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August 21, 2010
Politics: Taxpayers Foot Fundraising Bill
On his way back from his five state, three-day fundraising spree this week, President Obama dropped a $2 million bill in the taxpayers’ laps. And then headed off for vacation on Martha’s Vineyard. By coupling official events with each day’s political stumping, this, and any other President, can stick taxpayers with the tab. The latest jaunt, which raised millions for democrat election campaigns, also cost us a couple of million of our dollars to underwrite it.
It wouldn’t be as bad if Obama had not ridden to power on a waive of “things will be different with me”. Which, of course, hasn't been true at all. For those who complain that $2 million in taxpayer money is only a SWAG, its close. And, it would be even closer except that Obama will not release the expense details of the trip. The inconvenient transparency promise bites the dust again. Oh, and for a President so concerned about the environment, the trip left a pretty good-sized carbon footprint. All 8,000 fossil-burning miles of it. Apparently, if you’re in a political dogfight, the greater good is the good that helps you.
Check our sources: Fox News
Economy: Mortgage Program A Bust
Almost 50% of the enrollees in Obama’s Home Affordable Mortgage Program (HAMP) have dropped out. Aimed at over 7 million delinquent homeowners, the Program was designed to prevent foreclosures by rewriting loans on more favorable terms. After eighteen months, only 1.3 million of those eligible have attempted to take advantage of the Program. Of them, 630,000 have dropped out because of failure to make the reduced payments, failure to complete the paperwork or determined ineligibility. A major failure-to-make-payments cause was the Treasury Department’s initial insistence that lenders bypass financial qualification in screening applicants. Of course, lack of financial ability was what the whole sub prime house of cards was built on. It’s truly discouraging that that economic tsunami could not wash away the Government’s thickheaded lending policies.
HAMP has a dismal record, benefiting less than 10% of those it was supposed to help. In an attempt to save face, Assistant Treasury Secretary, Herbert Allison, claims the Program cannot be called a failure. His reason? HAMP's good example spurred the private mortgage market to rewrite loans to other homeowners as well. Economists, who say the whole Program has been an embarrassment from the start, hoot down Allison’s argument. Lenders have rewritten loans due to financial hardship for almost as long as governments have claimed credit for the work of others.
Check our sources: The Wall Street Journal
Science: Fused Have Short Fuse
People who are “fused” to an ideology through extremely strong emotional ties are often eager to sacrifice themselves in order to save their colleagues. The nature of the ideology, whether ethnic, national, religious or other, is not important. In any ideological context, fused group members believe suicide gives their lives a significance not otherwise achievable.
In a study performed by the University of Texas, among other institutions, 506 subjects were tested for their willingness to die for their countrymen. Each subject was presented with the “trolley problem” that tests a participant’s willingness to kill one person in order to save five strangers. The twist in the study was that the participant was the potential sacrificial lamb. Of those who had fused with their country, 75% were willing to commit suicide to save the others. In contrast, only 25% of the non-fused indicated the same willingness. The study was conducted to investigate the mindset of members of groups with extremist ideologies.
Check our sources: Science Daily
Health: Big Claims For Tai Chi
Tai Chi is a centuries-old, low impact Chinese martial art with high claims of beneficial results. It strengthens the body’s musculature, skeleton and organs while relieving stress and anxiety. Studies claim that the martial art lowers cholesterol, improves heart and lung function, reduces the symptoms of ADHD, decreases the severity of diabetes and improves knee function among those suffering from osteoarthritis. Plus a whole bunch more good stuff.
But all that is old news. In a new study, Tai Chi supposedly relieved the symptoms of fibromyalgia, a chronic disorder characterized by extensive muscle pain and heavy fatigue. Other symptoms include cognitive function and memory impairment as well as sleep disturbances and stiffness. Researchers tested the effects of Tai Chi on a “small” group of patients over a three-month period. The results were pain reduction and an improved quality of life. But, the study was small so the general applicability of the results is not known. The next step is to test with a larger sampling for a longer period and include comparisons with other exercises. Fibromyalgia affects between 2 – 4% of the world’s population, mostly women.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Say It Ain't So, Roger
Oops, he did. And a Federal Grand Jury indicted him for it. Seven-time Cy Young award winner Roger Clemens is facing charges of lying to Congress about steroid use. While he denied it, the Feds say they have evidence to the contrary. Which means they have enough evidence to convince a grand jury that Clemens was a ‘roid user. For pitchers inclined to use them, steroids are the go-to recovery aid. Days of recovery are compressed into mere hours. Pitchers most likely to use are relievers, who are called on to pitch frequently, and starters past their prime.
Clemens falls into the latter category. People who follow baseball like a religion are not surprised by the indictment. Many of them believe, through examination of his career stats, that Clemens began using in 1997 at the ripe old age of 34. So, the issue for them is not whether he used. It’s whether he should be eligible for the Hall of Fame regardless. They find the answer in a number comparison exercise: Clemens’ stats before 1997 compared with those of guys already in the Hall. Most come down on the side of letting him in. For the rest of us, “cheaters never prosper” seems a better rule.
Check our sources: Bleacher Report, ESPN
Animals: Four's A Crowd
“Oh, those halcyon days when it was just the three of us. Mom, dad and furry me. Then along came that great displacer of dogs, the human infant. No longer the center of attention, left too long to my own devices, banished to the proverbial doghouse. I don’t even see the vet as often as I once did. All because of that pink, furless, squalling little piece of hell on earth.” Or so it may seem to our dogs and cats after the stork drops off baby number one.
That canine–feline perception is often true, at least according to a survey of 1,900 dog and cat owners in Indiana. Not that the animals become neglected. But, less time and care is given to them when the nursery occupant takes up residence. Even so, people are very attached to their furry companions. Which is a great thing for our species. Animals have a calming effect that translates into lower blood pressure and higher survival rates after a heart attack. So, don’t send Fido to the doghouse when Junior arrives. Keeping all of you together works out best for everyone in the family.
Check our sources: MSNBC
August 14, 2010
Politics: In Your Face Politics
Barak Obama has just publicly come out in favor of the construction of a mosque two blocks from Ground Zero. The structure, part of a $100 million Islamic Center, has been the focus of controversy for several months. While it's stated purpose is to promote improved relations between Islam and the West, the Center is having the opposite effect. It's the subject of vocal opposition from many groups including relatives of 911 victims. And according to a recent CNN poll, 70% of Americans also oppose the location of the Center. In this election year, most democrats have shied away from the issue. Until this week, Obama had as well.
But, no longer. Disregarding the profound impact of the 911 attacks on Americans, Obama chose to impose his flavor of political correctness on the situation. In so doing, he traded the suffering of the Country for political pandering to the Muslim world. Even worse is the fact that the Center is spearheaded by a man who blames the U.S. for the 911 atrocities. In a September 30, 2001 60 Minutes interview, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf opined that U.S. policies were an “accessory” to the crimes of 911. He also stated that, “in the most direct sense”, Osama bin Laden is “made in the U.S.A.” These highly provocative statements fire-hose gasoline on an already raging fire. It is in this context that Obama came out in support of Islam. So, while he may have been born in this Country, he most certainly is not of this Country. Meanwhile, the Governor of New York is working to have the Center moved to a less in-your-face location. Now that would be an improvement.
Check our sources: Fox News, Washington Post, 60 Minutes Interview
Economy: Just Leave It Alone
As the economy continues to writhe in the clutches of the Great Recession, economists have come up with a way out of the woods. The Federal Government should just butt out and let the forces of a free marketplace take hold. The biggest reasons for the persistent economic doldrums are too many jobless, too little wage income and too little consumer spending. The Government’s stimulus efforts, which should be discontinued, have done nothing to alleviate these problems.
One of the positive things Uncle Sam can do is extend the Bush-era tax cuts for all income levels. However, election year politics being what they are, it is doubtful that a Democrat-controlled Congress will go along with the suggestion. Bush bashing is still a favorite pastime so continuing one of George’s policies is asking too much of highly partisan politicians. A few economists also believe the VAT tax is a “clever” way to reduce the deficit. Clever? We all know what a value-added tax is. More money for the Government and less for those who earn it.
Check our sources: The Wall Street Journal
Science: Video Gamers vs. Super Computers
If you’re a scientist trying to solve the complexities of protein folding, for example, try folding a bunch of video gamers into your efforts. About 57,000 of them should do. And turn your research project into a contest complete with prizes. You’ll end up with solutions from the gamers that are far superior to those generated by the best computers around. That’s no knock on the computers, of course, because they’re only as good as the programmers who produce their software.
