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A
new report says 2011 was the year of the “hacktivist,” with a majority
of major cyber-attacks motivated by political and social intent. The
study says data theft is almost never an inside job but often happens
because the most basic security measures are not followed. It suggests
companies could limit potential leaks by simply deleting old data that
is no longer needed. Source Link
Count
to six, and that’s all the time you have to make a key impression in a
job interview. A study used eye tracking software to determine that
recruiters spent just six seconds reviewing a resume before deciding if
an applicant is right for the job. Among the most important elements
being read were your current and previous employer start and end dates.
Source Link
The
Big Easy will play host to a Bluegrass showdown as part of the NCAA Men’s basketball Final Four in New Orleans on Saturday. Kentucky takes
on in-state rival Louisville while Kansas tangles with Ohio State. The
winners will advance to play in the national championship game on
Monday. Source Link
2012
should go down in history as the year that Americans watched more
movies online than on DVD. A new report predicts there will be about a
billion more streaming views than DVD’s watched this year. But those
shiny discs are still the cash cow for the industry, providing nearly
90% of revenue through DVD sales. Source Link They
say a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but do women go to
their happy place with the taste of a juicy steak? A new study found
that women who ate red meat three times a week had a much smaller risk
of depression. But lowly hamburgers don’t count, because premium
grass-fed beef high in Omega-3 fatty acids was used in the study. Source Link
Will
it a take a wizard to unlock the world of encrypted e-books? The Harry
Potter series is now on sale for the first time in e-book form and
without encryption that prevents buyers from copying the files and
reading on different devices. It’s a major step away from the current
industry standard that limits an e-book to the brand of device it was
purchased for. Source Link
There’s
more evidence that gastric bypass surgery can cure Type-2 diabetes. Two
new studies show that the surgery designed to help the obese lose
weight can be more effective at stopping the disease than a regimen of
drugs. Doctors have known that weight loss surgery can have the
side-effect of ending Type-2 diabetes. Source Link The
days of fighting with your teenager about constantly talking on the
phone are all but over. A new report says the average teen sends 60 text
messages a day, but only makes five phone calls, and teenaged girls
send twice as many text messages as do boys. And the tech tool that
today’s teens don’t use much? Only about one out of 20 send emails to
their friends. Source Link Could
dogs have a nose for diagnosing of one of the world’s top killers?
Studies have shown that dogs can identify the smell of lung cancer from a
breath sample of a cancer patient. Once scientists can identify the
chemical marker that makes dogs recognize the scent, it could pave the
way for a cancer breathalyzer testing device. Source Link
A
new report says the average cell phone customer is switching carriers
after their second two-year contract, looking for lower prices or a
better deal on a new smart phone. That’s doubly bad news for carriers
because smart phones are the most expensive to subsidize. Some think the
trend could lead American carriers to adopt the world model of “bring
your own” cell phone. Source Link
The
start of the post-Space Shuttle era for NASA is now on the schedule. An
American commercial cargo ship will make its first flight to the
International Space Station in May. The company that’s launching the
craft also wants to provide transport for U.S. astronauts. NASA is now
paying Russia to give U.S. astronauts rides to the space station. Source Link
All
the warnings about the dangers of skin cancer from tanning seem to be
falling on young deaf ears. A new study of college-age women found that
two-thirds use tanning beds and nine out of ten tanned outdoors. The
rate of potentially fatal skin cancers for persons aged 15 to 39 has
risen by 50-percent since 1980. Source Link
The
U.S. Supreme Court is beginning three days of arguments in a case that
will determine the constitutionality of President Obama’s health
care overhaul. The justices will hear from opponents who say the law’s
mandate that every American must carry health insurance is illegal. A
decision is expected by the end of June. Source Link
Heading
south or west for a warm-up may be the opposite of what Mother Nature
has in mind for Spring this year. A new long-term forecast calls for
cooler weather from the Carolinas southward and west into mid-Texas, and
along the West Coast. The Midwest and Rockies can expect a warmer
Spring to continue, with average temperatures elsewhere. Source Link
What
if recycling all those pages of paper was just as easy as it was to
grab it off the printer? That’s the idea behind a new “unprinter” that
would use a special green laser to eliminate ink from printed pages,
leaving you with a clean sheet of paper. But don’t ditch the recycling
bin just yet - it could be years before the device is on the market.
