Today's Comic
Best From Us
Announcements
Watch
For This!
Look for our purple fringe - it identifies our letters, comics and blogs across the Internet!
Spotlight On The Swirl® Archive
July 14, 2012
Politics: A Steady Diet of Dirt
They say that dirt is not all bad. It can contain vitamin B-12, which probably accounts for the three-second rule. You know, the one that says if you pick up food you’ve dropped on the floor within three seconds, it’s still o.k. to eat. Well, that's great news because all we’ve been getting from the race for President is a steady diet of dirt.
The issue at the end of this week is the utterly bogus claim by an Obama staffer that Romney is a felon. Harangues of that kind only show the depth of desperation in the Obama camp. These diversionary claims will become more and more fantastical as the election nears and the economy remains weak. In responding to Obama's thug tactics, Romney comes off like a flat-footed amateur, which may actually end up helping his election efforts. It means that he is used to dealing with substance, not down-and-dirty street fighting. With Obama, we've had enough of the latter to last a lifetime. Or at least for a couple of election cycles.
Check our sources: Reuters
Economy: Tax Liens Trigger Forecloures
During the current economic flatline, mortgages have been the bogeyman in foreclosures. If you miss enough mortgage payments, say good-bye to your house. But, another bogeyman is looming over the foreclosure horizon. Tax liens are triggering an increasing number of them. The source of the liens is not the IRS. It’s the local property taxman. According to the National Consumer Law Center, $15 billion of tax-lien foreclosures occurred in 2010, the last year for which data are available.
The reason why these liens are on the rise is the increase in property taxes required to balance local budgets. But with the crunch also felt in personal budgets, the money isn’t always there for the taxman. Retirees living on fixed incomes feel the tax bite the hardest. Working for a lifetime only to loose your home to property taxes was never part of the plan.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Church Takes a Hit
According to a new Gallup poll, Americans’ confidence in organized religion is at its lowest point in more than three decades. Only 44% have faith in the 'Church', whichever one that means to you. The slide in confidence began in the 1970’s when Americans ranked their Churches higher than any other institution including the Supreme Court. Confidence did inch back up at the beginning of this century. But, it was hammered down again when the Catholic Church's long-standing and wide-spread cover up of the pedophile priest pandemic became public knowledge.
On the bright side, the confidence decline only pertains to the institution of religion. It does not extend to God or the role God is believed to play in people’s daily lives. As the flaws in organized religion get greater exposure, it necessarily suffers a corresponding decline in the minds of the faithful. So far, God remains so good.
Check our sources: Live Science
Health: About that 3-Second Rule
If you thought the 3-second rule (see Politics, above) was just a made-up kid thing, science is now on the side of the children. Researchers at the Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK discovered that the rule does apply to certain food types.
During the study, scientists tested five different food items, cooked pasta, ham, biscuits, dried fruit and jam. Turns out, the least healthy food was more resistant to bacteria. So, if you have a tendency to drop your food on the floor and also have a germ phobia, it’s ham and jam for you. Of course, you may also develop heart disease and rot your teeth but it’s not a perfect world.
Check our sources: Huffington Post
Life: Is it Really that Hard?
The Penn State Board is dallying over its decision of whether to remove visible reminders of Joe Paterno from the campus. College football’s winningest coach, who died in January, has been implicated in the Sandusky child abuse sex case. In a report prepared by former FBI Director Louis Freeh, Paterno, through inaction, helped conceal Sandusky’s crimes and thereby allowed them to continue.
Paterno’s name and likeness are commonplace on the campus. His name is on the library he and his wife donated. A bronze statue of Paterno stands outside the football stadium. Even the University ice cream store has a flavor named after him. The Board has refused to give itself a deadline for making a decision. It shouldn't be that hard to make. Yes, Paterno was an icon who was worth millions of dollars to the University. But, how much child abuse does that really buy? Of course, continuing indecision is a decision itself. Just ask Joe.
Check our sources: USA Today
Animals: Cross Species BFFs
If you’d like to read a story that will put a smile on your face, check our sources on this one. A dolphin and a seal living at the Pet Porpoise Pool Marine Park in Coffs Harbour, Australia are BFFs. According to Pool specialists, the two have been best friends since the tender age of two months. They chase each other around one of the pools playing tag and chattering at each other like any other pair of best buddies.
Pool specialists speculate that the closeness between the dolphin and the seal is due to the fact that they are the youngest inhabitants. But, this cross species friendship is by no means unique. Pigs and dogs, a lion cub and a skunk and a monkey and a rabbit also pair up as BFFs. Then there are humans and dogs and humans and cats, too. Lucky us.
Check our sources: MSNBC
July 7, 2012
Politics: Obamacare Corners Politicians
In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Obamacare decision, politicians are scrambling to distance themselves from the Court’s individual mandate ruling. Despite the Court’s explicit finding, the White House denies that the mandate is a tax. In this economic climate, Obama wishes to avoid being tagged with an increase on the middle class. In the other corner, Mitt Romney insists that the Obamacare mandate is a tax but that the Massachusetts mandate is not.
Both sides are wrong. The mandate is a tax because the Supreme Court says it is. In denying reality, Obama is trying to take advantage of the ruling without taking any heat for the tax consequences. For his part, Romney is making hash out of his position. There is no appreciable difference between the Massachusetts mandate and the Obamacare mandate. Whatever they are, they are it together.
