Google Cars Drive Themselves, in Traffic

By JOHN MARKOFF

New York Time

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Anyone driving the twists of Highway 1 between San Francisco and Los Angeles recently may have glimpsed a Toyota Prius with a curious funnel-like cylinder on the roof. Harder to notice was that the person at the wheel was not actually driving. [Graphic]

Calling Phones in Gmail

By COURTNEY BANKS

Wall Street Journal

When I moved into my apartment in 2007, I had a home phone line installed. I cancelled the service soon after, deciding that it wasn't worth $30 a month for what was essentially a dedicated line for telemarketers and an occasional personal call.

The Playground Gets Even Tougher

By PAMELA PAUL

New York Times

SCARLETT made for a good target. The daughter of a Williamsburg artist, she wore funky clothing to her East Village school, had a mild learning disability and was generally timid and insecure. Lila, the resident “mean girl” in Scarlett’s kindergarten class, started in immediately.

10/10/10: They Love Just Thinking About It

By JOHN SCHWARTZ

New York Times

Sunday is the big day for saying “I do.”

More than 39,000 couples chose 10/10/10 as their wedding day — a nearly tenfold increase over the number of nuptials on Oct. 11, 2009, the comparable Sunday last year, according to figures gathered by David’s Bridal, the wedding superstore chain.

High Cost of Crime

By CHARLES M. BLOW

New York Times

When times get hard and talk turns to spending and budgets, there is one area that gets short shrift: the cost of crime and our enormous criminal justice system. For instance, how much do you think a single murder costs society? According to researchers at Iowa State University, it is a whopping $17.25 million. [Graphic]

Arizona Is a Haven for Refugees

By JASON DePARLE

PHOENIX — Here in Arizona, illegal immigrants get the boot. But refugees get the welcome mat.

Even as officials rage at what they have called the “invasion” of illegal immigrants, mostly Mexicans, Arizona has welcomed thousands of legal immigrants from such grief-torn lands as Somalia, Myanmar and Iraq, and is known for treating them unusually well.

The Great Mortgage Mystery

By BRETT ARENDS

Wall Street Journal

The big question from the mortgage meltdown isn't why so many distressed homeowners are defaulting on their loans.

It's why any of them are still making payments.

You, Too, Can Have More Self-Control

By ALINA TUGEND

New York Times

I HAVE a cold and a headache, and I just want to go to bed. But knowing that my editor is relying on me (and I’m relying on my next paycheck), I muster my willpower to stay at my computer and finish the column.

No more 'marriage gap' for college-educated women

By Donna St. George

Washington Post

White women with college degrees are now just as likely to get married as their less-educated counterparts, ending what researchers once thought of as a "marriage penalty" for generations of young women who sought out higher education.

Is It a Cold, Allergy, or Sinusitis?

By American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Have you ever had a cold or allergy attack that wouldn’t go away? If so, there’s a good chance you actually had sinusitis. Experts estimate that 37 million people are afflicted with sinusitis each year, making it one of the most common health conditions in America. That number may be significantly higher, since the symptoms of bacterial sinusitis often mimic those of colds or allergies, and many sufferers never see a doctor for proper diagnosis and treatment.

TV’s Future Has Arrived (Almost)

By DAVID POGUE

New York Times

Americans used to gather in front of their TV sets on, say, Thursday at 8 p.m. and tune in to Channel 3. The upside: the whole country had a common cultural bond.

Readers’ Recipes: The Potluck

New York Times

After much debating, testing and tasting, the editors of food52, Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, selected the top dishes to share. All recipes and photos were submitted by readers.

The Seat Not Taken

By JOHN EDGAR WIDEMAN

New York Times

AT least twice a week I ride Amtrak’s high-speed Acela train from my home in New York City to my teaching job in Providence, R.I. The route passes through a region of the country populated by, statistics tell us, a significant segment of its most educated, affluent, sophisticated and enlightened citizens.

Neuroticism expensive for society: study

By Anne Harding

MedlinePlus

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Neurotic people aren't only making themselves miserable; they cost society billions of dollars in health care spending and lost productivity, according to new research from the Netherlands.

What You Can Get Free

By JENNIFER SARANOW SCHULTZ
New York Times

What do passport photographs, workouts and e-books have in common? You can easily get all three at no cost, according to Kiplinger.com, which recently released its fourth annual list of 33 quality freebies.

Health Tip: Are You at Risk for Tetanus?

healthfinder.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services


(HealthDay News) -- Tetanus infection can result from exposure to a life-threatening bacteria found in soil. It can enter the body through an open wound, blocking signals from the spinal cord that help control the muscles.

Could I Have Lupus?

