April 30, 2010

The U.S. Census count is moving from the mailbox to the front door as canvassers get ready to begin visiting addresses that have not returned the 10-question survey that was mailed out last month. So far, about 72 percent of American households have returned their census forms. Now it's up to the 600,000 people hired by the Census Bureau to take the effort door-to-door and complete the tally by July. Source Link 

A new study gives mothers-to-be even more to think about when it comes to their diet. Researchers say what you eat in pregnancy can effect your children and your grandchildren's health, even if they eat right. Rats fed a high-fat diet had grandchildren that were 30-percent more likely to develop breast cancer. Scientists think the kinds of fats found in corn oil and non-grass fed meats can change genetic function to increase the cancer risk. Source Link

Bad news for bosses -- a new survey says Americans are more loyal to their favorite TV show, soft drink, or car brand than they are to their employer. The Reuters/Ipsos poll says number-one on the loyalty list is country, followed by family. The number-three loyalty for Americans is to their doctor. The poll showed that the majority of Americans do not believe that companies are doing a good job rewarding loyal employees or customers. Source Link

April 29, 2010

The nation's largest health insurer says it will stop canceling policies of patients after they get sick. The practice called "recission" is largely banned under the new federal health care law that takes effect in September. WellPoint says it will begin following the new guidelines on May 1st. WellPoint came under fire amid reports that it was using a computer program to identify and cancel coverage for breast cancer patients. Source Link

After high-tech methods have failed to stop the spread of  an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana, the Coast Guard is setting the slick on fire to keep the pollution away from shore. The leak began when an off-shore rig caught fire and began spilling oil into the gulf waters last week. The oil slick is threatening wildlife areas and oyster beds near the mouth of the Mississippi River. Source Link

So who's the better listener -- a man or man's best friend? A new poll says one out of three women think their pets are better listeners than their husbands. The survey conducted for the web site Petside.Com says about one in ten pet owners often talk about their personal problems to their pets. The cat-versus-dog debate continues here, as twice as many dog owners think their pet is a better listener than do cat owners. Source Link

April 28, 2010

President Obama says when it comes to finding ways to cut spending to tame the federal defecit, everything has to be on the table. Many think that means taking a hard look at the costs of Social Security and Medicare, which will continue to grow as the Baby Boomer generation collects benefits. Mr. Obama addressed the bi-partisan commission whose task it is to recommend spending cuts to Congress after the November elections. Source Link

Changes to how Facebook shares your user information have caught the attention of members of Congress. Four U.S. Senators are asking the social networking site to revise new features that allow advertisers and web sites to probe your friends list. They say the feature should be an opt-in, rather than forcing users to turn it off if they don't want it. The lawmakers say they'll ask the Federal Trade Commission to look into the matter.  Source Link

If you're looking to lose weight, it'll help to take notes as you eat. A new study confirms that keeping a food journal leads to better weight loss. Researchers say the practice is one example of self-motivation that helps dieters stay on-track when discipline can lag after about a month of weight loss efforts. The findings support some of the same techniques used by commercial programs like Weight Watchers. Source Link

April 27, 2010

The price of a gallon of gas is poised to push higher. Wholesale gasoline prices are on the rise and the pump price is expected to creep closer to the $3-a-gallon mark. The nationwide average stands at about $2.85 a gallon, some 80 cents more than it was a year ago. One factor that's been tempering gasoline price hikes is continued weak demand, despite a rising stock market and other signs of economic recovery. Source Link

Officials from the Wall Street investment bank Goldman Sachs are on Capitol Hill to answer questions from lawmakers about how they profited from the sub-prime mortgage meltdown. Emails from Goldman's CEO show the firm made money by betting against the same kinds of mortgage-backed securities that they were selling. Goldman Sachs has been charged with defrauding investors but denies any wrongdoing. Source Link

Think you wasted your time getting a shot to protect against H1N1 flu? Just wait, because it may pay off decades from now. Researchers say there's evidence that people who got a swine flu shot back in 1976 were better-protected against this latest outbreak. The government program that vaccinated 45 million people against swine flu 34 years ago was criticized at that time, as was the H1N1 program last year.  Source Link

April 26, 2010

Young America's addiction to cell phones and the Internet is just that, according to a University of Maryand study that asked college students to give up the phones and computers for a day. Researchers say participants displayed withdrawal symptoms including anxiety, cravings and an inability to function. The study's authors say college students are particularly vulnerable because so much of life on campus is now linked to texting and social media. Source Link

