Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service articles from March 2005

Knight Ridder/Tribune News Service archives from March 2005

Show your e-mail who's boss.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Rossman For many people, the e-mail inbox is one big hodgepodge of messages. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) PTA announcements stand alongside offers for Viagra. That confirmation for your business seminar is in the...

Book review: `The Good Enough Teen'.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Betsy Friauf "The Good Enough Teen: Raising Adolescents With Love and Acceptance (Despite How Impossible They Can Be)," Brad Sachs (HarperCollins, $14.95) ___ Sometimes parents wonder if their teen-ager is the same person...

The dry facts.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Rhoda Fukushima You may be just uncomfortable, or you could be on your way to a real problem. We asked people in the know how to care for skin in winter. (EDITORS: BEGIN OPTIONAL TRIM) Esthetician Amanda Kennedy has been...

Quick thinking is key when shooting sports.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Peter Weinberger Whether a professional sports event or your kids' Little League, there will always be someone photographing the action on the sidelines. Here are some shooting techniques that will help at any experience level. ...

Take care when choosing a tax preparer.
March 1, 2005... It's tax time, and if you can't bear the thought of shuffling through a mound of financial records and trying to decipher the latest changes in the tax code, you're probably thinking about hiring someone else to do it. But beware: If you...

Cedarlane Three-Layer Enchilada Pie is tasty.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Betsy Friauf A dining review for the microwave gourmet: WHAT: Cedarlane Three-Layer Enchilada Pie PRICE: $3.99 CALORIES: 215 per serving (two servings per 11-ounce box) CARB COUNT: 27 grams FAT GRAMS: 7 ...

Sweet temptations.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Betsy Friauf They're a welcome sight in the dead of winter: The bright and cheery Girl Scout cookie boxes, otherwise known as little bricks of extreme temptation, that just arrived. They're tiny, those delicious little Thin...

Blending grapes leads to supple, complex wine.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Janice Fuhrman You've seen them on stores shelves or wine lists _ "Legacy," "Relentless," "Virtu" _ and perhaps moved on to labels more familiar to you, such as "cabernet sauvignon" or "merlot." When these so-called proprietary...

Stem cells offer treatment option.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Carolyn Poirot Austrian researchers are successfully treating urinary incontinence with stem cells taken from patients' own arm muscles. In a study of 20 incontinent women, 18 were completely continent one year after injection...

Home & Garden: Make the flu bug an unwelcome guest.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Alyson Ward Well, it's flu season. Someone in your household may come down with the flu or something almost as nasty. And if one family member gets it, it's a full-time job to keep the rest of the house from turning into an...

Hot stuff: New peelers, slicers make meal preparation easier.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Aleta Watson Fresh fruits and vegetables are a delight, but all that peeling and slicing can be a chore for home cooks who don't have a sous chef to do all of their prep work. No wonder precut vegetables are bestsellers at the...

Trade show finds kids are wild for tech toys.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jonathan Takiff THE GIZMO: 2005 tech toys from the American International Toy Fair, held last week in New York. Kids are growing older faster, a maturation phenomenon called "age compression." And they're aspiring to the same...

Message mayhem: Those acronyms mean something to teens.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Edward M. Eveld Hey parents, GL trying to crack the code. GL, as in Good Luck. Researchers say teenagers spend most of their computer time instant-messaging each other, most of it in acronym code. Some of the acronyms used...

Ask Jane: Prevent cracks in cheesecakes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jane Snow Q: Why does my cheesecake crack in the middle? I bake it at a high temperature, then reduce the temperature for about 1 and { hours. Then I leave it in the oven for another 30 minutes with the oven door open. I cool it...

Cut to heart of transplant shortage.(The Orlando Sentinel)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Peter A. Brown A furor over whether a man who used a Web site to search for a kidney should be barred from a transplant wrongly focuses on the symptom _ rather than the problem _ of the shortage of lifesaving organs. At the...

Balancing safety and freedom.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the Orlando Sentinel on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X Adults who suffer from arthritis or other chronic pain have a right to take a drug that allows them less suffering, even if it carries a higher risk of...

Prompt pullback in Gaza.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X The Israeli cabinet recently approved Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's historic plan to dismantle all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza and four...