Check our sources: Los Angeles Times, PBS
Economy: Fears Fanned in Summer's Heat
A dismal June jobs report was released this week. It was the third consecutive month of anemic growth. In fact, the quarter just ended is the weakest in job gains since the labor market bottomed out in 2010. And it represents a sharp slowdown from earlier this year. The unemployment rate remains at 8.2%.
Meanwhile, consumer confidence, such as it was, has cooled. June retail sales grew at the slowest pace since November 2009. The sales of more than half of the reporting stores fell below analysts' expectations, which weren’t that hot in the first place. Consumers are beginning to close their wallets as job prospects dim. To some, it looks like a bad movie they’ve seen before. Pass the popcorn.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal (1), Wall Street Journal (2)
Science: Shopping Boosts Self-Esteem
Turns out, that great feeling you get during and after a shopping spree is good for you. Especially if you’ve purchased a boatload of attractive products rather than, say, plumbing supplies, unless, of course you’re in love with a plumber. The reason? That kind of happiness boosts self-esteem.
But elevated self-esteem isn’t the only byproduct of attractive purchases. Buyers also become more open-minded, even to the point of admitting that buying the stuff wasn’t the best idea. The ability to admit that particular mistake prevents the common, and unfortunate, psychological response of throwing good money after bad. So, if you want to actually save money, waste some on good-looking items and feel even better about it.
Check our sources: Live Science
Health: Beat Back Alzheimer's
If you’re worried about developing Alzheimer’s disease, science has four tips to help ward off dementia. Not that research confirms the beneficial effect of their use. But, according to one psychiatrist, the “small print” is compelling.
The first tip is the very familiar get some physical exercise. Even mild exercise bulks up the brain as well as the brawn. Second, explicitly exercise the brain. Mental challenges are to Alzheimer’s as garlic is to vampires. Solving puzzles, taking classes and talking politics with friends are good examples. Third, eat healthfully. Being overweight doubles the risk of Alzheimer’s. Obesity quadruples it. Fourth, manage stress not the other way around.
Check our sources: Reader's Digest Health
Life: UFOs Real to Many
More than one-third of Americans believe that unidentified flying objects are real, along with the aliens piloting them. While little green men are no more familiar to moviegoers than superheroes and vampires, the latter two groups don’t have the same true believer following. That’s possibly because superheroes and vampires are not seen flying in the night sky with the same frequency.
The results of a National Geographic survey found that 36% of Americans believe in UFOs, 17% do not and 48% are fence sitters. Thirty-six percent equates to 80 million people which means a lot of sales for the souvenir shops in Roswell, New Mexico if only these folks would make the pilgrimage. A whopping 79% believe that the U.S. Government has withheld information on UFOs while 55% think that there are government agents who threaten those who report UFOs. And we wonder why Congress is such a mess.
Check our sources: USA Today
Animals: Dog Magnets
According to a survey of 1,000 singles who are also pet lovers, dogs are date magnets. If you want to send a message to the opposite sex pick your pooch with care. For example, women who are seen with Chihuahuas and Golden Retrievers make definite statements although not the same one. Women with Goldens are girlfriend material while Chihuahua chicks look more like one night stands or high maintenance types.
For guys who want a date, try walking Labs, Goldens or German Shepherds. They all give women warm feelings about the human on the other end of the leash. To avoid being date bait, be seen up close with boxers, bulldogs or Rottweilers. Women will back off because you come off as a player rather than a serious possibility.
Check our sources: MSNBC
June 2, 2012
Politics: Desperation Play
Wisconsin Democrats, fearing next week’s attempt to recall Republican Governor Scott Walker will fail, are trying a desperation play. Former President Bill Clinton is in the State this weekend exhorting Democrats to vote on Tuesday in favor of the recall. Looking older than his years, Clinton hopes that his reputation for convincing rhetoric will carry the day for Democrats.
The push for Walker’s recall is the result of the Governor’s successful move last year to effectively end collective bargaining for most public employees. Clinton is the heaviest hitter to visit the State in support of the recall. Although Wisconsin is important to an Obama victory this fall, the President has kept his distance. The turnout for next week’s vote is expected to be heavy.
Check our sources: Fox News
Economy: June Swoon
The markets tanked on Friday at the anemic jobs report. With unemployment inching higher and new jobs shrinking, fear is growing that the U.S. economy is following the downward trend of Europe and Asia. Employers added a paltry 69,000 jobs in May, the smallest increase in one year. As well, the hiring numbers for the previous two months were revised downward. The unemployment rate now stands at 8.2%.
In response, the Dow had its worse showing of the year Friday, tumbling nearly 275 points. The latest jobs numbers caught Obama and his Administration by surprise even as the economy is becoming the central issue in this year’s presidential election. The fact that the White House was caught off guard underscores how ignorant the President is about the economy and what makes it work. No wonder it’s still in serious trouble years after his inauguration.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: On The Scent
Children sometimes refuse to visit seniors, or old people as they call them, because of a peculiar odor. But, science has now determined that any unpleasant smells that might emanate from the proximity of seniors are not coming from the people. In fact, a recent study has determined that, while old people do have distinctive odors, the young do not find them disagreeable.