Cutting billions in health care costs could be a simple as remembering to take that pill every day. A study by one of the nation's biggest prescription providers says people who forget to take their medicine as directed or skimp on refills suffer side effects that require $106 billion a year in medical care. The study says another $50 billion could be saved if Americans would switch from brand-name drugs to lower-cost generics that are just as effective. Source Link

Legislation in Congress to deal with global warming is taking a back seat to a hot debate over immigration reform. Senate sponsors had planned to unveil a bill today that proposed new limits on greenhouse gases and endorsed an expanded role for nuclear power in the U.S. But now senators are focused on reworking federal immigration law after the uproar when a state law took effect in Arizona last week allowing police to demand documentation from suspected illegal aliens. Source Link

April 23, 2010

Don't look for "March Madness" to be supersized next year. The 2011 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament will have a field of 68 teams, just three more than played this year. There was talk of expanding the tournament to 96 teams. The new TV contract for the tournament calls for all first and second-round games to be nationally aired on CBS and Turner Broadcasting networks. The 14-year TV deal is worth nearly $11 billion. Source Link

It's a definite "thumbs up" for teens and text messaging. A new survey shows that one-in-three American teenagers sends at least 100 text messages a day. Researchers say texting is now the central form of communicating for most American teenagers, spurred by phone plans that allow for unlimited messages and the fact that texting can often be done secretly in front of parents or teachers. Source Link

Talk about your double whammy -- scientists have identified a gene variant found in about half the population that raises the risk of obesity and Alzheimers disease. The bad version of the so-called FTO gene reduces tissue volume in the brain's command center, making it harder to battle the effects of aging. The good news is that the increased risk of obesity can be offset by a low-fat diet and exercise. Source Link

April 22, 2010

More than one billion people in 190 countries worldwide are expected to participate in Earth Day activities today. This marks 40 years since the first Earth Day took place in 1970 with environmental rallies on college campuses. This year's big Earth Day gathering is set for Sunday on the Mall in Washington D.C. where organizers will demand tough, effective climate legislation. Source Link

A new study says more than 6,000 young children are poisoned each year by nicotine, and there's concern though that a new type of smokeless tobacco product could lead to more accidental poisonings and deaths. The new melt-in-your-mouth flavored nicotine pellets, sticks and strips look like candy and could be fatal to young children because they are more potent than cigarettes. Source Link

It's all about the Benjamins taking on a new look as the U.S. Treasury has unveiled the latest redesign of the 100-dollar bill. The new "C" note includes a high-tech 3-D security stripe with images that move as you turn the bill. This and other new features are designed to keep the real currency a step ahead of counterfeiters for whom the 100-dollar bill is the favorite target. The new Hundreds are to hit the streets beginning early next year. Source Link

April 21, 2010

Could young America's bulging waistlines affect the front lines of national security? A group of retired military officers thinks so. They say about one in four young people are now too overweight to serve in the military, and if the trend continues, it could make it difficult to fill the ranks of the armed services. The group is asking Congress to enact legislation to make school lunches more nutritious, in hopes of slimming down the next generation of recruits. Source Link 

Researchers say results of a new public survey show how a "perfect storm" of economic woes, bitter partisanship and epic discontent with Congress has combined to give government it's lowest approval rating in over half a century. The Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 80 percent of Americans do not trust the federal government to do what is right. Of those, about two-thirds say they're "frustrated" with government, while the rest labeled themselves as "angry." Source Link

The typical American gets about 50-percent more sodium in their diet than they need, and medical experts are urging the FDA to begin slowly weaning the nation off the salt shaker. The Institute of Medicine wants the government to revise its standards for sodium intake and cut recommended levels gradually over a number of years, to make the move toward less salt more palatable. The group says the effort could eventually save about 15,000 lives per year. Source Link

April 20, 2010

Toyota will pay a record $16.4 million fine for waiting months before telling government regulators about problems with sticky gas pedals on some of their vehicles. Meanwhile the U.S. Transportation Department says it's not done investigating Toyota. The world's top selling-automaker is also recalling its Lexus GX 460 sport utility vehicle after problems with its stability control system led Consumer Reports to give the model a "Don't Buy" rating. Source Link

Some German and British airports are reopening today as European officials have resectioned airspace over the continent in an effort to get more flights in the skies. Air travel to and from much of Europe has been crippled since last week when an ash cloud from an erupting volcano in Iceland grounded aircraft and hundreds of thousands of passengers. The shutdown is costing airlines an estimated $200 million a day in lost revenue. Source Link

