USA TODAY articles from July 2002

USA TODAY archives from July 2002

Water safety can prevent summer tragedy. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Summer is here, and that means plenty of people will be heading to the beach or pool to enjoy the warm weather. Before packing up the swimming and boating gear, however, Professional Insurance Agents of New York State Inc. (PIANY) urges...

Keep your summer safe and cool. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Summertime injuries are among some of the most preventable, doctors at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas say. With a few simple precautions and common sense, summer can be a safe and fun time for everyone. ...

Going somewhere? Bring a first aid kit. (Your Life).
July 1, 2002... This summer, millions of people will set out on vacation by car, airplane, train, boat, even bicycle. While the tires may be kicked, suitcases packed, gas tank topped off, and tickets in hand, travelers may forget an important item--the first...

What do you know about tire safety? (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Overwhelmingly, America's drivers believe that tire care is important, yet a large proportion of the population are either performing little or no maintenance or are making critical mistakes when caring for their tires. A study conducted by the...

Keeping bees and wasps at bay. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Do the aromas of barbecued chicken, vegetables on the grill, and fresh-squeezed lemonade have you salivating during the summer season? Well, it also appeals to some unwanted guests of the stinging variety. "These enticing aromas often attract...

Mosquitoes ranked as top summer nuisance. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... According to a survey conducted by S.C. Johnson & Son, the makers of OFF! insect repellents, you are bound to get bitten up to 120 times this summer. Respondents reported being bitten an average of 10 times each week, which is why mosquitoes...

Biting flies target household pets. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... The incessant buzzing of flies around the house might be more than just a nuisance. Some are attracted to cats or dogs and can bite their ears or backs, leaving painful wounds on pets. C.B. Chastain, associate dean of the University of...

Chilled soups provide summer vegetable needs. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Chilled vegetable soups are growing in popularity for summer, according to the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), because they offer refreshing ways to start a meal or take the edge off hunger with a "grab-and-go" snack. Low in...

Easing stress of coming home for the summer. (Your Life).(young adults)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Whether they are graduating or coming back from their first year away from home as freshmen, millions of young adults are returning home to live with their parents. Fear not, says John DiMino, director of Temple University's Tuttleman...

Marinating reduces grilling health hazards. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... With the outdoor grilling season in full gear, the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR) warns studies have found grilling and broiling cause "muscle meats" (red meat, poultry, and fish) to produce cancer-causing compounds. These...

Getting out of the car? Take your kids with you. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It's the hottest part of the summer, and the living isn't easy for infants and toddlers put at risk by parents, babysitters, and other caretakers who ignore the hazards of summer heat, warns Susan Scott, an emergency room pediatrician at The...

Kids in summer: going outside vs. online. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... What do you do if all your kid wants to do this summer is sit at the computer? Educational psychologist Glenn Snelbecker, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa., who specializes in technology, says parents need to encourage kids to strike a good...

Made-to-fit clothes are on the way. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Consumers longing for a good-fitting pair of blue jeans will get their wish in the near future, predicts Brecca Farr, assistant professor of clothing, textiles, and design, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. She says we should expect to see,...

Outdoor furniture offers great variety. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... If you're shopping for new outdoor furniture, but are perplexed by the multitude of options available today, the American Furniture Manufacturers Association offers the following quick overview of what's available in your local stores: ...

Outlet malls face grim future. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Outlet malls face dire prospects due to a revitalized urban retail mall sector, predicts James Lowry, professor of marketing, Ball State University, Muncie, Ind. Once the target of bargain hunters and weekend road warriors, outlet malls are...

Half of managers lack up-to-date resume. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Despite today's uncertain job market, many managers do not maintain an updated resume, a survey by Accountemps, an international temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, found. The executives polled...

Limiting government after September 11. (National Affairs).
July 1, 2002... WHAT ARE the likely long-term effects on American government of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11? What do changes in polls about "trust in government" mean? How should advocates of limited government respond to the changes brought about by the...

Immigration: the sleeping time bomb. (State Of The Nation).
July 1, 2002... WHEN JEAN-MARIE LE PEN placed second in the first round of the French presidential election in April, Europe and the world were shocked. Le Pen, a far-right nationalist who favors tight restriction on immigration and the withdrawal of France...

Should the U.S. weaponize space? (National Affairs).
July 1, 2002... CONTROL OF SPACE is at the crux of the debate about the future of American military policy. The question is not about militarizing space. Clearly, the U.S. has been using and will continue to use space for military purposes. However, whereas...

Act of war: terrorism in the Clash of Civilizations. (World Watcher).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... WE WILL NEVER WIN the war on terrorism until we get the context right. We need to understand fully that this phenomenon is a very clear part of the "Clash of Civilizations," which is now manifesting itself as a war between cultures, and that...

