Health Insurers Make Huge Profits While Many Americans Postpone Care

health-insurance

Health insurers propose double-digit increases in their rates, citing a need for protection against any sudden uptick in demand once people have more money to spend on their health.

Major health insurers in the U.S. are heading into a third year of record profits.  Their earnings have been enriched in recent months by a lingering recessionary mind-set among Americans.  Many who are postponing or forgoing medical care.

Drinking Up to Five Cups of Coffee a Day Lowers Breast Cancer Risk

drinking coffee

Women can drink up to five cups of coffee daily to stave off the disease

Drinking up to five cups of coffee daily can protect women from developing oestrogen-receptor negative breast cancer.  This type of breast cancer is one of the most aggressive forms of the disease, says a new study.

 

Continue reading… “Drinking Up to Five Cups of Coffee a Day Lowers Breast Cancer Risk”

Spoonful of Sugar Can Help the Medicine Go Down – Sugar Improves Effectiveness of Antibiotics

HO

Antibiotics made more effective with sugar.

A spoonful of sugar, it seems, can do more than help the medicine go down – it can also help make it work.  Sugar can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics against infections, according to researchers.

 

Continue reading… “Spoonful of Sugar Can Help the Medicine Go Down – Sugar Improves Effectiveness of Antibiotics”

Babies to be Given Anti-obesity Drugs in the Womb

baby

Doctors hope it will prevent the birth of oversized babies.

In a trial described as ‘disturbing’ by weight loss groups, babies will be given a diet drug in the womb to stop them being born overweight.  One hundred obese moms-to-be will be given Metformin as part of a three-year study to tackle obesity rates and reduce the number of difficult births.

App for Detecting Land Mines

land-mine-hunt-500x333

What a great app!

Engineering students at Harvard University have developed a cell phone app that, when paired with an ordinary metal detector, can be used effectively to detect land mines. Instead of just beeping when it passes over a metal object, these enhanced metal detectors present the shape of the object found below ground…

Continue reading… “App for Detecting Land Mines”

New Study Traces Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking

gasland223456

Fracking linked to flaming.

Who likes their tap water nice and fiery? I know I do — I simply won’t drink any water that doesn’t catch fire when held over an open flame. That’s why I drink all my water from underground aquifers that have been contaminated by hydro-fracking operations. Yes, a scientific study, the first of its kind, has discovered a link between flammable drinking water documented in communities around the nation, and everyone’s favorite method of extracting natural gas from the ground…

Continue reading… “New Study Traces Flammable Drinking Water to Fracking”

Sugar Sues High Fructose Corn Syrup

high_fructose_corn_syrup_husk_ad

Sugar and High Fructose Corn Syrup The Same Thing? No? It’s about the lesser of two evils, isn’t it?
But when push comes to shove, how different is sugar from high fructose corn syrup (HFCS)?

The Western Sugar Cooperative is claiming that the two are in fact very different. It recently filed suit against sugar refiners for misleading consumers in calling HFCS corn sugar, according to the Des Moines Register and as discussed on Food Politics. “The lawsuit names as defendants Archer Daniels Midland Co., Cargill Inc., and other major corn syrup processors as well as the Corn Refiners Association.”

So, is it fair to call HFCS sugar? Not according to the Western Sugar Cooperative…

Continue reading… “Sugar Sues High Fructose Corn Syrup”

The 11 Most Walkable Cities in the U.S.

pedestrian-photo-1

Just a walkin’.

The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center has release its list of the most pedestrian-friendly cities in the US, with 11 getting rankings from Platinum to Bronze and 8 more getting ‘honorable mentions’. Only one city received the highest honor. Find out which one below…

Continue reading… “The 11 Most Walkable Cities in the U.S.”

Hybrid Motoryacht Design Powered By Diesel And Electric Jet Skis

boat-on-water 234567

A hybrid boat?

Hybrid cars have been around for a while, but one German grad student is taking the concept to the water. A new hybrid propulsion motorboat designed by Stefanie Behringer, would reduce drag thanks to its three-hull, or trimaran, form.

A jet ski attaches to either side of the main hull, helping stabilize the boat. While the jet skis are electric-powered, the 49-foot long watercraft is also powered by two diesel engines that use Audi’s turbo-charged injection technology. Audi’s Concept Design team in Munich worked with Behringer on the project…

Continue reading… “Hybrid Motoryacht Design Powered By Diesel And Electric Jet Skis”

Generating Electricity with Whisky

whisky-distillery

What kind of wattage can we generate with the whisky-making process?

Whisky. Is there anything it can’t do? Here’s what the Scots are going to do with the byproducts of whisky-making process:

It is the spirit that powers the Scottish economy, and now whisky is to be used to create electricity for homes in a new bioenergy venture involving some of Scotland’s best-known distilleries…

Continue reading… “Generating Electricity with Whisky”

Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
Unlock Your Potential, Ignite Your Success.

By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

Learn More about this exciting program.