Do you suffer from Hourglass Syndrome? That's what some call the stress of watching that little symbol spin on your computer screen while you wait for programs to load. A study commissioned by computer chipmaker Intel says two out of three computer users think their machines run too slow. The problem is magnified by multitaskers who want to chat, tweet, surf and watch videos all at the same time. Source Link 

April 19, 2010

Five of the nation's biggest airlines have pledged to not add fees for carry-on luggage. New York Senator Charles Schumer says American, Delta, United, U.S. Air and Jet Blue have told him they will not charge passengers who bring luggage on-board. Schumer has proposed legislation to block carry-on luggage fees. Discount carrier Spirit Air is adding a charge of up to $45 for each carry-on bag beginning in August. Southwest Air charges no fees for luggage. Source Link

It probably isn't society or parents who dictate that girls play with dolls and boys like toy cars. British researchers tested infants as young as nine months old and found that girls preferred the dolls, cooking sets and pink teddy bears, while the boys chose toy cars, trucks or a blue bear. The study counters those critics who have long said that such stereotypes are a matter of nurture and not nature. Source Link

Much about American society has changed over the past 40 years, but a new study says we're still the same church-going nation that we were. Researchers looked at how many days people attended church per year and found the numbers to be close to what they were in 1972. What has changed is that women, Southerners and Catholics no longer attend much more often than others. Researchers say church attendance in general has been on the rise after a decline in the mid 1990's. Source Link

April 16, 2010

Transatlantic air travel could begin to return to normal today after all flights in British airspace were canceled Thursday because of a giant ash cloud spewing from an erupting volcano in Iceland. It forced the the first complete cancellation of flights in Britain in living memory, grounding nearly 200,000 passengers. Meteorologists are hopeful that the ash cloud will dissipate and allow flights in and out of London to resume. Source Link

President Obama says he's committed to a revitalized U.S. space program that will land astronauts on the planet Mars within a quarter-century. The lofty goal will require development of a new generation of heavy-lift rockets that will begin in 2015. Before the Mars mission, the plan calls for a landing on an asteroid in the year 2025. The current Shuttle program will wind down by the end of this year. Source Link 

Do your tweets make history? They could someday, as the Library of Congress says it will begin archiving every one of the estimated 55 million Twitter messages that are sent each day. The Twitter stream could be a boon to future historians who study popular culture and social media, but don't expect to see your grandkids browsing your short messages. Officials say only researchers will have access to the Twitter archive. Source Link

April 15, 2010

New figures show that growing consumer confidence is translating into higher retail sales. The U.S. Commerce Department reports retail sales in March jumped 1.6%, beating the best estimates from economists. The increases were across the board, including home furnishings, building supplies, clothing, general merchandise and car sales, which were up nearly 7 percent. The bad news is that the economic recovery isn't expected to generate many new jobs. Source Link

This year's college graduates face one of the toughest job markets in decades. A Michigan State University survey says employers have cut their plans for new hires by up to 40% for the Class of 2010. Medium-sized employers are offering the fewest new jobs. Among the best prospects are those in nursing, e-commerce and information systems. The survey says employers are doing fewer job interviews, instead choosing new hires from the ranks of their own college interns. Source Link

April 15th is Tax Day and the deadline to file income tax returns, but one group says the day to celebrate came about a week ago. The Tax Foundation says Tax Freedom Day was April 9th, marking the 99 days since January 1st that the average American had to work to pay their tax obligation this year. The group says Americans will pay more taxes in 2010 than they'll spend on food, clothing and shelter combined. Source Link

April 14, 2010

A battle is brewing over one airline's move to charge a fee for carry-on luggage. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray La Hood calls the Spirit Airlines plan "outrageous" and says he'll have his regulators try to stop it. Meanwhile New York Senator Charles Schumer says he'll propose legislation to prevent such a fee. The CEO of Spirit Air says the fee will limit overflow in cabin storage bins and make check-in and boarding faster and safer. Source Link

Sleeping less leads to eating more, according to a new study that looked at what happens to appetites when people skimp on their daily rest. Men ate bigger breakfasts and dinners, packing in 500 more calories each day when they were sleep-deprived. Researchers say shorter sleep cycles trigger the brain to eat more, drawing on ancient habits from when early man ate more during the longer days of summer when food was bountiful. Source Link

A new study bears out what most of us already suspected -- changing your computer password frequently doesn't really protect against hackers. Researchers from Microsoft who studied password security said frequent changes don't deter attacks because stolen passwords are often used immediately, long before the next change. The mandate to regularly change computer passwords is common in many businesses, frustrating users and IT managers alike. Source Link

