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Mentions how there may be some positive results to global warming. How a decrease in polar ice during the summer months may open shipping lanes along the northern coast of Russia and Canada; Impact of the new lanes on making transportation cheaper and increasing access to oil and other natural resources; Limitations on the effectiveness of Arctic shipping; Suggestion that species such as cod, arctic char, and certain crops may benefit from global warming; Possibility for a reduction of seal populations due to a loss of ice; Effects of climate change on forests and flora.

Presents a diagram of the human body to demonstrate how the muscles work, and how to artificially enhance them. Differences between relaxed and contracted muscle; Normal muscle growth; Growth through injecting a synthetic gene into a healthy muscle; Impact of a synthetic version of erythropoietin (EPO) on increased endurance; Why certain therapies will be undetectable by drug testing, since the substances never enter the bloodstream.

Reports on the expected plague of cicadas this year. How the Brood X periodical cicada will be the world's largest swarm of insects ever; How despite appearances, cicadas are harmless; Celebrations by some communities; Menu items for others; The 17 year life cycle of the bug; Where the infestation will be the worst.

Describes the developmental growth spurts of children's brains during the teenage years. Consideration of how the nerves in the corpus callosum thicken and process information more efficiently; Maturity of the prefrontal cortex; How the basal ganglia helps to prioritize information in the mind of a teenager; Impact of an underdeveloped amygdala on the emotions of teenagers.

Reports on how inflammation can cause illnesses such as heart disease, Alzheimer's, and colon cancer. Consideration of the histamine and cytokines which are released by cells in order to trigger an immune response to pain; How chronic infections such as gum disease may cause a breakdown in the normal processes of immune cells; Destruction of bacteria and damaged tissue by the actions of specialized immune cells called neutrophils.

Reports on the finding of ricin in a letter in the offices of Senate majority leader Bill Frist's mail room. Belief by authorities that this scare was not the result of a foreign terrorist attack; Ricin's value as a weapon; Recent cases of ricin possession which have been found in the ownership of protest groups; Letter found with a ricin package which demanded repeal of federal rules mandating 10 hours of rest in every 24 for long-haul truckers signed by "Fallen Angel"; Theories on how the ricin came to be found in Frisk's office. INSET: THE NATURAL HISTORY OF RICIN.

Discusses the history of flight. Recognition of the 100 year anniversary of the Wright Brothers historical flight; Description of how the plane used by the Wright Brothers worked; Distance of each of the four flights the Wright Brothers made; Time line marking important moments in the history of flight, including breaking the sound barrier and space flight. INSET: Milestones Of Aviation.

Explains the process in which the human body regulates glucose manufacturing and distribution. Step by step details of the process; Explanation of what goes wrong in to cause Type 2 diabetes; Risks of having Type 2 diabetes.

The author reports that a new invention, announced last week in the online journal Public Library of Science, could help paraplegics to manipulate objects using their brains. For the first time, doctors have trained primates to operate a mechanical device--a robotic arm, specifically--by brainpower alone. Dr. Miguel Nicolelis, a neuroscientist at Duke University, achieved this remarkable feat by implanting microelectrodes into the brains of two rhesus monkeys, targeting the areas where nerve cells fire as the brain readies the body to move. The monkey thinks it's controlling the cursor with the joystick, but the animal's brain activity is actually doing the work. This isn't the first time mechanical devices--including prosthetic arms--have been wired into a nervous system. But earlier experiments used peripheral nerves, not brain cells. "That technique," observes Nicolelis, "wouldn't help people with spinal-cord injuries or degenerative nerve disease." The next step, he says, is to try this experiment with humans. Much of that work will be done over the next few years at a new institute in his native Brazil. Some is already under way, and, says Nicolelis, he hopes to publish preliminary results within a couple of months. I.

Presents a map of Saudi Arabia and offers statistics about the country. Members of the ruling family; Size of the country; Population; Language; How Saudi Arabia is the world's leader in oil exporting; History.

Explains the process of deflecting a shoulder-fired missile such as the Russian SA-18 which has zeroed in on the heat of an airplane. Speed of the SA-18; Use of laser sensors on the plane to detect the missile and jam its guidance system; Cost of the defense system.

The article discusses the career of the eBay Inc. chief executive officer John Donahoe who has brought change to the online company by laying off 10% of eBay's worldwide workers. Once thought recession-proof, eBay's electronic commerce slowed in the third quarter of 2008. The author recalls how eBay executive Meg Whitman bought up small online companies such as PayPal, Skype Ltd., and StubHub Inc., although the acquisitions didn't prevent the company's slowdown.