If it sounds like a grade B sci-fi movie plot, it isn’t. Scientists at the University of Washington, trying to solve the folding protein problem, turned the quest into a video game. The object was to figure out how 10 proteins fold into their three-dimensional configurations. The gamers matched the computers’ results in three of the puzzles, outperformed them in five cases and found significantly better solutions in two others. Humans use a much more varied range of exploration methods than computers, yielding better results. Given the success of this project, researchers expect the same approach to be used with increasing frequency in the future. That'll make for massive author lists on those technical papers.
Check our sources: New York Times
Health: Breath You Way To A Slimmer You?
The latest weight loss fad has hit the market. It’s called the BreathSlim system and claims to aid weight loss by training users to breathe correctly. Breathing correctly apparently increases metabolism, which burns more calories and helps dump the fat. The immediate reaction to the spiel is, you’ve got to be kidding me. We all know we chow down way too many calories and we’ve gotten about as lazy as the human blobs in the movie, WALL-E. So, wouldn’t it be great if we could just sit around and breathe our way to svelteness? But, how gullible are we really?
The BreathSlim device was originally developed for asthma patients. Enterprising researchers discovered an apparent correlation between use of the device and a slight increase in metabolic rate. How direct the correlation is remains to be seen. Health experts who reviewed the product are pretty circumspect in their remarks. They point out that any approach to weight loss must include a balanced diet and regular exercise. Unless you’re anxious to pay $77 plus tax and shipping for the latest gimmick, you can skip the BreathSlim system. And just go with the diet and exercise part. It should help your wallet breathe easier at least.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: The Whole Story
Flight attendant Steve Slater is an instant phenom for his stunt of grabbing a couple of beers and sliding off that JetBlue flight. There are a slew of Facebook pages in his honor, t-shirts to buy, even a song to sing. And an explosion of articles and stories everywhere you turn on the ‘net. In fact, Steve is becoming the latest workingman’s icon. Instant fame in true 21st Century style.
But, maybe we should put the brakes on all of it because, according to passengers, Steve’s story has a lot of hot air in it. Authorities have interviewed more than 40 people on the flight and none of them back up Slater’s claim of an abusive passenger. But, a couple of things are certain. Slater wants his job back and hostility between airline passengers and flight attendants is increasing. A study by the International Air Transport Association found an escalation in instances of disgruntled passengers and violence on planes. The chief cause is passengers who refuse to obey safety orders. The study didn't mention flight attendants who fly the coop. Or slide down it, either.
Check our sources: New York Daily News, New York Times
Animals: Kitty Hydrotherapy
We all know about the aversion cats have to water. Don’t look for any Olympic swimmers in that group. Except for maybe one of the breeds, the Turkish Van. Turkish Vans are natural swimmers. Their affinity for water is credited with restoring mobility to one of them. Nazzaning, a six year-old, was injured in June and unable to move her left side. Her vets could not pinpoint the cause but they did discover swelling in her vertebrae and prescribed anti-inflammatories.
Not satisfied with a stopgap remedy, Nazzaning’s humans took her to hydrotherapy at a place called Water 4 Dogs. The name derives from the type of animals usually aided by the treatment. In fact, Nazzaning was the first feline to receive hydrotherapy. And it was an outstanding success. She walks today because of it. Hydrotherapy for animals is about 10 years old. Thanks to cats like Nazzaning, the treatment is now expanding to a much wider range of animals.
Check our sources: MSNBC
August 7, 2010
Politics: About The 14th Amendment
Some Republicans, among others, are beginning to suggest changing the 14th Amendment to close the anchor baby “loophole”. According to the Amendment’s modern interpretation, all babies born within the territorial limits of the United States are U.S. citizens irrespective of their parents’ nationality. The only exception pertains to the children of diplomats, who share the citizenship of their parents.
The Amendment grants U.S. citizenship, not only to the children of illegal immigrants, but to several other categories of infants birthed here as well. For example, children born of foreign nationals who are in the U.S. on vacation are U.S. citizens. As are children born within 12 nautical miles of the U.S. coastline or in an airplane flying within U.S. borders regardless of origin. But, modifying a constitutional amendment is an arduous task. Passing legislation contrary to modern interpretation is generally not a winner, either.
The best chance for change may be to convince the Supreme Court to reinterpret the Amendment’s citizenship provision. Section 1 states, in part, “All persons born…in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens…” The phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” is subject to interpretation. It does not refer to mere criminal or civil jurisdiction, as even diplomats must obey civil law. The proponents of change claim the phrase refers to whether an individual, or, in the case of infants, his parents, owe allegiance to another country. If “yes”, as when both parents are foreign nationals, citizenship is not granted. While our Constitution is a “living document”, meaning its interpretation changes over time, it may not be that lively.
Check our sources: The Hill, Legal Zoom, AliPac, 14th Amendment
Economy: The Season Of Stall
The Summer of Recovery never developed. Instead, most economists now acknowledge that we’re in the season of economic stall. The July job losses were more than twice the number expected by experts. And the June performance was revised downward from earlier reports. A significant number of job losses were from the government sector, including federal, state and local components. The meager job growth in the private sector was much less than necessary to fill the hole. In fact, it didn’t even keep pace with the increase in the job force from population growth. Stimulus spending has provided, at most, temporary gains, which are now being lost due to the lack of a sustaining recovery force.
What’s the answer? According to many, business has the cash to invest and consumers the money to spend, but neither is happening due to economic uncertainty. So, it seems, we need some positive certainty. Since our economy is built on the private sector, we need that sector to move forward, pulling consumers with it. How to do that? Try some favorable treatment from Uncle Sam. Rather than the palpable anti-business climate in Washington, we need regulations that make sense along with fewer taxes and fees. We need some pump priming that actually helps industry instead of smacking it upside the head. Let the sector breathe for itself and it may breathe for the rest of us as well.
Check our sources: Bloomberg, The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek
Science: Regeneration
The quest for immortality may be part of our evolutionary imperative but, so far, we haven’t made a lot of headway against the Grim Reaper. Now, however, researchers may have taken a small step for mankind, or at least mammalkind, in that direction. Stanford University scientists have succeeded in triggering muscle regeneration in mice, a feat never before accomplished. The key was temporarily blocking two tumor-suppressing proteins found in mammals but not in regenerating amphibians such as newts and salamanders.
Somewhere along the evolutionary trail, mammals developed the ability to suppress tumor growth but, with it, lost the ability to regenerate. Because the tumor suppressing capability is a plus, we don’t want to trade it, 1 for 1, for regeneration. But, temporarily blocking the capability, under carefully controlled conditions, will permit all the regeneration we need. At least that’s the theory. The next step is to try to regenerate the heart or pancreas of our testing buddies, the mice, and then on to regenerating injury sites. Eventually, we may work our way to humans. And won’t the mice be glad.
Check our sources: Phys Org
Health: How Fat Are We?
Too fat. And we’ve gotten a lot fatter in the past ten years. According to a recent study by the Centers For Disease Control And Prevention, in 2000, no state had an obesity prevalence of 30 percent or more. Now, nine states, or almost 20% of them, are in that category. Even worse, no state in our Country today has an obesity prevalence of less than 15 percent. The study was based on a telephone survey of 400,000 people, which presents another problem. The findings were calculated using the Body Mass Index. BMI relies on height and weight ratios. But, people on the phone generally fib about both, describing themselves as taller and lighter than they are. So, we’re probably fatter than the survey results indicate.
So what? So, obesity is a threat to individuals and to society as a whole. For individuals, it creates a major risk of developing fatal medical conditions like heart attack, cancer, stroke and type 2 diabetes. For society, it means spiraling health care costs. Total annual costs related to obesity are $147 billion. Medical treatments for an obese person cost $1,429 more than those for a normal weight individual. What to do about it? Many of the obese are uneducated. So, the first prescription is to improve the information flow to those who need it most. After that, funding support groups and similar programs beat the expense of maintaining the fatus quo.
Check our sources: Health News, Centers For Disease Control
Life: "Biggest Loser" Star Sued, Again
Worse than the lack of weight loss information is the wrong kind of information. Phony baloney claims for dangerous diet scams certainly fall into that category. “Biggest Loser” star and fitness guru, Jillian Michaels, is being sued for promoting a diet cleansing regimen allegedly containing toxic ingredients. While the jury is out, or actually hasn’t been chosen, on whether the claims of poison are correct, one thing is certain according to experts. The ingredients are ineffective for their stated purposes. The alleged, but full-of-hot-air, benefits include elimination of “belly bloat”, “reduced body waist buildup” and increased energy.
