicle parked near the Roseburg Municipal Airport around 4 a.m. on Thursday (February 13) and went to investigate. They made contact with the driver, identified as 41-year-old Maurice Pierre Hurth, and discovered he had multiple warrants out for his arrest in California.
Officers took Hurth into custody following a brief struggle and then learned that the three girls in his car were from Seattle and had been reported missing from their youth group home. The girls were taken into protective custody and transferred to the Douglas County Juvenile Shelter in Roseburg, Oregon.
An investigation revealed that Hurth was allegedly forcing the girls into prostitution, and he was charged with three counts each of trafficking in persons, compelling prostitution and first-degree custodial interference, as well a single count of encouraging child sex abuse in the first degree.
Photo: Getty Images


text: Go Shopping Mall. Congratulations!! Shopping Card holders only pay S&H Home My Account Cart Help Products Catalog As Seen On TV (11) Automotive (15) Apparel » Electronics » Kitchen/Cooking/Home » Jewelry/Watches » Luggage/Purses/Bags » Personal & Misc. » Music/Movies/Games » Nascar Collectibles » Outdoor/Sports/Fitness » More Info F.A.Q. Help Terms & Conditions Contact Us Your Cart is Empty Back to Catalog If you are a card holder You only pay Shipping & Handling. Card # Pin Cart Contents Your Cart is empty Featured Scrunchie Hose [More Featured Items] GoShoppingMall.com ©2011 Great Gifts @ Great Prices Home|Account|FAQ|Help|Terms|Contact


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International Machinery and Plant Engineering Forum in Vienna
ADVANTAGE AUSTRIA will host the International Machinery and Plant Engineering Forum in Vienna for the first time on 17 November 2015. The event will offer participating companies from all over the world the unique opportunity to expand their networks and find new business partners.
A range of informative talks on the industry's latest trends and innovations will be held in the morning and a matchmaking event will be hosted in the afternoon, enabling companies to hold individual b2b talks with the industry's top players and to sound out new opportunities for cooperation.
For more information on the event including registration, the programme, online appointments (B2B meetings) with other participating companies etc., please visit the event website .
The International Machinery and Plant Engineering Forum will be held in the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber in Vienna on 17 November 2015.
Participation at the conference is free of charge; registration is mandatory.
Related downloads
- Programme [pdf, 105.4 kb]


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WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday declined an early look at a constitutional challenge to the National Security Agency's bulk collection of millions of Americans' telephone records, instead allowing the dispute to work its way through the usual lower-court process.
The decision means the high court will not take the unusual step of short-circuiting appeals courts as they consider contrary opinions over the legitimacy of the agency's vast surveillance program.
Conservative lawyer Larry Klayman had persuaded a federal judge in December to rule that the agency's activities likely violate the Constitution's ban on unreasonable searches. The judge in Washington, D.C., put his decision on hold pending a government appeal.
The justices rejected without comment Klayman's long-shot request to bypass the appeals process and hear the case immediately. Klayman argued that the constitutional questions raised were too important to wait for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to reach a decision. But the Supreme Court rarely grants such requests.
It could take many months before the justices consider any legal challenge to the controversial collection program disclosed by former NSA systems analyst Edward Snowden. Klayman's lawsuit is one of two dueling NSA cases currently winding their way through the federal appeals system.
Just days after Klayman won his case, a federal judge in New York reached the opposite conclusion in rejecting a similar challenge to the NSA program from the American Civil Liberties Union. U.S. District Judge William H. Pauley III validated the NSA operation as an effective "counterpunch" to terrorist acts.
Other legal challenges to the NSA program have yet to be decided. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., and the conservative advocacy group FreedomWorks filed a federal lawsuit in February in Washington, D.C., seeking to have the phone records program declared unconstitutional. And a coalition of environmental groups, human rights activists and church leaders brought a similar challenge last year in San Francisco.
Klayman has said he made his push for a Supreme Court decision because he fears the Obama administration wants to have the New York case reviewed first, because it favors the government's position. Klayman contends the Justice Department is trying to stretch out the appeals process in his case. He says that the Supreme Court should not wait for the appeals process to play out, given the enormous consequences of the government's "outrageous intrusion of privacy" and the loss of constitutional freedoms.
The Justice Department declined a request for comment. The Obama administration has defended the NSA program as a crucial and effective tool against terrorism. The agency did not submit a brief to the Supreme Court responding Klayman's request to bypass the appeals process.
Earlier this year, President Barack Obama called for ending the government's control of Americans' phone data and immediately ordered intelligence agencies to get a secretive court's permission before accessing the records. It is not clear how the changes Obama announced might affect the legal fight.