Source Link
Saturday’s
Louisiana primary promises to be another test of the staying power of
GOP presidential hopefuls. Front-runner Mitt Romney hopes to break a
string of losses in Southern states and challenger Rick Santorum needs a
win to shore-up his stand as the more-conservative alternative who
should face-off against President Obama in the general election. Source Link Can
an aspirin a day keep cancer away? There’s a new report on studies
showing that taking a low-dose aspirin every day reduced the risk of
death from cancer by up to one-third after at least five years of use.
Daily aspirin use carries the risk of stomach bleeding, but researchers
said that risk diminished with a long-term daily regimen. Source Link Think
of it as a custom ringtone for your home -- a new digital doorbell that
can play your favorite tune whether someone comes calling. The Swann
MP3 DJ Doorbell ditches the old-fashioned “ding-dong” and can be loaded
with a memory card full of your favorite tunes set to play at the press
of a wireless button positioned at the front door. Source Link
Here’s
good news for homeowners who have been waiting to sell -- home prices
are trending upward. In February, median sales prices were higher
compared to a year earlier for the first time since the fall of 2010.
Analysts say the numbers point to a very active spring and summer
selling season, which is good news for a recovering housing market.
Source Link When
it comes to health advice, a new study finds that doctors are likely to
preach what they practice. Researchers found that doctors with good
health habits are more likely to advise patients to eat a healthy diet,
limit sodium and alcohol consumption, maintain a healthy weight and
exercise. Only about one-in-four doctors said they exercise at least
five days a week. Source Link
Some day soon, that iPad or Kindle could be your constant reading
companion on airline flights. The FAA plans to take a new look at rules
that require you to keep e-readers, tablets and other devices turned off
during part of the flight. But there are no plans to change
restrictions on in-flight cell phone use. Source Link
Forget
about Spring Fever -- dozens of cities east of the Mississippi are
expecting a second day of record high temperatures that make it feel
more like Summer. A long stretch of daily temperatures in the 70s and
80s is setting records for March warmth and has melted nearly all the
winter snow pack in the lower 48 states. Source Link
A
new study shows that some 5 million Americans who are caregivers for
relatives with Alzheimer’s disease could benefit from using yoga in a
brief and simple daily meditation program to reduce stress. Researchers
said participants reported less symptoms of depression and even showed
physical improvements that help the body’s immune cells. Source LinkHere’s
a question -- what does a company like Apple do with a surplus of $100
billion in cash? The answer is good news for Apple stockholders. The
company says it will begin paying a quarterly dividend that will give
$10 billion a year back to shareholders. Even at that, Apple’s cash
reserves will still grow with continuing brisk sales of iPhones and
iPads. Source Link
For
campaign watchers, all eyes are on the Land of Lincoln as the Illinois
presidential primary gives Rick Santorum a Midwestern opportunity to
build on his twin primary victories last week in the South. The former
senator needs the momentum to catch front-runner Mitt Romney, who leads
in delegate count in the race to nail down the Republican nomination for
president. Source Link When
it comes to a connection between sleeping and eating, there’s evidence
the the less you do of one, the more you’ll do of the other. A new study
shows that people who are sleep-deprived can eat more than 500 extra
calories a day. That can add up to additional pounds, making adequate
sleep an important part of any weight management plan. Source Link There’s
a new smart phone app that will alert you if your personal data has
made it into the hands of criminals. The free service AllClearID calls
you if your information is found on computers being investigated by law
enforcement and security experts looking for fraud. More than 11 million
American adults were victims of identity theft last year. Source Link
It’s
some good news in the face of rising gas prices -- new cars being sold
are doing better at the pump. A new report says average fuel economy has
reached just over 23 miles per gallon. Ford leads the way among
domestic automakers and had the biggest improvement in the past year,
with better small car mileage and more sales of six-cylinder trucks. Source Link
Want
to protect your brain from the effects of aging? Then bulk-up with more
berries in your diet. New research shows that eating berries boosts
brain function and may prevent age-related memory loss. Antioxidants
found in blueberries, blackberries, cranberries, and strawberries can
help prevent inflammation that can lead to brain cell damage. Source Link Does
the rise of cloud computing signal the death knell for the PC? A new
report predicts that by 2014, personal cloud services that can link
information between smart phones, tablets and other devices will begin
to overtake the traditional PC that stores its own data. What’s not
known is whether Internet providers can keep up with the bandwidth needs
for all-cloud computing. Source Link
St.
