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The article focuses on the increasing number of U.S. students who hold loan debt but are unable to find employment in 2011. Topics include the increase in loan delinquency and default between 2009 and 2011, how student loan debt has exceeded credit card debt as the largest source of debt in the U.S. in 2011, and how the cost of tuition in U.S. schools has increased an average of 538% between 1981 and 2011. Information is provided on how student loans are rarely forgiven by bankruptcy and can only be discharged by repayment or death.

The article describes the best inventions of 2008 including: the Retail DNA Test; the Tesla Roadster, an electric car; the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter; Hulu.com, a network TV-show hub; The Large Hadron Collider; the Global Seed Vault; the world's first moving skyscraper, in Dubai; thin film solar panels; the 46th Mersenne Prime; and the Speedo LZR Racer.

The article presents information about 2008 U.S. presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama and their domestic and foreign policies. McCain's plans to cut corporate tax rates by 10% are contrasted with Obama's call to boost taxes for multinationals with foreign outsourcing. The candidates' views concerning troop placement in Afghanistan and Iraq are contrasted, and both candidates are noted as supporting greenhouse-gas emissions cuts.

The article describes the project "Access to Life," which was begun by the Magnum Photos agency in order to photograph people living with AIDS who are experiencing healthier lives after receiving antiretroviral drugs (ARVS). The photographers take images of patients before and after receiving ARVS, which are provided to 3 million HIV-infected people world-wide by such organizations as the Global Fund.

The article presents breakthrough inventions of 2007. Some of the inventions spotlighted are the Venturi Eclectic wind and solar powered automobile, City Cars, methane fueled rockets, glasses for the deaf that display subtitles on the lenses, and the Head Impact Technology System helmet which uses sensors to tell whether the person who is struck needs medical attention or not.

The article discusses various inventions of 2007, including the Apple iPhone and the Venturi Eclectic wind and solar powered car.

The article looks at important inventors and the impact made by their inventions. Some inventors mentioned on the list are Archimedes, Galileo Galilei, Isaac Newton, and the Wright Brothers. The most recent inventor listed is Burt Rutan, the builder of the first privately funded spacecraft. Each inventor listed is accompanied by a photograph and short caption.

The article discusses successful nonprofit organizations, the impact they have had, and the people who started them. Wendy Kopp started Teach for America in 1990 which connects the worst American schools with the brightest young college graduates. Bill Drayton started Ashoka in 1980 which supports ambitious advocates with funding and networking. Jay Backstrand started VolunteerMatch in 1998 which uses the internet to connect those who are interested in community service with needy organizations.

The article discusses volunteer work in the U.S. The author states that in order for a republic to survive, it needs not only the consent of the governed but also their active participation. 2007 saw the highest rate of volunteers since the 1970s. The author explains this is because confidence in the government is low and people feel they can personally make a difference through community service. What 2008 U.S. presidential candidates plan to do to to boost volunteer work is also presented.

The article reports on the June 29-30 terrorist activity in London, England, and Glasgow, Scotland, explaining that the attacks defied many assumptions that are associated with terrorism. The article states that some of the suspects were doctors and that attempting to profile potential terrorists could be counterproductive. The article details British investigations and terrorism prevention methods.

The article discusses J.K. Rowling's book "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows," and the secrecy surrounding its July 2007 release. The author outlines the process by which the book's publisher Scholastic keeps the contents of the book from leaking to the public. The author profiles the editorial team who edited the book and the various mechanisms in place to keep the book's contents secret. INSET: The 5 Great Unanswered Questions.

Profiles U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor upon her 2005 resignation. Discussion of O'Connor's impact on the U.S. Supreme Court; View that O'Connor is one of the most powerful Supreme Court Justices in history; Details of O'Connor's childhood on a ranch on the Arizona-New Mexico border; Role of O'Connor as the deciding vote in important rulings, including abortion rights, affirmative action, state rights, capital punishment, and the division of church and state; Comments on O'Connor's relationships with coworkers and colleagues in the Supreme Court.

Reports on the development of SpaceShipOne, which is set to become the first in a new line of space-tourism craft. Description of the aircraft; Reasons why returning such a craft to Earth is difficult; How the aircraft travels and modifications made to allow the plane's wings to change position once in space.

Discusses how more than 40 people died and many more were injured in the destruction of the Category 5 Hurricane Ivan in Florida. Consideration of how Ivan followed a path through the narrow channel separating the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico; How parts of the Florida Panhandle and the Alabama coastline were submerged to a depth of 10 ft. due to 16-ft. storm surges; Use of aerial reconnaissance and surveillance missions by forecasters to develope accurate portrayals of the storm and issue warnings to residents; Improvements in the credibility of hurricane landfall projections which causes people to heed to warnings and seek shelter; Difficulty in predicting the state of the ocean in response to the behavior of a storm.

Byline: Danielle Friedman and Kristina Dell Junk Shot NASA scientists want to build a cheap, earthbound laser that could zap away the 'space junk' orbiting the earth. Yes, space junk--those [...]

