USA TODAY articles from November 2006

USA TODAY archives from November 2006

First thanksgiving likely a British meal.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Thanksgiving is considered the quintessential American holiday, but the food prepared by the pilgrims in 1621 likely was more British than New World, according to a visiting professor of English literature at Duke University, Durham, N.C. ...

Don't limit cranberries just to turkey day.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Cranberries may be a Thanksgiving Day tradition, but do not overlook these ruby gems of good health throughout the rest of the year, as they are a good source of vitamin C while containing phytochemicals--plant-derived nutrients that have...

Help kids fly the friendly skies.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Nervous about how your holiday plane flights will go with your little one? Pediatric sleep specialist Suresh Kotagal of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., offers some suggestions for making your infant or toddler more comfortable during a long...

Is pandemic planning cause for concern?(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Nearly 75% of global corporations either have a detailed avian flu pandemic readiness plan in place or are in the process of developing one, according to a report released by The Conference Board, New York, the global research and business...

Drivers should not dash through the snow.(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Icy roadways, stressed shoppers, packed highways, frolicking kids, soused partygoers--all conspire to make the holiday season the most dangerous time of the year for drivers and pedestrians. Given that speeding is a factor in roughly 30% of all...

Don't get crushed by holiday travel.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... The Federal Highway Administration is encouraging drivers to follow a few simple steps that will help them avoid traffic delays and stay safe when on the road visiting family and friends during the upcoming holiday travel crush, as it is...

Insurance mandates prove useless.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Can the problem of the growing number of people without health insurance be solved by passing a law mandating its purchase? A budding bipartisan movement believes it can, as evidenced by the recent reform signed into law in Massachusetts and...

Can auto industry meltdown be stopped?(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... With gas prices through the roof (well, sort of), the Japanese overtaking Ford Motor Co. in U.S. sales, and American automakers rethinking current structuring, the need for clear guidance about simple, straight-shooting automaking is critical....

Disposition effect on stock prices.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Investor psychology plays a big role in why stock prices show strong momentum--the tendency for prices to continue in the same direction--either rising or falling, suggests a study by Ohio State University, Columbus. "Investors tend to hold on...

G-rated job market strays far from reality.(YOUR LIFE)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Where do our youngest children see 178 times as many female entertainers and 86 times more male entertainers than there are in the U.S. workforce? The answer: In the most popular G-rated movies--which young children watch over and over on DVD...

Is world bank ignoring the environment?(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Concern about the World Bank's recent merger of its environment and infrastructure units is being expressed by the World Resources Institute, Washington, D.C. "The question is whether the Bank will implement its new approach in a way consistent...

Social networks shrinking dramatically.(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Americans' circle of confidants has shrunk dramatically in the past two decades, as the number of people who say they have no one with whom to discuss important matters has more than doubled, according to a study by sociologists at Duke...

Parents should talk politics to kids.(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Instead of sheltering kids from political views, parents should take an active role in teaching them to their offspring--at least this is the stance being taken by the authors of two popular children's books. "Parents who believe in...

Homeland security still held hostage.(YOUR LIFE)
November 1, 2006... Many of the vulnerabilities that leave the U.S. at risk for terrorist attack result from the continued failure to implement and enforce fully the nation's immigration laws, and many of the loopholes are driven by political considerations,...

Waging war in the heavens: profit and power go hand in hand as the U.S. gears up to spread its military influence to vet another vast region--outer space.(National Affairs)
November 1, 2006... AS RESEARCH ON SPACE weaponization reaches into the billions of dollars, and the first deployment of national missile defense has taken place in Vanderburg Air Force Base, Calif., and Ft. Greeley, Alaska, it is time to put these issues before...

Can America conquer the eighth continent? We put a man on the moon almost 40 years ago. Now it is time to establish a lunar infrastructure that will challenge us to improve the reliability of space transportation as preparations are made for journeys to other worlds.(Science & Technology)
November 1, 2006... ON MAY 10, 1869, a golden spike joined two railways at Promontory Point, Utah, and the first transcontinental railroad was completed. On Jan. 14, 2004, Pres. George W. Bush announced a new vision for our nation's space exploration program and...

