USA TODAY articles from January 2008

USA TODAY archives from January 2008

Gerald F. Kreyche: 1927-2007.(Obituary)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... I started way back in September 1986 and ends with this issue---Gerald F. Kreyche, our esteemed American Thought Editor, no longer will be writing the magazine's Parting Thoughts column; the professor emeritus of philosophy at DePaul...

Modern warfare equals environmental damage.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... Modern warfare tactics--as seen in the Vietnam War, the Rwandan and Congolese civil wars, and the current conflict in Iraq--greatly have increased our capacity to destroy the natural landscape and produce devastating environmental effects on...

Energy and Democrats prove a poor mix.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... A provision included in the Democratic leadership's secretly-written anti-energy bill will stop all biomass and timber activities on Federal lands--a move that could increase catastrophic wildfires in the Western states dramatically and...

How do you wrap a sea monkey?(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... January is a time for telling friends and family all about the great presents you received during Christmas and Hanukkah. However, when coworkers exchange holiday gifts, some are in for more of a surprise than others. The Creative Group, a...

Aircraft's effect on global warming.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... A coalition of environmental groups, states, and regional governments have filed petitions with the Environmental Protection Agency urging it to address the effects of vast amounts of global warming pollution from the world's aircraft fleet....

Bird flu warnings likely inadequate.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The international science community is not doing enough to track the many avian influenza viruses that might cause the next pandemic, according to a University of California, Davis, researcher. Global surveillance is critical for...

Illegal aliens in U.S. number over 13,000,000.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... The illegal immigrant population of the U.S. now exceeds 13,000,000, according to a report from the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), Washington, D.C. In 2000, the now-defunct Immigration and Naturalization Service estimated...

Skilled entrepreneurs leaving U.S. behind.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... More than 1,000,000 skilled immigrant workers--including Indian and Chinese scientists and engineers--and their families are competing for 120,000 permanent U.S. resident visas each year. The sizable imbalance is likely to fuel a "reverse...

Political "moments" worth remembering.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... John F. Kennedy's assassination and funeral, the Sept. 11 World Trade Center attack, and the first televised presidential debate in 1960 between JFK and Richard Nixon head the "most memorable" political moments in American radio-television...

Can U.S. infrastructure really be fixed?(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... After the tragedy in Minneapolis in which the Interstate 35 West bridge collapsed, many of us feel at least a twinge of anxiety when driving over such structures. Barry B. LePatner, author of Structural & Foundation Failures and Broken...

Steroid suspicions dampen fans' enthusiasm.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Reveling in the wonder of a grand slam or jumping to the thrill of a touchdown is not as much fun when fans think players may have had pharmaceutical assistance, a MSN-Zogby poll shows. Some 58% say they enjoy watching sports less knowing that...

Mortgage market: a scary new world.(YOUR LIFE)
January 1, 2008... If you are thinking about moving or refinancing in the coming months, it would be wise to make a plan now for how you will approach lenders. The current debacle in the subprime mortgage market has made all lenders somewhat skittish about future...

Goracle gushings on faith-based science.(National Affairs)
January 1, 2008... AL GORE WON an Academy Award for his skillfully done film, "An Inconvenient Truth. It was well-deserved. Had he given as good a performance during his campaign for president, he would have won in a landslide. As environmental drama, it only can...

Afghanistan still needs saving: the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom promises that his nation will hold fast in its support of a new Afghanistan. However, beyond Uncle Sam, who is willing to lend the beleaguered British a hand?(Worldview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATIONS OMITTED] FOR SIX YEARS, 38 countries have come together with the people and government of Afghanistan to rebuild this failed state, prevent the return of the Taliban, and root out Al Qaeda. Britain will continue to meet its...

Liberalism's third act?(STATE OF THE NATION)
January 1, 2008... MODERN LIBERALISM, rifled the New Deal, opened on the American stage in the 1930s under the direction of Pres. Franklin D. Roosevelt. Its promise was to bring some minimum guarantees of a decent life to U.S. citizens. What followed was the...

What does the future hold for the bear and the eagle?(Worldview)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MY WIFE AND I recently attended the world premier of the opera "Appomattox"--the story of the end of the American Civil War, the bloodiest conflict in U.S. history. This country's march toward democracy had broken...

Building an American island.(WORLD WATCHER)
January 1, 2008... "IF YOU BUILD IT, they will stay away." This seems to be the theme of the Bush Administration when you have a chance to I look at the U.S. from the outside. An island of fences--stricter controls over Canadians entering the U.S., isolation on...

