USA TODAY articles from July 2003

USA TODAY archives from July 2003

Quick war does not mean job rebound. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Despite the speedy resolution of the war in Iraq, the grim outlook expressed by the nation's leading chief executive officers does not augur well for an upturn in hiring this year. Who claimed victory in Iraq would turn the economy around...

Reducing conflict in the office. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... In a survey developed by OfficeTeam, a national staffing service specializing in highly skilled administrative professionals, the nation's top business leaders indicated that 19% of an executive's time--almost one day each workweek--is spent...

Smug attitude can hinder job search. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Confidence is critical when interviewing for a job, but executives warn against too much of a good thing. Fifty percent of chief financial officers polled by RHI Management Resources, a Menlo Park, Calif., consulting services firm providing...

Bad lunch behavior can help lose clients. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... If you lose your temper with the waiter at your next business lunch, you also may lose a prospective client, a survey suggests. According to The Creative Group, a specialized staffing service that provides marketing, advertising, creative, and...

Tardiness breeds creative excuses. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Everyone's had mornings when what can go wrong does. In a survey by Accountemps, a temporary staffing service for accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, executives revealed the i most-unusual and original explanations they have...

Teens easily skirt parents' TV bans. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Teenagers who say their parents restrict their television viewing of certain programs are likely to watch the forbidden shows at the home of a friend, an Ohio State University, Columbus, study suggests. They also reported less-positive...

Fighting aging through exercise. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... With just 30% of Americans over the age of 65 exercising on a regular basis, the importance of starting and maintaining a safe and effective exercise program has been shown to alleviate some of the conditions associated with aging, according to...

Banning smoking is good for public health. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... According to Marc Hiller, professor of health management and policy, University of New Hampshire, Durham, democratic governments always have recognized that there can and should be a limitation on people's and businesses' behavior when it...

Keep your cool in summer heat. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... Memorial Day has come and gone, which means that the dog days of summer are not far away, bringing hot, humid weather. For those not fortunate enough to have air-conditioned homes, there are a few things that can be done to help beat the heat,...

Is your beach contaminated? (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... Nothing will ruin a day at the beach like a sign in the sand that reads, "Warning: Contaminated Water. Unsafe for Swimming or Contact," because of the presence of fecal bacteria. According to Alexandria B. Boehm, the Clare Boothe Luce Assistant...

Seeking summer safety. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... How can you keep your summer safe? Physicians at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas offer a few tips: Insect repellent. As West Nile virus moves across the U.S., doctors are recommending that people be more...

Debunking common drowning myths. (Your Life).
July 1, 2003... While shallow water in pools or along coastlines seem harmless enough to let a child splash around in, you may be surprised to learn that most drownings occur in less than four feet of water. In fact, experts from the American Safety & Health...

States face fiscal crunch: after 1990s' spending surge. (National Affairs).
July 1, 2003... "... Governments must maximize their efficiency and not let tax rates get out of line with neighboring jurisdictions. Tax increases result in fewer businesses, slower economic growth, and a smaller tax base." STATE POLICYMAKERS are looking...

The Pentagon is fighting--and winning--the public relations war. (Mass Media).
July 1, 2003... AFTER YEARS OF FIGHTING with the media, the Pentagon can finally, and proudly, claim it has won the public relations war in Iraq. At least it has so far as its policy on how the media covers America's wars is concerned--for now. Critics...

Monitoring biometric technologies in a free society. (American Thought).
July 1, 2003... CONTROVERSY CONTINUES in Washington over Internet privacy legislation to deal with unwanted marketing online. However, that debate has been overshadowed by the rise of public surveillance technology, particularly biometrics, which are even more...

What's in a name? More than you think. (Words & Images).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... TELEVISION COVERAGE of the Iraqi war and postwar illustrates once again how American television news is obsessed with show business terminology that at the very least is poor journalism and at its worst corrupts and ignores a basic rule of...

