Potential home buyers, be prepared. 2017 is shaping up to present a whole new experience for those looking to purchase a house, especially for the one-third who are first-time home buyers. First off, their mortgage rates will likely be higher than usual, thanks to president-elect Donald Trump. Just this week, mortgage agency Freddie Mac reported…
Author: Staff
Audit Hits U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission for Faulty Cyber Security Protection
Now that so many of our day-to-day transactions, financial and otherwise, are conducted on line, more and more emphasis is being placed on cyber security. The U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) was recently hit with penalties after an internal audit. The audit found that the commission failed to correctly identify whether futures and swaps…
Florida Man Posed as Dentist, Performed Unlicensed Dental Procedures Without Anesthesia
A 53-year-old Florida man is now facing charges after practicing dentistry without a proper license. Procedures performed include tooth extraction without anesthesia and handmade dentures for patients who couldn’t afford specialized dental care. It’s not uncommon for people to have their wisdom teeth extracted, as there’s only room in the mouth for 28 teeth, but…
Electoral College Ultimately Votes Trump To Be the 45th President of the United States
On Monday, Dec. 19, the Electoral College cast their votes to make the ultimate choice in our democracy — who would become president. While the electors generally agree with the popular vote when it comes to the President-elect, this was not the case in the contest between Republican nominee Donald Trump and Democrat Hilary Clinton,…
Nissan’s ‘Rogue One’ Promotion Shoots for the Stars
Nissan’s promotional partnership with the newest Star Wars film, Rogue One, may have been somewhat unexpected, but ended up being a wild success for the car company. The partnership was announced in August and began with a stroke of luck on Nissan’s part: the auto company’s top-selling U.S. model, the Rogue compact crossover, was slated…
U.S. Proposes Requiring Vehicles to Communicate With One Another on the Road
The U.S. Department of Transportation proposed on December 13 that requiring every new vehicle to be able to “communicate” with other cars on the road with short-range wireless technology could help avoid tens of thousands of car accidents annually. Neglecting vehicles costs the U.S. economy over $2 billion every year, and can lead to more…
Lack of Major Decline in Oceans Shouldn’t be Mistaken as Sign of Good Health, Experts Warn
Approximately 50% of the oxygen we breathe is produced by the ocean. The 2016 Ocean Health Index (OHI) defines a healthy ocean as one that can deliver a wide range of sustainable benefits to citizens of the world in the present and in the future based on 10 distinct goals. This year’s score came in at…
Innovative Wind Energy System Paves Way for More Affordable Sustainable Energy
Able to power 1.6 million homes, wind energy is a worthy industry, and new investments and discoveries may soon expand the market like wildfire. As of right now, the U.S. produces 16 billion kWh of wind energy annually. While the costs of systems like wind turbines are still relatively high, experts predict that they will fall…
It’s Getting Hot in Here: How One Gadget Will Help Any Homeowner Lower Their Energy Bill
Every home is filled with electronic appliances of all kinds: televisions, curling irons, refrigerators, and coffee makers. Each uses the same energy, but each also has a unique senor code that distinguishes it from other gadgets. These sensor codes are much like fingerprints and can let homeowners know about their house’s energy use. In order…
Visit to Dentist Leaves Almost 600 Veterans at Risk for HIV, Hepatitis
A dentist at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Tomah, Wisconsin put almost 600 veterans at risk for multiple blood-borne diseases after failing to properly sterilize equipment between patients. As a result of the incident, the VA is now offering free testing to those veterans who may have been affected. The VA published its initial…