The James Logan Courier

By Jan Jarvis
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

Energy — the high-octane kind that pumps up the most stressed-out bodies — is only a sip away.

Or so goes the promise from the more than 500 energy beverages that are fueling fatigued consumers.

Some of the latest additions to this $3 billion business rely on healthy-sounding ingredients such as vitamin B and ginseng for that extra boost. The names say it best: Cranergy. Crystal Light Energy Wild Strawberry. Dansani Refresh and Revive. SoBe Essential Energy.

These fruit juice-spiked drinks are refreshing, but can they really deliver a healthy jolt of energy?

By Kyung M. Song
The Seattle Times (MCT)

SEATTLE — In a study that reaffirms the restorative powers of nature, researchers at the University of Washington report that for stress relief, looking outside trumps toiling away in a windowless room or viewing a digital version of that outdoor scene.

Researchers found that plasma screens displaying an outdoor scene were about as effective as a blank wall in reducing test subjects' tension, as measured by a drop in heart rates.

The study appears in the June issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology.

By Mike Pingree (MCT)

DO YOU SEE THE LITTLE LEVER NEAR THE DOOR HANDLE? A woman in Oren, Utah, found herself locked inside her car when her battery died. She called the cops, when they came, she couldn't hear what they were saying because the windows were rolled up. They had to call her on her cellphone to explain how to unlock the car manually.

I HAVE TO SAY, MA'AM, WE AGREE WITH YOUR SON: A 73-year-old woman in Fort Worth, Tex., got into a heated argument with her son, who lives with her, because he objected to her walking around the house in the nude. Police involvement resulted.

By Alyson Ward
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

With food prices skyrocketing, we put our reporter to the test: Eat nothing but dollar-store food for two weeks. Oh, and it had to be healthful, too. Did she pull it off?
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A dollar doesn't go as far as it used to, especially at the grocery store.

Food prices — especially for staples such as eggs, milk and bread — have risen sharply in the past couple of years. And the Department of Agriculture predicts that this year, we'll all spend nearly 5 percent more on groceries than we did last year.

By Lou Dolinar
Newsday (MCT)

A few months back, there was a flurry of interest in a widely circulated e-mail that suggested a half-dozen unusual tricks for cell phones, offering, for example, a universal emergency phone number (non-working, as it turned out) and an utterly bogus technique for unlocking your car door by having someone phone you the unlock code from a spare remote keyless entry unit. (Silly, you can't send a radio code over a voice line).

Still, there are some genuine tricks with cell phones, which for some reason continue to be among the best-kept secrets in technology.

By Mike Cassidy
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

The guy who ended up with Kim Lingel's stolen MacBook and iPhone wasn't counting on Joey Carenza III.

"When he gets the scent of something and it really intrigues him, he's on it," says Lingel, 25, who counts Carenza as one of her best friends. "He's tenacious."

You don't want Carenza on your trail. He is a high-tech, crime-fighting superhero. The guy knows his way around Apple's operating system — so much so that he acts as tech support for his friends. To make his life easier, he subscribes to a $99.95-a-year Apple service that allows him to access their Macs remotely so he can help with their problems.

By Gail MarksJarvis
Chicago Tribune (MCT)

There are plenty of reasons to encourage a teenager to take a summer job. It builds responsibility, provides a glimpse into the work world, develops credentials for the next job and, of course, produces some spending money.

But if you are after serious money for college, there may be a better way.

During the summer, parents can put their high school students to work searching for scholarships and writing applications. If a child will be a sophomore or junior in the fall, the timing is ideal.

By Laurel Rosenhall
McClatchy Newspapers (MCT)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Call it a 21st century field trip.

Fifth-graders at Kingswood Elementary School peered into tide pools, listened to crashing waves and peppered a park ranger with questions — all without leaving their classroom in Citrus Heights, Calif.

Through a live videoconference last week, the students "visited" Crystal Cove State Park on the coast of Orange County, Calif. Ranger Jennifer Langer — surrounded by cameras on the rocky shore — taught a lesson on tide-pool ecology over the large screen at the front of Room 13.

By Ron Poblete, Courier Staff Writer

The Filipino Heritage Studies hosted their annual Transcendence: Commencement Day on Monday, showing what they truly learned from this past year's course. Taking it's audience through different time periods throughout the Philippine history, the FHS class was able to showcase, and teach its audience about the Philippines.

Throughout the show, the students took the audience through an educational journey, while showing their various arts and talents. With various musical performances, different skits, and many other forms of entertainment, the FHS class not only educated, but also entertained.

By Sofia Santana
South Florida Sun-Sentinel (MCT)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — The FBI recently issued an alert warning that wireless Internet networks, often called Wi-Fi hotspots, are more vulnerable to hackers than most users probably realize.

Wi-Fi hotspots are at airports, fast food restaurants, book stores, coffee shops, sports bars, school campuses, malls, supermarkets — just about everywhere. Several cities and neighborhoods host or plan to install networks for residents.

By Mike Antonucci
San Jose Mercury News (MCT)

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Buzz about the new iPhone — expected to be released in June — has less to do with the phone itself than its use of AT&T's 3G network.

That 3G network, which refers to a third generation of wireless networks, would dramatically improve the performance of some iPhone features, such as Web browsing. Apple's current iPhone uses AT&T's Edge Network, a 2.5G network that undermines some of the device's most appealing technology — such as the display of full Web pages — because of relatively slow download speeds.