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This article shows another example of how Oprah has had huge influence over what America is reading. Two new authors like Jacquelyn Mitchard and Wally Lamb, were made famous because of Oprah. Mitchard's book went from 100,000 sales to 900,000 when Oprah talked about it on her show. The new authors are very appreciative and surprised at the effect that Oprah has had on their careers. This is helpful because it gives another view of why she is successful in controlling what our country is reading. She has made nobody authors into successful and famous just by talking about their book on her show.

The author reflects on the use of acronyms, jargon, and terminology in electronic engineering. According to the author, terminology is a very significant issue since a common language is vital for the proper exchange of information, particularly when a new technology is developed. The author believes that many of the terms for the various devices were developed given the fact that the technology involved is old and established. (Description provided by EBSCO.)

This article gives a different idea for replacing the No child left behind act. The new idea would include more civics teaching to create citizens, which the author emphasizes is an important part of the system. Also, the author mentions that the NCLBA is too focused on economic success that it is blinsided by the actual facts. This is a good article if you are looking for information on NCLBA and the effects of it.

Mandell and Lewis explain that young adults possess insufficient knowledge when it comes to the world of personal finance. This assertion is not new and many researchers have come to a similar conclusion, but the two authors believe young adults in other countries such as Japan and Australia lack financial literacy. Their study focused on whether teenagers lack of motivation inhibited their assimilation of information during finance classes. the researchers believe teens just don't believe financial literacy is important. Their study included five national surveys, with results broken down by different demographics such as sex, race and family income.

This is an article from Design, Automation, and Test in Europe in Proceedings of the conference on Design, automation and test in Europe. The author of the article suggests the creation of a new type of profession that might result from the rapid advancement of hardware and software. Instead of having two separate entities that develop computer systems, the hardware and software professions, there will be one profession that handles the development of both. However, both existing professions would need to join together to make this possible. The hardware technology produced from this joining would be similar to field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), an architecture that can be "reprogrammed" on the fly. This profession would be more like the software development profession as the hardware can be reprogrammed for a particular task. I find this interesting as it could technically eliminate the lack of communication between hardware and software engineers as one would be handling both.

Thaler discusses the "financial literacy crisis" facing most Americans. Today, a record number of Americans are inept when it comes to financial literacy and as a result accumulate large sums of debt and fail to plan for the future. The author explains that Americans get into trouble because current financial systems such as credit cards are not user-friendly. To counter this escalating problem, researchers believe financial programs should be created that provide consumers with basic financial knowledge and assist them in making good choices. Finally, parents must begin teaching financial literacy to their children at a young age and not keep the subject a private matter. Thaler's argument that new financial programs should be created is logical given the current crisis situation he identifies, but he fails to outline a way to do so. Norvilitis, Jill, Michelle Merwin, Timothy Osberg, Patricia Roehling, Paul Young, and Michele Kamas. " Personaility Factors, Money Attitueds, Financial Knowledge, and Credit-Card Debt in College Students." Journal of Applied Social Psychology. 36.6: 1395-1414. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO Roeschh Lib., U of Dayton. 17 March. 2009

It is shocking to see the statistic that almost 2/3 of individuals over the age of 50, still in the working environment, have not thought about their retirement. This failure to plan has lead Americans to financial illiteracy. Almost half of people in the workforce are unaware of pension and retirement funds that they as employees qualify for. The author suggests requiring proper planning aid information upon new employee orientation, educational programs as well as a personal incentive for individuals to think and plan for the future.

The author of a new book says no, and talks about how a site spawned by an Ayn Rand enthusiast became our most popular encyclopedia. This is an interview about the book. Those of you interested in this should check out the book being discussed.

Freakonomics is well-worth checking out. Stephen Dubner and Steven Levitt, authors of Freakonomics, keep the conversation going from their best-selling book that explores the hidden side of everything.

The author argues that posters on sites such as YouTube and FunnyOrDie are working for free.

The article discusses financial-literacy programs at universities and colleges in the United States. Programs like Texas Tech University's help its students master the basics of budgeting, saving, and not buying what they can't afford. These programs are especially important as colleges grapple with rising costs and an economic downturn in the country. The author states that financial literacy affects student retention, productivity, and mental health, and may also generate good will in a time when colleges are being criticized for repeatedly raising tuition, fees, and housing costs. (From the EBSCO abstract.)

The article focuses on the problem of college debt and knowledge about financial terms. It also goes into discussion of what some universities are doing to help this problem by offering classes/seminars. Valuable article.