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The family of a Westside nightclub owner strangled to death in Cancun during a vacation with her TV producer husband met with L.A. prosecutors, seeking their counsel on the homicide probe.

Bruce Beresford-Redman, a producer on CBS’ "Survivor" and MTV’s "Pimp My Ride," is considered a "person of interest" in his wife’s death but has not been arrested. Mexican prosecutors said they were awaiting toxicology results before deciding whether to arrest him.

Monica Beresford-Redman, a Westside nightclub owner, died of
strangulation but also suffered several blows to the head, authorities
She died some time on April 5, and her husband reported her missing the
next day. Her body was found Thursday, dumped in a sewer. Authorities
reportedly don’t believe she was killed there.

On Friday, Beresford-Redman, 38, was released by state police in
Mexico after being questioned. He is barred from leaving Mexico until
the investigation is completed. He has denied any role in the slaying of his wife.

Prosecutors said the timeline the producer provided about his
wife’s disappearance appeared to clash with those of some witnesses.

Monica Beresford-Redman’s friends and family held a vigil for her at her nightclub on Sunday.

Two of her sisters have now sought help from the L.A. County district attorney, according to a statement from their attorney. "We have asked the Los Angeles County district attorney’s office to assist in any way that they can in the ongoing investigation
into the murder of Monica Burgos," the statement read.

Sandi Gibbons, a spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office, told the Associated Press that an office representative met with the family on Monday.

The couple had gone to Mexico for a romantic getaway that
family members said was designed to revive a strained marriage. Guests
at the Moon Palace Hotel in Cancun reported hearing a loud fight coming
from the room the couple shared with their children.

His father, David Beresford-Redman, said in a statement that
his son "loved [his wife] and would never have harmed her. He has our
full support as we try to do what’s best for him and our grandchildren
so they can be reunited soon."

The statement continued: "We urge Mexican law enforcement authorities to identify those responsible for this horrendous crime."

Monica Beresford-Redman, a native of Brazil, owned the Zabumba Restaurant on Venice Boulevard near Overland Avenue.

— Shelby Grad

By David Roberts, Grist

When it comes to energy reform, the American South has often been a
deadweight, anchoring the country to the status quo. There are any
number reasons why: It’s oil, coal, and nuke country. It’s heavily
Republican. Many of the affluent white men who dominate its politics
view energy as part of the culture war, another attack by hippies on the
American way of life. Plus they like trucks.

But one phenomenon more than any other shapes the South’s attitude
toward energy policy. It lies beneath all the others, yet it’s the least
well-understood and the most rarely discussed. What is it?

Instead of ruining the surprise, let’s take a quick detour that will
help make the point.

Energy efficiency in the South

According to a report released this morning, for every dollar the
South invests in energy efficiency, it will receive an average of $2.25
in benefits over the next 20 years in jobs, economic growth, and lower
bills.

“Energy
Efficiency in the South” is a detailed new study from researchers
at the Georgia Institute of Technology and Duke University’s Nicholas
Institute; it uses models based on U.S. Energy Information
Administration forecasts to estimate the benefits of various energy
efficiency policies across three sectors: residential, commercial, and
industrial. The conclusions, while in keeping with past research on the
subject, are nonetheless pretty jaw-dropping.

According to the study, an aggressive set of energy efficiency
policies in the region could:

1. Prevent energy consumption from growing over the next 20
years. In the absence of such initiatives, energy consumption
in these three sectors is forecast to grow by approximately 13 percent
between 2010 and 2030.

2. Generate new jobs, cut utility bills and sustain economic
growth.  Overall utility bills would be reduced by $41
billion each year in 2020 and $71 billion in 2030; the average
residential electricity bills would decline by $26 per month in 2020 and
$50 per month in 2030; electricity rate increases would be moderated;
and 380,000 new jobs would be created by 2020 (annual job growth
increases to 520,000 new jobs in 2030). The region’s economy
is anticipated to grow by $1.23 billion in 2020 and $2.12 billion in
2030.