This is the fourth time Michaels has been sued over her diet pills. The first three suits were filed in February of this year and pertain to separate supplements. Regarding the cleansing pills that are the subject of the latest suit, experts generally agree that the effects could be unpleasant but probably not toxic. Still, who wants to pay for worthless pills that create a lot of non-fatal pain? Maybe Michaels should stick to the exercise videos and give the pill pitching a rest.
Check our sources: ABC News
Animals: Fat Fido?
If his humans are fat, Fido probably is, too. People who over eat, tend to over feed their dogs. But, their own weight issues aren’t the only reasons humans stuff their dogs to the gills. Too often, too much food is given as a substitute for attention or to assuage guilty consciences.
Unfortunately, obese dogs suffer health problems as humans do, so feeding them massive quantities of food is doing them a serious disservice. Obesity in canines makes them higher surgery risks, increases the likelihood of injury and puts more stress on heart, lungs, liver, kidneys and joints. Then there’s a worsening effect on osteoarthritis, respiratory problems, higher risk of diabetes mellitus and a generally lesser quality of life. The following source contains tips for recognizing canine obesity and how to trim it away.
Check our sources: Canis Major
July 31, 2010
Politics: Arizona Law – Round Two
The Federal trial court entertaining the Government’s injunction request against the enforcement of the Arizona immigration law ruled in part in the Government’s favor. This, of course, is just round one. Rounds two and three will be fought in the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court, respectively. Arizona is coming out fighting in round two, already filing its appeal from the 11th hour ruling of the trial court.
The injunction was based on the doctrine of federal preemption over immigration laws. But, the court rejected claims of racial profiling and the Government’s attempts to interfere with such local matters as traffic control. Arizona can also block ‘sanctuary’ policies in its cities, require state officials to work with federal immigration authorities and criminalize picking up day laborers. The injunction was granted against the provisions pertaining to requiring identification during criminal investigations and mandating non-citizens to carry identification papers. Depending on the speed of federal appellate courts, these issues may take years to resolve finally.
Check our sources: Fox News
Economy: Recovery In Search Of A Recovery
The recovery that economists have been talking about for 12 months or so seems to be in need of a recovery itself. Over the past three months, it’s become apparent that the tepid economic growth has stalled. Economists now forecast declining performance into 2011. Specifically, they expect the growth in GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to fall to less than 3% annually and unemployment to remain at its current rate. In order for unemployment to drop by one percent, GDP has to grow by 5% for an entire year. No one, including Obama Administration staffers, expects that to happen anytime soon. Many experts do believe the jobless number will fall to its traditional 5%, but not until at least 2015.
One of the main reasons for the stall is the drop in consumer spending. When consumers stop spending, businesses stop making a profit, growing or hiring. The whole effect is synergistic: consumers don’t spend because unemployment is high, which keeps unemployment high. To break out of the cycle, consumers will have to gain confidence in a sustained recovery. After the Fed’s bleak economic assessment this week, confident consumers are a scarce commodity.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal, Bangor Daily News
Science: Heady Mind Melds
Star Trek fans will recall Mr. Spock’s mind meld technique that enabled him to share the thoughts of those in his meld grasp. Apparently, Gene Roddenberry was on the right track. Scientists have discovered that the quality of human conversation is based on the unconscious ability of the two participants to meld their minds. People today might also call it getting their minds in sync or on the same wavelength. In any case, researchers previously believed that during conversation different parts of the brains of the speaker and listener were activated. So, no meld.
Now they believe that the active areas of the two brains overlap and the overlap allows for clearer communication between the individuals. The more melded the minds are, the more clearly the participants understand each other. In cases of strong melds, the participants unconsciously imitate each other. Now you know why you sometimes mimic the accent or even speech impediment of a conversation partner. Or adopt their gestures or body postures. You don’t need to be embarrassed any longer. It just means you’re an exceptional listener.
Check our sources: Science Magazine
Health: Shaken Or Stirred
Martinis may be the reason why super action spy James Bond is so limber and fleet of foot. Or at least why he doesn’t have rheumatoid arthritis. According to researchers, whether you take your martinis shaken or stirred, you should take them. In moderation, of course. A new study published this week in the U.K. Journal, Rheumatology, finds that alcohol helps to prevent the onset of RA. It also alleviates the crippling symptoms in those who have it.
Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease, meaning the immune system attacks itself. In this case, the victim is the tissue of the joints. The result is inflammation, pain, stiffness and loss of motion. Experts estimate that there are 21 million suffers in the world today. The U.K. study examined 1,877 individuals, including 873 with RA and a control group of 1,004 without it. According to the findings, non-drinkers were four times more likely to develop RA than people who imbibe more than 10 days a month. Individuals with RA who drank experienced lesser symptoms than their teatotaling counterparts. Alcohol blunts the activity of the immune system and it’s also a mild painkiller. So, bottoms up!
Check our sources: Health News
Life: The Northwest Passage
Canada’s claim to sovereignty over the Northwest Passage got a boost this week when Canadian archaeologists discovered a British ship abandoned in the Passage. Or, actually, at the bottom of it. The ship, the HMS Investigator, was surrendered to the ice by its crew in 1853. Most of the crewmen were rescued by another British ship. The Investigator was in the region in a failed attempt to rescue the Franklin Expedition. Robert McClure, the captain of the Investigator, is credited as the first European to discover the western entrance to the Passage.
Canada claims the Northwest Passage as part of the territory it inherited when it gained independence from Great Britain. Sovereignty over the Passage is becoming increasingly important as shipping traffic grows due to the melting of the arctic ice. The Investigator was discovered through the use of sonar and metal detectors. It had come to rest, sitting upright, in 25 feet of icy arctic water. The graves of three British sailors who died of scurvy were also discovered.
Check our sources: BBC
Animals: Debarking Howled Down
Humans think up a lot of nasty things to do just to make their lives a tiny bit easier. Like cutting or removing the vocal cords of the family dog to avoid having to train him not to bark inappropriately. The surgery, called ‘debarking’, has just been criminalized by the State of Massachusetts with a punishment of up to five years in prison for violators. Maybe a more appropriate punishment would be one in kind. Just cut the vocal cords of the offenders so we don’t have to listen to their lazy excuses for torturing their furry companions. And what is that excuse? Debarking saves animals from shelters. However, there’s absolutely zero empirical data supporting the claim.
Meanwhile, California is considering legislation to prevent landlords from requiring canine debarking and cat declawing as conditions of rental. The debarking clauses in lease agreements prevent dogs from alerting their humans to the presence of the landlords on the property. And of burglars on the premises and other people who are not expected or wanted. Here’s hoping California silences debarking.
Check our sources: MSNBC
July 24, 2010
Politics: Looking Ahead To 2012?
Irritated Congressional Democrats are snipping at their President in increasing numbers for letting them take the fall in the fall. Most of them have obediently supported Obama’s agenda, unpopular though it has proven to be. In the face of that loyalty, his Press Secretary recently prognosticated a Republican-controlled House after the November elections. So, while Obama remains in office, his soldiers are looking forward to being carried off the battlefield on their shields.
There are a few other things upsetting Obama’s elected supporters like immigration reform. The President reaped a firestorm of unpopularity this summer for his anti-Arizona lawsuit. Reform may be a winning issue for him after November but the Congressional faithful are likely to take a hit for it in the midterms. Then there’s Obama’s refusal to draft legislation he advocates, leaving it to Congress and then threatening vetoes when they don’t get it exactly right. So, the question is, does Obama want Republican majorities so he’ll have someone to blame in the 2012 campaign, a la Bill Clinton in 1996? Or does he really not understand how to play nice in his own backyard?
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Economy: Rope-A-Dope
Those who remember boxing great Muhammad Alli will also remember the rope-a-dope fighting style he used against George Forman in 1974. Alli hung back against the ropes, letting Forman pound away harmlessly, until George tired. Alli then k.o.’d him with a counter attack. That seems to be the White House’s Summer of Recovery strategy with the Recession in Forman’s shoes and the economy in Alli’s. Trouble is, the Recession’s punches are connecting. Hard.
For the umpteenth time since the downturn began, weekly unemployment claims were greater than experts forecasted. 464,000 new claims were filed last week. And sales of “previously owned” homes hit a three-month low, falling over 5 percent in June. The increase in jobless claims portends a decrease in consumer spending, which is the largest part of the economy. This means slower growth for the balance of the year. Economists are now predicting “years” before the job market recovers to pre-Recession levels.
Check our sources: Bloomberg, Reuters
Science: Nail Those Landings Or Not
The old expression, look before you leap, is sound advice but so is, learn to land before you leap. Or so you’d think. And maybe it is for humans, but not, apparently, for frogs. In a newly published article, researchers make the case for amphibians taking the leap long before they could nail a landing. In fact, they’ve been leaping now for millions of years, give or take, and some species of primitive frogs still botch the touchdown. Which might be why they’re still listed as primitive.