Byline: Kristina Dell It's nail-biting time for high-school seniors across the country as they wait to see if the fat envelope will show up. With many schools seeing a flood [...]

GUYS CONFESS: "THE SEXIEST GIFT SHE EVER GAVE ME" "Silk boxer shorts. I like them because she loves it when I wear them." --Michael Fan, 28, Washington, DC "We went […]

The article describes the bike-sharing programs being implemented in cities around the world. Paris, France, has the Vélib program, which has been in place since 2007 and has four times the number of bike stations than Parisian metro stops. In June 2008, Washington,. D.C., will launch the high-tech SmartBikes program. The program uses key-card features and tracking devices to prevent theft. INSET: Communal Bikes.

The article reports on the makeover being applied to the oldest U.S. department store, Lord & Taylor. After being purchased by real estate developer Richard Baker and NRDC Equity Partners LLC, the store has been transformed into a modern showcase for clothing design talent. Baker wants to give the store the upscale glamor it had when store president Dorothy Shaver ran it.

The article discusses corporate surveillance of employee Internet use in the workplace. Web monitoring software like SurfControl allows employers to see every Web site their workers are visiting, and even monitor key strokes and e-mail. While critics claim it is an invasion of privacy, employers are within their rights to do so.

The article provides a look at Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, professional tennis players facing each other in the 2006 U.S. Open. The rivalry that exists between the two players is anticipated by tennis fans to increase interest in the sport. Since 1992, television ratings for tennis programs have decreased, as has the number of Americans who play tennis.

This article presents photographs and stories of some of the people who live in the area near the Gulf of Mexico and who are affected by the BP oil spill. Each person relates how the oil spill has personally affected them and how they plan to fight to recover. Shrimper Angel Dassau, fisherman Al Cassagne, and retired Army Capt. Joseph Adkins and others describe their efforts to survive and help with the cleanup.

The article focuses on the violent death of University of Virginia (UVA) student Yeardley Love, who was found dead in her apartment on May 3, 2010. UVA lacrosse player George Huguely is being charged with Love's murder. Huguely admits that he kicked in Love's door, shook her and repeatedly hit her head against a wall. His attorney claims that Love's death was not intentional but an accident. Huguely and Love began dating during their freshman year, and students report that alcohol triggered aggressive behavior from Huguely. INSETS: SIGNS OF ABUSE;STOP THE VIOLENCE.

The article discusses bioplastics being marketed commercially on the basis of their biodegradability. The life cycles and costs of bioplastics are noted including those called polylactic acid (PLA) and polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA). PLA is said to be cheaper than PHA, but more persistent in the environment. It reportedly cannot be mixed with other recyclables. PHA is said to be tolerant of higher temperature and is isolated as the only bioplastic that will degrade in soil or water bodies. Both PLA and PHA are derived from fermented corn sugar.

A chart is presented listing former "Time" Person of the Year award winners and their connection to 2008 U.S. President-Elect and Person of the Year for 2008 Barack Obama including former U.S. President Bill Clinton, French politician Pierre Laval, and civil right's activist Martin Luther King Jr.

The article focuses on the 2008 U.S. holiday shopping season which begins after Thanksgiving Day, on "Black Friday," and how it will impact retailers and consumers. The author discusses some of the strategies retailers are using to respond to the tough economic environment including lowering inventory levels, adjusting prices and trimming staff levels.

The article discusses the rise of online venture capitalism and the increase in the number of Internet sites which provide crowdfunding services. Details about the use of website CatwalkGenius.com by filmmaker Franny Armstrong to fund her movie "The Age of Stupid" are provided. Information on other crowdsourcing websites and the services they provide is also included.

The article provides an overview of the genealogy of 2008 U.S. presidential candidate John McCain. The author states that many of McCain's ancestors were warriors and discusses the personalities of his mother Roberta Wright McCain, his father John S. McCain Jr. and his second wife Cindy Hensley McCain. McCain's children are also listed.

This article focuses on buying, owning, and living on an island. The article includes accounts from several island owners. It also provides insight on the challenges, added expenses, advantages, and quirks about buying, owning, and living on an island, including added construction costs and an intimate environment. INSET: Do you have what it takes to own an island?.

The article discusses a return of vinyl records. Music executives are surprised to find that young people, as well as old, are going back to using vinyl records in favor of the warm sound, interesting album covers, and liner notes. Contemporary artists, such as the Killers and Ryan Adams, are releasing albums on vinyl in addition to the CD and MP3 formats.

The author reports on the sleep habits of Americans by discussing various statistics regarding the amount of sleep people receive. According to the article, men and women between the ages of 45-54 receive less sleep than any other age group, 17% of people spent as much money on their mattress as they did on their last vacation and in 2000 13% of parents slept with their infants.

The article reports on the three-dimensional website "Second Life" created by Philip Rosedale, and the real-life problems that arise from a virtual world. Corporate advertisers such as Reebok and Toyota are advertising on Second Life since a majority of Internet users by 2011 will have a virtual world presence. U.S. Congress has to decide whether to tax the seven million dollars of transactions that have changed hands. INSET: Virtual Dilemmas.