Doing Business with China: the path to prosperity remains tricky in the People's Republic of China, but American entrepreneurs and businessmen--as well as the Chinese themselves--finally appear to be on the road to, if not riches, at least resolve.(The World Today)
November 1, 2006... CHINA IS A COUNTRY undergoing a historic transformation. Its economy has been growing more rapidly during the past quarter-century than any other nation of significant size. In this light, we can sympathize with the criticisms on the pan of...

Leaving people behind.(STATE OF THE NATION)(legacy of American reconstruction intervention)
November 1, 2006... IN AUGUST, WHEN IRAQI Vice Pres. Adel Abdul Mahdi visited Washington, he was asked what his country needed most. He replied, "Time--that is it. A nation like Iraq needs time. The elections for a permanent government happened eight months ago....

America and Britain should join forces to end poverty: both nations "believe that peace and security are the foundation of any progress ... that creating the right climate for economic growth ... is the best way ... to raise the finances needed to defeat poverty.".(Worldview)(Speech)
November 1, 2006... I WANT TO REFLECT not only on the challenges that the U.S. and Great Britain face in fighting poverty on this small and fragile planet of ours, but also on the way in which we do it and how it is seen by others. One of the things I have learned...

Looking for the war on terror.(George W. Bush on terrorism)
November 1, 2006... THERE ARE SO MANY PROBLEMS in the Bush Administration's pursuit of terrorists these days that it is difficult to know even where to begin the list, but key among them is the fact that there really is not any war at all on terrorism. You cannot...

Depicting the gritty streets of New York: these artists "consciously broke many of the accepted rules of photography, [yet] shared a common vision and objective: to record their personal responses to the vivid and often violent city surrounding them.".
November 1, 2006... PHOTOGRAPHERS WORKING in New York City in the years between the publication of Walker Evans' American Photographs in 1938 and Robert Frank's The Americans 20 years later profoundly changed the course of American photography. This fertile period...

Marilyn at 80: some still like it hot: a series of unique photo exhibitions of America's former--but still foremost--sex symbol could help save a historic California theatre built during the Roaring Twenties, with a storied past of performing arts, vaudeville, and motion picture presentations.(Marilyn Monroe's photographs exhibited at Balboa Theatre Foundation)
November 1, 2006... JUNE 1 WOULD HAVE BEEN Marilyn Monroe's 80th birthday. From her classically funny film "Some Like It Hot" to her racy barely-there stills, the iconic cherry-lipped platinum blonde's life always has been told through the lens of a camera. At...

Christmas in Yellowstone: "nature" kicks off its silver anniversary season on PBS this year by ensuring that everyone will enjoy a white Christmas.(Cover story)
November 1, 2006... THIS MONTH, "Nature" launches its 25th season of Sunday night broadcasts on PBS. A silver anniversary is a noteworthy feat in any field, and this is a particularly meaningful milestone for me. That's because not only am I executive producer of...

Conversing with nature: neither driving snow, frost-bitten cameras, nor hungry wolves could deter cinematographer Shane Moore from braving the "holiday" elements at America's most famous national park.(Interview)
November 1, 2006... I sat down for a conversation with Shane Moore, the principal cinematographer on "Christmas in Yellowstone," to discuss the making of this special. Moore has been a nature and wildlife filmmaker for three decades, and previously collaborated...

New Orleans after the flood: "in a city that itself resembles a lost civilization, wrecked rooms, caved-in houses, and ravaged neighborhoods become metaphors for the fragility of human life.".
November 1, 2006... TO MARK THE FIRST anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the subsequent floods that devastated the Crescent City, the exhibition "New Orleans after the Flood: Photographs by Robert Polidori" features 20 large-scale images taken during four...

Wind power blowing harder.(EYE ON ECOLOGY)
November 1, 2006... GLOBAL WIND ELECTRICITY-GENERATING capacity rose 24% in 2005 to 59,100 megawatts. This represents a twelvefold increase from a decade ago. Wind is the world's fastest growing energy source, with an average annual growth rate of 29% percent over...