3. Reduce the need for new power plants.  Almost 25
gigawatts of older power plants would be retired and
the construction of up to 50 gigawatts of new plants (equal to the
amount of electricity produced by 100 power plants) would be avoided.

4. Result in substantial water conservation. The
reduction in power plant capacity would save southern NERC regions 8.6
billion gallons of freshwater in 2020 and 20.1 billion gallons in 2030.

(Left off this list are the incredible health benefits of reducing
fossil fuel use.)

The reason efficiency has such potential in the South is that it’s
the least efficient region of the country and the most fossil-fuel
dependent. Low-hanging fruit abound. And it’s not just that the region
as a whole would benefit, it’s that the benefits are incredibly
egalitarian. Virtually everyone in the region would see their fortunes
improved.

So, let’s see: Create jobs, save ratepayers money, save businesses
money, save state governments money, save lives, spur economic growth
… seems like a no-brainer! A case study for forward-looking public
policy. And yet, despite their obvious benefits, such policies are not
forthcoming in the South, and they’re unlikely to appear any time soon.
Why is that?

Southern means Southern Company

Here we return to the single biggest factor in the South’s energy
intransigence: the energy companies that dominate it are not
participants in a competitive market. Most of the region’s utilities are
regulated monopolies, which means their customers and their profits are
guaranteed by law. They don’t compete; they manage state regulators,
which is a whole different kind of skill. They are involved in cozy,
good ol’ boy relationships with those regulators that in some cases
stretch back generations. They have their way of doing things and it
works for them. Why would they want change?

In particular, regulated monopoly utilities have one way to make more
money: build more power plants and sell more power. They convince
regulators to offer a set return on capital, and then they deploy the
capital to get the return. So all that decreased consumption? All those
savings on power bills? All those avoided power plants? That’s all bad
news for southern utilities. It translates directly into lost
revenue for them.

That’s why Southern Company, the region’s largest utility, has
more lobbyists in D.C. than any other energy company, almost double
the runner up. Its position has always been secured through influence
over politicians. It’s got a bunch of dirty old power plants
grandfathered under the Clean Air Act. It’s got guaranteed access to a
growing rate base. It’s trying its damnedest to keep any hint of market
competition or other radical changes as far away as possible. And the
last thing it wants is for its customers to start using less of its
product.

It’s a damn shame. If we treated efficiency as an energy source, we
would see that the South has access to an enormous reserve of it. It’s
an abundant supply, and it’s cheap — cheaper than coal,
cheaper than nukes, cheaper than natural gas. The South is a veritable
… dare I say it? … no, I shouldn’t … but I must … Saudi
Arabia of energy efficiency.

But the presence of huge demand and cheap supply means nothing unless
there is a market set up to bring the one to the other. And there’s no
market in the South. Energy incumbents control policy in the region, and
they’ve been publicizing costs and privatizing profits for decades.
They don’t want a new competitor. It’s that simple.

(Map from Southeast Efficiency Study.)

Mmm, perforation. 1,000fps may’ve impressed with the previous model, but a whopping 2,800fps at 1080p? Wow. If you crank the resolution all the way down to VGA, you can even shoot in 6,300fps. More »

[JURIST] Dutch Prime Minister Jan-Peter Balkenende on Monday proposed the establishment of an international tribunal in the Netherlands to try countries suspected of supplying nuclear materials to terrorists. The tribunal would be set in The Hague, already home to several international judicial institutions, and would hold accountable nations that break international nuclear security treaties. A “nuclear court” would have to be established by a special treaty. According to Balkenende, US President Barack Obama reacted positively to the proposal during the Nuclear Security Summit currently being held in Washington, DC. The two-day, 47-nation international summit is intended to pursue a comprehensive nuclear security agenda while addressing concerns that terrorist organizations could obtain nuclear material.
Continuing to make progress to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed the so-called New START treaty last week, pledging to reduce their countries’ nuclear warheads by about 30 percent. Reaction to the new treaty has been mixed. US Senator Lamar Alexander (R-TN) on Sunday said that Senate approval of the treaty is unlikely to happen this year. Senator Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) also expressed reservations, while UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon called it a “significant achievement.” The US State Department began negotiating the treaty with Russia in 2009. The treaty agreement, reached in February, is the first nuclear agreement between the two nations in nearly 20 years.

