USA TODAY articles from May 2002

USA TODAY archives from May 2002

Are you missing out on free money? (Your Life).(taking advantage of interest rates)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Are you missing out on some free money? A study released by the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) found that Americans could be earning a lot more in interest on their cash without taking any, or little, additional risk. The study,...

How much is mom worth? (Your Life).(survey of children aged 6 to 11)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... If you would like to repay your mother for everything she's done for you, start saving now. A survey sponsored by Hallmark Cards, Inc., asked 507 American children between the ages of six and 11 to put a price on motherhood and, according to...

Social supports help people deal with fear. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... FBI warnings that more terrorist attacks could be imminent have the biggest effect on people without a strong social support system, says Ralph Taylor, professor of criminal justice, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pa. "The more enmeshed you...

It's not too late for "Summer 101". (Your Life).(preventing bites, stings and poison ivy)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... If you find yourself covered in mosquito bites, running from bees or wasps, and unable to identify a toxic plant, you are not alone. According to a survey conducted by the Lanacane Itch Information Center, White Plains, N.Y., some people need...

Skin responds to biological rhythms. (Your Life).(Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center (CERIES))(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Research carried out by the Epidermal and Sensory Research and Investigation Center (CERIES), Paris, France, confirms that several aspects of skin function vary during the course of a day. Over the years, researchers have discovered numerous...

Uncertain economy curtails expansion plans. (Your Life).(RHI Management Resources' survey of chief financial officers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Market conditions may deter companies from expanding operations, but not from rolling out new products. In a survey of chief financial officers developed by RHI Management Resources, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based consulting services firm providing...

Understanding is key to treating nosebleeds. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... With the onset of allergy season, warmer weather, and an increase in athletic activity, many people suffer from nosebleeds. Knowing how to stop one and when to seek medical assistance can mean the difference between a minor inconvenience and...

Nonresident fathers' complex parenting. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... About half of U.S. fathers who don't live with their biological offspring have family ties to another set of children, and 24% have three or more groups of kids in their lives. These include nonresident biological children of other former...

Small steps can win the weight battle. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Americans continue to be some of the most overweight people in the world. Approximately 55% of the population is overweight and one in four is obese, William Dietz, director of nutrition and physical activity at the Centers for Disease Control...

Teach teens dangers of underage drinking. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... With the school year coming to an end, teens find much to celebrate. Prom season is here; graduation is fast approaching; and summer vacation lies ahead. While the festivities abound, though, so does teenage drinking. Professional Insurance...

Breakfast foods--cost vs. nutrients. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Cake, candy, leftover pizza, soft drinks--as far as teens and eating go, breakfast foods run the gamut. Many base their food choices on taste, cost, and convenience, but when it comes to nutrients obtained vs. cost of food, these choices may...

Denver ranks healthiest city for pets. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Senior citizens might choose Phoenix, Ariz. Politicians might select Washington, D.C. However, where would your dog or cat live if it had the choice? According to the nation's leading pet experts, the first choice would be Denver, Colo. ...

How to retain creative personnel. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... The company gold watch appears to have lost its appeal for creative types, a survey by The Creative Group, a Menlo Park, Calif.-based specialized staffing service providing marketing, advertising, creative, and web professionals on a project...

Employees sensitive to treatment of coworkers. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... If your boss embarrasses you by criticizing your performance, you might seek retribution by stealing office staplers or working at a more leisurely pace. What would your reaction be, though, if the boss attacked the performance of your coworker...

Workplace rudeness is common and costly. (Your Life).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Rudeness and bad manners have become alarmingly common in the American workplace, according to research by psychologist Lilia M. Cortina, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, who found that 71% of workers surveyed have been insulted, demeaned,...

Leaders should not follow opinion polls. (National Affairs).
May 1, 2002... IN THE SPACE OF 50 YEARS, the public opinion poll has evolved from an occasional curiosity to a carefully heeded political force. "Bad poll numbers" can be disastrous. Nobody wants to champion unpopular schemes or seek public office when...

U.S. foreign policy after September 11. (National Affairs).
May 1, 2002... WHEN THE U.S. answered the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks with unilateral military force, it appeared at the time to be the only option America had. Critics suggested that multilateral action might have made more sense, but the timeline for its...

