August 31, 2011

Less than two months after the end of the Space Shuttle program, there's news that the International Space Station may have to be be abandoned before the end of the year. Russian spacecraft are now the only way to get astronauts to and from the space station, but all Russian flights are on hold after an unmanned cargo rocket exploded on takeoff en-route to the space station last week. Source Link

Your cell phone could help you save gas and speed your commute to work as part of a new network being proposed by researchers that would monitor traffic from thousands of car dashboards. The system would use real-time images from cell phone cameras to determine traffic patterns and tell you when to adjust your speed to avoid red lights. Source Link

Could hot chili peppers help you beat your sinus problems? Researchers say they’ve developed a nasal spray that uses capsaicin, the natural ingredient that makes the heat in chili peppers. The spray was effective in treating sinus problems that are not related to allergies, and provided relief within one minute. Source Link

August 30, 2011

While coastal areas get back to normal after Hurricane Irene, the effects of the storm continue inland where torrential rains have led to the worst flooding that’s been seen in over 80 years in places like Vermont. Up to 15 inches of rain fell on some spots and utilities say it could take weeks to restore power to all of the millions of customers that were effected. Source Link

Half of all American adults are now using social networks, according to a new study. The Pew Internet & American Life Project says that includes one-in-three baby Boomers who use social networks daily. But the power users are women aged 18 to 29; nine out of ten use social networks and nearly 70% visit web sites like Facebook or Twitter on a daily basis. Source Link

Pumping iron or hitting the bricks -- which exercise does the most to get rid of belly fat? A new study says you should lace-up the running shoes because joggers lost more of the deep fat that raises the risk of heart disease and diabetes. Even combining resistance training and running was no better than running alone to help shed fat around the midsection. Source Link 

August 29, 2011

Hurricane Irene wasn’t the monster storm that some had feared, but its brush along the Eastern Seaboard still left millions without power from the Carolinas into New England, and flooding from heavy rains could continue for days. New York City was spared the worst when Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm as it arrived there, but the city’s subway system will be slow to reopen. Source Link

After an earthquake and a hurricane that effected tens of millions of Americans, there’s a report that more people are relying on social media to learn about ongoing disasters, seek help and share information after emergencies. The Red Cross survey shows one in four people say they would  use social media like Facebook to let loved ones know they were OK. Source Link

Is chocolate really off-limits when you’re dieting to lose weight? A new study says overweight and obese women lost weight with a diet that included a small portion of dark chocolate as a daily treat. Researchers say chocolate can help satisfy a sweet tooth that could otherwise derail a diet. The study was funded by the chocolate maker Hershey. Source Link

August 26, 2011

From Carolina’s Outer Banks to the coast of Cape Cod, millions are watching to see if Hurricane Irene will hit home this weekend. Much of the Eastern Seaboard could feel its effects. Ships from the U.S. Navy’s Second Fleet based in Virginia have put out to sea to avoid Irene, which also has emergency officials in New York preparing for the possibility of landfall on Long Island. Source Link 

Wall Street is showing its confidence in the future of Apple without Steve Jobs. The company’s high-flying  stock was down only slightly the day after Jobs announced he would be stepping down as CEO of the company that he co-founded and built into a technology powerhouse with the Mac computer, the iPod music player, the iPhone and the iPad tablet. Source Link

Toothpaste can help prevent cavities, but what if there was gel you could use that would heal them? British researchers say they’ve developed a treatment that’s brushed onto cavities and draws calcium from the tooth to repair itself without the need for drilling and filling. It could be several years before the treatment is available for widespread use. Source Link 

August 25, 2011

That East Coast earthquake is pointing up the need to give public safety forces their own wireless networks. Cellular service in Washington D.C. was unavailable to first responders for nearly an hour after the earthquake Tuesday when anxious callers overwhelmed the system. The debate over a separate system for public safety forces began nearly a decade ago after the 9/11 attacks. Source Link

New rules are setting the cost quite high for airlines when your flight is delayed or overbooked. Now a four-hour wait on the tarmac could cost airlines penalties of over $27,000 per passenger. Those who are bumped from oversold flights could get as much as four times the value of their ticket up to $1,300 if the re-booked arrival time is more than a few hours later. Source Link

iPhone love is spreading to the nation’s third-largest cell phone carrier. Reports say that Sprint will begin offering the iPhone to its customers with the debut of the new iPhone 5 that’s expected to go on sale in October. The Apple iPhone is the single best-selling cell phone model, but overall more users are on Android-powered phones. Source Link

