An analysis of 4,202 attempted abductions that took place between February 2005 and March 2010 revealed that ...
Casual reading for the intellectually curious.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Attempted abductions
Source: National Center for Missing & Exploited Children | Credit: The Washington Post
An analysis of 4,202 attempted abductions that took place between February 2005 and March 2010 revealed that ...
An analysis of 4,202 attempted abductions that took place between February 2005 and March 2010 revealed that ...
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Freedom Trains
By DAVID OSHINSKY
In the winter of 1916, as Americans read the news of unimaginable slaughter in a distant yet rapidly spreading European war, it was easy to overlook stories like the one in The Chicago Defender reporting that several black families in Selma, Ala., had left the South. A popular African-American weekly, The Defender would publish dozens of such stories in the coming years, heralding the good jobs and friendly neighbors that awaited these migrants in Chicago, even printing train schedules to point the way north. Smuggled into Southern railroad depots by Pullman porters, dropped off by barnstorming black athletes and entertainers, The Defender emerged as both cheerleader and chronicler of an exodus that would lead about six million African-Americans to abandon the states of the Old Confederacy between 1915 and 1970. “If all of their dream does not come true,” it confidently predicted, “enough will come to pass to justify their actions.”
New York Times
In the winter of 1916, as Americans read the news of unimaginable slaughter in a distant yet rapidly spreading European war, it was easy to overlook stories like the one in The Chicago Defender reporting that several black families in Selma, Ala., had left the South. A popular African-American weekly, The Defender would publish dozens of such stories in the coming years, heralding the good jobs and friendly neighbors that awaited these migrants in Chicago, even printing train schedules to point the way north. Smuggled into Southern railroad depots by Pullman porters, dropped off by barnstorming black athletes and entertainers, The Defender emerged as both cheerleader and chronicler of an exodus that would lead about six million African-Americans to abandon the states of the Old Confederacy between 1915 and 1970. “If all of their dream does not come true,” it confidently predicted, “enough will come to pass to justify their actions.”
Please Omit Music (or Else)
Iran's top ayatollah doesn't like it—and he's not alone
By TERRY TEACHOUT
Advice to music lovers: Stay the hell out of Iran. According to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's maximum politico- spiritual leader, the promoting and teaching of music—not just Western music, but any kind whatsoever—is "not compatible with the highest values of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic." He "suggests" that Iranian youth should instead "spend their valuable time in learning science and essential and useful skills and fill their time with sport and healthy recreations instead of music." Those Iranians who prefer to do as they please run the risk of getting themselves stoned, by which I don't mean high.
By TERRY TEACHOUT
Wall Street Journal
Advice to music lovers: Stay the hell out of Iran. According to the Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's maximum politico- spiritual leader, the promoting and teaching of music—not just Western music, but any kind whatsoever—is "not compatible with the highest values of the sacred regime of the Islamic Republic." He "suggests" that Iranian youth should instead "spend their valuable time in learning science and essential and useful skills and fill their time with sport and healthy recreations instead of music." Those Iranians who prefer to do as they please run the risk of getting themselves stoned, by which I don't mean high.
How Debt Can Destroy a Budding Relationship
By RON LIEBER
Nobody likes unpleasant surprises, but when Allison Brooke Eastman’s fiancé found out four months ago just how high herstudent loan debt was, he had a particularly strong reaction: he broke off the engagement within three days.
New York Times
Nobody likes unpleasant surprises, but when Allison Brooke Eastman’s fiancé found out four months ago just how high herstudent loan debt was, he had a particularly strong reaction: he broke off the engagement within three days.
Venerable Craft, Modern Practitioner
By ROBIN SHULMAN
Robert Ambrosi sweeps into the restaurant kitchen, past sizzling chicken and buttery mashed potatoes, and goes straight for the knives — carving knives and chef’s knives, paring knives and fillet knives, all made dull by clashes with flesh and bone. He picks them up and replaces them with identical twins. Slide Show.
New York Times
Robert Ambrosi sweeps into the restaurant kitchen, past sizzling chicken and buttery mashed potatoes, and goes straight for the knives — carving knives and chef’s knives, paring knives and fillet knives, all made dull by clashes with flesh and bone. He picks them up and replaces them with identical twins. Slide Show.
Religious Outlier
By CHARLES M. BLOW
New York Times
With all of the consternation about religion in this country, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of just how anomalous our religiosity is in the world.
New York Times
With all of the consternation about religion in this country, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of just how anomalous our religiosity is in the world.
Friday, September 3, 2010
'Upsetting the Natural Order': Managing Employees Old Enough to Be Your Parents
Published: September 01, 2010 in Knowledge@Wharton
If one looks at the research on older workers -- those who are at or close to retirement age -- one finds what Peter Cappelli, director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources, calls "an incredible amount of discrimination, bigger even than discrimination against race or gender." Older people, he says, often find it difficult to get a job, partly because relatively young supervisors are reluctant to hire and then manage employees who are decades older, even though these employees are the type of worker many employers say they want.
If one looks at the research on older workers -- those who are at or close to retirement age -- one finds what Peter Cappelli, director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources, calls "an incredible amount of discrimination, bigger even than discrimination against race or gender." Older people, he says, often find it difficult to get a job, partly because relatively young supervisors are reluctant to hire and then manage employees who are decades older, even though these employees are the type of worker many employers say they want.
