National News

On Thursday, May 29, items belonging to Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert that went into space with him will be auctioned off at a Los Angeles auction house, including a mechanical pencil and an Oral-B toothbrush. According to the Denver Post, Swigert's family is putting 91 of the late astronaut's belongings up for auction. Each item will come with a letter of authenticity from Swigert's sister. The rarest item going up for auction will be the Robbins medal from Swigert's Apollo 17 mission, for which bidding will start at $45,000. One of the more unusual items hitting the auction block is the NASA Oral B-40 clear toothbrush that Swigert, who died in 1982 shortly after being elected to represent Colorado's 6th district in the House of Representatives, used during the 1970 Apollo 13 ...

A few decades ago, dental patients only had removable dentures as an option for replacing missing teeth. However, dental implants have recently increased in popularity, and by performing CT scans, dentists now have an easier way to find out which patients are eligible for this treatment. Dental implants can replace single or multiple missing teeth. They are comprised of artificial tooth roots typically made from titanium alloys and placed in the jawbone; these implants are later covered with a tooth-like cap made from dental porcelain. This procedure is possible through the process of osseointegration, where the jawbone is capable of healing around the metal implant to make it a permanent fixture in the patient's mouth. The procedure for dental implants has an overall 96% success rat...

North Dakota is currently discussing the feasibility of implementing mid-level dental providers to assist with the massive need for dental services across the state. The meeting was spearheaded by the Interim Legislative Health Services Committee, chaired by Sen. Judy Lee.The concept of mid-level dental practitioners is opposed by not only the National Dental Association (NDA), but also by the North Dakota Dental Association (NDDA). Dr. Murray Greer, president of the NDDA, is against the change, saying, “We feel we have a good system in place that’s working well.”On the other side of the argument are rural North Dakota communities, many of which are lacking qualified dental providers. “We have many, many places in the state where there are no dentists,” says Sen. Lee. The NDA granted...

On Monday, April 28, Microsoft unveiled its latest move to stay on top in media innovation by announcing XBox Originals, a dozen original TV programs to be exclusively available to XBox owners beginning this June. XBox Originals will include a variety of different television genres, such as documentaries, reality shows and scripted dramas and comedies, Forbes magazine reported. The programs are Microsoft's first attempt at competing with other original-programming streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon. After announcing its first lineup of XBox Originals, Microsoft is now looking to future ideas for programming. According to joystiq.com, XBox games Gears of War, Fable and Forza Motorsport are the latest potential sources of adaptation. However, these potential adaptations may ult...

Following a recent bout of research, sales execution and analytics firm Qvidian has released its findings on the efficacy of salespeople. If the research is accurate, nearly two-thirds of salespeople fail to meet their quotas. Subsequently, nearly 90% of businesses polled say that improving overall quota attainment is their biggest priority, ranking only behind increasing lead win rates. Sales Take Time, Persistence For salespeople, the biggest cause of failure is lack of persistence. Most leads aren't going to be converted on the first sales call, yet 48% of salesmen and women give up after the first phone call. A whopping 72% give up after the second phone call. In short, most salespeople are not giving leads the time to mature that they so badly require. This undoubtedly plays a r...

United Auto Workers Union Local 2865 (UAW) is launching a salvo of complaints against the University of California. The unfair and hostile labor practices complaints filed by the UAW on Monday bring the total complaints against the university for such infractions to seven in only six months. The latest volley comes after 22 student protesters were arrested at the Santa Cruz campus of the University of California. Following their complaints of intimidation and unfair labor practices falling on deaf ears, teaching assistants set up a strike, protesting UC's backward practices for two days before riot police arrived to quell the uprising. Work to Pay Ratio, Intimidation Tactics Are Nothing New Complaints filed by the UAW and student protests are nothing new for the University of Californi...

According to the Workplace Safety and Health Council, ergonomic health issues like strained backs caused by heavy lifting, numb wrists resulting from typing too much, and stiff necks from desk hunch, all cost Singapore a staggering $3.5 billion each year. The International Ergonomics Association defines ergonomics as the understanding of the interactions between humans and systemic elements--how people interact with the spaces that they inhabit. Ergonomics applies the data, principles, theory and methods of studying such interactions to optimize a person's well being and their system performance--it improves these interactions. For example, an ergonomic chair would provide proper back support to avoid the spine misaligning, which allows a person to work more comfortably and get more thi...

A growing number of restaurants and food service companies are making a commitment to offer consumers locally grown food items. "The U.S. Department of Agriculture is gathering more data on locally sourced food than ever before, and as the 2014 Locavore Index shows the number of farmers' markets, CSAs [Community Supported Agriculture], and food hubs are increasing," Vermont's Bennington Banner reported Monday. Farm-to-school programs and chefs favoring and purchasing local foods are more popular than ever. JJ Gonson, chef and owner of catering company Cuisine en Locale, purchases all fruits, vegetables, food items, and ingredients locally -- from Maine -- whenever possible. When Gonson's in a bind, she'll order foods from the New England region. She will not prepare any menu selections ...

Watches that do more than just tell time might have seemed like something from the distant future, if not just James Bond’s closet, than anything else. However, the development of smart watches, which feature many of the same capabilities of smart phones that have become a must for individuals who want to always stay connected, is changing that perception. Today, smart watches are being synced to smart homes and can be used to turn the lights on and off or arming and disarming security systems. “But in 2014 the smart home flood gates are opening, and lately it seems there’s news practically every week of a new smart watch/smart home integration,” notes Michael Wolf. “The smart watch is a logical control device for your surroundings because, chances are, it’s always a glance away, ...

Over half women report being harassed at work, CNBC reported Wednesday. Specifically, 52% of women in the workplace reveal coworkers sent inappropriate texts or emails, said something sexual or disparaging, or touched them without permission, according to a new British survey with 25,000 participants. The survey, CNBC continues, is the largest of its kind. Workplace harassment does not stop there. "[Further] examples of bullying and harassment ranged from being deliberately undermined – which more than one in four respondents reported – to victimization, or the intentional blocking of career progression, which more than one in six said they had experienced," CNBC explains. According to the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), asking for sexual favors in exchange...