Photo by Sandy Huffaker/Getty Images

As the son of an aircraft mechanic I’ve always enjoyed airshows.  Here’s a video from a show held on a beach.  An FA-18 Super Hornet buzzes the crowd creating condensation around the shock wave.  Looks almost like the USS Enterprise warping in Star Trek.

I really doubt the sound barrier was broken but it is still a great example of the propagation of compression waves around the aircraft.

Photo by Fox Photos/Getty Images

Many people swear by the better flavor and healthier benefits of fresh, non-pasteurized milk.  The Federal government has spent some of your money to determine how dangerous consumption of fresh milk is.  According the them, fairly dangerous.

After a 13-year review, the taxpayer-funded Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said states where so-called “raw milk” is available had twice the rate of dairy-related disease outbreaks as states where those sales are banned.

And disease outbreaks from fresh milk are more serious in nature, according to the study, which found 200 out of 239 hospitalizations during the study stemmed from cases of fresh milk.

Fresh milk lovers say pasteurization removes some of the health benefits of milk, and argue that when consumers know their suppliers, diseases from raw milk are not an issue.

But the CDC and the Food and Drug Administration say pasteurized milk has all the same benefits as unpasteurized dairy.

Sales of raw milk are governed by states, but the FDA has jurisdiction over sales across state lines and has banned them.

For more see this source article.

Photo by David McNew/Getty Images

Authorities in Dayton, Texas said Tuesday they removed 11 children from a crowded home.  The home is the residence of a registered sex offender.  And eight of the children were tied to beds.

10 adults were also living in the one-story, 1,700 sq ft home about 30 miles northeast of Houston.  And this story that couldn’t get any more disturbing gets…more disturbing.

Authorities raided the house a month ago.  At this point it is unknown why but several children were removed then.  Authorities found two 2-year-old children tied to a bed during the January raid.  A legally blind, 5-year-old girl was in a restraint on a filthy mattress, and appeared to be in a daze. One child had a black eye and knocked-out tooth.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Facing huge budget shortfalls, the United States Postal Service has proposed solutions including closing hundreds of post offices and eliminating Saturday deliveries. Now it may be considering jacking up the price of stamps, too.

The popularity of internet services like online bill pay have led in part to a 1.7 percent decline in mail volume, causing the USPS to anticipate losing $14.1 billion in 2012 — with bigger losses expected in the years to come.

In response, postal officials sent a letter to Congress last Thursday in which they recommended several changes, including the possibility of increasing the price of a stamp from its current 45 cents up to 50 cents. While stamp prices have gone up four times since 2006, chief financial officer Joe Corbett said, “Clearly, we’re [still] underpriced [and] would like the ability to move that price up.”

The USPS says the extra nickel, which would likely be added in one or two-cent increments until 2015, would raise revenues by $1 billion annually. Although taxpayers don’t foot the bill to keep the postal service running, Postmaster General Patrick Donahoe told Congress that failing to help the organization limit its losses would result in a “long-term burden to the American taxpayer.”

[Time]

Virgin Galactic

Last month Virgin Galactic announced it would begin offering commercial space flights later this year.

The two-and-a-half hour trip just cracks the space barrier and offers about five minutes of weightlessness. It also comes with a fairly prohibitive price tag of $200,000 a pop.

But let’s say money was no object. Would you want to be among the first commercial space travelers?

Poll Position asked 1,145 adults that very question and found that only 23 percent thought the thrill of the great beyond outweighed the risks. Fifty-two percent said they would not be willing to take such a flight and 26 percent had no opinion.

[Poll Position]

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Weight gain may not always be due to what you eat. Researchers in Texas find your medication can cause serious weight gain.

Ryan Roux, PharmD, the chief pharmacy officer at Harris County Hospital District’s Drug Information Center, found certain medicines can cause significant weight changes, which can be challenging for anyone wanting to shed pounds or maintain weight.

Weight side-effects are common in medicines used for diabetes, high-blood pressure and mental health conditions. Big gainers are likely for users of steroids for cancer treatment.