Befriending Saudi princes: a high price for a dubious alliance. (Worldview).
July 1, 2002... NOTHING CAN JUSTIFY the heinous terrorist attacks of Sept. 11. Yet, some feel that U.S. policies have acted as the equivalent of poking hornets' nests, turning Americans into targets for violence at home and abroad. Demanding reconsideration,...

TV commercials and other messages a la carte. (Words & Images).(society's values)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... AMERICANS are usually squeamish when it comes to figuring out where their food comes from. You won't see many tours of stockyards and slaughterhouses. Many were disgusted by a Fred Wiseman documentary following the food chain from cows to...

America's international image problem. (Mass Media).
July 1, 2002... WHAT? America is not loved like we once thought it was? After the Marshall Plan, billions in foreign aid, and successful World War II and Gulf War rescues, what has gone wrong? The U.S. has an image problem, and it may largely be due to our...

On being an American journalist. (Mass Media).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... THE BRUTAL MURDER of the Wall Street Journal's Daniel Pearl may offer the last word in the argument over how journalists who are Americans should perceive themselves and ask others to perceive them. Are they American journalists, or are they...

Take away the Saudis' oil weapon. (Economic Observer).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... REMEMBER THE GOLDEN RULE: He who has the gold rules! Economics will always trump politics over the long run. Even in the most-convoluted and difficult situations, economic considerations may mold solutions to intractable disputes. Let's take a...

The IRS's intensified audit attack. (Economics).(National Research Program)
July 1, 2002... IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rossoti promised an immediate 28% increase in the number of tax audits. The institution of the National Research Program (NRP), as announced in January, 2002, is the first...

Time to move on? Leaving a job gracefully. (Business & Finance).(career change)
July 1, 2002... WITH TODAY'S sluggish economy, most people who are employed can't help but breathe a little sigh of relief that they have a job--even if they don't really like it. Human nature is to retreat to the trenches in times of uncertainty, and those...

Adult prisons: no place for kids. (Law & Justice).(juvenile criminals)
July 1, 2002... SEVERAL YEARS AGO, one of the news feature shows on television had an interviewer talking with a freckle-faced, redheaded 12-year-old boy. The interview was taking place in a maximum-security prison yard. When asked what he had done to...

Are humans to blame for exacerbating many natural disasters? (Ecology).
July 1, 2002... IN DECEMBER, 1999, almost 20,000,000 cubic yards of mud, trees, and boulders came barreling down from Venezuela's coastal mountain range onto the densely populated and heavily urbanized ribbon of land that hugs the Caribbean coast, killing...

Paul Gauguin and the lure of the exotic: no matter where he traveled, the artist absorbed the sights and subjects encountered there into his own unique vision. (Museum Today).(exhibition at the Metropolitan Museum of Art)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... PAUL GAUGUIN (1848-1903), the pioneering French artist who left his family and a career in finance to paint and live like a native in the South Seas, in fact began sailing to far-off lands during childhood. As a boy, he lived for a time with...

Modern American Portrait drawings. (Museum Today).
July 1, 2002... PORTRAITURE, after thriving for generations at the forefront of the visual arts, rode a roller coaster of reputation in the 20th century. First reempowered as experimental, then discredited in an age of abstraction, and finally rediscovered...

Buffalo Bill: the American West incarnate. (USA Yesterday).
July 1, 2002... HIS NAME was William Frederick Cody, but he also was known as the Honorable W.F. Cody, as well as Col. William Cody. Yet, the world knew him best simply as Buffalo Bill. For Americans and Europeans, he was the icon of the frontier American...

The State of Our Unions. (Life In America).(marriage)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... EACH YEAR, the National Marriage Project at Rutgers University publishes an assessment of the health of marriage and marital relationships in America entitled "The State of Our Unions." It is based on a thorough review and evaluation of the...

Meeting the need for student career development. (Education).(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... IF YOU WERE TO ASK kindergarten students what they want to be when they grow up, you would probably get an answer in less than 10 seconds. Put the same question to a third-grader and the response time would be about the same. However, if you...

The spirit of giving is alive among teenagers. (American Thought).(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... ASHLEIGH CROWE of Suffield, Conn., organized a volunteer group called Ashleigh's Army to help improve living conditions and education in a small Dominican Republic village. Francesca Tenconi of Walnut Creek, Calif., founded the Children's Skin...

Spirituality in the 21st century. (Religion).
July 1, 2002... THE 21ST CENTURY spiritual highway has a growing number of travelers, but, with less direction and fewer road signs, those on the journey are charting their own route in a vehicle that is easy to drive and fits their lifestyle. Today's...

Apathy or anger? (Sports Scene).(sports fans)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... THERE'S A TRUISM that people who claim to have worn out life in fact have had life wear them out. I don't know about life, but the world of sports has left me, if not quite worn out, wavering between apathy and anger. I've long counted the...