Are we prepared for a knowledge-based economy? "The sectors where expansion will be the greatest--those that will continue to move the economy away from manufacturing--are the areas where the skills deficit will be most noticeable.".
November 1, 2006... LIKE OTHER STATES that have long relied on manufacturing, the Michigan economy has had a rough last few years, a fact that is driven home by the ongoing struggles of automobile manufacturers. This is yet another sign that Michigan, much like...

Pushing an environmental tax.(environmental protection)
November 1, 2006... UNLIKE WE AMERICANS, several European countries are benefiting from a steady decline in income taxes as governments lower taxes on income while rinsing them on environmentally destructive activities. The purpose of this shift is to incorporate...

Turning bullies into buddies.(adopting anti-bullying policies in schools)
November 1, 2006... ISN'T IT WONDERFUL? The country has declared war on bullies! Schools all over the country are adopting anti-bullying policies and soon all kids will be able to go to school without fear of bullies. Good luck with that. Do you have two or...

Debunking the left-leaning press: when it comes to the journalistic standards of fairness and balance, the ultraliberal mainstream media is left wanting.
November 1, 2006... LET ME BEGIN BY defining three terms that are thrown around in debates about the media today. The first is objectivity, which means reporting the news with none of your own political views or instincts slanting the story one way or another....

It's not TV! It's HBO, USA, FX....(television networks)
November 1, 2006... THINGS USED TO BE EASY. There only were three television networks, and the shows they put on, you watched. Along came cable and satellite and hundreds of stations from which to choose, but that was too much trouble, as well as too expensive....

Watching the man watching: Anson Dorrance is the improbable architect of the greatest college sports dynasty ever.(University of North Carolina)(Biography)
November 1, 2006... UNIVERSITY of North Carolina women's soccer coach Anson Dorrance's program has won an astounding 18 national championships and 94% of its games, but these numbers are not even the most incredible aspects of his story. Imagine that this sporting...

The other Disney.(family vacations)
November 1, 2006... LIVING ON THE EAST COAST, my family has made Walt Disney World Resort in Florida one of its top choices for vacation getaways. This year, however, we chose Disneyland Resort in California, which was celebrating its golden anniversary. I thought...

Is there a hormone heaven? You cannot live with them and you cannot live without them ... or can you?(harmone therapy)
November 1, 2006... THESE DAYS, YOU CANNOT go near a women's magazine, newspaper, or the evening news without encountering yet another alarming discussion or editorial regarding hormone replacement therapy. If you are anything like my patients, friends,...

The henpecked hustler.(W.C. Fields)(Biography)
November 1, 2006... THE COMIC ASIDES AND DOUBLE-TAKES of W.C. Fields always were a welcomed fifth-column attack on the pestilence of day-to-day living during the Depression years. His entertaining cynicism seems even more pertinent today. In fascinating fashion,...

Hey, there are real live fish in that painting.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)
November 1, 2006... If art adds life to any room, AquaVista, Menlo Park, Calif., allows you to add life to art with its ultra-sleek, wall-mounted framed aquarium that transforms any wall into a dynamic and creative living art space. Designed to house tropical...

Did you hear about rabbit ears?(Rabbit Ears Collection)(Brief article)(Audiobook review)
November 1, 2006... There is nothing better than the sound of a great story, and the Rabbit Ears Collection of audiobooks provides a simply fantastic listening experience. Narrated by such luminaries as Denzel Washington, Jodie Foster, Nicholas Cage, and Glenn...

Fisher-Price: the hits just keep on coming.(ESPN Fast Action Football)
November 1, 2006... When boys get to a certain age, there are games that they must have. In years' past, it has been ESPN's GameStation and Shot Block Basketball. This year, the gotta-have-it game is ESPN Fast Action Football ($199.99) from Fisher-Price, East...

Giving a special warm touch to the season.(Mudpuppy Press Div.)
November 1, 2006... Some of our favorite things to give at any gift-giving opportunity are stationery and note cards. The elegance of sending a handwritten note on carefully selected, quality cards is unmatched. We love getting them. We love giving them. They are...

Who has time for barbecue?(Crock Pot's BBQ pit countertop)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Remember when kids could just go out and play? Gone are the days when they could ride their bikes to a friend's house or go down to the schoolyard for a pick-up game of baseball or football. Our lives now are all about schedules. If the...