The Bed Bug Registry
The Bed Bug Registry is a free, public database of user-submitted bed bug reports from across the United States and Canada. Founded in 2006, the site has collected about 20,000 reports covering 12,000 locations.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Men’s Cosmetics Becoming a Bull Market
By ANDREW ADAM NEWMAN
New York Times
WHEN cosmetics began disappearing from her bathroom drawer a few years ago, Gretchen Bain, who lives in Merchantville, N.J., knew the culprit.
Her husband, Jarrod.
New York Times
WHEN cosmetics began disappearing from her bathroom drawer a few years ago, Gretchen Bain, who lives in Merchantville, N.J., knew the culprit.
Her husband, Jarrod.
Student Loan Debt Clock
By FinAid.org
This clock reports an estimate of current student loan debt outstanding, including both federal and private student loans.
Total student loan debt outstanding exceeded total credit card debt outstanding for the first time in June 2010.
This clock reports an estimate of current student loan debt outstanding, including both federal and private student loans.
Total student loan debt outstanding exceeded total credit card debt outstanding for the first time in June 2010.
Opening Statements: What to Wear to Court
Pleas of 'Not Guilty by Reason of Temporary Fashion Insanity' Won't Cut It; Lawyers and Witnesses Are Also Offenders
By CHRISTINA BINKLEY
By CHRISTINA BINKLEY
Wall Street Journal
There's a place where first impressions are even more crucial than at a job interview or at dinner with our future in-laws: the courtroom.
Yet court officials are constantly surprised by the imprudence of people's courtroom-clothing choices. Interactive Graphic and Slide Show
There's a place where first impressions are even more crucial than at a job interview or at dinner with our future in-laws: the courtroom.
Yet court officials are constantly surprised by the imprudence of people's courtroom-clothing choices. Interactive Graphic and Slide Show
Smoking & Tobacco Use: Hookahs
Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Hookahs—sometimes called water pipes—are used to smoke specially made tobacco. Hookah tobacco is available in a variety of flavors, such as apple, mint, cherry, chocolate, coconut, licorice, cappuccino, and watermelon.Hookah smoking is typically practiced in groups, with the same mouthpiece passed from person to person.
Rose Water Adds a Subtle Kick
By JOHN WILLOUGHBY
New York Times
LET’S just get this out of the way first: Yes, rose water does smell like your grandmother’s linen drawer. O.K., let that thought go.
Now, imagine walking past an Arabian garden, cool and green in the bright sun, with a fountain splashing softly in the background and a faintly sweet, almost undetectable fragrance of roses lingering in the air.
That’s rose water, too. Now, don’t you feel better about cooking with the stuff?
New York Times
LET’S just get this out of the way first: Yes, rose water does smell like your grandmother’s linen drawer. O.K., let that thought go.
Now, imagine walking past an Arabian garden, cool and green in the bright sun, with a fountain splashing softly in the background and a faintly sweet, almost undetectable fragrance of roses lingering in the air.
That’s rose water, too. Now, don’t you feel better about cooking with the stuff?
Shrek fish: Japan's aquatic ogre
Shrek fish? A huge fish that resembles the animated character is discovered off the coast of Japan
By Alicia Pflaumer
Christian Science Monitor
.
The 'Shrek' fish was recently discovered by scuba divers and is actually called an Asian Sheepshead Wrasse, which is commonly seen off the Japanese coast.
By Alicia Pflaumer
Christian Science Monitor
.
The 'Shrek' fish was recently discovered by scuba divers and is actually called an Asian Sheepshead Wrasse, which is commonly seen off the Japanese coast.
Young Women's Pay Exceeds Male Peers'
By CONOR DOUGHERTY
Wall Street Journal
The earning power of young single women has surpassed that of their male peers in metropolitan areas around the U.S., a shift that is being driven by the growing ranks of women who attend college and move on to high-earning jobs.
The earning power of young single women has surpassed that of their male peers in metropolitan areas around the U.S., a shift that is being driven by the growing ranks of women who attend college and move on to high-earning jobs.
Want My Advice? Um, Not Really
By JEFFREY ZASLOW
Wall Street Journal
When Amy Turek informed her parents that she wanted to have a destination wedding—on the beach in South Carolina—they gave her their best advice.
"They told me, Don't do it. It's too inconvenient for guests, too 'vacationy,' too selfish."
Her parents and other older relatives "were actually horrified," says Ms. Turek, who is 28 years old and lives in Wheaton, Ill. Ms. Turek disregarded her elders' advice and is getting married later this month by the ocean.
When Amy Turek informed her parents that she wanted to have a destination wedding—on the beach in South Carolina—they gave her their best advice.
"They told me, Don't do it. It's too inconvenient for guests, too 'vacationy,' too selfish."
Her parents and other older relatives "were actually horrified," says Ms. Turek, who is 28 years old and lives in Wheaton, Ill. Ms. Turek disregarded her elders' advice and is getting married later this month by the ocean.
The Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
Partnership for Public Service
The Best Places to Work rankings are the most comprehensive and authoritative rating and analysis of employee satisfaction and commitment in the federal government. The 2010 rankings are the fifth edition of this ongoing series, following the 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009 versions.