Roast chicken made golden.
March 1, 2005... Byline: CeCe Sullivan Chez L'Ami Louis, a small restaurant in the Marais section of Paris, prepares what's been considered by many to be the best roast chicken in the world. Diners are served a simple, unadorned bird with crackling skin...

Types of chicken.
March 1, 2005... Some of the following may not be displayed in your supermarket poultry case, but check with your grocer for availability. Broiler-fryer: This is the most readily available type of chicken. They range from about 3 to 4 pounds, have tender...

Tech edge is declining; industry must keep sounding alarm.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the San Jose Mercury News on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X Calls from the tech industry for better math and science education are not new. Neither are pleas for more government investment in basic research...

Have a fear of rejection? Get over it, says cupid-for-hire.(The Seattle Times)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Pamela Sitt SEATTLE _ David Wygant's new book is called "Always Talk to Strangers," so we took him to Whole Foods _ because he swears you can meet people anywhere _ to find some. (Strangers, aisle seven!) Wygant, a local "date...

Sweet and Sour.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Bonwich ST. LOUIS _ Thousands of years ago, someone's wine went bad, and a timeless food product was born. Vinegar literally means "sour wine" (vin aigre in French), but the incredible diversity of uses that have been...

Types of vinegar.(St. Louis Post-Dispatch)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Bonwich Types of vinegar: Traditional Balsamic vinegar is made from Trebbiano grapes grown on the hills around Modena in Italy. The must (juice) of the cooked grape is matured by a long, slow process through natural...

For Jacob, when you're older.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Bill Tammeus My favorite baby story _ outside of ones about members of my family _ is found in the distressing book of I Kings in the Hebrew Scriptures, or Old Testament. It's the famous story of King Solomon, one of the rare...

Family portrait: Harriet Paige finds inspiration and mystery in her antique tintypes.(The Orange County Register)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Theresa Walker SANTA ANA, Calif. _ The sepia-toned portrait on the wall just inside Harriet Paige's front door catches the eye almost immediately upon entering her home. The young African-American man looks handsome in his...

Back to Basics: Truffles.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Allison Askins Becoming a fast-food nation isn't just bad for our health. It's also causing us to lose our culinary memory. Soon, an entire generation of Americans may grow into adulthood without the foggiest idea what to do with a...

Manners Matter.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Karen Herzog Table manners aren't child's play. But children who don't learn to wait their turn for the potatoes or to chew with their mouth closed may face challenges later in life - especially in their careers. "The No....

Table manners create impression at home and dining out.(Milwaukee Journal Sentinel)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Karen Herzog Enjoying a respectful dinner with family or friends reinforces social relationships, and entertaining clients over dinner establishes the framework for a business relationship. We asked etiquette experts for tips...

Keep up the pressure on Colombian rebels.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the Miami Herald on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X The violence generated by Colombia's FARC guerrillas over the past few days should dispel the illusion that this narco-terrorist group is either dead or...

Can a black comic-book hero break out?(The Seattle Times)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mark Rahner You want to bet that kids are vainly Googling the African nation of Wakanda now? "Yes!" says writer Reggie Hudlin. "When I talk about it with adults, they're like, `Really! And who else has vibranium?'" Google...

Bishops need to do more.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X The report by the Roman Catholic Church that it received 1,092 new allegations of sexual abuse of children against at least 756 priests and...

Businesses that discriminate deserve 21st-century boycotts.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Lewis W. Diuguid Racism always has a cost. What's surprising is how people continually are taxed by it but gain nothing from the degrading experience. That's worth reviewing for Black History Month. Reginald Davis helped...

The Kitchen Revolution continues.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jill Wendholt Silva KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ The question was first asked_and answered_in 1976 by nationally known food writer Evan Jones. A passionate chronicler of the history of American cuisine and a friend of such culinary...

American Top 10 Dishes.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jill Wendholt Silva In the last 10 years the annual Friends of James Beard Benefit Dinner at the American Restaurant has given Kansas City diners a glimpse of the tastes and trends that are shaping American cuisine. A parade of...

Dinner In Minutes: Poached Salmon with Chive Sauce.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Linda Gassenheimer Cruise ships used to be synonymous with lavish eating, but chef Rolando Cornejo of the Radisson Diamond says vacationers' desires are changing. ``People want light and healthy food, fresh produce and...