The author reports on the migration of a million animals in Sudan. The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has begun to conduct animal surveys of southern Sudan. The surveys found that many animals have moved to isolated swamp areas. The population of some animals such as the zebra and buffalo have decreased in number, whereas others have thrived such as the elephant and leopard. Policies are being set up to protect natural resources and to attract travelers to see the animals.

The article discusses the falling fortunes of the Gap clothing store and its chief executive officer, Paul Pressler, who resigned in late January 2007. Marshal Cohen, chief analyst at the NPD Group, said Gap no longer dictated fashion. Robert Fisher, son of Gap's founders, said Pressler improved Gap's online presence, operations, and balance sheet. Christine Chen, analyst at Pacific Growth Equities, said Pressler focused too much on cost cutting.

The article discusses a growing trend towards city-wide free wireless Internet access. Internet company MuniWireless.com comments on the impact of adding municipal wireless-fidelity networks throughout the U. S. Though the benefits of wi-fi extend far past Internet use to include police access to criminal records or security cameras, negative feedback includes slowness of wi-fi service, encroaching government regulations, and privacy concerns. Cable companies are a main competitor.

The article reports on the decline of the global seafood supply through overfishing, near extinction of some species, and projections that by mid-century there will be almost nothing left to catch. Potential solutions of sustainable harvesting and farm-raising seafood may be inadequate without multinational agreement.

The article looks at how scientists are mapping the genome of the honeybee. According to the author, the honeybee will become the fourth insect who's genome is mapped and sequenced. Researchers plan to use the genetic blueprint in order to save the honeybee from extinction. The article includes diagrams of honeybee anatomy and different kinds of honeybees, and how the honeybee affects food production in the U.S.

A chart is presented which shows how Americans spend their time. Included is an examination of family patterns, work time, free time activities and time for personal care.

A group of charts and maps are presented which shows what Americans believe about God and their religions. Included are the results of a survey on how our religious beliefs shape our politics and the distribution of our religious sects.

A chart is presented which shows salaries in the United States, including is a list of the occupations expected to decline or grow, median salaries, a comparison with European work week, and the number of tax returns for each income level.

This article presents a statistical analysis of the population of the United States. In 2006, women slightly outnumbered men, Caucasians were the overwhelming majority and Hispanics remained the fastest growing minority in the country. Immigration approached a historical high, along with the percentage of smaller families and more educated people. Americans are also getting married at an older age or not at all.

This article presents a statistical analysis of the demographics of the United States. In 2006, over three fourths of the U.S. population lived in a metropolitan area, concentrating in areas such as New York, California and Illinois. The least populated state, Wyoming, has a smaller population than the entire Harrisburg, Pennsylvania metro area. Loving County, Texas, remained the least populated county in the lower 48 states, while the migration westward continued.

Depicts the impact of the levee breaking in New Orleans, Louisiana, following Hurricane Katrina. How the city was flooded when three levees failed to hold back the waters of the Mississippi River and Lake Pontchartrain; Belief that floodwaters may have risen past the tops of the levees; Possibility that the levees may have leaked from within; Efforts to repair the levees; Challenge of draining the city, once the levees are sealed.

Profiles Russian-born, Florida-raised tennis player Maria Sharapova. Comments of Sharapova; Sharapova's life since her surprise win at Wimbledon 14 months ago; How Sharapova reached the top spot; Sharapova's tennis-playing style; Biographical details; Relationship with her father, Yuri, who coaches her; Tension between Sharapova and the other female Russian tennis players; Outlook.

Reports on high gasoline prices in the United States. The amount of oil that Americans consume and import; The amount that could be produced from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge; The amount in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve; Facts about global demand for petroleum products; Factors contributing to the cost of crude oil and gasoline; How gas prices affect the U.S. economy.

Presents an overview of the four types of exercise a person should engage in to become physically and mentally fit. Clearing your mind with yoga, tai chi, or Pilates; How relaxation techniques help reduce stress; Exercising your heart through swimming, power walking, and jogging; Building up muscles through weight lifting; The importance of taking a break and resting.

Presents a time line of the rise video games in popular culture. Invention of Pong; Release of the game "Pac-Man"; Publication of the video game magazine "Electronic Games"; Reference to the motion picture "Tron"; Investigation of the U.S. Senate into video game violence; Release of the motion picture "Super Mario Brothers," based on a video game; Sales of "The Sims"; Report that the Detroit Symphony Orchestra performed Japanese composer Nobuo Uematsu's score for the video game "Final Fantasy."

Presents information on the protocol surrounding the death of a pope and the selection of a new pope. Confirmation of the pope's death, which, according to tradition, involves striking the pope's head with a silver hammer; Responsibility of the College of Cardinals to plan a pope's funeral; Sequestering of the College of Cardinals in the Sistine Chapel where they must elect a new pope before leaving; Timeline of the Catholic Church's popes; Number of Cardinals from each continent.

Presents a diagram of SpaceShipOne. Launch and travel into space; Design of the wings that allow them to become stabilizers while in space; Controls the pilots have; Distance the plane travels and speed.