This article reports on trends in golf course design such as green maintenance practices, natural designs that follow the land and clever reuse of land. The Chambers Bay course in Washington exemplifies this trend. This stunning $20 million public course was an underproductive mine. A decrease in golfing has hurt the industry but prompted innovative ways to lower the cost.

The article reports on the injury suffered by Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland which raised questions about how hard humans push their horses. Information is presented on the injury which was caused by a disastrous misstep. The surgical procedures that the race horse had undergone are described. The article also covers conflicting views on the innate running capabilities of horses.

The article discusses plans by the medical school at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia to sell ten seats in a first-year class to bidders from overseas.

A chart depicting the outcome of 2008 U.S. senatorial elections is presented with a map indicating the outcome of different races.

The article presents a chart comparing the economic policy positions of U.S. presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain on issues such as tax cuts, mortgage assistance, and the federal budget deficit.

The article summarizes the economic policies of the three contending 2008 U.S. presidential candidates Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain. The candidates' positions on economic issues including government spending, taxes, free trade, health care and energy are discussed. Areas in which the candidates agree and disagree are mentioned.

This article discusses efforts by residents of the Franklin Reserve neighborhood of Elk Grove, California to maintain their quality of life despite rising numbers of foreclosures in the suburban development. It describes efforts by realtors to sell bank owned and abandoned properties in the neighborhood. The Franklin Reserve neighborhood association, which works to keep the neighborhood clean and free of crime, are also discussed.

This article presents obituaries for several notable people including news correspondent John McWethy, "Jaws" actor Roy Scheider, and former U.S. Congressman Tom Lantos.

The article discusses what the 2008 U.S. presidential candidates have planned for national service. Republican John McCain supports incentives for national service but nothing mandatory. Democrat Joe Biden backs the creation of a U.S. Public Service Academy that would offer a subsidized college education in exchange for five years of public service. Democrat Chris Dodd has made national service his signature issue. Seven of the other candidates' views are also presented.

The article presents an obituary for Mstislav Rostropovich a Russian cellist and maestro.

The article presents obituaries for several notable people including astro-physicist Bohdan Paczynski, pop singer Bobby Pickett and actress Anne Pitoniak.

This article presents statistical analysis on the voting practices of citizens of the United States. The country is spilt directly in half in regards to who votes Democrat and who votes Republican. Reasons behind voter apathy include a lack of time and confidence in the government, migrating to a new location and a disinterest in politics. Equally split are voting habits; regular, intermittent, rare and unregistered voters are all distinguished and charted.

The article presents tips for people who believe their employers may be spying on their Internet use. Those who wish to use the Internet for personal reasons should know their company's policies, surf the Web sparingly, think twice before they send e-mails, proofread their personal Web sites, and use passwords.

The article reports that anyone with a credit card can buy wireless phone records from data brokers. Criminals, marketing firms, and private detectives all have easy access to phone records. Wesley Clark and congressional allies drafted a bill, now stalled, to prevent sales of such information. Even when used for innocuous purposes, like tracking traffic movement, easy access to cell phone records sets a dangerous precedent that could allow for fraudulent or oppressive use of the information.

The article reports on InSPOTLA.org, a website launched recently by Los Angeles County that allows people to send e-cards to their sexual partners informing them that they may have contracted an STD and urging them to get tested. Critics maintain that the cards are an insensitive way of broaching difficult emotional issues, but the site has proved popular, with 38,000 e-cards sent in the first two weeks of operation.

Focuses on the company Snocap, which aims to solve the copyright-infringement problem related to file-sharing software, by identifying copyrighted music and preventing it from being swapped unless a user pays. Background of the company's founder, Shawn Fanning, who created the file-sharing software Napster; Review of Napster's problems with the music industry over piracy, noting the U.S. Supreme Court decision forcing Napster to shut down because it facilitated copyright infringement; Comments from Fanning regarding his switch from the illegal side of music downloading to the legal side; Recent decision by the Supreme Court related to companies offering file-sharing services that gives Snocap a ready market for its services; Description of how Snocap's service works over the Internet; Number of songs registered in Snocap's database, noting the inclusion of songs and artists from Universal Music Group, Sony BMG and EMI.

Profiles 19-year-old Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal who won the 2005 French Open. Comments from Mary Carillo, television tennis analyst; Status of Nadal as the first teenager to win a men's Grand Slam event since Peter Sampras in 1990; Background of Nadal; Nadal's rankings.

Discusses how a Supreme Court ruling on sentencing guidelines puts more power back on the bench. Details of the controversial decision, which may heat up a cold war between the federal judiciary and congressional Republicans; Impact of the ruling on hundreds of thousands of people in federal cells, who may appeal their sentences.

