WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 2007
Wednesday Edition: The Cost of Staying Warm This Winter
Oi
This may be a chilly winter for some of you.
USA Today reports:
Consumers will likely pay record prices to
heat their homes this winter, with a particularly big jump expected in
heating oil bills, according to a report (released Tuesday, Sept. 25,) showing
how a recent surge in oil prices could hit homeowners.
The average U.S. household will pay $992 in
heating costs this winter, up $94, or 10.5%, from last winter, says the
National Energy Assistance Directors' Association (NEADA), a group of
state energy aid officials. (See the study on their web page-top right)
For heating oil customers the increase may be
particularly dramatic. The average U.S. heating oil bill is expected to
be a record $1,834 for the winter, up 28% from a year ago and double
the cost seen four winters ago. Average prices are expected to top $3 a
gallon, up from $2.48 last winter.
People Nuts about Neti Pots
What is behind the growing popularity of the neti pots, a nasal wash that clears sinuses? If you have no idea what I am talking about,
you can watch this video, which offers a glimpse of the grossness. Once you see it, you will get it.
The (Minneapolis) Star Tribune says:
Sales at the Himalayan Institute, a major U.S. neti pot
manufacturer, have increased more than 400 percent in the past 10
years. And in the first eight months of 2007, they've seen a 100
percent increase over 2006, thanks in part to a plug from Dr. Oz on
Oprah Winfrey's show early this year.
Local natural foods stores,
including Mississippi Market in St. Paul and the Wedge and Whole Foods
in Minneapolis, all report a steady rise in year-over-year neti pot
sales.
"I've heard some pretty excellent feedback from
[customers] that it's a nice alternative to taking a lot of
medication," said Mindy Hauge of Whole Foods. After the Oprah show,
"there were just multiple people a day coming in really wanting one,
and now that it's getting to be the fall season, we still have at least
one person a day."
Park Nicollet Clinic allergist Brenda Guyer,
M.D., has been recommending the nasal wash to patients for about six
years. "Neti pots are really effective," she said. "They help with a
host of problems."
Tracking Ships on a Live Map
You've probably seen the many flight-tracking Web sites that show you every commercial plane in the sky.
Now, here is a Web site that shows you commercial ships at sea on live display. The site allows you to search by the ship's name or call sign, or by its location.
Struggling to Serve on a JuryA couple of weeks ago I told you about The Connecticut Post naming the jurors who served in a murder sentencing trial. Sunday, the paper ran this follow-up story about the challenges jurors face when serving,
given what little money they make.
The story points out:
Under Connecticut law,
an employer is obligated to pay a worker for only five days of jury
service, for which the clock starts ticking on Day 1 of jury selection.
And if the employee has to return to court for a second day of voir
dire -- questioning by prosecutors and defense lawyers -- it means that
by the time the trial gets started, by law, the employer has to pay for
only three more days.
"After that, I'm afraid the compensation is $50 a day," Superior Court
Judge Jon C. Blue informed the umpteenth wave of potential jurors being
considered to decide guilt or innocence recently. "I wish it could be
higher," Blue says. "But that's the compensation that is set by our
Legislature."
Based on a 40-hour work week, that equates to the tidy sum of $6.25 per
hour. You can bag groceries, serve double-shot, no-foam, vente carmel
lattes or sling two all-beef patties for much more -- 22.4 percent more -- at the minimum wage of $7.65 per hour. This low pay has implications
that go beyond the economic. It affects the racial, demographic
composition of the jury. If the defendant is young, a minority who
comes from a poor urban area, is a jury comprised of middle-aged whites
and retirees from well-to-do suburbs fair?
The story also notes that
New Mexico is the only state that compensates its jurors by the hour
based on its state minimum wage. In Ohio, jurors who serve more than 10
days are eligible to receive up to $80 per day. Texas has a $50-a-day ceiling
for jury duty. Is there any evidence that higher jury pay would make citizens more willing to serve? Two states, Arizona and Oklahoma, are giving it a shot.
The story continues:
HealthNet of the Northeast, based in Shelton, Sikorsky Aircraft in
Stratford and its parent company, United Technologies, in Hartford, are
among Connecticut's businesses that provide time off with pay to
employees who are selected as jurors.
"Our philosophy is that jury service is part of our civic obligation,"
Sikorsky spokesman Paul Jackson says, adding that the defense
contractor recognizes the reality that employees have bills to pay. "We
encourage our employees to perform their civic duty. We want them to do
it. That's why we continue to pay them their full salaries" even when
the business no longer has a legal obligation. "HealthNet's thinking is
that we need to provide assistance in the form of time off with pay to
facilitate participation in jury service. So, the company will
compensate employees for 20 days per occurrence in a year," Alice
Ferreira, vice president for HealthNet of the Northeast, says. "If a
trial goes beyond that, there would be exceptions to this policy. It
just needs the company's approval."
Children 'Donating' Thousands to Candidates
How is it that an 8-year-old can donate thousands of dollars to a presidential candidate?
USA Today recently addressed this issue, looking into whether donors were using the names of their children to pump more money into campaigns:
Under federal rules, minors can make political donations -- as long as it's their money and decision to contribute.
Massie Ritsch, spokesman for the non-partisan
Center for Responsive Politics, said it's a way people "use their
family members to circumvent the limits on individual contributions,"
which is $2,300 each for the primary and general elections.
"Chances are slim that a 6- or 7-year-old would
knowingly give their money to a candidate. They would prefer to spend
their money on G.I. Joes or Barbie dolls," said Paul Ryan of the
Campaign Legal Center.
The story continues:
It's hard to determine how much campaign money comes from minors.
Candidates report occupations, such as student, but not donors' ages.
White House hopefuls have received 1,079 donations worth about $2
million from students so far this year, the Center said. Nearly 2,500
students gave $2.8 million in 2004.
How to Water Your Lawn Without Using More WaterWhat if you could somehow recycle the water form your washing machine, shower and sinks and use the water to sprinkle your lawn? Now, with the invention of this device, you can. This could be a hit in places that have imposed a watering ban.
We are always looking for your great ideas. Send Al a few sentences and hot links.
Editor's
Note: Al's Morning Meeting is a compendium of ideas, edited story
excerpts and other materials from a variety of Web sites, as well as
original concepts and analysis. When the information comes directly
from another source, it will be attributed and a link will be provided
whenever possible. The column is fact-checked, but depends on the
accuracy and integrity of the original sources cited. Errors and
inaccuracies found will be corrected.
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