user: Conspiracy theories abound on El Chapo arrest
There's no way to know what led to the arrest of the world's most wanted drug smuggler.

Joaquín "El Chapo" or "Shorty" Guzman escaped from prison in 2001 in a laundry truck – he lived among safe houses in Sinaloa state and used tunnels criss-crossing the city of Culiacan to steer clear of the law. Most Mexicans say there's no way he could have been a fugitive of justice for 13 years, without the support of high-ranking officials in government, police and the military.But why was he taken down now? In Mexico, theories already abound.

One theory suggests that Mexican security forces were aiming to offer him up as a prize for Barack Obama who was here last week for a summit. In the hours before Obama arrived, there were reports Guzman, or his top lieutenant, had been caught in Sinaloa state.

People who believe this story point to an operation in Baja California in 2012, when authorities said they had Chapo surrounded at a vacation spot during a visit to the area by Hillary Clinton.

Then there are those on Twitter and in Mexico who say the timing of his arrest coincides in a suspicious way with incredibly flattering international media coverage for Mexico's president.

According to this conspiracy theory, Time magazine was bribed for putting President Enrique Peña Nieto on the cover with the headline "Saving Mexico" (Note: This of course is speculation and rumour - but many people here actually believe that), and that this capture makes for even better PR now – "He's actually saving the country from drug lords in Sinaloa and cartels in Michoacan!"

Along those lines there's the theory that after more than a year of saying he had made Mexico safer, Peña Nieto had to actually deliver something that would catch the international media's eye – so the fawning coverage could have a bit of substance.

It's important to note that despite laudatory coverage abroad, the president has approval ratings below 50 percent at home.

Finally, some in Mexico speculate that after 13 years on the run, Chapo was no longer useful to the higher-ups in government and police, who he must have bribed for years to stay free. It's a new era, they say - marijuana is being legalised in parts of the US and elsewhere and this hillbilly cartel leader wasn't needed anymore.

Of course, these are all conspiracy theories and need to be taken with a grain – if not a mountain – of salt.

Still, all of these theories have one thing in common - they all take for granted that the only way Chapo was free for so long is because the government didn't want to arrest him. That he had paid off the right people or that he was useful. That says a lot about Mexicans' mentality, the state of their government, and the every day reality in a country that ranks among the world's most corrupt nations.Whatever the reason, he's been caught. Many here will cheer the arrest – especially the president and his administration.

But will it put a dent in the billions of dollars worth of drugs that go north to the US every year and the thousands of weapons that come south to Mexico? Unlikely.

Chapo sat atop one of the most sophisticated criminal organisations in the world. There's no shortage of men with decades of experience waiting to take his place.

Will they slip into that role without a fight, or will this spark a bloody feud for power?
Please write a summary below.
Why was Mexican drug lord Joaquín 'El Chapo' Guzman, who had been on the run for 13 years, taken down now?
The Danger of Sitting Still
In recent years, a growing body of research (and a number of prominent news reports, including this, this and this) has suggested that one of the worst things we can do for our health on a daily basis is what I imagine most of us are doing right now: sitting still for long periods of time.

Many of us think that a heart-pumping workout at the gym can counteract eight or so hours of sitting in front of a computer screen, plus several hours of TV time at night after work. (Physiologists call that being an active couch potato.) But scientists now believe (for reasons that are still not fully understood) that excessive sitting may be so taxing on our physical health that even a vigorous workout once a day cant really counteract the deleterious effects. Indeed, it’s as futile as trying to counter a daily Big Mac diet and a pack-a-day smoking habit with a daily jog, scientists say.

When you are sedentary, muscle activity essentially stops, leading to a drastically lowered metabolism and a series of harmful consequences, like an increased risk of obesity, Type 2 diabetes and even death. As one prominent doctor told the New York Times, excessive sitting is a lethal activity.

The good news is that there are little things we can do throughout the day to help mitigate the effects of our sedentary lives. Doctors suggest that employees who work at computers stand up and take periodic short walks and breaks. While watching TV at home, try to stand up and do a light household task, like changing a light bulb, sweeping or cooking. Even something so simple as bending over to tie your shoes exerts more physical activity than just sitting still.

Some workers are turning to stand-up desks, adjustable-height desks that allow you to change positions throughout the day, or even the increasingly popular treadmill desk. (See pictures of such desks here and here.) Sitting on an exercise ball also involves more muscle activity and core strength than sitting on a typical desk chair.

Readers, how sedentary is your daily life, at work and at home? What, if anything, do you do to try to counteract the effects?
Please write a summary below.
In recent years, a growing body of research have suggested that one of the worst things we can do for our health on a daily basis is what I imagine most of us are doing right now: sitting for long periods of time.
Justin Bieber Shirtless Photos : People.com
03/01/2016 AT 01:00 PM EST

You can say a lot about Justin Bieber, but one thing you

say is that he wears too much clothes. In many ways, it seems as though Biebz is actually averse to covering up his (banging) bod with redundant fabric.

As a service to this great nation – nay, the world – we rounded up some of the least-clothed pics of Bieber, because life is short but his abdomen area is not. (It truly goes on forever.)

Is there a more appropriate way to celebrate Justin Bieber's birthday? No. No there is not.
Please write a summary below.


assistant: You're welcome, universe