Of course, science has no idea why old people smell o.k. to others. They just do, especially when compared with the unpleasant odors emitted by 40 – 50-something males. And, science has no idea why middle-aged men smell bad, either. The odd odors that people sometimes associate with the elderly come from their surroundings. So, next time take Granny out to dinner and everything should smell rosy.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: The Vitamin Lowdown
One of the biggest scams on the Internet today is the collection of incredible claims made for vitamins. According to these schemes, if enough of the right vitamin is ingested, you can ward off everything from cancer to baldness. In reality, taking vitamins as either preventatives or cure-alls is not only ridiculous, but a collection of new research says it’s also dangerous. The same is true for high dosages of otherwise innocuous vitamins.
Research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that taking antioxidant vitamins increased the chances of dying by 16 percent during the test period. Scientists at the University of Washington found that taking vitamin E over a 10-year period increases the risk of lung cancer in smokers. Researchers at the National Cancer Institute discovered that men who take more than one multiple vitamin daily have an elevated risk of prostate cancer. The promise of good health for yourself and your family just by pill popping is appealing, especially in today’s hectic times. Too bad you can’t take a vitamin to ward off gullibility.
Check our sources: Reader's Digest
Life: Big Apple Bans Big Gulps
O.k., so it’s not official yet, but there’s not much standing in its way. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proposed a ban on sugared drinks served in cups larger than 16 ounces. With notable exceptions, the ban applies to drinks that contain more than 25 calories per 8-ounce serving. It is aimed at “food establishments” such as restaurants, delis, corner food carts and places like that. Grocery stores are exempt.
The ban is one of Bloomberg’s several attempts to fight obesity. While there are several behavior modification techniques, the Mayor prefers removing choice. This time his heavy-handed approach may not work that well. After all, individuals can simply order more than one 16-oz drink at a time. And there are those pesky “unlimited refill” places. Look for those options to be banned in the future, too. After all, there just can't be too many regulations.
Check our sources: Christian Science Monitor
Animals: Stuck In Time
According to an animal cognition researcher, dogs are “stuck in time”, meaning they have no sense of it. They exist continually in the present. People who live with dogs often resist this notion citing what they believe are ironclad examples that belie this contention. The examples most often are of learned behavior that the dogs then repeat for their lifetimes. If they have no memories, what explains repetitious behavior?
Admittedly, the actual research on dogs and their sense of time is very limited. This researcher, like others, relies on data collected from studies of primates and mice, among other animals. His contention is based on a dog’s lack of episodic memory and anticipation. He might remember what ‘sit’ means but he doesn’t remember when he learned it. And he cannot look forward to his birthday next year, either. Big deal. Who of us humans remembers when we learned to sit? And birthdays? After a certain age, they’re better forgotten. Or, perhaps, gone to the dogs.
Check our sources: How Stuff Works
May 26, 2012
Politics: USPS Offers Buyouts
The financially ailing United States Postal Service will offer incentives to almost all of its 45,000 mail handlers to retire early or quit. USPS, which lost $3.2 billion in the first quarter of 2012, plans to close smaller mail processing centers beginning this year. The closures will significantly reduce the need for mail handlers, those who load trucks and move mail containers between processing facilities.
USPS has been financially devastated by two circumstances. The first is the significant reduction in mail volume due to the increasing use of online communications. The second is the massive payments required for future retiree health benefits. One way to decrease the latter is to have fewer retirees. Overall, USPS must reduce its workforce by 150,000 by 2015. The buyout deal, which provides each taker with an additional $15,000, was negotiated by the National Postal Mail Handlers Union.
Check our sources: Reuter
Economy: Facebook Faces Law Suits
Yesterday, one week after its IPO, Facebook shares fell 16% below their initial offering price. The significant drop was precipitated, in part, by lawsuits filed by investors against the company and its investment bankers. The suit claims that the defendants hid significantly reduced revenue forecasts in the days before the IPO. The plaintiffs are seeking to act as a class for the benefit of all similarly situated Facebook investors.
Those investors, collectively, have lost more than $2.5 billion since the IPO due to the failing share price. The defendants that have commented blame the drop on technical difficulties in the NASDAQ system. The complaint alleges that most of Facebook’s future revenue is expected from users of mobile devices such as cell phones rather than personal computers. Eighty-five percent of Facebook’s revenue in the past was derived from ads displayed on accessing computers. Facebook does not display ads on mobile devices. At least so far.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg
Science: Age-Old Belief Debunked
Science has long taught that human brains are pretty much completely wired by adolescence. The adage that old dogs can’t be taught new tricks is based on this long-held belief. But, according to recent studies, the hallowed teaching can now be placed on history’s growing junk heap of scientific goofs. Right alongside bloodletting with leeches, debriding with maggots, enemas for asthma and allergies and all those snake oil wonder cures.
In working with older rats, scientists have discovered that brains can undergo massive rewiring throughout an individual’s lifetime. It only takes continual sensory stimulation. In humans, this means learning new things and engaging in new experiences. Without these stimulations, people tend to lose their minds or at least a lot of its internal connections. Let’s hope these findings really do apply to humans as well.
Check our sources: Science Technology Daily
Health: Worse Than Obesity?
As the percentage of obese people continues to increase, obesity is rapidly becoming the plague of modern times. Its expanding negative health consequences and crushing weight on the cost structure of health care services for every one demand a remedy. A new study from the UK may provide it. According to the study, obesity is not the problem. People can be as sloppy fat as they want as long as they have good metabolic health.