Vouchers and the constitution. (State of the Nation).(tuition vouchers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... THIS SPRING, the Supreme Court is scheduled to decide one of the most important Establishment Clause cases in many years, and its impact on American education could be as important as Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954). The case,...

Poking the hornets' nest is ill-advised. (Worldview).(provoking terrorist groups)
May 1, 2002... IN RESPONSE to the cataclysmic terrorist attacks on the Pentagon and the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, Pres. George W. Bush rhetorically declared a worldwide war on terrorism. At first, the Bush Administration focused military,...

Lame geometry --the axis of evil. (World Watcher).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... IS IT ENOUGH that a silly phrase, an "Axis of Evil," has been beaten to death by adversaries and allies? Hardly. There can be no limit on what can be said about this inappropriate and misconceived characterization of what was intended to be the...

Do Iraq, Iran, and North Korea truly constitute an Axis of Evil? (Worldview).
May 1, 2002... TO LISTEN TO CRITICS of Pres. Bush's "Axis of Evil" speech, you would think he just picked three nations out of a hat. However, the three he named--Iraq, Iran, and North Korea--have earned the description. All boast dictatorial, terrorist...

Terrorism's fellow travelers bash the U.S. (American Thought).(anti-American Americans after September 11)
May 1, 2002... MODERN LIBERAL societies frequently are derided for their lack of "social cohesion." In the wake of Sept. 11, the baselessness of those criticisms should be obvious. Although solidarity in freedom may not be uppermost in the mind amidst the...

No one is ready for close-ups on television. (Words & Images).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... WHEN TELEVISION FIRST BEGAN, everything was live or on film. Live television was fairly primitive, with cameras that did not define the visuals very well. But film, shot mostly by battle-scarred newsreel cameramen, could offer stunning images....

Government, business, and the response to terrorism. (Business & Finance).
May 1, 2002... THE MULTIFACETED national response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks are altering the balance between the public and private sectors in the U.S. Threats to national security are always present. At the end of the Cold War in the late 1980s,...

Kids and taxes: new planning opportunities. (Economic Observer).(2001 Tax Act )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... THE U.S. TAX CODE has become very kid-friendly since the 2001 Tax Act. You can actually get several tax credits for having a child. Child tax credit. If you have an offspring under age 17, the 2001 Tax Act grants you a limited per-child tax...

Politizing American universities. (Education).
May 1, 2002... WHEN the American Council of Trustees and Alumni accused various faculty members and the president of Wesleyan University of being unpatriotic and unsupportive of civilization in their response to Sept. 11, the criticism was itself un-American...

A sobering forecast for 2002 college graduates: by November, more than 360,000 may still be jobless. (Economics).(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... FACING a slowly reviving economy and competition from unemployed workers, nearly one-third of this spring's 1,200,000 college graduates could remain jobless six months after receiving their diplomas--a delay that may affect their earnings for...

Behind Alan Greenspan's recession: the Federal Reserve Chairman's "attempt to head off recession through lower interest rates not only failed to prevent it, but actually slowed the economy's pace." (Economics).(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... IN HIS FREQUENT APPEARANCES before committees of Congress, Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan has been known to caution lawmakers, always eager to address the latest social or economic malady with a blast of new legislation, to "first, do...

Hollywood and the new militarism. (Reel World).
May 1, 2002... ON NOV. 19, 2001, members of the entertainment industry, including Motion Picture Association of America head Jack Valenti, met in Hollywood with a few political figures, among them presidential advisor Karl Rove. The purpose of the meeting was...

You can't spell Oscar without DVD: part II: from 1940's "Rebecca" to 1997's "Titanic," these 19 DVDs represent a cavalcade of Academy Award winners. (Entertainment).(digital video disk)(Bibliography)
May 1, 2002... THE ADVENT OF DVD has been a boon to movie buffs and collectors. Unlike videotape, which can deteriorate with repeated viewing, dries out, and may snap if rewound too tightly or quickly, DVD provides fidelity of picture, excellent sound...