30 minutes with food star Rachael Ray.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Madeleine Marr NEW YORK _ If you need inspiration to kick-start your quest for impossible dreams, flip on the Food Network. There's a good chance you'll see a pretty, perky brunette looking back at you with a pair of brown eyes so...

The chocolate professor.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Marty Hair DETROIT _ Patrick F. Fields, who holds a PhD in botany, teaches classes about the mystery, history and allure of chocolate. Students call him Doc Choc. For chocolate lectures, Fields slips into a milk...

The other axis of evil.
March 1, 2005... The following editorial appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Friday, Feb. 25: X X X Three years ago, President Bush called North Korea, Iran and Iraq the axis of evil. But Worldwatch Institute says leaders in the West have...

A World of Chicken Soup.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Kathleen Purvis You could just about dip this ol' planet in soup and roll it in feathers. Translation: Chicken soup is everywhere. Avgolemono _ lemon-flavored chicken soup thickened with egg _ in Greece. Hot and sour soup...

Stock answers: Older birds deliver rich flavor.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Kathleen Purvis Some of us may find a certain comfort in this: Chickens get better when they get older. Of course, many of us no longer have experience with this. In the modern chicken industry, the chickens we usually...

Food Briefs: Popcorn party; Bon Appetit poll.
March 1, 2005... LET POPCORN BE A STAR AT YOUR PARTY If you're in search of a party food idea, here's a suggestion from the folks at Jolly Time popcorn. To make caramel popcorn party pops, you will need a bag of popped Jolly Time Blast O Butter...

The message is in the bottle for these folks.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Fred Tasker MIAMI _ Somebody somewhere in South Florida is opening a bottle of wine as you read this. Maybe it's bubbly to mix with orange juice for a mimosa. Maybe it's a technical tasting to make buying decisions for a restaurant...

Don't like beer? This one's for you.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Barry Shlachter What was Anheuser-Busch thinking? A giant fighting to maintain market share in a stagnant industry against a newly competitive Miller, the St. Louis megabrewer apparently was looking to snare the nonbeer drinker...

Bereavement fares vary widely; it pays to compare.(The Dallas Morning News)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Tom Parsons Bereavement fares have dropped significantly, but they still can shock fliers used to paying leisure fares who must travel because of illness or death of a loved one. The last thing travelers want to do at such a time...

Talent gives 'Runway' touch of reality.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mary C. Curtis As an even occasional reader of this column will know, I am no fan of reality shows. I have eviscerated "The Swan," tweaked "American Idol" and dismissed the mere idea of "Fear Factor." But I should have...

Travel Q&A: In search of Harry Potter.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Michael Martinez Q. We're interested in taking our 11-year-old grandson to England on a Harry Potter tour. Any recommendations? _ L.B., San Jose, Calif. A. We've heard the popularity of Harry Potter tours is waning, but you...

If I had time, I'd scream.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Rochelle Riley It was "The Scream." And it is my hope that it will now be what we think of when we hear those words, not Janet Leigh's shower death cry in "Psycho" or former presidential candidate Howard Dean's primal holler while...

Courage and the color line.(The Dallas Morning News)
March 1, 2005... Byline: James Ragland Dear James: I read your article "What are the attitudes toward interracial couples?" and thought you might be interested in the following. The spirit and love of a few brave people helped pave the way for today's...

A lesson on dealing with differences.(The Seattle Times)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jerry Large SEATTLE _ Kofi Hagan lives 2,000 miles from home, part of an army of aid workers trying to put Rwanda back together after the 1994 genocide. Human beings are good that way. We go out of our way to help strangers....

Aim `charm offensive' at Latin America.(The Orlando Sentinel)
March 1, 2005... Byline: John C. Bersia Now that President George W. Bush has made the rounds in Europe, how about a "charm offensive" in Latin America and the Caribbean? Signs of discontent and distrust have been pouring out of the region for years....

Most of us shouldn't be interested in interest-only mortgages.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jeff Brown My previous column on mortgages looked at the pros and cons, given today's interest rates, of the most widely used loans, such as fixed-rate ones and adjustables. But what about the lesser-known types? It's worth...

When do you decide to put that jalopy out to pasture?(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jeff Brown A riddle: Why is a car like a toaster? A clue: Once again, we're talking about whether it's time to ditch my `95 Sable wagon. I've written about this car before _ how I hope to keep it running until my...

