A sign of the economic times?

The economy stinks, that's for sure. But how low will business go to get money? Take the Chicago Sun-Times, my beloved city newspaper. Apparently, this has been going on for a while!

Call Me: The Ongoing Trend in Touch Screen Phones

By Grace Pekar

With some of the technological advances we've made today, you'd think we'd be flying in space cars like the Jetsons. With touch screen products in our mix, we seem to be getting more futuristic. Sometimes referred to as "multi-touch," these products encompass one or more fingers touching a screen to move objects or pages on that screen. It's been popularized in recent years by Apple's iPhone, and now other cell phone companies are following in hot pursuit.

What's Out There

Touch screen started in 1971 when Dr. Sam Hurst needed an efficient way to read a huge strip of data, and that need developed into Elographics, Inc. Now, thousands of touch screen products--from monitors and music players to tables and walls--are sold around the world. Cell phone companies' new products with touch screen capabilities are:

• iPhone by Apple, which is built with electrons that make a closed circuit for a faster responsive time.
• G1 by T-Mobile, who partnered with Google to create a touch screen/slider combination phone.
• Palm Pre by Sprint is not only a slider/touch screen combo phone, but it allows you to use multiple applications at once.
• Blackberry Storm, sold at Verizon, has an on-screen multi-touch keyboard and light sensing screen.
• AT&T offers the LG Vu, which Santos said is popular in her store, and the Incite 3G Smart Phone is their newest product.

Khriza Santos, sales associate at AT&T Cellular Advantage store in Homer Glen, contends touch screen phones aren't going away anytime soon. "It used to be that flip phones and slider phones were the good thing. Now, it's touch screen," she said, "and after, it will be a combination of those things."

Booming Business

Recession? What recession?

With touch screen being the latest fad, companies unleashing new products are enjoying economic success. Santos believes Apple's entertaining marketing of the iPhone helped with sales of touch screen products.

Apple's first quarterly reports for the 2009 fiscal year show over 4 million iPhones were sold in the first quarter--an 88 percent unit growth since last year. T-Mobile credits their $5.72 billion revenue in the fourth quarter for 2008, their highest in the past year, to new products like their G1 touch screen phone.

"My friend, cousin and boss all have touch screen phones," Amanda Hantson, 19, of Oak Lawn, said. They're increasingly sold and not returned often. Santos said the store gets very few return touch screen products, adding that the only returns were because the responsive time wasn't satisfactory.

"The touch screen responsive time means how well is it responding to the touch of your finger," she said. The iPhone's responsive time is rated the best, according to Santos, while other touch screen phones need more pressure with a fingernail or stylus. The faster the product is, the faster it sells.

Why it's Popular

As with many technological advances over time, fears of complex equipment sometimes plagues consumers. With touch screen products, functions are designed to be easier. "It's not completely complicated," said Hantson, who has a Samsung Glyde by Verizon. "It's pretty simple."

Santos explains a rising popularity not only in regular touch screen phones but in smart touch screen phones. These are the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) devices like Blackberry or Palm. They are ideal for students or professionals who need tools for organization.

Because touch screen phones come in all different forms--smart phones, slider phones, and colored phones--consumers have various options to choose from. "My grandpa tried out a Samsung Eternity, and he decided he doesn't want a touch screen because he needs to feel the buttons," Santos said. "It's all about preference. It's like an accessory."

While Santos believes preference plays a role in the touch screen trend, she does acknowledge more younger people flock towards these products because it's new technology. "The technology itself and how it works is pretty cool," said Hantson, despite having software setbacks with her phone. "When it does work, it works very well."

Photo credit: Paul Sakuma/Associated Press

SIDEBAR: If you love March even more...