There’s been rumor of a Google branded tablet for some time now.  In fact, I believe the expected time frame for said device was purportedly the end of this year.  But with Apple’s huge success in making the tablet market a reality, it’s beginning to look like Google wants to turn up the heat, in the appropriate e-war fashion.  The original Google tablet concept came from the chromium project, so logically we assumed it would be sporting the highly anticipated Chrome OS.  Perhaps we thought wrong?

According to The New York Times, Google CEO Eric Schmidt told friends recently about a new tablet device that would be running Android OS.  NYT tipsters also said that “the company had been experimenting in “stealth mode” with a few publishers to explore delivery of books, magazines and other content on a tablet.”  So, it appears that the first Google tablet will be running Android, not Chrome OS – which in all reality makes sense considering the amount of apps already in place.

There’s no specs, release date, or pricing available as of yet.  Basically we’re just going on good ‘ole Schmidty’s word and the reliability of the NYT.  Whether it’s running Android or Chrome doesn’t make too much a difference to me either, I just hope it looks like this.  And don’t forget, with the vast improvements recently made to Google Docs, a Google tablet supported by the cloud looks mighty enticing.

Anyone saving up for a gPad?  Leave your comments below!

Via Engadget

Might We Suggest…

• Camangi WebStation Slashes Price to $275
  The Camangi team has shaved over 25% off of the price of their WebStation, knocking it down to $275.  However, it’s likely not enough of a discount to draw a substantial amount of attention.  It’s up …

I just discovered my friend and Georgetown colleague, Nancy Sherman’s, excellent new website.  The site contains a blog, information on publications, media appearances, and many other items. Dr. Sherman is a distinguished University Professor at Georgetown, specializing in ethics– especially military ethics. She is the author of many works, including The Untold War: Inside the Hearts, Minds and Souls of our Soldiers (2010) and Stoic Warriors: The Ancient Philosophy Behind the Military Mind (2005).

Below is a short video clip of her discussing The Untold War.

Filed under: Motorsports, Peugeot, Diesel

Just in time to celebrate its bicentennial next month, Peugeot is expanding its diesel-powered racing efforts. The French automaker will compete in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring for the first time this May with a pair of its new RCZ coupes. The Nürburgring race has become increasingly important in recent years, as automakers have begun to use it as a venue to do final prove-out of new performance oriented cars.

For this years race Peugeot will bring a pair of nearly stock 2.0-liter HDi FAP RCZs with 200 horsepower to the mighty ‘Ring. The only modifications to the cars are the removal of unnecessary equipment like audio systems and the addition of race safety equipment like roll cages, fire suppression, upgraded brakes and a rear wing. The four man driving crew for each car will consist of a mix of pro-drivers and Peugeot staff including PSA vice-chairman Stéphane Caille.

[Source: Peugeot]

Continue reading Peugeot to run a pair of diesel RCZ coupes at 24 Hrs of Nürburgring

Peugeot to run a pair of diesel RCZ coupes at 24 Hrs of Nürburgring originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Apr 2010 09:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The AG and Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate has tapped Mindy Myers, currently chief of staff for Rhode Island Senator Sheldon Whitehouse.

Myers is seen as a young superstar in Democratic campaign circles: At the age of 32, she oversaw Barack Obama’s New Hampshire campaign operation in the 2008 general election. New Hampshire was a battleground state and Myers helped deliver it for the Democrats.