Managing and treating asthma. (Medicine & Health).
July 1, 2002... "I KNOW WHEN an asthma attack is starting. I cough; then my chest feels tight. I struggle for each breath and I get tired. I feel like I am suffocating. I fear my next breath will be my last.... Between attacks I feel fine." That is what a...

Erotic horrors. (Reel World).(The Piano Teacher)
July 1, 2002... PETER HANEKE'S "The Piano Teacher" is a film that you won't see in your local multiplex, for reasons that have little to do with mass culture's protection of public morality. "The Piano Teacher" is a controversial, adult picture to be sure, but...

"Heeeere's Johnny!" Forty years ago, Johnny Carson moved into America's living rooms and bedrooms as the host of NBC's "The Tonight Show." (Entertainment).
July 1, 2002... IN 1962, Johnny Carson began his unprecedented 30-year run as host of NBC's "The Tonight Show." The 36-year-old Midwest-raised comedian was known at the time as the witty daytime emcee of "Who Do You Trust?" Though ostensibly a quiz show, the...

Patience pays: the movies you meant to see in 2001 are finally out on DVD. (Entertainment).
July 1, 2002... THERE ARE ANY NUMBER of reasons why some people don't troop down to the multiplex on a regular basis. Box office revenues continue to hit record heights--albeit aided by obscenely inflated ticket prices--but a stubborn coterie of naysayers...

Pool haul. (What's New?).(pool toys)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 1, 2002... * With the summer heat beating down, the logical move is to fill the pool with people and let everyone cool off. For added leisure and just plain fun, there are a number of items that can be thrown in as well, providing there's sufficient room,...

Beach blanket bingo. (What's New?).(picnic blanket)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 1, 2002... * Dragging blankets back and forth on beach excursions while already encumbered by coolers, picnic baskets, towels, and the various accoutrements that accompany small children for a day on the sand can be a major hassle. Fortunately for seaside...

Camping out. (What's New?).(equipment)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 1, 2002... * Any experienced camper knows the basics to take into the woods--tent, sleeping bag, cooler, etc. There are a couple of items from Zelco Industries, Inc., Mt. Vernon, N.Y., though, that might not spring to mind immediately, but will prove well...

Sounds of summer. (What's New?).(Sony radios)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * One way Target Stores, Minneapolis, Minn., has been able to make such substantial inroads into the retail market so quickly is its ability to get big-name designers and manufacturers to produce lines of products exclusive to the chain (1,055...

A cool breeze. (What's New?).(fans)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * We're the cynical type, so a term like "air circulators" strikes us as just a way of charging more money for a plain old fan. Still, after years of hearing friends and family rave about the wonders of air circulators, we had to give it a...

Catch the big one. (What's New?).(surfboards)(Brief Article)(Evaluation)
July 1, 2002... * We've found two sports--skiing and surfing--long intriguing, but were too chicken to give either a try. That still holds true for the winter endeavor of racing down a mountain at breakneck speed, yet the early summer has somehow imbued us...

Tennis traction. (What's New?).(tennis shoes/equipment)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Playing tennis is all about sudden starts and stops, as well as moving quickly from side to side. The trouble is that, during extreme stopping, cornering, and pivoting, if your sneaker's outsole is too rigid, you lose contact with the playing...

Paging Tarzan. (What's New?).(children's swings)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * With a sigh, parents of toddlers gurgling cheerfully as their backyard or playground swings gently rock back and forth must inevitably face the day when those kids realize how boring this activity really is. At that point, youngsters look for...

Boing! Boing! (What's New?).(pogo sticks)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Call it nostalgia, retro, or second childhood, but dimly remembered toys of yesterday are making a comeback. A couple of years ago, high-tech scooters became all the rage. What's next? Well, Razor USA LLC, Cerritos, Calif., who brought you...

Backyard bonanza. (What's New?).(outfoor furniture)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * The backyard tends to be a place of warm-weather comfort, the home of a grill, an assortment of kids' toys, a chaise longue or two, and perhaps a table and chairs, matched or mismatched. As we head into another summer, why not take the...

Off limits for skeeters. (What's New?).(Insect Repellent from OFF!)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Last summer, the OFF! Mosquito Lantern proved a godsend, protecting family and friends from nature's most annoying invaders. This summer, outdoor barbecues and backyard get-togethers once again will be OFF-limits to those pesky bloodsucking...

Skin deep. (What's New?).(Atzen skin care products)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * For such a loyal devotee to the works of Oscar Wilde, especially his hallmark The Picture of Dorian Gray, the oversight is perplexing. Middle age--and its attending ravages--never concerned us. The march of time was inevitable, and with it...

The good Glacier. (What's New?).(Glacier Gear coolers)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * "Glacier Gear coolers are quite simply the best coolers in the world. This fact becomes obvious the moment you pick one of the products up." This bold statement is found front and center on the promotions announcing the firm's four recent...

