USA TODAY articles from January 2005

USA TODAY archives from January 2005

Winter safety tips for pet owners.(Your Life)
January 1, 2005... When the weather outside turns cold and snowy, The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reminds you to think about your pet's safety and recommends the following guidelines to protect your companion animal: * Keep cats...

Is online shopping eco-friendly?(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Online shopping is hailed for being convenient and time-saving. Yet, do the benefits outweigh potentially nonenvironmental-friendly side effects? Take product packaging, for instance. Goods purchased at retail outlets usually are delivered to...

Energy efficiency for the winter.(Your Life)
January 1, 2005... Personal comfort needs can mesh effectively with a winter energy savings plan if a few fundamental changes are mastered. Moreover, once in the habit of being efficient, it becomes second nature. You can stay comfortable and reduce energy costs...

Jury Patriotism Act targets poor turnout.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... As juror turnout reaches crisis levels across the nation, the American Legislative Exchange Council calls on all state legislatures to look again at introducing the Jury Patriotism Act, which is designed to increase juror participation rates....

Patriot Act perverts grand jury process.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Under the guise of "combating terrorism," Congress has weakened some of the key safeguards of the grand jury process, most importantly, the limitations on the dissemination of information revealed during grand jury hearings. In "A Grand Facade:...

Planning ahead of the taxman.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Accountants are at the head of the line when it comes to filing personal income tax returns. In a survey by Robert Half Management Resources, Menlo Park, Calif., a provider of senior-level accounting and finance professionals on a project and...

A toast to our host.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Toasting is something Americans do all year, whether it's at a wedding, football game, or a birthday party. However, it is even more common around the holidays--a time to reflect on the past and celebrate the coming of a new year with friends...

Casual office attire going, going ...(Your Life)(return to business clothes)
January 1, 2005... This holiday season--continuing a trend that started around Labor Day--may mark the end of yet another mainstay of the happy-go-lucky dot.com era: the casual dress code. In growing numbers, employers are abandoning casual dress policies...

Underfunding may trigger pension bailout.(Your Life)
January 1, 2005... Underfunding of private-sector pension plans is rampant--currently more than $350,000,000,000--and has led the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation (PBGC) to go from a $9,700,000,000 surplus in 2000 to an $11,200,000,000 deficit. This situation...

Reducing fumes from diesel buses.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Interior air pollution from diesel school buses can be cut by 54% or more with the addition of devices such as Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) mufflers combined with Crankcase Filtration Systems (CFS) and exhaust soot filters, a study by the...

Social Security's full-benefits age on the rise.(Your Life)
January 1, 2005... Many Americans still do not know that the age at which they will be eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits is rising, and this lack of knowledge could undermine their retirement plans. In their annual Retirement Confidence...

Diesel vehicles are biggest polluters.(Your Life)
January 1, 2005... Diesel fuel is now at the center of a delicate balancing act between smog production and global warming. Some lawmakers and car manufacturers advocate widespread diesel use in passenger vehicles as a strategy for reducing the production of...

The tax reform revolution: "the four approaches to tax reform--flat, USA, national sales, and value-added--all are variations on the same theme. All would shift the base of Federal taxation from income to consumption while simplifying the process of complying with tax law.".(National Affairs)
January 1, 2005... AFTER A SERIES of changes in tax rates and a variety of new complications in the Internal Revenue Code, the time is ripe for a basic overhaul of the Federal government's revenue system. Tinkering with individual rates or "loopholes" is not a...

Is help from the IRS of any use?(Economic Observer)
January 1, 2005... TAX SEASON is not too far away. Now is a good time to start getting your tax ducks in order. The Internal Revenue Service can provide a lot of help. The real question pertains to the quality of that help. Two decades ago, Ralph Nader's Tax...

An epic struggle for equal opportunity.(Education)(case examines equality in education, Massachusetts )
January 1, 2005... In what could be a watershed case for the rest of the country, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court--fresh off its pro same-sex marriage ruling that ignited a constitutional furor--may force the Commonwealth to ante up millions of dollars...

What makes an educated child?(Education)(McDuffy v. Secretary of the Executive Office of Education, Massachusetts)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... In 1993, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court, in McDuffy v. Secretary of the Executive Office of Education, defined "an educated child" as possessing at least seven capabilities, including: "(i) sufficient oral and written communication...