Of course, one way to fix a problem is to deny it exists. This study attempts to do just that. It claims that people with good metabolic health are not at risk of future heart disease even if they are obese. The study results are compromised by the fact that it only measured metabolic health at its inception rather than during its 7-year period. But, even if the results turn out to be true, which won’t happen with one study, obesity is a major cause of other significant health maladies. Giving the obese a free ride will break the back of a healthy society.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: The Butler Did It
The source of a string of highly embarrassing Vatican leaks has been identified. It’s the Papal butler or valet. The 46-year-old personal aide to the Pontiff is accused of taking confidential documents from Benedict XVI’s private quarters and releasing them to the press. He is now under arrest in Vatican City. As a dual citizen of both Italy and Vatican City, he is expected to be tried inside the walls of the Vatican.
Trials for offenses in the Pope’s City are very rare. Most suspected criminals are turned over to Italian authorities. The probable reason for this exception is the nature of the disclosures that are likely to come out during the trial. The information in the documents that were leaked provide a sordid insight into confidential dealings in the Pope’s domain. They focus on financial corruption but also extend to chaotic administration practices. The Italian press has feasted on the disclosures for months, but no longer if the trial is hidden from prying press eyes.
Check our sources: Voice of America
Animals: My Dog, the 'Fraidy Cat
If your dog is afraid of going up or down stairs, this tip is for you. Blair’s 9-month-old French bulldog refused to traverse the stairs in her house under any circumstances, including bacon bribery. Pregnancy was making it increasingly difficult for Blair to carry her canine bundle of joy up and down the stairs. Dog trainer Laura Garber to the rescue. Or at least to the rescue with several suggestions.
The first is to determine whether the surface of the stairs is the issue. Slippery surfaces are difficult for small dogs to negotiate. So, try putting carpet pieces down for better maneuvering until the dog gains confidence. Also, try getting him or her to go up and down only a few stairs at a time rather than the entire staircase. Let the dog get used to taking just one, two or three steps. Once he or she gains enough confidence, put treats on every step. The dog should be bounding all the way up and down before you can say, “bribery will win out in the end”.
Check our sources: MSNBC
May 20, 2012
Politics: Nauseated
Cory Booker, Newark, N.J. Mayor and Obama supporter, told “Meet the Press” this week that the President’s Bain Capital attack ads make him nauseous. Booker personally refuses to indict private equity in general and Bain Capital in particular. In responding to the attack ad, the Mayor stated that, on balance, Romney’s former company did a lot to support and grow businesses.
For his part, Booker says he, too, can be called a job cutter as he has eliminated 25% of city positions. But, to Booker, the reductions were the only way to save his city’s government. He likened the Bain Capital job decreases to the choice he was forced to make. Before the GOP celebrates too much, Booker remains an Obama supporter – and is nauseous over Republican politics as well.
Check our sources: Fox News
Economy: Facebook Barely Save Face
Wall Street bankers struggled to prevent the first day of Facebook’s Initial Public Offering from ending in a face plant. The most heavily traded IPO in history, Facebook’s opening price was $38 a share. After a roller coaster day, the shares were in danger of closing below their opening price. But, in the end, they escaped a first day loss and closed at $38.23, for an embarrassing 0.6% gain.
The price of the shares was expected to soar. And, at one point shortly after opening, the price did increase by 11%. But, not for long. A victim of its pre-IPO hype, investors began dumping the shares when the anticipated pop in price failed to materialize. Still, at market close, Facebook found itself among America’s corporate giants, larger than Hewlett-Packard and on a par with PepsiCo. Where the stock’s value goes from here is anyone’s guess.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Sun Myths
Sunday’s solar eclipse is as good a reason as any to revisit myths throughout human history about the solar orb. Today, eclipses are no mystery. The moon passes between the earth and its sun. But, in years past, the explanation was not nearly as simple. For example, ancient Chinese believed that a dragon was devouring the sun, which could only be saved by scaring the beast away. That resulted in a lot of drum beating and pot banging.
The ancient Norse believed that the sun goddess was chased across the sky by a devouring wolf. When the wolf got close, eclipses occurred. The Egyptians believed that eclipses happened when an evil serpent god overwhelmed Ra, the sun god. Ra always managed to eventually escape, of course. For more entertaining beliefs about the sun and the moon, please check our source.
Check our sources: Live Science
Health: Trimming Childhood Obesity
According to studies, one-third of children between the ages of 2 and 19 years are either obese or overweight. Obese two-year olds should raise alarm bells nationwide. And they have in several health advocacy groups including the American Cancer Society and the National Education Association. Their solution: more government money for schools. This time the spending is for health education of both staff and students.
The advocacy groups want government grants to fund staff training, support school nutrition and exercise programs and track the results. Not that there’s a question about whether healthy eating and exercise promote fitness. The purpose of the tracking is to determine the effectiveness of each school’s efforts. Something has to be effective or our healthcare system will be crushed under the weight of treating the expanding number of obese Americans.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Chen In U.S.
China allowed blind activist Chen Guangcheng to fly to the U.S. over the weekend where he will study law at New York University. Accompanied by his immediate family, Chen called on all people to fight against injustice upon his arrival in the U.S. The activist strained Sino-U.S. relations last month when he sought asylum in the U.S. Embassy in Beijing and then insisted on leaving six days later.