August 24, 2011

Residents along the southeast coast are bracing for what could be a brush with the first hurricane of the season. Irene pounded Puerto Rico and is taking aim on the Bahamas. Officials in the Carolinas are warning residents to prepare for the possibility of landfall for Irene, which could be the first hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. in nearly three years.  Source Link
 

For this year’s class of incoming college freshmen, “Amazon” has never been just a river in South America. That’s one of the items on the Mindset List for the Class of 2015 created by Beloit College in Wisconsin.  For 18-year-olds today, music has always been available via free downloads , and Sears has never sold anything out of a big catalog. Source Link

If you’re getting the kids ready for another year of middle school or high school, you may need to add a visit to the doctor’s office to your to-do list. New guidelines call for children to get a whooping cough vaccination at age 11 and a booster shot for meningitis at age 16. Many parents miss these because schools often do not require proof of vaccination for older students. Source Link

August 23, 2011

The Pentagon says don’t expect to see any U.S. troops on the ground in Libya as that country becomes the latest in the Arab world whose dictator has fallen from power. NATO forces including the U.S. supported the rebellion against Libyan leader Moamar Gaddafi with air strikes, but there are no plans for American ground troops to enter the country. Source Link

Children falling from windows is more common than you think and isn’t just an urban high-rise problem. A new study says about 5,000 children a year are injured. Most are preschoolers and many fall from first or second-story windows. Experts say installation of window guards and moving furniture away from windows can help prevent such falls. Source Link

It’s an ironic twist -- a tablet computer that becomes a best seller only after the product is discontinued. The HP TouchPad was the number-one selling item on Amazon.Com last weekend when the price dropped from $499 to $99 after HP said it was giving up on the iPad wannabe. The TouchPad deal sold out, but there could be more available this week as the clearance sale continues. Source Link 

August 22, 2011

It’ll be flu deja vu as health officials say this year’s expected flu strains will be the same ones as those that threatened last year. The Centers for Disease Control is still advising everyone over the age of six months to get a flu shot, even if you had one last year. And that shouldn’t be a problem this year because there’s plenty of flu vaccine available. Source Link

It isn’t just younger kids who won’t eat their vegetables. A new survey of college students shows that many don’t average even one helping of fruits or vegetables per day, let alone the recommended five daily servings. Young men ate more fruits and vegetables than women students. One reason for the poor eating habits could be that college students say they often skip meals. Source Link 

So who is America’s most trusted personality? None other that everyone’s favorite octogenarian actress Betty White. A new public opinion poll puts the 89-year old TV and movie star atop the list of America’s most-effective brand ambassadors, topping Denzel Washington and Sandra Bullock. And who’s at the bottom of the list as the least trusted? Paris Hilton and Charlie Sheen. Source Link

August 19, 2011

The nation’s second-biggest issuer of debit cards will begin charging a $3 monthly service fee to its card holders. Wells Fargo Bank is the first in what could be an industry-wide effort to use new fees to recoup the billions of dollars that banks will lose after the government lowered the transaction fee that retailers pay to banks every time a debit card is used. Source Link

Large employers say they expect big increases in healthcare costs in 2012, and say they'll pass more of those costs on to their workers. A trade group for large companies says employees are likely to see higher costs for out-of-network care, and co-pays may start to shift from fixed charges to a percentage of actual costs. Source Link

The Oxford English Dictionary is marking 100 years of publication with a new edition that turns some 21st century slang into official words. Among the OED’s 400 new entries are “retweet”, “cyberbullying” and “woot.” The first Oxford English Dictionary in 1911 included then-new words such as “motorist,” “aeroplane” and “radioactive.” Source Link

August 18, 2011

Cigarette makers are suing to stop a government plan to force them to put graphic warning labels on their products. The FDA has ordered that cigarette packs and advertising include warnings with prominent photos that could show dead bodies, diseased lungs and rotting teeth. The companies say they shouldn’t be forced to persuade smokers to stop using a legal product. Source Link
 

