USA TODAY articles from May 2009

USA TODAY archives from May 2009

No banking recovery likely until 2010.(YOUR LIFE)
May 1, 2009... The fourth quarter of 2008 was a horrific one fur the banking industry, and the financial condition of commercial banks and savings and loans is expected to deteriorate further fur the rest of 2009 and the first part of 2010, according to...

Putting health care principles into practice.(YOUR LIFE)
May 1, 2009... Pres. Barack Obama has released his guiding principles fur "Transforming and Medernizing America's Health Care System" Yet, what tactics will the President and his team use to fix a broken health care system where 16% of the nation's gross...

Obama's bloated budget builds on Bush precedents.(YOUR LIFE)(Barack Obama, George W. Bush)
May 1, 2009... Pres. Barack Obama has introduced his Federal budget plan for the coming years and it contains large increases in spending, taxes, and debt. The Obama plan includes the costs of recent financial bailouts and the stimulus package, but also...

Federal stem cell guidelines released.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Pres. Barack Obama's executive order removed the Bush Administration's restrictions on the Federal funding of human embryonic stem cell research, but left the precise details up to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Washington, D.C....

Using stimulus funds to improve school discipline.(YOUR LIFE)
May 1, 2009... Led by the Dignity in Schools Campaign, a coalition of groups--including the American Psychological Association and American Civil Liberties Union--promoting alternatives to harsh zero-tolerance school discipline policies has asked the...

EPA takes big step to reduce C[O.sub.2] "pollution".(YOUR LIFE)(Environmental Protection Agency )(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... The Environmental Protection Agency plans to move forward with the ruling that the carbon pollution causing global warming is a danger to the public health and welfare. This action will enable the EPA to begin implementing the 2007 Supreme...

Sabotaging free trade via C[O.sub.2] mitigation laws.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Future legislation on global warming could end up affecting international trade. As such, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, Washington, D.C., urges the House Ways and Means Committee members to look closely at the inevitable trade conflicts...

Now conservatives are in the closet.(YOUR LIFE)(rights of gays and conservatives)
May 1, 2009... Between Vermont voting for same-sex marriage and other states working overtime to do the same, as Orwellian as it may sound, the progression appears to be clear and undeniable, according to Michael Brown, director of the Coalition of...

Administration reigniting immigration debate.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Renewing the push for immigration reform during an economic recession may be an uphill--but not impossible-battle for Pres. Barack Obama, notes an immigration specialist from Duke University, Durham, N.C. "It's been clear for some time that the...

Free pass given to illegal aliens.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Some 28 illegal alien workers arrested recently during an U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement worksite effort at the Yamato Engine Specialist plant in Bellingham, Wash., have been released and granted work authorization. This event--the...

Obama repeating bush's "war crimes".(YOUR LIFE)(George W. Bush and Barack Obama's policies regarding Afghanistan and terrorism)
May 1, 2009... The Obama Administration is in the process of making a "fatal mistake" in Afghanistan, according to former German parliamentarian and Islamic specialist Jurgen Todenhofer, who has visited Iraq multiple times as an un-embedded observer. "Should...

The dubious economics of the Obama plan.(National Affairs)(Barack Obama)
May 1, 2009... PRES. BARACK OBAMA'S economic initiative contains a significant army of positive features, along with a surprising amount of negative aspects. It is helpful to begin by putting the program in context. The Administration's economic stimulus...

Copping to corporatism.(STATE of the NATION)
May 1, 2009... MUCH OF PRES. FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT'S liberalism in the 1930s was unleashed against the so-called "economic royalists" and the "unscrupulous money changers." His wealth tax, regulation of prices and wages through the National Recovery...

The misguided call for intervention.(Economics)
May 1, 2009... AS THE U.S. FINANCIAL crisis persists, policymakers feel compelled to act. They seek to counter the housing-wealth shock by extending the pool of risk-beating creditors. With oil magnates and other wealthy foreigners unlikely to provide...

No deal is the best deal.(ECONOMIC OBSERVER)(New Deal programs )
May 1, 2009... THE NEW DEAL probably has been the greatest political force in the U.S. during the last 100 years, and Franklin D. Roosevelt probably has been the most influential president during this time. In our current economic crisis--which some have...

The "economic stimulus" will (further) ruin education and the economy.(Education)
May 1, 2009... PRES. BARACK OBAMA did education no favor by W signing into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Widely touted as an economic stimulus package, the nearly $800,000,000,000 legislation includes billions of dollars for...

There is no "beyond Reagan".(POLITICAL LANDSCAPE)(Ronald Reagan's influence and Barack Obama's presidency)
May 1, 2009... THERE ARE ONGOING discussions and debates among conservatives about the kind of president Barack Obama will prove to be--although his earmarks-loaded stimulus bill and plans for nationalizing health care and redistributing the nation's wealth...

The free market can provide health security.(Medicine & Health)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] NONE OF US HAS health insurance, really. If you develop a long-term condition such as heart disease or cancer, and then lose your job or get divorced, you can lose your health insurance. You now have a preexisting...

