USA TODAY articles from March 2004

USA TODAY archives from March 2004

Bush rebuffed by business schools.(Your Life)(George W. Bush's call for ethics courses as part of business curriculums)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... After the outrage over corporate scandals in 2002, Pres. George W. Bush asked for ethics coursework in American business schools. However, according to Diane Swanson, associate professor of management and von Waaden business administration...

The good book promotes good business.(Your Life)(survey finds Americans believe business executives should read the Bible)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... As business schools around the country search for material on ethics, a survey confirms that the most credible resource is one of the oldest books around. More than 70% of Americans believe scandals would be avoided if chief executive officers...

Small businesses still reeling.(Your Life)(trends in hiring of new employees by small business enterprises)(Industry Overview)
March 1, 2004... After falling to a record low at the end of 2003, small business hiring may be poised to rebound, but attracting the best candidates could be far more difficult than it was following the 1990-91 recession. Moreover, the number of job seekers...

Let there be "winter" light.(Your Life)(treating seasonal affective disorder)
March 1, 2004... If the cold weather is leaving you grouchy, down in the dumps, lethargic, a bit heavier than usual, and finding your sleep patterns altered, you may have a case of seasonal affective disorder, or SAD. In searching for a cure, researchers are...

E-mailing resumes on the rise.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Job seekers are putting away their postage stamps and hitting "send" instead. A survey of executives by Accountemps, Menlo Park, Calif., a specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance, and bookkeeping professionals, concludes...

First hire should be first rate.(Your Life)
March 1, 2004... As many firms keep a watchful eye on the employment market and carefully plan to add staff, they face a tough question: Who will be the first person hired? According to Liz Hughes, vice president of the specialized staffing firm OfficeTeam,...

Oh yeah! Says who?(Your Life)(travel industry workers surveyed on job stress and passenger behavior)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Stressful travel conditions, a general decline in values, and parents who fail to control their children are sore spots for Americans on the move, reveals a joint survey by Public Agenda and the online travel site Travelocity. Some 65% of...

Where you work does matter.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Working from a home or virtual office increases performance and benefits an employee's personal life, reports E. Jeffrey Hill, associate professor of business at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. Drawing information from 5,524 workers,...

Will the piles ever go away?(Your Life)
March 1, 2004... Do you let unpaid bills, lists, and paperwork pile up on your desk? If so, according to a national Harris Interactive survey by Cambridge Home/Office Accessories, Stamford, Conn., you are not alone. More than 84% of those polled who deal with...

Carbon monoxide's deadly trail.(Your Life)(preventing carbon monoxide poisoning)
March 1, 2004... Carbon monoxide, the colorless, odorless gas that is produced when any fuel is not burned completely, kills 2,000 people annually, and deaths are on the rise as homes are made more airtight to help conserve energy. Homeowners also are at higher...

Wall Street still favors men.(Your Life)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Wall Street is still a man's world, especially when it comes to executive compensation. A study by a sociologist at the University of Arizona, Tucson, indicates that, in the elite, male-dominated world of securities traders, women earn less...

Smoking cessation is not impossible.(Your Life)(phone counseling)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Every year, the top three New Year's resolutions are to stop smoking, lose weight, and handle finances better. A few months later, however, all usually is forgotten. Yet, for smokers who are serious about quitting, the key to success is...

Helping you kick smoking.(Your Life)(five tips to help individuals quit smoking)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Breaking a bad habit, especially an addictive one, usually is extremely difficult. Still, it can be done. Here are five tips to help individuals quit smoking from the Iowa Tobacco Research Center, Iowa City. 1. Stay motivated. Remind...

New strategy against HIV.(Your Life)(prevention services for HIV-infected people should become a standard of care in all clinical settings)
March 1, 2004... In its latest attempt to reduce the number of new HIV infections nationwide, the Federal government is locating prevention programs squarely in the treatment setting. Selected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health...