Patrick’s Day and Saturday are a potent mix that yields much more
drinking, even among those who are being watched for illegal imbibing. A
company that provides personal alcohol monitoring devices to court
agencies says drinking doubles when St. Patrick’s Day occurs on Saturday
versus mid-week. It has the second-highest rate of DUI’s for a holiday,
after Halloween. Source Link It’s
something to think about when you reach for that hot dog or savor a
steak -- a new study of 120,000 men and women shows that people who eat
less red meat live longer. Researchers estimate that a daily 3-ounce
serving of unprocessed red meat raises the risk of dying of heart
disease and cancer. Processed meats like bacon or hot dogs increase the
risk even more. Source Link Would
you pay between $2 and $5 to have a movie from your DVD collection made
available to stream to your computer, smart phone or tablet? That’s the
pitch in a new program being offered through WalMart. Consumers will
need to bring the DVD or BluRay disc to a WalMart store to add it to an
online service that offers streaming of Hollywood movies. Source Link
Americans
have good intentions when it comes to better health, but say they just
don’t have the time for it. Nine out of ten people who took part in an
American Heart Association survey said they want to improve their
health. But 60% can’t find the time for regular exercise and eight out
of ten say they struggled to eat nine servings of fruits and vegetables a
day. Source Link
A
staple of many a home book shelf for generations of Americans is
falling victim to the new digital world. The publishers of the
Encyclopaedia Britannica say they’ll no longer offer a printed version
of the reference work. Britannica will continue its online version,
where it competes with Wikipedia, the web’s popular and free reference
source. Source Link March
Madness tips off with the first of two days that feature 16 games in
the 2012 NCAA Division One men’s basketball tournament. Three of the
four top tournament seeds are coming off losses in their conference
championship games last weekend. The action continues over the next
three weeks and culminates with the championship game in New Orleans on
April 2nd. Source Link
Call
it the downside of enjoying a mild winter -- springtime pests are
making an early appearance. Deer ticks, wasps and hornets are among the
insects getting a head start after a lack of frigid weather that usually
would decimate seasonal pests. And mosquitoes could be drawing blood
sooner than usual amid the warmer temperatures. Source Link As
the Girl Scouts mark their centennial, a new study says the
organization builds women who are more self-confident, capable and give
back to their communities. The survey found that as adults, Girl Scout
alumnae are more often college graduates, volunteers and voters. Nearly
one out of two women in America has participated in Girl Scouts. Source Link It’s
a nightmarish end for most cell phones if the device is dropped into
water, but a new model could be a dream come true when such accidents
happen. The Panasonic Eluga promises to be waterproof enough to survive
being submerged for up to 30 minutes. The new smart phone debuts in
Europe and is expected to come to America later this year. Source Link
Will
today’s presidential primaries begin to trim the field of GOP
candidates for the White House? The results of balloting in Alabama and
Mississippi could give new life to the struggling candidacy of former
House Speaker Newt Gingrich, but a poor finish in those Southern states
could set the stage for his exit from the four-way race for the
nomination. Source Link
A
new report says tens of millions of Americans could stand to turn up
the volume on their lives. The study found that 23 million Americans
aged 50 and older have untreated hearing loss and could benefit from a
hearing aid. Many people don’t get hearing aids because the cost is not
covered by insurance and they consider hearing loss an inevitable part
of aging. Source Link It’s
truly “March Madness” for those who keep information systems up and
running in offices where fans will be online to follow games in the NCAA
Men’s basketball tournament during the opening rounds this week. About
one-in-three IT professionals say they’ve had computer systems slow down
or crash because of users accessing streaming video of games during
business hours. Source Link
As
air fares are rising ahead of this year’s travel season, government
forecasters have a message for travelers -- get used to it. Air fares
are likely to stay high through 2020, as passenger travel grows but
airline capacity shrinks.The Federal Aviation Administration thinks
that more airline mergers will shrink the number of cities served. Source Link
The
U.S. Surgeon General says more needs to be done to keep young Americans
from using tobacco, including new prevention programs and smoking bans.