Reclaiming public broadcasting: what is needed is a totally different structure--an independently funded Public Broadcast Trust to provide the financial security required for journalistic integrity. (Mass Media).(Statistical Data Included)
May 1, 2002... PUBLIC BROADCASTING in America is at a critical juncture in its 34-year-history. Financial insecurity, political intimidation, and corporate seduction have seriously undermined its original mission. With structural change, public broadcasting...

Sports on TV: simply awful. (Sports Scene).
May 1, 2002... LATER THIS SPRING, the oldest professional team trophy in North American sports will be awarded to the 2002 champions of the National Hockey League. When the Stanley Cup was first presented to the Montreal Amateur Athletic Association in 1893,...

Understanding the predictors of violent adolescent behavior: "if [youths] have poor anger control, distorted views about themselves or society, lack the friendships or peer interactions in which they can test their views against reality, and have access to and experience with the use of weapons, a deadly mix may be created.". (Psychology).
May 1, 2002... VIOLENCE AMONG CHILDREN and youth is a serious concern, as evidenced by the intense media coverage of incidents such as the school shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colo., on Apr. 20, 1999. Occurrences such as these that have...

Puttin' on the Ritz in the big easy: great food and great jazz make New Orleans the destination of choice in these troubled times. (Going Places).
May 1, 2002... IN THE WAKE OF SEPT. 11, we decided to rethink our approach to travel pieces for the immediate future and focus on American destinations, rather than foreign locales. With tourism down and U.S. airlines suffering a considerable slump in...

Four decades of contemporary art: the Broad collections "include some of the most-emblematic works in the history of postwar art." (Museum Today).(Eli and Edythe L. Broad)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... ELI AND EDYTHE L. BROAD have amassed one of the finest private collections of contemporary art in the world. In 1984, they established The Broad Art Foundation to foster the public's appreciation of contemporary art and serve as a lending and...

The flowering of Florence: the artists commissioned by the Medicis "brought to their subjects not only a masterly technique, but a freshness and originality of style that would have a lasting influence on botanical illustration and the art of naturalistic painting." (Museum Today).
May 1, 2002... ART and the natural sciences were closely linked in Italy between the 16th and 18th centuries. The wonders of nature had long been an inspiration to artists, but the birth of modern science during that time provided a new way of seeing and...

Ansel Adams at 100: "his photographs transcend the simple description of objects and landscape; they depict transient aspects of light, atmosphere, and natural phenomena." (Focus on America).
May 1, 2002... ANSEL ADAMS has become a figure of monumental stature in popular culture, revered for his unmistakable views of the rugged mountains, icy lakes, and exquisite natural landscapes of the American West. He also is well-known for his work as a...

Advanced materials in sports: an advantage or ethical challenge? (Athletic Arena).
May 1, 2002... FOUR BUSINESS BUDDIES have been playing golf together for 20 years. Each Saturday, they wager lunch on the outcome of the game. Fred is grossly overweight and unfit, is the least skilled of the group, and has had to buy lunches about 95% of the...

A wheely great trip. (What's New?).(Maestro suitcases )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * Traveling can be a great experience except for the major annoyances that accompany it. Number one on our list is the entire airport hassle, compounded no end recently by the understandable post-Sept. 11 security delays. A close second is...

Map it out. (What's New?).
May 1, 2002... * With airline travel both a danger (Sept. 11) and a hassle (added security everywhere), more people will be traveling by car in the coming warm-weather months. To get anywhere, of course, you have to know which way to go. That's no problem,...

Self-cleaning windows. (What's New?).(from Pilkington)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * Every neighborhood has at least one. Don't you just hate those clean freaks who mow and edge their lawn twice a week; put out the trash in pristine garbage cans; begin shoveling snow before it even stops falling; and sweep their walk and...

Sun screens. (What's New?).(sunglasses from Bushnell Performance Optics)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * Spring is fully entrenched and summer is well on the way, Obviously, it's time to break out the sunglasses to fight glare, protect your eyes, and oh, yeah, look cool. Some of this year's hottest models perform these tasks admirably. ...