Docupen scans and saves documents.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... In today's society of instant-everything, there has been a hole where portable scanners should be. Workers are looking for the convenience of desktop scanning without wasting desk space. People no longer want faxes; scanned e-mail attachments...

DeBrand Chocolates undoubtedly de-best.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... Naturally, it wouldn't be the holidays without some sinfully delicious chocolates on hand, which make terrific gifts and are wonderful to set out for unexpected company or a well-planned affair. In a European-inspired chocolaterie in Fort...

Fascinating flashlights prove illuminating.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Call us crazy, but we have an endless fascination with flashlights. With the tremendous variety on the market, there seems to be one for every conceivable need. Yet, we continue to run across new devices and delight in imagining all the...

'Tis the season for toasting.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Buyers guide)
November 1, 2006... For some of us, any season is right for trying new cocktails, but for others, it needs to be a holiday or special occasion to break out the bubbly. Whatever category you may fall into, here's a sampling of some of the best the season has to...

A "Radica" idea for dealing with 'tweens.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Radica Digi Makeover)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Living with a 'tween girl can be difficult. It's an unsure time for them: they don't want to be treated like babies, but they're still not quite mature enough to be left to their own devices. One thing's for certain, as they become more aware...

HoMedics is where the heart is.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(new handheld massagers)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... When we're feeling the pressures of the season, taking a break for just a couple of minutes can rejuvenate the mind, body, and spirit. And when stress really gets to us, we pull out one of our on-the-go massagers from HoMedics, Commerce...

Dual screen DVD does the trick.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(RCA Dual Screen Car Solution with Games)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... It is indisputable that driving with younger children can be stressful. Their attention spans simply are not that long; even short drives seem like an eternity to them. When the unending query of "How much longer?" starts, we know we're in...

Casio caters to the musician in all of us.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... Remember when we were kids: just when a bunch of us would really start having some fun, there would be that inevitable call from one of the neighborhood mothers for little Junior to come inside to take his piano lesson. Grrrrrr! Actually, the...

Leap Frog fluent in two languages.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(LeapFrog Enterprises Inc.'s educational toys)
November 1, 2006... Learning a second language can enhance children's cognitive development and improve their success in language arts and math. LeapFrog, the Emeryville, Calif., company dedicated to developing educational products that are engaging and inspiring,...

When it comes to cars favorites do "mater".(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Mattel Inc.'s collection of toy cars)
November 1, 2006... One of the most anticipated movies last summer was "Cars." It turned out to be a film that parents and children could enjoy together. Now, from Mattel, El Segundo, Calif., comes a diverse line of toys and games inspired by this world of cars....

The joy of watching babies grow and learn.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Kids II offers educational toys)
November 1, 2006... One of the most magical and mystical things about babies is watching them grow and learn. To observe all their milestones and the stages they go through is amazing. Their minds are such sponges--all of a sudden, they've mastered a new skill. To...

Can't wait for the bedtime hour.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Lulla Beds' LED blankets)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... For parents, bedtime is an oasis at the end of a long, hard day. For kids, it just signals the end of their fun and excitement and is not something they look forward to. That's the way things used to be, before we added Story Blankets by Lulla...

Yikes! My credit cards are in my other purse.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Shiami Purz-n-izer)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Women love to look fresh and stylish--with the perfect bag to match their outfit--but, for many, the reality is: Who has the time? Changing handbags takes precious moments most women can't spare, and nothing is more frustrating than realizing...

These TV games are a real snap.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Snap TV)
November 1, 2006... Trivia games have an enduring popularity. Most of us, inherently, want to challenge ourselves, flex our brains to see what we remember and, not coincidentally, show off a little bit. Thanks to the proliferation of portable DVD players,...

Board game season finally has arrived!(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Blue Orange's board games)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Now that the kids are back in school and the days are getting cooler and shorter, a lot of our "family time" is spent indoors. In our home, we've just entered board game season. We've picked up a few new titles from Blue Orange, San...