2004: an election for the ages? In the upcoming race, "Bush and his advisors clearly have their eyes on a larger political objective: nothing less than an electoral realignment and virtual one-party control of government....".(National Affairs)
March 1, 2004... THE 2004 presidential election may prove of major historical importance, perhaps an election for the ages. Pres. George W. Bush has launched his reelection bid amid a flurry of international and domestic initiatives intended to consolidate the...

Should creed or constitution guide the judiciary? "The First Amendment asks of us that we find a way, perhaps along a winding and rocky path, to allow both individual freedom and public openness in matters of religion, and to do so without allowing either concern to swallow up the other.".(Religion)
March 1, 2004... THERE HAVE BEEN arguments over religion and politics since long before there was a U.S. Despite the fact that several of the 13 colonies originated in the desire to create a righteous community in the New World free of the theological conflicts...

A contentious unity.(State of the Nation)(Editorial)
March 1, 2004... SURFACE APPEARANCES are as deceptive in politics as they are in most things. During the Eisenhower years, commentators were either disparaging or marveling at the great American consensus. Yet, beneath the seemingly contented and apathetic...

The recovery finally has arrived--for real: the American economy sports a sleek new look as it shakes off the shackles of recession.(Economics)
March 1, 2004... IT LOOKS AS IF 2004 will be the year when the economic recovery actually feels like a recovery, as companies will introduce creative and highly valued perks; the Internet-driven New Economy will reestablish itself; alternative job categories...

Environmentalism as religion run amok.(Ecology)
March 1, 2004... THE GREATEST CHALLENGE facing mankind is to distinguish reality from fantasy, truth from propaganda. Perceiving the truth always has been a dilemma, but in the Information Age--or, as I think of it, the Disinformation Age--it takes on a special...

Getting away with murder: Vincent Gigante and exculpatory psychiatry.(Law & Justice)
March 1, 2004... ONE ARGUMENT supporting psychiatric testimony in the courtroom is the contention that psychiatrists have valuable insights to offer regarding the concept of mens rea, or criminal intent. It is a debate that affects matters of public policy in...

Your home: the mother of all tax shelters.(Economic Observer)
March 1, 2004... IT IS THE AMERICAN WAY--mom, apple pie, and owning your own home. Let us look at all the deductions and benefits you get when you pay homage to the mortgage gods and go into more debt than your parents earned in their lifetimes. First, you...

Will schools ever be free from the chains of state control?(Education)
March 1, 2004... AMERICA'S educational history is the story of a conflict between two strong traditions. On the one hand is academic freedom. Control once was decentralized, and educational institutions were voluntary, cooperative efforts between parents,...

Surprise! TV has its moments.(Words & Images)(Column)
March 1, 2004... EVERY VIEWER IS A CRITIC when it comes to television. Listen to the people in markets, restaurants, and beauty salons, or read the professionals. It is the same old mantra: There is nothing worth watching on TV. It is all... (fill in your...

Take me out to the portraits: hope--and baseball--springs eternal in "Game Faces," which brings to life the National Pastime's men in uniform.(Athletic Arena)("Game Faces: Portraits of Baseball Players from the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery")("Baseball as America")("A Lifetime Love of the Game: The Jack Lake Collection")("PopArtPopFly")("St. Petersburg Times Newspaper Covers")(Critical Essay)
March 1, 2004... MARCH and its "madness" annually serve as the pinnacle of the college basketball season, a time for dozens of conference showdowns, and then, of course, the "Big Dance," the National Collegiate Athletic Association Tournament, in which 64...

World Series paydirt.(Sports Scene)(Column)
March 1, 2004... WINNING the World Series has come up in every one of the 100 or so interviews I've conducted with professional baseball players over the past 25 years. Whether it be the fresh-faced rookie just happy to have made the team or the grizzled...

Rembrandt: a master across three media.(Museums Today)(Rembrandt van Rijn)(Critical Essay)
March 1, 2004... REMBRANDT VAN RIJN (1606-69) possessed a gift for visual invention that marked him as one of the greatest storytellers among artists. A master across three media, he radically redefined the technique of etching by bringing to it the freedom of...