Dirt-defying denim. (What's New?).(from Old Toledo Brands Inc)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... If there is a single fabric that has come to personify American clothing over the years, it has to be denim. Since Levi Strauss first started purveying rugged pants made from the material to miners during the 1849 California Gold Rush, denim...

Wearing old glory. (What's New?).(Limited Edition Ltd., )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Following the tragic events of Sept. 11, the nation has been swept up in patriotic fervor, evidenced by the American flag flying from myriad locations, decorating virtually every vehicle on the road, and making an appearance on just about every...

Producing garb. (What's New?).(Clear Channel Entertainment's clothing from The Producers)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... On Apr. 19, 2001, "The Producers" opened on Broadway and became one of the greatest phenomenons in theatrical history, going on to capture an unprecedented 12 Tony Awards and commanding the highest ticket prices ever, with some seats selling...

T is for animals. (What's New?).(Joe Blow prints animal images from National Geographic onto t shirts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... If there's one thing National Geographic has been famous for over the years, it's the outstanding animal photos that have graced the magazine's pages. The clever people at the somewhat oddly named company Joe Blow, Millersville, Md., came up...

T is for nature. (What's New?).(Sun Moon Trading Company T shirts)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... With warm weather now firmly established across the nation, T-shirts are once again the uniform of the day. For nature lovers and gardeners, a batch of sturdy T's from Earth Sun Moon Trading Company, Grove City, Pa., fit the bill nicely. ...

Shower time. (What's New?).(Kidorable rain coats from ZM International, Inc., )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Rainy days no longer have to mean keeping your youngster indoors, thanks to Kidorable rain coats from ZM International, Inc., Chicago, Ill. These delightful garments are both amusing and practical, made of rugged waterproof vinyl with snap...

Strolling along. (What's New?).(baby strollers from Graco and Cosco)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * Of all the myriad ways there are to transport small children around, nothing beats a stroller, especially a double carrier when there are multiple youngsters to deal with. To fulfill our needs, we turned to Graco, Columbus, Ind., and Cosco,...

Targeting the family. (What's New?).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... With all the advanced technology gizmos around, we figured obtaining a reliable baby monitor would be a breeze. In they came and out they went as we tried unsuccessfully to get a unit that didn't buzz, crackle, muddle the sound, go dead silent...

Practical planter. (What's New?).
May 1, 2002... There's nothing like colorful, well-tended plants around your home to lend a cheerfully decorative touch to the landscape. If you have a garden, fine, but if you don't, a planter can serve as the next best thing. The trouble with clay pots,...

Let's go fly a kite. (What's New?).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Kites used to be among the simplest of toys, assembled from a couple of thin sticks to form a frame, newspaper to wrap around them to shape the body, strips of rags to make a tail, and a ball of string to control it once--and if--you got it...

Up, up, and away. (What's New?).(model planes)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... Flying model planes has come a long way from balsa bodies with wind-up rubber bands to spin the propeller. A prime example is the radio-controlled E-Chargers Intruder from Spin Master Toys, Toronto, Ont., Canada. This trim plastic and...

Back to Black. (What's New?).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... * Some companies are simply old reliables. Year after year, they put out solid, dependable, affordable products--the kind you can always count on. That's how we think of Black and Decker, Towson, Md. The great thing about the folks at B&D is...

See No Evil: The True Story of a Ground Soldier in the CIA's War on Terrorism.
May 1, 2002... BY ROBERT BAER CROWN PUBLISHERS 2002, 282 PAGES, $25.95 This story of Middle East intrigue involving bungling, bureaucracy, and bravery also tells how the Central Intelligence Agency, once an effective and highly touted arm of the...

Bias.
May 1, 2002... BY BERNARD GOLDBERG REGNERY PUBLISHING 2002, 214 PAGES, $27.95 Bernard Goldberg's Bias has not only appeared on The New York Times' best-seller list, but has made the number-one ranking for several weeks. This is an unusual period in...

Death--the final frontier. (Parting Thoughts).(Brief Article)
May 1, 2002... THE BOOK Tuesdays with Morrie was on the best-seller list for nearly a year. This was unusual, inasmuch as it centered on a dying man. Death usually does not attract a large readership, as the admission of it as a fact of life is one of...