How Detroit's automakers went from kings of the road to roadkill.(Business & Finance)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITHOUT YOUR SUPPORT--and I assume that most of you are fortunate enough to pay taxes--General Motors very likely would be getting measured by the undertakers of the bankruptcy courts (similar to Chrysler) but, make...

Let the chaotic times roll.(WORDS IMAGES)(digital and print journalism through the financial crisis)
May 1, 2009... THESE ARE WORRISOME TIMES for journalists and the public alike. The economic crisis has hastened the demise of the newspaper before the potential of the all-digital newspaper could be realized. Television news long ago gave up the battle of...

The (liberal) beat goes on.(Mass Media)(liberal press bias)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THERE MAY BE NO issue Which exemplifies the culture war in the U.S. better than media criticism. The mainstream media has been under serious attack as demonstrating a pronounced liberal bias for at least a...

Cezanne & beyond.(Museums Today)(Philadelphia Museum of Art's exhbition of Paul Cezanne's works)
May 1, 2009... IN 1907, THE FRENCH painter Paul Cezanne's posthumous retrospective astonished younger artists, accelerating the experimentation of European modernism. Cezanne (1839-1906) became for Henri Matisse "a benevolent god of painting" and, for Pablo...

Zing, zang, zoom! Elephants vanish into thin air and tigers disappear right before your eyes in this year's "illusionary" edition of The Greatest Show on Earth.(Entertainment)(Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey)
May 1, 2009... AS A KID, I only went to see the circus once--at Madison Square Garden in New York--and I left all upset because I felt sorry for the clown with the sagging upside down smile who ended up tripping and falling into the big tray of food he was...

Earth's endless forms: the fascinating interchange between the revolutionary theories of Charles Darwin and art of the late 19th and early 20th centuries is explored in a groundbreaking interdisciplinary exhibition.(Science & Technology)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE IDEA OF A LINK between Charles Darwin (180982), the scientist, and the visual arts is at first surprising. Yet, Darwin was highly receptive to the visual traditions he inherited. In turn, his ideas about the...

Corresponding with Darwin.(Science & Technology)(Charles Darwin's letters)
May 1, 2009... CHARLES DARWIN was born 200 years ago--on Feb. 12, 1809, the same day as Abraham Lincoln. This year also marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin's most famous book, On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection. ...

What has Darwin wrought?(Science & Technology)(Charles Darwin's influence on scientific ethics and eugenics)
May 1, 2009... THE BACKLASH against Nobel laureate James Watson for his controversial social views was a long time in coming. Famous for his discovery with Francis Crick of the structure of DNA, Watson resigned late in 2007 as chancellor of Cold Spring Harbor...

Food as an endangered species.(EYE ON ECOLOGY)
May 1, 2009... A FAST-UNFOLDING FOOD SHORTAGE is engulfing the entire world, driving food prices to record highs. Over the past half-century, grain prices have spiked from time to time because of weather-related events, such as the 1972 Soviet crop failure...

Darwin's origin of species: a gift from God.(Religion)(Charles Darwin's religious faith and theory regarding evolution)
May 1, 2009... THIS YEAR we are celebrating the 200th birthday of Charles Darwin, one of the greatest scientists the world ever has produced--and it is time to lay to rest the absurd notions that the famed naturalist somehow was a willing partner in the...

How did we get into this financial mess?(Life in America)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AS POLICYMAKERS confront the ongoing U.S. financial crisis, it is important to take a step back and understand its origins. Those who fault "deregulation, "unfettered capitalism," or "greed" would do well to look...

Elementary, my dear Downey.(REEL WORLD)(Robert Downey Jr's movies and performances)
May 1, 2009... IT IS HARD NOT to be increasingly impressed with the talents of Robert Downey Jr., whom critic David Thomson winningly has described as "one of the most fascinating, mercurial actors around--if one cherishes the notion of the actor as jazz...

Working toward recovery.(American Thought)(Essay)
May 1, 2009... RECENT EVENTS in politics and economics have occurred that touch upon the meaning of our country and how it shall be governed in the future. These events are, as Pres. Abraham Lincoln said of the results of the Civil War, "fundamental and...

Falling into the Afghan trap.(The World Today)
May 1, 2009... THE "WAR ON TERROR" must end. Even the phrase itself is ill conceived and used for domestic political purposes that obscure the true nature of the problem. Conceptually, the term constrains the response to the real threat solely to military...

No peace in the Holy Land.(WORLD WATCHER)
May 1, 2009... SPECIAL ENVOY George Mitchell has a task. It is more than the "Middle East," the designated region for which he now is responsible. He also has a responsibility for the former "War on Terrorism." The argument goes this way: the war on terrorism...

Georgia on our (troubled) mind.(Worldview)(Russian-Georgian conflict)
May 1, 2009... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] DURING AUGUST 2008, Georgia and Russia engaged in a brief shooting war over South Ossetia. Each country accused die other of igniting the conflict. Following pressure brought by the U.S., United Nations, and European...

Let your lawn go cordless--and gasless.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Cordless Mulching Mower)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... One of the most labor-intensive of our springtime chores is the initial yard cleanup. It's a task we dread every year. From raking out the last of the dead leaves to picking up all the fallen twigs and branches, we're amazed at the toll winter...