In the previous post, various other ways to celebrate the month of March.  For those who want to celebrate day by day, here are a few days of observance:

• March 1 is National Pig Day and beginning of Eastern Orthodox Lent
  
• March 2 is Peach Blossom Day and Red Cross Day
• March 3 is National Sportsmanship Day. So be nice.
• March 6 is Employee Appreciation Day and National Frozen Food Day
  
• March 10 is the Jewish Purim holiday
  
• March 8 is International Women's Day
  
• March 11 is the Hindu festival of Holi
  
• March 12 is Plant a Flower Day
  
• March 16 is Freedom of Information Day
• March 17 is (duh) St. Patrick's Day
• March 19 is St. Joseph's Feast Day
• March 20 is the first day of Spring and International Earth Day
• March 21 is the International Day for the Elimination of Race Discrimination
• March 22 is World Water Day
• March 23 is World Meteorological Day
  
• March 27 is National "Joe" Day
• March 30 is National Doctor's Day

Move over Pat--you're not the only March Holiday!

St. Patrick's Day is right up there with Christmas and Halloween. Corned beef and cabbage are the staple meals on the 17th day of March. And this Americanized Catholic holiday is not complete without drinking alcohol throughout the entire day.

But while many are making their pub reservations in advance, we fail to recognize all the other holidays and days of observance this month. Yes, you Irish, St. Patty's Day and Irish-American Heritage Month are not the only ones celebrated in March!

• National Women's History Month--the theme this year is "Women Taking the Lead to Save our Planet."
• National Nutrition Month, where this month's theme is "Eat Right" in America.
• Music in our Schools Month raises awareness for the importance of music education, and their theme for 2009 is "Music! Just Imagine..."
• Going along with music is Poetry Month, so reach deep into your inner self this month.
  
• Despite all the bad press lately, National Peanut Month is still underway. Lots of other food holidays occur in March too.
• Red Cross Month is celebrated this month for the 66th time since FDR first declared it to help with World War Two efforts.
• National Frozen Food Month celebrates the laziness and inability to cook in all of us. This one may be my favorite.
• March is National Kidney Month, aiming to promote kidney health and awareness

A few weekly celebrations in March include:

• National Girl Scouts Week is from March 8-14
• March 15-20 is National Inhalant Prevention Awareness Week
• Since National Craft Month is in March, from the 16-22 you can celebrate National Crochet Week
• The 20-26 of this month is National Bubble Week
• American Chocolate Week is March's third week

Photo credit: Keith Srakocic/Associated Press

Deadly Beliefs--Who said Killing is Religious?

Perhaps it's the fact I live a sheltered life that's rooted in the golden rule and a laid-back approach to things; where my biggest concerns are grades and not spending too much on my mom's credit card. Yet I still don't get the point of suicide bombing in the name of God.

What makes sense about any sort of killing in the name of religion in both the past and present in all religions?

Do I not comprehend it because:

• I, like many twenty-first century college-age kids in America, don't experience religious zeal like people in Iraq, Pakistan, or other countries do?
  
• Because we don't dedicate our lives, or existences, to something so powerful and meaningful and therefore wouldn't have anything to die for?
• Perhaps the only person we'd take a bullet for is Brad Pitt, and only if we could make out with him?
  

Is this even dying for a cause when innocent people are killed in the process? Is it suicide for a cause or insanity?

And when it starts repeatedly happening, like it has been in Iraq for the past several days, I begin to wonder if it's your belief's you're dying for or the deterrence of someone else's.

In America, when one thinks of "terrorist" or "suicide bomber," Muslims or Arabs almost automatically come to mind. Minority groups are everywhere and don't make up the whole of a religion or party.

Whether it's Sunni's or Shi'ias or Buddhists or Catholics--violent religious struggle happens and has happened everywhere, even centuries ago in the Roman Empire. We all know the Medieval crusades were lame, and the Holocaust was one of the worst acts against mankind.

Yet it's still happening, and there's still no excuse for putting innocent peoples' lives at risk when any kind of person acts on their beliefs. If a mother of three in Kuwait or Sri Lanka did not personally attack you, what gives with blowing up the shopping center where she and 100 others are grocery shopping?