Chinese authorities imprisoned Chen for four years for speaking out against forced abortions. When he was finally released, he was kept under house arrest until he escaped to the U.S. Embassy last month. Chen’s sojourn to the U.S. was negotiated by our State Department. He is one of many activists China has imprisoned over the years for speaking out in favor of individual rights and against the State.
Check our sources: USA Today
Animals: Yet Another Recall
Missouri-based Diamond Pet Foods issued yet another pet food recall last week. This time, the product is “Diamond Naturals Small Breed Adult Dog Lamb & Rice Formula” dry dog food. The name alone is quite a mouthful. Diamond might consider recalling it’s current marketing firm as well.
The recall is voluntary and is for product bags and samples with “best by” dates of August 26, 2011, September 27, 2012 and October 18, 2012. Affected distribution areas are Colorado, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wisconsin. This is the second voluntary recall by Diamond this spring. The earlier action was for two products, “Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul Adult Light Formula” and “Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice”. Not so nice.
Check our sources: MSNBC
May 12, 2012
Politics: Obama Weds Gay Politics
In a move that has already reaped political gains in some circles, President Obama announced his personal acceptance of gay marriage earlier this week. While the announcement electrified his liberal base, it has had much less of a positive impact on many in the gay community. To those who actually listened to Obama’s words, rather than the deafening hoopla that ensued, the announcement seemed both insignificant and politically contrived.
For example, Obama’s personal opinions do not change public policy. And the President is making no move to legalize gay marriage on the national level. He remains committed to the notion of letting each of our federated fifty determine its own same sex marriage laws. The only thing that really changed after the announcement is the amount of money flowing into Obama’s campaign coffers. Not really what the gay community was hoping would happen.
Check our sources: Boston.Com
Economy: Facebook Not a Long-Term Bet?
On the eve of Facebook’s initial public stock offering, analysts are advising the public to slow roll purchases. To be sure, professional money managers are standing in line to buy in volume. But, us ordinary investors are being advised to sit on the sidelines until the buzz dies down. The reason: it will be several months before the stock’s real value is determined.
Despite all the hype, galloping out of the gate does not mean a sustained run. In other words, the stock could lose a substantial portion of its value over a relatively short time period. Skeptics worry that the company’s rocketing earnings growth has already reached its apex with nowhere to go but down, taking stock value with it. Great companies are not always great investments.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Eternal Circadian Rhythms
Our circadian rhythms, the natural recurrence of biological processes on a 24-hour cycle, may determine more than previously thought. Recent research suggests that the rhythms dictate, not only our most active time periods, but also the most likely time of a naturally occurring death. Still, scientists do not yet understand the circadian phenomena. They do know that several genes are involved in setting an individual’s “body clock” and that disruption of that clock can lead to disease.
The fact that circadian rhythms may determine time of death is suggested from a study of almost 600 adults of European ancestry. Data was collected on the impact of one of the circadian-regulating genes. The gene has three different variations. The most active time of day for the study subjects was determined by their particular gene variation. Ditto for their most likely time of death. If science can come up with a drug that resets our body clocks, and we keep switching our daily cycle, maybe we can cheat death. Until that fatal car crash.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: No Kidding
In a monumental waste of money, researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri have confirmed the obvious. Namely, that long commutes adversely affect the fitness and health of commuters. Wow, really? Anyone who has driven a car even one time in rush hour traffic understands the downside of commuting: it takes too much time and it’s way too stressful.
Taking too much time means that other activities, such as exercise, are sacrificed. Insufficient exercise causes weight gain, leading to a plethora of health problems. Being stressful spikes the blood pressure, which is hard on the cardiovascular system. None of this is surprising. What is surprising is that the University had to study 4,300 commuters to figure it out for itself. Congratulations.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Guinness Surfing Feat
Last week, Garret McNamara, a professional surfer from Hawaii, was awarded the Guinness World Record for riding the tallest wave thus far. At 78 feet, the height of the wave was determined from high resolution video footage of the ride taken at different angles. Judges used McNamara’s height in a crouch on the board and the length of his shin bone to extrapolate the size of the wave.
The award-winning feat occurred off the coast of Portugal above an undersea canyon known for generating some of the tallest waves on earth. McNamara’s wave height beat the previous record by one foot. He was also awarded a $15,000 cash prize from Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards in California. Now 44, McNamara began surfing at age 11 and turned professional six years later.
Check our sources: CBS News
Animals: Avoid Fights over Fluffy
Custody issues in divorce cases center only on human offspring. Pets of any kind are considered property and, as such, may not be the subject of custody orders or visitation rights. This is true regardless of the importance of the animals to those obtaining the divorce. The law is slow to keep pace with the evolving views of society.
With that reality in mind, attorneys are advising their clients to resolve animal custody issues in advance of the court’s property division order. This advice is particularly important in cases where the decision about who gets Fluffy or Fido is the central issue in the settlement. That’s what Don and his ex-wife did. Now Don gets to visit the dogs every other day for at least 30 minutes. Not like the old days, but better than a shutout.
Check our sources: MSNBC
May 5, 2012
Politics: A Government-Centered Life
The Obama campaign has put up a new website featuring a fictional women named Julia. The website takes Julia through most of her life, from ages 3 to 67. At each significant stage, the website shows how government spending enables a positive life. It also claims that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan would deny these benefits to her, leaving her existence much starker.