The question of the courts.(State Of The Nation)(re-election of George W. Bush and the politics of judicial appointments)
January 1, 2005... WHETHER THIS PARTICULAR PRESIDENTIAL election will be historic will be decided in the fullness of time. Success, particularly the electoral variety, merely is an opportunity. A victory in one election can disappear with the next. Karl Rove's...

Do you speak American? "Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit"; a documentary on the English language, as spoken in the U.S., is airing on PBS.(Life In America)
January 1, 2005... ON COLUMBUS AVENUE in New York, a young waitress approaches our table and asks, "How are you guys doin'?" My wife and I are old enough to be her grandparents, but we are "you guys" to her. Today, in American English, guys can be guys, girls, or...

Red Sox nation reborn.(Sports Scene)
January 1, 2005... ALL GOOD THINGS come to those who wait, or, in the case of anyone stuck in Casablanca or Fenway Park... wait and wait and wait and wait. Ah, but it always is darkest before the dawn, and Red Sox fans have been wandering around New England sans...

The media's indecency dilemma: can public outrage, congressional hearings, and larger FCC fines stem the tide of "indecency" flooding the airwaves?(Mass Media)
January 1, 2005... WARS, ELECTIONS and indecency always have divided the American public. Those conservatives who consider much of radio and television broadcasting indecent--even pornographic--would limit the manners, music, dress, and language of the...

The FCC gives indecency a bad rap.(Words Images)(Federal Communications Commission)
January 1, 2005... IT'S LIKE TUMBLING DOWN the rabbit hole and wondering what has happened to good sense. CBS television is fined $550,000 for showing 18 frames of Janet Jackson's breast (there are 30 frames to a video second). It virtually was impossible to see...

Unmistakably Marilyn: "the exhibition explores how the power of photography helped transmute the shy Norma Jeane into the most iconic screen goddess of all time--the myth that is Marilyn Monroe.".(USA Yesterday)
January 1, 2005... I WANNA BE LOVED BY YOU: Photographs of Marilyn Monroe from the Leon and Michaela Constantiner Collection," which includes 200 photos of actress Marilyn Monroe by 39 photographers, presents portraits dating from 1945, when Monroe (then Norma...

Criminal neglect: "... a top-to-bottom overhaul of the nation's juvenile justice systems is mandatory if these [troubled youngsters] ever are to avoid becoming adult crime statistics.".(Law & Justice)
January 1, 2005... Thirty years ago, Charles W. Colson and Joseph A. Califano, Jr., were at each other's throats. Colson, the White House "hatchet man," was busy defending Pres. Richard Nixon during the Watergate scandal. Califano, meanwhile, was going after...

Spain in the age of exploration: "the Royal Court ... used the enlargement of the Spanish realm not only to increase the Crown's resources, but to gather knowledge that enriched European understanding of the wider world.".(Museums Today)
January 1, 2005... SPAIN in the Age of Exploration: 1492-1819," which includes objects culled largely from the Old World country's royal collections, features more than 100 works of art and science, many never having traveled to the U.S. before. Included are...

Remarkable rats: "... most [of these Filipino rodents] look nothing like anyone's typical image of a rat. They range from large, furry, long-tailed leaf-eaters to tiny, mouse-like creatures that feed on soft-bodied soil invertebrates.".(Focus on Nature)
January 1, 2005... BIOLOGISTS are an odd lot--we often get intensely excited about things that leave other people shaking their heads. Who else would spend a couple of months each year in remote tropical mountain ranges, eagerly racing through a fog-shrouded...

Are we alone in the universe? The Search for an answer moves from telescopes to computers.(Science & Technology)(Cover Story)
January 1, 2005... "More than 100 planets have been detected around other stars in the last 10 years.... None of these are thought to support life because they are [gas giants].... Earth-sized planets have not been discovered [yet because] it is harder to spot...

Trying to parody the classics.(Reel World)(film)
January 1, 2005... I HAVE STARTED WRITING another book, this one a parody on assorted film classics. I grew up reading Richard Armour's inspired spoofs of literary gems, such as The Classics Reclassified (in which he documents, among other things, the importance...

The bear hungers on: will Russia get--and keep--its act together? The major republic of the former Soviet Union is full of economic possibilities--and major pitfalls.(Economics)
January 1, 2005... AMERICANS NEED TO rethink their views about Russia. That nation is a geographic superpower, and may still be a military giant. However, its economic might does not equal that of the former Soviet Union. That situation, though, could change...