Don't break your back sprucing up the yard.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Yard Cart by Lifetime Products)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Springtime usually is synonymous with spruce-up time, particularly for the lawn and garden. We know that once we get started, the projects seem to multiply, and we're in for some back-breaking work. Whether we're cleaning up from a punishing...

Coming clean with Green.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Green Your Kitchen basket )(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... If you're looking for an eco-friendly gift basket, The Green Perspective, Philadelphia, Pa., takes some of the work out of the task with a selection of collections, at varying price points, based around common themes. The gifts include a...

Fanatic jacket makes springtime fantastic.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... After having been virtual shut-ins because of the miserable winter weather we endured here in the East, the recently arrived beautiful spring days are most welcome, as we finally can get out and enjoy one of our favorite activities: hiking....

Bake me--and a soldier--a wish.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... As we've mentioned before in this space, we get quite excited when food comes to our doorstep. When it comes in the form of a delectable dessert, we become downright giddy. Imagine a Chocolate Mousse Torte Cake (two chocolate layers filled...

Shape up shoes are no sweat.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... While there may be no such thing as a free lunch, there may be a way to get the benefits of exercise without actually working up a sweat. Just slip on a pair of Shape Up Shoes for at least 30 minutes a day. This oddly-shaped footwear...

Use your exersocks on an ECOmat.(WHAT'S NEW?)(Bamboo ExerSocks and ECOmat by Crescent Moon )(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... As we continue to take tiny steps toward being more "Earth-friendly" by seeking sustainable products, we are once again amazed at the versatility of bamboo--one of the world's most prolific and fastest-growing plants. Because of its softness,...

Do you see what I see?(WHAT'S NEW?)(Safari Pro series from Steiner Binoculars)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Whether you are looking to unlock the secrets of the forests, plains, deserts, or mountains, there is no better time to get up close and personal with nature. Before you get too close, though, you might want to consider a pair of powerful...

It's not an emergency if you're prepared.(What's New?)(SafetyStick from Safetybright)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... When we leave our homes or offices every day, we generally never consider that something could go wrong on our drive and an emergency situation could arise. Being prepared and having a well thought out plan should help you to stay calm un der...

Never get to the end of your rope.(What's New?)(ropes from Lehigh Group)
May 1, 2009... When our resident Boy Scout returned from his first camping trip, one of the things he was most excited to tell us about was all the different knots he learned to make. As he explained the uses for a hitch and the various types of lash, it...

Sipping and savoring throughout the year.(What's New?)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Whiskey aficionados and investors will want to take note of two limited-edition bottlings being offered by Beam Global Spirits & Wine: Laphroaig 25 Year Old (2008) and Ardmore 30 Year Old. The rareness and exclusivity of these Scotch whiskeys...

DSi enters a new dimension.(VIDEO GAMES)
May 1, 2009... The DS Lite, with its touch screen and built-in microphone, brought a whole new dimension to portable video game systems. Nintendo has taken this a step further with its just-released DSi, which aims to turn the popular system into more of a...

Great food deserves a great lunch bag.(What's New?)(Sachi from Hannon Group Ltd)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... Whether we do it because we are trying to be more health conscious or simply because we need to save some money in this questionable economy, more and more of us are bringing our lunch to work instead of ordering out. [ILLUSTRATION...

Wellness water can work wonders.(What's New?)(Wellness H2.0 water bottle)
May 1, 2009... With Americans purchasing more than 30,000,-000,000 bottles of water each year and recycling just 14%, 26,000,000,000 of them are ending up in landfills, where they can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade. If the environmental impact doesn't...

Every day is gaming day.(What's New?)(games from Hasbro)
May 1, 2009... Even as busy as we are every day, we never get tired of playing card and board games with our kids. We hope the day never comes when they lose interest in spending this time with us. It's a great way to strengthen family ties while helping us...

Greating special moments of the heart.(What's New?)(offerings from Creativity for Kids, Faber-Castell USA)
May 1, 2009... What parent's heart doesn't melt when presented with a homemade trinket, crafted by the tiniest fingers, by a child beaming with pride? With Mother's Day upon us and Father's Day just around the corner, it's the perfect time to pick up a few of...

Kids can be quite creative.(What's New?)(Preschool line from Creativity for Little Kids)(Brief article)
May 1, 2009... The telltale sign of a home harboring any member of the under-five set is its artwork. From the refrigerator to the mantelpiece to the back door, you're sure to find an unmistakable display of drawings and paintings on view. Whether a bright...

The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama.(Book review)
May 1, 2009... THE BREAKTHROUGH Politics and Race in the Age of Obama BY GWEN IFILL DOUBLEDAY 2009, 266 PAGES, $24.95 [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Since beginning work as a reporter for the Boston Herald American in 1977, Gwen Ifill has...

Parenting the parents.(PARTING THOUGHTS)(Essay)
May 1, 2009... "EXACTLY HOW MANY KIDS actually live here?" we sometimes would ask one another. The official count was three, but there usually were more around than that. It suited us free; our tolerance for rambunctious, barely-controlled chaos was high. We...