In actuality, the 'Julia' story presents an individual who is significantly dependent on the government and unable to achieve without federal aide. It is both a very depressing portrayal and a clear presentation of the future as the Obama Administration envisions it. As Ryan stated in an interview, that future is creepy. It’s also demeaning, suffocating and bleak. The self-reliance and achievement of the past is permanently in the past. It would be much better to put Obama there instead.
Check our sources: The Hill
Economy: Really Getting Better?
U.S. job growth slowed in April, putting a curve in President Obama’s pitch to convince voters that the economy is on the mend. Although the unemployment rate ticked down to 8.1%, it did so primarily because 342,000 people gave up looking for work. People who give up looking are not counted among those in the labor force. So, their absence artificially lowers the percentage of unemployed in the national labor pool.
Obama’s response was mostly platitudes about how deep the recession was, how far we’ve come and how Congress should increase spending. Regardless of what he says, economists believe that it is too late for Congressional action to affect the economy this year. Not to worry. Obama’s advisors believe platitudes are enough, because they show Obama is pushing ideas, even futile ones. We can only hope that voters are not that gullible.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Supermoon
The May 5 moon will be the largest full moon of the year as it reaches its perigee or closest point to the earth. In celebration of 2012’s “supermoon”, scientists are attempting to debunk five favorite moon myths. The first debunked myth is the one about how full moons make people crazy. According to scientific research, people are crazy on their own. They don’t need any help from earth's only satellite.
Myth number 2 is how supermoons cause disasters. It is true that the moon’s perigee increases the orb's gravitational pull on terra firma. However, according to science, there are no verified instances of the stronger gravity actually pulling people from the earth. It’s much more likely that they just fall off all by themselves. Myth number 3 is that the moon is made of green cheese. For the scientific answer to this cheesy claim and the other two major myths, check our sources.
Check our sources: Live Science
Health: Exercise Is No Sweat
A long-time health and fitness columnist for the New York Times has written a book that claims to hold the answer to our good health. The Holy Grail of fitness is simply twenty minutes of moving around. In fact, according to Gretchen Reynolds, the word “moving” should replace “exercise” in order to stress how easy it is to get fit.
After writing her book, Reynolds, a life-long health nut, began exercising less. She believes that the benefits of exercising – prolonged life, reduced disease risk – come in the first 1200 seconds of movement. After that, you’re doing it for another reason like improving performance. Now that we know the secret, why sweat the book?
Check our sources: New York Times
Life: Lemonade
You know the old adage, when the world hands you lemons, make lemonade. In an example of this saying on steroids, the prostitute at the center of the Secret Service scandal is turning incredibly bad behavior into gold. In a lengthy, wide-ranging interview on a Colombian radio station, the hooker complained that her life was over. All of that notoriety ended existence as she knew it. That's the lemon part.
On the lemonade side, the splashy news story also provided her with expansive horizons in her new life. For example, she is willing to pose nude in men’s magazines, if the price is right. She can also become a security consultant. According to her, a terrorist in her position that night would have “wrecked havoc” on Obama’s security force. But, it’s doubtful that a terrorist could work effectively from that position.
Check our sources: CNN
Animals: A Star Is Made
You see them on TV all of the time – in commercials, TV series and movies. Animal stars. If you’d like your pet to join them in fame’s spotlight, these tips are for you. First, find out if your furry companion has a talent – like singing or a skateboard-riding. Next, the recommended road to a big end is a small start. Find a local animal talent show and begin competing.
After your pet has excelled on the local talent scene, get him an agent to boost his chances of bigger and better things. Agents can open doors to much greater opportunities. TV shows with performing pets like Britain’s Got Talent are growing in popularity, attesting to plenty of market demand for animal stars. Of course, your pet may not want any part of stardom. So, be sure to check with him before heading off in search of the red carpet.
Check our sources: MSNBC
April 28, 2012
Politics: It Never Stops
California Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill into law on Thursday that denies state construction funds to cities that ban labor-friendly development contracts. “Labor-friendly” almost always leads to the use of labor unions by developers and contractors. Voters in several California cities had previously, and overwhelmingly, banned the use of the pro-Big Labor deals. Their wishes were quashed by the Governor’s signature last week.
The California legislature passed the measure on a strictly party-line vote. Supporters claim that the bill gives cities a choice in the types of contracts they negotiate, which is precisely the problem. Labor-friendly deals increase the cost of development, leading to higher taxes, at time when communities are struggling with almost overwhelming debt. This “business as usual” political behavior is exactly what voters want to stop. Brown’s office offered no comment.
Check our sources: California Political Review
Economy: Growth Slows
The rate of GDP growth, which is the broadest measure of goods and services produced by the economy, slowed in the first quarter of 2012. During the three months of this year, the rate, at 2.2%, fell 0.8% from the previous quarter. The Commerce Department, which released the report, blamed cutbacks in government spending and weaker business investment. There were positive signs. Consumer spending increased and the housing market improved somewhat.
