USA TODAY articles from January 2007

USA TODAY archives from January 2007

Hurricane talk mostly hot air.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... With the end of the 2006 hurricane season a month ago, residents in storm-prone areas were able to breathe a sigh of relief, as not a single hurricane made landfall in the U.S. this year--confounding predictions of more frequent and destructive...

Declare war on Al Qaeda, not terror.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... As the Bush Administration casts current conflicts with Islamic militants as an ideological struggle similar to battling fascist governments during World War II, a military historian from Duke University, Durham, N.C., says the analogy is...

Physically active teens stay out of trouble.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Physically active adolescents not only are improving their health, they are decreasing the chance that they will get into trouble, states research out of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Among teens who fare well are...

Hewlett-Packard turns into an i-spy business.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2007... In the wake of the Hewlett-Packard spying scandal, a business ethics specialist from Kansas State University, Manhattan, thinks companies must be careful not to abuse their power and create a surveillance culture that ignores the privacy rights...

Business schools still lack ethics.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2007... The good news: In the wake of high-profile corporate ethics scandals such as those at Enron and Arthur Andersen, a majority of states are requiring an ethics course as a condition for certified public accountant license renewal. The bad news:...

New Congress will be tough on immigration.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2007... In a number of critical congressional races, in which House of Representative seats flipped from Republican to Democratic hands, the winning candidate took a strong position in favor of immigration enforcement, reports the Federation for...

In the workplace, age is a state of mind.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... They say age is a state of mind, and this may be particularly true in the office, suggests a survey by Office Team, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based staffing service specializing in the placement of skilled administrative professionals. Eighty-four...

Vacationing CFOs stay in contact with office.(YOUR LIFE)(chief operating officers)
January 1, 2007... Most financial executives may find it is too easy to stay connected to work while on vacation during the holidays. Some 74% of chief financial officers say they check in with the office at least once or twice a week during vacation; 34%...

Doughnuts tip scale over reeling dollar.(YOUR LIFE)(Craig R. Smith, Swiss America Trading Corp. )(Interview)
January 1, 2007... The U.S. dollar has been slipping again. So, just how low can the dollar go? During a recent interview, Swiss America CEO Craig R. Smith put it bluntly, "The U.S. dollar has now lost over 40% of its buying power since 2001--and that is under a...

Diamonds worth their weight in blood.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2007... The film "Blood Diamond," which debuted last month and is set in Sierra Leone in the 1990s, takes its title from diamonds mined by forced laborers to benefit murderous rebels. The profits from the "blood" or "conflict" diamond trade--a small...

Making the right money resolutions.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2007... Some 61% of Americans consider money issues their number-one cause of holiday stress, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association. If you want to get a head start on a better holiday season in 2007, start with some important...

"New Jet Set" loves to spend, spend, spend.(Survey)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The super rich always have been known to be different from the "average Joe;' but a recent study by Elite Traveler magazine redefines the New Jet Set and reveals just how different these individuals are by analyzing their spending habits. For...

Breast reconstruction unfairly based on age.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)(Clinical report)
January 1, 2007... Women over age 60 seldom are offered breast reconstruction after mastectomy in hopes of minimizing potential complications, according to a study by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, Arlington Heights, III. Women aged 60-77 who had...

Will this be another hot, sweaty January?(methods of reducing menopase stress )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... January is a month when "hot" typically is not in one's vocabulary--unless you are one of the approximately 37,500,000 American women experiencing hot flashes and night sweats. According to MenopauseRx, a national support group, requests over...

Fighting off winter blahs.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... As the long, dark stretch of winter looms ahead, it can be a struggle for some people to keep the blues at bay, but there are several tips that can help until spring arrives, offers Jane Kinyon, a clinical professor in the School of Nursing at...

Can the Clash of Civilizations produce alternate energy sources? With the war in Iraq and the muddle of the Middle East, the time is ripe for the U.S. to reduce its dependence on oil from the Persian Gulf--but where can the country turn for new sources of energy?(National Affairs)
January 1, 2007... IN THE SUMMER of 1993, Samuel Huntington published an article in Foreign Affairs that introduced an apt phrase into the lexicon of futurologists: "The Clash of Civilizations." Huntington maintained that the fundamental source of conflict in...