Minimizing your costs now crucial for investors.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jeff Brown If you ran a snowblower over the driveway recently, you probably had the thought that occupies many of us when we shovel or mow the lawn: What's the most efficient way to do this? In circles or straight lines? Should...

Got debt? Collector may call.(The Dallas Morning News)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Ieva M. Augstums If you don't think you've dealt with a debt collector, you may already have. That letter in the mail saying you owe money for an overdue DVD rental _ chances are it's from a collection agency. And those...

Saving for retirees is problem abroad, too.(The Dallas Morning News)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Landers WASHINGTON _ If you think our Social Security system is heading for trouble, look abroad. In much of the world, people are having fewer children and living longer. Japan is on a path where its retirees will equal...

His life was no game. But was the game really his?
March 1, 2005... Byline: James B. Kelleher SANTA ANA, Calif. _ Carol Laning and her brothers and sisters played a lot of board games as they grew up in California's Orange and San Bernardino counties in the `60s. But the ones they enjoyed most didn't...

More students turning to jobs, tech colleges.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Teresa Mask DETROIT _ Matt Graves has been growing his business for five years, and when he graduates from high school in June, Graves expects to focus on his MSG Lawn Care rather than attend a university like many of his peers....

Murmurs put Rice in White House race for 2008.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Jim Puzzanghera WASHINGTON _ It's three years before the Iowa caucuses officially kick off the 2008 presidential campaign, but fans of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice are already in high gear touting her as a candidate for the...

States are at the forefront of reforming Medicaid.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Scott Canon KANSAS CITY, Mo. _ Ever larger and ever adding to America's ailing state and federal budgets, Medicaid has become the entitlement program ever harder to afford. So in the same way states field-tested welfare-to-work...

NASA funding waning for aeronautics research.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Michael Cabbage CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. _ Dreams of Mars, coupled with money problems on Earth, are whittling away the first A in NASA. Since its origin almost a half-century ago, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration...

Mexican Congress weighs allowing compatriots in U.S. to vote.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Lennox Samuels and Laurence Iliff MEXICO CITY _ Now that the lower house of Congress has approved a bill granting Mexicans abroad the right to vote in the country's 2006 presidential election, the focus has moved to whether the plan...

`Mad Black Woman' stuns box office.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mike Szymanski LOS ANGELES _ Despite poor to mediocre reviews and a modest theater release, the religious-based African-American drama "Diary of a Mad Black Woman" took the top spot at the box office, earning $22.7 million over the...

`Cursed'.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: David Hiltbrand Werewolves of Hollywood. The concept should work. But despite the good production pedigree of the "Scream" team, "Cursed" is a fangless task. As horror films go, this substandard effort is cheesier than grandma's...

`Man of the House'.(The Dallas Morning News)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Philip Wuntch "Man of the House' is a mouse of a movie. Tommy Lee Jones, grumpy as ever, plays a Texas Ranger assigned to protect five University of Texas cheerleaders who witnessed a murder. That's all you need to know. The...

John Corbett puts art above money for new movie.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Chris Hewitt MINNEAPOLIS _ John Corbett got lousy pay for his new movie, and he's just fine with that. "Bigger Than the Sky" is a comedy about a community theater performing "Cyrano de Bergerac," and it was made under the...

La Timba Loca brings new sound to Cuban salsa music.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Hannah Davis Timba isn't your typical salsa music. The heavy percussion and reggae beats, originating in Cuba, will definitely make you want to get up and _ with apologies to Ricky Martin _ shake your bon-bon. Never heard...

Hunter S. Thompson's myth outlived his relevance.(The Orange County Register)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Ben Wener The question that nagged me all last week: Why am I unable to get worked up over Hunter S. Thompson's grisly self-inflicted end? Because it seems such an obvious fate? Because I generally brand suicides cowards? Nah,...

Martha Munizzi stands out as gospel tour's only white `sister'.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Brad Barnes When the six gospel acts making up the Sisters in the Spirit tour take the stage, there is a glaring difference between one of the singers and the rest of the sisters. It's not in her pipes, which will belt out...

`Man of the House'.(The Orlando Sentinel)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Roger Moore Tommy Lee Jones took a producer credit on his latest, "Man of the House." Perhaps he used his influence to see to it that this comedy wasn't shown, in advance, to newspaper, TV and other movie reviewers. Maybe he...