A path to oil independence.(Eye On Ecology)
January 1, 2005... WITH THE PRICE OF OIL soaring to record levels, political instability in the Middle East on the rise, and little slack in the world oil economy, we need a new energy strategy. Two emerging technologies--gas-electric hybrid engines and...

Might a green phoenix rise from red ashes? Is sustainable development for Ukraine and other post-communist nations possible after the previous regime's singleminded focus on industrial expansion was accomplished through the ruthless exploitation of natural resources>?(Ecology)
January 1, 2005... Is sustainable development for Ukraine and other post-communist nations possible after the previous regime's singleminded focus on industrial expansion was accomplished through the ruthless exploitation of natural resources? THE METHANE...

The last four years through the looking glass.(World Watcher)(foreign policy of George W. Bush)
January 1, 2005... OVER THE LAST FOUR YEARS, Pres. George W. Bush continually has announced policies of what were declared as up, but then were pursued down slippery slopes into quagmires of obfuscation and contradiction. The Clear Skies Initiative permits more...

Can the UN battle terrorism effectively? Security council resolutions have "mobilized states for a campaign of nonmilitary cooperative law enforcement measures to combat global terrorism. ".(Worldview)
January 1, 2005... THE CONCEPT of a "war on terror" may be useful as a political metaphor, but defeating Al Qaeda and like-minded groups primarily is a job for international law enforcement. Al Qaeda is not a government that can be subdued by war. but a diverse...

Terrorism's violence warp: "The Bush administration, from the very beginning, has failed to define accurately the conflict with Islamic terrorists.".(The World Today)
January 1, 2005... CONFUSION reigns in the "war on terrorism." Around the globe, leaders of every sort express their indignation at the lack of understanding of what really is at issue in societal, police, and military efforts against those who have been called...

The truth about the sleuth: forget Hollywood's myriad misrepresentations concerning the great detective. The genuine Sherlock Holmes is alive and well on DVD. Quick, the game is afoot!(Entertainment)
January 1, 2005... "THE BOOK is much better than the movie" is a common expression that has proved all too tree over the years. Yet, of all the injustices done to literature by the wide--and small--screen, none has suffered more than Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's...

Ain't no mountain high enough.(What's New?)(sleds from Wham-O Inc.)
January 1, 2005... Having redefined winter excitement with its radical and innovative SnowBoogie and sled designs the last couple of years, Wham-O, Inc., Emeryville, Calif., has taken the "downhill" industry a step further with its "Human Factors"...

Shoveling is "snow" problem.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... The Trail Blazer Snow Auger from Union Tools, Columbus, Ohio, takes a revolutionary approach to snow removal since the light-eight tool requires no lifting, bending, or throwing of snow. As it is pushed along the ground, the Trail Blazer clears...

Put time on your side.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... One of the more pleasant tasks each new year is selecting a set of calendars to adorn the office, kitchen, den, bedroom, etc., for the next 12 months. For 2005, we've gone to opposite ends of the spectrum (and, come to think of it, opposite...

Running in a Winter Wonderland.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... As far as Brooks Sports, Inc., Bothell, Wash., is concerned, there is to be no walking--only running--in this year's winter wonderland. And while the weather outside may be frightful, Brooks has the head-to-toe solution to fill every runner's...

Forecasting the next ice alert.(What's New?)(Wireless Digital Weather Station from GE Home Electronics Products Inc. allows everyone to forecast the weather)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... After What time is it?," the most commonly asked question has to be, "What's the temperature?" Well, you no longer have to stay glued to the television weather channels or local radio stations to get an answer. Instead, for accurate, in-depth...

Winter sun can be fun.(What's New?)(Eyewear by Panoptx Eyewear)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... While long a fan of winter--we consider anything above 60[degrees]F to be a full-blown heatwave--the coldweather sun always has been problematic. It's never high in the sky and always seems to be right in our face. Winter glare from snow and...

Jump to a thinner self.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Jump for joy at the thought of losing weight and releasing feel-good hormones--through exercise! No torturing yourself this time, however. Instead, discover the simple, low-impact, high results from a fitness routine that entails jumping on a...

The world is your oyster.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Since I'm certainly no George Bailey nor worldwide traveler (or cross-country one, for that matter), it always seemed odd... but while most kids dreamt of becoming a baseball star or playing in a rock band, I had something else in mind: my...