One out of five high school-aged teens uses tobacco and the decline in
new smokers has slowed. Reaching young people is important because 80%
of smokers begin the habit by the age of 18. Source Link Some
of America’s favorite children’s books are coming to a tablet or
computer near you. Scholastic Books has unveiled an app that will make
titles such as “Clifford The Big Red Dog” and other popular books
available in a digital format for the first time. The Storia application
for Windows and the iPad is a free download and comes with five free
books including two multimedia selections. Source Link
It’s
no longer a numbers game when it comes to naming the latest model of
the iPad. Apple says the third version of the world’s most popular
tablet will simply be called “the new iPad.” It features a screen that
offers high-definition resolution and options for 4G connectivity. The
new iPad will be priced at $499 and the iPad 2 will now be sold at a
lower price of $399. Source Link If
you want your baby to grow up to be a scientist or engineer, then break
out the puzzles. A new study found that children who played with
puzzles when they were toddlers developed better spatial skills by the
time they were ready for kindergarten. The ability to rotate and
translate shapes is an important predictor of children who choose
science, technology, engineering and math careers. Source Link
Nearly
half of all American adults are carrying a smartphone, and there are
more smartphones in use now than basic cell phones. The latest survey
results from the Pew Internet and American Life Project showed
smartphone ownership jumped by 30% in less than a year, with slightly
more Android phones in use than iPhones. Overall, 88% of American adults
own a cell phone. Source Link
The
Republican race for the White House continues to be a four-way contest
after the results of Super Tuesday balloting in 10 states, with no
shake out among the GOP hopefuls vying for the party nomination. Mitt
Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich each had wins in at least one
state, and Ron Paul has vowed to continue his candidacy. Source Link
Will
today’s always-connected young people grow up to be adults whose
interests are a mile wide but just an inch deep? That’s one of the
possibilities offered in a new report looking ahead to the year 2020.
Some experts think the so-called “millennials” born near the turn of the
century will be expert multi-taskers, but may lack the patience to
focus and stay on-task. Source Link
Airlines
are making room for more carry-on luggage aboard their planes as
passengers are packing more into overhead bins to avoid fees for checked
bags. The Associated Press reports that Delta, United and U.S. Airways
are refitting overhead bins with doors that curve out to allow bags to
be stowed with wheels out, making room for more in each bin. Source Link
There’s
a new way to track the ups and downs of the top one-percent of the
“one-percent.” The Bloomberg Billionaires Index is a listing of the
world’s Top 20 richest people to be updated daily based on market
activity. Mexican media mogul Carlos Slim leads the list, followed by
Microsoft founder Bill Gates and investor Warren Buffett. Three heirs to
the Wal-Mart fortune are also on the list. Source Link
Here’s
a nurse shortage of a different kind -- researchers are looking for
100,000 female nurses to join an ongoing, long-term health study. The
Nurse’s Health Study is seeking registered nurses, licensed nurses and,
for the first time, nursing students between 20 and 46 years of age to
complete lifestyle surveys that will help improve knowledge about
nutrition, exercise, cancer, heart disease and other health issues.