If you’re a frog, the trick to sticking your landing is having your hind legs pulled back to your body by mid-jump. This move allows you to land balanced on your forelegs. The primitive frogs leave their legs extended throughout the flight, making their landings wildly unpredictable. Still, they have survived so maybe splats, thuds, skids and tumbles aren’t so bad after all. Lucky for them because it looks like they’re going to be klutzes for a good while longer.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: Neck And Neck With BMI
For years, health care professionals have used the Body Mass Index as an indicator of obesity. It uses height and weight to calculate the amount of body fat possessed by those measured. The problem with BMI is that information it uses presents an incomplete picture of the individuals being measured. For example, there is no input for muscle mass or bone density or the location of the body fat, all of which influence obesity predictions.
According to a new article in the Journal, Pediatrics, neck circumference gives a much better picture of obesity than BMI alone. In a recent study, 1,102 children were tested using both neck and BMI measurements. Based on the study, a six-year-old male with a neck circumference of 11.2 inches is almost four times as likely to be overweight than his counterparts with smaller necks. Since 1 in 7 preschool-aged children are obese, screening and education are highly recommended. Which means the new measurement method came just in the neck of time.
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Heat Cooks Fries
You have to fry some potatoes to make French fries but only if the frying is done in the pan and not in the ground. That’s a piece of potato truth that the German potato industry can support hoe-heartedly. The Germans produce over 12 million tons of spuds each year, 10% of which end up as French fries. Cut from extra large potatoes, the fries are usually the long variety, averaging 2.2 inches each.
But, hot, dry weather this year has taken a toll on extra large potatoes, shrinking the number of long fries to a precious few. Germans, and those who use their potatoes for fries, will have to brace themselves for small strips. Not a tragedy of economic recession proportions but, to those who take pleasure in smaller things, a lip-smacking disappointment.
Check our sources: Yahoo
Animals: National Pet Fire Safety Day
The third annual National Pet Fire Safety Day was observed last week and it’s never too late to pick up some tips. Of the disasters responded to by the American Red Cross, home fires are the most common and the most preventable. And they affect 500,000 pets each year. The best way to protect your pets from harm is to include them in your evacuation plan. One of the most important facts to keep in mind is that Red Cross disaster shelters only allow assistance pets. Alternative places of safety are pet-friendly hotels, friends or relatives, boarding facilities and shelters that temporarily house pets in emergencies. Be sure to pick a safe place for your pet well in advance of the panic and rush that accompanies a home disaster.
Other safety tips include assembling a portable pet disaster supply kit with food, water, meds, leashes, toys and a bed. Another good idea is to create and display a pet rescue sticker so emergency workers will know that pets are in the house. Lastly, make sure your pet is not the one who starts the fire. Family pets cause about 1,000 home fires annually so keep them away from potential fire hazards and extinguish open flames. Maybe even remove stove knobs. Remember, the life you save may be the one who loves you unconditionally.
Check our sources: The Red Cross
July 17, 2010
Politics: Wanted – Real Reform
Congress passed the “sweeping” 2,300-page finance reform bill on Thursday, amid concerns of an uncertain effect on consumer credit. And more concerns about a whole passel of unpleasant, unintended consequences. In a statement hauntingly reminiscent of Nancy Pelosi’s famous gaffe regarding the healthcare bill, Christopher Dodd (D-Conn) stated, “No one will know until this is actually in place how it works.” That’s because too many of the provisions were negotiated in 11th hour deals, leaving no time to consider the ramifications of the whole package. Or maybe, the rush was to prevent consideration.
Passing what’s advertized as “sweeping” change and “the toughest (fill-in-the-blank) reform since (fill-in-the-blank)”, without understanding it, should be outlawed. Congress has no business invading the private sector by rushing through gargantuan hodge-podge legislation. It happened with Obamacare and now it’s happened with finance reform. So, we’ll hold our collective breath waiting for both shoes to drop, hoping they don’t fall on our heads. Responsible, well-considered bills would be a real change. But, that’s not a reform package we’re likely to see out of this Congress.
Check our sources: Washington Post
Economy: Double-Dips
If you’re talking ice cream, double-dips are fantastic. But, if the subject is recession, they’re off everyone’s diet. Right now, the subject is the housing market, which experts fear is in a double-dip. Actually, plenty of people believe there hasn’t been enough of a recovery in housing to have a second recession. But, the optimistic among us, who perceived an upturn last fall, now see a second dip. Sales have fallen since the end of the tax credit in April while foreclosures increased in the first quarter and delinquencies are on the rise. The resulting “shadow inventory”, or potential supply of additional houses, is 7.8 million, which dwarfs the 3.9 million homes already on the market. This flood of houses should depress prices further.
The International Monetary Fund, out of concern for a housing market double-dip, urges Obama to reform Fannie and Freddie. The IMF sees a broken national mortgage system, with a backlog of foreclosures, high negative equity and higher unemployment as the reasons for the predicament. Despite their central role in the sub-prime meltdown, Fannie and Freddie were omitted from the finance reform bill passed on Thursday. Maybe they were just overlooked in all the rush.
Check our sources: Housing Wire, Forbes, Chron, MSNBC
Science: New Strike Against Stroke
Scientists searching for a better response to strokes than drugs may have found the answer in rats. Or at least in their response to middle brain stimulation that prevents the debilitating effects. In rodents, if the middle brain is stimulated for four minutes within the first two hours of suffering an arterial blockage, damage is prevented. For rats, this stimulation is accomplished by tickling a single whisker. In humans, that translates to stimulating the finger, face or lips. However, no testing has been done on humans yet. But, since strokes are the number 3 cause of death in the U.S., and 795,000 Americans suffer them annually, it’s now on the research agenda.
Check our sources: Phys Org
Health: Apples & Pears
Apples and pears aren’t just fruit. They’re the shapes humans take on with added weight. Apples add fat around the belly. Pears pack it on around the hips and thighs. Science has known for a while that Apples have a higher risk than pears for developing heart disease. But, recent research has determined that pears, at least the older female variety, run a much higher risk of diminished mental acuity. In a study of 8,700 healthy women aged 65 – 79 years, overweight subjects performed more poorly in both memory and reasoning tests. The reasons are unknown and the results did surprise investigators. Overall, normal-weight women tend to outperform overweight females of both shapes.
Check our sources: Science News
Life: No Release For Ripper
To the relief of victims’ family members, Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, will remain in a British prison for the rest of his life. Sutcliffe, convicted in 1981 of murdering 13 women and attacking seven others, has been imprisoned in a high-security psychiatric hospital. In treatment since 1993, Sutcliffe, who changed his name to Peter Coonan, has responded well to medication and attempted to earn parole because of it. Popping pills to pry open prison doors.
Unpersuaded, the British Court, in denying Sutcliffe’s attempt, ruled that life in prison was a just punishment given the grisly nature of his crimes. He can take all the medication he wants, but none of it will erase his actions, return the victims to their families or dull their pain. The ruling was a very tiny consolation to those who have suffered so much but light years better than the alternative.
Check our sources: BBC
Animals: Animal Rights Hit The Big Time
After decades of being considered the realm of militant activists, animal rights is gaining a place in mainstream legislation in a number of states. For example, if you’re a laying hen, you want to live in California or have your eggs sold there. In that case, you get to luxuriate in a new type of cage. One large enough for you to stand up in, lie down in and spread your wings without crowding the next chicken. If you’re a dog, you’re thankful for a national movement to end or inhibit the practice of chaining domestic canines. 13 states have enacted laws that limit chaining dogs outside. Several more states are considering similar actions.
Laws protective of animals are being passed annually in states across the nation. Animal rights classes are now taught at the nation’s leading law schools. While the intellectual underpinnings of the movement are strong, they don’t account for it’s mainstream endorsement. That is due simply to popular support. The California cage law was a ballot initiative that passed with an overwhelming 63% of the vote. Still, Europe remains ahead of the U.S. in recognizing animal rights. Whether we catch up remains to be seen.
Check our sources: Yahoo News
July 10, 2010
Politics: Lost In Space
The National Aeronautical & Space Administration (NASA) has a new top mission: to boldly go where no funding has gone before. Which part of space is that? The part here on earth occupied by Muslim nations. Or so said Charles Bolden, Obama’s NASA Administrator, in an interview last week with al-Jazeera, the Middle Eastern news network. According to Bolden, Obama’s highest priority for the NASA Administrator is to make Muslims feel good about their historic contributions to math and science.
