Information Related to "In the News July 2010"
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According to a recent Pew Internet and American Life Project finding, more Americans are getting their news from the Internet than from newspapers or radio. Of those surveyed, 92 percent said they get their news from more than one platform, 61 percent get at least some of their news online, 54 percent listen to radio news broadcasts, and 50 percent read a national or local print newspaper.
The survey also found that social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter have turned news into a social experience. Users are likely to post a news item that interests them and then comment on it. Online users also tended to review news items from more than one source rather than rely on a single news outlet.
Interestingly, the most common topics searched for were weather, followed by national news, sports news and celebrity and entertainment news, in that order (Doug Gross, "Survey: More Americans Get News From Internet Than Newspapers or Radio," CNN.com, March 1, 2010).
The portion of TV viewers who, at least once a month, browse the Web while watching TV, according to a Nielsen report.
—"TV and Internet Use Together Growing," Reuters.com, March 22, 2010
A recent study by the National Center for Health Statistics finds that couples who live together before marriage are more likely to divorce. The chances for a marriage to endure beyond a decade decrease by 6 percent if the couple cohabited before marriage. It's become common to believe that cohabiting before marriage helps determine compatibility, but experts say that this will in reality detract from a lengthy, successful marriage (Sam Roberts, "Study Finds Cohabiting Doesn't Make a Union Last," NYTimes.com, March 2, 2010).
As our Creator, God knows what is best for us, and His instructions regarding sex—wait until you are married and then have sex with only your spouse—continue to be the optimal choice for those who desire to please God and enjoy a happy, lifelong marriage.
Research by the Appalachian State University's Human Performance Lab finds that taking a 45-minute walk five times a week over a period of 12 to 15 weeks helped study participants to experience fewer upper respiratory tract infections and reduced their number of sick days.
A steady habit of exercise weekly can also reduce risk of stroke, diabetes, various cancers and depression, among other things. Experts also believe that an emphasis on activity rather than solely on weight loss will help decrease obesity (Laura Landro, "The Hidden Benefits of Exercise," Online.WSJ.com, Jan. 5, 2010).
A recent study by the University of York in the United Kingdom has determined that babies automatically move in response to music, particularly to the beat rather than to the melody. The babies studied were only five months to two years old.
Researchers found that the young study participants smiled more when they were most accurately synchronizing their dancing to the music. For the study, professional ballet dancers were asked to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music (Richard Alleyne, "Babies Are Born to Dance to the Beat," Telegraph.co.uk, March 15, 2010).
Modern-day etiquette books make the assumption that all teens will inevitably lose their virginity. This disturbs columnist Meghan Cox Gurdon, who worries about the message it sends, since these books create "a moral framework, a matrix of what is reasonable and acceptable." These books instruct youth on how to behave politely, but when it comes to a life-shaking decision like when to have and not have sex, they take an it's-going-to-happen-anyway approach rather than giving sound advice to abstain.
Quoting from the 1922 book by Emily Post, Etiquette, Gurdon draws attention to the strict advice to keep hands-off and pay attention to decorum: "In such environments [dances], modesty and public decorum had been required 'because people were on exhibition, where now they are unnoticed components of a general crowd'" ("Emily Post Would Be Rightly Appalled," Online.WSJ.com, Feb. 4, 2010).
God's law makes His followers stand out from the "unnoticed components of a general crowd." Don't be afraid to stand out, as your example may lead others to God.
Experts estimate that the people of this planet created 150 billion gigabytes of data in 2005 and that they will create 1.2 trillion gigabytes this year.
When analyzed as business intelligence, this data is employed to tailor online marketing to your likes and dislikes, based on your online habits. Likewise, credit card and insurance companies scrutinize giant amounts of information for trends that help identify card theft and fraudulent claims.
However, all of this data has a downside. Information databases become objects of theft—stolen laptops and disks sometimes putting large numbers of people at risk. Online privacy is also an issue of ethics, with users wanting more control over their personal information ("The Data Deluge," Economist.com, Feb. 25, 2010).
Amazingly, this increase in information or knowledge was foretold well over 2,500 years ago. A brave Jewish refugee named Daniel, inspired by God, recorded this statement from his Maker: "But you, Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book until the time of the end; many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall increase" (Daniel 12:4, emphasis added).
German scientists recently found a way to cloak a small bump on the surface of a piece of gold. The bump was enshrouded in a layer of photonic crystals that bend light waves. The process distorted the ability of the bump to reflect light itself, and thus it became invisible!
Scientists feel that though the experiment was small-scale, it can theoretically be replicated at any size. However, the amount of time to create even a human-sized cloak would be, at this point, prohibitive. So, dashing hopes for Star Trek–like advances, there will be no Romulan or Klingon cloaking devices for the moment (Kate Kelland, "A Real Life 3D Invisibility Cloak? Scientists Make Gold Disappear," Reuters, March 20, 2010).
Recent legislation in the United States means that credit card companies will be changing how they do business. Some elements of the Credit Card Act of 2009 will benefit cardholders, such as generous time for delivery of credit card bills, 45-day advance notification of changes in accounts and policies, and required cosigners for those under 21 if they can't prove they are able to make payments.
However, the Credit Card Act is also likely to negatively impact some consumers. In order to pay for lost revenue from the above policies, some companies will impose mandatory yearly fees and printed statement fees, among others. Interest rates will also be changed from fixed rate to variable in many cases (Amber Dakar, "Credit Card Changes Looming for 2010," MoneyandMarkets.com, Jan. 22, 2010).
Having a credit card in your name is an important responsibility. Credit cards aren't free money. If you are going to use a credit card (some financial advisers recommend not using them because people tend to spend more with a credit card than they do with cash), always be sure to pay off the entire amount every month. With the new changes in policy, check out a potential credit card company very carefully and know beforehand exactly what you will have to pay.
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