“Because of the stigma of weight gain, patients may tend to stop taking their medicines or decrease their  dosage without talking to their physician,” explained Roux. “Doing this is a bad thing. It can affect your health in a number of negative ways.”

Roux said patients should report weight gain due to medication usage to their physician immediately.

“Your healthcare provider should advise you of any potential side effects associated with your medication,” said Andrea Henry, PharmD, formulary manager, Harris County Hospital District. “However, patients also should be actively involved in their treatment and become informed about their long-term medication use.”

Source: TheCheckup.com

Paul Morigi, Getty Images

State lawmakers in Indiana were recently presented with a resolution to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Girl Scouts organization and honor the positive influence the group has had on American women. Representative Bob Morris, a Republican from Fort Wayne, was the only representative to refuse to sign, citing a belief that the Girl Scouts is a “radicalized organization.”

The Indiana lawmaker sent a letter to his colleagues saying he plans to pull his daughters from their Girl Scout troop after he found information online claiming that the group “sexualizes” girls and promotes homosexuality. One source he cited was a conservative “news” website called World Net Daily.

In his letter, he claimed to have found allegations that the Girl Scouts are actually a tactical arm of Planned Parenthood that encourages the girls to have sex. He continued to say that the people who the Girl Scouts consider to be role models are all “feminists, lesbians, or Communists.”

He also mentioned an allegation that the organization allows transgender females to join. This misstatement of the facts was most likely based on a situation that arose last fall when a transgender male child was refused membership in a Colorado troop, but then allowed to join by the national organization, which encourages inclusiveness.

The scouts have received criticism for this inclusiveness and many groups and websites have been working very hard to “expose” them. Diane Tipton, president of the Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital said in response, “Misinformation is passing as fact. The Girl Scout organization does not take a position on abortion or birth control, and these topics are not part of the Girl Scout program or our materials. We believe these matters are best discussed by girls with their families.”

At this time, the Girl Scouts are not planning any changes in policy, but they have released a statement explaining where they stand on sensitive issues.

[via Huffington Post]

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A new Nielsen poll finds smartphones are becoming less of a luxury and more of a so-called necessity — at least for younger people.

Nielsen gathered data to learn more about the age, income and demographics of the typical US smartphone user. Specifically, the firm wanted to know if lower prices are making the devices more popular among those who earn less money.

Turns out more than half of people between 18 and 24 who make less than $15,000 per year are smartphone owners, compared to 43 percent of those aged 25 to 34 and just 31 percent of folks between 35 and 44 years old.

While researchers don’t know if the people surveyed, especially those in the younger group, have outside financial help (parents, spouses, etc.), it’s clear that even the respondents on limited budgets are making room for smartphone ownership.

But what researchers found most interesting is that although the younger set deems the devices a necessity, older people consider them more of a luxury — which is valuable information for developers, publishers and advertisers.

[TechCrunch]

Frazer Harrison / David Livingston, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

Jeri Ryan
Age: 44
Occupation: Actress
Known For: Playing the liberated (“de-assimilated”) Borg, Seven of Nine, on ‘Star Trek: Voyager,’ roles on other shows like ‘Leverage,’ ‘Boston Public,’ ‘Dark Skies’ and ‘Shark,’ and her current role as Dr. Kate Murphy on the ABC drama ‘Body of Proof’

Drew Barrymore
Age: 37
Occupation: Actress, Producer and Director
Known For: Her star-making childhood role in ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,’ two stays in rehab by the time she was 14, rebounding nicely with adult roles in ‘Boys on the Side,’ ‘The Wedding Singer,’ ’50 First Dates’ and the ‘Charlie’s Angels’ film franchise, co-founding the prolific Flower Films production company, her recent engagement to art consultant Will Kopelman, and just being all-around adorable

Kyle MacLachlan
Age: 53
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His roles in the cult films ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Showgirls,’ ‘Dune’ and ‘The Doors,’ work on the TV shows ‘Twin Peaks,’ ‘Sex and the City’ and ‘Desperate Housewives,’ and a lengthy relationship in the 1990s with supermodel Linda Evangelista

