(AP) -- For the most part, the callers were calm, patiently asking for the fastest path out of New Orleans or some other Gulf Coast city as Hurricane Gustav twisted its way to the northwest. They started calling General Motors Corp.'s OnStar service by the thousands early Saturday, and by Sunday, their numbers had grown to well over 3,000 per hour.
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Texas debates place of evolution in education
Charles Darwin and his theory of evolution grabbed center stage Wednesday as State Board of Education members heard from dozens of Texans trying to influence the panel on how evolution should be covered in science classes of the future.
Study suggests 'hanging out' on Facebook, MySpace not a waste for teens
Some might call it unproductive. Or maybe a bad habit. Or just a frivolous distraction. Or even dangerous. Julianne Howell, a freshman at St. Joseph's Academy, calls her daily Facebook routine time well spent.
Review: New BlackBerrys cool but can't beat iPhone
(AP) -- With the recent releases of three new BlackBerrys across three different wireless providers, Research In Motion Ltd. has fired back at Apple Inc. in the Great Smart Phone Skirmish of 2008.
Insurers make pitch for health coverage mandate
(AP) -- The health insurance industry said Wednesday it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage.
Medical journalists need improved conflict-of-interest standards, say Dartmouth researchers
Two Dartmouth researchers call for greater scrutiny of the relationship between medical journalists and the health care industries they cover. Their study was published online today, Nov. 19, in the
British Medical Journal, or
BMJ.
Primary care provides patients with better outcomes at lower cost
A white paper,
How is a Shortage of Primary Care Physicians Affecting the Quality and Cost of Medical Care?, released today by the American College of Physicians (ACP) documents the value of primary care by reviewing 20 years of research. An annotated bibliography based on a literature review of more than 100 studies documents the evidence to support the critical importance of primary care in providing patients with better outcomes at lower cost, and the urgency of the need to prevent shortages of primary care physicians.
Laughing all the way to new ventures
A software company here has raised $1 million to help it transfer its technology for telling jokes online into professional arenas such as screening job candidates and conducting surveys.
'Enlightened' Atoms Stage Nano-Riot Against Uniformity
(PhysOrg.com) -- When atoms in a crystal are struck by laser light, their electrons, excited by the light, typically begin moving back and forth together in a regular pattern, resembling nanoscale soldiers marching in a lockstep formation. But according to a new theory developed by Johns Hopkins researchers, under the right conditions these atoms will rebel against uniformity. Their electrons will begin moving apart and then joining together again repeatedly like lively swing partners on a dance floor.