The Best Places to Work rankings are the most comprehensive and authoritative rating and analysis of employee satisfaction and commitment in the federal government. The 2010 rankings are the fifth edition of this ongoing series, following the 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009 versions.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
How America's opinion of the Iraq war has changed
The Economist
OVER seven years after the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, America's direct military involvement is now coming to an end. President Barack Obama will set out his new policy in a speech from the Oval Office on Monday August 31st. American public opinion on the war has changed enormously during that time. (Graph)
OVER seven years after the invasion of Iraq in March 2003, America's direct military involvement is now coming to an end. President Barack Obama will set out his new policy in a speech from the Oval Office on Monday August 31st. American public opinion on the war has changed enormously during that time. (Graph)
Teen Substance Use Seems to Differ by Race
healthfinder.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
WEDNESDAY, Sept. 1 (HealthDay News) -- A new California survey suggests that Hispanic middle-school students are more likely to smoke, drink and use marijuana than other kids their age, while Asians are the least likely to experiment with these substances.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Roll-Your-Own Cigarette Machines Help Evade Steep Tax
By DAVID KESMODEL
Wall Street Journal
WOOD DALE, Ill.—Scores of tobacco retailers in the U.S. are taking advantage of a federal tax loophole to offer deep discounts on roll-your-own cigarettes. But the practice is attracting scrutiny from regulators and cigarette manufacturers.
WOOD DALE, Ill.—Scores of tobacco retailers in the U.S. are taking advantage of a federal tax loophole to offer deep discounts on roll-your-own cigarettes. But the practice is attracting scrutiny from regulators and cigarette manufacturers.
Ten Fallacies About Web Privacy
We are not used to the Internet reality that something can be known and at the same time no person knows it.
By PAUL H. RUBIN
By PAUL H. RUBIN
Wall Street Journal
Privacy on the Web is a constant issue for public discussion—and Congress is always considering more regulations on the use of information about people's habits, interests or preferences on the Internet. Unfortunately, these discussions lead to many misconceptions. Here are 10 of the most important:
Privacy on the Web is a constant issue for public discussion—and Congress is always considering more regulations on the use of information about people's habits, interests or preferences on the Internet. Unfortunately, these discussions lead to many misconceptions. Here are 10 of the most important:
Smart Seafood Guide 2010
Food & Water Watch.org
Our Dirty Dozen: Here’s a quick guide to our “dirty dozen” of common seafood choices nationwide that we give a big thumbs down.
Our Dirty Dozen: Here’s a quick guide to our “dirty dozen” of common seafood choices nationwide that we give a big thumbs down.
Kids, Reading and Pets
HealthDay
MedlinePlus
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
MedlinePlus
A service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health
(Video)
Health Tip: Signs That People With Dementia Shouldn't Drive
Who may be at risk for driving badly
healthfinger.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
(HealthDay News) -- People with dementia may no longer be able to drive safely. Recognizing this may be a very difficult conclusion, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.
The agency says these symptoms indicate that a person with dementia is no longer safe behind the wheel:
healthfinger.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
(HealthDay News) -- People with dementia may no longer be able to drive safely. Recognizing this may be a very difficult conclusion, the U.S. National Library of Medicine says.
The agency says these symptoms indicate that a person with dementia is no longer safe behind the wheel:
Monday, August 30, 2010
They Crawl, They Bite, They Baffle Scientists
By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.
Don’t be too quick to dismiss the common bedbug as merely a pestiferous six-legged blood-sucker.
Think of it, rather, as Cimex lectularius, international arthropod of mystery.
Here's The History of Bed Bug Management by Michael F. Potter
Don’t be too quick to dismiss the common bedbug as merely a pestiferous six-legged blood-sucker.
Think of it, rather, as Cimex lectularius, international arthropod of mystery.
Here's The History of Bed Bug Management by Michael F. Potter
More U.S. businesses abandon outsourcing overseas
Bailey International has joined the emerging trend of re-shoring — companies bringing back overseas operations because the cost savings they expected from moving production to less expensive countries didn't happen.
By ED MARCUM
(The Knoxville News Sentinel)
By ED MARCUM
(The Knoxville News Sentinel)
Seattle Times
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The story of Bailey Hydropower Private Limited might sound like that of many U.S. manufacturers, except it happened in India — one of the world's top destinations for offshore operations.
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The story of Bailey Hydropower Private Limited might sound like that of many U.S. manufacturers, except it happened in India — one of the world's top destinations for offshore operations.
Tough New Workout Gear That Goes Easy on the Joints
By GWENDOLYN BOUNDS
Wall Street Journal
Greg Berman works out with the TRX Suspension Trainer at his San Francisco home.
Every week, Greg Berman squeezes in a total-body workout at home. He doesn't lift barbells and there's no room in his 1,000-square foot condo for a treadmill. (Scroll to the bottom for details on all the equipment mentioned in the article.)
Greg Berman works out with the TRX Suspension Trainer at his San Francisco home.
Every week, Greg Berman squeezes in a total-body workout at home. He doesn't lift barbells and there's no room in his 1,000-square foot condo for a treadmill. (Scroll to the bottom for details on all the equipment mentioned in the article.)
The Jewelry Prescription
Medical Bracelets Go High-Tech. Style Aside, More People Find They Should Wear Them.