Natural resources and conflict: a deadly ralationship. (Ecology).
July 1, 2003... "A substantial portion of the Western world's cell phones, furniture and wood products, and jewelry bears the invisible imprint of violence." JONAS SAVIMBI led a violent life and died a violent death. Yet, when the leader of the Angolan...

Seeking an end to the Kashmir Quagmire: can India and Pakistan be brought to the table to resolve the conflict that has been ongoing for more than half a century? (Worldview).
July 1, 2003... SINCE THE PARTITION of British India into India and Pakistan in August, 1947, the Kashmir dispute between the two countries has become an intractable one. They fought wars in 1947-48, 1965, 1971, and 1999, but have not been able to resolve the...

Solving the looming labor crisis: a growing number of retirees, declining fertility rates, and a labor force that simply does not possess the right skills to meet employers' needs are leading to shortages of workers for many positions. (Economics).
July 1, 2003... THE LABOR SHORTAGES of the late 1990s seem so distant now, particularly for the thousands of laidoff technology workers, many of whom went for a year or more without a job. Some, in fact, still are jobless. The dot.com bust, recession, and...

After Iraq, whither the American left? (State of the Nation).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... AS SADDAM HUSSEIN'S STATUE went crashing to the ground on April 9, with it went the hopes of the American Left and the antiwar movement of re-creating their glory days of the 1960s. The American Left had been moribund in the 1950s and came to...

How FDA regulations and injury litigation cripple the medical device industry. (Law & Justice).
July 1, 2003... MEDICAL DEVICES and implants are among the modern marvels that alleviate pain and suffering, as well as prolong and add to the quality of life. However, manufacturers of medical devices face a triple threat in their efforts to develop such...

Chicago and the art of the western frontier. (Museums Today).
July 1, 2003... FROM ITS BEGINNINGS, the growth, history, and psyche of the young American nation were unequivocally shaped by the existence of the West, a frontier to push forward in search of land and fortune. As the nation expanded, the frontier moved...

Jefferson, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase. (Museums Today).
July 1, 2003... ONE OF THE most-significant events in American history, the Louisiana Purchase doubled the size of the country, adding all or part of 13-17 states from Louisiana to North Dakota. (The number varies according to different historical views of the...

The hidden danger of sun exposure: actinic keratoses--small scaly lesions that feel like sandpaper to the touch--can progress to an invasive form of skin cancer if left untreated. (Medicine & Health).
July 1, 2003... EVERYONE looks forward to weather forecasts with bright, sunny days. However, one must be aware of the anger to the skin that is posed by spending time outdoors--sometimes with deadly consequences. Most people know that the sun can accelerate...

West Nile virus: a public health crisis. (Science & Technology)(Cover Story).(Cover Story)
July 1, 2003... PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS can only hope that this summer doesn't see a repeat of last year's West Nile virus outbreak, which was the largest in recorded history. More than 4,000 people became seriously ill, leading to brain damage and paralysis...

"Eggs for sale": the latest controversy in reproductive technology: couples are paying lofty fees to egg donors with the perfect combination of brains and beauty. (Life in America).
July 1, 2003... CUTTING-EDGE reproductive technologies and infertile couples are providing college women with thousands of dollars for something small in exchange--their eggs. "My friends and I see the ads, and have talked about it," said Shannon Grant, a...

Analyzing the Bush savings proposals. (Economic Observer).
July 1, 2003... PRES. BUSH wants to change how you save and invest. On Jan. 31, he unveiled a sweeping reconstruction of savings options and recast your investment opportunities. Let's look at what's been proposed and what it means to you if these new...

Retirees: the "new kids" on campus. (Education).(Institute for Learning in Retirement catering to retirees need for knowledge)
July 1, 2003... SOME WALK INTO THE CLASS socializing about a party they attended last night; others are ready to get right down to business; and yet another group is huddled by the lecturer, eager to express opinions about the class topic. While this setting...