Of course, earth-bound touchy-feely diplomacy is not part of NASA’s mission. It’s difficult to see how courting the favor of nations that lack the technology to contribute to our space program is even related to NASA. As much a mystery is the fact that al-Jazeera knew of NASA’s new focus before any member of Congress did. The Congressional reception of the news was not positive on either side of the aisle particularly since Obama has canceled several space programs. It seems our President is lost in the space between his ears.
Check our sources: San Francisco Examiner1, San Francisco Examiner2
Economy: Cut That Spending
Defying spendthrift economists, European exports, industrial production and employment are rising as governments cut profligate spending. The main reason for the upturn seems to be business, investor and consumer confidence in ending the cause of the destabilizing debt plaguing their countries.
Many economic “experts” predicted doom and gloom if government spending was curtailed. So far, they’re wrong but there’s a ways to go before these nations are all the way out of recession woods. And more spending cuts are necessary. The question is whether governments have the will, in the face of strong opposition from those living on the public dole, to make them.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: War Against HIV Heats Up
Scientists have discovered three previously unknown human antibodies that neutralize 91% of all HIV strains. Antibodies are proteins in bodily fluids that are both detection and response devices of the immune system. They bind with invasive agents of disease either tagging them for destruction by other defensive cells or destroying them with the aid of helper cells. Millions of unique antibodies exist in our bodies.
The three recently discovered versions should trigger the development of more effective HIV vaccines. The vaccines would cause the immune system to produce the HIV-binding antibodies enabling the virus’s destruction. The efficacy of past vaccines was rendered ineffective by the highly mutative nature of HIV, which hinders immune system detection. The most powerful of the three recently discovered antibodies neutralizes the impact of HIV mutations. It binds with the virus at the point where it attacks a cell, a location that remains the same through mutated versions of the virus.
Check our sources: Science News, Wise Geek
Health: Organic Eggs Or Not
Despite lay opinion to the contrary, organic eggs do not have a substantial quality advantage over conventionally produced eggs. At least according to a paper written by the Agricultural Research Service reporting on a study of various aspects of egg quality. The study included eggs with varying production and nutritional differences such as traditional, cage-free, free-roaming, pasteurized, nutritionally-enhanced and fertile.
The goal was to determine if physical quality and compositional differences exist. While organic eggs weigh more, conventional eggs have higher percentages of total solids and crude fat. Regardless, no matter which specialty egg is chosen, it will have about the same quality as any other egg. 6.5 billion shell eggs are produced each year in the United States with a value of approximately $7 billion. And that’s not chicken feed.
Check our sources: United States Department Of Agriculture
Life: Tarmac Lotto A Thing Of The Past
Remember the good old days when passengers got stuck on the tarmac for hours at a time, waiting for their planes to takeoff? Pilots simply refused to return the planes voluntarily to the gate so passengers could wait in the relative comfort of the concourse. Some of the delays were so long that passengers could assert squatters rights in their little section alongside the runway. Or, at least, it seemed that way. In 2007, American Airlines passengers were stuck on tarmac firma for 13 hours. Why a riot didn’t break out is unknown.
Effective April 29, 2010, U.S. Department of Transportation regulations limit airline tarmac delays to 3 hours on pain of $27,500 fines per passenger. Unless, of course, tarmac squatting is due to health and safety concerns or on orders from an air traffic controller. Since the regulations went into effect, the number of monthly tarmac delays has dropped 85% from the totals one year ago. O.k., so there’s only one month of data so far. Still, there’s something to be said for the deterrent effect of ridiculously high fines.
Check our sources: USA Today, Chicago Breaking Business, KING 5
Animals: Picking The Proper Pet Insurance
If you’re part of the 40% of human pet companions worried about costly vet bills for serious injuries or illnesses, pet insurance may be your answer. The Ohio Department of Insurance publishes very helpful tips in choosing the right insurance for you and your better animal half. Like health insurance for humans, there are several different types of pet insurance. So, shop around, comparing policy benefits, deductibles, limits, exclusions and any required veterinary networks. And, of course, premium payments.
Some of the gotchas include pre-existing conditions, which are often breed-specific. Also, if your pet is treated for a covered condition during one policy period, it may be considered pre-existing when the policy is renewed. On the brighter side, many auto policies now cover injuries to pets suffered while riding in the vehicle. Check your policy to find out. And please check the Ohio webpage, cited below, for more details.
Check our sources: Ohio Department Of Insurance
July 3, 2010
Politics: Vanishing Act
The chance for a comprehensive immigration reform bill coming to a vote before the mid-term elections is slim. The Democrats, who control the calendar, have it jammed packed with other comprehensive reform initiatives, like finance, energy and education. But, President Obama is in a tight spot with Hispanic voters. One of his major 2008 campaign promises was to tackle immigration reform in 2009, which, of course, didn’t happen. In early 2010, when he all but nixed reform for this year, too, his approval rating among Hispanics dropped significantly. And, Obama desperately needs Hispanic support in 2012.
What’s a politician to do when he’s broken promises and facing declining support? Play the blame game, especially if the politician is our President. So, in the first immigration speech of his Presidency, Obama, on Thursday, blamed the Republicans for lack of reform. While the support of at least some Congressional Repubs is necessary, Obama has yet to make a proposal let alone define a plan. And onThursday, he offered nothing new on the subject. So, it must be that his speech, brim full of political platitudes, was all about throwing the heat off himself and onto the opposition. Which just might work if everyone confuses clichés with substance.
Check our sources: Time Magazine, The Wall Street Journal, Immigration Speech Text
Economy: ITJS
The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 10% in the second quarter primarily because of the “disappointing data” on the country’s unemployment rate. The quarterly decline was the first in fifteen months and reflects Wall Street’s lack of confidence in the strength of the economy. The dollar also fell against the euro over concerns the U.S. recovery is failing to gain traction because of chronic high unemployment.
The persistently bad jobless numbers hit another area of the economy in June. Consumer confidence, which translates into spending, dampened considerably as joblessness continues. In fact, the percentage of consumers planning to buy automobiles fell to its lowest point in over 40 years. So much for the staying power of Cash For Clunkers. Vacation plans also fell as did home and appliance purchases. For any politician who’s listening, It’s The (permanent, private-sector) Jobs, Stupid.
Check our sources: L.A.Times, Reuters, Bloomberg
Science: That Caffeine Boost
According to a new study, caffeine can boost performance in endurance sports by as much as 6%. Which means, if taken in sufficient quantities, the drug can affect the outcome of, say, world-class marathon competitions. However, its impact on short-burst sports, such as sprints, is negligible. Caffeine, when it benefits, improves both muscle power and indefatigability.
Caffeine was removed from the banned substance list in 2004 after studies concluded that its effect on performance was insignificant. Now, it seems that, at a minimum, quantity limitations should be imposed. What should that limit be? We’re talking a lot more than a can of Red Bull or even a couple of six packs. The human blood stream can absorb up to 70 mico-Mols per liter of caffeine, which would have to be taken in tablet or powder form. Or extremely concentrated liquid.
Check our sources: Telegraph
Health: Long Life Is In The Genes
Want to win the centenarian lotto? Your likelihood of living to the age of 100 is found in your genes, according to research published in the latest edition of Science Journal. Geneticists identified 150 genetic variants that determine, with 77% accuracy, whether individual humans will live at least 90 years. Until now, scientists assumed that long life was due to the absence of genetic variants associated with age-related diseases. In light of the new research, they now speculate that the 150 longevity variants suppress genes linked to the aliments of aging.
The research also means that the long life variants are missing in 23% of long-lived individuals so they aren’t always required. Other factors that determine longevity are environment, lifestyle and dumb luck. About 1 in 6,000 individuals in industrialized countries reach 100 years of age. 85% of them are women. Only 1 in 7,000,000 live 110 years. Ninety percent of people who do live 100 years remain disability-free until age 93.
Check our sources: National Geographic
Life: Blind Optimism
In a poll conducted last month, eight percent of Russians believe their team will win the current World Cup soccer competition in South Africa. Eight percent may seem like a small number except that Russia never made it to the World Cup this year. The team was eliminated by Slovenia in the qualifying rounds. The poll surveyed 1,600 Russians in 130 cities.
It’s not like the Russians are ignoring the World Cup this year. Moscow’s bars are filled to overflowing with ardent fans. And, the country is looking forward to the decision on its bid to host the event in either 2018 or 2022. But, their team’s performance in international play has been spotty. In 2006, like this year, it failed to qualify for Cup competition.