By LAURA LANDRO
By LAURA LANDRO
Wall Street Journal
It's a simple step, but one many doctors forget to remind patients to take: Wear a medical-alert bracelet.
It's a simple step, but one many doctors forget to remind patients to take: Wear a medical-alert bracelet.
Things Forgotten: Simple Lapse or Serious Problem?
NIH News in Health
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Chances are you’ve walked into a room and forgotten why you went there. And misplaced your keys or eyeglasses at least a few times. Many people worry about these memory lapses. They fear they’re heading toward a serious condition like Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible brain illness.
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Chances are you’ve walked into a room and forgotten why you went there. And misplaced your keys or eyeglasses at least a few times. Many people worry about these memory lapses. They fear they’re heading toward a serious condition like Alzheimer’s disease, an irreversible brain illness.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Mesa family grows food in swimming pool
CANVAS STAFF REPORTS
abc15.com
MESA, AZ - Do you have an abandoned swimming pool that you just don't know what to do with? One family in Mesa, Ariz., decided to turn theirs into an organic greenhouse in their backyard. Web Site
MESA, AZ - Do you have an abandoned swimming pool that you just don't know what to do with? One family in Mesa, Ariz., decided to turn theirs into an organic greenhouse in their backyard. Web Site
Remembrances of Lives Past
By LISA MILLER
New York Times
IN one of his past lives, Dr. Paul DeBell believes, he was a caveman. The gray-haired Cornell-trained psychiatrist has a gentle, serious manner, and his appearance, together with the generic shrink décor of his office — leather couch, granite-topped coffee table — makes this pronouncement seem particularly jarring.
In that earlier incarnation, “I was going along, going along, going along, and I got eaten,” said Dr. DeBell, who has a private practice on the Upper East Side where he specializes in hypnotizing those hoping to retrieve memories of past lives.
New York Times
IN one of his past lives, Dr. Paul DeBell believes, he was a caveman. The gray-haired Cornell-trained psychiatrist has a gentle, serious manner, and his appearance, together with the generic shrink décor of his office — leather couch, granite-topped coffee table — makes this pronouncement seem particularly jarring.
In that earlier incarnation, “I was going along, going along, going along, and I got eaten,” said Dr. DeBell, who has a private practice on the Upper East Side where he specializes in hypnotizing those hoping to retrieve memories of past lives.
Neighborly Borrowing, Over the Online Fence
THE first time I unboxed my gleaming Roomba, I beamed like a proud new parent as I placed it gently on my hardwood floor.
That evening, I watched it putter around my apartment, sweeping and inhaling dust bunnies. When it gamely bumbled around bulky pieces of furniture, I dashed about, too, lifting the obstacles out of its way. After the Roomba finished its chaotic dance, I put it back into its case and patted the sweet little machine good night. The next morning, I returned it to its rightful owner.
The Roomba was mine for only 24 hours. I had rented it through a service called SnapGoods, which allows people to lend out their surplus gadgetry and various gear for a daily fee.
That evening, I watched it putter around my apartment, sweeping and inhaling dust bunnies. When it gamely bumbled around bulky pieces of furniture, I dashed about, too, lifting the obstacles out of its way. After the Roomba finished its chaotic dance, I put it back into its case and patted the sweet little machine good night. The next morning, I returned it to its rightful owner.
The Roomba was mine for only 24 hours. I had rented it through a service called SnapGoods, which allows people to lend out their surplus gadgetry and various gear for a daily fee.
E-Cigarettes Spark New Smoking War
By DAVID KESMODEL And DANNY YADRON
Wall Street Journal
ELMHURST, Ill.—Victoria Vasconcellos, the petite founder of an Internet retailer in this Chicago suburb, is in the thick of a regulatory battle that could affect millions of American cigarette smokers.
Ms. Vasconcellos imports electronic cigarettes from a Chinese manufacturer and sells them on her website, Cignot.com, to 14,000 customers. The 48-year-old is part of a growing legion of e-cigarette purveyors who are defying the Food and Drug Administration, which contends the nascent nicotine products are drug devices that require pre-market approval and may pose their own health risks.
Wall Street Journal
ELMHURST, Ill.—Victoria Vasconcellos, the petite founder of an Internet retailer in this Chicago suburb, is in the thick of a regulatory battle that could affect millions of American cigarette smokers.
Ms. Vasconcellos imports electronic cigarettes from a Chinese manufacturer and sells them on her website, Cignot.com, to 14,000 customers. The 48-year-old is part of a growing legion of e-cigarette purveyors who are defying the Food and Drug Administration, which contends the nascent nicotine products are drug devices that require pre-market approval and may pose their own health risks.
’Vettes That Blow Their Tops
By SCOTT STURGIS
New York Times
CHRYSLER minivans with air-conditioning problems and Corvette convertible tops that tear at high speed are the subjects of some of the latest technical service bulletins.
The bulletins are compiled by alldatapro.com and offer automakers’ insights into some recurring problems with various models. The bulletins, known as T.S.B.’s, are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealers’ service departments and mechanics.
New York Times
CHRYSLER minivans with air-conditioning problems and Corvette convertible tops that tear at high speed are the subjects of some of the latest technical service bulletins.