The National Women's Health Information Center (NWHIC)

Office on Women's Health (OWH)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

State and Federal Minimum Wage Rates as of July 1, 2010

By Ceredian

EPA-Registered Bed Bug Products

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

EPA has developed a search tool that can help you choose an EPA-registered bed bug product that meets your needs. You can search for a product by its:

Name
Company
EPA-registration number
Where you can use the pesticide
Pesticide type

Taxing drivers by the mile and not by the gallon

A tax on vehicle miles traveled (VMT) was shot down last year by President Obama. But a new study by respected transportation experts – and a successful pilot program in Oregon – should revive the idea.
By the Monitor's Editorial Board

Christian Science Monitor

As more Americans buy hybrid or electric cars, drivers in traditional gas-only vehicles are bound to start asking: Why should I still be paying more in fuel taxes? Don’t we all use the highways?

Business cards thrive in a digital age

By Michael S. Rosenwald

Washington Post

Paper is in peril. Hardcover book sales, down; e-book sales, soaring. Magazine and newspaper circulation are in decline. When was the last time you let your fingers do the walking in the Yellow Pages?

The Claim: A Soap-and-Water Rinse Gets Produce Cleanest

By ANAHAD O’CONNOR

New York Times

THE FACTS The prospect of ingesting pesticides and other contaminants can make supermarket produce seem less than appetizing. Buying organic lowers the risk, but is no guarantee against food-borne pathogens.

Diversity Visa Lottery

By: Joanne | October 05, 2010 | Category: General

GovGab: Your U.S. government blog

Interested in immigrating to the United States? Online registration for the 2012 Diversity Visa Lottery begins today, and ends November 3, 2010.

How Handwriting Trains the Brain

Forming Letters Is Key to Learning, Memory, Ideas

By GWENDOLYN BOUNDS

Wall Street Journal

Ask preschooler Zane Pike to write his name or the alphabet, then watch this 4-year-old's stubborn side kick in. He spurns practice at school and tosses aside workbooks at home. But Angie Pike, Zane's mom, persists, believing that handwriting is a building block to learning.

She's right. Using advanced tools such as magnetic resonance imaging, researchers are finding that writing by hand is more than just a way to communicate. The practice helps with learning letters and shapes, can improve idea composition and expression, and may aid fine motor-skill development.

Google TV

National Cyber Security Awareness Month 2010: Stop. Think. Connect

10/04/2010 01:31:00 PM

Official Google Blog

Governments, industry and everyday people have been abuzz this year about online security to a larger extent than ever before. People are talking about their information, how they share it with others and how they secure it. With more information moving online, and with cyber attacks on the rise, we think it’s important that we keep the conversation about security flowing.

Threat of global warming sparks U.S. interest in geoengineering

By Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post

It's come to this: Climate-conscious policymakers are beginning to contemplate the possibility of playing God with the weather in the hope of slowing global warming.

Debit cards replacing credit cards on college campuses

By Ylan Q. Mui

Washington Post

This is not a credit card offer. Instead, it is a new type of plastic that allows students to easily access money from their college loans everywhere from the bookstore to the bar with the swipe of a card. These cards, however, are not subject to the sweeping reforms that took effect this year and sought to curtail similar relationships between colleges and credit card issuers. Meanwhile, students complain that the loan cards are riddled with high fees, and they have organized protests at several campuses.

From ‘Avatar’ Playbook, Athletes Use 3-D Imaging

By JAMES GLANZ and ALAN SCHWARZ

New York Times

In the endless quest for athletic advantage, a handful of major league baseball teams are engaged in an elaborate, largely clandestine race to master an advanced imaging technology that some baseball officials think could influence the way athletes of all ages train, perform and recover from injuries. [Interactive Graphic]

The Folding Bike Goes Cool

Once the pocket protector of the cycling world, these adaptable rides have evolved into a stylish mode of transport
By MICHAEL HSU

Wall Street Journal

The appeal of foldingbikes goes beyond the fact that they're easy to transport and store. One minute, these bikes are cruising down the street. The next, they've contorted into an impossibly tight space with a bit of mechanical sleight of hand that can be as mesmerizing as seeing Optimus Prime turn into an 18-wheeler.

These Families Shop When Aid Arrives

By MIGUEL BUSTILLO

Wall Street Journal

HOUSTON—At midnight on the first of the month, a scene unfolds at many Wal-Mart StoresInc. sites that underscores the deep financial strains that many low-income American consumers still face.

Parking lots come to life after 11 p.m. as customers start to stream into the stores, cramming their shopping carts full of milk, infant formula and other necessities. [Interactive Graphic] [Slide Show]

Major changes are at hand for marijuana politics

By John Ingold
The Denver Post

SAN FRANCISCO — The medical-marijuana political movement in America began the night police busted into Dennis Peron's apartment with a warrant. [Graphic]

Traumatic brain injury leaves an often-invisible, life-altering wound

By Christian Davenport

Washington Post Staff Writer

The doctor begins with an apology because the questions are rudimentary, almost insultingly so. But Robert Warren, fresh off the battlefield in Afghanistan and a surgeon's table, doesn't seem to mind. [Video] [Slide Show] [Graphic]