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Crowdfund a divorce? Sites let you contribute to a couple's breakup
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A number of online funding sites are allowing individuals to raise money to pay for a divorce. - photo by Lois M. Collins
Folks have been able to tap friends, acquaintances and even strangers for funding for everything from a new wheelchair to honeymoon help to a college education. Divorce can now be added to that list.

FundedJustice.com is among sites that have recently begun to promote crowdfunded divorce on their website and twitter feed.

According to Quartz, Plumfund, an online fundraising platform created by couple Sara and Josh Margulis (who first set up honeymoon registry Honeyfund in 2006), has recently added Divorce as one of its sections. The thinking is to let people going through a divorce, or their family and friends, use the platform to raise money for various expenses, be they legal or custody fees or new furniture costs."

According to its website, on Plumfund one can use a divorce registry to raise cash for the divorce, for furniture and household items for a fresh start, for child care, attorneys fees and more. "Register for specific items with a Plumfund wish list, or simply pool cash donations. Gifts are free of charge with offline payments, or online at a very low cost."

Notes Quartz: "Accurate statistics on divorce rates in the United States have long been contested, but Plumfunds new venture which the founders claim has 114 divorce registries since launching in March is an addition to a growing dialogue around the parting of ways. Divorce party planning has emerged as a business of its own in recent years, and some parting couples are marking their trip to the courthouse with selfies.

Community Digital News helps explain the need: "Statistics about the average cost of a divorce are difficult to pin down, in part because the issues involved in a divorce can vary so much from couple to couple. According to Forbes Magazine and several legal websites, the generally accepted figure for a divorce that goes to court for any reason (a litigated divorce) is between $15,000 and $30,000. But it can be considerably more if the parties involved decide to go to war with each other."

A couple of years ago, the BBC reported on hot divorce trends, including the divorce party. Its example was a woman who took some friends and her wedding dress on an excursion to Las Vegas, where she used a submachine gun to shred the garb.

The "divorce selfie" has also been a viral hit of late, as the Deseret News reported in March.

The story also reported on the downside of divorce, especially if the couple has children. "A broad body of research shows that, absent some form of domestic violence or serious substance abuse on the part of a parent, kids fare better in two-parent households headed by the natural parents. In any case, children thrive best with lots of access to and love from both parents. A recent look at shared parenting after divorce by the Deseret News found that it might reduce conflict between father and mother, if they don't exhibit behaviors of an unfit parent."

It noted that "a large body of research shows kids who have strong relationships with both parents, including after divorce, are happier, do better in school, are less likely to be bullied and are less apt to engage in delinquent acts. Teen pregnancy is also reduced."
Its toxic: New study says blue light from tech devices can speed up blindness
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A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers. - photo by Herb Scribner
It turns out checking Twitter or Facebook before bed is bad for your health.

A new study from the University of Toledo found that blue light from digital devices can transform molecules in your eyes retina into cell killers.

That process can lead to age-related macular degeneration, which is a leading cause of blindness in the United States, according to the researchs extract.

Blue light is a common issue for many modern Americans. Blue light is emitted from screens, most notably at night, causing sleep loss, eye strain and a number of other issues.

Dr. Ajith Karunarathne, assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, said our constant exposure to blue light cant be blocked by the lens or cornea.

"It's no secret that blue light harms our vision by damaging the eye's retina. Our experiments explain how this happens, and we hope this leads to therapies that slow macular degeneration, such as a new kind of eye drop, he said.

Macular degeneration is an incurable eye disease that often affects those in their 50s or 60s. It occurs after the death of photoreceptor cells in the retina. Those cells need retinal to sense light and help signal the brain.

The research team found blue light exposure created poisonous chemical molecules that killed photoreceptor cells

"It's toxic. If you shine blue light on retinal, the retinal kills photoreceptor cells as the signaling molecule on the membrane dissolves," said Kasun Ratnayake, a Ph.D. student researcher working in Karunarathne's cellular photo chemistry group. "Photoreceptor cells do not regenerate in the eye. When they're dead, they're dead for good."

However, the researchers found a molecule called alpha-tocopherol, which comes from Vitamin E, can help prevent cell death, according to Futurism.

The researchers plan to review how light from TVs, cellphones and tablet screens affect the eyes as well.

"If you look at the amount of light coming out of your cellphone, it's not great but it seems tolerable," said Dr. John Payton, visiting assistant professor in the UT Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. "Some cellphone companies are adding blue-light filters to the screens, and I think that is a good idea."

Indeed, Apple released a Night Shift mode two years ago to help quell blue lights strain on the eyes, according to The Verge. The screen will dim into a warmer, orange light that will cause less stress on the eyes.