The days of stuffing your purse or wallet with wads of paper sales receipts may be coming to an end. More retailers are offering paperless receipts at the checkout that send you an email or a web page listing with a record of your purchase. Proponents say the paperless receipts are easier to file and retrieve later for tax purposes or product returns. Source Link 

You’ve heard of “product placement” in which companies pay to have their items featured in films and on TV shows, but how about “product displacement?” Retailer Abercrombie & Fitch is offering to pay the stars of MTV’s “Jersey Shore” to not wear its clothes on the show. The company says the reality series about young slacker party types doesn’t fit the so-called “aspirational” nature of their brand. Source Link 

August 17, 2011

The cell phone is a part of our lives for eight out of ten Americans, according to a new survey that shows many use their cell phones for more than just communicating. The Pew Internet and American Life Project found that 42% of people use their phone for entertainment when they’re bored. But as great as they are, nearly one out of three users also say they’ve turned off their cell phone just to get a break from it all. Source Link

So what’s the least amount of time you can exercise and still stay in shape? How about 15 minutes a day? A new study from Taiwan shows that 15 minutes of moderate exercise a day can lead to a longer life. Researchers say Asian peoples are generally less physically active than their Western counterparts and their workouts tend to be less intense. Source Link

If you want to be a earth-friendly when you fly, look for airlines that go non-stop with full planes. A report by a Vermont-based environmental consulting group ranked United/Continental and JetBlue as among the most fuel-efficient. Commuter airlines ranked lower, as did Southwest Air, whose passengers often need connecting flights with more take-offs and landings. Source Link 

August 16, 2011

Billionaire Warren Buffet has a message for Washington -- stop coddling the super-rich like him. Buffet says while  most Americans struggle to make ends meet, the mega-rich continue to get extraordinary tax breaks. Buffet says in his experience, higher capital gains taxes have never deterred sound investments. Source Link
 

Two of the best known names in technology are teaming up as Google says it will buy Motorola’s mobile phone business for $12.5 billion. The search engine leader already has its Android system running on Motorola phones, but the deal is about more than just hardware. The purchase would give Google control of thousands of Motorola patents that cover many aspects of mobile computing. Source Link
 

Thousands of fans are at Graceland in Memphis for today’s 34th anniversary of the death of singer Elvis Presley. This year also marks the 55th anniversary of the first two Elvis Presley albums released in 1956 that included some of his greatest hits. The King keeps selling too; a new 5-CD boxed set featuring the 1956 recordings debuts next month priced at $140. Source Link 

August 15, 2011

Election Day is over 14 months away, but this week President Obama is taking a test-drive on the campaign trail with a three-state bus trip through the Midwest that’s being touted as a “Listening Tour.” Obama is likely to get an earful about the shaky economy and voter anger over the partisan face-off in Washington that took the country to the brink of debt default. Source Link

It may not just be a desire for that bronzed look that compels young people to use tanning beds. A new study has found that tanning bed users show brain activity similar to that seen in people addicted to drugs and alcohol. People younger than 30 who use a tanning bed once a month have eight times the risk of developing malignant skin cancer. Source Link

Imagine never having to say “ahh” to a thermometer or enduring a cold stethoscope to get vital signs taken at the hospital. That’s the goal behind a new technology using tiny electronics embedded in skin-like patch that wirelessly transmits temperature and heart rate. The same devices might deliver heat to help heal wounds and could be made touch sensitive and placed on artificial limbs. Source Link

August 12, 2011

It looks like another Texas governor has his eye on the White House. Rick Perry is expected to make his candidacy for the Republican presidential nomination official with an announcement this weekend. Perry is a favorite of social conservatives and joins a half-dozen other major candidates in the race to head the GOP ticket next year. Source Link

You can send text messages and photos from your cell phone to almost anyone, but not your 9-1-1 operator. That could be changing, as the FCC has paid out the framework for a next-generation 9-1-1 service that would accept text and multimedia messages. But don’t hit the “send” button just yet; it could be five to 10 years before 9-1-1 systems are upgraded for the enhanced service. Source Link