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Bryanna a 35 year old single mom lost faith in love...
Falling For The Boss307315
- by livelaughlove79
- Rating:
- Published: 15 Oct 2016
- Updated: 18 Oct 2016
- Status: In Progress
this is my fan fiction about Stephanie McMahon Hemsley and Seth Rollins.working together in the authority no one noticed how close Stephanie and Seth got.what happens one day when Stephanie decides to do the unthinkable and cheats on her husband with Seth.
Join MovellasFind out what all the buzz is about. Join now to start sharing your creativity and passion
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Plane carrying 43 people crashes in Siberia
A passenger plane carrying 43 people crashed in Siberia shortly after taking off Monday morning, and Russian emergency officials said at least 16 were confirmed dead but at least 12 survived.
The ATR-72, a French-Italian-made twin-engine turboprop, operated by UTair was flying from Tyumen to the oil town of Surgut with 39 passengers and four crew.
The aircraft went down outside Tyumen, a major regional center in Siberia. The cause of the crash was not yet clear.
Emergency Situations Ministry spokeswoman Irina Andrianova said the 12 survivors were being flown to a hospital by helicopter. She said 16 bodies had been recovered so far.
The state RIA-Novosti news agency, citing rescue workers, said 17 people had survived the crash.
Russia has seen a string of deadly crashes in recent years. Some have been blamed on the use of aging Soviet-era aircraft, but industry experts point to a number of other problems, including poor crew training, crumbling airports, lax government controls and widespread neglect of safety in the pursuit of profits.


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Sitting pretty on the tropical Coast between Cairns and Townsville, Mission Beach is all secluded beaches, soft adventure and juicy, juicy mangoes.
This is the closest point to the Great Barrier Reef on the mainland and the stretch is nestled between lush rainforest and sandy beachside. At the heart of the Cassowary Coast is Mission Beach which encompasses four separate towns and 14km of palm-fringed beach.
Dive the Beaver Cay Marine Sanctuary, kayak to nearby Dunk Island and set up camp overnight or fly along the wet sand of Mission Beach in a blo-kart. Or, do barefoot luxury right in one of seven exclusive villas on Bedarra Island or at a beachfront resort or holiday house.
If you're up for the challenge of big game fishing for marlin, tuna and barracuda, head to Clump Point jetty and board a fishing charter. And if you're looking for adrenalin, throw yourself from a plane skydiving or down white-water rapids on the Tully River.
Looking to get back to nature? Hike or mountain bike the Misty Mountains trails once used by the traditional owners, the Jirrbal and Mamu people. Keep watch for the elusive southern cassowary.


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School Speech Language Pathologist (SLP ASHA CCC) 2020-2021 School Year- Madison, West Virginia
Soliant is working with a school district in Madison, West Virginia that needs a Speech Language Pathologist for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.
Graduate/Internship experience in a pediatric setting (or with pediatric patients) is preferred but not required.
Contact Davina Nelson via 770.799.2965 or email@example.com for more information.


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Sweeney competes for Miss America tonight
Mound House resident Diana Sweeney will compete tonight in the Miss America Pageant.
Sweeney, who was named Miss Nevada in June, is one of 53 contestants, one from each state plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, in Atlantic City for the competition.
The pageant will be broadcast at 9 p.m. today on ABC.


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Sacha Baron Cohen and his wife actress Isla Fisher with their adorable 2½-year-old daughter Olive Venice Beach, Cali yesterday (May 1)
Jodie Sweetin ex husband Cody Herpin says "Jodie is not ready for another baby"
Former child star Jodie Sweetin just recently announced later this year with boyfriend, club DJ Morty Coyle are expecting, however her divorced her second husband, Cody Herpin, with whom she has a 2-year-old daughter, Zoie. Cody spoke to The National Enquirer about his thoughts on her pregnancy-
"Raising a child takes a lot of time and patience. Jodie hasn't put in nearly enough time with our own daughter. And now she's having another child! I find it hard to believe Jodie will keep up her sobriety with the choices she keeps making. To have a child with somebody is no small thing. Hopefully, Morty realizes having a child with Jodie is a full-time job. That's something I had to learn the hard way."
Sex and the City Actress Sarah Jessica Parker with her twin daughters 10-month old twins Loretta and Tabitha enjoyed a stroll in New York City yesterday afternoon (May 1).


