The Press-Dispatch
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The Press-Dispatch Summer gas prices to be stable—if… mer could stay relatively steady provided that an al- ready-tense Middle East doesn't flare up and noth- ing else happens to disrupt supplies, a Purdue Universi- ty economist says. As long as market con- Gasoline prices this sum- By Jessica Merzdorf, Purdue University global instability and disrup- tions in supply could force prices upward. As always, the political But Tyner cautions that said. On the other hand, slug- situation in the Middle East and U.S. relations with Iran will play a large part in what motorists pay for gasoline. "Any disturbance in the ditions remain basically as they are now, gasoline likely will remain between $3.50 and $4 per gallon in Indi- ana, said Wally Tyner, an ag- ricultural and energy econo- mist. Because regional vari- ability in gasoline prices has increased, motorists in Cal- ifornia and much of the West Coast can expect to see pric- es above $4 for most of the summer, and the South and Southeast below $3.65. Middle East or heightening of tensions with Iran could move crude oil up," Tyner said, "and that would send gasoline higher." Supply can be interrupt- in the economic crisis in Greece and an apparent slowdown in China's econ- omy could be important to summer's gasoline prices. "Economic growth or lack gish economic growth, an increase in crude oil produc- tion and higher-than-normal crude oil stocks could bring prices down. Recent developments ed by bad weather, such as hurricanes or tsunamis, or refinery or pipeline outag- es for other reasons. These can occur domestically and overseas. When they do hap- pen, they often temporari- ly drive prices up until the disruption subsides, Tyner worldwide has increased recently beyond global de- mand, a situation that would drive gas prices down. As production increases, crude oil stocks build to above-nor- mal levels, which also could cause oil prices and, there- fore, gasoline prices, to de- crease. If none of these situations thereof is a major determi- nant of demand for gaso- line," Tyner said. "If growth is slower, gasoline prices will be lower. Growth has slowed in China and in Eu- rope. If that slowdown con- tinues, it would put down- ward pressure on crude oil and gasoline prices." Crude oil production occurs, prices will remain steady, Tyner said. "While we cannot say how any of these factors will play out in the months to come, they are the key things to watch to determine where the pump prices will go," Tyner said. "If these fac- tors remain pretty much as at present, pump prices will do the same." Golfers can improve their putt with a different look made more successful putts in a smaller hole when a visual illusion helped them perceive it as larger," said Jessica K. Witt, an assistant profes- sor of psychological sci- ence who studies percep- tion in sports. "We know that how people perceive the environment affects their ability to act in it, such as scoring as basket or hitting a baseball, and now we know that seeing a target as larger leads to to improve their putting may find an advantage in visualizing the hole as bigger, according to a new study from Purdue University. "People in our study , Ind. - Golfers looking to better understand this effect, but we think the perceived increase in tar- get size will boost confi- dence in one's abilities." For the first time, Witt has shown how percep- tion and performance work together in softball, tennis and football. For example, softball play- ers who hit the ball bet- ter saw it as bigger, and people successfully kick- looked at how manipu- lating what athletes see could influence their im- mediate performance. Her findings are pub- lished in the April issue of Psychological Science. Witt's previous work improved performance. "More work is needed participants putted to two different-sized holes while a projector dis- played a ring of smaller and larger circles around each hole to create an op- tical illusion. The small- er circles around the hole made it look bigger. Be- fore putting, the person's perception of each hole was measured by having them draw the estimat- ed size of the hole. Their perception was correlat- ed with their scores, and those who saw the small- er hole, which was 5.08 centimeters in diameter, as bigger putted about 10 ing a football through the goal posts saw the target as larger. In this golf study, 36 percent more successful- ly. velop techniques to help athletes see their target differently," Witt said. "Effects of these visual il- lusions will then lead to improvements in perfor- mance." This work was sup- "A future goal is to de- ported by funds from the National Science Foun- dation and the Nation- al Institutes of Health. Witt collaborated on the study with Sally A. Linke- nauger, a postdoctoral fel- low at the Max Planck In- stitute in Germany, and Dennis R. Proffitt, pro- fessor of psychology at the University of Virginia. Wednesday, June 6, 2012 A-7 Tips to stay cool when it's hot By Golden Living Center Steps to keep older Americans safe in the corner, it's a good time to start thinking about ways to beat the heat. This is even more important if you are 65 and older. "Peo- ple in this age range are particularly vulnerable to heat-related illness," said Cathy Eckert, Executive Director, Petersburg. People in this age range the hottest weather With summer around steps you can take in the summer months to guard against dehydration, heat exhaustion, and heat stroke," said Eckert. Protect yourself in the heat are more likely to have chronic medical conditions that affect the normal way the body responds to heat, or they may take prescrip- tion medications that im- pair the way the body reg- ulates its temperature. Plus, as we age, our bod- ies may not adjust as well to sudden temperature changes and the brain makes us less aware that we are thirsty. "But there are simple air conditioner. If you don't have one, try opening win- dows on opposite ends of your home to increase air flow. You can also try run- ning a fan. On really hot days, place a bowl of ice in front of the fan to cool the circulating air. If you don't have an AC, try to spend the hottest • Keep Cool—Use your PRONTO it's the paper, No more waiting for the mail! Just log on and get the news you want. You don't even have to get out of your PJs. SIGN UP TODAY Just $5 per year additional to current paper edition subscribers or $35 per year for NETedtion only. pressdispatch.net/edition netedition Web, Smartphone, Tablet Go to pressdispatch.net/edition cool down on very hot days is to take a cool bath or shower. • Stay hydrated—Don't part of the day in an air conditioned place, such as a public library or an en- closed mall. Even a few hours a day in a cooler en- vironment will help your body stay cooler. Limit the amount of time you spend outdoors, but if you have to be outside, seek shade and use sun block. Another way you can wait until you're thirsty to drink more fluids. Water is best, and you should stay away from drinks with al- cohol, caffeine, or sugar. Also, avoid extremely cold liquids because these can cause cramps. However, if a doctor has advised you to limit how much fluid you drink, you should ask him or her how much is okay to drink in hot weather. • Cover up—When you go outdoors, you should always wear sunglasses to protect your eyes; wear a hat and lightweight, light- colored clothing; and apply sun block. • Pace yourself—If you have to be active outdoors, try to limit your activities to the cooler morning and evening hours, and rest of- ten in shady areas to help your body cool down. Start slowly and gradually pick up the pace of your activ- ity. Stop and find a cooler place to rest if you find that exertion leaves you gasp- ing for breath and makes your heart pound.