April 13, 2010

Former "Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien will be taking his late night comedy act to cable network TBS beginning in November. The announcement came on the day O'Brien kicked off a 30-city tour of a comedy stage show that includes members of his former "Tonight" team. The Fox television network had been rumored as a landing spot for O'Brien after NBC paid him $32 million in February to give up the Tonight Show job so they could hand it back to Jay Leno. Source Link

Astronauts from three countries held a celebration aboard the International Space Station to mark a pair of anniversaries on the same day -- 49 years since the world's first manned spaceflight and 29 years since the first Space Shuttle flight. The future of U.S. manned spaceflight is up in the air. Only three more missions are planned before the Space Shuttle fleet is retired, and the White House and Congress are debating whether to privatize the job of building the next generation of U.S. spacecraft. Source Link

As springtime brings more bikes out of storage and onto the nation's roads and highways, new research says the growing mix of baby boomers and motorcycles is making for more two-wheeled trouble that ends up in the emergency room -- or worse. A University of Rochester study found that older road warriors are now twice as likely to die in motorcycle crashes as they were 10 years ago. Riders aged 40 and over now make up half of those who are injured in motorcycle accidents. Source Link

April 12, 2010

State coffers are filling with new tax money from cigarette sales, but none of it is going to efforts to keep people from lighting-up. The Centers for Disease Control says 14 states and the District of Columbia raised cigarette taxes last year without dedicating any of it to stop-smoking efforts. Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in the United States and accounts for one in four deaths each year. Source Link

There's a new test that it's author claims can determine your risk of developing Alzheimer’s long before symptoms appear. The Ohio State University neurologist who created the memory test says it identifies persons at higher risk of developing dementia with 80-percent accuracy and can allow treatment to begin sooner. The written test takes about 15 minutes to complete and can be downloaded free from the Internet. Source Link

A new super beer that packs more than six times the punch of regular brew is appearing on some U.S. store shelves. The Scottish brand called Tactical Nuclear Penguin has 32-percent alcohol content that's achieved by chilling the beer to minus-six degrees for 21 days to remove water and leave more alcohol. For those who think the super-potent beer could encourage overindulging, the price tag of $53 per bottle would make a binge quite expensive. Source Link

April 9, 2010

It's age before employment in the U.S. workforce these days. A new study by the Economic Policy Institute says baby boomers are delaying retirement to rebuild nest eggs, and that's cutting job prospects for young adults. Unemployment rose at twice the national rate for 16-to-24 year olds, many of whom have little job experience, no savings and big debt from college loans. Source Link

Scientists say they've found a genetic roadmap that could predict a smoker's risk of developing lung cancer long before symptoms appear. The gene can be identified in a throat tissue sample. The same researchers are testing a new natural supplement that appears to shrink precancerous lesions in the lungs. Lung cancer kills over a million people world-wide each year. Source Link

No more strictly one at-a-time for apps on the iPhone. A key feature for the new iPhone operating system will allow users to have more than one application open at the same time. The lack of multitasking has been a sore point for iPhone users. The software upgrade will be standard on the next edition of the iPhone coming later this year. Source Link

April 8, 2010

General Motors says by this summer it will pay off nearly $7 billion in government loans that kept the embattled carmaker afloat last year. That would be five years ahead of schedule. It still owes $45 billion that Uncle Sam took as the taxpayer's share of the company. That money could come back to government coffers with a public stock offering. GM says it hopes to return to profitability sometime this year. Source Link

Government health officials admit that the excitement over getting Americans protected against swine flu last year got too far ahead of availability of the vaccine. And by the time production caught up, there were few still willing to roll up their sleeves. Only 86 million Americans got vaccinated for H1N1, and about one out of four doses remain unused. Swine flu is blamed for 12,000 deaths and a quarter-million hospitalizations. Source Link

If animal welfare advocates have their way, soon the main ingredient in your omelet will come from a cage-free chicken. The Humane Society of the United States says their latest undercover investigation found "rampant abuse" of caged hens at some of the nations biggest egg producers. In some cases, the hens were confined to a space smaller than a sheet of paper and unable to reach food or water. Source Link

April 7, 2010

The nuclear option won't be on the table for the United States to retaliate against countries that don't have the bomb. President Obama says he won't use nuclear weapons against non-nuclear countries. The new policy does not affect rogue states like North Korea because it refuses to let international inspectors verify that they are nuke-free. Source Link