If your kids are a week or so away from going back to school, experts say now is the time to get their sleep schedule on-track by gradually shifting wake-up and bedtimes back to match the school day. And be sure they’re getting enough sleep too; even teenagers need up to 9 hours of sleep to avoid daytime drowsiness that make it hard to stay focused in classes. Source Link

August 11, 2011

A new poll shows that economic fears are weighing heavily on Americans, with most saying the country is on the wrong track and nearly half believing the worst is yet to come. The Reuters/Ipsos poll showed President Obama’s approval rating dropped to 45% and opinions of both Republicans and Democrats in Congress are equally low. Source Link

Whether it’s because of the tough economy or programming that’s available on the Internet, more people are unplugging from pay TV. An analysis by the Associated Press of subscriber numbers for eight of America’s biggest cable and satellite providers shows a first-of-its-kind quarterly loss. Experts say younger viewers may have less need to pay for everything that cable has to offer. Source Link

A new report says the use of a nighttime-breathing machine called a CPAP is the most effective treatment for sleep apnea. More than 12 million Americans suffer from the condition in which breathing stops momentarily during sleep. Weight loss and surgery may also be effective for sleep apnea, although the evidence behind these treatments is not as strong.
Source Link

August 10, 2011

Wall Street’s roller coaster ride of the past week is climbing a big hill again after stocks rallied in part on news that low interest rates are here to stay for the next two years. The Federal Reserve, which usually set interest rates only a few months at a time, said  it would keep the current benchmark rate at record lows until mid-2013. Source Link

The sound you may be hearing soon could be the housing market hitting bottom. A new report says prices for homes have continued to fall in eight out of ten American cities. But the same report predicts a broad-based recovery for housing that will begin in early 2012 and could see prices increase by nearly three percent by early 2013. Source Link
 
When it comes to how we watch movies on DVD, the latest figures show there are even fewer buyers, and renters are now choosing bright-colored boxes over bricks-and-mortar. For the first time, low-cost kiosks have surpassed traditional video stores in rental revenue. In the absence of any big blockbusters, DVD sales were down 18% in the first six months of the year. Source Link

August 9, 2011

That two-week Congressional standoff over the FAA budget did more than furlough thousands of employees -- it also meant nearly a half-billion dollars in pure profit for airlines. Carriers that raised their fares to match the taxes they weren’t collecting pocketed about $400 million from customers. Airlines were rolling back the increases as ticket taxes began to be collected again. Source Link

An agreement that was part of the NBC-Comcast merger will make it easier for more low-income families to connect to the Internet. Comcast will offer broadband service for $9.95 a month to households with a child who gets free school lunches. The program also includes a voucher to purchase a low-cost computer for $149. Source Link

Could your kids be brown-bagging a helping of food poisoning with that school lunch? A new study found that 98-percent of perishable foods that kids brought to school were at unsafe temperatures before the lunch bell rang. Experts recommend using plenty of ice packs or transferring perishable food to a refrigerator at school to reduce the risk of food-borne illness. Source Link 

August 8, 2011

The Northern Lights will be making an appearance in the lower 48 and your GPS might go off the grid as an energy storm is racing toward the Earth from the Sun. Scientists are tracking the pulses coming from several explosions on the solar surface. The electromagnetic surge could effect satellites and power stations and intensify the Aurora Borelais. Source Link 

Food safety advocates are asking for tighter regulations to prevent another outbreak of salmonella poisoning like what killed one person and sickened dozens more who ate infected ground turkey. The tainted product was first discovered back in March but did not become public until now. Unlike with e-coli, current government rules do not allow a recall of salmonella-tainted poultry until an illness is reported. Source Link
 

Choosing an Android model over an iPhone? A new report says you’re twice as likely to have that Android smart phone dumbed-down with malware. The report says three out of 10 Android phones will encounter a web-based threat in 2011. Up to one million people have had their Android phones infected by malware since the first of the year. Source Link 

August 5, 2011

Fears of a double-dip recession and concerns about Europe’s debt problems have wiped out all of this year’s gains on Wall Street as stocks had their worst day since the financial crisis three years ago. The Dow Jones Industrial average dropped 513 points on Thursday, putting the bellwether index back where it was at the beginning of January. Source Link