Check our sources: Washington Post
Animals: Long Life Is With BFFs
Forget about those longevity genes, at least if you’re a baboon on the low end of the social scale. If that’s you, and you want to live long and prosper, get a Best Friend For Life. According to a paper published on Thursday in Current Biology, though higher-ranking females generally survive longer, subordinate females can beat the odds. It requires lasting friendships with other females marked by frequent and prolonged sessions of mutual grooming.
But, it’s not the grooming itself that lengthens life. Rather, it’s apparently the cumulative side effects. Like softening the impact of stressful events on the heart and immune system. Allowing more time to be spent close to other baboons thereby reducing vulnerability to predators. And getting rid of parasites that threaten health. The longevity benefit was not present for baboons who switched female companions more often. The study is in keeping with the positive longevity impact that strong social ties have on humans.
Check our sources: Science News
June 26, 2010
Politics: Live By The Sword
In November 2008 Barack Obama rode to victory on the wave of pervasive anti-Bush sentiment and Obama’s glowing oratory about feel-good change. Seventeen months after taking office, he’s at serious risk of being drown by a similar wave. According to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal Poll, Obama’s approval rating in several leadership categories has slipped below 50% to its lowest level. Why? Because all he seems to do is orate. Speak in platitudes. Talk long on generalities and not at all on specifics. Voter perception is that, while he’s likable enough, Obama’s pretty much all blow and no go.
His lack of accomplishments and leadership abilities is coming to light in his non-handling of the Gulf Oil Spill and in persistently high unemployment. He talks tough and he does get angry often. But, blowing his stack and pointing his finger is wearing thin. He hasn’t even suggested a coherent strategy for minimizing the oil spill damage to our waters, wildlife or economy, let alone implement one. And all of the platitudes in the world have not created a single permanent job in the private sector. Talking can get you elected but, if, after winning, all you do is talk, you’ll gab yourself right out the door you just came in.
Check our sources: MSNBC, Wall Street Journal
Economy: Housing Bust Continues
The U.S. housing market continues its downhill decline. Slumping sales and falling prices are producing gloomy forecasts, at least for the balance of this year. The tax credit inducement, which ended in April, turned out to be a flash in the pan. The number of sales contracts signed in May was down 10 – 15% from the anemic number of one year ago. Two big reasons for the persistent housing slide are the high unemployment rate and the number of foreclosed homes dumped on the market.
However, the housing bust is not bad news all around. Most cities with populations exceeding 500,000 are growing. The move to the ‘burbs, or anywhere else, has been put on hold for many because of the downturned economy. So, city folk are staying where they are. Changing locations won’t be in their financial cards until somebody is dealing a better economic hand.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal, Donat Dawn
Science: Goldilocks And You
Goldilocks and The Three Bears might describe your existence a lot more closely than you ever imagined. At least according to British physicist Paul Davies. It’s not that Goldi will visit your home when you’re out for a stroll, eat your baby’s porridge or sleep in her bed. Nothing that micro. The fairy tale is a metaphor for the development of life in the universe including ours. Goldilocks represents life, which needed just the right conditions to germinate. While neither the beds or the porridge of the big bears worked, those of the baby bear were just right – and life in the universe developed.
For centuries, scientists have debated the question of whether life was a statistical accident or the result of design. Some of them are convinced of the latter, but not out of religious conviction. They reach the design conclusion simply from the sheer unlikelihood that life could develop. But since it did, something “just right” must have been going on to tip the balance in its favor.
Check our sources: Huffington Post
Health: Laughing Your Way To Bad Health
If you’re a child, you might find yourself laughing all the way to diabetes and other debilitating ailments that stem from bad diets. Why the laughter for such a serious problem? Because the parade down bad diet lane is being led by cartoon characters that most children adore – and find very funny. These characters star not only on Saturday morning TV shows. They also twinkle on boxes of food like cereal, cookies and other snacks, which have little nutritional value and a ton of sugar.
On the bright side, it may be that children can be led down good diet lane in the same way. A small study tends to support the notion that kiddies make healthier food choices if the packaging includes a favorite cartoon character. The study also shows that, to some extent, we never outgrow our childish ways. After all, how many of us, regardless of the object, are drawn to the cover rather than the content inside?
Check our sources: Health News
Life: Forgetting Duty
There’s been a lot of hoopla this week about Stanley McChrystal’s soon-to-be-out-in-hardcopy interview with Rolling Stone Magazine. Most of it centered on the questions of whether he would, or should, be fired for the personal jabs he took at Obama and Biden. On Wednesday, Obama did fire him from his job as the commander of U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. Now, the President is being criticized for that action by some of our friends on the Right.
Given the roles and responsibilities of military personnel, and the importance of the chain of command, Obama had to dismiss McChrystal. The General’s job is to carry out the orders of his commanding officer, which, in this case, is the President of the United States. McChrystal is not required to like the man or even respect him, but he is required to respect the office and to follow orders. There is little doubt that McChrystal would have fired a subordinate who showed similar, or any, disrespect of him. He owed the same deference to his superiors.
Check our sources: Fox News, Rolling Stone
Animals: Like Herding Cats
One of the easiest ways to communicate the difficulty of an activity is to liken it to herding cats. Barre, Vermont is trying to enforce a law that’s almost as difficult as herding cats – requiring them to be on leashes when outdoors. The never-enforced law was recently discovered during a review of animal control ordinances. The city, now pondering the wisdom of enforcing the law, finds itself in the middle of a hissing contest.
Aside from some not-my-garden-as-a-litter-box spats, the main argument is the same for both sides. Cats are very good at hunting. Trouble is, not everything they catch is a varmint. There are jurisdictions with cat leash laws including Akron, Ohio; Aurora, Colorado; Montgomery County, Maryland; Palm Beach County, Florida and New Orleans, Louisiana. But, as Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson noted in 1949 as he vetoed a cat leash law, “To escort a cat abroad on a leash is against the nature of the cat.” There’s always the indoor option.
Check our sources: CBS News
June 19, 2010
Politics: Obamacare Promises Revisited
When Obamacare was just a bill, the Massachusetts healthcare system was used by some as an argument against its passage. Less than three months later, the Bay State’s system is again being portrayed as the future of healthcare in the U.S. And the outlook is nothing less than a choice, quality and deficit disaster.
The Massachusetts law went into effect in 2006 and shares all of the major features of our national legislation. With a four-year head start, the Massachusetts experience is the best guide to the future of healthcare in the country. The lessons learned are hard: spiraling costs; steeply rising policy prices for young, healthy people; huge subsidies for low-to-medium income earners; rewards for working less and earning less; and hefty incentives for employers to drop healthcare insurance. The result is an accelerating tax burden, penalties for those who are healthy, rewards for those who are not and lesser care. And, of course, increasingly greater Government control.
All the political sales pitches for Obamacare are panning out as exactly that. Sales spin, which leaves taxpayers reeling. Repeal anyone?
Check our sources: United Liberty, CNN Money
Economy: Stimulus Spending Not Simulating
One of the arguments against the huge stimulus spending bill was the fact that any economic lift would be only temporary. The verdict is in on part of the stimulus programs, home buying incentives and mortgage relief. For them, the prediction turned out to be right on the money. Single-family housing starts plummeted 17.2% the first month after the homebuyer tax credit expired. Experts, mistaken in their optimism, expected much less of a decline. Applications for building permits likewise dropped last month. Experts are now saying that the sales activity during the tax credit period simply pulled housing transactions forward from summer into spring. So, new predictions for summer sales are very low.
According to another prediction, most buyers who are participating in the Home Affordable Mortgage Program will default on their mortgages within 12 months. Even though HAMP restructured mortgage payments for struggling homeowners, they still face total monthly debt averaging 64% of pretax income. That’s a big nut to crack when additional money is needed for food, clothing and emergency purchases. And the icing on gloomy cake? First time jobless claims rose last week by 12,000 to a seasonally adjusted 472,000. It’s a very safe bet that we’re still wandering through Great Recession Woods.
Check our sources: CNN Money, Wall Street Journal, Market Watch
Science: Like The Back Of Your Hand
The old expression about knowing something like the back of your hand may be wrong after all. According to a recent study by neuroscientists at University College London, people incorrectly perceive the width of their hands and the lengths of their fingers. Based on research results, humans routinely believe their hands are wider and their fingers shorter than they actually are. In a test of 100 volunteers, hand width was consistently overestimated by 80% while finger length was underestimated by 30-40%.
Scientists can only speculate about the reason for the human brain’s inaccurate image of the hand. According to one hypothesis, there’s not a lot of brain power devoted to much of the hand. Fingertips and the thumb get a fair amount but the rest of that anatomy is less connected. So, when asked to estimate, the brain just SWAGS the dimensions. The fatter, shorter misperception may apply to other body areas as well. If so, it could be a factor in the development of eating disorders based on misperceived body image.