Rachel Dratch
Age: 46
Occupation: Actress and Comedienne
Known For: Being a cast member of ‘Saturday Night Live’ from 1999 to 2006, appearing in movies including ‘Down with Love,’ ‘Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star’ and ‘I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry,’ and her enviably close friendship with Tina Fey

James Blunt
Age: 38
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: Singles including ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover,’ being nominated for five Grammys, selling 18 million albums, and having a long string of model girlfriends

Steve Powell, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1819 – By the Adams-Onís Treaty, Spain sells Florida to the United States for $5 million (More info)

1879 – In Utica, New York, Frank Woolworth opens the first of many of five-and-dime Woolworth stores (More info)

1924 – President Calvin Coolidge becomes the first commander-in-chief to deliver a radio broadcast from the White House (More info)

1980 – In what would come to be called the Miracle on Ice, the US men’s hockey team beats the heavily-favored Soviet Union team 4-3 at the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, New York (More info)

2006 – At least six men stage Britain’s largest robbery in history, stealing $92.5 million from a Securitas depot in Kent (More info)

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Fructose has long been considered one of the causes of the obesity crisis across the world. But a new study from researchers in Canada finds that might not be true.

Fructose is a natural sugar that is found in honey, fruit and vegetables. It is also added to a bevy of products like breads, pastries, and condiments. Since the 1970′s fructose has been related to obesity, especially once high-fructose corn syrup was introduced to consumers.

Scientists at St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto believe our daily living habits are just as liable for weight gain as fructose is.

Dr. John Sievenpiper, lead researcher and physician at St Michael’s Hospital, examined more than 40 past studies on the link between fructose and obesity. They learned that the sweetener had no impact on weight gain, compared to diets that provided identical calories from other carbohydrates.

“Fructose may not be to blame for obesity,” said Sievenpiper. “ It may just be calories from any food source. Over-consumption is the issue.”

Although some of the subjects in the past studies gained weight after adding fructose to their diet, researchers attributed the weight increase to the extra calories in the fructose, and not the fructose itself.

“You could plot almost anything on the same graph — computer face time, driving cars, the daily suburbanization of the population, more sedentary behaviors, and probably find an equal parallels, or even better fit with the overweight and obesity epidemic,” he said

Historically, fructose has been known to raise blood pressure, provide resistance to needed insulin and cause obesity, however, Sievenpiper and his team conducted their own study to further examine these initial findings.

After reviewing 41 trials of 756 study participants, the researchers confirmed that fructose had no significant effect on weight gain when compared to diets that had the same number of calories using non-fructose carbohydrates.

Although the research team found the results of the study insightful, they believe that a longer study is needed, with more participants, to fully understand the correlation between fructose and obesity.

“But in the absence of that, we think our study provides the highest level evidence of the best estimate of fructose’s effect on body weight,” said Sievenpiper.

Source: TheCheckup.com

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Federal health officials are warning that deaths from the liver-destroying hepatitis C virus are on the rise, and that baby boomers are especially at risk.

It is estimated that two-thirds of those with hepatitis C were born between 1945 and 1965. So some experts are recommending boomers get a one-time blood test to check for the virus — one that can otherwise go undetected and cause damage for decades.

Needle-sharing during illegal drug use is the biggest risk factor for becoming infected with the blood-borne hepatitis C virus, but before 1992, when widespread testing of the blood supply began, it was often spread through blood transfusions.

“One of every 33 baby boomers are living with hepatitis C infection,” Dr. John Ward, hepatitis chief at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, told the Associated Press. “Most people will be surprised, because it’s a silent epidemic.”

Officials are urging testing in light of two new drugs that have the potential to provide a cure. Research published Monday by the CDC indicates the cost of testing millions of middle-aged people would be worth it, since thousands of lives could be saved in the process.

The CDC study analyzed a decade of death records and found the 15,000 deaths related to hepatitis C in 2007 were higher than previous estimates. What’s more, they even surpassed the nearly 13,000 deaths caused by HIV/AIDS virus.