The bulletins are compiled by alldatapro.com and offer automakers’ insights into some recurring problems with various models. The bulletins, known as T.S.B.’s, are not recalls; they are information provided by manufacturers to dealers’ service departments and mechanics.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Beware That New Credit-Card Offer
By JESSICA SILVER-GREENBERG
Wall Street Journal
Amid all the junk mail pouring into your house in recent months, you might have noticed a solicitation or two for a "professional card," otherwise known as a small-business or corporate credit card.
If so, watch out. While Capital One Financial Corp.'s World MasterCard, Citigroup Inc.'s Citibank CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Mastercard and the others might look like typical plastic, they are anything but.
Professional cards aren't covered under the Credit Card Accountability and Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, or Card Act for short. Among other things, the law prohibits issuers from controversial billing practices such as hair-trigger interest rate increases, shortened payment cycles and inactivity fees—but it doesn't apply to professional cards (see table).
Amid all the junk mail pouring into your house in recent months, you might have noticed a solicitation or two for a "professional card," otherwise known as a small-business or corporate credit card.
If so, watch out. While Capital One Financial Corp.'s World MasterCard, Citigroup Inc.'s Citibank CitiBusiness/AAdvantage Mastercard and the others might look like typical plastic, they are anything but.
Professional cards aren't covered under the Credit Card Accountability and Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, or Card Act for short. Among other things, the law prohibits issuers from controversial billing practices such as hair-trigger interest rate increases, shortened payment cycles and inactivity fees—but it doesn't apply to professional cards (see table).
Chopin's Small Miracles
Despite their brevity, the Preludes loom large musically
By DAVID DUBAL
Wall Street Journal
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), whose 200th anniversary it is this year, is the overwhelming favorite composer for the piano. He possessed the most subtle intuitions and fathomed the mysteries of the world. Oscar Wilde once said of him, "After playing Chopin, I feel as if I had been weeping over sins that I had never committed and mourning over tragedies that were not my own." [Article includes audio music clips]
Frédéric Chopin (1810-1849), whose 200th anniversary it is this year, is the overwhelming favorite composer for the piano. He possessed the most subtle intuitions and fathomed the mysteries of the world. Oscar Wilde once said of him, "After playing Chopin, I feel as if I had been weeping over sins that I had never committed and mourning over tragedies that were not my own." [Article includes audio music clips]
The 2010 MetLife Study of the American Dream
MetLife
The results of the most recent MetLife Study of the American Dreamsuggest a country slow to rebound from economic troubles. While most Americans believe the U.S. economy will be the same or better this year than last, most see a long road to personal recovery—due in part to the deep financial hole that many Americans were in before the recession began. Yet even as they struggle to make ends meet by working harder, saving more and spending less, many believe the bar is still rising in terms of the basic necessities in life.
The results of the most recent MetLife Study of the American Dreamsuggest a country slow to rebound from economic troubles. While most Americans believe the U.S. economy will be the same or better this year than last, most see a long road to personal recovery—due in part to the deep financial hole that many Americans were in before the recession began. Yet even as they struggle to make ends meet by working harder, saving more and spending less, many believe the bar is still rising in terms of the basic necessities in life.
Friday, August 27, 2010
When It Comes to Butter Carving, There's No Margarine for Error
By JILIAN MINCER
Wall Street Journal
Linda Christensen didn't start as a sculptor, but the more than 500 busts she's churned out have built her a solid reputation.
She'll be carving this week at the Minnesota State Fair, where her career began almost 40 years ago. Thousands will watch as she molds a 90-pound block of butter into the likeness of the Midwest Dairy Association's newly crowned "Princess Kay of the Milky Way." Then she'll carve busts of the 11 finalists. Slideshow
She'll be carving this week at the Minnesota State Fair, where her career began almost 40 years ago. Thousands will watch as she molds a 90-pound block of butter into the likeness of the Midwest Dairy Association's newly crowned "Princess Kay of the Milky Way." Then she'll carve busts of the 11 finalists. Slideshow
Rumor to Fact in Tales of Post-Katrina Violence
By TRYMAINE LEE
NEW ORLEANS — In the days after Hurricane Katrina left much of New Orleans in flooded ruins, the city was awash in tales of violence and bloodshed.
New York Times
NEW ORLEANS — In the days after Hurricane Katrina left much of New Orleans in flooded ruins, the city was awash in tales of violence and bloodshed.
Heading Off to College? Don’t Forget to Properly Insure Everything You Bring to School
I.I.I. Offers Tips For Insuring College Students’ Possessions, Including a “Dorm Inventory”INSURANCE INFORMATION INSTITUTE
NEW YORK, August 24, 2010 - As college students and their parents begin planning for the new academic year, “check insurance” should be on their “to do” lists, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). For students who live in an on-campus dormitory, most of their personal possessions are covered under either their parents’ homeowners or renters insurance policy, although the issue gets more complicated if the student resides off-campus or owns a very expensive computer or sophisticated electronic equipment.
NEW YORK, August 24, 2010 - As college students and their parents begin planning for the new academic year, “check insurance” should be on their “to do” lists, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). For students who live in an on-campus dormitory, most of their personal possessions are covered under either their parents’ homeowners or renters insurance policy, although the issue gets more complicated if the student resides off-campus or owns a very expensive computer or sophisticated electronic equipment.