The French: rivals, but not enemies. (World Watcher).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... IT'S A WELL-KNOWN FACT in the scientific study of international relations that democracies do not make war on each other. France and the U.S. will not go to war. France poses no military threat to the U.S., only to its supremacy, and even...

The ongoing battle over Title IX. (Athletic Arena).(Commission on Opportunity in Athletics process analyzed)
July 1, 2003... TITLE IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Federal law mandating gender equity in education, is under legal attack by a group of wrestling coaches who contend that its enforcement in athletics operates as a "quota" that discriminates...

Green Cathedrals revisited. (Sports Scene).
July 1, 2003... "GREEN CATHEDRALS" was the aptly-named publication put out some years back by the Society for American Baseball Research (SABR). It was a loving homage, in verse and in picture, to many of the great old ballyards of yesteryear, when the viewing...

Should companies offer employees a lifeline? (Business & Finance).(employee support system for personal and company growth)
July 1, 2003... JUST LIKE the uncertainty experienced by contestants on the TV game show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire," employees have uncertainties and insecurities about their jobs. These doubts can include questions about company policies and procedures,...

Building a DVD Library--the MGM way: Oscar winners, drama, comedy, westerns, and a handful of British films combine to delight movie buffs. (Entertainment).(Bibliography)
July 1, 2003... CONTINUING THE SERIES that began with "Building a DVD Library--the Warner Way" (USA TODAY, March 2003), let's move on to the venerable Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer studio, now just one year short of its 80th anniversary. The combination of almost eight...

I'm still in love with Irene Dunne. (Reel World).(Biography)
July 1, 2003... THIS FALL, I have a biography coming out on my favorite actress--Irene Dunne (1898-1990). Not surprisingly, a large number of my best-remembered movies star Dunne. A complete list would necessitate hiring a husky stenographer. Suffice it to...

Reach for the sky. (What's New?).(Hobby Zone Inc. introduces model airplane with novel remote control)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * The trouble with many remote-control airplanes is that it can take a long time to get the hang of flying, especially for youngsters who've never done it before. Not so with HobbyZone's Firebird Outlaw, distributed by Horizon Hobby, Inc.,...

Celestial skies. (What's New?).(Fun Scope for children)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Now that the warm weather is finally here and going out after dark isn't such an arctic adventure, it's a great time to introduce your kids to the nighttime summer sky, with the FunScope from Orion Telescope & Binoculars, a division of...

Fight those bites. (What's New?).
July 1, 2003... * There are more than 200 species of mosquitoes living in the U.S. In 1999, a mere four states--New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Maryland--had to deal with West Nile virus. Three short years later, only Oregon, Nevada, Utah, and Arizona...

The beat goes on. (What's New).( portable Boom Boom Multi-Box)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Personal CD, MP3, and tape players are great. Put on the headphones, push the play button, and get lost in your own little world of music. But what about those times when you want to hear the music out loud, but don't really want to lug...

Summer storage. (What's New?).
July 1, 2003... * Giving new meaning to the term "organized sports," the Sports Station from Rubbermaid Home Products, Wooster, Ohio, is an indispensable stand-alone unit that is the ultimate storage solution for the seemingly countless number of bats, sticks,...

The right tools. (What's New).
July 1, 2003... * Our contractor leaves us high and dry with only the molding to go on our almost-finished basement. No problem; my wife completes the job in a couple of afternoons. I buy all the materials to build a loft in our just-purchased shed, but fail...

Serious tool time. (What's New?).(tool belt and carrier)
July 1, 2003... * Television viewers snickered at the ineptitude of Tim Allen in the long-running sit-com "Home Improvement" About the only thing he seemed to get right was the prostyle tool belt he wore around his waist during the show within the show, "Tool...

No more wire worries. (What's New?).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... No matter how ultrasophisticated a computer, home theater, or sound system looks from the front, the back is another matter altogether. Dangling from the myriad components invariably is a rats' nest of wires that are near-impossible to unsnarl...