And you thought Brazil was in Africa.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(The World Almanac for Kids 2007)(Yo! I Know, Brain-Building Quizzes)
November 1, 2006... You hear it all the time: today's education system is failing our youth. Foreign countries are overtaking us in the key areas of math and science; high school graduates are reading at a sixth-grade level, if they're lucky; and knowledge of...

Yo, dude! Check out my space.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Lava World International offers lava lamps)
November 1, 2006... How we decorate our space says a lot about us. Whether we're formal, laid-back, or whimsical, our surroundings are a reflection of ourselves. For more than four decades, we've been making statements with Lava Lamps from Lava World...

I'm leaving on a jet plane.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(travel accessories from Travelon)
November 1, 2006... If your holiday plans include air travel, this can be a stressful time. Added security and increased regulations severely limit what you can take with you, and downturns in travel have caused cuts in amenities and services such as cabin...

Being creative never has been easier.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Creative Art Activities Inc. product range)
November 1, 2006... It's a sort of tradition we've built up with the folks at Faber-Castel over the years. Each holiday season, we're sent its catalog. We then give it a thorough perusal, looking for gift ideas. Inevitably, we end up conceding, "Everything looks...

How do you feed a hungry man?(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Omaha Steak Inc.'s Ideal Gift package)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... Utter the words "Omaha Steaks," and we start salivating like Pavlov's dogs, and who can blame us? Since 1917, Omaha's premium heartland quality meats and gourmet frozen foods have been satisfying hungry Americans everywhere. And when it comes...

Nintendo DS Lite is just right.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Product/service evaluation)
November 1, 2006... When you ask kids what's at the top of their holiday wish list, you inevitably get the same answer: video games. Funny thing is, since Nintendo of America, Redmond, Wash., introduced its DS Lite, just as often we'll hear that very response from...

Kick sa-a-a-a-ve--and a beauty by Giacomin!(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(ESPN Play by Play and ESPN Sportscast)
November 1, 2006... When we were kids, it had to be the golden age of sportscasting--Bob Murphy, Ralph Kiner, and Lindsey Nelson shared the Mets TV and radio chores; Marry Glickman was calling Giants, then Jets, games; Pat Summerall and Tom Brookshire were the...

Fun-filled viewing for the kid in all of us.(DVDs)(Classic Media Inc.'s video recordings)
November 1, 2006... Clearly, it's not a well-kept secret that the holidays bring out the kid in all of us. Whether it's setting up a train set or playing with the children's new toys, we can't help but think back to years past and the traditions we bring with us....

You might be a redneck if ...(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Patch Products Inc. range of toys and games)
November 1, 2006... Each year, Patch Products, Inc., Beloit, Wis., sends us a catalog brimming with card games, action toys, and every puzzle imaginable, and each year there always are a few new surprises tucked away in its pages. This season's add-ons include...

Hallmark never fails to leave its Xmas mark.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(Hallmark Cards Inc.)(Brief article)
November 1, 2006... When we're looking for that special gift and are not quite sure in what direction to go, we love to browse the Hallmark store. From ornaments to collectibles to their many specialty items, we always find something to fit the interests of our...

Prepare for takeoff on your gaming system.(VIDEO GAMES)
November 1, 2006... So often we hear from adults that they have no idea what gifts to get for kids. One simple suggestion is a video game. You'd be hard-pressed to find a child who doesn't have at least one gaming system--many have multiple choices, including...

So many ways to keep baby happy.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)(toys for infants)
November 1, 2006... When it comes to keeping infants happy, one of the tricks is getting the right toy at the right time. The Lamaze Infant Development System from Learning Curve, RC2 Brands, Oak Brook, Ill., dedicated to encouraging creative and imaginative play,...

Let them eat cake and cookies.(WHAT'S NEW? Holiday Gift Guide)
November 1, 2006... For kids, the holidays are all about the presents. For adults, though, food and drink move front and center--especially food, as in scrumptious desserts--come this festive time of season. As our favorite writer Oscar Wilde was fond of saying,...

Miscellaneous meanderings.(PARTING THOUGHTS)
November 1, 2006... THERE ARE MANY GOOD THINKERS around, but most are slow on the draw to respond to clever remarks with a witticism of their own. Only later do they think of an appropriate comeback. Well, here are a few items to store in your memory bank for such...