'Fire devil' tornado blazes trail near road in Sao Paulo state of Brazil
Tom Bonnett
Sky News Online
A fire tornado caused by brush fires and strong winds has stopped motorway traffic as drivers in Brazil gawped at the rare phenomenon.
The whirlwind of flames burned through fields beside the road in the northwest city of Aracatuba in Sao Paulo state.
Sky News Online
A fire tornado caused by brush fires and strong winds has stopped motorway traffic as drivers in Brazil gawped at the rare phenomenon.
The whirlwind of flames burned through fields beside the road in the northwest city of Aracatuba in Sao Paulo state.
Does Hope Have a Dark Side?
Some see yearning for a cure for a chronic illness as counterproductive.
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay
By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay
healthfinger.gov
U. S. Department of Health and Human Services
THURSDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Imagine suffering from a chronic illness that challenges you every single day. You have aches and pains, difficulty getting around and sometimes suffer from surprising decreases in energy. You take fistfuls of medication for relief and endure countless medical procedures to keep the illness from progressing.
THURSDAY, Aug. 26 (HealthDay News) -- Imagine suffering from a chronic illness that challenges you every single day. You have aches and pains, difficulty getting around and sometimes suffer from surprising decreases in energy. You take fistfuls of medication for relief and endure countless medical procedures to keep the illness from progressing.
Google Shakes It Up Again With Free Phone Calls
By David Pogue
New York Times
Google just loves upsetting the apple cart. It shook up Web searching and advertising. It shook up free, Web-based e-mail services when Gmail offered gigabytes of free storage rather than a few megabytes. It shook up the way companies go public.
New York Times
Google just loves upsetting the apple cart. It shook up Web searching and advertising. It shook up free, Web-based e-mail services when Gmail offered gigabytes of free storage rather than a few megabytes. It shook up the way companies go public.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Ancient Sport of India Touts Ties to Buddha, and Male Cheerleaders
Kabaddi, Cross Between Tag and Yoga, Has Global Ambitions; Do Hold Your Breath
By AMOL SHARMA
Wall Street Journal
BHOPAL, India—Star players in the ancient Indian sport of kabaddi share a few key characteristics. They're strong. They're quick on their feet. And, most importantly, they can hold their breath for two minutes while chanting the word "kabaddi" over and over.
Wall Street Journal
BHOPAL, India—Star players in the ancient Indian sport of kabaddi share a few key characteristics. They're strong. They're quick on their feet. And, most importantly, they can hold their breath for two minutes while chanting the word "kabaddi" over and over.
Toyota's Corolla is the people's car in Afghanistan
By David Nakamura
Washington Post
If this war-torn nation of 29 million is a magnet for foreign occupying forces that never seem to leave, it is also the land where old Corollas from across the globe come to die.
U.S. Rejected Hen Vaccine Despite British Success
By WILLIAM NEUMAN
Faced with a crisis more than a decade ago in which thousands of people were sickened from salmonella in infected eggs, farmers in Britain began vaccinating their hens against the bacteria. That simple but decisive step virtually wiped out the health threat.
But when American regulators created new egg safety rules that went into effect last month, they declared that there was not enough evidence to conclude that vaccinating hens against salmonella would prevent people from getting sick. The Food and Drug Administration decided not to mandate vaccination of hens — a precaution that would cost less than a penny per a dozen eggs.
New York Times
Faced with a crisis more than a decade ago in which thousands of people were sickened from salmonella in infected eggs, farmers in Britain began vaccinating their hens against the bacteria. That simple but decisive step virtually wiped out the health threat.
But when American regulators created new egg safety rules that went into effect last month, they declared that there was not enough evidence to conclude that vaccinating hens against salmonella would prevent people from getting sick. The Food and Drug Administration decided not to mandate vaccination of hens — a precaution that would cost less than a penny per a dozen eggs.
Share of Popular Bottled Water from Municipal Supplies Up 50 Percent
Food & Water Watch Analysis Reveals Uptick in Sourcing from Taxpayer-Supported Water Supplies
Washington, D.C.—New analysis of industry data released today by the national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch finds that almost half of all bottled water sold in U.S. retail outlets in PET plastic bottles now comes from municipal tap water supplies. Bottling Our Cities’ Tap Water shows that between 2000 and 2009 the share of retail-sold PET bottled water that is actually tap water grew from 32.7 percent to 47.8 percent.
food&waterwatch.org
Washington, D.C.—New analysis of industry data released today by the national consumer advocacy group Food & Water Watch finds that almost half of all bottled water sold in U.S. retail outlets in PET plastic bottles now comes from municipal tap water supplies. Bottling Our Cities’ Tap Water shows that between 2000 and 2009 the share of retail-sold PET bottled water that is actually tap water grew from 32.7 percent to 47.8 percent.
Legal requirements to provide your Social Security number.
Social Security Administration
Must I provide a Social Security number (SSN) to any business or government agency that asks?
The SSN was originally devised to keep an accurate record of each individual’s earnings, and to subsequently monitor benefits paid under the Social Security program. However, use of the Social Security number as a general identifier has grown to the point where it is the most commonly used and convenient identifier for all types of record-keeping systems in the United States.
Must I provide a Social Security number (SSN) to any business or government agency that asks?