Check our sources: Guardian
Health: The End Of An Era
In the most profound change in its history, Big Pharma is cutting back on the money it spends on drug research and development. Between just 2009 and 2014, billions of dollars, previously allocated to R&D, will be spent elsewhere. Projections put the resulting job loss during the period at 200,000, or 20%, in the U.S., Europe and Japan combined. Today, the 14 largest pharmaceutical companies are closing research labs as the transition away from drug development begins.
Why? In a word, profit. R&D is a very high ticket cost item with a limited return life. In just the next five years, drug sales of more than $142 billion annually will face cheaper, copycat competition as patents expire. Tougher, and much more expensive, regulatory hurdles also motivate the industry to look in different growth directions. Which directions? Non-prescription consumer products such as mouthwash and toothpaste. The companies are also pushing into emerging Asian markets for existing drug product distribution. New drugs will be obtained from small, third-party contract labs.
Check our sources: Reuters
Life: Living In The Gulf
According to a polling organization for the Democratic Party, if you live in Louisiana you are more dissatisfied with Barack Obama than with George Bush. The level of discontent over the handling of the oil spill exceeds that associated with the Bush response to Katrina. Of course, the biggest loser in the hearts and minds of Louisianans is BP. And there is one winner. Republican Governor Bobby Jindal is up in the approval polls, particularly for his handling of the spill aftermath. In fact, his rating is the highest this year for any Senator or Governor in the country. In addition to the official Louisiana State website, Jindal has his own site. It’s interesting reading for those who want to understand the impact of the spill on the daily lives of our countrymen in the Pelican State.
Check our sources: Public Policy Polling, Bobby Jindal
Animals: Chimp Console
In one of the largest consolation studies of animals, chimpanzees rate very high on the consoling scale. In fact, they comfort other chimps in distress in much the same way as humans do. The study lasted 8 years and reviewed 3,000 cases of bystander behavior toward recent victims of aggression. Once believed to be uniquely human conduct, chimps console victims by grooming, embracing, gentle touching and kissing. According to researchers, sympathy motivates the chimps to seek out and comfort those in need. Female chimps are more consoling than the males of the species.
For evolutionists, this chimp behavior may explain the roots of human empathy. For all of us, it means humans aren’t the special beings we believe ourselves to be as the myths about our uniqueness continue to explode.
Check our sources: Scientific American
June 12, 2010
Politics: All In The Family
The leaders of several major labor unions awoke Wednesday morning to a chorus of criticism from national Democratic Party leaders. The politicians disapproved of organized labor spending $10 million dollars in a failed attempt to unseat incumbent Blanche Lincoln in the Arkansas Senate primary. Looking forward to tight races in November, party leaders preferred the funds to be scattered among several Democratic campaigns across the Country.
This also means that the party leadership, which endorsed Lincoln rather than Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter, desires to control union purse strings. Bristling at the attack, union leaders responded that labor is not a wing of the Democratic Party. Maybe not, but it is often a close family member. And, however disgruntled they may be, unions are not likely to seek adoption by the Republican Party anytime soon.
Check our sources: Politico, Huffington Post
Economy: Difficult Graceful Exits
Federal Reserve Chairmen Ben Bernanke has been talking for months about when and how the Fed will exit from its current easy money policy. Apparently, it will not be in the very near term as interest rates remain near zero. But, he’s also talking to Congress about something that does need to be done in the near term. And that’s the development of a Congressional plan to cut the U.S. deficit once the economy recovers from the Great Recession. Projected to hit $1.4 trillion this year, the deficit is a burden the Country cannot carry much longer before following Greece over insolvency cliff.
The response of our Congressional leaders to Bernanke’s prompting? Squabbling about whom to blame for the depth of the Recession, Bush or Obama. Our representatives are more like a bunch of unruly children pointing their fingers at each other rather than facing hard choices as adults. Like what a deficit reduction plan actually needs to include – tax hikes, spending cuts or some of both. One thing is sure, the time is not now for either action, at least if pulling out of the Recession is a goal. But once we’re standing on the top of that mountain, where will we go from there? It seems our “leaders” won’t be able to figure it out even with a map and a compass.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: What Lies Beneath
While the politics of the Gulf Oil disaster rage on, as uncontainable as the spill itself, scientists are looking at what lies beneath. The waters of the Gulf, that is. Researchers are trying to track the huge, almost invisible, clouds of oil below the surface of the waters. As data emerges, the scope of the largest oil spill disaster in U.S. history grows much larger. The subsurface clouds, or plumes, of oil move independently of the oil on the surface. And in fouling the Gulf depths, they threaten the marine food web.
Larger aquatic inhabitants of the region, such as porpoises, may be able to avoid the oil, but the creatures of the deep are stuck. So are plankton, tiny plants and animals that float with the currents near the top of the water. Even if they can survive the oil, they will be saturated with it and thus transfer the toxins higher up in the marine food chain. There is no good news from the disaster, which is estimated to have released twice the volume of oil as the 1989 Exxon Valdez catastrophe.
Check our sources: Science News
Health: Abdominal Depression
Health experts warn us constantly of the dangers of obesity. Things like increased risk of heart attack, stroke, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, sleep disorders and neat stuff like that. Apparently, obesity also affects our hearing because the warnings fall mostly on deaf ears. So now, the health folks are singing the second verse to their serious song of woe. Abdominal obesity and psychological depression are closely related.
Interestingly, studies tie obesity to depression but not the other way around. In other words, if you’re already obese, you’re not any more likely to become depressed. But, if you’re average sized and depressed, obesity may be in your future. So, while you can become obese for reasons other than depression, if you are depressed, abdominal obesity is a serious risk. One of the lessons from the study is the importance of treating depression to stave off obesity. Or you could just stave off your unhealthy appetite and stop worrying altogether.
Check our sources: Science Daily
Life: Fat, Dumb And...
Oklahoma City came out on the very bottom of two recent, but unrelated, studies. One study, using the number of resident college graduates per square mile, named San Francisco, with 7,031, as the smartest city in the U.S. The Oklahoma figure, at the far end of the 52- city list, was 159. But, it’s not clear whether the research included population density in the equation. Anyway, the second study identified the ten fittest cities in the country by the health of their residents. Our Nation’s Capital came out on top with Oklahoma City scraping bottom. The second study was influenced by body density rather than the population variety.
Should Oklahoma City residents be worried? According to this week’s Science article, they may be depressed, or not. Or they just might be fat, dumb and happy. And that isn’t all bad.
Check our sources: USA Today, Health News
Animals: Dumbed Down
The benefits to canines of living with humans are sort of obvious. Stuff like food, affection, lots of romping around with mankind. Sounds like the good life unless you factor in basic intelligence. Based on recent studies, domesticated dogs are losing their minds or at least the part that wolves and wild dogs tap daily.
The intelligence aspect most negatively impacted by close human association is non-social problem-solving skills or how to survive on your own. This explains why homeless domesticated dogs struggle to sustain themselves. Experts believe that it would take many generations for our dogs to reacquire the lost mental skills, if they could survive that long. Of course, domesticated dogs excel over wolves and wild dogs in manipulating humans. But, for the kings of the outdoors, that’s really not a huge enticement to join in the fun.
Check our sources: Discovery Channel
June 5, 2010
Politics: The Law & Gunboat Diplomacy
An international “foul play” chorus is growing against Israel as Turkey buries its dead killed during the Jewish State’s enforcement of its blockade against Gaza. The Turks were aboard a six-ship flotilla in the Mediterranean heading for the Strip, purportedly with relief supplies. When Israeli commandos boarded the ships in international waters to inspect the cargo, fighting broke out and the deaths ensued. The U.N.’s Human Rights Council has voted to investigate the incident while Israel insists that it can lead the inquiry itself.
One often-overlooked aspect of this incident is the legitimacy of using blockades to embargo goods. Under international law, blockades of neutral merchant ships in international waters are proper so long as requisite circumstances exist. These circumstances include reasonable cause to believe the ships contain contraband or are running the blockade and warnings are ignored. Also, an armed conflict must exist between the blockaders and those who are the subject of the blockade. There is a lot of disagreement about whether the technicalities of the last requirement are met in this case. But, come on, isn’t Hamas the agent of countries that declared war on the new Israeli state in 1948 and are still at it?