Relating to Iran ... and the world.(American Thought)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] OVER THE LAST few months, the world has witnessed a disturbing series of events: the assassination of the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto: state of emergency in Georgia: Turkey threatening to invade...

Life in a Plan B economy.(ECONOMIC OBSERVER)
January 1, 2008... BUILDING A NEW ECONOMY is paramount, one that can sustain economic progress and involves phasing out old industries, restructuring existing ones, and creating new ones. This new economy will be powered by renewable sources of energy, have a...

Picture perfect, old chap.(The World Yesterday)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE RECOGNIZABLE tone of the "English picturesque," flourishing around 1800, celebrates local landscapes and the native eyes that would behold them. Paintings and drawings, of the sort that circulated as the prints...

Edward Hopper Master of Silence.(Museums Today)(Biography)
January 1, 2008... THE ICONIC AMERICAN artist Edward Hopper (1882-1967) honed his compositions by eliminating unnecessary details to reveal the essence of a scene. From his distillations emerge poignant and enigmatic pictures filled with audible silences and...

Chim is him: discovering David Szymin.(Focus)(Cover story)(Biography)
January 1, 2008... "[He] had the intelligence of a chess player; with the air of a math teacher, he applied his profession.... Chim picked up his camera the way a doctor takes his stethoscope out of his bag, applying his diagnosis to the condition of the heart....

A walk-through with Ansel Adams.(Focus)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ALONGSIDE SEVERAL of his iconic landscapes, "Ansel Adams" presents rarely seen prints--offering new insight into one of the few photographers in the history of the medium whose name and images enjoy worldwide...

Guilty until proven innocent.(WORDS IMAGES)
January 1, 2008... THE NEWS MEDIA SEEMS WILLING to forgive the President and Congress for the poor economy, no national health care, and the Iraqi war. Most outlets have given up investigative reporting, closing their eyes to corporate corruption and malfeasance....

Giving NCLB an A-PLUS boost: the Academic Partnerships Lead Us to Success Act would promote greater local control in education while maintaining accountability through state-level testing and information reporting to parents to ensure transparency.(Education)(No Child Left Behind Act)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] FOR MORE THAN four decades, Congress has sought to improve public education by creating new Federal programs and increasing spending. In Fiscal Year 2007, the Federal government spent $23,500,000,000 on programs that...

Populism goes multicultural.(REEL WORLD)
January 1, 2008... THE FEEL-GOOD GENRE of populism, often associated with such Frank Capra film classics as "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington" (1939) and "It's a Wonderful Life" (1946), always has had some naysayers. The classic knock among cynics is populism's...

How members of Congress practice private school choice.(Life in America)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] MANY MEMBERS of Congress value the opportunity to choose a safe and effective school for their own children, yet a number of these same members consistently oppose school choice legislation that would give the same...

Boycotting the bottle.(EYE ON ECOLOGY)
January 1, 2008... FROM SAN FRANCISCO to New York to Paris, city governments, high-class restaurants, schools, and religious groups are ditching bottled water in favor of what comes out of the faucet. With a number of people no longer wilting to pay 1,000 times...

Less ego, more eco makes greater sense.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2008... The science of ecology studies the relationship of Earth's organisms with their environment. We organisms known as humans, however, increasingly have become disconnected from our natural surroundings. For evidence of this disconnect, one need...

There's cold--and then there's NFL cold.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2008... We're all for free enterprise and the invisible hand of the marketplace but, when it comes to entrepreneurialship, the National Football League has taken things a bit far in its never-ending quest for the almighty buck. If the NFL Network-Cable...

Baby, it's awfully cold outside.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2008... Baby, it's cold outside. Don't get us wrong, we love this time of year. From winter sports and recreation to a romp through freshly fallen snow, there's a magic in the air we don't feel during the sweltering summer months. Whether we're in the...

Let's take a road trip to the museum of bad art.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)(Book review)
January 1, 2008... Chock-full of facts, games, quizzes, experiments, and engaging things to do, The World Almanac for Kids 2008 is the perfect antidote to "I'm bored!" The number-one best-selling kids almanac worldwide--with more than 3,700,000 copies in...

Walk a mile in an ecologist's shoes.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... When we get up each morning and put on our shoes, we don't always think about the possible ecological impact that it can have, but Patagonia does. This Ventura, Calif.-based company is dedicated to building products and working with processes...