Americans should be free to choose: Nobel prize winner Milton Friedman expounds on the U.S. economy and the societal effects of government policy.(Economics)(Interview)
January 1, 2007... The following is an edited transcript of a conversation between Hillsdale (Mich.) College President Larry Arnn and economist Milton Friedman--which took place almost six months before Friedman's death at age 94 on Nov: 16, 2006--during a...

Will neo-cons get real?(STATE OF THE NATION)
January 1, 2007... WHEN PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH DECLARED in his second inaugural address that, "It is the policy of the United States to seek and support the growth of democratic movements and institutions in every nation and culture, with the ultimate goal of...

School choice: a progress report.(Education)
January 1, 2007... REFORMS THAT GIVE parents greater ability to choose their children's schools continue to expand across the nation. Just a decade ago, only a few school choice initiatives existed. Today, a dozen states and the District of Columbia have private...

Why the Supreme Court matters: a PBS miniseries shines the light of justice on the highest court in the land.(Law & Justice)
January 1, 2007... YOU WATCH television, work at a part-time job, attend a Boy Scout meeting, or hang out with friends on the street. Did you know that Supreme Court decisions affect each one of these activities? The Federal Communications Commission...

Through the years with the Supremes.(Law & Justice)
January 1, 2007... Here is some interesting information concerning the Supreme Court: * Quill pens still are part of the courtroom decor. * In 1789, the chief justice's annual salary was $4,000, while associate justices made $3,500. By 2006, the chief...

A reality check for Iraq.(WORLD WATCHER)
January 1, 2007... IT TURNS OUT THAT the Iraq Study Group, although bipartisan, still was a political animal. Even though it concluded that the Bush war policy (is there a policy?) thus far has failed, the panel's 79 recommendations shotgunned the field of Middle...

How to overcome your worries.(Psychology)
January 1, 2007... "... Since most worries never come true, worries often are forced to admit, 'I can't recall what I was worried about." EVERYONE SEEMS to worry, yet chronic worriers--those who worry all the time--wait almost 10 years to seek out...

Goya's bizarre world of Los Caprichos.(The World Yesterday)
January 1, 2007... "These personages populate a [place] on the margins of reason, where no clear boundaries distinguish reality from fantasy." 'LOS CAPRICHOS," by Francisco Jose de Goya y Lucientes (1746-1828), one of the most influential series of graphic...

From El Greco to Goya to Picasso.(Museums Today)
January 1, 2007... "... This exhibition provides a revolutionary new perspective on Spanish painting of the past five centuries.... Carefully chosen comparisons reveal previously unseen links between artists working in very different historical contexts, even as...

Romance and rebellion: the most expressive and wild-tempered artist of his generation, Girodet was commissioned by some of the biggest names in France, and gave free rein to his imagination in executing an impressive array of brilliant paintings.(Museums Today)
January 1, 2007... IN LATE 1784, 17-year-old Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy entered Jacques-Louis David's studio, which included the most gifted and ambitious young artists of the time. It ruled the artistic life of Paris. Between 1780-97, Jean-Germain Drouais,...

Why is the U.S. weaponizing outer space? Using the Rumsfeld Commission Report as its blueprint, America appears determined to load up the heavens with a technologically advanced--and prohibitively expensive--arsenal, much to the chagrin of enemies and allies alike.(The World Today)
January 1, 2007... THE U.S. IS DRIFTING toward a dangerous commitment to arm outer space, absorb hundreds of billions of dollars of expense at a time when its economy is unstable, and provoke international responses which will reduce, rather than enhance, the...

Meet the world's first female private space explorer: in first glimpsing Earth from space, Ansari wrote in her blog that, "here it was, this beautiful planet turning graciously about itself, under the warm rays of the sun ... so peaceful ... so full of life ... no signs of war, no signs of borders, no signs of trouble, just pure beauty.".(Science & Technology)(Nousheh Ansari)
January 1, 2007... A NOUSHEH ANSARI made history with her recent space flight as a primary crew member on the Soyuz TMA-9 for an eight-day mission aboard the International Space Station, a journey of a lifetime that made her the world's first female private space...