“Mortality will continue to grow for the next 10 to 15 years at least unless we do something different” to find and treat the silent sufferers, Dr. Ward said.

Source: TheCheckup.com

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Buying and selling isn’t the only thing we do on Saturday’s on The Erwin Pawn Tradio Show.

We also talk about the seasonal topic of the day.  This last week it was Presidents Day.  Which really isn’t a day for Presidents at all.

It is supposed to be a celebration of Washington’s birthday.  After Lincoln’s assassination several states also began observing his birthday along with Washington’s(Lincoln’s is before Washington’s).  During the ’60′s federal holidays were mandated to be observed on a Monday so we can enjoy those three day weekends.  And as a further step, those states that observed Lincoln’s birthday also combined the two dates into one.  But as far as the federal government is concerned it is still only “Washington’s Birthday observed”.  The only other addition ever really debated was Kennedy.  So why Presidents Day?

Mattress sales.  And car sales.  Yes, its another excuse to have a sale.

THE BIG QUESTION

On The Erwin Pawn Tradio Show where we are always having a sale on Saturday’s we had to know who your favorite president was.  Ronald Reagan won it in a landslide, much like his presidential elections.

Reagan – 14

Washington – 7

Lincoln – 6

Eisenhower – 3

Bush 43 – 3

FDR – 2

Nixon, JFK, Hayes, Jefferson and Obama also had one vote each.  We also had a vote for Cheney, which was appropriately funny.  And a vote for “the next one”.  My vote was for Reagan but I’m hoping “the next one” is the greatest one ever too.  Somehow I doubt it.

RULE #6

I was inspired for Rule #6 early last week.  I’ve got a pretty good friend that has unexpectedly found himself in a relationship.  We were discussing it and he remarked that he was along for the ride.  I commented that either you’re the driver or the passenger.

Hello Rule #6!

Yes, in a relationship, in life, at work, on the road, at home; you are either the driver or the passenger.  If you don’t like being one than take steps to be the other.

See you Saturday for another Erwin Pawn Tradio Show!

Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Uploading a picture to Facebook comes with some responsibility.  Primarily you’ve got to always ask if it conforms to Facebook’s picture rules.  Hard to follow those rules when they don’t tell you what they are.

Photo by Tim Whitby/Getty Images

Last week Rovio announced Angry Birds Space and it will be ready for hurling March 22nd.  Some are crediting inspiration for the game on a tweet from NASA last year.

“We might be able to help you launch birds if you find pigs in space,” NASA wrote Rovio on Twitter in March 2011.

Less than a year later, and with a Space Act Agreement in hand, Rovio and NASA are now counting down to a cross-platform launch that Rovio says will go where no mobile game has gone before.

“We’ll launch simultaneously in mobile gaming, animation, retail and publishing,” Rovio stated. “Not only is this a first for us as an integrated entertainment company, but the first time this has ever been done for a mobile game!”

For more see this source article.

Photo by Jemal Countess/Getty Images

Zach Avery lives in Britain and he is five years old.  He has been feeling like a girl since he was three.  Doctors diagnosed him with Gender Identity Disorder at four.  And at age five he lives as a she.

Zach is one of the youngest if not the youngest ever to be diagnosed with the disorder that sees patients feeling like the are one sex trapped in the body of the other.

In the beginning his parents thought he was autistic and sought professional help.  After the diagnosis his parents have allowed him to live, dress and develop as a girl.  Even to the extent of petitioning and receiving help from her school changing the restrooms to unisex.

Figures from the Tavistock and Patman Foundation Trust clinic, the UK national body for GID – revealed 165 children have been diagnosed with GID this year.

For more see this source article.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Over the last few months, there has been some data that suggests the sluggish economy could be improving. Mainly, the unemployment rate, which has dropped to 8.3 percent after reaching a 26-year high of 10 percent in late 2009. However, according to a new survey from Poll Postion, the public is split on whether America is entering into a period of economic recovery.

Thirty-eight percent of the 1,242 registered voters polled said the economy is improving while another 38 percent said it was still deteriorating. Twenty-two percent believe the economy is staying the same.