Still, our once-strong factory sector is weakening and the recent job growth is slowing. The downturn was contrary to the predictions of some experts. They had opined that the warmer winter weather would boost the economy. Apparently, we aren’t as driven by sunshine as the economic forecasters hope.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Enzyme Leverages Acupuncture
In a West meets East sort of way, a new enzyme treatment, injected into acupuncture pressure points, relieves pain better than the acupuncture needles. At least in mice. How much better? The enzyme subdues pain about one hundred times longer than acupuncture treatment.
Manipulating acupuncture needles causes the body to release a chemical substance that acts like an anesthetic, slowing pain messages to the brain. The issue is the short-term effect of the manipulation. The enzyme, injected into acupuncture sites, stimulates a more sustainable release of the anesthetic, hence the longer-lasting effect.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: Causation or Coincidence?
Salt has been shaken by yet another study. This time, a couple of thousand New Yorkers, mostly black and Hispanic, filled out a questionnaire and then were followed for a few years. The study reported that those who consumed almost three times the RDA of salt ran three times the risk of stroke or heart attack.
Using phrases such as “it’s well-known” and other pieces of sheer speculation, salt, the much-maligned electrolyte, was blamed again. Of course, the study neglected other behavior traits such as complete eating habits and the weight of those being studied. And this finding conflicts with much larger and broader-based studies. It also admits the cause-and-effect link between salt and stroke/heart attack is unclear. But, it does support the American Heart Association’s stance.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Not a Dream After All
Actor Patrick Dempsey, the heartthrob star of Grey’s Anatomy, pulled a teenager from a wrecked car earlier this week. No, it wasn’t a scene from the show, which is on the cusp of cancellation according to industry tongue wagers. It was a real life incident.
The car flipped several times, trapping the driver inside. Dr. McDreamy, as he’s sometimes called, came to the recue with a crow bar rather than a stethoscope. He was able to pry the kid free. The freed youth suffered a concussion, but got a great story for his trouble.
Check our sources: USA Today
Animals: Latest Recall
Missouri-based Diamond Pet Foods recalled a second batch of dry dog food on Thursday. The food was produced at its South Carolina plant, which had been closed due to a salmonella outbreak. The same plant was investigated in 2005 for mold in its food. Dozens of dogs across the nation died after consuming mold-contaminated product.
The latest recall was for four production codes of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover’s Soul. The product was distributed to stores in ten states including Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina and Virginia. The South Carolina plant was closed earlier this month after health concerns rose over another product, Diamond Naturals Lamb Meal & Rice dry dog food.
Check our sources: MSNBC
April 14, 2012
Politics: Not so Secret Service
About one dozen Secret Service agents on President Obama’s security detail in Columbia for the Summit of the Americas were sent home this week. They are the focal point of an investigation into allegations of misconduct in the Latin American country. Although the Agency is not forthcoming with details, one Congressman reports that the agents had prostitutes in their hotel rooms. Five U.S. military members, now confined to base, were also involved in the behavior.
This is not the first instance of misconduct committed by members of Obama’s security detail in the past year. One off-duty agent was accused of second-degree murder after shooting a man to death during a dispute outside of McDonald’s in Hawaii last November. In August, another agent was arrested on suspicion of drunken driving. He was recently sentenced to two days in jail and a fine. On both occasions the agents were part of an advance security team in preparation for the President’s visits. Not exactly Clint Eastwood’s character in “In the Line of Fire”.
Check our sources: USA Today
Economy: Joblessness Highest for Uneducated
The U.S. unemployment rate, at 8.2%, remains stubbornly high. But, it’s a lot higher for those without a college education. For those who lack even a high school diploma, the jobless rate is a whopping 12.6%. A high school diploma drops the rate to 8.8%. But, the unemployment rate for people with bachelor’s degrees plummets to a mere 4.2%.
The reason for the high employability of those with college degrees is a simple matter of demand and supply. The increasing pervasiveness of technology in American industries creates an escalating demand. The decrease in college graduates, particularly in science and engineering disciplines, shrinks the supply. As a result, businesses are competing for a relatively small pool of employable people. If you want a job, get a college degree.
Check our sources: Bloomberg
Science: Baboons – Ancient Readers?
In a recent French study, baboons successfully distinguished between strings of letters that comprise words and those that do not. The primates pressed symbols on a touch-screen computer to indicate whether four-letter strings are, or are not, words. This skill is not the same as reading since the baboons did not attach meanings to the word strings. But, it does demonstrate that, contrary to previous belief, the roots to deciphering alphabetic script lie in brain functions unrelated to vocalization and language.
The baboons were rewarded with food by touching the “word” symbol on the computer screen when a word was displayed. They also received food when they touched the non-word symbol when nonsense was displayed. Over a six-week period, six baboons learned to recognize from 81 to 308 words. They distinguished these words from 7,000 non-word strings with about seventy-five percent accuracy.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: Obese Moms Heavy Burden for Kids
According to a UC Davis study, children born to obese women are more likely to be diagnosed with autism or related developmental delays. The results, published in the journal Pediatrics, identify yet another reason to worry about the fast rising obesity rates in the U.S. The study also showed a correlation between developmental delays in children with moms who suffer from Type 2 diabetes.