The best route around traffic.(what's New?)
January 1, 2005... It seems no matter where you live in this great, big, expansive country of ours, there is one common denominator--traffic, and lots of it. And no wonder. Everywhere you turn, there's construction... well, at least a bunch of burly guys hanging...

Skates that just keep on growing.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Remember when you were a kid and your mother insisted on buying your clothes a size too big, with the promise that "You'll grow into them," or when your hand-me-down skates were so large that you had to wear three pairs of socks just to be able...

Books by the Bushel.(What's New?)(children's bookstore Storyopolis, Los Angeles, California)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The personalized gift category is a tricky one. Sure, engraved jewelry is nice, but we're not so sure about framed collages, mail order teddy bears, or, that present of last resort: photo coffee mugs--the gift that says "I give up!" Despair...

National Geographic still breaking new ground.(What's New?)(introduces a "metal-detecting rover" and a book about prehistoric mammals)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Every year, National Geographic comes up with wonderful new items that fall in line with its reputation as a leader in science and exploration. Why should this year be any different? A Metal-Detecting Rover ($29.95) may be one of the...

A tidal wave of creativity.(What's New?)(Faber-Castell USA Inc.)
January 1, 2005... With a relentless tidal wave of great ideas, the masterminds behind Creativity for Kids--that would be Faber-Castell USA, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio--just keep cranking out outstanding products in rapid-fire fashion. We always are quite...

I spy with my little eye.(What's New?)(International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C. gift shop features)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... If you're intrigued by the world of undercover missions, there is no better venue to visit than the gift shop at the International Spy Museum, Washington, D.C. (If enemy agents are preventing you from traveling, not to worry, all its neat...

Do prehistoric creatures accessorize?(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Baron von Frankenstein and his Monster have nothing on LEGO's Prehistoric Creatures Designer Set. It allows future mad scientists to build and re-build an entire species of ferocious dinosaurs and other horrific creatures. An amazing...

Providing a needed wake-up call.(What's New?)(the CoffeeMeter from Metari)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day; we couldn't agree more--as long as there's plenty of coffee involved. Come to think of it, if given the choice of nourishment or java, we'll take the latter every time. And now our a.m....

The gift of java says it all.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... There are a lot of really delicious "ingestible" gifts out there--whether chocolates, scrumptious truffles, sun-ripened fruit, fancy confections, or even just a basket of fruit. As far as we're concerned, however, nothing conveys "specialness"...

Better safe than sorry.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Whether in the home or at the office, there inevitably are important papers and documents just sitting around waiting to be destroyed, lost, or stolen. Stop taking unnecessary chances--get those vital files into a safe. The safest safe? Look no...

Disney interacts with gameboy.(Children)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... A trio of popular television programs have inspired a lineup of Nintendo GameBoy Advance titles which brings Disney's coolest gals to the palm of your hand. Disney Interactive, Burbank, Calif., offers a variety of gameplay--from high-powered...

Two busy beavers and a hungry wolf.(Didi and Ditto Kingergarten)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... There's something to be said for educational games that are so engaging that kids ask to play them over and over again. Such is the case with Didi & Ditto Kindergarten, the first in a series of edutainment software titles from Kutoka...

Reviving our resources.(What's New?)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Every second, something is wearing out, breaking, or becoming obsolete. Since 1994, Resource Revival, Portland, Ore., has recycled tons of bicycle, auto, computer and building parts to manufacture unique household items with electricity...

Cleaning up with eco-friendly hygiene.(What's New)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... The American Dental Association recommends changing your toothbrush four times a year. The average American does it twice. Even at the reduced rate, used brushes account for approximately 50,000,000 pounds of landfill waste annually Throw men's...

The beauty of living well.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Who doesn't want to pamper one's self at home, to incorporate daily doses of wellness into a busy routine? One way is with the Seville Massaging Chair and Ottoman from HoMedics, Commerce Township, Mich., which gives your back a perfect Swedish...

No more walkie-talkie blues.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... A few years back, two-way radios--we used to call them "walkie-talkies"--became all the rage, getting extended use in shopping malls, amusement parks, on the beach, and at vacation spots. Trouble was, if users wandered too far apart, or...

The bumpy road to a smooth shave.(What's New?)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Although they claim to hate it, 68,000,000 men and another 87,000,000 women shave with a razor. Of course, many men have to put up with Pseudofolliculitis barbae, also called shaving bumps, while women are faced with razor drag and burns. Looks...