Looks at two systems in the brain which conjure up pleasurable sensations. The natural high of dopamine and endorphins; How the chemicals work in the brain; Ability of the chemicals to interact with memory, emotion and rewarding activities; The artificial buzz of narcotics such as cocaine and alcohol and how they work by binding to receptors in the brain.

Provides observations about the prices, screen size, and ease of use of plasma, cathode-ray, and liquid-crystal display televisions. Consideration of the flat panel televisions that offer high-definition; How plasma screens use a flat grid of electrodes to compose the screen; Functions associated with conventional television tubes; Technology offered by LCD pixels.

The article examines changes in party representation in the U.S. senate following the 2008 presidential elections. It is noted that the Democratic Party achieved significant gains but did not win enough seats to have an absolute majority. New candidates who triumphed are examined and include Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Kay Hagan of North Carolina and Mark Udall of Colorado.

The article offers information about Buell Motorcycles, a subdivision of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. Erik Buell, a former motorcycle racer, designs and builds his products using handicraft instead of automated assembly lines. The line's popularity is attributed to its small-town, personal appeal and manufacturing ingenuity. Small teams of workers complete multiple steps in the manufacturing and sales process, allowing for constant innovation and weight-cuts.

The article reports on the state of McIntosh, a producer of high-end audio equipment. It is noted that despite McIntosh's reputation for production quality, competition and poor financing led to the sale of the company to D&M Holdings. The business strategy employed by D&M is compared to that of the LVMH luxury goods conglomerate.

This article focuses on Ticketmaster, a worldwide ticket distributor that had the retail partnerships and phone outlets to move millions of tickets in minutes. The Internet is now a secondary market that is giving Ticketmaster some competition from websites such as Tickets.com, StubHub, RazorGator and TicketsNow. INSET: Rock of Aged.

The article focuses on the life and career of Morgan Pressel, a young member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA). Reportedly, Pressel is the youngest woman to win a golf championship at the Kraft Nabisco Championship in May 2007. The author says the LPGA tour is closing in on the popularity and financial status of the men's Professional Golf Association (PGA) tour.

The article discusses the impact of the melting of Arctic ocean ice on environment. As protective sea ice disappears and permafrost underlying the land's surface softens, coastal erosion will speed up dramatically. Rising temperatures will let forests expand north into areas that now support only scrubby flora. Some species may actually benefit from global warming. Cod and arctic char, both commercially important fish, and crops, including barley and alfalfa, could expand their range.

They use more emotional language, which has an effect on girls' worldview [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

But the singer also said she knew she could be "an awesome mom and sexy woman." [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The author reports on the tennis racket manufacturer Babolat VS. Topics discussed in the article include the way in which the company went from making strings for guitars and tennis rackets to making tennis rackets, steps that the company took to get tennis players to use their rackets and the impact that professional tennis player Andy Roddick had in increasing the rackets' popularity.

This article presents an interview with gardener and author Bonnie Blodgett in which she discusses her book about her loss of smell for nine months. She notes that flavor is 90 percent smell and it was difficult to eat anything when she couldn't smell it. The inability to smell caused her to have fluctuations in her weight and to become depressed.

This article presents information about the engagement of Prince Albert of Monaco to former South African Olympic swimmer Charlene Wittstock.

The article focuses on the efforts of fifth-grader Olivia Bouler to create artwork that has inspired donations towards the cleanup of the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico led by the National Audubon Society.

The article focuses on Einstein, believed to be the worlds smallest horse, at 14 inches high.

The article summarizes the economic policies of the three contending 2008 U.S. presidential candidates, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Barack Obama and John McCain. The article states what each candidate's position is on economic issues including government spending, taxes, free trade, health care and energy.

The article focuses on the scientific claim that modern humans are primates that are part of an extended family tree that includes more than 275 living species. Scientists are starting to learn the differences and similarities between humans and great apes by comparing their genetic blueprint. Scientists also found out that gene alone do not dictate the differences between species, but also the molecular switches that influence the activities of genes.

The article reports on a study that shows life expectancy in the United States is linked more to the quality of health care and diet of an individual than it is to income level. Americans with the shortest life-spans are comparable to people who live in third-world countries. The discrepancies show up most in middle-aged adults.

The article focuses on the selling of services that can track calls made by mobile phones. National security expert Wesley Clark has become a vocal supporter of the movement to outlaw cell-phone record sales to third parties. Even before widespread cell-phone use, law-makers tried to address privacy with the Telecommunications Act of 1996. Employers can track how workers use company-issued cell phones with the help of these services.