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When women go on a diet, we tend to avoid our favorite restaurants because they are filled with temptations — bread, booze and desserts. But are we doomed to sit in our kitchens eating salad alone while everyone else is headed out on the town if we want to keep the weight off?
Take heart, ladies. A new study of women in their 50s and early 60s finds they could eat out and still succeed at long-term weight loss.
"What was really surprising was that eating at restaurants did not predict long-term weight change," lead researcher Bethany Barone Gibbs of the University of Pittsburgh tells us.
The study looked at predictors of weight loss at six months, and then again at four years after dieting began. Early in the dieting phase, eating at home seemed to be most effective. But as the years went by, the women who were successful at weight loss seemed able to bring their healthier eating habits to the restaurant table. They were eating out about two to three times per week, compared with the average American, who eats out four to five times a week.
So what separated the successful dieters from the not so successful? For starters, cutting back on meats and cheeses was important. And eating fewer desserts and sugar-sweetened drinks such as soda or sweetened tea were both important.
But the most powerful predictor was what the women added to their diet. "The strongest effect actually was for fruits and vegetables," says Barone Gibbs.
The study found that four years after starting a diet, the women who added in daily servings of fruits and vegetables did best. The new findings, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics fit with another study published in the same journal last year that examined strategies for losing weight and keeping it off.
So how do women manage to keep down portions and resist all those restaurant temptations? Perhaps they've adopted the slow down and savor approach. As we've reported, women who participated in a mindful eating study were eating about 300 fewer calories per day after incorporating these techniques.
Now for some good news about losing weight. Many women over 50 find it a struggle to maintain a healthy weight. But a new study, published in The Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, sheds some light on what it takes for them to succeed.
And NPR's Allison Aubrey says the strategies are not as hard to swallow as you might think.
ALLISON AUBREY, BYLINE: The grumbles about the challenges of losing weight are all too familiar to Barbara Hogan. She's in her mid 60s and she hears it all the time from people her age.
BARBARA HOGAN: They say my metabolism has changed, everything I eat turns to fat, and they just say I can't seem to lose like I used to when I was younger.
AUBREY: Hogan listens politely and she's been there. But eight years ago, when she was in her late 50s, she took up rowing for exercise, which she does religiously, and joined Weight Watchers to jumpstart a diet. Now she's lighter than she was in her 30s.
HOGAN: I would say, my childbearing years, I was, on average, between 40 to 65 pounds overweight, most of the time. And I would go on crash diets and a lot of yo-yo dieting, and especially I used diet pills back in the '70s.
AUBREY: Which, she says, never seemed to work. So what's different about the way she eats now? Well, she says it's not so much a diet as it is a new set of eating habits.
HOGAN: I have for the first time in my life have a stabilized at-goal weight.
AUBREY: And she's able to maintain it, even though she's enjoying traveling and eating out more than ever.
It may sound too good to be true, but a new study of women in their 50s and 60s suggests Barbara Hogan is not an exception. The study compares the habits of women who were successful at long-term weight loss, compared to those who were not, and finds that certain habits predict success. For starters, cutting back - but not cutting out - meats and cheeses; and significantly reducing desserts and sugary beverages, such as soda and sweet tea.
But researcher Bethany Barone Gibbs says what made the biggest difference was what women added to their diets.
BETHANY BARONE GIBBS: The strongest effect was actually for fruits and vegetables.
AUBREY: The study showed that after four years, during which the successful women lost about 22 pounds, those who added extra daily servings of fruits and vegetables did the best.
And dietician David Grotto says this adds to the evidence that one key to successful weight loss is focusing on what people can have, instead of what they need to give up.
DAVID GROTTO: This focus more on what to add in, more so than what to take away from your diet, I think has borne out to be more successful. Adding in fruits and vegetables, adding in physical activity, adding in low-fat dairy products; lots of good research that supports that's most effective.
AUBREY: And the study also suggests that if you change your habits enough, you take them with you, even to restaurants. Bethany Barone Gibbs says the women in her study were eating out two to three times a week.
GIBBS: What was really surprising was that eating at restaurants didn't predict long-term weight change.
AUBREY: And that's important, because women in this age group - many of whom are empty-nesters - eat out and travel a lot. This is certainly true for Barbara Hogan.
HOGAN: The last three weekends we've been away, eating in restaurants in Massachusetts and Maine. And when I do eat out, I eat well.
AUBREY: But, she says...
HOGAN: I try to stay away from desserts, the rich desserts.
AUBREY: Or maybe she'll take half home with her.
Allison Aubrey, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.