The SSN was originally devised to keep an accurate record of each individual’s earnings, and to subsequently monitor benefits paid under the Social Security program. However, use of the Social Security number as a general identifier has grown to the point where it is the most commonly used and convenient identifier for all types of record-keeping systems in the United States.
Specific laws require a person to provide his or her SSN for certain purposes. While we cannot give you a comprehensive list of all situations where an SSN might be required or requested, an SSN is required or requested by the following organizations:
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Call Phones From Gmail
The Official Google Blog
8/25/2010 09:40:00 AM(Cross-posted from the Gmail Blog)
Gmail voice and video chat makes it easy to stay in touch with friends and family using your computer’s microphone and speakers. But until now, this required both people to be at their computers, signed into Gmail at the same time. Given that most of us don’t spend all day in front of our computers, we thought, “wouldn’t it be nice if you could call people directly on their phones?”
8/25/2010 09:40:00 AM(Cross-posted from the Gmail Blog)
Gmail voice and video chat makes it easy to stay in touch with friends and family using your computer’s microphone and speakers. But until now, this required both people to be at their computers, signed into Gmail at the same time. Given that most of us don’t spend all day in front of our computers, we thought, “wouldn’t it be nice if you could call people directly on their phones?”
A Forgotten Fight for Suffrage
By CHRISTINE STANSELL
New York Times
LOOKING back on the adoption of the 19th Amendment 90 years ago Thursday — the largest act of enfranchisement in our history — it can be hard to see what the fuss was about. We’re inclined to assume that the passage of women’s suffrage (even the term is old-fashioned) was inevitable, a change whose time had come. After all, voting is now business as usual for women. And although women are still poorly represented in Congress, there are influential female senators and representatives, and prominent women occupy governors’ and mayors’ offices and legislative seats in every part of the United States.
New York Times
LOOKING back on the adoption of the 19th Amendment 90 years ago Thursday — the largest act of enfranchisement in our history — it can be hard to see what the fuss was about. We’re inclined to assume that the passage of women’s suffrage (even the term is old-fashioned) was inevitable, a change whose time had come. After all, voting is now business as usual for women. And although women are still poorly represented in Congress, there are influential female senators and representatives, and prominent women occupy governors’ and mayors’ offices and legislative seats in every part of the United States.
Are E-Books Worth the Money?
By Brett Arends
Wall Street Journal
If you walk out of the cinema this week with a burning desire to read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," you can download it onto your Amazon Kindle electronic book reader–if you have one–for $12.99.
Then again you could just walk into your local Borders bookstore with a coupon and get the paperback for $10.
Wall Street Journal
If you walk out of the cinema this week with a burning desire to read Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray, Love," you can download it onto your Amazon Kindle electronic book reader–if you have one–for $12.99.
Then again you could just walk into your local Borders bookstore with a coupon and get the paperback for $10.
Defense official discloses cyberattack
By Ellen NakashimaTuesday
Washington Post
Now it is official: The most significant breach of U.S. military computers was caused by a flash drive inserted into a U.S. military laptop on a post in the Middle East in 2008.
Now it is official: The most significant breach of U.S. military computers was caused by a flash drive inserted into a U.S. military laptop on a post in the Middle East in 2008.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Overuse of Digital Devices May Lead to Brain Fatigue
By MATT RICHTEL
New York Times
SAN FRANCISCO — It’s 1 p.m. on a Thursday and Dianne Bates, 40, juggles three screens. She listens to a few songs on her iPod, then taps out a quick e-mail on her iPhone and turns her attention to the high-definition television.
New York Times
SAN FRANCISCO — It’s 1 p.m. on a Thursday and Dianne Bates, 40, juggles three screens. She listens to a few songs on her iPod, then taps out a quick e-mail on her iPhone and turns her attention to the high-definition television.
Wind Power Won't Cool Down the Planet
Often enough it leads to higher carbon emissions.
By ROBERT BRYCE
By ROBERT BRYCE
Wall Street Journal
The wind industry has achieved remarkable growth largely due to the claim that it will provide major reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. There's just one problem: It's not true. A slew of recent studies show that wind-generated electricity likely won't result in any reduction in carbon emissions—or that they'll be so small as to be almost meaningless.
The wind industry has achieved remarkable growth largely due to the claim that it will provide major reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. There's just one problem: It's not true. A slew of recent studies show that wind-generated electricity likely won't result in any reduction in carbon emissions—or that they'll be so small as to be almost meaningless.
Venezuela, More Deadly Than Iraq, Wonders Why
By SIMON ROMERO
New York Times
CARACAS, Venezuela — Some here joke that they might be safer if they lived in Baghdad. The numbers bear them out.
In Iraq, a country with about the same population as Venezuela, there were 4,644 civilian deaths from violence in 2009, according to Iraq Body Count; in Venezuela that year, the number of murders climbed above 16,000. Slide Show
New York Times
CARACAS, Venezuela — Some here joke that they might be safer if they lived in Baghdad. The numbers bear them out.
In Iraq, a country with about the same population as Venezuela, there were 4,644 civilian deaths from violence in 2009, according to Iraq Body Count; in Venezuela that year, the number of murders climbed above 16,000. Slide Show
Inside Neurosurgery’s Rise
By RANDI HUTTER EPSTEIN, M.D.