She also managed Whitehouse’s 2006 Senate race. Whitehouse was Rhode Island’s attorney general when he defeated incumbent Lincoln Chafee, a moderate Republican.

“Mindy knows what it takes to win, and we’re pleased to have her leading our campaign team,” Michael Cacace, Blumenthal’s campaign chairman, said in a statement announcing Myers’ appointment.

After the election, Myers plans to return to her job in Whjitehouse’s office.

Archos is gearing up for their next line of Android tablets which will range from 3 to 10 inches. The devices will be powered by ARM Cortex (A8?) based processors with speeds ranging from 800 MHz to 1 GHz. Prices are expected to be from $100-350 and we could see these tablets by the end of the summer. Archos claims the devices will be ultra performing with full OpenGL support and multitouch, but these features could be limited to the high-end models.

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Executives love to justify price increases or staff reductions by hauling out the customer service argument, because then any complaint you make can be framed as self-defeating. (“Don’t you want better service?”) On that note, Spirit’s CEO Ben Baldanza told travel blogger Christopher Elliott last week that the new carry-on bag fee is really intended to reduce gate delays. Remember to send a thank-you card to Baldanza.

Baldanza told Elliott, “Last fall, we identified excessive carry-on baggage as the number-one controllable reason that our planes were being delayed at the gate.” Spirit’s solution is to change the pricing structure so that nobody can avoid a checked baggage fee, thereby reducing the incentive to bring your bag onto the plane yourself.

The baggage fees disclosed on the Spirit website support his claim. In fact, starting August 1st it will be $5 cheaper to check your bag than to carry it with you (online only; all bag fees jump to $45 at the gate). Or to look at it another way, starting August 1st you’ll have to pay $5 extra to keep your baggage with you on a Spirit flight. If you don’t like this, then you hate customer service.

When Elliott asks if Baldanza thinks $45 is a little high, he responds, “It sure is!” Then he tries to upsell Elliott’s readers on a $40 annual “Fare Club” membership (with auto-renewal) that drops the online baggage fees by $10.

Baldanza also adds that “while the basis for this new fee was founded in improved customer service, it has not been communicated this way through the media.” Well, I did my part, Baldanza!

“Spirit’s Baldanza: ‘The basis for this new fee was founded in improved customer service’” [Elliott.org]

RELATED
“Senator Joins DOT Secretary In Blasting Spirit’s New Carry-On Bag Fees”

One of the last bastions of ad-free Internet space is about to disappear. Twitter has confirmed that starting today, they are rolling out an official ad program they call “Promoted Tweets.”

According to Twitter, only about 2-10% of users will begin to see these sponsored tweets at the top of certain Twitter search results pages.

“Users will start to see tweets promoted by our partner advertisers called out at the top of some Twitter.com search results pages,” one Twitter biggie explained.

Among the companies to jump on the promoted tweet bandwagon: Best Buy, Starbucks and Virgin America.

Does this impact how you think of Twitter?

Twitter set to make money through advertisements [Reuters]

Georgia’s elected insurance commissioner says he will not help the Obama Administration implement the first phase of the new federal health care law.

John Oxendine, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, sent a letter to U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, declining her request to create a pool of high-risk people to receive federally subsidized health insurance. He is the first state insurance commissioner in the nation to publicly refuse to participate in the program.

In his letter, Oxendine writes, “It is my position as Commissioner of Insurance that I cannot commit the State of Georgia to implement a federal high risk pool program that is part of a broader scheme which I believe the Supreme Court will hold to be unconstitutional, leads to the further expansion of the federal government, undermines the financial security of our nation, and potentially commits the state of Georgia to future financial obligations.”

Oxendine’s letter is in response to Sebelius’s April 30 deadline for states to indicate whether they will participate in the high-risk pool program. The Department of Health and Human Services plans to offer a national backup program to cover residents in states that choose not to adopt their own high-risk pools.