Has oil production peaked?(EYE ON ECOLOGY)
January 1, 2007... WHEN THE PRICE OF OIL climbed above $50 a barrel in late 2004, public attention began to focus on the adequacy of world oil supplies, specifically on when production would peak and then begin to decline. Analysts are far from a consensus on...

Lessons from the Hewlett-Packard debacle.(Business & Finance)
January 1, 2007... THE BROUHAHA at Hewlett-Packard, over the conducting of illegal investigations (spying!) to track down troublesome leaks, caused by warring board members and their gumshoe retainers has subsided, but the question remains: What leads a board of...

Fostering fake news stories.(WORDS IMAGES)
January 1, 2007... SOME COMMENTATORS CALL IT "faux news"; others refer to it as "fake news." It is not just "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart" and "The Colbert Report with Steven Colbert"--cited as the primary news sources for millions of people. It is the...

How nonprofits can recruit and develop top-caliber board members.(Business & Finance)
January 1, 2007... IN THE WAKE OF RECENT budget-draining natural disasters, congressional scrutiny of post-hurricane relief efforts, and media reports of fiduciary and ethical lapses in the nonprofit sector, nonprofit leaders are challenged more than ever to...

The tantalizing tramp.(REEL WORLD)
January 1, 2007... CHARLIE CHAPLIN'S POPULARITY was so great in the first quarter of the 20th century that theater owners only had to display a cardboard image of him with the short statement, "I am here today" to draw a large audience. His popularity touched off...

How to have a healthy conversation: when individuals learn to throw off the schackles of predisposition and engage in the art of "soft power," watch the words and passion flow.(Life In America)
January 1, 2007... IF YOU STILL ARE among those people who are jockeying around their lives saddled with the myth that men and women function at two different levels, may I respectfully suggest that you consider galloping off to another planet--like Mars! A...

Red October.(SPORTS SCENE)
January 1, 2007... BASEBALL, EVEN IN THE grotesquely mutated form that pervades today's game, remains capable of tugging at the heartstrings (and actually can be a joy to behold) if viewed from the right perspective--in this case, from the eyes of an...

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... An estimated 72,000 medical emergency room visits occur annually in the U.S. due to snow removal injuries, including overexertion, heart attacks, strokes, back pain, muscle pulls, and snow blower mishaps, reports the Consumer Product Safety...

Staying warm and cozy in frightful weather.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... As we're deep into what feels like the coldest days of the season, we can't help but worry about our little ones. Since they're not able to tell us if they're comfortable, we need to make sure they are warm--but not overheated. This can be...

A vacuum that vacuums itself.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... With technology leaping forward at breakneck speed, it was bound to happen: a vacuum that essentially cleans itself, or at least its own filters. The Twin Clean from Electrolux Home Care Products North America, Bloomington, Ill., is the first...

Give your feet a great massage--with slippers!(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... When your feet are uncomfortable, your whole body feels it. Whether cold, aching, or tired, they have a way of zapping your energy and making it hard to focus. One source of relief can be found in the Health o Meter Unisex Massaging Memory Foam...

For fabulous results Photoshop is fabulous.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... Two years ago, our grade-schooler had to create a timeline, complete with photographs, showcasing all the highlights of her very young life. In the end, we proudly displayed a composite of all her "firsts"--first dance recital, first day of...

If you got game you gotta get this.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2007... Calling all streetballers! Hasbro has teamed up with AND 1, the basketball and footwear apparel company,. to produce the Neff Showtime Hoops hip-hop, interactive system, allowing players to bring home the fun and excitement of the AND 1 Mix...

Musical memories for a new generation.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... Among the fondest memories from our college days are the times we spent making mixed tapes. Music was such a large part of campus life and, in many ways, it defined us. We invested hours upon hours poring through the albums of our dormmates...

Every day is the best day ever.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... A few years ago in these pages, we declared that Nickelodeon's "SpongeBob SquarePants" was the best show on television. Guess what? It still is. Not only that, the folks at Nickelodeon have done a brilliant job with their line of licensed--and...

It's sound that makes the world go round.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... While we're all in awe of the technological revolution that has so completely changed our lives (for the better!), from powerful, high-speed computers to flat-screen high-definition televisions to dazzling special-effects video games to...

Yesterday or today, Faber-Castell still tops.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... If you're looking for the very best writing or drawing implements, only one name comes to mind: Faber-Castell USA, Cleveland, Ohio. Founded almost 250 years ago in Stein, Germany, the company's extensive line includes professional art materials...