What political party the respondent belongs to seemed to have a big influence on their economic views. Sixty-eight percent of democrats believe the economy is getting better, whereas 53 percent of republicans think it continues to get worse. Political independents surveyed tended to agree with the republicans.

[Poll Position]

Universal Pictures

The Denzel Washington/Ryan Reynolds thriller ‘Safe House’ kept movie-goers on the edge of their seats this holiday weekend, earning $28.4 million to land at the top of the charts in its second week of release.

‘The Vow’ took in $26.6 million for the runner-up spot, barely squeaking past ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,’ which sold $26.4 million in tickets for third.

Rounding out the top five? Nicolas Cage’s ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance’ and the Reese Witherspoon rom-com ‘This Means War,’ which netted $25.7 million and $20.4 million, respectively.

Here’s a list of the top 10 movies at the box office Friday through Monday with estimated grosses, along with how much each movie has made since its release:

1. ‘Safe House’ – $28.4 million, $82.6 million total
2. ‘The Vow’ – $26.6 million, $88.5 million total
3. ‘Journey 2: The Mysterious Island’ – $26.4 million, $59.5 million total
4. ‘Ghost Rider: Spirit Of Vengeance’ – $25.7 million, new release
5. ‘This Means War’ – $20.4 million, $22 million total
6. ‘Star Wars: Episode I – Phantom Menace’ – $10.1 million, $36 million total
7. ‘Chronicle’ – $9.2 million, $52.6 million total
8. ‘The Secret World Of Arrietty’ – $8.1 million, new release
9. ‘The Woman in Black’ – $7.9 million, $46.5 million total
10. ‘The Grey’ – $3.7 million, $48.6 million total

[Box Office Mojo]

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Love to eat curry? It may do more than tingle your tastebuds.

According to a new study, curry spice components may help slow the growth of tumors in castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.

Researchers at Thomas Jefferson University’s Kimmel Cancer Center found that curcumin, the active ingredient of Indian curry spice, supresses two nuclear receptor activators, p300 and CPB, which have been shown to work against androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a prostate cancer treatment.

ADT inhibits the androgen receptor, which is a vital male hormone in the development and growth of prostate cancer. But sophisticated tumor cells, with the help of p300 and CPB, sometimes bypass the therapy.

In their study findings, researchers learned that curcumin increased the results of ADT, and lowered cell number compared to ADT alone. In addition, curcumin was found to be a strong fighter of both cell cycle and survival in prostate cancer cells. These results were confirmed in lab mice — as tumor growth shrank in substantial levels when the mice were given the spice.

“This study sets the stage for further development of curcumin as a novel agent to target androgen receptor signaling,” said Karen Knudsen, Ph.D., a Professor of Cancer Biology, Urology and Radiation Oncology at Thomas Jefferson University. “It also has implications beyond prostate cancer since p300 and CPB are important in other malignancies, like breast cancer. In tumors were these play an important function, curcumin may prove to be a promising therapeutic agent.”

Findings were published in the journal Cancer Research.

Source: TheCheckup.com

DavidMartynHunt, Flickr

Freelancing allows you to make money on your own terms without permanent employment, but it also means you don’t have access to certain perks like group insurance, administrative support and job growth assistance. Though, since a reported 30 percent of the US workforce is now freelance, that has changed.

A group called Freelancers Union is just one of many organizations whose mission is to help freelancers have access to the same perks that full-time employees receive. For example, a member of the Freelancers Union can pay a standard employee premium and receive the same kind of insurance coverage he would have in a full-time position. The union also has a job board members can use to connect with possible employers.

Other sites like Elance.com, freelancer.com and odesk.com also give freelancers a place to post profiles, find opportunities for work and even download paperwork and contracts to use. Now, even local chambers of commerce and job assistance programs can help freelancers access opportunities, benefits and administrative support.

No longer does freelancing mean you are navigating the business world on your own. Small businesses are what will keep our economy growing, and supporting the smallest of small businesses benefits everyone.

[via Wall Street Journal]