Backyard chuckwagon. (What's New?).(grilling utensils from Danger Men Cooking)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... As any enthusiast will tell you, grilling is a serious job that requires the proper tools as well as the necessary ingredients to throw on the fire. To gear up virtually from head to toe, turn to Danger Men Cooking, Highland, N.Y. Admittedly...

A truckload of BBQ. (What's New?).(Jack Stack Barbecue foods)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... Summertime is grilling weather, but occasionally the rain gods may interfere with your plans. There's no reason to give up your barbecuing experience in wet weather, though, if you have the foresight to stock your refrigerator with the goodies...

A garden in a box. (What's New?).(the Earthbox)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Billed as "The Garden of the Future," the Earthbox promises higher yields, minimum maintenance, and environmentally friendly gardening. From our initial crop, inventor Blake Whisenant may just be right. The process starts with a window...

Burgers that cluck. (What's New?).(chicken burgers from Casual Gourmet Foods)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... You love burgers from the grill, but you're trying to cut back on your beef intake. The conflict is not irresolvable, thanks to Casual Gourmet Foods, Inc., Clearwater, Fla., and its line of Chicken Burgers. Coming four to a box, these...

Floral T's. (What's New?).(floral motif T-shirts)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It's summertime, and gardens are abloom (with the possible exception of areas blighted by this year's persistent drought). What better way to pay tribute to nature's bounty of warm weather than with the basic American top, a T-shirt--in...

Quack for the back. (What's New?).
July 1, 2002... * As long as your rubber duckie is in the tub anyway, it might as well do something besides just float. Open Enterprises, Inc., San Francisco, Calif., agrees, and thus its Duckie Massager. This soothing vibrating body massager is completely...

Summer-soft PJS. (What's New?).(sleepwear )(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * When our summer sleepwear arrived from our favorite manufacturer, L'Agneau D'Or (The Golden Lamb), Housatonic, Mass., we were surprised to find that the fabric (Greek imported interlock woven cotton) felt exactly like the cozy pajamas that we...

Sleeping over. (What's New?).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * For youngsters, inviting friends to sleep over is a fun adventure, but sometimes plans can be frustrated because there is not a spare bed to be had. Rather than disappointing the kids, simply whip out the Ready Bed Inflatable Sleeping Bag...

Helpful hydrant. (What's New?).("Herbie Hydrant" fire safety aid for children)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... * Fire hydrants, of course, are invaluable when it's necessary to put out a blaze, and, moreover, they can be the centerpiece of a dog's social life. However, they can also be the means to ensure a child's safety. Herbie Hydrant: The Fire...

Retro time keeping. (What's New?).(Kit-Cat Klock from California Clock Co.)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2002... It's not as cool as a cuckoo (then again, what is?), but the Kit-Cat Klock is quite a--pick one--retro, vintage, nostalgic, and/or kitschy timepiece whose roots date back to the Great Depression. Well-known for its trademark wagging tail and...

Taking the temperature. (What's New?).(thermometers)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * Okay, your bedroom is nice and cozy, but what's doing outside? Or, it's such a nice day, why's it so hot (or cold) in here? If you are consumed by such questions about temperature, there's a simple solution from Zelco Industries, Inc., Mt....

By land and sea. (What's New?).(remote-control boats and cars)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... * "From the high seas to the high road" is the very appropriate slogan of NKOK, Inc., Los Angeles, Calif., whose remote-control boats and cars have gained favor with collectors for years. The company's newest additions are the U.S. Coast...

I Spy ... a Big Red Dog. (What's New?).(computer games)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... Be careful, "X" doesn't always mark the spot when kids play the I Spy Treasure Hunt computer game ($29.95) from Scholastic Inc., New York. Children are transported to the quaint seaside town of Smuggler's Cove, where they set out on a trio of...

Invisible Giants: Fifty Americans Who Shaped the Nation But Missed the History Books.
July 1, 2002... EDITED BY MARK C. CARNES OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS 2002, 315 PAGES, $26.00 Despite this work's subtitle, it is not quite accurate to claim that the 50 Americans commemorated in Invisible Giants missed the history books, since all appear in...

Heart of the Rock: the Indian Invasion of Alcatraz.
July 1, 2002... BY ADAM FORTUNATE EAGLE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA PRESS 2002, 215 PAGES, $29.95 In November, 1969, a half-comic, half-serious Indian invasion of Alcatraz Island, home of the closed notorious prison, took place. The plot was hatched by Sioux...

Thrills and chills. (Parting Thoughts).(American monuments)(Statistical Data Included)
July 1, 2002... IN A JADED AND BLASE WORLD, where one so often hears "been there; done that" and where a sense of deja vu pervades bored Americans, there still are available thrills and chills galore, if one but looks to the simpler life. As the song has it,...