Fingerprint Scans Replace Clocking In

An employee of the New York City Parks Dept. uses a palm scanner as he arrives for work, in the Queens borough of New York Wednesday March 26, 2008. Credit: AP Photo/Richard Drew NEW YORK (AP) — It’s happening at Dunkin’ Donuts, at Hilton hotels, even at Marine Corps bases: Employees are starting and ending [...]

Mom’s Diet Helps Determine Baby’s Sex

CHICAGO (AP) — Snips and snails and puppydog tails … and cereal and bananas? That could be what little boys are made of, according to surprising new research suggesting that what a woman eats before pregnancy influences the gender of her baby. Having a hearty appetite, eating potassium-rich foods including bananas, and not skipping breakfast [...]

Men Smarter than Women, Scientist Claims

Men are smarter than women, according to a controversial new study that adds another cinder to the fiery debate over whether gender impacts general intelligence. “For 100 years there’s been a consensus among psychologists that there is no sex difference in intelligence,” said J. Philippe Rushton, a psychologist at the University of Western Ontario, Canada. [...]

Have Sex While You Sleep

If you think it’s impossible to have sex while you sleep, think again, according to a new study. There are at least 11 different sex-related sleep disorders, collectively referred to as “sexsomnia” or “sleepsex,” that affect people who are otherwise psychologically healthy—causing them to unknowingly engage in various sexual activities during the night. Carlos Schenck, [...]

Polar bears ‘at risk’ in Canada

Canada’s polar bears are at risk from hunting and melting ice in the Arctic Polar bears in Canada are at risk from climate change but not threatened with extinction, a panel of experts has advised the Canadian government. The government should develop a plan to protect the country’s estimated 15,000 polar bears, the panel said. [...]

Oil climbs on UK pipeline fears

The pipeline relies on power from the Grangemouth refinery Oil prices rose above $119 a barrel as oil giant BP prepared to shut down a key North Sea pipeline and a strike at Exxon in Nigeria disrupted production. BP’s Forties pipeline, which provides a third of the UK’s daily oil output, will close if a [...]

Strike at oil refinery under way

The two-day strike at Grangemouth oil refinery has started, with 1,200 staff walking out in a pensions row. Production has already ceased at the plant – Scotland’s only oil refinery – ahead of the strike. BP has also shut its key Forties oil pipeline. There has already been disruption at some petrol stations, but ministers [...]

Playboy cushion robbery in France

A goods train in southern France has been attacked by robbers who made off with cushions bearing the Playboy logo. The attack happened in the northern suburbs of Marseille, the regional newspaper La Provence reports. It says the thieves blocked the track with sleepers, causing the 700m (760-yard) train to screech to a halt, and [...]

Bush pokes fun at his successors

Mr Bush made a few jokes before conducting the US Marine band US President George W Bush poked fun at his potential successors during his last White House Correspondents’ Association dinner. The president said he was surprised they were not in the audience before making jokes at their expense. Referring to Republican candidate John McCain’s [...]

Ratification of Cheaper Medicines Act to be deferred – Nograles

MANILA, Philippines – House Speaker Prospero C. Nograles on Sunday said the House of Representatives may defer the ratification of the bicameral conference committee report of the proposed Cheaper Medicines Act until he is personally satisfied that the law will guarantee cheaper cost of medicines. Nograles made the statement as he announced that his meeting [...]