Life after `Raymond': `The Pacifier' is next for Brad Garrett.(The Orange County Register)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Barry Koltnow When Brad Gerstenfeld was 13, he already stood 6-feet, and junior high basketball coaches salivated whenever he walked into a gym. "They thought I was the Great White Hope," he says. "But I was neither great nor a...

Vin Diesel was the `Baby Whisperer' of `The Pacifier' set.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mike Szymanski Sure, he's known for fast driving ("The Fast and the Furious"), alien killing ("The Chronicles of Riddick"), extreme sports ("XXX") and even the voice of a gentle giant ("The Iron Giant"), but no one could predict...

Defendants get `Law & Order' day in court, sort of.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joanne Weintraub When the deep-as-a-cellar, serious-as-a-heart-attack voice that introduces every "Law & Order" drama intones the tag line for the latest one, prepare for a shock. "In the criminal justice system," the voice...

Flap over White House press corps is far from over.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Dick Polman The White House correspondent formerly known as Gannon has quit his job and acknowledged his real name, which is Guckert. And his employer, a conservative Web site operated by Texas Republican activists, having...

Fourth `America's Next Top Model' looks beyond pretty.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Brill Bundy Norelle was one. So was Shandi. Those "America's Next Top Model" finalists that, in the beginning, had more people than not wondering, "What are they doing there?" While the first three seasons of the show have...

Year after the fall of Aristide, Haiti still precarious.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Mozingo PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti _ Nearly a year to the day after Haiti plunged into bloody anarchy as President Jean-Bertrand Aristide fled the country, four U.N. peacekeepers were shot on patrol in a downtown slum and a Haitian...

Despite situation, Haitians proud and hopeful.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Joe Mozingo PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti _ Haiti was in a panic. President Jean-Bertrand Aristide had fled the country days before. Men fought in the street. Drivers blew over curbs and highway medians in hysteria. Resentment, rage and...

Nearer my destination to thee.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Ellen Creager Something that has always puzzled me about traveling is why familiar destinations seem closer than unfamiliar ones. Why do Traverse City and Chicago seem near but Akron and Kokomo seem far? Why does it seem a...

Red Sox must leave glory of 2004 in the past.(Seattle Times)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Larry Stone FORT MYERS, Fla. _ The bloody socks have been sent on to Cooperstown. The victorious ball has been pried from the cold, Met fingers of Doug Mientkiewicz. A-Rod has been gleefully spanked, ad nauseum, and the obligatory...

Inuits offer tours of Canadian Arctic.(The Orlando Sentinel)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Arline Bleecker Nature cruises to the extreme ends of the earth are out of this world _ or nearly. The downside of such remote places is travel time. Getting near either pole requires days of journeying, particularly for those...

Big Apple Bop: Where to hear New York's best jazz.
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mark Stryker NEW YORK _ Come with me as we take the most exciting walk in jazz: Out of the cab at 178 Seventh Avenue South in Greenwich Village, we step under the red awning and orange neon sign, a seductive siren promising bop and...

Five jazz clubs worth a visit.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mark Stryker VILLAGE VANGUARD _Music: Modern mainstream and post-bop tradition. Upcoming: Roy Haynes, Tom Harrell, Lou Donaldson, Kurt Rosenwinkel. _The skinny: Celebrating its 70th anniversary, the Vanguard remains the...

New digs for Jazz at Lincoln Center.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Mark Stryker One of the newest cultural palaces in New York is devoted to jazz: Last fall, Jazz at Lincoln Center moved into its $128-million home, a three-theater complex on two floors in the swanky Time Warner Center, an urban...

Smith or Rodgers for NFL Draft? Depends on whom you ask.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Daniel Brown INDIANAPOLIS _ Alex Smith made his first collegiate start Sept. 11, 2003, in a game televised nationally by ESPN. Far from jittery, the sophomore beat Cal, 31-24, by leading Utah to the winning touchdown in the final...

New York City hotels: Beyond basic, on a budget.(Knight Ridder Newspapers)
March 1, 2005... Byline: Ellen Creager NEW YORK _ Trying to pin down a hotel clerk in this town is like trying to stick a fly to a wall. The conversation at the counter of the W Court Hotel on East 39th Street went this way: Me: "What are your...