“If Secretary Sebelius wants to create her own high-risk pool and offer it to the citizens of Georgia, that’s well within the purview of the federal government,” Oxendine said. “I can’t prevent that. But I don’t have to go and do it for her.”

by Agence France-Presse

James CameronBRASILIA – Director James Cameron was in Brazil on Monday to lend his Avatar success to the fight against a controversial dam project he denounced as an “ecological disaster.”

Cameron, who made a pro-environment message central to his blockbuster film, urged Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva to stop construction on the Belo Monte dam in the country’s Amazon jungle.

“I would challenge him to be a hero” by halting work on the project, Cameron told a media conference in Brasilia, standing alongside actress Sigourney Weaver, who starred in Avatar and Cameron’s earlier Aliens.

Activists have tried to portray the construction of the dam, and opposition to it by indigenous people who would be displaced by it, as strikingly similar to the Avatar storyline, in which feline-featured natives on a moon fight against militaristic strip-miners from Earth.

Cameron, who has long had a fascination with marine and jungle environments, said, “Huge dams are a 20th century idea in the 21st century: it’s a dinosaur’s idea.”

Belo Monte, he said, “is going to be an ecological disaster,” and he asserted that “the knowledge of indigenous people, who learned how to live with nature,” is one of Brazil’s biggest resources.

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Back in 2008, before the financial crisis, we heard a story about a Manhattan real estate shop that was listing its prices primarily in euros because folks in Europe were the only ones who could afford real estate here, helped in large part by the strength of their currency.

It’s possible the story was apocryphal.

Anyway, we’re definitely seeing the opposite now.

Over at UrbanDigs, broker Noah Rosenblatt Writes:

‘Euro’ Outta Here! Foreigners Lose Purchasing Power

Okay so my headline could be a bit better. The reason I have fewer real time reports from the field is that most of my clients that intended to purchase a new home, already have. I have seven deals done in the last two quarters, three of which sold and four of which are still pending. Currently I have two active negotiations ongoing with a third on its way. But my schedule is no where near as hectic as it was for the first three months of 2010. That means, I am not out there viewing property and submitting offers as actively as I was for the past 6-8 months or so – as many of my clients are aggressively looking for months before ultimately signing a contract for their new home. However, I thought it would be interesting to see how the dollar’s rise might affect a foreigner who might be looking to buy in our market over the past few months. The findings may intrigue you.

Rosenblatt then walks through the past several months of EUR/USD and GBP/USD fluctuations and notes:

Based on currency trends over the past five months, look at how much less house an investor with Euros can buy right now of US assets – including Manhattan real estate! In this case, the foreign investor can buy $132,100 LESS HOUSE! All this because of the rising value of the US dollar! If it were British pounds and the same time period, the 1M pound investor would see a $124,000 reduction in purchasing power. All on currency trends alone.

Put this together with rising interest rates, and the ongoing threat from Fannie and Freddie, and the the prospect of a strong recovery in Manhattan housing looks dimmer.

Join the conversation about this story »

A Florida man is being sued for $15,000 for leaving a negative comment on a transaction to buy a $44 clock, breaking his perfect rating, NBC 2 of Florida reports:

Steadman says the clock arrived in three pieces of varying models that didn’t fit and couldn’t stamp a card, as advertised.

He returned it and got a refund through PayPal, but wanted to warn others.

On Miller’s profile he wrote, “Bad seller; he has the ethics of a used car salesman.”

Do you think the suit has any merit? And will this news change the way you rate transactions on eBay?

Man sued for $15k over negative eBay remark [NBC 2 Florida]
(Thanks, Ryan!)

Another week, another batch of games into the market. Big improvement on this one compared to last week’s two-DLC-packs-and-a-shovelware (qjnet/news/on-shelves-this-week-april-4-10-2010.html) batch because among them is Sam Fisher’s edgy return in Splinter Cell: Conviction. He’s not the

Compact pickup trucks are the Swiss Army Knives of the automotive world. When properly equipped, they can be configured for everything from daily commuting to hardcore off-road adventure. They can tow trailers or get groceries, move furniture or haul junk to the dump. They’re easy to drive and park, and the extended cab versions even have decent backseat accommodations. Need to haul sheets of drywall home from the lumberyard? Good luck doing that in a Taurus.