Check our sources: BBC, Opinio Juris
Economy: It's The Jobs, Stupid
Jobs rose in May by 431,000, down from the 515,000 economists had expected. Of the 431,000 jobs, only 41,000 were produced by the private sector. The bulk of the new jobs were temporary census positions. In addition, the unemployment figure dropped to 9.7% but not because of the jobs increase. Rather, it was due to the number of unemployed people leaving the job force and, hence, no longer counted as unemployed.
Economists were disappointed in the low number of additional private sector jobs. Since January, the median number of monthly job increases has been 188,000. May’s 41,000 has experts emphasizing the fact that the private sector is not yet healthy. Last month’s number is nowhere near the figure needed to dig us out of the recession hole. The picture is even worse for the construction industry, which lost 35,000 jobs in May. For people who want to work but can’t find jobs, the recession will truly be over only when they’re working again.
Check our sources: Wall Street Journal
Science: Thanks For The Memories
Or not. In an effort to determine why amphetamine crystal meth is so addictive in humans, researchers have begun experimenting on pond snails. Why scientists believe that snails are good models for humans is a question for a different day. Today, the research results suggest that the irresistibility of meth is its memory enhancement effect. Users form powerful pathological memories of the feelings of happiness and self-worth induced by the drug, which make the experience difficult to forget. And too strong to resist.
Although pond snails do not have complex memory skills, they can recall experiences and learn from them. So, researchers immersed one group of snails in meth-laced water and a second group in ordinary H2O. Low oxygen levels in the water caused both groups of snails to raise their air tubes above the surface to breathe. Researchers then poked the tubes until the snails retracted them. The experiment was repeated 24 hours later. The second time, the methed up snails kept their tubes underwater while the other group extended theirs, indicating meth’s enhancement effects on memory. The treatment for meth addiction may lie in getting blocking the memories.
Check our sources: National Geographic
Health: Tan Your Way To Cancer
If you want to get up close and personal with melanoma, make a tanning salon your new best friend. A recent study links indoor tanning to a substantially higher risk of developing the deadliest form of skin cancer. Just trying the tanning bed increases the likelihood of contracting melanoma by 75%. Frequent and long-term use double and triple the chances of developing the disease.
Almost 70,000 people were diagnosed with melanoma in 2009, and 8,000 died of the disease. Among people ages 15 to 29 years, it is the second most common type of cancer. Currently, tanning salons are not subject to Federal regulation. But, the Food and Drug Administration is currently considering prohibiting their use by those under the age of 18. The rest of us are on our own. So, wise up and stay out. Of the salons, that is.
Check our sources: Health
Life: Perfectly Blown Call
On Wednesday, Detroit Tigers’ Pitcher Armando Galarraga was robbed of a perfect game when Umpire Jim Joyce blew a call at first base. The runner, Jason Donald of the Cleveland Indians, was clearly out, as video showed and Joyce later admitted. Donald would have been the last out of the game. The Tigers appealed to Commissioner Bud Selig to reverse the call and award Galarraga his perfect game.
There seemed to be a fair chance that Selig, known for his refusal to support instant replays, would rule in Galarraga’s favor. After all, in the 135 years of baseball history there have been only 20 perfect games. And the umpire had admitted, and regretted, his mistake. But, it was not to be. So, Galarraga’s game is now alone on the “unofficial” perfect game list. And Joyce is devastated. He’ll always be remembered as the guy who blew the call. But, then, so will Selig.
Check our sources: New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated, Baseball Almanac
Animals: As Time Goes By
Time may go by for humans, but not for dogs. At least not in the same way, according to a recent study. Dogs may remember the sit command but they don’t remember why or when they learned it. Similarly, they have no concept of the future, like their next play date with the neighborhood cat. Without the ability to recall past events or anticipate future ones, dogs live perpetually in the present. Or, as some say, they are “stuck in time”.
So, why do dogs wait by the door for their humans to come home? Finely tuned biorhythms. Like an expensive timepiece, a dog’s internal clock drives it to do the same things at the same times everyday. Biorhythms may not be glamorous, but they certainly save a lot of brainpower, and money on those wrist things.
Check our sources: How Stuff Works
May 29, 2010
Politics: Obama Backs Pope
The U.S. Solicitor General filed a brief in support of the Catholic Church’s appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court in an Oregon pedophile case. Obama’s mouthpiece argues that the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals erred in ruling the Vatican a proper defendant in the litigation. The plaintiff, a man allegedly molested by a priest in the ‘60s, seeks damages from the Holy See for moving the priest to Oregon. At the time of his relocation, the clergyman was a twice-accused pedophile, in Ireland and in Illinois.
The Solicitor General asserts that the Vatican cannot be sued because it is a foreign sovereign and because sexual abuse is not within the scope of a priest’s authorized duties. He is silent on the complicity of the Church for failing to remove a multiply accused pedophile from public contact. The Church itself argues, in addition, that Bishops who assign priests to parishes are not employees of the Vatican. Instead, they are “apostles of Christ”. Maybe. But, it’s not Christ’s signature on their paychecks.
Check our sources: California Catholic Daily
Economy: Premature Hail Of The Chief
In the beginning of May, President Obama praised the first quarter’s economic growth as an “important milestone” of the recovery. At that time, preliminary reports showed a GDP growth of 3.2%, less than the expected 3.4%, but decent. The reports also claimed an increase in consumer spending of 3.6%, the strongest since 2007.
Fast forward to this week. The first quarter reports are now final and the real picture is not as rosy. GDP grew by only 3%, the rate necessary to keep pace with the population increase, so it's just treading water. Consumer spending is up, but not by as much as first reported, and it lacks the “lavishness” of true post-recession release. High unemployment, flat wages and tight credit are the assumed reasons. The trade gap – imports over exports – widened. Business purchases were less than originally reported. Don’t expect any rosy speeches about this.
Check our sources: MSNBC, The Daily Reporter
Science: King Of Technology
After years of taking a distant backseat to Microsoft, Apple is now the world’s most valuable technology company. This changing of the guard is one of the most stunning turnarounds in business history. Written off a decade ago, Apple surged past Microsoft on the strengths of products like the iPod, the iPhone and, recently, the iPad. The only company in the United States with a greater value is the oil giant, Exxon Mobil.
Apple’s performance is a tribute to consumer demands rather than business needs as the primary shaper of computer technology. Microsoft, which plays a much bigger role in the business arena, is often content with the status quo. It usually plays follow-the-leader with new products. Apple’s prowess is consumer-based technology innovation and they’ve come out the winner. The question is whether Apple can keep one-upping itself.
Both companies declined comment.
Check our sources: New York Times
Health: Ease Off Drinking
Junk drinks, that is. Men’s Health Magazine has put out a list of the 20 worst drinks in the U.S. The magazine compares them to sugar intake so we can get a better idea of what we’re imbibing. The first, and worst, beverage on the list is Cold Stone’s BP&C shake. A whopping 2,010 calories, drinking the shake is the same as eating 30 Chewy Chips Ahoy Cookies. The worst smoothie is Smoothie King’s Peanut Power Plus Grape. In sugar content, it’s the same as 20 Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups.
The worst frozen drink, Krispy Kreme’s Lemon Sherbet Chiller, is like eating 16 medium-size chocolate éclairs. The worst kid’s drink is Tropicana’s Tropical Fruit Fury Twister, which is the same as downing two 7-ounce cans of Reddi wip. Even the least of the worst, Snapple’s Agave Melon, which masquerades as “water”, is the sugar equivalent of two Good Humor Chocolate Éclair Bars. You might a well do a face plant in Sugarloaf Mountain.
Check our sources: Men's Health Magazine
Life: Over The Channel
Apparently, using the most original means to cross the English Channel has been a goal of many for centuries. Most recently, Jonathan Trappe crossed the Channel propelled by a cluster of helium balloons. Before Jonathan, there were all those swimmers who attempted the man-in-the-water route. The first to make it without the use of artificial aids was Matthew Webb in 1875.
Then there was the bathtub crossing, the jetpack crossing, the pedal-boat crossing and the on-foot crossing once the tunnel was completed. The noblest effort was the waterski crossing – all 39 miles of it – for charity. The skier was a novice who fell 8 times. So far, no scuba crossing, but it can’t be far behind.
Check our sources: The Telegraph
Animals: Fishy Hand Story
Even though no one has spotted a living specimen in 11 years, the pink handfish has just been declared a new species of handfish. Found in Tasmania, the fish walks along the bottom of its watery habitat on hands, or at least, fingers at the end of fins. All of the 14 species of handfish are found in shallow, coastal waters off the southeastern shore of Australia.
Experts admit handfish species have been poorly studied so very little is known about their behavior or biology except for the hands. Scientists are not likely to learn much more as long as they let the last surviving members die before they can be studied.
Check our sources: National Geographic
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