Tuesday, Dec 20, 2011

SUPER MEMORY PILL/ALZHEIMER'S CURE MAY BE NEAR
There may be an alzheimers cure in the pipeline. Scientists say they've isolated a gene in mice that works to give them "super memories" and reverses the course of several degenerative mental illnesses like Alzheimer's. If it works in humans as researchers expect it will...(because of the similarity of mice and human brains)... a powerful memory pill for humans may not be far off.

HEALTH; SUNLIGHT TO TREAT CHICKEN POX
We've come a long way since Calamine lotion and strict orders of, 'Don't scratch!'... Now researchers are saying we may keep chicken pox from spreading by getting some sunlight. Chickenpox is less common in areas with high levels of ultra-violet light. The theory is that sunlight inactivates viruses on the skin, making it harder to pass on. (Temperature, humidity and living conditions may also play a role. The study is published in the journal "Virology.")

NASHVILLE CHAMBER WANTS MORE SCHOOL ACCOUNTABILITY
Nashville's Chamber of Commerce is looking for more accountability from area schools. A Chamber committee delivered a report urging schools to issue report cards more often than every nine weeks, so parents aren't blind-sided by bad grades, and they want parents to be able to access their kids' homework and quiz grades via their cell phones. District officials say they are already working on some of the suggestions.

WINTER STORM
If you have someone planning to travel this week, keep in mind there's a huge winter storm hitting parts of the southwest and plains areas of the United States, making travel dangerous, and in some areas, impossible. There are blizzard warnings northeast New Mexico to southeast Colorado, western Kansas, the Oklahoma panhandle and far north Texas.

CRIMES TRENDING DOWN NATIONWIDE
Thank a police officer when you can: New data shows crimes against people and property are on the decline nationwide. New numbers from the FBI show a sharp drop in murders, rapes and other violent acts during the first half of this year. Thefts also declined.

MUSLIM MEN SUE AIRLINES
Two Muslim men kicked off a flight from Memphis to Charlotte last spring are suing both Delta and Atlantic Southeast Airlines. The suit filed in Memphis yesterday says the men went through several security checks and were removed because the pilot said they would make other passengers uncomfortable. The men had beards and wore traditional Arabic clothing and were traveling to a conference addressing discrimination against Muslims. They're asking for compensation for their losses and punitive damages.

TOYS R US OPENS AROUND THE CLOCK TILL CHRISTMAS
And Toys R Us is continuing its tradition of opening around the clock in teh final days before christmas.is making life a little easier for those last minute holiday shoppers with kids on their gift list. The toy store chain will be open around the clock through Christmas Eve. All 112 Toys R Us stores nationwide are open from six a.m. Tuesday morning until 10 p.m. Christmas Eve. It's the second year in a row the retailer is staying open around the clock during the last shopping days 'til Christmas.

MEALS ON WHEELS, SALVATION ARMY PROGRAMS IN NEED OF VOLUNTEERS
If you're NOT spending Christmas with family or friends, instead of sitting around feeling sorry for yourself, psychologists recommend you DO something for someone, to lift your spirits. Meals on Wheels needs help delivering meals to homebound elderly people, and the Salvation Army says it needs people through Wednesday at the Angel Tree Warehouse to help hand out gifts to families.

THE HOTTEST GIFT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON: GIFT CARDS
Chances are good that you'll give -- or get -- a gift card this year. The National Retail Federation says they're the most asked for gift, and that the average American household has about $300 in gift cards on-hand at any given time. And if you get one you can't use, there are several popular websites, where you can trade or sell them. (www.PlasticJungle.com , www.GiftCardCastle.com, and www.CardHub.com )

COPPER THIEVES TARGET RUTHERFORD COUNTY CHURCHES
Crooks are vandalizing air conditioners again, taking the copper wire out to sell for scrap metal. Several churches in Rutherford County have been hit in the past week.

AIRPORT SECURITY EASES FOR MILITARY
Lawmakers are expected to approve a bill this week easing airport security screening for military personnel. The measure would create separate screening systems at airports for soldiers and their families. It's up for a final vote from the House before lawmakers send it to President Obama to sign into law.

HEALTH: XMAS HEART ATTACKS
It can be difficult during the holidays, to take care of your health, but doctors are urging you to really, really try. More people die from heart attacks on Christmas than almost any other day of the year... followed by the day after Christmas then New Year's Day. (Doctors say the cold weather combined with fatty foods, holiday stress and decreased physical activity could be to blame.)

SHATNER ON BROADWAY
There's a new show one-man show opening on Broadway, starring William Shatner. The play will reportedly be based on Shatner's interactions with fans of his TV shows "Star Trek," "T.J. Hooker," "The Practice" and "Boston Legal."  The play will be called "Shatner's World: We Just Live In It." It'll start on Broadway in February, then go nationwide for 15-weeks. William Shatner will turn 80 next March.

OIL SPILL IN GULF OF MEXICO
There's another oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. The federal government reports Shell spilled more than 13-thousand gallons. The rig is owned by the company that operated the Deepwater Horizon rig, the site of a deadly and massive oil spill in the Gulf last year.

NASHVILLE CITY HORTICULTURIST WILL FOCUS ON TREES
For years, Nashville streets have been lined with pacman shaped trees... Trees that had been TOPPED, which is an unsound, unhealthy thing to do to a tree. Now, Mayor Karl Dean has announced a new program -- headed by a horticulturalist -- to manage the city's trees and green spaces. Dean says better cared-for trees increase property values, promote water and air quality, and encourages wildlife diversity.

APPLE NEW IPAD MAY BE OUT IN FEB
Apple's newest version of its iPad tablet computer may be out as soon as February.... however, the possibility of the iPad3 being available soon is NOT slowing holiday sales of the iPad2. Some analysts estimate during the fourth-quarter sales of more than 8 BILLION dollars... which is 13.5 million iPads sold.

BETTY WHITE 90TH BIRTHDAY SPECIAL ON TV
TV's surviving "Golden Girl" turns 90 next year and NBC is going to help her celebrate... with a 90-minute special titled, "Betty White's 90th Birthday: A Tribute to America's Golden Girl." It'll air January 16th, a day before her 90th birthday.

SAUDI PRINCE PART-OWNER OF TWITTER
A Saudi Prince has just bought 300-million dollars of Twitter stock, or about 3.75% of the blogging company. Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is the Arab world's richest man, and is considered pretty forward-thinking: he has upheld women's rights; his wife leads a charitable foundation and appears in public without a veil. His purchase pushed Twitter's value to over 10 billion dollars.