Source LinkAmerica’s
libraries are crying “foul” over plans by the nation’s biggest
publisher to boost prices for e-books. Random House has doubled or
tripled the cost of e-books sold to libraries because of concerns that
electronic versions of books can be circulated indefinitely, cutting
into future sales. The price hikes could limit e-book purchases by
libraries. Source Link
From
the Atlantic coast to the Aleutian islands, it’s “Super Tuesday” when
Republican voters in Massachusetts, Alaska and eight other states will
pick their favorite candidate to challenge President Obama. The biggest
primary wins would be in Ohio and Georgia, but over 400 delegates are up
for grabs, and it’s possible that all four GOP hopefuls could win a
state after the votes are counted. Source Link Could a long, lazy weekend be enough to put you on the road to ailments like Type-2 diabetes? A new
study suggests healthy people will develop higher blood sugar after
only three days of a sedentary lifestyle. The good news is that other
studies have shown that exercise can help manage blood sugar. Source Link If
you’re using “Password1” as your password, you’re not very secure and
you’re not alone. A new report says that’s the number-one password
employed by business users, because the capital “P” and the numeric 1
satisfy the minimum standards for passwords. Other bad choices include
making your user name your password, or adding a beginning capital
letter or exclamation point to change your password. Source Link
Your
news on Facebook will soon be coming with “a word from our sponsor.”
The world’s biggest social network will begin to include advertising
items in the news feed with pitches for products and brands that you or
your friends have “liked.” The move will allow ads to be shown to mobile
users of Facebook for the first time. Source Link
What’s
a smart smell to use as an indoor fragrance? A new study says the scent
of rosemary can boost your mental performance. Participants worked
faster and scored higher on math tests when exposed to the scent of
rosemary. But scientists admit they don’t know exactly why the chemical
components of the familiar fragrance can boost your brain power. Source Link Could
that treat from the dinner table be deadly for your pet? There are
100,000 cases of pet poisoning each year, and many common items that we
eat can be dangerous for pets. Some of the top food items that can cause
pet poisoning include chocolate, raisins, mushrooms, grapes, foods
sweetened with xylitol, and macadamia nuts. Source Link
From
the Aloha State to Appalachia, a new report ranks the places in America
where people are the happiest. Hawaii tops the list, followed by North
Dakota, Minnesota, Utah, and Alaska. West Virginians are feeling
happier, but the state still ranks at the bottom. The well-being index
surveyed physical and emotional health, healthy behaviors, work
environment and access to health care. Source Link More
Americans believe in global warming, but not because scientists have
convinced them. A new survey shows about six out of ten people believe
the Earth is warming up, but most base that on the warmer weather
they’ve seen. Experts say extreme weather events aren’t a direct sign of
climate change, but a warming world does make such events more
frequent. Source Link What
if your smart phone could help smooth out your daily drive by getting
rid of potholes? The city of Boston is developing an app that uses a
smart phone’s accelerometer and GPS to detect and locate potholes as you
drive, and then reports them so that repairs can be made faster. The
application will be offered to other cities free of charge. Source Link
The
battle for the GOP presidential nomination goes national with four
candidates stumping in 10 states ahead of next week’s Super Tuesday
primary elections. Mitt Romney hangs on to his front-runner status after
wins in Arizona and his home state of Michigan, but Rick Santorum is
looking for several state victories to bolster his standing as the more-
conservative alternative to Romney. Source Link Social
media is replacing mom as the go-to source for culinary advice. A new
survey shows that almost half of consumers learn about food via social
networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook, along with websites, apps
and blogs. Today’s consumer is trading trusted family advice for
"crowdsourcing" to get the opinions of many before deciding what to
cook. Source Link
When
it comes to America’s favorite breed of dogs, Lab’s still rule. The new
American Kennel Club rankings put the Labrador Retriever atop the list
of favorite breeds for the 21st consecutive year. The Top Five includes
German Shepard, Beagle, Golden Retriever and Yorkshire Terrier. And the
Rottweiler broke into the Top Ten, unseating the Shih Tzu. Source Link