James McNeill Whistler: breaking all the rules: this American expatriate excelled as a painter, printmaker, etcher, lithographer, and gallery designer--all the while doing it his way.(Museums Today)(Biography)
March 1, 2004... JAMES MCNEILL WHISTLER was as renowned for his radically spare, avant-garde exhibition designs and flamboyant, self-promotional personality as for his artwork. His abrasive and colorful personal style had a profound impact on European and...

NATO expands its boundaries.(Worldview)
March 1, 2004... NATO SECRETARY GENERAL Lord George Robertson recently gave a farewell speech in London titled "The Omaha Milkman Today." In it, he reminded his audience that one of the drafters of the Washington Treaty of 1949 sought to make the language of...

Diamonds (and greed) are forever.(Worldview)
March 1, 2004... MANY SEE EXPENSIVE diamonds as the perfect gift for their significant others. Yet, couldn't some other gem have the same impact? There is an extraordinary logic to the diamond trade: Diamonds are presumed of value because they are pricey....

Perpetuating primitive politics.(World Watcher)
March 1, 2004... POLITICAL CORRECTNESS has overwhelmed us, even those who might have been sympathizers. I am having trouble in discussions when I want to talk about the state of some group that cannot otherwise accurately be described as anything other than...

Screwballs of the silver screen: a treasured comedy genre turns 70: the 1934 releases of "It Happened One Night" and "Twentieth Century" launched Hollywood into an era of madcap zaniness that endures to this day.(Entertainment)(Critical Essay)
March 1, 2004... SCREWBALL COMEDY turns 70 this year. While clown comedy has existed since the earliest days of cinema, the screwball variety arose during the Great Depression. One might liken it to an innovative brand of farce, where the old boy-meets-girl...

Attack of the four-wheeled giants.(Life in America)
March 1, 2004... ATTACK of the four-wheeled giants: This almost sounds like the title of a bad 1950s horror film. However, the attack is not a series of images on celluloid from the past, or a figment of a science fiction writer's imagination. It is a very real...

Bringing up Cary.(Cary Grant)
March 1, 2004... AS A FILM PROFESSOR and writer, I often am asked who my favorite actor is. Cary Grant is the reply every time. My fascination is born of a performer who combined a romantic leading man's suave good looks with broad physical comedy skills. New...

From fleet street to the Beatles Beat: Harry Benson's photographs celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Fab Four's British invasion of America.(USA Yesterday)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... THEY ABSOLUTELY adored Sinatra. They positively swooned over Elvis. Yet, nothing before (or since) ever can match how America want totally gaga over those four dashing, cheeky lads from Liverpool. Some 40 years after the Beatles began the...

A most welcome downhill winter.(What's New?)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... This is the time of year when the winter whiners are in full voice, anticipating what they hope will be a nice, warm, early-arriving spring. "It's too cold out today," they'll say. "I hope it doesn't snow again. Is this ice ever going to melt?"...

Why women should lift weights.(What's New?)(Danskin Starter Strength & Toning Set)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Danskin, Inc., has been the world's leading manufacturer of dance-, leg-, and activewear since 1882. Ah, but two century clicks have taken place since the company was founded, and it's a whole new world out there for women. That fact has not...

Winter cleaning power preempts spring grime.(What's New?)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Old man winter is coming down the home stretch, so why wait for spring to start cleaning--and revitalizing--your home. In other words, it's time to turn to The Caldrea Company, Minneapolis, Minn., which specializes in natural cleaning products...

Move from piles to files.(What's New?)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Boredom and frustration are the two deadly emotions--at least in our book. As to the former, well... we have no advice to offer since we have no practical experience in that area. Frustration, however, is an entirely different matter. On this...

I get misty ... when the heat is on.(What's New?)(mr. misty Humidifier from Smart Living Products, Inc.)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... When it comes to combating the effects of your home's dry heat, there seems to be a catch-22, if you ignore the problem, you risk the increase of respiratory illness, as your throat and nasal passages dry out and you cough more frequently, as...