Government agents are at a big conference of computer hackers that’s underway in Las Vegas, but it’s recruitment and not surveillance that they have in mind. The Defense Department, Homeland Security, and National Security Agency all want to hire experts with skills to help defend against computer attacks. The annual Defcon convention brings together some of the world’s best hacker talent. Source Link

A new study points up what many parents will attest to -- tweens love their screens, and they use several at once. Researchers looked a a group of 10 and 11-year olds and found that the youngsters often had multiple devices in use at the same time, including TV’s, video games, computers and phones, and moved from one screen to the other and back to multitask or fill brief moments of downtime. Source Link

August 4, 2011

The occupant at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will be looking for his AARP card in the mail soon. Today President Obama becomes just the third president to turn 50 while in office. His birthday plans include work at the White House, after a big-ticket fund-raiser party in Chicago last night and hundreds of house parties around the country sponsored by his re-election campaign. Source Link 


July was an extreme weather month in all of these United States. The National Climatic Data Center says at least one daily high temperature record was set in each of the 50 states last month.  The over 2,700 high temperature records set in July included spots in Riverside County California and Maricopa County, Arizona where the thermometer reached 120 degrees. Source Link


The nation’s biggest Internet service providers are doing a better job of letting you keep the pedal to the metal on the information superhighway. The FCC says testing shows broadband speeds now average about 80 percent of what’s advertised.  Two years ago, average service speeds were only about half as fast as promised. The agency is publishing the results in an online guide for consumers. Source Link

August 3, 2011

With only hours to spare before funds ran short, The Senate approved and President Obama signed legislation to increase the federal government’s debt ceiling. The measure will cover government borrowing into 2013 with promises of more than $2 trillion of budget cuts over the next decade, including curbs on growth of the Pentagon budget. Source Link
 

Imagine if 90-percent of traffic jams were caused by only 10-percent of the cars on the road? That’s what’s happening on the information superhighway. A new report says just 10-percent of mobile users account for 90-percent of the data use.  Streaming video is the biggest draw, especially video use by iPhones that amounts to nearly 60-percent of all mobile web data. Source Link
 

Nearly 40 years later, the mystery may be ending over America’s only unsolved air hijacking, but don’t expect an arrest. The FBI's new lead in the D.B. Cooper skyjacking case points to a man who died about 10 years ago. A passenger who identified himself as Cooper disappeared with $200,000 after parachuting from a jetliner that he hijacked over Washington state in 1971. Source Link

August 2, 2011

The House of Representatives has approved a bill to raise the government’s debt ceiling and enact some $2 trillion in spending cuts. The vote of 269 to 161 included a “yes” that was cast by Arizona congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords in her first appearance on the House floor since she was shot in an assassination attempt. Final approval by the Senate and President Obama is expected today. Source Link

A bulldozer may be one way to deal with America’s glut of foreclosed and abandoned houses.  Bloomberg News reports that Bank of America is donating abandoned homes in Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago to community agencies that will demolish them. Wells Fargo, Citigroup, Chase and Fannie Mae have similar programs under consideration or already underway. Source Link

A new poll says cancer and dementia are the biggest health fears for baby boomers, but maybe it should be heart disease and diabetes. About one-third of boomers are obese and another 36 percent are overweight. And only one out of four baby boomers gets the recommended 30 minutes of moderate exercise five times a week, a trend that can set them up for poor health as seniors. Source Link 

August 1, 2011

The world is watching as Congress considers an 11th-hour plan to prevent a possible government debt default in exchange for more than $2 trillion in long-term spending cuts. The proposal would give the U.S. Treasury borrowing power through the end of 2012. Thousands of programs would see funding cuts, but not Medicare or Social Security benefits. Source Link

Apple is America’s number-one smart phone maker, but the iPhone trails its Android rivals in the number of overall users. The latest figures show about 40% smart phones in the U.S. are running on Google’s Android system, while 28% are iPhones. Both Android and Google are growing, while Blackberry continues to lose market share and now accounts for only 20% of smart phones. Source Link

Could the kitchen blender be the tool it takes to get your kids to eat more vegetables? A new study showed that youngsters downed more vegetables without putting up a fight when they were pureed and added to regular meals at breakfast, lunch and dinner. And in meals with added vegetables, kids ate fewer calories overall, which could help combat the epidemic of childhood obesity. Source Link