First it was fees for checked bags on most U.S. airlines. Now the extra cost is extending to carry-on's as well. Beginning in August, low-cost carrier Spirit Air will charge between $20 and $45 if you want to place a bag in an overhead bin. The airline says it's also lowering fares and is presenting the new carry-on charge as an effort to give passengers transparency and choice in what they pay to fly. Source Link

A new study of 60 years worth of weather records in the Northeast shows not a lot more rain, but more fierce storms. The University of New Hampshire study says there's a growing trend of more days when at least an inch of rain falls. Some debate whether this is evidence of global warming, but all agree that more heavy storms come with a price tag in the form of flood damage and the need for infrastructure upgrades. Source Link

April 6, 2010

Tiger Woods says when it comes to The Masters golf tournament, he's in it to win it. At a news conference after the first practice round at the Augusta National course, Woods again apologized for behavior in his personal life and said he'll also be more respectful on the golf course. It was the first time Woods had faced reporter's questions since a sex scandal pulled him off the golf tour and into rehab for several months. Source Link

A new study from the American Academy of Pediatrics puts some big numbers behind the push to get more new mothers to breast-feed their infants. Researchers say if nine out of ten mothers were breast-feeding, the health benefits would save about 900 young lives every year, along with billions of dollars. Mother's milk has antibodies that help babies fight infections and can even make breast-fed babies less likely to develop diabetes and obesity. Source Link

With unintended acceleration on the minds of American drivers and federal auto regulators, General Motors says it will install a brake safety feature on all its new vehicles within two years. The brake override would cut power to the engine when the driver steps on both the brake and accelerator or when a gas pedal is stuck. The problem has been in the spotlight after reports of unintended acceleration in Toyota vehicles. Source Link

April 5, 2010

As Duke and Butler face-off tonight to determine the NCAA's 2010 Division One Men's basketball champion, it looks like next year's winner could be coming from a much bigger field. NCAA officials have outlined a plan to expand the Men's tournament to 96 teams, adding an additional round of games in the second week of competition. The plan hinges on approval of a new television contract for the 2011 tournament. Source Link

It'll take more than a few cents in extra sales tax on sugary soft drinks to help trim America's waistline. A Rand Corporation study looked at states where extra soft drink sales taxes range from three to seven cents and found no significant difference in consumption. Researchers say it might take up to an 18-percent tax to get shoppers attention and prompt them to make more sugar-free choices. Source Link

Could all those early adopters of the new Apple iPad be using a gadget that's already obsolete? A web report says the computer code that operates the tablet media player includes references to an iPad 2.0. There's been speculation that the next edition of the iPad will include a front-mounted camera that would allow for face-to-face video chats. Source Link

April 2, 2010

On the eve of the first deliveries of Apple's new tablet media player, parts of the World Wide Web are adapting to become more "iPad-friendly." The New York Times and NPR are among several major web sites creating special versions which will offer video that won't need the popular Flash player, which doesn't work on Apple products like the iPad. Source Link

This year's U.S. Census is a big undertaking, but it's nothing compared to the headcount that's underway now in India. The world's most populous country is conducting a year-long tally of over a billion people. And it's more that just names and addresses to be gathered. The task includes photographing and fingerprinting everyone over the age of 15 for new national identity cards. Source Link

The Final Four of the NCAA Men's Basketball tournament are in Indianapolis for warm-ups before tipoffs tomorrow. Michigan State and Butler will tangle in the opening semi-final contest. Top seed Duke, considered the favorite to win the national championship, will take on West Virginia in the nightcap game. The winners from Saturday will meet for the championship on Monday evening. Source Link

April 1, 2010

Gasoline price spikes hurt everyone, but a new study shows that rising oil prices are harder on some states than others. The Natural Resources Defense Council measured the impact of fuel costs on average household incomes and found the hardest hit were those in Mississippi, Montana, Louisiana, Oklahoma and South Carolina. Drivers in New York and Connecticut spent the least percentage of their budget at the gas pump. Source Link

Is there a difference between liking something and being a "fan" of it? Facebook thinks so. The social networking site is scrapping the term "become a fan" for it's business and celebrity listings. Instead, you'll hook up simply by saying you "like" them. Some think this may cause confusion because all Facebook postings each have their own "like" button for friends to voice their approval of posts.  Source Link

Soon you may not be spelling "iPhone" with only an A,T and T. The Wall Street Journal says the wireless carrier will lose its exclusive claim to the popular smart phone next year when Apple begins selling a version of the iPhone that will work on rival networks including Verizon and Sprint. Reports say manufacture of the cross-compatible iPhone could begin this fall, just a few months before AT&T's exclusive contract with Apple is set to expire. Source Link