With so many options, how do you know what to buy? That’s where we come in: below are our top five compact pickup trucks in order of preference. All of them can be ordered in two wheel drive or four wheel drive, and all come with the option of an extended cab. If you need a cheap, base 2wd pickup for hauling your pool cleaning supplies, one of these will fit the bill; on the other extreme, if you’re planning an arctic expedition and need a bulletproof truck, all of these can be built up to take whatever you can dish out.

First Place: Toyota Tacoma

Likes: Damn near everything about it, including high resale value
Dislikes: Priced for its reputation, may be too “truck like” for some
Buy this truck if: You want bulletproof reliability and solid build quality

What can I possibly say about the Toyota Tacoma, the truck so tough that not even Top Gear could kill it, that hasn’t already been said by a thousand other reviewers? You’ve got 18 flavors to choose from, depending upon your needs. The starting point for a base rear wheel drive model, with the bench seat, the four cylinder motor, the manual gearbox and the six foot bed is $15,345. By the time you option out the 4wd V6 Double Cab, you can easily break the $30,000 barrier. The sweet spot is probably somewhere in between, depending upon your needs.

Personally? I’d opt for the 4wd version with the V6 and the extended cab, which gives you short term seating for four if you need it. The 4.0 liter V6 is a great motor with decent power, but it can get thirsty if you’re not careful (it’s rated at 18 mpg highway). It’ll tow up to 6,500 pounds, enough for a good sized boat, a compact travel trailer or a race car on a flatbed. If you need a compact pickup truck, you can’t do better than the Toyota Tacoma.

Second Place: Nissan Frontier

Likes: The most civilized of the compact truck choices
Dislikes: A turning radius befitting an ocean liner
Buy this truck if: You really want a big sedan, but need a pickup truck

The Nissan Frontier is available in a mind-blowing 27 different versions, which makes me wonder how even Nissan assembly line workers can keep the models straight. You’ll find a truck for every purpose in their lineup, ranging from a no-frills RWD model with the manual gearbox and the 2.5 liter four for $17,540 to the top-of-the-line Crew Cab with the V6 and the automatic that can easily top $30k when fully loaded. The Frontier drives more like a big sedan than a truck, with the notable exception of its turning radius; think “mining dump truck” and you get the picture.

Like the Tacoma, the V6 version isn’t for those worried about gas prices. It’s rated at 14 mpg city and 19 mpg highway, but this gives you the ability to tow 6100 pounds. Unlike the Tacoma, even the base model Frontier gives you an extended cab, which amy make the Frontier a better buy depending upon your configuration.

Third Place: Dodge Dakota

Likes: Bigger than a compact, smaller than a full size; available V8
Dislikes: Build quality has improved, but early models were questionable
Buy this truck if: You need more room than other compact pickups

Technically speaking, the Dodge Dakota isn’t a compact pickup, it’s a midsized pickup. I’m splitting hairs on this, so I decided to keep it in the mix. The good news is that a properly equipped Dakota will tow more (6,700 pounds) than any other pickup on this list. The bad news is that an option rich crew cab, with 4wd and the 4.7 liter V8 will sticker out at close to $40,000, which is serious money for a compact / midsized pickup.

Even with the V8, fuel economy is on par with V6s from Toyota and Nissan (the Dakota with the 4.7 liter motor is rated at 15 city, 17 highway). The Dakota is available with a longer bed than either the Taco or the Frontier, which may or may not factor into your decision. If you need a truck that is bigger than a compact but smaller than a full size, the Dakota may be your only option.