For x-treme kids. (What's New?).
July 1, 2003... It usually doesn't take teenage fads long to spread, much to the disgust of youthful participants who feel their "thing" is being coopted. Baby boomers were quick to latch onto snowboarding, for example, though they wisely seem to have left hot...

Looking good. (What's New?).(Piraja Snakes, Serengeti, Da Vinci, and [H.sup.2]Optix Polarized Vision System described)
July 1, 2003... * Although some people in the East, after a thoroughly dreary spring, were convinced the sun would never come out, summer's here; Old Sol has made his annual appearance; and the need for cool shades is once more upon us. So, what's new in the...

Garden gear. (What's New).
July 1, 2003... * While gardening is a unisex avocation, men seem to drift toward major projects, while women often prefer to work on a smaller scale, toiling contentedly with flowers and vegetable patches. This is not to say that the latter are not serious...

Customerizing Chinos. (What's New?).
July 1, 2003... * We've spent a few decades ordering khaki chinos from Lands' End, Dodgeville, Wis., perfectly happy with the way they fit right off the shelf, having to specify nothing but waist size and length. As the years passed, though, and our body began...

Bright, but no bite. (What's New?).(The Amazing Lantern repels mosquitoes by sound waves)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... * Camping out may be fun and adventurous, but your tent, while providing shelter for you, may also be a snack bar for Mother Nature's arguably most annoying of creatures--the mosquito. The light that provides comfort to you is like the neon...

Count 'em, sort 'em. (What's New?).(Mag-Nif, Inc.'s UltraSorter Motorized Coin Sorter and Sort-a-Saurus coin storer for children)
July 1, 2003... * It always fills people with a sense of frugality and accomplishment when they empty their coins each night into ajar, piggy bank, drawer, or what have you. Eventually, though, there comes that dreaded moment when months of accumulation reach...

Keeping baby safe. (What's New?).(www.thebabyproofer.com provides child safety equipment)
July 1, 2003... Infants, especially once they learn to crawl, then stand erect and become toddlers, can get into enough situations to turn anxious parents' hair prematurely gray. As many hazards as an adult mind can conceive of, a curious child can find new...

Listen to the tooth fairy. (What's New?).(Twooth Pocket Pal from The Twooth Timer Company)
July 1, 2003... Never underestimate the power of greed as motivation for kids. Telling them what the right thing to do can be reinforced effectively with a little payola on the side, no matter how child psychologists downplay the practice. We speak from...

Sleep firmly. (What's New).
July 1, 2003... * Some people swear by a pillow that is so soft they can sink into it. We, though, swear at it. As far as we're concerned, firmness is the key to a good night's sleep, offering solid support at bedtime as well as a sturdy backrest for reading...

Vacuum packed. (What's New?).(Space Bags, Space-Savers introduce collapsible packaging)
July 1, 2003... * When you pack a suitcase or put things away for storage, do you realize how much space is taken up by air? No? Neither did we until the folks at New West Products, Inc., San Diego, Calif., filled us in. Of course, this did not just come up in...

Bush's Brain.(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... BY JAMES MOORE AND WAYNE SLATER JOHN WILEY AND SONS 2003, 395 PAGES, $27.95 Here is a book whose publication date had the best of timing, as the President has been in the center of the news with his twin wars on terrorism and Iraq....

This Just In: What I Couldn't Tell You on TV.(Book Review)
July 1, 2003... BY BOB SCHIEFFER G.R PUTNAM'S SONS 2003, 423 PAGES, $26.95 After four decades as a reporter, Bob Schieffer finally has put his lifetime experiences in writing. Chief Washington correspondent for CBS News, Schieffer has anchored and...

Whatever happened to integrity? (Parting Thoughts).(Editorial)
July 1, 2003... THE DEFINITION OF INTEGRITY makes one gun-shy of applying it to oneself. It implies "rigid adherence to a code of behavior, probidity, complete unity, honesty." One thinks of the Delphic Oracle's simple words of wisdom here: "Know thyself." The...