Maybe I shouldn't have a say in a problem that has been a struggle for centuries. Yet I'm probably not the only one who wonders if it will it ever end in our lifetime.

photo credit: Loay Hameed/Associated Press

Get up and Shape up--5 Ways to Motivate yourself to Exercise

Getting in that 30 minutes of exercise each day is on the top of your priorities list, right? With a fast-paced society that appears to be getting faster, exercising is on the decline and obesity rates are soaring. According to the latest study by the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 42 percent of young adults don’t exercise enough—and the numbers increase as age increases. By following these simple tips, getting motivated to achieve the recommended daily amount can be easy!


1. Take it slow
It’s been said before, but starting out slow and easy when first exercising is the best route to success. Starting off by walking for a half hour for the first week will help your mind and body adjust to activities you aren’t used to doing. Eventually, you will build a base and add onto your workout slowly. April Boutler, Fitness Program Coordinator at Loyola University Chicago, suggested walking eight to ten minutes before and after an intense running session. “Your body needs time to adapt to change,” Boutler said.


2. Make it fun
Nobody ever said exercising is supposed to be boring (and if it is, you may be operating the treadmill wrong). There are plenty of enjoyable activities that count as exercise. Walking around the city for 30-60 minutes is physical activity, and so is ice skating and dancing. Sports such as tennis, swimming and basketball are healthy forms of exercise too. “Find something that works for you,” Boutler added. “Don’t be afraid to go outside the box [as well].” Check at your local fitness center for traditional or innovative programs that grab your interest.


3. Do it with a friend
Of course, exercising with someone also makes things more interesting. Attempting to work out solo may be intimidating for a beginner, especially when surrounded by Barbie dolls and Fabios in the making. Get a group together and schedule days to go to the gym or participate in classes like kickboxing and yoga. “You’re accountable not only for yourself but you’re accountable for somebody else as well,” said Boutler. It also might make for good conversations or ranting sessions later.


4. Mix things up
Doing the same routine everyday is a sure-fire way to eliminate continuous motivation. So, if you’re going to the gym, try new equipment you’ve never used before (but make sure you know how to use it before you try it). A class or sport is a healthy alternative to working on a machine or jogging the same path every week. Boutler suggests group fitness activities because you get a sample of different types of exercises, and there are always people there to help you and guide you.


5. Remember it’s good for your brain too
The next day (or even hour) after working out, you may be thinking: “why am I doing this?” Besides keeping your heart, muscles and joints in shape, physical activity affects your mood. According to a recent online poll, 74 percent of people who exercise actually feel better mentally afterwards. “After a while, they’ll feel like they really like that feeling,” Boutler said. “They’ll feel like they’ve accomplished something.”

Photo Credit: Bill Cooke/Associated Press

What's Happening in Chicago

Week in Chicago

"We Will Rebuild"

Once again, our charismatic leader woos us with hope and faith that our country will emerge out of the dismal hole we crawled into for the past few years.

Economic issues. Healthcare reforms. Education. The war. He covered pertinent topics to Congress and the United States people in his first presidential address to Congress last night.

And he did so with conversational yet emphatic tone and approximately 36 standing ovations (not including those for television viewers.) I myself was captivated by his convincing speech and the overall theme of governmental accountability.

But is this a dream? It all sounded too good to be true. He acknowledged the following (in more graceful terms, of course):

• we've been putting off these social and political problems years ago until they're now biting us in the ass.
  
• This rebuilding will not be overnight, and it will be hard for a lot to swallow.
  
• It's time for honest and accountable government.
  
• The budget proposal does not solve every problem-- it's what he inherited.

"It's not about helping banks, it's about helping people," Obama strongly chanted several times.

All the points he raised last night seemed to be exactly what I was thinking about the problems of government and what we're facing now.

• That thing's can't just fix themselves--Obama "refuses to believe" that.
  
• Companies should not be outsourcing their jobs to other countries, when we have such crushing unemployment rates. The President doesn't believe in this profit maximization tactic either--he calls to end tax cuts for companies that do so.
• "School's don't need more resources--they need more reform."
• The days of CEOs' lavish spending "are over." Take that Northern Trust.
• The accountability theme not only prevailed in politics but in parenting as well; for Obama is not only a government official but a father.