New York Times
NEW HAVEN — Two floors below the main level of Yale’s medical school library is a room full of brains. No, not the students. These brains, more than 500 of them, are in glass jars. They are part of an extraordinary collection that might never have come to light if not for a curious medical student and an encouraging and persistent doctor.
New York Times
NEW HAVEN — Two floors below the main level of Yale’s medical school library is a room full of brains. No, not the students. These brains, more than 500 of them, are in glass jars. They are part of an extraordinary collection that might never have come to light if not for a curious medical student and an encouraging and persistent doctor.
Online ranters increasingly pay a price
By David G. Savage
Tribune Washington bureau
Tribune Washington bureau
Seattle Times
WASHINGTON — The Internet has allowed tens of millions of Americans to be published writers. But it also has led to a surge in lawsuits from those who say they were hurt, defamed or threatened by what they read, according to groups that track media lawsuits.
WASHINGTON — The Internet has allowed tens of millions of Americans to be published writers. But it also has led to a surge in lawsuits from those who say they were hurt, defamed or threatened by what they read, according to groups that track media lawsuits.
Digital diversions leave teens, parents sleep-deprived
By Donna St. George
Washington Post
There are nights when Jane Hopkins feels like a sleep cop.
She will climb out of her bed in the wee hours to see whether her teenage sons are really asleep. If she spies them still awake, playing on the computer or the PlayStation3 in the basement of their College Park home, she will insist: It's time for bed. It was timehours ago.
There are nights when Jane Hopkins feels like a sleep cop.
She will climb out of her bed in the wee hours to see whether her teenage sons are really asleep. If she spies them still awake, playing on the computer or the PlayStation3 in the basement of their College Park home, she will insist: It's time for bed. It was timehours ago.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Case Against Corporate Social Responsibility
The idea that companies have a duty to address social ills is not just flawed, argues Aneel Karnani. It also makes it more likely that we'll ignore the real solutions to these problems.
By ANEEL KARNANI
By ANEEL KARNANI
Wall Street Journal
Can companies do well by doing good? Yes—sometimes.
But the idea that companies have a responsibility to act in the public interest and will profit from doing so is fundamentally flawed.
Can companies do well by doing good? Yes—sometimes.
But the idea that companies have a responsibility to act in the public interest and will profit from doing so is fundamentally flawed.
Spy novels by real spies: Anthony Burgess, John le Carré and others
By Mary Ann Gwinn
Seattle Times
Early this summer I asked an idle question of Seattle Times readers: What are the great spy novels written by authors who were actual spies?
Seattle Times
Early this summer I asked an idle question of Seattle Times readers: What are the great spy novels written by authors who were actual spies?
High-tech carts will tell on Cleveland residents who don't recycle ... and they face $100 fine
By Mark Gillispie, The Plain Dealer
Cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It would be a stretch to say that Big Brother will hang out in Clevelanders' trash cans, but the city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling -- and fine them $100 if they don't.
Cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- It would be a stretch to say that Big Brother will hang out in Clevelanders' trash cans, but the city plans to sort through curbside trash to make sure residents are recycling -- and fine them $100 if they don't.
Housing Fades as a Means to Build Wealth, Analysts Say
By DAVID STREITFELD
Housing will eventually recover from its great swoon. But many real estate experts now believe that home ownership will never again yield rewards like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century, when houses not only provided shelter but also a plump nest egg.
New York Times
Housing will eventually recover from its great swoon. But many real estate experts now believe that home ownership will never again yield rewards like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th century, when houses not only provided shelter but also a plump nest egg.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Peace of Mind: The Battle Can we 'choose' happiness or is it a matter of circumstance and genes?
By Paul Beston
Wall Street Journal
New parents are sometimes asked whimsically what they want for their children when they grow up. The safest reply, and most common one today, is: "I just want them to be happy." Another possible reply, often unspoken but certainly part of most parents' thoughts about their children's future, might be: "I just want them to be good."
Wall Street Journal
New parents are sometimes asked whimsically what they want for their children when they grow up. The safest reply, and most common one today, is: "I just want them to be happy." Another possible reply, often unspoken but certainly part of most parents' thoughts about their children's future, might be: "I just want them to be good."
How 13 dog breeds got their names
By Ethan Trex
Mental Floss
(Mental Floss) -- Every dog owner knows why they gave their dog its name, but how well do you know the story behind their breed names? Let's take a look at where a handful of common breeds found their monikers.
Mental Floss
(Mental Floss) -- Every dog owner knows why they gave their dog its name, but how well do you know the story behind their breed names? Let's take a look at where a handful of common breeds found their monikers.
How I (Almost) Saved the Earth
No one said it would be easy to build the greenest house on the block. Scott Adams on perplexing energy bills, ugly lawns and the true meaning of 'green'
By Scott Adams
Wall Street Journal
Let's say you love the Earth. You see an article in a magazine about a guy who built a "green" house using mostly twigs, pinecones and abandoned bird nests. You want to build a green home, too. So you find an architect, show him the magazine and say, "Give me one just like this."
By Scott Adams
Wall Street Journal
Let's say you love the Earth. You see an article in a magazine about a guy who built a "green" house using mostly twigs, pinecones and abandoned bird nests. You want to build a green home, too. So you find an architect, show him the magazine and say, "Give me one just like this."
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