Hot wheels is more than just hot cars.(What's New?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Yeah, those really cool Hot Wheels cars from Mattel are still around, as are the exciting array of razzle-dazzle tracks for these sleek and speedy vehicles to ride on. Today, though, the name Hot Wheels (and Barbie!) evokes a whole host of...

Build me a city, build me an empire.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... One great way to spur a child's imagination is with building toys. We'd bet that from the beginning of time, kids have found ways to stack things up and knock them down again. Then they move on to building forts, caves, and their own little...

The Tweens now have an Anthem.(LIVE ON STAGE)(High School Musical: The Concert)(Musical work)
January 1, 2007... Ever since "High School Musical" debuted on the Disney Channel, our kids can't get enough of it. We couldn't even begin to count how many times we've seen it--or one of its reincarnations. We've enjoyed the movie itself, learned the songs...

A dog, a cat, a fish--and a tiger.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... Listening to music takes on a whole new dimension when we bring our animated friends in on the fun. We're talking about those creatures from Tiger Electronics that move and groove along to our beat. We can't help but smile when we plug any of...

In praise of dancing.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... Some of the most popular machines in video arcades are the dance party games. In these, dancers stand on a foot pad and follow cues on the screen to perform the latest moves to current hits. The problem is that some of these rap and hip hop...

The "new" Hershey's: now that's chocolate!(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... If you want to explore a new world of chocolate, check out Cacao Reserve by Hershey's, a premium line of all-natural chocolates and drinking cocoa that offers a variety of superior flavors, pleasing textures, and exotic aromas unlike any other,...

Sharp quizzes for sharp minds.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... Although a lot of kids don't really see when they are ever going to use math in their lives, we know that, in reality, we use it every day. From calculating the best buys in the supermarket to gas mileage to the amount of grass seed to buy to...

Dixie dishes decide the race.(What's New?)(Dixie Paper Products)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... What piles up faster: dirty dishes or dirty laundry? That's a tough one, especially at our house, where four hungry kids usually are doing one of two things--chowing down or finding new ways to get dirty (or sometimes both at the same time)....

Happy feet, cars, and snoopy lead the way.(VIDEO GAMES)
January 1, 2007... The number of video games on the market is dizzying. With so many based on popular movies, TV shows, beloved characters, and the newest entries--those promising to increase our intelligence--it's easy to select some favorites. Capitalizing...

Pass the butter and keep it coming.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... In this season of culinary indulgences, what better ingredient to enjoy than butter? After all, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything on your plate--okay, my plate--that wouldn't be tastier with a healthy dose of butter. Trouble is, I'm always...

Putting cow's milk out to pasture.(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... With a growing waistline and a son who is highly allergic to anything that contains even a single drop of milk, it was time for a change--to soy milk. While the store-bought brands are fine, we really enjoy hunkering down in the kitchen and...

Infantino proad to "think like babies".(What's New?)
January 1, 2007... Keeping little ones entertained is no small task. It certainly is easier when you accept a little help from Infantino, San Diego, Calif. From their line of soft, jingly toys perfect for little hands that are just learning to swat and grasp to...

American Theocracy: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century.(Book review)
January 1, 2007... AMERICAN THEOCRACY: The Peril and Politics of Radical Religion, Oil, and Borrowed Money in the 21st Century BY KEVIN PHILLIPS VIKING 2006, 462 PAGES, $26.95 Former Republican strategist, political and economic commentator for more than...

Strategery: How George W. Bush Is Defeating Terrorists, Outwitting Democrats, and Confounding the Mainstream Media.(Book review)
January 1, 2007... STRATEGERY: How George W. Bush Is Defeating Terrorists, Outwitting Democrats, and Confounding the Mainstream Media BY BILL SAMMON REGNERY PUBLISHING, INC. 2006, 336 PAGES, $27.95 Third in a series of New York Times best sellers...

The demise of marriage.(PARTING THOUGHTS)
January 1, 2007... THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES, marriage has withstood barbs, jokes, criticisms, and countless jibes but, until now, it has held its own as the glue that keeps society together. A standard wise-guy remark was the quip that, while marriage may be a...