Fourth Place: GMC Canyon

Likes: Engine choices, including a V8; hungry dealers = bargain pricing
Dislikes: Build quality not on par with full sized GMC pickups
Buy this truck if: You like engine choices and are loyal to GM

The GMC Canyon and it’s sibling, the Chevy Colorado, are both getting up in years. The good news is that this makes the Canyon a less-than-popular choice among compact truck buyers. Why is that good? Because it generally means that GMC dealers are ready to maker deals on existing inventory. There are 14 models of Canyon pickups to choose from, but I’d immediately eliminate the four cylinder versions unless you’re just looking for a bargain basement truck. The inline five cylinder isn’t a bad option, but it’s no match for the V6 motors from Toyota or Nissan. If you need your Canyon to tow something, your only real option is the 5.3 liter V8, which give you the ability to tow up to 6,000 pounds.

Fuel economy with the V8 motor is about what you’d expect. For a four wheel drive version, the Canyon is rated at 14 city, 19 highway; the two wheel drive V8 fares a little better at 15 city, 21 highway. If you’re a loyal GM customer shopping for a small pickup, your choices really come down to the Chevy Colorado or the GMC Canyon; personally, I’d opt for the Canyon.

Fifth Place: Ford Ranger

Likes: Compact size, affordable price, hungry dealers
Dislikes: Dated interior and exterior, last model year?
Buy this truck if: You’re a Ford guy and are looking for a good deal

The Ford Ranger, in its current form, has been around for a long, long time. That can be viewed as a good thing (why mess with success) or a bad thing (evolve or die). It really comes down to this: you’ll buy a Ranger because you’re a loyal Ford customer or because they’ll cut you one hell of a deal on existing inventory. You won’t buy a Ranger because it’s the best in class at anything.

Don’t get me wrong, the Ranger is still a decent truck. It’s just not as good as the compact or midsized pickups from the competition. Ford has focused so much attention on the F150 over the years that the Ranger has been neglected like the red headed stepchild. Rumor has it that this will change in 2011, when Ford scraps the Ranger for a new model tentatively called the F100.

If you like the current Ranger (or it’s twin, the Mazda B Series) and can live with its shortcomings, you can probably cut a killer deal on one. If you need to buy a Ford and want something more competitive with other compact trucks on the market, then I suggest you nurse your current ride along for another year. Good things are coming from Ford, you’ve just got to be patient.

High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) has been giving people quite the scare for some time now. It is a belief that the introduction of this product into our diet was the reason for increasing obesity in America; that the simple elimination of the product in our diets would make us lose that extra weight the American public has gained. Like many other Americans I believed this myth that HFCS was worse for you than the other sugars out there: honey, cane sugar, and brown sugar. But like many Americans, I was wrong. I used to read every label that I thought may have HFCS in it, and if it did I would put it back down and refrain from consuming the “evil” substance.

Just this year I have learned that HFCS is not as harmful as I thought it was. However, like other sugars, high fructose corn syrup should only be ingested in small amounts. The main reasoning for manufacturers to use HFCS as opposed to other sugars is that it is cheaper .

When choosing what food to eat, it helps to know what you are actually eating. Some foods that you wouldn’t expect to have sugar in it do, and thus it is still important to be aware of what contents you are actually eating. The best ways to go about doing this are to eat foods that are in their most natural form. This includes organic produce and excludes packaged foods. If you are choosing a food or drink item that has a variety of ingredients it may be important to read the ingredients and nutrition facts as HFCS is becoming more prevalent in foods that were once exempt of sugar additives.

The foods that many kids, and adults, find to be the most delicious are usually those foods that contain high fructose corn syrup. Kids especially are drawn to the sugary drinks and foods that are becoming more prevalent in our grocery stores and fast-food restaurants. Persuading children to eat fresher and healthier foods may be difficult, but will prove to be more beneficial for their health now and in the future. It is important to remember that high fructose corn syrup is still a type of sugar and should only be consumed in moderation.

About the author: Nicole Reising is an intern at the Office of Children’s Health Protection. She is a sophomore studying non-profit management at Indiana University.