Silencing the silent killer.(What's New?)(carbon monoxide kills more than 2,000 people a year)
March 1, 2004... Crisp winter weather--and don't kid yourself, there's still plenty of it left--can bring more than runny noses and cold toes. Along with the chilly weather comes a danger--the deadly odorless reach of carbon monoxide. This fatal gas kills more...

The "World's Greatest" is just that.(What's New?)(World's Greatest Work Platform Step Stool)(Cosco Home & Office Products)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... The name of the latest indispensible household gem from Cosco Home & Office Products, a division of Dorel Juvenile Group, Columbus, Ind., says it all--the World's Greatest Work Platform Step Stool. But please, let us add a few words. This...

Mario is the man then and now.(What's New?)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... It's amazing to think how far video games have come since we were kids. Remember the little white ball that used to bounce back and forth after being hit by a moving dash in what then was considered state-of-the-art technology. If you had told...

Crossing the great laser line.(What's New?)(Strait-Line Laser Tools )(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... There's a fine line between good and great.... Prepare to cross that line. Now do-it-yourselfers can mark their projects with laser accuracy using the cutting-edge technology of Strait-Line, Huntersville, N.C., part of the Rubbermaid family of...

When write makes might.(What's New?)(Faber-Castell USA Portfolio Bags)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2004... Since we once seriously entertained artistic aspirations before the writing and editing bug overwhelmed us, imagine our excitement when Faber-Castell USA, Cleveland, Ohio, came out with a new series of Portfolio Bags, containing "materials for...

Museum memo.(What's New?)(Brief Article)(Directory)
March 1, 2004... What's new in museums around the country? Among the more interesting exhibitions on view are: Gifts from the World to the White House: Caroline Kennedy's Doll Collection (1961-63), John F. Kennedy Library and Museum, Boston, Mass., through...

Are dinosaurs from outer space?(What's New?)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... The Hammond World Atlas Corp., Union, N.J., which for years has produced the most amazing computer generated maps, recently published two captivating, lavishly illustrated hardcover atlases that introduce children to the fascinating realms of...

Saluting the lads from Liverpool.(What's New?)(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... Forty years ago, a photographer packed his cameras and suitcase and drove from London to Bournemouth to meet the Beatles. "Their took was original--suite unlike most pop stars of the time. John [Lennon] asked me what I had n mind. I said the...

Healing Richard Nixon: a Doctor's Memoir.(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... HEALING RICHARD NIXON: A Doctor's Memoir BY JOHN C. LUNGREN, M.D. AND JOHN C. LUNGREN, JR. UNIVERSITY PRESS OF KENTUCKY 2003, 218 PAGES, $27.50 Here is another book that gives insights into the enigmatic nature of Richard M. Nixon, the...

Who's Looking Out For You?(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... WHO'S LOOKING OUT FOR YOU? BY BILL O'REILLY BROADWAY BOOKS 2003, 212 PAGES, $24.95 Bill O'Reilly is still angry! In The O'Reilly Factor: The Good, The Bad, and The Completely Ridiculous in American Life, his first book, the author's anger...

Welcome Home! An International and Nontraditional Adoption Reader.(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... WELCOME HOME! An International and Nontraditional Adoption Reader EDITED BY LITA LINZER SCHWARTZ AND FLORENCE W. KASLOW THE HAWORTH CLINICAL PRACTICE PRESS 2003, 262 PAGES, $39.95 In the life of a happily married, heterosexual couple,...

Under the Banner of Heaven: a Story of Violent Faith.(Book Review)
March 1, 2004... UNDER THE BANNER OF HEAVEN: A Story of Violent Faith BY JON KRAKAUER DOUBLEDAY 2003, 373 PAGES, $26 The author of the fascinating Mount Everest bestseller, Into Thin Air, probes the nature of religious Pellet in this volume centering on...

Is there not a moment's peace?(Parting Thoughts)
March 1, 2004... THE EARLIEST INSTANCE OF NAGGING may be found in the Good Book with the story of Adam and Eve. Eve ate of the forbidden fruit and then enticed a reluctant Adam to do the same, with the result that both were thrown out of Paradise. With this...