These findings are not especially surprising. Both obesity rates and the incidences of developmental delays in children are on the rise. Sixty percent of women of childbearing age in the U.S. are overweight and one-third is obese. Meanwhile, one in eighty-eight children has an autism-related disorder. Even though the incident rates are rising together, researchers are far away from understanding the connection between maternal obesity and autism.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: As if We don't have enough Problems
According to a survey conducted by Columbia University and the trade journal BioCycle, Americans generate a lot more garbage than previously believed. The average American produces 7.1 pounds of trash each day, which translates to 102 tons in a lifetime. Garbage has become our leading export as mountains of it, in the form of scrap, are sent to other countries. By contrast, China’s number one export to the U.S. is computers.
Some of our cities, such as Los Angeles, try to benefit from the garbage created by their residents. Decades ago, L.A. began constructing a garbage mountain which now extends 500 feet into the air. The decomposing trash creates enough methane to power 70,000 homes. But, who really wants a garbage mountain as a geologic feature? In contrast, Europeans generate a lot less trash by forcing manufacturers to cut down on their product packaging.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Animals: Those Lucky Cats
In the “don’t you wish you were a cat” category, a feline recently fell 19 stories out of a high-rise window and walked away. Sugar, a white cat who is also deaf, landed in a small patch of mulch sounded by brick and concrete. Aided by her feline flying squirrel ability, she left a landing depression and some of her fur. She also had a small cut on her lip and some bruises, but the cat is otherwise fine. Shaken, but not stirred.
Scientists don’t know if cats in flight have an ability to aim their landing or if they’re just lucky. But, they definitely have similar fall dynamics to those possessed by flying squirrels. When cats extend their legs, they are able to glide at least a little and thereby control the flight path. They can also use their tails as directional rudders. And, they can be very lucky as well. Sugar, unfazed, ran along the side of the building and went back inside.
Check our sources: MSNBC
March 17, 2012
Politics: Karzai Claims Conspiracy
As if the tragedy is not bad enough, Afghan President Hamid Karzai claims that the slaughter last week of 16 Afghani civilians was a conspiracy. The U.S. Army arrested Staff Sgt. Robert Bales for the killings when he returned to base and confessed. Karzai, after speaking with witnesses, contends that a single individual could have not committed the spree.
Neither the Defense Department nor the White House has commented on the Karzai allegations. They are not helping to quell adverse public reaction in either country to the war effort. Karzai now wants NATO forces, including those from the U.S., to pull out of villages where the Taliban is the strongest. Such a move would significantly impede allied forces.
Check our sources: Fox News
Economy: Gas Prices Debit Obama's False Credit
Gasoline prices in the U.S. jumped by six percent in February. Not a shock to anyone who fills up at the pump. But, it is a serious threat to Obama’s claimed economic recovery. There’s something unseemly about a President who takes credit for a recovery he has neither created nor facilitated. But, it’s worse for the economy to take a hit that shows him up.
The rise in gas prices, which is predicted to continue through the summer, is due to the closure of refineries on the East Coast. They can’t increase their prices high enough to accommodate the increase in foreign crude costs. Because of the lack of pipelines in the U.S., domestic crude is not available in sufficient quantities. The White House has no short or medium term solutions.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Daydreaming is Good
When the teacher used to scold little Johnnie or Susie for daydreaming in class, he was actually doing the child a disservice. Turns out, daydreaming helps expand our “working memory”, the mental work space that allows us to multitask.
People with overall higher working memory are better able to stay focused on the task at hand. Those with low working memory often experience wandering thoughts and do less well at ordinary tasks. So, the more your child daydreams the better equipped he or she will be to deal with the demands of everyday adult life.
Check our sources: Live Science
Health: Latest Wonder Food
Rather than just eating a balanced diet of healthful foods and getting regular exercise, we’re always looking for a silver bullet. You know, miracle food that will save us from the junk we continue to ingest and our persistent sedentary lifestyle. An easy way out. “Scientific” research, most of it later debunked, has a history of encouraging us to travel down this fairytale path.
We were treated this week to the latest in this type of tentative research. Purportedly, blueberries, apples and pears lower the risk of cancer, diabetes and heart disease. The research was based on a National Institutes of Health study of 200,000 adults for up to 24 years. Experts were quick to note that the data may merely show a coincidence rather than a causative link.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Speculation Begins
Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales, accused of slaughtering 16 Afghani civilians last week, may rely in part on post-traumatic stress disorder in his defense. Bales was on his first tour of duty in Afghanistan but had completed three tours in Iran. In total, he spent more than three years in war zones.
The shootings occurred in two villages located in a region of the country known as the birthplace of the Taliban. The dead include eleven members of one family. Nine children in all died. When Bales returned to the base after the killings, he surrendered his weapon and gave himself up. He is now jailed at Fort Leavenworth Kansas awaiting military proceedings.
Check our sources: USA Today
Animals: Toto Turned Down in Kansas
An attempt to have Toto’s breed declared the state dog of Kansas died in a legislative committee this week. The breed of Dorothy’s dog in the “Wizard of Oz” is the Cairn Terrier. State Representative Ed Trimmer introduced the bill. The idea originated with the chair of a state kennel club and was enthusiastically endorsed by school children.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, opposed the bill, claiming that it would promote puppy mills churning out the dogs. Breeder countered that they would act responsibly. Trimmer said he would reintroduce the bill next year.
Check our sources: MSNBC
Our Voices
Blogs From Us®
In The Headlights®
Extra!
Extra!
A Sunday Talk Show comic with Sidney interviewing persons of interest on the latest topics.
Visit the Comic Archives
Click here to read our past comics.