For the millions that follow him, he is seen as geniune. I find myself believing that most of the time. Then reality sets in: he's a politician. And a President at that.

I cringe at this thought. Obama's budget goals fit the country's needs for increasing the quality and decreasing the cost of energy, healthcare, and education.

His stimulus plan seems to address our current troubles on the surface:

• increasing jobs
  
• cutting taxes for 95 percent of American households
  
• launching housing initiative to help those with declining house values
  
• holding accountable banking lending

But is it realistic? Will it work? Is it possible? In his address last night, President Obama appeared to recognize the issues we face and had confidence in his proposed solutions. Only time will tell now.

Photo Credit: Pablo Martinez Monsivais/Associated Press

If I were an animal, I'd be a Panda!

Well, not really. That would mean I'm in seriously in danger of being the only one of my kind.

But I would be popular, and we all know how cool that is.

As these furry black and white creatures memorize and captivate our attention, one may wonder how they became so popular anyway.

• Their cat/raccoon-esq ears. Pandas were believed to be in the raccoon/cat family, anyway.
  
• The smokey-eye effect that no Hollywood make-up artist can pull off. Does that make the Panda sexy?
• Their bamboo diet, which has yet to be the new diet fads in America, following the Atkins, South Beach, and (God forbid,) the cabbage soup diet?
• Maybe it's the obvious--their black and white coat. Multi-colored ensambles are in this season.
  

Most likely, all of the above contribute to the consensus that panda bears are one of the most unique bears around. Uniqueness, evidently, leads to popularity.

And like most unique things, they're rare. For decades we've recognized the possible extinction Panda bears face in their Chinese and Tibetan habitats. Roughly 1,600 remain today, and their problems breeding don't make the situation any better.

While the biologists and zoologists figure out how to save them, producers and consumers map out how to market them.

Several Pandas are at the San Francisco and Atlanta Zoos for American's to oogle at behind bars. The Giant Panda Breeding Research Base in Chengdu, China is a tourist attraction aimed at promoting Panda awareness and popularity for anyone willing to make the journey there.

Panda bears: overrated phenomenon? Despite how cute they are, let's make saving these (and many other) endangered species. Their popularity sometimes helps in this endevor, but it's not something to take lightly.

As the old cliche goes: being popular isn't everything.

Photo Credit: Ng Han Guan/Associated Press

Oh Illinois, you've done it again!

This state never fails to have political controversy. Talk about Blagojevich as the ringleader of the circus? He is just one of the acts.

Senator Roland Burris is again pressured to resign after he admitted to attempting to raise funds for the former governor before he was appointed to the senate. He's ignoring these calls for resignation, which now include the Chicago Tribune and Washington Post.

"There was never any inappropriate conversation between me and anyone else and I will answer any and all questions to get the point across to keep my faith with the citizens of Illinois," he said Tuesday.

Does anyone actually have faith in him? Does anyone have faith in Illinois anymore? Can Burris be trusted now, when he was lauded and barred from the Senate before he even began? Perhaps he's telling the whole truth this time. But the damage is already done.

And that's the key--the whole truth. The Tribune editorial recounts his "versions" of the story and calls his actions "disgraceful." He started telling everybody he had no contact at all with the governor and his staff about fundraising for Blagojevich. But now, he's informing the public he never actually raised funds--he chatted with a few close people, and maybe Blago himself--but he never did anything wrong. He never raised money. Why? Because he failed to get any.

Does he think we're dumb? Do all politicians caught with wrongdoing thing we're all dummies, therefore their lies can ooze out of their teeth and be blindly accepted? Of course he didn't do anything wrong, that's why he's welcoming, "any and all" investigations that will be pinned on him.

Go ahead, try to catch him.

Haven't we heard that one before?

Photo Credit: Lauren Victoria Burke/Associated Press