Fighting off the chill in cozy comfort.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... On these chilly winter evenings when we find a few minutes to relax, we love to snuggle into a Kangaroo Blanket from Hollandia. Perfect for settling in with a good book or lounging in front of the TV, the oversized blanket, measuring 70" x 40",...

Smooth as silk and good looking, too.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2008... For every guy, there is the perfect tie. Whether you're attending a company holiday party (Happy New Year!), a fancy gala, or an important client meeting, XMI--a leading designer and manufacturer of premium mens' and boys' neckwear, dress and...

Black & Decker tools provide convenience and power.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Whether you're handy or just love to have tools at hand, the VPX system from Black & Decker, Towson, Md., brings you the convenience you crave in versatile cordless products. The tools are sleek, lightweight, and...

Grooming utility belt for that special guy.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Yes, some women are drawn to rugged guys with rough skin, stubbled faces, and a tool belt. Then again, lots of ladies like a soft-skinned man who knows how to keep himself well-groomed. The Amenity Limited Edition Gift Set is the grooming...

The safety of a Kangaroo's pouch.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... We often wonder how some people manage to get all their photos in albums, labeled with names and dates, and always can put their finger on any picture at any given time. We suspect, however, that more people than readily admit it have habits...

Are you gonna get up--or what?(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... While some kids pleasantly get up on their own each morning, others need to be jolted out of bed. Who better to help them greet the day than their favorite Nickelodeon character--SpongeBob SquarePants? The Clock-It Alarm Clock from Npower...

A fun twist on "High School Musical 2".(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... In 1966, Milton Bradley came up with a novel idea for a new game: Instead of using tokens on a game board, why not use the players' bodies as pieces and have them bend and stretch in challenging positions? They weren't sure the game was going...

Dream life superstar: tween fantasy factory.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... If you can dream it, you can be it--at least in the world of Tiger Electronics' Dream Life Superstar. For tween girls who fantasize about becoming rich and famous, this plug-and-play TV game allows players to get a taste of the celebrity...

No greater thrill than riding the "serpent".(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... There's something addictive about building toys. The challenge of taking a pile of rods and connectors and methodically turning them into something tangible is almost intoxicating. That's why we love K'NEX, the Hatfield, Pa., company started by...

Music and wood: a perfect duet.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... The iPod has been a great gift to music lovers. Kind of like the quintessential mixed tape, we can record all of our favorite tunes in one compact place to enjoy any time we want. In addition to being able to pair the perfect songs with our...

Popularity rules the day.(VIDEO GAMES)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2008... As the video game market continues to expand, we offer this latest roundup of some of the more popular titles: Arguably the most well-known character in the realm of video games is back in an adventure that is out of this world. Super Mario...

Game console storage: let's get organized.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... Though video gaming systems can give players hours of enjoyment, one thing we do not enjoy is trying to keep all of the games neatly organized, the wires out of the way, and the console and controllers properly stowed. Kids, with all their...

"Graduwaking" to class on time.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
January 1, 2008... When the kids come back home from college for Christmas break--yeah, I know, the calendar says it's already time for them to head back to campus--they inevitably hit their parents up for what they maintain is must-have electronic equipment to...

Do you hear what I hear?(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2008... Research by JVC indicates that consumers' biggest problem with in-ear headphones is their tendency to fall out--so the electronics company came up with the HA-FX66 model that tackles the problem by using a soft silicon rubber air cushion for...

The Reagan Diaries.(Book review)
January 1, 2008... THE REAGAN DIARIES BY RONALD REAGAN EDITED BY DOUGLAS BRINKLEY HARPER COLLINS 2007, 767 PAGES, $35.00 Ronald Reagan was known as the Teflon President as well as the Great Communicator. He was a master speech-giver and usually wrote his own...

Sipping the light fantastic.(WHAT'S NEW?)
January 1, 2008... Whether you're hosting a celebration or just like to relax with a cocktail in the evening, with a selection of quality liquor on hand, you'll be prepared for whatever occasion arises. Always fans of traditional martinis, we've been a little...

Getting older and older.(PARTING THOUGHTS)
January 1, 2008... GETTING OLD IS A ONE-TIME experience, so make the most of it--and remember, getting old is not for sissies. Regardless of euphemisms such as senior citizens, gray panthers, golden agers, etc., the fact is when you're old, you're old! The...