Save money on groceries

The average American family spends $537 per month on food -- $312 directly on groceries, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey. Although it may not seem like it, food costs are still one of the most flexible areas in most families' budgets. While you may have little control over your mortgage or day care costs, you can probably save money on groceries. http://www.boston.com/business/personalfinance/gallery/save_on_groceries/?p1=Well_Business_links

Courtesy of The Boston Globe –Boston Deals  by Bankrate.com and Boston.com Staff

 

 

Engineer arrested, feds probe BP's spill response

NEW ORLEANS—By arresting a former BP engineer, federal prosecutors for the first time showed their hand in the Gulf oil spill case, saying they were probing whether BP PLC and its employees broke the law by intentionally lowballing how much oil was spewing from its out-of-control well. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/04/25/engineer_arrested_feds_probe_bps_spill_response/?p1=Well_News_links

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Cain Burdeau and Michael Kunzelman Associated Press

 

 

 

Enlarged natural gas pipe proposed for N.E.

A Houston pipeline company has begun exploring the expansion of a major regional pipeline to bring abundant supplies of natural gas to New England from nearby shale formations, a move that could help lower heating and electricity costs here. http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2012/04/25/enlarged_natural_gas_pipe_proposed_for_ne/

Article courtesy of The Boston Globe by Erin Ailworth

 

 

New space company aims to mine asteroids for precious metals

A new private space company is expected to be unveiled Tuesday at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Planetary Resources Inc. is a Seattle company that intends to mine near-Earth asteroids for raw materials ranging from water to precious metals.

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-space-mining-company-20120423,0,5812110.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times –Money & Co. by W. J. Hennigan

Mexico volcano spews gas, ash; authorities raise alert

MEXICO CITY -- Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano has ramped up activity in recent days, spewing ash and gas and prompting authorities to raise the alert level for neighboring communities in the states of Mexico, Morelos, Tlaxcala and Puebla. http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/04/volcano-mexico-raises-alert-popcatepetl.html

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times -World Now posted by Daniel Hernandez

Villaraigosa wants voters to extend sales tax to fund transit

Faced with a congressional stalemate over transportation funding, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa wants county voters to approve an indefinite extension of a half-cent sales tax used for transit projects.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-mayors-speech-20120419,0,1807416.story

Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Ari Bloomekatz

Awards given for reducing emissions in Northeast

BOSTON—The Northeast Diesel Collaborative has given four organizations from Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont "Breathe Easy" awards for outstanding leadership in reducing diesel emissions.

The collaborative works to improve public health and promote clean diesel technology. Its "Breathe Easy Leadership Awards" are given to agencies and organizations that reduce air pollution by retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines, reducing idling from diesel engines, developing outreach programs and promoting cleaner fuels. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/04/13/awards_given_for_reducing_emissions_in_northeast/

 

 

Autism rates rising sharply, CDC reports

Federal health authorities have significantly raised their estimate of the prevalence of autism in children, concluding in a new study of 8-year-olds that 1 in 88 has some form of the disorder.

For the analysis, released Thursday, researchers scoured tens of thousands of health and special education records in 14 states, looking for an autism diagnosis or the symptoms that would add up to one. It is the latest in a series of studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing autism rates climbing dramatically over the last decade.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0330-autism-rates-20120330,0,4479379.story

Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Alan Zarembo

Earth Hour 2012

A symbolic gesture to raise awareness about energy consumption, Earth Hour has grown since its beginning in 2007 in Sydney to now include observances in 147 countries and over 5000 cities. For one hour, lights are switched off at 8:30 local time on the last Saturday in March. Increasing public environmental awareness in China, which has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest polluter, has led 124 cities there to mark Earth Hour. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/04/earth_hour_2012.html

Article courtesy of the Boston Globe -The Big Picture