Casio's got the power--atomic power.(What's New?)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Even the ghoulish spirits of Halloween couldn't stop the Atomic Solar G-Shock Timepiece by Casio, Inc., Dover, N.J., from doing its job. When daylight savings time ended in the wee hours of All Hollow's Eve, the G-Shock automatically returned...

Fighting the good fight alongside rebel & clone.(Videogames: teenagers & adults)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... What's your favorite kind of scene in the Star Wars films? When Han and Leia share their first kiss? Get real, dude--it's the battle scenes! LucasArts, San Rafael, Calif., heard the plea and responded with the video game, Star Wars...

Triumphant return of the conquering halo.(Videogames: teenagers & adults)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... More than two years--and tons of media hype--in the making, Halo 2 finally has arrived in stores, picking up where Halo: Combat Evolved, left off. Master Chief (the player's alter ego) and his marines destroy the aliens' artificial homeworld...

The second Jedi battle hymn of the old republic.(Videogames: teenagers & adults)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... In Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords, the first game takes place 4,000 years before the Skywalkers roamed the galaxy and this second chapter takes place five years after that with Sith assassins hunting down the last of...

Gear up with Ogio.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... We first got turned on to the gear bag manufacturer Ogio International, Inc., Bluffdale, Utah, during our annual back-to-school shopping frenzy, as we desperately were trying to outfit the kids for the rigors of academia. We loved the company's...

Red-hot and oh-so sharp.(What's New?)
January 1, 2005... Exposure to red quickens the pulse and increases the appetite, according to a number of studies. No, we're not referring to the latest line of ladies' lingerie. Rather, we're talking about the 5100 Series Red from Mundial, Inc., Norwood, Mass.,...

Wicked as a step-mother; clever as a crystal ball.(DVDs)(Rocky and Bullwinkle and Friends availabe on DVD)
January 1, 2005... In 1959, the world of animated television changed forever--as the groundwork was laid for future cartoon series like "The Simpsons" and "SpongeBob SquarePants"--with the appearance of a perky flying squirrel and his slow-witted sidekick of a...

Preventing pretty plants from leaving stains.(SurfaceSaver)(Brief Article)(Advertisement)
January 1, 2005... Protect furniture, railings, floors, windowsills, and wood decks from stains, mildew, and dry rot with SurfaceSaver from Worldwise, Inc., San Rafael, Calif. This eco-advantage product--made in the U.S. with recycled plastic--invisibly lifts...

Obi-Wan is here and the force is with him.(DVDs)("The Star Wars Trilogy")(Video Recording Review)
January 1, 2005... "Star Wars" is going to flop! So 20th Century Fox thought about director George Lucas' new film. In spite of his success with "American Graffiti," the studio chose, instead, to throw its weight behind the big screen version of Sidney Sheldon's...

Get a grip on those handlebars.(What's New?)(sports gloves from Harbinger)(Brief Article)
January 1, 2005... Harbinger Inc., Napa, Calif., one of the leaders in fitness accessories, has jumped into the adventure market with both feet... er... hands. Harbinger Adventure Gloves will accommodate mountain bikers, trekkers, and water sports enthusiasts....

The Texas Rangers and the Mexican Revolution: the Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920.(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... The TEXAS RANGERS AND THE MEXICAN REVOLUTION THE Bloodiest Decade, 1910-1920 BY CHARLES H. HARRIS III AND LOUIS R. SADLER UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO PRESS 2004, 673 PAGES, $37.50 A certain amount of courage--and strength--is needed to pick up...

Western Lives: a Biographical History of the American West.(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... WESTERN LIVES A BIOGRAPHICAL HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN WEST EDITED BY RICHARD W. ETULAIN UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO PRESS 2004, 454 PAGES, $23.95 There are those who say that all history essentially is biography. This edited book of essays...

Brothels, Bordellos, & Bad Girls: Prostitution in Colorado 1860-1930.(Book Review)
January 1, 2005... BROTHELS, BORDELLOS, & BAD GIRLS Prostitution In Colorado 1860-1930 BY JAN MACKELL UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO PRESS 2004, 310 PAGES, $24.95 Now here's a different kind of book. The topic is interesting--should one say titillating?--the...

Cultural wars in quickstep.(Parting Thoughts)(social values)
January 1, 2005... CULTURAL CHANGES ARE OCCURRING ever so quickly, at least as compared to eras past. In the Middle Ages, two to three centuries went by before different values surfaced. Back then, religion dominated everyday life from the baptismal font to the...